Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Cooking & Culinary Skills 2

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find an international cooking class.

There are descriptions of eight cooking classes.

Decide which cooking class would be the most suitable for the people below.

1   Elena wants to prepare Asian meals that are full of hot, fiery flavors. She has no time to shop for unusual groceries, so the cooking school must supply all the rare products for her during the lesson.

2   Marco is interested in making traditional Italian dishes. He loves history and wants to learn about the country’s lifestyle and customs. He needs the instructor to give him all the hard-to-find regional products during the class.

3   Yuki wants to understand the ancient customs and cultural background of Asian cooking. She enjoys exploring local markets to buy her own food, so she prefers a class where students must bring their own special groceries.

4   Sam is looking for an Italian cooking workshop that teaches him how to make traditional dishes with very hot, spicy flavors. He is busy from Monday to Friday, so the course must take place at the weekend.

5   Alice wants to learn how to cook Asian recipes. She hates chili and needs meals that are completely mild. She wants the kitchen to provide all the exotic items so she doesn’t have to find them herself.

International Cooking Classes

A Taste of the East

Discover the secrets of Thai and Sichuan cooking in this exciting workshop! We focus on recipes packed with intense chili heat for those who love burning flavors. Don’t worry about searching for hard-to-find eastern herbs or imported sauces; our kitchen hands out everything required to create your delicious hot dishes.

B Roman Heritage Kitchen

Step into the world of classic pasta and pizza making. While you cook, our instructors share fascinating stories about Italy’s rich history and typical family traditions. We proudly supply all the imported cheeses, specialized meats, and rare Mediterranean olive oils you will use, so just arrive ready to learn!

C Eastern Traditions

Join our immersive journey into Japanese and Korean food. You will discover the fascinating ancient ceremonies and social customs linked to every meal. To keep course prices low, participants are required to purchase and carry their own unique oriental vegetables and sauces to the studio before the lesson begins.

D Calabrian Fire

Do you love Southern European food with a real kick? This Saturday and Sunday, join our special masterclass on making incredibly hot and peppery Italian pasta sauces. Our weekend sessions are perfect for busy workers who want to learn how to add intense chili flavors to 

classic Mediterranean meals.

E Gentle Asian Kitchen

Explore the delicate flavors of Cantonese and Vietnamese cuisine. We guarantee our recipes contain absolutely no chili, focusing entirely on sweet and savory tastes. Best of all, our team completely stocks your cooking station with all the unusual eastern spices and imported vegetables required for the entire session.

F Spicy Seoul

Master the art of incredibly hot Korean barbecue and fiery noodle soups. We specialize in intense dishes that will burn your tongue! Because we use very specific eastern items, we ask all students to buy and carry their own imported chili pastes and rare vegetables from the local market.

G Tuscan Weekends

Join us every Saturday to explore delicious Mediterranean meals. We spend hours discussing the beautiful art, history, and daily lifestyle of the Italian people while we eat. Please note that all participants must source and supply their own regional cheeses and special meats before arriving at our cooking studio.

H Simple Wok

Learn how to cook fantastic Thai and Vietnamese meals without the burning heat. We focus on very mild, gentle flavors that everyone can enjoy. We provide all the standard pots and pans, but students are required to shop for and bring their own rare eastern spices and vegetables.

Reading 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find a gluten-free cooking class.

There are descriptions of eight cooking classes.

Decide which cooking class would be the most suitable for the people below.

1   Nina has a severe allergy, so she needs a kitchen where no wheat is ever used. She wants to cook nutritious meals replacing pasta with fresh vegetables. She also prefers learning in a very small group with few other learners.

2   David wants to spend his weekend learning how to bake delicious gluten-free bread and cakes. He works all week, so Saturday or Sunday is essential. He also hopes to pack up what he makes to share with his children later.

3   Maya is a student on a tight budget looking for inexpensive lessons. She only has free time on weekday nights. She wants to discover how to prepare fast gluten-free dinners that are ready to eat in under half an hour.

4   Lucas already knows how to cook well but wants to master advanced gluten-free dishes from around the world. Because he doesn’t own a car, the cooking school must be located within a short walk of a railway station.

5   Emma wants a fun class where her ten-year-old son can join her. They both love Italian food and want to make gluten-free pizzas. They will drive to the studio, so it must have a place to leave their car safely.

Gluten-Free Cooking Classes

A Safe & Healthy

Our studio is a completely wheat-free zone, making it perfectly secure for anyone with severe food sensitivities. Join our intimate sessions of just four people to discover fantastic plant-based swaps. You will learn to use fresh produce to create delicious, vitamin-rich dishes instead of using traditional heavy carbohydrates like noodles.

B Weekend Wellness

Spend your Saturday mornings discovering how to prepare wholesome, gluten-free meals. We focus on swapping out unhealthy ingredients for fresh vegetables. Our large, lively sessions of twenty students are great for making friends. However, you must eat your dishes here, as we don’t provide boxes to carry them away.

