Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Cooking & Culinary Skills 4

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find a traditional local baking course.

There are descriptions of eight baking courses.

Decide which baking course would be the most suitable for the people below.

1   Anna wants to learn how to make traditional bread using secrets passed down from older generations. She has a stressful job and needs a very peaceful environment. Because she works all day, she must attend an evening class.

2   Tom is interested in discovering the history of what people ate in this region centuries ago. He wants a course that takes place outside in nature and needs a class that welcomes young children to join in.

3   Maria wants a completely calm, stress-free workshop where she can slowly learn to bake traditional local sweet cakes. She relies on public transport, so the cooking kitchen must be located right in the middle of the city.

4   David wants to find out about the history of regional baking. He specifically wants to practice cooking inside an old-fashioned stone fire oven. Because he studies during the week, he is only free on Saturdays or Sundays.

5   Sophie hopes to bake traditional family meals exactly like her grandmother used to make. She is looking for a Monday morning session and expects to get a special box to carry her cooked items back to her house.

Traditional Local Baking Courses

A Quiet Kitchen

Leave your busy day behind in our soothing, quiet baking space. Starting at 7 PM, we guide you through making classic loaves exactly as our ancestors and grandparents prepared them. You will experience a wonderfully calm atmosphere, allowing you to completely rest your mind after a long day at the office.

B Generations of Taste

Join our friendly, noisy sessions where we teach the classic pastry techniques of our great-grandparents! These energetic workshops run every Thursday night. Unfortunately, you cannot remove any food from the building, because we all sit together around the large kitchen table to eat our delicious creations before the night ends.

C Heritage Bakers

Discover exactly how the people of this area baked hundreds of years ago! Every Saturday and Sunday, you will step back in time and learn the fascinating origins of our regional bread. You will even get the unique chance to bake your dough using an original, antique wood-burning brick heater.

D Monday Memories

Start your week at 9 AM by recreating the classic, hearty dishes that our grandmothers proudly served at home. You will learn age-old family secrets in our modern kitchen. When the session finishes, we provide beautiful cardboard cartons so you can easily transport your delicious, finished meals back to your own dining table.

E The Open Air Oven

Learn about the historical roots of our town’s famous pies! We cook entirely outside in a beautiful forest clearing, using natural ingredients from the past. Please note that this weekend workshop involves hot fires and sharp tools, so we strictly cannot allow anyone under the age of eighteen to attend.

F City Sugar Studio

Located just steps from the main town square, this is the perfect place to forget your worries. We offer a highly relaxing, unhurried environment where you will master the art of making the region’s famous sugary biscuits and traditional fruit tarts. It is a lovely, stress-free escape in the downtown area.

G Nature’s Past

Find out exactly what the early villagers here ate centuries ago! We host these fascinating cultural lessons completely outside in the fresh air of the community park. It is a wonderful experience for all ages, and we warmly invite parents to bring their little ones along to join the fun.

H Downtown Desserts

Situated right next to the central train station, our lively, fast-paced kitchen is full of energy! We play loud music while you learn to bake traditional regional sugary treats and fruit cakes. These fun, noisy classes happen every Friday night and are a fantastic way to start your busy 

weekend!

Reading 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find a sushi making masterclass.

There are descriptions of eight cooking classes.

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

1   Hiroshi wants to learn how to prepare uncooked seafood perfectly. He also needs to improve his slicing and chopping techniques. He has saved up a lot of money and is looking for a premium, high-quality workshop.

2   Clara does not eat meat or fish and wants to discover plant-based sushi recipes. She is only free on Saturday or Sunday before midday. She wants a class that provides tools she can take home afterwards.

3   Marco is a student on a very strict budget looking for an affordable option. He finishes university late, so he requires an evening session. He wants a very fast, energetic lesson lasting under an hour.

4   Nina and her partner want a romantic class where they can cook as a pair. They are fascinated by the history of traditional Japanese food. They rely on public transport and need a venue right in town.

5   David wants to make sushi with his two young daughters. They only enjoy eating warm, cooked ingredients rather than fresh fish. They live far away, so they need an internet-based tutorial to watch from their house.

Sushi Making Masterclasses

A Tokyo Masterclass

Master the delicate art of slicing ingredients with professional Japanese blades. In this exclusive, top-tier session, our expert chefs will show you exactly how to select and safely serve fresh, uncooked ocean catch. It comes with a luxury price tag, but the expert instruction is completely worth the high cost.

B City Sushi School

Located right in the heart of town, this workshop teaches you the ancient traditions behind Japan’s famous dishes. You will practice cutting fresh, uncooked salmon and tuna. However, this is a very basic, cheap class designed for large groups of thirty people, so there is no individual attention from teachers.

