Guess Who's Coming To Dinner

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

• by default
• empty-handed
• norms
• figure out

• faux pas
• close
• show up

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

When you are in a foreign country, there are often social norms that are difficult to figure out. Eventually you will make friends, and you will be invited to go for drinks, or go to a show. Someone might even invite you to have dinner at their home.

In the US, when you go to someone’s house for dinner, it is customary to bring something along to offer the hosts.

Listen to Amanda and Kevin talk about what they do when they are invited to a friend’s for dinner.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Kevin

Amanda

Kevin:  I was at this dinner party last Saturday. It was so fun. I really enjoyed it. But I noticed, um, there were probably ten couples that showed up and three of them didn’t bring anything.

Amanda:  Oh, really? So they didn’t bring any wine or salad or dessert?

Kevin:  No flowers. Nothing. Isn’t that a big faux pas?

Amanda:  It kind of is. And it depends… if you’re with really close friends, maybe it’s OK. But if you are invited somewhere where you’re just making their acquaintance and meeting them or the first time, you kinda want to make a good impression.

Kevin:  Yeah.

Amanda:  And help out the host. It’s kind of like you’re reciprocating for them cooking for you that evening.

Kevin:  Yes.

Amanda:  So what did you bring?

Kevin:  I brought a nice bottle of wine.

Amanda:  That’s nice.

Kevin:  Um, you know, ‘cause depending on how close you are with the person, you might say, you know, “What can I bring?” Otherwise, you just bring something, you know. Because a friend might say, “I want you to bring the dessert,” for example.

Amanda:  Right.

Kevin:  But if you don’t know the person so well, of course, you always show up with something. I kind of bring wine by default.

Amanda:  I agree. If I ever had to show up empty-handed, I think I’d feel like an ass.

Kevin:  It’s totally not cool, I agree.

Amanda:  Not cool at all.

 

Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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