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Champagne

What do you know about champagne? Who said of champagne, “In victory you deserve it, in defeat you need it?” When do people in your country drink champagne?

CHAMPAGNE OR SPARKLING WINE?

Only wine which is produced in the Champagne region of France can be labelled “champagne”. In Spain, Australia, the United States, Germany, Italy and South Africa sparkling wines are produced in the same way as champagne, using the “méthode champenoise”, but they are not allowed to have the description “champagne” on their labels.

“LA CHAMPAGNE” AND “LE CHAMPAGNE”

“La Champagne” is a limited area 140 kilometres north-east of Paris. Vines have been grown in this region of France for more than 2,000 years, but until the 17^th century still wine, not sparkling wine, was produced. “Le Champagne” was first made in the 17^th century. The experiments of a Benedictine monk, Dom Pérignon, led to the development of the “méthode champenoise”.

TYPES OF GRAPE

Champagne is made from three types of grape, the black Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, and the white Chardonnay grape. These are the only varieties which are permitted in Champagne. Typically, two thirds black grapes and one third white are used to make champagne. “Blanc de Blancs” is made from white grapes only.

CHAMPAGNE CELLARS

Under the vineyards of Champagne there are 200 kilometres of chalk cellars. They were cut by Romans and they have been used since Roman times. Their constant 10º C temperature is ideal for producing champagne. This underground chalk extends as far as Britain, where it rises above ground as the White Cliffs of Dover!

Vintage and non-vintage champagne

Most champagne is non-vintage. Vintage champagne is a champagne which has been produced from the grapes of one particular year. About a hundred days of sun are needed for a vintage year. Non-vintage champagne is made by blending the wine reserves of different years. One or the top champagnes, Krug Réserve, is the result of blending nearly fifty different wine reserves.

Practice 1. Complete this description of the process of making champagne. Use the Present Simple passive form of the verb in brackets.

First, the grapes ______ (pick) by hand and checked carefully. Only perfect grapes _____ (use) to make champagne. Then, the grapes _____ (press). 160 kilos of grapes _____ (use) to produce 100 litres of juice. After that, the juice _____ (leave) to ferment and become wine.

Next, different wines _____ (blend) to produce the ‘house style’. Yeast and sugar _____ (add) to the wine and it _____ (bottle). This results in second fermentation, and bubbles _____ (produce). A sediment _____ (produce) by the second fermentation. This _____ (remove) in two stages, first remuage, then dégorgement.

The remuage _____ (carry out) either with computer-controlled machines or by hand with the traditional remueurs. The bottles of champagne _____ (turn) at regular intervals until they are upside down.

In the next stage, dégorgement, the neck of the champagne bottle _____ (freeze), and frozen sediment _____ (remove). Then, a little champagne and sugar _____ (add), and champagne _____ (leave) to mature.

Finally, the bottles _____ (label) and the corks _____ (insert). Then the champagne _____ (sell) all over the world!

Practice 2. Make questions for these answers from the text.

Example How is vintage champagne made?

How long has this champagne been left to mature?

When were the chalk cellars cut?

1. How long ……………………………………………………………………………..

They’ve been grown there for more than 2,000 years.

2. When ………………………………………………………………………………….

It was first made in the 17^th century.

3. What ………………………………………………………………………………….

It’s made from three types of grape.

4. How …………………………………………………………………………………..

It’s made from white grapes only.

5. How long ……………………………………………………………………………..

They’ve been used since Roman times.

6. How many ……………………………………………………………………………

About a hundred days of sun are needed.

7. How …………………………………………………………………………………..

It’s made by blending the wine reserves of different years.

Role-play

You are an experienced barman or barmaid. You are showing a new employee around the bar. Write or act out your conversation, in which you talk about when the bar is open, the prices of drinks, what to give a customer if she/he asks for smth, how to behave with minors, where everything is, and so on.

Exercise 10

Translate the following passage into English:

Справжній англійський чай

Що це таке – чай по-англійські? Як його готують? Чайник заливають свіжою холодною водою і ставлять на вогонь. Щойно вода закипить, у спеціально підігрітий заварник кладуть по повній ложці чаю на кожного. Потім підносять заварник до чайника і ллють окріп на чайні листки, злегка помішуючи ложечкою. Заварник накривають і залишають заварюватися на 2-4 хвилини. Після цього готовий напій наливають крізь ситечко в інший заварник, також попередньо підігрітий. Інакше, як твердять, чай буде гіркуватий.

