Comprehension: Indian Appetite Grows for Meat

More and more Indians are driving a demand for meat in a country with a traditionally low intake. A survey in 2006 showed 40 percent of the population were vegetarian, while for many others meat used to be a luxury. But as lifestyles change and the country rapidly urbanises, Indians are opting for a fleshier menu.
Watch the video and answer the questions below. Decide if the statements are True or False.

1. It’s the middle-classes which are demanding more meat.

a. True

b. False

2. Cafe Ridge only serves vegetarian dishes.

a. True

b. False

3. It is more economical for a farmer to rear chickens than anything else.

a. True

b. False

For transcript and answers see below.

Transcript and Answers:
It’s barbeque time in Mumbai. India's booming middle-class is propelling a rise in eating meat, known here as "non veg". The country has a strong tradition of vegetarianism, held as an ideal by some of its religious groups. But as disposable incomes rise, scenes like this are becoming more common.
"Earlier it used to be mainly at home; people would never trust eating non-vegetarian food outside their house."
"Multi cuisines are coming down to India. Spanish is coming, French is coming. They serve very less vegetables, so to try a different cuisine you need to be open to eating non-veg and trying different global cuisines, if they want to try."
In this affluent part of south Mumbai, many shops, restaurants and even apartment blocks remain meat-free. But even here, Cafe Ridge store does a brisk trade with carnivores, who often pick up new eating habits abroad.
"Things like Thanksgiving, which was never celebrated over here in Mumbai is now being celebrated every year. Like we have people ordering for turkey, and yes, even for Christmas also we have some people even asking for goose, duck. So yes, things are changing."
India's poultry industry is booming. Diverting grain, land and water to livestock has environmentalists worried. The country faces huge pressures as the population and meat demands grow. But for those in the business, rearing chickens makes sense.
"You have self-employment, you require a small space. In a small space you can do a lot of business. See a farmer who has say half an acre of land, he can't make really any sort of money, but if he puts up a shed of say 2,000 square feet, 5,000 square feet, he makes much much more."
While the meat keeps coming, the new generation's appetite shows no sign of shrinking.
 
Answers:
1. a
2. b
3. a

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Idioms: Storms with answers

This week 'stormy weather' is the theme of our idioms. Do you know what they mean?

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Phrase of the Week: Daylight Robbery

Phrase of the Week: DAYLIGHT ROBBERY: unfair overcharging. The fact of somebody charging too much money for something

“You wouldn't believe some of the prices they charge; it's daylight robbery.”

                                                                                

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Image from http://www.carbidoff.com/ 
 

Phrase of the Week: Duvet Day

         Phrase of the Week: DUVET DAY - a day when you stay at home instead of going to work because you feel tired and want to rest but are not ill.

“Some firms allow their staff two duvet days a year.”             

                                                                                              

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Image from planetchopstick on Flickr

 

Phrasal Verbs: to back

This week,'to back' is the verb used to make our phrasal verbs. Do you know what they mean?

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Comprehenson: Wine Making Takes Root in Long-Isolated Myanmar

Vines cascade down terraces overlooking the vast mirror of Inle Lake in Myanmar's Shan State, where a burgeoning wine industry has taken root and is keen to tempt the tastebuds of the country's growing numbers of foreign visitors.

Watch the video and answer the questions below. Decide if the statements are True or False.

1. The vineyards of Shan State grow many varieties of grape.

a. True

b. False

2. A majority of tourists that come to Myanmar visit Inle Lake.

a. True

b. False

3. The white wines are the most popular.

a. True

b. False

For transcript and answers see below.

Transcript and Answers:
Myanmar might be more famous for its struggle for democracy. But in the clouded hills of Shan State maverick wine makers have been toiling for years to put the country on the map for the quality of its grapes.
"The white wine, our sauvignon blanc is the best white wine in Myanmar. In December, January we have night time two or three degrees only. It’s cold and that produces the nice aromas which the especially white wine has to live from and the acidity which we need for white wine."
The challenges are significant, with short days in the peak budding season and voracious fungal attacks, only a few hardy grape varieties are able to grow. But at 1,000 metres above sea level and more, both vineyards in the region say altitude is a major factor in their success. Proximity to the major tourist hub of Inle Lake has also helped raise this vineyard's profile.
"Inle Lake is a very touristic place. It receives almost all the tourists who come to Myanmar, they come to see Inle Lake. And we have started to become a tourist attraction of the lake, so we have more and more tourists."
Crisp whites are the highlight at both establishments. But it's the reds that fly off the shelves as the whisky-loving country begins to get a taste for wine. From Shiraz to Chardonnay, produce from the winery is mainly destined for the tourist hot spots of Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan, where Western holidaymakers are often surprised to be able to sample a bottle of locally-grown wine. This visiting connoisseur gives it the thumbs up.
"It is very interesting indeed, but let's be clear, interesting in a good way. I liked the Pinot Noir a lot, it had aromatic qualities that are a little bit different from what we do, but with interesting character."
Here on the lake, signs that tourism is booming are easy to spot, providing much needed income for local people. And while it'll take a few more years for the vineyards to see a dramatic rise in demand, there's hope that Myanmar wine is also in for a rosy future.
 
Answers:
1. b
2. a
3. b

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Phrase of the Week: Dressed up to the Nines

Phrase of the Week: DRESSED (UP) TO THE NINES: wearing very elegant or formal clothes

‘They must have been on their way to a wedding or something. They were dressed up to the nines.’

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Image from Don Kennedy - Largo, FL on Flickr