C Green Rolls Studio

Join our weekend breakfast sessions to discover the secrets of creating delicious rolls using only fresh vegetables and tofu! Every participant is given a complementary bamboo shaping board and a special wooden spoon to keep in their own kitchen forever. It is the absolute perfect start to your Saturday or Sunday!

D Express Bites

If you are watching your pennies, this incredibly cheap forty-five-minute workshop is exactly what you need! We focus on quick, simple rolling methods that guarantee instant results. Classes only take place after 7 p.m., making it a fantastic, pocket-friendly choice to end a busy weekday without spending too much cash.

E Weekend Family Sushi

This Saturday and Sunday morning class is brilliant for parents and little ones to enjoy together. We use lots of colourful, plant-based ingredients like avocado and cucumber. Please note that the studio does not let anyone take the preparation mats outside the building, so you must leave everything behind.

F Edo Heritage Kitchen

Situated right next to the main central station, this class explores the fascinating centuries-old origins of rice and seaweed dishes. It is specifically designed for couples to collaborate and assemble beautiful platters together. Enjoy a wonderful date night discovering the culture of Japan without needing a car to reach us!

G Virtual Sushi Kitchen

Log on from your living room for a wonderful session designed especially for parents and their little ones! We completely avoid raw seafood, focusing entirely on tasty fried chicken and grilled vegetable fillings. It is a fantastic web-based tutorial that allows your whole household to cook safely together at home.

H Midnight Rolls

Grab a partner and enjoy an exciting late-night rolling experience! Starting at 8 p.m., you will learn how to make complex, beautiful dishes. Be prepared to spend at least three hours perfecting your creations. While it is quite an expensive ticket, the amazing atmosphere makes it a great night out.

Reading 3

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find a kitchen survival skills course.

There are descriptions of eight cooking classes.

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

1   Harry has never cooked anything before. He wants a class that teaches the simplest things, like how to boil an egg. He also needs to learn about kitchen hygiene and keeping his cooking area completely clean.

2   Sarah is looking for an online cooking course she can do from her own home. She has zero experience in the kitchen and wants to start with the basics. She is busy studying, so she can only participate on weekends.

3   David wants to learn how to make easy dishes using eggs. He also wants to understand how to store food safely and keep things hygienic. He has no money to spend, so the course must not cost anything.

4   Maria needs a class that takes place in the evening. She has no cooking skills and wants to learn basic kitchen survival. She is also quite nervous about cutting vegetables, so she wants to practice safe knife skills.

5   Leo wants to learn about food hygiene and how to wash up properly after cooking. He enjoys meeting people and wants to work together with a partner. He is very busy, so he only wants a one-day workshop.

Kitchen Survival Classes

A First Steps in Cooking

This helpful course is designed for people who have absolutely zero experience. We start with the easiest tasks, such as cooking the perfect boiled egg for your breakfast. We also focus heavily on food safety, showing you how to wash surfaces properly and avoid spreading bacteria while preparing your daily meals.

B Weekend Web Kitchen

Join our digital lessons from the comfort of your laptop every Saturday and Sunday. This program is aimed at complete novices who want to learn survival cooking from scratch. You will follow our simple instructions on screen to create basic meals, without ever having to travel to a physical school.

C Safe & Simple Cooking

This helpful community workshop requires no payment at all, making it a great choice for everyone. Our instructors will teach you various ways to prepare simple recipes using eggs. You will also get essential tips on preventing illness by storing ingredients correctly and keeping your kitchen environment completely spotless.

D Night-time Novices

Held after work from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., this class is perfect for individuals who have never stepped into a kitchen before. We cover all the survival basics to get you started. We also spend a lot of time showing you exactly how to chop ingredients without hurting your fingers.

E The Clean Kitchen

In just a single afternoon, you can become much more confident in the kitchen! This short event focuses heavily on washing up techniques and preventing bacteria. You won’t be cooking alone; everyone is put into pairs to practice these essential cleaning and food preparation skills together in a fun environment.

F Breakfast Basics

If you don’t know how to cook anything, this morning class is for you. We will teach you how to make the ultimate boiled and fried eggs for breakfast. The course runs for four weeks and costs £50. Please note that we do not cover cleaning or food safety rules here.

G Advanced Chef Skills

Log on to our website every weekday evening for these expert-level digital classes. This course is for confident cooks who want to improve their fast chopping techniques with professional knives. Because this is for experienced people, we skip the basic survival skills and jump straight into complicated dinner recipes.

H Spotless Spaces

This quick, single-day seminar is all about kitchen survival and making sure your food preparation area is totally clean. You will learn the best ways to kill germs and wash equipment safely. Every student gets their own private cooking station, so you will work completely independently throughout the day.

Exercises:   123456