Напій готовий. Молоко й цукор, без яких англійський чай немислимий, додають за смаком. Однак, питання, наливати молоко в чашку до чи після чаю, для англійців є вельми принциповим. Аристократи заявляють однозначно: “milk last”. Вони стверджують, що лише в такий спосіб можна домогтися необхідного кольору напою.

Чай по-англійськи – смачний, приємний напій. Він чудово тамує спрагу, підвищує життєвий тонус, легко засвоюється, зміцнює стінки судин, поліпшує самопочуття.

Exercise 11

Put the verbs in brackets into the correct passive or active tense.

Coffee 1) is said (say) to originate from Kaffa in Ethiopia and most species of coffee plant 2) ______ (find) in the tropics of the Eastern Hemisphere. The species which 3) ______ (think) to be the earliest coffee plant 4) ______ (ever/cultivate) by man is Coffea Arabica. Today it 5) ______ (grow) mostly in Latin America.

The coffee 6) _____ (reach) a height of 8-10 metres and 7) ______ (have) white scented flowers. It 8) ______ (produce) a red fruit which 9) ______ (call) a cherry. The cherry 10) _____ (contain) two seeds which 11) ______ (join) together. These seeds, which 12) ______ (also/know) as beans, 13) ______ (first/roast) and then they14) ______ (grind) to make coffee. The grounds 15) ______ (then/process) in a variety of different ways. Sometimes they 16) ______ (fitter) and sometimes they 17) ______ (soak) in water to make the drink which is popular with so many people. Coffee is available as ground or as instant coffee powder and 18) ______ (drink) by one third of the world’s population.

Exercise 12

Choose the right answer.

1. You shouldn't eat so many sweets; they're . . . . . for you.

a) bad b) disagreeable c) unpleasant d) unsuitable

2. My aunt could tell fortunes from tea . . . . . .

a) buds b) grounds c) leaves d) seeds

3. Would you . . . . . the salt, please?

a) carry b) deliver c) give d) pass

4. This avocado . . . . . rather hard.

a) feels b) senses c) smells d) tastes

5. Oranges are said to be. . . . . for me but I don't much like them.

a) appetizing b) good c) healthy d) nourishing

6. "What would you like to drink. Miss Delicate, some . . . . . or something stronger?"

a) brandy b) cider c) sherry d) whisky

7. Pork chops are one of my favourite . . . . . .

a) bowls b) courses c) dishes d) plates

8. These are …… potatoes, not the end of last season's.

a) fresh b) new c) ripe d) young

9. Light . . . . . were served during the interval.

a) drinks b) foods c) meals d) refreshments

10. They arrived so late for the meal, that the food was ……. .

a) dried b) hard c) lost d) spoilt

11. I usually . . . . . white coffee for breakfast.

a) consume b) eat c) have d) take

12. In England they eat apple . . . . . with pork.

a) cream b) custard c) pudding d) sauce

13. Is this . . . . . water?

a) drink b) drinking c) potted d) swallow

14. No thank you, I don't . . . . . sugar in tea.

a) drink b) put c) take d) use

15. Would you like me to. . . . . the tea?

a) drain b) drip c) pour d) spill

Exercise 13

Translate the following text into English:

На сніданок я їм сендвіч, який запиваю чашкою кави або чаю. Я не відмовляюсь від шинки, окорока, телячих чи свинячих відбивних, засмажених качок, індичок і гусей. Я не можу стриматись покуштувати дичину: зайця, куріпку, фазана. Коли я зголоднію, я дозволяю собі з`їсти плитку шоколаду. В обідню перерву я перекушу бутербродами з білого хліба. А коли я повертаюсь додому, я відчуваю страшенний голод, і зазвичай я з`їдаю поживну вечерю, яка складається зі смаженої картоплі та копченого м`яса. Можу приготувати будь-яку кашу: рисову, гречану, пшоняну, вівсяну та ін.

Вечеря не обходиться без риби: тріски, камбали, щуки, карася, оселедця, форелі, фаршированої риби, риби в соусі, риб`ячої юшки чи просто риби смаженої на сковорідці.

