Overcooked Election Breakfast

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/overcooked/election-breakfast
Introduction
This support pack accompanies Overcooked: Election Breakfast
To read or listen to the article online, go to:
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/overcooked/election-breakfast
This support pack contains the following materials:
a pre-watching vocabulary activity;
the tape script;
a comprehension activity;

The US election was held on November 4th 2008 with voters choosing between Democrat candidate
Barack Obama and Republican John McCain.
As the election results started to come through late on the night of the 4th, Hong Kongers were
waking up on the 5th and enjoying their breakfasts.
Find out how people reacted to the election results and what they chose for breakfast on that
memorable morning.

Before you read

Match the words and phrases in the table to their definitions.

2. scrambled
1. bagels 3. grits
eggs

4. cereal 5. waffle 6. porridge

Definitions:
a. A thick mixture of oats boiled in milk or water.
b. Round rings of bread.
c. Eggs which have been mixed a lot when they were cooking. Sometimes people
add a little milk.
d. Similar to porridge but made with hominy grain. Mostly eaten in the USA.
e. Very common breakfast food that comes in a box. You pour it in a bowl and add
milk.
f. A thin cake made in a special machine that moulds and cooks the batter into a
pattern of squares.

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The United Kingdoms international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.
 Overcooked Election Breakfast
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/overcooked/election-breakfast
Tape script: Election Breakfast
...but what have you got? I usually have it on election days yes. Id
definitely vote for Obama OBAMA! America is
Sausage pattie, fried egg, ham, bacon, baked
very important and its crucial that we have a
beans.
decent guy in there. Its very emotional that hes
Instead of the beans I got grits and ... black and thats powerful. I dont think a lot of
What are grits? people who are in their forties and fifties thought
there was ever going to be a black man in the
Grits? Thats a very good question. Its White House. So thats fantastic. So all those
oatmeal, couscous, you know a type of grain things are good, they will make a difference,
Its a type of grain they will matter. Im going to cry when he wins, I
am because for me its deeply moving.
That doesnt look grainy it looks mushy.
Obama.
Yeah well they cook it for like I dont know, 20
minutes. Yeah its kind of like porridge. Can you tell me, is it because hes sexy?

This is Eggs Benedict. It is egg, ham on English Hes sexier than John McCaindefinitely. But
muffins with Hollandaise sauce. This is fruit and erm no because I like his politics. Hes gonna
baked beans. develop green technology, hes a bigger
supporter of education. All those
But you are a US citizen, so you voted or? things. Bagels and lox, with tomato, onion,
I voted absentee for Illinois. capers, sour cream.

And how did you vote in the election? Wow that looks great actually. Im waiting for
lemon.
Democrat. Democrat for Obama.
She got a sandwich thats already assembled.
Maybe you could just tell me what your Mine is just not assembled which I prefer. Thin
breakfast is there. layer of cream cheese, tomato, couple of
Belgian waffles and coffee. capers, onion, salmon, salt and pepper.
And this is a typical breakfast for you? So it is in fact almost exactly the same?
If Im eating outyes. Ill have cereal at home, Yes, but he got eggs too. And one key
but I like waffles. difference is she has two, the whole bagel
whereas I only have half.
How about the election? Are you excited?
Did you vote?
Im nervous, nervous yes. Pro Obama, so its
looking good for him right now. Hes intelligent, Of course, of course.
hes thoughtful. Everybody here voted or everyone we talked to,
Can you see the result from there? everyone professes to be pro Obama.
I think its 102 -34. But no this is a pro Obama outlet.hence the
blue. No
Who would you vote for?
Oh yes woo, yes
I think hes Obama. He looks quite decent and
gentleman. Hes just got to keep up his end of the bargain.
What did you have for your breakfast? Whats that?
I started off with a fluffy pancake and some Change baby change!
maple syrup. Then I had some crispy bacon, Whod like a Bloody Mary on the house?
scrambled eggs, mushrooms and tomatoes.
Is that what you usually have when you come in
here?

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 Overcooked Election Breakfast
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/overcooked/election-breakfast
Comprehension Task:
True or false
Read the statements and decide if they are true or false.
1. Happy hour at the Flying Pan is from 10a.m. till 2p.m.
2. The man from Illinois voted democrat.
3. On the TV, CNN projected that Obama had won Texas.
4. The woman who had pancakes thinks is going to be sad when Obama wins.
5. The couple who ordered Bagels are having slightly different breakfasts.
6. The restaurant is for people who like Obama.

Answers

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