Favorite Places for Food or Entertainment (Intermediate)

Practice on Your Own

• Think about the places you go to eat and have fun. List them. Do you know how to describe them in the language? The movie theater, the mall, the café around the corner, etc. Practice saying what they are and what you like about them (it’s not expensive, the food is great).
• Review or look up any vocabulary related to going out. How would you talk about entrance fees, opening and closing times, ticket purchase, reservations, etc.?
• Compare and contrast two establishments using vocabulary you know. Describe what each offers and why you prefer one over the other.
• What kinds of places do people go to for food or entertainment in the country/ies where the language is spoken? Are the venues themselves and/or the cultural norms different there than in the U.S.? If your textbook does not have this type of information, you can do some research online and discuss it with your conversation partner.

Practice in Conversation Session

• With your conversation partner and fellow students, practice discussing places to go for food or entertainment. Take turns describing different places at school, in the Pioneer Valley, or in your hometown. Try to add in other vocabulary you know, such as days of the week, times, adjectives, or directions.
• Role play a situation where you and your conversation partner are trying to decide what to do on a Friday night in the Pioneer Valley. You want to eat dinner somewhere and do something fun afterward. Discuss which restaurant to go to, and which establishments or venues are open. Be sure to discuss the timing of your outing and any other logistical concerns.
  • Would this situation be different if you were in a country where the language is spoken? Repeat the role play imagining that you are studying abroad in that country.
• Next, pretend you and a friend have a whole Saturday free and want to spend the day hanging out at various places. Decide what to do in the morning, afternoon, and evening, and where to eat in between activities.
• With your conversation partner, discuss similarities and differences between going out in the U.S. and in the country/ies where the language is spoken.