Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Impact of Tourism on Locals 4

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four local chefs describing the annoying pressure to alter and “water down” their authentic, spicy regional recipes to suit the bland tastes of visiting foreigners.

For questions 1-10, choose from the people/sections (A-D). The people/sections may be chosen more than once.

Which person/section

1   mentions diners returning their orders to the kitchen after finding them too strong?

2   feels that reducing the heat level strips a meal of its true identity?

3   wishes they hadn’t introduced a milder alternative for visitors?

4   provides a small preview of the spice before customers finalise their order?

5   accepts that maintaining their standards might result in poor internet ratings?

6   highlights the financial reality that forces many businesses to adapt their food?

7   believes that adapting recipes denies holidaymakers a truly genuine travel experience?

8   takes pleasure in helping international guests slowly develop a taste for the regional heat?

9   has been deceived by visitors who overestimated their ability to handle spicy food?

10   feels that altering traditional dishes is a sign of disrespect to previous generations?

Turning Down the Heat: The Chef’s Dilemma

A Chef Somchai

If you take the chilli out of a traditional Som Tum, you are no longer making Som Tum. It is that simple. Over the last decade, our coastal town has been flooded with international visitors, many of whom politely request “no spice.” Some local cooks have caved in, watering down our cultural heritage to avoid complaints. I, on the other hand, refuse to compromise. If I had toned down my signature curries, I would have betrayed the very essence of southern Thai cuisine. The complex layers of heat are what give the dishes their soul; removing them fundamentally alters the meal’s DNA. Naturally, this stubbornness comes at a price. I’ve had to put up with my fair share of one-star reviews on travel websites from furious tourists who found the food overwhelming. Nevertheless, I take it in my stride. I would rather be criticised for serving the genuine article than praised for cooking something completely unrecognisable to my own people.

B Chef Maria

Looking back, I genuinely regret giving in to the pressure. A few years ago, I introduced a “tourist-friendly” section on the menu, stripping out the habaneros and substituting them with mild peppers. I thought it was a smart business move at the time. Instead, it feels like an insult to my grandmother, who spent decades perfecting these vibrant, fiery recipes. By presenting a tamed-down version of Oaxacan food, I am essentially disrespecting the ancestors who passed these culinary secrets down to us. Furthermore, I’ve come to realise that we are actually doing our visitors a massive disservice. When people travel overseas, they ought to be experiencing the destination exactly as it is, rather than a modified imitation designed not to offend their delicate palates. Providing a watered-down meal deprives them of a truly authentic cultural encounter. Nowadays, I’m gradually phasing out the mild menu, even though it means having some difficult conversations with holidaymakers.

C Chef Arjun

The most exasperating aspect of running a restaurant in a tourist hotspot is the sheer unpredictability of our guests. Frequently, visitors will confidently assure my waiting staff that they love spicy food and demand the authentic Goan vindaloo. They insist they can handle it. However, once the dish is served, they take one bite and immediately send the plate back to the kitchen, complaining that it’s completely inedible. We end up throwing away perfectly good ingredients, which is heartbreaking. I have been tricked by these bold claims so many times that it drives me to distraction. I completely understand why so many nearby establishments have drastically reduced their spice levels. Operating a restaurant involves immense overheads, and the economic reality is that you cannot afford to constantly refund dissatisfied customers. If you rely on tourist revenue to survive, the financial pressure to conform to their milder tastes is almost impossible to ignore.

D Chef Chen

Sichuan cuisine is globally renowned for its numbing, spicy profile, which can undoubtedly be a shock to an unprepared tourist. Rather than altering my recipes, which I consider completely unacceptable, I have adopted a different strategy. When foreign guests sit down, my staff offer them a complimentary spoonful of our base chili broth before they make their selection. This small sample gives them a clear idea of what they are letting themselves in for, preventing any nasty surprises when the main course arrives. It’s a highly effective way to manage expectations without changing the food itself. Honestly, I find great satisfaction in educating our visitors. By talking them through the ingredients and encouraging them to step slightly out of their comfort zone, I’ve watched many of them discover a newfound appreciation for the intense flavours. It is incredibly rewarding to witness an international diner slowly build up their tolerance and leave the restaurant with a genuine love for our regional cooking.