C Sweet Weekends

Join us on Saturday afternoons to master the art of wheat-free baking. We will teach you the secrets to making perfect, soft loaves and wonderful sweet desserts. Best of all, we supply special containers so you can easily carry all your delicious baked treats back to your own house.

D Budget Italian

Discover how to make amazing wheat-free pizzas and pasta from scratch! These low-cost sessions are perfect for anyone trying to save cash. Classes run every Tuesday and Wednesday at midday. Please note that the studio is on a busy street, and there is nowhere to leave your vehicle nearby.

E Speedy Suppers

Perfect for busy people, this Monday night workshop teaches you how to whip up wheat-free meals in just twenty minutes! We keep our prices extremely low, making it a fantastic choice for university learners. Come and learn how to create fantastic, speedy food without spending a fortune on supplies.

F Global Gourmet

Are you an experienced chef looking to improve? This workshop explores complex, wheat-free recipes from Asia and South America. We guarantee you will learn exciting new techniques to impress your guests. We are located deep in the countryside, so you will definitely need to drive to reach our doors.

G International Chef

Designed for confident cooks, this challenging course explores exciting, wheat-free dishes from various continents. You will master complex techniques to create fantastic foreign meals. Our modern kitchen is extremely convenient for public transport users, situated just a two-minute walk from the main platforms of the city’s railway network.

H Family Slice

Bring the children along for a fantastic time learning how to prepare classic Italian flatbreads without any wheat! We welcome all ages to come and create their own delicious, cheesy bases. Our facility offers a large, complimentary area outside where you can park your vehicle at no extra cost.

Reading 3

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find a chocolate making workshop.

There are descriptions of eight chocolate workshops.

Decide which workshop would be the most suitable for the people below.

1   Elena wants to produce dark chocolate. She is looking for a lively, energetic environment with loud music while she works. She also hopes to pack her finished sweets into beautiful boxes to give to her family.

2   David wants to learn the specific skill of making chocolate truffles. He has a busy job, so he requires a quiet, relaxing session to unwind. Because he works all week, the workshop must be on a Sunday.

3   Maya loves sweet treats and wants to make chocolates filled with fresh fruit. She needs to drive there, so free parking is essential. She also wants to create personalized wrapping so she can use them as presents.

4   Leo and Sam want to discover the history of cocoa before they cook. They are hoping for a highly entertaining, game-filled environment full of laughter. They rely on public transport, so they need a central city location.

5   Chloe wants to learn how to produce creamy white chocolate. She is busy during the day, so she requires an evening class. She also expects to take home printed recipe cards so she can bake them again.

Chocolate Making Workshops

A Cocoa Beats

Combine cooking and dancing! At our energetic workshops, we play great pop tunes while you mix rich, high-percentage bitter cocoa into delicious treats. Once your sweets are cooled, we provide ribbons and elegant cartons so you can hand them out as the perfect presents for your relatives.

B Peaceful Pralines

Escape the noisy city on the very last day of the weekend. Our calm, soothing studio is the ideal place to rest your mind while rolling soft, round cocoa bites. You will master the delicate art of making these traditional filled sweets without any loud distractions, ensuring total relaxation.

C Berry Sweet

Discover how to inject delicious strawberry and orange centres into your sweet desserts! We provide colourful paper and beautiful ribbons so you can wrap your handmade items to surprise your friends. Our suburban kitchen is easy to reach by car, and we have a large, complimentary garage for all customers.

D The Chocolate Story

Located right in the middle of town next to the main square, our classes start with a fascinating talk about where beans come from. Then, the real fun begins! Expect lots of jokes, loud team challenges, and a wonderfully amusing atmosphere as you create your very own delicious bars.

E Milky Magic

If you love desserts made with cocoa butter but no dark powder, join us! We run our sessions at 7 PM, making them perfect for after work. Every student leaves with a wonderful pack of printed instructions, allowing you to easily recreate our creamy treats in your own kitchen.

F Midnight Cocoa

We play fantastic dance tracks while you learn to temper dark, bitter cocoa. The atmosphere is loud, energetic, and brilliant for making new friends. However, you won’t need to wrap anything up to take away, because we sit down and eat every single delicious piece before the class ends!

G Truffle Masterclass

Learn the secret to making perfect, soft-centred cocoa balls in our highly relaxing, quiet environment. We believe cooking should be peaceful, so we keep group sizes small and avoid loud music. Classes take place exclusively on Saturday mornings, offering a wonderful, calm start to your weekend away from the office.

H The Fruity Bean

We specialize in combining rich cocoa with fresh apples, cherries, and bananas for a unique taste. Our countryside location means you never have to pay to leave your vehicle outside. Please bring your own containers if you want to take things home, as we do not supply packaging materials.

Exercises:   123456