Reading and Speaking skills practice:
A secret recipe
…..
Chapter 6… Manuela and eternal love, from the book In the land of volcanoes, by edudelcorral
Historical Center, Santiago de Querétaro, Querétaro
In the heart of the downtown area, of the tropical city of Choluteca, the extreme heat could be experienced like in no other city in Central America. For many years the city had held, for better or for worse, the highest temperatures between Guatemala and Panama. In the long afternoons, as it finally began to cool, the streets would gradually fill with passers-by. They would fill the streets, as they enjoyed the more agreeable hours before dusk. At that time of the evening, Manuela´s mother would open the doors to her famous and well-known restaurant. For the last four generations the restaurant had belonged to the family, and most importantly, the recipe to the famous Mondongo Soup, made out of beef innards, had remained as the family’s heritage, a closely guarded secret.
In the same block as the restaurant, lived a French widow. She had a daughter Manuela’s own age. She paid her generously as well, to teach Manuela to talk, read, and write in French. She would also give the neighbor’s daughter all these delicious sweets and desserts. There was a condition and that consisted in that they talked as long as possible, but in French, of course!
“… because if it’s a matter of talking to Manuelita in Spanish, between the townsfolk and myself, we do it all day long. Especially the people from Choluteca, they talk to her all the time, so much, that anybody would think that she belongs to them.”
Vocabulary
For better or for worse: [expression] Usually this is said, “for better or (for) worse” (without the). This phrase is used to indicate that a fact you are mentioning is not necessarily a good thing or bad thing. Often it is used if you say something, and you do not want to imply that you think it is a good thing.
Nowadays, anybody can easily publish articles on the Internet, for better or worse.
Well-known: [adjective] known by many people or by the people involved in a particular situation.
It’s a well-known fact that he shares business interests with them.
well-known for: Though most well-known for her TV work, she’s accepted a role in the movie.
well-known to/in: Our argument against the merger is well known to the company. (Synonyms: Famous and well-known. Famous, well-known, celebrated…).
Innards: [noun, plural] The organs inside the body of a person or animal.
Some of the general regions and organs inside the body are the apparatus, the canal, and the cavity…
The working parts inside a machine or piece of equipment.
He checked the innards of grandfather’s old watch.
Generously: [adjective] Giving people more of your time or money than is usual or expected.
Merton is clearly a warm and generous person.
Generous to: Billy was very generous to people who had less than he did.
Generous with: Lawyers have been generous with their time and talents.
Generous of someone (to do something): That’s very generous of you.
(Synonyms: hospitable, kind-hearted.
A generous present is larger or more expensive than is usual or expected:
The committee expressed thanks to everyone for their generous donations.
A generous gift.
kind, friendly, and helpful
Thank you for your generous comments.
(Synonyms friendly, nice, warm kind and gentle and sensitive: gentle).
Helpful and willing to help: helpful, friendly, kind.
A generous amount is larger than is usual or necessary.
a generous helping of salad
a generous court settlement
There are generous discounts to groups of ten or more.
(Synonyms: substantial, considerable, extensive).
generously [adverb]
They gave generously to local charities.
“I’ll take the kids,” Nicky offered generously.
(Synonyms: hospitable, kind-hearted).
Sweets: [countable, British] candy. (synonyms bonbon, bubble gum, candy).
[Plural, American] any food with a lot of sugar in it.
Don’t let the kids have too many sweets.
[Countable/Uncountable] British dessert.
Who want’s dessert?
May I serve the dessert for everyone, now?
Fluent: [adjective] Able to speak a foreign language very well.
fluent in: I’m fluent in three languages.
Spoken well and without difficulty.
Steve speaks fluent Japanese.
Expressing yourself in a clear and confident way, without seeming to make an effort.
As a lecturer, she is fluent, witty, but also scholarly.
His fluent uncomplicated style of writing.
Fluent movements are smooth and seem to be done without any effort.
(Synonyms: graceful, smooth, fluid).
Fluently [Adverb]
He speaks English fluently.
As if: [expression] in such a way that something seems to be true.
It looks as if it’s going to rain.
Jack smiled as though he was enjoying a private joke.
Used when you are describing something, and you imagine an explanation for it that you know is not the real one.
The house was in such a mess – it looked as though a bomb had dropped on it. (Used to clarify or explain: after all, as, as a matter of fact).
[Spoken] used for emphasizing that something is not true or is not important.
“Don’t get lost or anything, will you?” “As if I would – I’m not stupid.”
Why was he worrying about the interview? – As if it mattered anyway!
(Words used for saying that something is not important: whatever, anyhow, anyway).
(Ways of emphasizing that something is not true or likely: hardly, scarcely, actually).
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