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four residents talking about the unexpected linguistic benefit of tourism.

For questions 1-10, choose from the people/sections (A-D). The people/sections may be chosen more than once.

Which person/section

1   mentions that their initial motivation for improving their English was financial?

2   expresses irritation when holidaymakers assume they cannot communicate effectively?

3   points out that traditional classroom learning did not fully prepare them for actual interactions?

4   was able to develop their language abilities without ever taking a formal lesson?

5   describes a situation where they gave incorrect information due to a language error?

6   appreciates being able to use their English to explain the area’s background to visitors?

7   started picking up the language simply by assisting visitors who were trying to navigate the town?

8   highlights their success in understanding a wide variety of global pronunciations?

9   acquired a lot of colloquial phrases by chatting with young travellers?

10   takes pride in demonstrating that acquiring a new language is possible at any stage of life?

The Accidental English Students: How Tourism Transformed Our Town

A Elena

When the cruise ships first started arriving, I dreaded the sudden influx of foreigners. I would freeze up whenever someone approached my handicraft stall, terrified of making a fool of myself. However, I soon realised that my reluctance to speak was directly impacting my livelihood; tourists simply walk away if they cannot ask about the origins of the products. Driven purely by the need to boost my income, I forced myself to start chatting. It wasn’t exactly smooth sailing at the beginning. I vividly remember a time when a customer asked if a hand-painted ceramic bowl was microwave-safe, and I confidently told her she could put it in the washing machine! We both had a good laugh, but that embarrassing blunder taught me not to take myself too seriously. Over time, constant daily exposure has completely transformed my fluency. I might not use flawless grammar, but I can now negotiate and joke with almost anyone who visits my stall.

B Mateo

Working at a bustling seafront café means I interact with hundreds of international visitors on a daily basis. The most unexpected perk of this job has undoubtedly been the free, practical crash-course in conversational English. Instead of learning from an outdated textbook, my true teachers have been the young backpackers who stop by for lunch. Thanks to our daily chats, I’ve picked up an impressive array of idioms and colloquial slang that you would never find in a traditional dictionary. I can now converse effortlessly about everything from surfing conditions to local politics. What does genuinely get on my nerves, however, is when holidaymakers slowly and loudly over-enunciate every single syllable, working under the assumption that I won’t comprehend them. It is incredibly patronising! I usually respond immediately in rapid, fluent English, just to enjoy the look of sheer bewilderment on their faces. If I hadn’t taken this job, I would never have become so confident.

C Lucia

I studied English rigorously at university, focusing heavily on complex grammar rules and classic literature. Nevertheless, when I started conducting walking tours around our historic district, I was in for a rude awakening. All that academic study hadn’t prepared me at all for the reality of fast-paced, everyday speech. Initially, I found it incredibly challenging to decipher what my clients were actually asking me. Now, however, after three years of guiding, I have successfully tuned my ear to a massive spectrum of global pronunciations—from Scottish and Texan to Australian and South African. It is immensely rewarding to be able to accurately convey the rich heritage of our medieval architecture to such a diverse audience. The monuments are frequently photographed, but explaining their true significance is what matters. Answering the tourists’ specific questions about our ancestors has not only sharpened my vocabulary but has also made me significantly prouder of my own cultural background.

D Javier

Having spent my entire life working at sea, I had never had the opportunity or the need to learn a foreign language. If you had told me five years ago that I would be speaking English in my seventies, I would have said you were completely out of your mind. After retiring, I took up the daily habit of sitting on a bench by the main square. As the town gradually evolved into a popular destination, visitors constantly approached me, holding up maps and looking utterly confused. At first, I relied entirely on exaggerated hand gestures to point them towards the castle or the train station. Gradually, by listening carefully to their repeated questions and the way they expressed their gratitude, I began absorbing the vocabulary. Without ever stepping foot inside a classroom or opening a textbook, I have become surprisingly fluent. It brings me a great deal of satisfaction to demonstrate that you are never too old to pick up a new skill.

Exercises:   123456