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Strawberry shortcake is a favourite summertime dessert. The cake is sliced in half, and partially crushed strawberries are placed between the two halves and on top. Cream that has been beaten into a light, smooth topping

• whipped cream — is added to the top. Of course, another summertime favourite

a scoop of ice cream in a dish, served with a strawberry or chocolate topping, and sometimes with nuts and whipped cream — the popular sundae.

There are other variations on the practice of eating outside. One, of course, is the picnic. Food is packed in a basket, drinks are brought in a cooler, and the family goes to the countryside for the afternoon.

The clambake is a special kind of cookout that originated on the Eastern seashore. A fire is built in a pit, and rocks in the pit are heated. The rocks are covered with a layer of seaweed. The clams, lobsters, and other seafood are put on top of the seaweed and the whole thing is covered with a heavy cloth to keep the heat and moisture in and bake the seafood.

The barbecue — made famous in the American West — is a cookout where a single, large piece of meat, such as a side of beef is roasted on a spit over an open fire. The spit has a handle, and it is turned slowly as the meat roasts. Special barbecue sauces are often applied to the meat as it roasts.

1. Use the words below in the sentences:

charcoal, skewers, topping, broil, pick, whip, nibble, strip, scoops, burn­ing, salt, cool.

1. We need some ice to the beer.

2. Let’s some more corn.

3. The fire is too hot; the meat is .

4. We can’t have shish kebab; there aren’t any

5. Shall we bake or the lobsters?

6. I bought a bag of for the cookout.

7. We need butter and for the corn on the cob.

8. Will you the cream for the sundaes?

9. I’ll have two of chocolate.

10. For a on my sundae, I’ll have crushed strawberries.

11. Do you want something to on while you sip your beer?

10. . the kernels from the cob.

2. Fill in the blanks.

For the cookout we’ll need:

1. something to on for appetizers.

2. a bag of .

3. a grill for ing the steaks.

TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION. CONVERSATIONAL TOPICS

4. . s for the shish kebab.

5. a for the beer.

6. some and pepper.

7. . ed cream and other s for the sundaes.

8. freshly ed corn.

9. an ice cream to make ice cream cones.

3. Complete these sentences in your own words.

1. A cookout is ...

2. Shish kebab is ...

3. Corn on the cob is ...

4. Strawberry shortcake is ...

5. A barbecue is ...

6. A clambake is ...

7. In my family, we ...

4. Retell the text.

34 Read and retell the text.

TEA

The trouble with tea is that originally it was quite a good drink. So a group of the most eminent scientists made complicated biological experiments to find a way of spoiling it.

To the eternal glory of British science their labour bore fruit. They sug­gested that if you not drink it clear or with lemon or rum and sugar, but pour a few drops of milk into it, and no sugar at all, the desired object is achieved.

Once this refreshing aromatic, oriental beverage was successfully trans­formed into colourless and tastless water, it suddenly became the national drink of Great Britain and Ireland - still retaining the high-sounding title of tea.

There are some occasions when you must not refuse a cup of tea, other­wise you are'judged an exotic and barbarous bird without any hope of being able to take your place in civilized society.

If you are invited to an English home, at five o’clock in the morning you ge: a cup of tea. When you are disturbed in your sweet morning sleep you must no: say: “Madam? I think you are a cruel and spiteful person who deserves to be shot On the contrary, you have to say with your best five o’clock smile: “Thank you sc much. I do love a cup of early morning tea, especially so early in the morning.” I they leave you alone with the liquid, you may pour it down the wash-basin.

Then you have tea for breakfast; then you have tea at eleven o’clock in the morning, then after lunch, then you have tea for tea, then after supper, an с again at eleven o’clock at night.

You must not refuse any additional cups of tea under the following circum­stances: if it is hot, if it is cold; if you are tired; if you are nervous; before you go