Match the words with their definitions by clicking on them:
Herring is not just a fish in the Netherlands—it's a cultural icon. Every year in mid-June, the Dutch celebrate the arrival of "nieuwe haring" (new herring), marking what locals call the "fifth season." This tradition has been part of Dutch culture for centuries.
Jack, a fishmonger who **has worked** at his father-in-law's fish shop for around 25 years, starts every day with a herring breakfast. "I **have been** everywhere, in the best hotels in the world," he says. "Breakfast is always great, but everywhere I miss my herring!"
The preparation of herring is an art form. After being caught, the fish is **cured** in salt for a few days. Then comes the cleaning process: removing the guts, **dorsal** fins, skin, head, and bones. Jack and his team clean about 500 fish a day. According to Jack, the best way to eat herring is "**fresh from the knife**"—**immediately** after it's been cleaned.
The Dutch have strong opinions about how to enjoy their herring. Purists eat the first herrings of the season without pickles or onions because they want to taste the pure flavor. Later in the year, when the fish becomes stronger, people add pickles and onions to enhance the taste. Some fans believe herring has hangover-curing properties and even makes you smarter, though these claims are not scientifically proven!
Herring is traditionally paired with jenever (Dutch gin) or corenwyn, an aged gin stored in oak barrels. Even Queen Beatrix was **renowned** to be a fan. While herring faces **competition** from other Dutch street foods like kip (broiled chicken), frikandel, poffertjes (little pancakes), and stroopwafels, it remains the undisputed champion of Dutch street food culture.
1. Jack's father-in-law started the fish shop.
2. Herring season begins in December.
3. Jack cleans about 500 fish a day.
4. Herring is typically eaten with a fork and knife.
5. Queen Beatrix was known to enjoy herring.
Instructions: Click on a word from the word bank, then click on a gap to fill it:
Present Perfect: We use it for experiences, actions that started in the past and continue now, or recent actions with present relevance.
Formula: have/has + past participle
Example from the reading: "Jack **has worked** at his father-in-law's fish shop for around 25 years."
Past Simple: We use it for completed actions at a specific time in the past.
Formula: verb + -ed (regular) or irregular form
Example: "We **ate** six herrings when we visited Amsterdam **last year**."
1. Jack __________ (work) at the fish shop for 25 years.
2. We __________ (eat) six herrings when we visited last year.
3. I __________ (never try) raw fish before.
4. The herring season __________ (begin) in mid-June last year.
Change the form of the word in brackets where necessary to complete each sentence:
1. Herring is a __________ (TRADITION) Dutch street food.
2. The __________ (PREPARE) of herring requires skill and experience.
3. Many tourists are __________ (SURPRISE) by the taste of raw herring.
4. The fish monger works __________ (EFFICIENT) to clean 500 fish daily.
5. Herring is known for its __________ (HEALTH) benefits.
6. The __________ (ARRIVE) of nieuwe haring is celebrated every June.
Write a short paragraph (100-150 words) describing a food tradition from your own country, using at least two of the new vocabulary words from Section 2.