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5. Campus Dining Club Announced

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Reading (45 seconds)

Campus Dining Club Announced
Starting this year, the university dining hall will be transformed into The Campus Dining Club for one week at the end of each semester. During the last week of each semester, the dining hall will feature special meals prepared by the university’s culinary arts students. The school feels that this will give students who are studying cooking and food preparation valuable experience that will help them later, when they pursue careers. The university has announced that it will charge a small additional fee for these dinners in order to pay for the special gourmet food ingredients that will be required.

 

Listening



 

Preparation time: 30 seconds
speaking time: 1 minute

 

Texts

W: Did you see that article?
M: Yeah, and it sounds like a great idea. It’s really good for the students in that program.
W: Don’t they cook in class anyway?
M: Well, yeah, they do. But my cousin was in the program a few years ago, and she said that it’s very different to cook for a lot of people in that kind of atmosphere than to cook for classmates.
W: Why is that?
M: Well in class you can take your time, but cooking for more people there is more pressure, I mean, you are in a rush, people are waiting, and it might be easy to make mistakes with all that stress.
W: Then they’ll think you are a bad chef, right?
M: Absolutely.
W: So, OK, it’s good practice. But what about the extra cost?
M: Well, look at it this way. You’ve eaten at some of the fancier restaurants in town, right?
W: Yeah, there are some great places to eat around here.
M: These students, they’ll be making fantastic meals and it’s gonna be cheaper than going out to those fantastic restaurants.
W: Much cheaper actually.
M: So, you know, it will be worth it, the meals will be as good as the ones in those expensive restaurants.

 

Explanation

(Reading part summary)
The announcement in the reading passage: During the last week of each semester, the dining hall will feature special meals prepared by the university’s culinary arts students.
The first reason: This initiative will provide students studying cooking and food preparation with valuable hands-on experience.
The second reason: A nominal additional fee will be charged for these dinners to cover the cost of the special gourmet food ingredients required.

(Listening part summary)
The male student’s agreement: It sounds like a great idea.
The first reason
According to his cousin, who participated in the program, there was a significant disparity between cooking in class and participating in the program. While she had ample time to prepare food in class, she experienced greater pressure when cooking for a larger group of people. Hence, cooking for a larger group not only increases the likelihood of making mistakes but also provides valuable practice opportunities.

The second reason
The additional expense wouldn’t pose a significant burden. Despite the additional cost, the price of food served in the program remains more economical than that of the fancier restaurants in town. However, the quality of food in the program rivals that of the fancier restaurants.

 

(Sample answer)
The reading passage introduces an announcement proposing that during the final week of each semester, the dining hall will showcase special meals crafted by students enrolled in the university’s culinary arts program.
In the ensuing conversation, the man expresses enthusiastic support for this initiative.
His primary rationale stems from firsthand accounts provided by his cousin, who participated in the program. She highlighted the marked disparity between cooking within a classroom setting and preparing meals for a larger audience during the program. The increased pressure associated with catering to a larger clientele not only offers valuable practice but also underscores the potential for errors, thereby enhancing students’ culinary skills.
Moreover, the man contends that the marginal additional expense incurred by the program would not pose a significant financial burden. He emphasizes that the cost of meals offered through the program remains competitively priced compared to upscale dining establishments in the vicinity, yet the quality of the cuisine is commensurate with these establishments, rendering it a worthwhile investment.