You might think you need a lot of coffee to get you through the day – but it’s probably nothing compared to Helene Marsot, who drinks up to 100 cups a DAY. A taste tester for Dunkin’ Brands’ coffee, Helene is responsible for overseeing the quality of the drinks the company produces and sells.

During a standard week, the quality assurance manager estimates she gets through hundreds of different coffees on trips around the world. She said: “As a coffee quality assurance expert I will say that a good cup of coffee is a clean and uniform coffee with acidity, body, sweetness and mouthfeel in proper proportion. With coffee, there are so many variables that can impact the flavour.”

Even though she may not finish every cup, she insists the amount of coffee she drinks actually has a positive effect on her health. Helene, based in Canton, Massachusetts, USA, has been working in her current role since 2005 – sampling tens of thousands of cups of coffee in the past nine years.

As well as her own tasting, Helene oversees Dunkin’s coffee lab testers based both in the U.S. and in countries the drink is produced. She added: “It starts from the tree and finishes in the cup, but there are more than 100 steps in between – coffee is full of surprises and experiences.”

Each year, Dunkin’ Donuts sells more than 1.8 billion cups of hot and iced coffee globally. And on their website the brand claims some of their coffee tasters test up to 600 cups each day. Helene said: “I like that you can adjust any coffee to your taste and your mood: from a dark roast to a light roast, a drip brew, an espresso or a French press. You can also adjust the flavour with cream or no cream, sugar or no sugar, and by serving it hot or iced.”

www.mirror.co.uk

Word building exercise.

answers

For many, coffee is a daily need that ranks up there with oxygen and food. Thankfully, one rarely has to travel far to finds some be it hot, iced, frothed, or blended. So, grab a cup, sit back, and enjoy these 10 fun facts about coffee.

Number 10. The most expensive kind comes from dung. Elephant dung, to be specific. The digestion process breaks down the proteins in the beans, resulting in what’s said to be a far superior cup. At 50 dollars a serving, it should be.

Number 9. It can power a truck. A man in the UK used bean waste and a special converter to get his vehicle to go over 60 miles an hour (96 km per hour) and set a new Guinness World Record.

Number 8. Drinking coffee was at one time punishable by death. In 17^th century Turkey, Sultan Murad IV dictated that people caught drinking a cup of joe be decapitated immediately.

Number 7. Decaf doesn’t mean it’s caffeine free. Decaf just means that it’s gone through a decaffeination process, not that it’s all removed. It doesn’t contain much, but it’s still in there.

Number 6. Hawaii is the only US state to grow coffee. The specialty there is Kona, one of the priciest varieties in the world.

Number 5. Coffee was discovered by Ethiopian goats and their keeper. Maybe. Legend has it that after eating a bunch of the berries, a group of goats was jumping around so much their herder went to check the plant out. After eating a few, he had a similar reaction.

Number 4. People drink a lot of coffee. Worldwide, around 2.25 billion cups are consumed every day. 400 million of those are downed in the US alone.

Number 3. People in the Netherlands drink the most. They average 2 and a quarter cups per person per day. Finland comes in second at about 1.8 cups. Third place goes to Swedes and their 1 and a third cup a day habit. The US is ranked 16^th.

Number 2. Europeans used to call it ‘Arabian wine.’ They were actually spot on, as the word from which coffee was eventually extracted translates as ‘wine of the bean.’

Number 1. The world’s most caffeinated brew is called Death Wish. Their trick is using Robusta beans instead of the typical Arabica variety. They have 200 percent more kick. Don’t worry about brewing one up by accident. Their logo features a skull and crossbones, making it pretty clear what a person is about to get themselves into.

source: geobeats

need – szükséglet
frothed – habosított
blended – több fajtából kevert
to sit back – hátradőlni (székben)
dung – trágya
digestion – emésztés
protein – fehérje
serving – adag
to power – meghajtani (járművet)
punishable – büntetendő
joe – (amerikai szleng) kávé
to decapitate – lefejezni
decaf – koffeinmentes
to contain – tartalmazni
pricy – drága
herder – pásztor
to check something out – megnézni
to down – lehajtani
to be spot on – ráhibázni
to have kick – “ütős”
by accident – véletlenül
skull and crossbones – halálfej                                                                    

True or false?

1. The most expensive coffee is called Death Wish.

2. The Dutch drink the most coffee.

3. It is certain that coffee was discovered by goats.

4. The word coffee has Arabian roots.

5. Decaf coffee contains no caffeine at all.

answers: 1-F 2-T 3-F 4-T 5-F

Fill in the gaps with the words in the table.

Summer loving had me a blast
Summer loving ……………….. so fast
I met a girl crazy for me
Met a boy ……………….. as can be

Summer days drifting away
To, oh, oh, the summer nights.

