Dialogue about Cooking in English with Quiz

Intermediate Listening Series 2 Lesson 14- Dialogue about Cooking in English with Quiz

In this lesson, you listen to an English conversation between two people talking about cooking.

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English Listening Lesson Audio with Script

Lesson Audio

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Lesson Script

Nabeel: Actually, I remember that one time you had a party and you made that really nice pumpkin dip.

Ginger: Oh, yeah, that’s a popular one. Everyone loves that when I make it.

Nabeel: What do you need for it?

Ginger: It’s really easy. All you need is one can of canned pumpkin, one eight ounce block of cream cheese, powdered sugar, and few spices.

Nabeel: Is it easy to make?

Ginger: It is. You just let the cream cheese melt a little, and then you blend it together with the pumpkin and the powdered sugar, and then after you get that really smooth and creamy, then you put in the nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon.

Nabeel: Wow, that sounds yummy.

Ginger: It is. It’s great. And then I usually put a few cinnamon sticks in for appearance and serve it with ginger snaps and with green apples cut into slices. It’s good with both of those.

Nabeel: Cool, I’m gonna try that sometime. What else can you make?

Ginger: Well, like I said, I’m not much of a cook, so I don’t cook much. I put things together.

You know what, I have a blender and I do a lot of smoothies. I love making smoothies. I buy the fruit. And then keep the fruit in the freezer. That’s the trick. You’ve got to freeze the fruit, and then you don’t need ice so it doesn’t taste watered down. So you take the frozen fruit. Put it in the blender, and then you just mix it with yogurt, or fruit juice and it’s delicious.

Nabeel: What kind of fruit do you like to use?

Ginger: Well, my favorite is just really simple. It’s just frozen strawberries, frozen banana, orange juice, and a little honey if you want, but you don’t even need the honey, and then I have another I like with mango and papaya and pineapple and yogurt.

Nabeel: Well, between you smoothie and pumpkin dip and my eggplant curry we can throw quite a party.

Ginger: Let’s do it. We’ll have it on your rooftop with your cats.

Nabeel: Sounds like a good idea.

English Listening Lesson Quizzes

Answer the following questions about the conversation.

1) What do you need for the pumpkin dip?

1. a) a can of pumpkin
2. b) cream cheese
3. c) brown sugar
4. d) some spices

2) What spices are used?

1. a) lemon spice
2. b) cinnamon
3. c) ginger
4. d) nutmeg

3) What does she add for appearance?

1. a) green apples
2. b) ginger snaps
3. c) cinnamon sticks

4) What does she do for smoothies?

1. a) freeze the fruit
2. b) use fresh ice
3. c) add yogurt
4. d) add syrup

5) What fruit does she like to use?

1. a) strawberry
2. b) peach
3. c) papaya
4. c) mango

Answers

• 1=a,b,d
• 2=b,c,d
• 3=c
• 4=a,c
• 5=a,c,c

English Grammar Tips

Coming soon….

English Listening Lesson Phrases

yummy

That sounds yummy.

“Yummy” is a slang word meaning delicious.

1. I heard that the chocolate gateau at the new French restaurant is yummy.
2. “Umm, that stew smells yummy, let’s eat!”

like I said

Well, like I said, I’m not much of a cook.

This expression is used when the speaker wants to emphasize that they have already made that comment or point previously in the conversation.

1. Like I said, Sunday is my favorite day of the week because I can sleep in.
2. If you had kept to the speed limit like I said, you would not have gotten a speeding ticket!

That’s the trick

Keep the fruit in the freezer. That’s the trick.

In this case, “that’s the trick” means the successful or short way to do something.

1. Keep your balance on the bike by putting your weight back in the seat. That’s the trick.
2. Making your spoken English easy to understand is all about catching the rhythm of the language. That’s the trick.

watered down

You don’t use ice so it doesn’t taste watered down.

“Watered down” means to dilute something, usually a liquid by adding water. It can also refer to statements or ideas that have been made weaker than the original.

1. The hostess bars serve watered down drinks to keep costs down.
2. The original proposal to ban all guns was watered down when the pro-gun group protested.

throw (a party)

We’ll throw a party on your rooftop.

In this context, “throw” means to have.

1. Let’s throw a fancy dress party for New Year.
2. Let’s throw a bachelorette party for Sue, she is getting married next week.

Quizzes for Lesson Phrases

• yummy
• like I said
• the trick
• watered down
• throw a party

1. Let’s……….  for the end of term.
2. I think……….  to getting good grades is good study habits.
3. It is……….  yesterday. You cannot trust that man.
4. Some people think light beer tastes………….  .
5. The cake was very……….  .

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