VIP Class Notes (Vicki)

Write about the Chinese table manners

think of 10 topics that we can use to engage with a friendly stranger 

ask for direction

ask about the famous tourist sites (ask if they could take you around the city)

ask about their relationship status

ask about their hometown

ask if they want to go to the British museum together

ask if they want to come visit China (tell them about China and Chinese food)

ask about their name and job

ask about their interests and hobbies

ask them to teach you table manners

ask them about their fashion sense (suits and fits)

Vocabulary

ice-breakers – something to say to strangers to make acquaintance

functional – you zuo yong de
i.e. This cup is functional.

fuel – jia you, provide energy
i.e. I need to fuel my car.

reserve – to book, yu ding
i.e. I want to reserve a table for two.

playwright – someone who writes plays

pungent – smells bad

stinky – smelly

consume – to have / to eat
i.e. I have consumed way too much chocolate at the party.

bonus – e wai de
i.e. This is a bonus question on the test.

significant – important
i.e. This rule is very significant.

cuisine – food cai yao
i.e. I like the Chinese cuisine.

chow down – to eat very fast

lettuce – sheng cai

culinary – peng reng
i.e. I want to be a chef so I need to go to culinary school.

nourishment – ying yang nutrition
i.e. Babies need to get nourishment from their moms.

solitude – aloneness, time by oneself
i.e. I enjoy my solitude all the time.

psychogist – xin li xue jia

concentrate – to focus
i.e. I need to concentrate on studying right now.

switch – to change, to turn
i.e. Let me switch off the light.

temporary – lin shi de

necessity – bi xu ping
i.e. Water is a necessity.

masticate – ju jue
i.e. You have to masticate your food.

unbearable – not tolerable, bu ke ren shou de
i.e. That noise is unbearable.

extreme – fei chang, chao ji

anxiety – jiao lv

smack – hit two things together

saliva – kou shui

Should you eat to live or live to eat?… a question posed by French playwright Moliere in his work ‘The Miser’. While eating is functional, and our bodies need the fuel that food provides, dining with friends or loved ones can be a wonderful experience. However, some of us often find ourselves reserving a table for one in a restaurant. But is dining alone really that bad? Maybe not.

We all have foods we like and dislike. Maybe it’s a pungent cheese or stinky fish. We sometimes hold back on things that may offend the noses of others. When dining alone, we can consume whatever we like, with the added bonus that we might be able to eat more healthily. Often, if you want a salad and your significant other wants some less healthy cuisine, you end up ordering the same. And if you don’t get the same, you might end up with food envy as you watch someone chow down on a pizza while you’re left holding the lettuce.

Have you ever spent too long debating with people which restaurant to eat in or when to meet? If dining solo, you can make the choice depending on your culinary desires at that moment and get your nourishment at exactly the time you’re hungry! And why does it have to be a restaurant? You could eat in a park, garden or even your bed – the point is, the choice is yours! That alone time also means it’s a time to switch off. According to psychologist Sherrie Bourg Carter, a bit of solitude can help your brain to unwind and may help you concentrate more.

Finally, for some, dining alone can be a necessity. For those of us who suffer from misophonia, a hatred of sound, that can in some cause PTSD, the noise of someone else masticating can be unbearable. Eating alone can save you from the extreme anxiety that may arise listening to someone smack their lips or the sloshing of saliva in their mouths! So, is eating alone bad? Well, it may not be for everyone, but there certainly are some benefits to it. Try it sometime – you might just like it!