Мій хворобливий друг жахається від того, що я їм, бо на сніданок він з`їдає лише тоненький шматочок хліба, п`є чай з трави, в обід він їсть рис, а на вечерю у нього боби з салатом. Якби я був на його місці, я б облишив цю дивну манеру харчуватись. Врешті-решт, фрукти: банани, лимони, ківі, манго ще нікому не зашкодили. Горіхи: волоські, лісові (фундук), покращать ваш настрій, а спеції і приправи нададуть енергії на весь день.

Exercise 14

What do we call:

1. A small flat cake made of unleavened dough and baked dry, hard and crisp? 2. Small pieces of raw potato­es fried crisp? 3. A slice of bread browned on each side by heat, especially at the fire? 4. Two slices of buttered bread with a piece of meat, cheese, etc., between? 5. The sweet nectar of flowers collected by bees? 6. A cold dish of uncooked sliced vegetables seasoned with oil, vinegar and other spi­ces?

Exercise 15

What is the English for:

1) пересмажене м'ясо, 2) хліб з маслом, 3) круте яйце, 4) накрити на стіл, 5) фарширований перець, 6) заправити салат, 7) чистити картоплю, 8) настоювати чай, 9) просіювати борошно, 10) копчена ковбаса, 11) качан капусти, 12) скибка лимона, 13) гроно винограду, 14) молоде вино, 15) кава з молоком, 16) банка варення, 17) плитка шоколаду, 18) фруктовий сік, 19) місити тісто, 20) копчена риба, 21) мариновані гриби, 22) свіжий хліб, 23) молоде вино.

Role-play

Make up dialogues.

1. Helen has invited some friends to a dinner party. She has cooked all the dishes herself and proudly mentions the fact. Her friends do not find everything quite to their liking, but try not to show it. On the whole, everyone is having fun.

2. An irritable husband is sitting at dinner and criticizing his wife’s cooking. He is trying to teach her the way this or that dish should be cooked though he knows very little about it. The wife is doing her best to defend herself.

Exercise 16

Read the text below and fill in the gaps with the correct word from the list.

leftovers nightcap amount bowl plate helping

Every time I go to my grandmother’s she puts a (1)…………..in front of me with a huge (2) …………..of food on it and tells me to eat it whether I’m hungry or not. When I’ve finished eating, she gives me another (3) ……….. and sits me to make sure I eat it all. For dessert, she gives me a (4) ………… of rice pudding which she has made specially for me, and then before I leave she wraps up all the (5) ………… in tin foil so I can take them with me. If it is after nine o’clock she insists that I have a glass of homemade liqueur as a (6) ……… before leaving, by which time my stomach is so full that I can hardly walk!

Exercise 17

Choose the right answer:

1. I am very fond of eating ..... onions with cold beef.

a) frozen b) pickled c) preserved d) salted

2. As the cake was delicious, Mr Sweettooth had a second …….. .

a) amount b) course c) cut d) helping

3. Potatoes are the ..... diet for many European peoples.

a) bulk b) majority c) staple d) sum

4. Can't I …. you to another piece of cake?

a) convince b) persuade c) pull d) tempt

5. The meat is rather tough so you have to .....it for a long time.

a) bite b) chew c) eat d) swallow

6. Pass me the salad .... , please.

a) dressing b) sauce c) herb d) spice

7. Make sure everyone gets a(n) ..... share of the cake!

a) fair b) just c) own d) same

8. Don't put any cream on my wild strawberries, I prefer them ……. .

a) natural b) ordinary c) plain d) simple

9. Do you think it is possible to . . . . . on nothing but fruit?

a) eat b) enjoy c) live d) make

10. There is . . . . of cake for everyone.

a) enough b) much c) plenty d) some

11. Eating . . . . . in Ukraine are changing because of the increasing standard of living.

a) behaviour b) habits c) methods d) ways

12. I have been eating honey so my fingers are ..... .

a) dirty b) sticky c) wet d) yellow

13. A good way of ..... food is keeping it in a fridge.

a) enduring b) extending c) preserving d) prolonging

14. It's a Mexican ..... but I can't remember what it is called.

a) especial b) speciality c) specialization d) specializing

Exercise 18

Fill in the gaps with the correct word(s) from the list below.

hangover starving full food poisoning indigestion

1. I was ………… when I got home as I hadn’t eaten all day.

2. Craig got …………. because the meat he had eaten was undercooked.

3. Gillian got …………….. because she ate her food too quickly.

4. I’m ………; I can’t eat another bite.

5. He had a …………….. from all the alcohol he had drunk the previous night.