Lesson 8 – It’s Thursday 13th February
Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day
It’s the anniversary of my arrival in Sweden
This year we celebrate our silver wedding anniversary
What’s the date today?
What’s the weather like?
What will you do today if it continues snowing? Take a sauna!
It’s raining now, but it should clear up this afternoon (= be better weather)
sheep meat = mutton
Which is the fattiest cut of lamb? rump and the shank
Which is the leanest cut of lamb? (=not fatty)
Chicken is a lean meat.
fatty meat but oily fish (salmon, mackerel, herring etc)
You can find pigs’ trotters on the Christmas table.
1. Which cuts of meat are the most expensive?
2. Which cuts of meat are the cheapest?
3. What is your favourite cut of meat? Why?
4. Do you like beef, lamb, chicken or pork the most? Why?
5. Do you eat meat, or are you vegetarian?
6. What are some good vegetarian alternatives to meat?
7. How can restaurants offer more vegetarian options?
8. What is your favorite vegetarian dish?
9. What is your favourite way to prepare meat?
10. How do you season meat before cooking? (= salt, pepper etc)
11. What is a slow-cooked dish you know?
12. How should a steak be cooked in a restaurant?
13. What questions should a waiter ask a customer about their meat order?
14. What are some common side dishes served with meat in restaurants?
grilled corn on the cob
I bought a tin of sweetcorn
maize (US)
vegetable skewers (skyuu – aas), wooden skewers, metal skewers, grilled chicken skewers
“ay” make, mistake, steak, break, fayvourite, fake
“ee” week, speak, leek, leak
“i” lick an ice-cream
If you simmer bones overnight you can make bone broth. (= cook gently in water)
What might happen if you eat undercooked pork or chicken?
Which word is missing? “thu-ru-lee”
You need to cook chicken and pork thoroughly before serving.
Before signing the contract, make sure you read it thoroughly
Wash your hands thoroughly after every toilet visit.
What are these problems? What caused them? What is the solution?
How can they be avoided in the future?
The glass is smeary. Remove the smears.
The toilet is blocked. There is a blockage. “block-idge”
The pipe is leaking. There is a water leak.
There is a power outage (US) a power cut (BrE)
The bulb has burnt out
a squeegee
a plunger
You mustn’t flush women’s sanitary products down the toilet.
cloths, wet wipes
“ay” administration, an administrator
Don’t pour hot fat down the sink. The sink becomes blocked
They are finding “fat mountains” in the sewers (the tunnels)
sewage (waste from bathrooms and kitchen) “soo-idge”
In London and Stockholm you have to pay congestion charges during the week
= to pay a toll (tax) on the Norwegian highways
to pay a parking fine, to pay a speeding fine
Discussion:
How often should hotel bedding and towels be changed?
Why should glass doors and windows be polished regularly?
How often should rubbish bins be emptied in public areas?
What should you do if a guest spills a drink in the lobby?
Why is it important to polish glassware and cutlery?
Why is disinfecting countertops and cutting boards important?
Why is it important to mop floors regularly in restrooms?
What equipment and cleaning products do you use?
Name some common maintenance problems.
Reporting a problem
The housekeeping staff finds a problem in a guest room that needs attention (e.g., broken lamp, stained towels, clogged sink).
Housekeeping staff: Excuse me, I just cleaned Room 305, but there seems to be a problem with the sink. It’s clogged and not draining properly.
Hotel supervisor: Thanks for letting me know. Can you please check if there are any other issues in the room? I’ll send someone to fix the sink right away.
Housekeeping staff: Sure, I’ll check. Also, the lamp near the bed is broken. Should I report that as well?
Hotel supervisor: Yes, please report it to maintenance. They will take care of it along with the sink.
Requesting Cleaning Supplies
The housekeeping staff needs cleaning supplies to complete their tasks but is running low on certain items.
Housekeeping staff: Hello, I’m running low on cleaning supplies. We need more all-purpose cleaner and towels for the rooms. Could you send some to the housekeeping department?
Hotel manager/maintenance: Sure, I’ll have more supplies sent up. How many towels do you need?
Housekeeping staff: We need at least 20 towels for today’s shift.
Hotel manager/maintenance: Ok, I’ll make sure you have them shortly. Let me know if you need anything else.
shortly = soon
Cleaning a bathroom (after a guest has complained)
A guest has reported that their bathroom is not clean, and the housekeeping staff needs to clean it again.
Housekeeping staff: Good morning! I’ve come to clean your room. I heard you had some concerns about the bathroom?
Guest: Yes, the sink wasn’t cleaned properly, and the towels look dirty. I need it to be cleaned right away.
Housekeeping staff: I’m sorry about that. I’ll take care of the sink, towels, and replace them with fresh ones.
Guest: Thank you, I really appreciate it.
Housekeeping staff: No problem, I’ll be quick. Would you like anything else while I’m here?
concerned = worried
I’m concerned about the quality of state education.
to run low = to be running out
Her battery was running out.
Her battery has died.