©Andrew Medichini / AP via CNN
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- quaint /kweynt/
- crave /kreyv/
- influential /in-floo-EN-shuhl/
- spin /spin/
- match /mach/
[adjective] – attractive because of being unusual and especially old-fashioned
We found a quaint cafe in the center of the city.
[verb] – to have a very strong feeling of wanting something
I always crave sweets late at night.
[adjective] – having a lot of influence on someone or something
Hikaru Utada is one of Japan’s most influential artists.
[verb] – to (cause to) turn around and around, especially fast
The new washing machine spins perfectly.
[verb] – to be as good as someone or something else
No other hotel can match the service of The Ritz Carlton.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
Rome, the land of historic sites, is also the land of pizza. If you are looking for the best pizzerias in the city, you ought to visit the quaint village of Trastevere, or you can try Mr. Go, a vending machine pumping out four types of pizza for whenever you crave a slice. The 24/7 pizzaiolo (pizza-maker) is located in a residential area of Rome, a 15-minute drive from the Colosseum.
According to Massimo Bucolo, the owner of Mr. Go, “There was something missing in the market — although Rome is an influential city, there was nothing [foodwise] available through the night.” The machine produces pizza from scratch. First, it spins together flour and water (to make the dough), presses it into a disc, and carefully adds the toppings — all in front of the customers. The final stage is the ‘firing’ where the pizza is levered onto what seems like a cake stand and whirled around a tiny oven. For a Roman who has actually tried a slice, Mr. Go is not exactly bad but the price surely does not match the quality. “For that same $7, we could have got a “nice big woodfired Margherita” in Trastevere” says Gianni, a taxi driver in Rome.
Bucolo says that they are not competing with a classic pizzeria. In fact, he says that what Mr. Go offers is not even a real pizza. He calls it a “mixture between a pizza and a piadina” —- which are flatbreads from the Emilia-Romagna region. He further admits that true pizza is “tossed by hand and seared in a wood-fired oven”. Whether you get it from a vending machine or a five-star restaurant, pizza is a dish that’s hard to resist.
According to Massimo Bucolo, the owner of Mr. Go, “There was something missing in the market — although Rome is an influential city, there was nothing [foodwise] available through the night.” The machine produces pizza from scratch. First, it spins together flour and water (to make the dough), presses it into a disc, and carefully adds the toppings — all in front of the customers. The final stage is the ‘firing’ where the pizza is levered onto what seems like a cake stand and whirled around a tiny oven. For a Roman who has actually tried a slice, Mr. Go is not exactly bad but the price surely does not match the quality. “For that same $7, we could have got a “nice big woodfired Margherita” in Trastevere” says Gianni, a taxi driver in Rome.
Bucolo says that they are not competing with a classic pizzeria. In fact, he says that what Mr. Go offers is not even a real pizza. He calls it a “mixture between a pizza and a piadina” —- which are flatbreads from the Emilia-Romagna region. He further admits that true pizza is “tossed by hand and seared in a wood-fired oven”. Whether you get it from a vending machine or a five-star restaurant, pizza is a dish that’s hard to resist.
Discussion Questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- When was the last time you bought something from a vending machine?
- Have you tried authentic Italian food?
- If you were the owner of Mr. Go, where would you place the vending machine in your city?
- Do you agree that “true pizza is tossed by hand and seared in a wood-fired oven”?
- In your opinion, would Mr. Go be a hit in your country? Please explain your answer.
Summarization
Please summarize the whole article using your own words and expressions. You will have one minute to prepare before you answer.
Describe:
Please explain the definition of each word listed below based on your understanding. You can provide example sentences if needed.
- historic
- carefully
- stage
- classic
- admit