Intro
1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.
2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.
When you’re hungry and in a hurry, what do you do? You can stop at a restaurant, or buy something at a grocery store. You can grab some fruit or vegetables from the kitchen, or a handful of cookies. But if you want something hot to eat at home, you need to find a way to cook food quickly. The best household appliance for this task is a microwave.
When people started using microwaves, safety and health risks were a concern. Today’s microwaves are definitely safe, however. It’s not possible to get sick from using a microwave, or even standing in front of one. So if you are looking for something convenient to use to reheat yesterday’s pizza, go for it! It may not taste exactly the same as before, but you won’t wait long.
Do Rafael and Marni agree about using microwaves? Read this English lesson to find out.
Dialog
1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.
2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.
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Marni: Rafael, it took me twenty minutes just to reheat my dinner the other night because I had to do it on a stove top.
Rafael: That’s why you should get a microwave, Marni.
Marni: No way. They are far too dangerous. I get that they’re convenient when you’re in a hurry and you want to reheat something, but I just think we just don’t know what all of those microwaves are doing to us.
Rafael: Well, I’ll tell you one thing. What it does, to me, is give me quick meals.
Marni: OK, so you’re saying they’re handy. But what about the health risks involved?
Rafael: When you can reheat something so easily, you don’t think about the health risk. You just appreciate it.
Marni: Do you just have a lot of frozen dinners, or…?
Rafael: I have frozen dinners, reheated leftovers, you name it. If you can eat it, I can stick it in the microwave.
Marni: I spend a lot of time making everything on the stove top, but I think it’s worth it for the safety factor. I certainly hope you’re OK, and don’t stand too close to your microwave.
Rafael: Well, OK then.
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Discussion
Marni might be a little old-fashioned. She uses pots and pans on her stove to reheat her leftovers. Rafael prefers using his microwave. It’s much faster and convenient, and he can use the extra time to do something else.
The two friends disagree about the safety of microwaves. Marni believes there are health risks to think about, but Rafael says that he’s not worried. Getting his food cooked quickly is more important than anything else. Sometimes, when he’s in a hurry, having a microwave is truly handy.
What’s your opinion about microwaves? Do you believe they’re dangerous to your health?
Comments
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