15.Memory Work.

a) Match the beginnings and ends of these sayings.

1. To make an omelette a) drink with measure

2. Too many cooks b) after supper walk a mile

3. Hunger c) as a lord

4. Eat at pleasure d) without breaking eggs

5. As drunk e) breaks stone walls

6. After dinner sit a while f) spoil the broth

b) Use the proverbs and sayings in a natural context. First make sure that you know what they mean and prove that they have sense.

c) Learn them by heart.

Unit 3. Reading and Speaking

Text Study

Read the text and define the main trends in American and Britain eating habits.

In different parts of Britain people call their meal by different names. It’s very complicated. For most people the main meal of the day is called dinner. But some families eat this at midday, others eat it in the evening. People who have dinner in the evening have a small meal called lunch at midday, and people who have dinner at midday usually have another meal (which they call tea) between 5 and 6 o’clock or they have supper a little later.

Unlike several other countries, most Americans have their main meal – supper (or dinner) – in the evening. The main reason for this is due to the fact that most members of an American family work full-time; only in the evening does the family reconvene as a unit. The exact time varies from household to household because work schedules are not necessarily standard throughout the nation. Although most families do eat together in the evening, during the day it is common for working parents to eat out. Since lunch breaks in the USA are relatively short – about 45 minutes to an hour – many people have choice of visiting a fast-food restaurant (and now there are a great number of “health fast-food bars”), call their favourite restaurant for pick up, call in an office order for delivery, or simply bring a packed lunch.

The usual English breakfast is porridge or "Corn Flakes" with milk or cream and sugar, bacon and eggs, marmalade (made from oranges) with buttered toast, and tea or coffee. For a change they can have a boiled egg, cold ham, or perhaps fish. They generally have lunch at about one o'clock. A businessman in London usually finds it impossible to come home for lunch, and so he goes to a cafe or restaurant. Afternoon tea you can hardly call a meal, but it is a sociable sort of thing, as friends often come in then for a chat while they have their cup of tea, cake or biscuit. In some British houses dinner is the biggest meal of the day. It may have two or three courses. First a starter (e.g. soup), then a main course with meat or fish and finally dessert. In the evening they have the much simpler supper — an omelette, or sausages, sometimes bacon and eggs and sometimes just bread and cheese, a cup of coffee or cocoa and fruit.

It is probably true that British food does not have a very reputation among people overseas. There are still two main problems: vegetables and coffee. Vegetables are usually overcooked, and coffee is usually instant. Remember if you ask for coffee in Britain it will normally be served white. If you like coffee without milk, you must ask specially for black coffee.

If you take a look at the actual diet of typical Americans, you would find that most of the families have well balanced nutrition. Cereals and grainfoods, fruits and vegetables, fish and salads are emphasized instead of heavy and sweet foods. More than one American, of course, will refuse to give up that ‘solid’ meal of meat, potatoes and gravy.

America has two strong advantages when it comes to food. First is that, as the leading agricultural nation, it has always been well supplied with fresh meats, fruits and vegetables in great variety at relatively low prices. Secondly, immigrants have brought with them and continue to bring, the traditional cuisines of their countries and cultures. Most Americans really enjoy trying new food and easily adapt to new dishes.