Well-a well-a well-a, huh
Tell me more, tell me more
Did you get very far?
Tell me more, tell me more
Like does he have a ………………..?

She ……………….. by me, she got a cramp
He ran by me, got my suit damp
I ……………….. her life, she nearly drowned
He showed off, splashing around

Summer ……………….., something’s begun
But, oh, oh, the summer nights

Well-a well-a well-a huh
Tell me more, tell m,e more
Was it ……………….. at first sight?
Tell me more, tell me more
Did she put up a fight?

Took her bowling in the Arcade
We went strolling, drank ………………..
We made out under the dock
We stayed up ’till ten o’clock

Summer fling, don’t mean a thing
But, oh, oh, the summer nights

Well-a well-a well-a huh
Tell me more, tell me more
But you don’t gotta brag
Tell me more, tell me more
‘Cause he ……………….. like a drag

He got friendly, holding my hand
She got friendly down in the ………………..
He was sweet just turned eighteen
Well, she was good you know what I mean

Summer heat, boy and girl meet
But, oh, oh, the summer nights
Tell me more, tell me more
How much dough did he spend?
Tell me more, tell me more
Could she get me a ………………..?

It turned colder, that’s where it ends
So I told her we’d still be friends
Then we made our true love vow
Wonder what she’s ……………….. now

Summer dreams ripped at the seams
But, oh, those summer nights
Tell me more, tell me more

———————————————————————–

Grease – Summer Nights

Summer loving had me a blast
Summer loving happened so fast
I met a girl crazy for me
Met a boy cute as can be

Summer days drifting away
To, oh, oh, the summer nights

Well-a well-a well-a, huh
Tell me more, tell me more
Did you get very far?
Tell me more, tell me more
Like does he have a car?

She swam by me, she got a cramp
He ran by me, got my suit damp
I saved her life, she nearly drowned
He showed off, splashing around

Summer sun, something’s begun
But, oh, oh, the summer nights

Well-a well-a well-a huh
Tell me more, tell m,e more
Was it love at first sight?
Tell me more, tell me more
Did she put up a fight?

Took her bowling in the Arcade
We went strolling, drank lemonade
We made out under the dock
We stayed up ’till ten o’clock

Summer fling, don’t mean a thing
But, oh, oh, the summer nights

Well-a well-a well-a huh
Tell me more, tell me more
But you don’t gotta brag
Tell me more, tell me more
‘Cause he sounds like a drag

He got friendly, holding my hand
She got friendly down in the sand
He was sweet just turned eighteen
Well, she was good you know what I mean

Summer heat, boy and girl meet
But, oh, oh, the summer nights

Tell me more, tell me more
How much dough did he spend?
Tell me more, tell me more
Could she get me a friend?

It turned colder, that’s where it ends
So I told her we’d still be friends
Then we made our true love vow
Wonder what she’s doing now

Summer dreams ripped at the seams
But, oh, those summer nights
Tell me more, tell me more

to have a blast – baromi jól érzi magát
to be crazy for – megőrülni valakiért
cute – helyes, aranyos
to drift away – lassan halad, sodródik
to get very far – messzire elmenni (szexben)
cramp – görcs
(swim)suit – fürdőruha
damp – nedves
to drown – megfulladni
to show off – felvágni
love at first sight – szerelem első látásra
to put up a fight – tiltakozni, ellenállni
to go strolling – sétálni menni
to make out with someone – smárolni, szeretkezni
fling – kaland (szerelmi)
don’t (doesn’t) mean a thing – nem jelent semmit
to brag – dicsekedni
drag – uncsi
to turn eighteen – betölti a 18-at
dough – dohány (pénz)
to make a love vow – szerelmet fogadni
to wonder – gondolkodni, vajon …
ripped at the seams – széttépett, szétfoszlott
 

Dialogue: At the reception desk

Receptionist: Good afternoon. Thank you for calling our company. My name is Zita. How may I direct your call?
Caller: I would like to talk to Mr Bartos, please.
Receptionist: Can I ask who’s calling?
Caller: This is Jurij Altukhov from the Moscow branch.
Receptionist: One moment, please. I’ll put you through to his assistant.

…

Receptionist: I’m afraid the extension is busy. Do you want to hold or would you like to call back later?
Caller: Just let him know that I called about the meeting on Friday.
Receptionist: Can I have your name again, please?
Caller: Jurij Altukhov .
Receptionist: A-L-T-U-C-H-O-V?
Caller: Almost. Change the C in the middle to K for Kilo.
Receptionist: Thank you sir, I’ll let Mr Bartos know to call you back about the Friday meeting. Is there anything else I can do for you?
Caller: No, thank you. Good-bye.
Receptionist: Thank you for calling, good-bye.

