fish dinner
The Fish Dinner
Vocabulary
| hill | decide | stroll around |
| local | approach | compound |
| fried | stroll | think/thought/thought |
| tasty | light up | light (3) |
| join | abroad | coincidence |
| refuse | turn out | grateful |
| supper | dessert | invitation |
| route | shortly | meantime |
| admire | sculpture | decoration |
| aroma | antique | furniture |
| growl | roast | couple (2) |
| stew | desert | confusing |
| pie | mention | strawberry |
| grass | even (2) | along with |
The Old Castle
It was the middle of June. My girlfriend Deborah and I (Steve) decided to go on a vacation in Zynovia.
On our second day, we visited a small town. There we went to an old castle on the top of a hill near the center.
The Introduction
As we strolled around the compound, a young, local couple approached us.
Introducing themselves, they asked what we thought of the castle. We said it was beautiful. They then gave us a tour of the castle and the town.
London
When we mentioned that we were from London, the young man’s eyes lit up.
“You’re from London? What a coincidence!” he said. “My sister is going to London next month to study English.
But she is worried about traveling to a foreign country as she has never been abroad before. Could you please come to my house and talk to her? She would be very grateful, and you can join us for supper.”
Long, Complicated Route
The man and his girlfriend were so open and friendly that we couldn’t refuse their invitation. And so we went with them to his flat.
It turned out to be a lengthy route with many turns and stops: we had to take several different buses to his home in a nearby city.
House
Our new friend said that his sister was studying at a university library and will be back shortly.
In the meantime, they went into the kitchen and began cooking dinner while we watched the television and admired the art and decorations in his living room.
It contained paintings, sculptures and antique furniture. We could also smell the meal. Uuummm! Our stomachs were growling.
Dinner
When it was ready, we all sat together at the dining table. Our friends had prepared cabbage soup, fresh salad, fried fish, roast chicken, and a beef and vegetable stew. For dessert, they served us strawberry pie.
They were excellent cooks indeed!
The wine was especially tasty….
Soft Grass
…We woke up on the grass in the same park near the castle where we had first met the couple. It looked like morning.
“How did we get here?” asked Deborah.
Then we noticed that all our money was gone, along with our credit cards, passports and smart phones. Even our Nike shoes were missing!
We never met our “friend’s” sister.
Questions
1. Who are Deborah and Steve, the writer?
2. Where were they? What were they doing there?
3. They approached some locals and asked them questions. True or false?
4. What happened when the Steve and Deborah said they were from London? When they said they were from London,
5. Did they walk to the locals’ home? Was it easy to get there?
6. How was the dinner? Describe the meal. Did they like the meal? Was it delicious?
7. What happened in the end?
A. Have you or your friend ever been robbed (by a criminal) or ripped off?
B. How can people avoid being robbed, cheated, ripped off or swindled?
C. I have made friends with others while traveling. True or false?
D. I have been invited for dinner at the home of complete strangers. Yes or no?
E. Do people in your city often visit and eat at friends’ homes?
F. A lot of people from my country travel abroad to study English. Is correct or wrong?