—————————————–

How may I direct your call? – Kit kapcsolhatok?
Can I ask who’s calling? – Ki keresi?
branch – fiókiroda
to put someone through – kapcsolni valakit
extension – mellék
busy – foglalt
to hold – tartani (vonalat)
to let someone know – valakinek megmondani valamit, tudtára adni
to call about something – valamivel kapcsolatban telefonálni
Can I have your name again, please? – Szabad még egyszer a nevét?
Is there anything else I can do for you? – Tehetek Önért még valamit?

For most people, Christmas is a time for loosening their belts and indulging in calorific treats. But for those wanting to watch their figure over the festive season, one chef has created a guilt-free Christmas lunch, which contains fewer calories than a bag of nuts. Gurpareet Bains has come up with the three-course meal called the ‘Guilt-Free Gala’ by replacing traditional ingredients with superfoods, meaning it only contains 930 calories, around one third of a classic lunch.

It includes turkey with roast potatoes and all the trimmings, a lobster and vegetable starter, and a rich fruit pudding with mascarpone cheese for dessert. And not only is the meal gluten free, it also contains 11 portions of fruit and vegetables, more than double the government’s recommended five-a-day and is said to taste ‘exquisite’.

A normal Christmas dinner, with fat-soaked spuds, sugar-coated parsnips, Christmas pudding and canapes, would weigh in with an average of 3,200 calories, 2.5g of salt, and anything up to 90g of fat – more than a woman’s entire recommended daily allowance of 70g. 

The banquet includes a starter of butternut squash and pear soup with lobster (150 calories), a main of turkey breast poached in mulled wine spices with blueberry sauce and all the trimmings (470 calories) and a dessert of superfruit Pudding with green tea and chia seeds (310 calories). 

The entire meal contains just 19 grams of fat – the equivalent of three mince pies or a single serving of cheese and biscuits. By comparison, a 200g bag of Tesco salted mixed nuts contains 1,300 calories and 116g of fat.  

According to research, Britons will unwittingly consume a shocking 7,000 calories on Christmas Day alone, with some exceeding the daily recommended allowance before sitting down for dinner. 

The endless supply of chocolate, snacks, mince pies and festive drinks also means the average British person will gain 6lbs in the eight days between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day.

www.dailymail.com

I. Match the jokes with the punchlines.

II. Fill in the gaps with the missing words.

Blackmail

It was coming up to Christmas and Sammy asked his mum if he could have a new bike. So, she told him that the best 1 ……………….. would be to write to Santa Claus. But Sam, having just played a vital role in the school nativity play, said he would 2 ……………….. to write to the baby Jesus. So his mum told him that would be fine.
Sam went to his room and wrote ‘ Dear Jesus, I have 3 ……………….. a very good boy and would like to have a bike for Christmas.’ But he wasn’t very happy when he read it over. So he 4 ……………….. to try again and this time he wrote ‘Dear Jesus, I’m a good boy 5 ……………….. of the time and would like a bike for Christmas.’ He read it back and wasn’t happy with that one either. He tried a third version. ‘Dear Jesus, I could be a good boy if I tried hard and 6 ……………….. if I had a new bike.’ He read that one too, but he still wasn’t satisfied.
So, he decided to go out for a walk 7 ……………….. he thought about a better approach. After a short time he passed a house with a small statue of the Virgin Mary in the front garden. He crept in, stuffed the statue under his coat, hurried home and hid it under the bed. Then he wrote this letter. ‘Dear Jesus, If you want to see your 8 ……………….. again, you’d better send me a new bike.’

I. 1-c 2-e 3-a 4-f 5-b 6-d

II. 1-f 2-c 3-g 4-a 5-h 6-b 7-e 8-d

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How Does a Christmas Tree Grow

This is the size of the tree when we buy them from the nurseries to plant on our farm. These are an average of 4 years old when we buy them. Average height 14 to 16 inches tall. We have a tree planter which just kind of opens up the ground, we place a tree in the ground, press the soil back closed, and then they continue growing – we hope! This tree behind me is in its second year of growth. You can see how the new growth we have gotten above there, just a little bit taller. These first years they will average about 6 to 8 inches of growth in their second year here. After that we will probably get 14 to 16 inches in the subsequent years.

The trees every year put one stem up the middle. This is called the leader. It is going to be the trunk of the tree, and it adds a set of branches every year. Now in the White Pines we can see how much the tree has grown. It added this set of branches this spring and grew this new leader. The year before it added these branches and grew this leader. The year before that, you can see from this set of branches, the trunk of the tree up to this set of branches. You can see how the tree is growing every year. Now up on the very tip of the top here, the buds are already set. The one bud, the strongest bud right in the center will grow up next spring and be the new leader. I expect about 14 to 16 inches over the year. The buds around the outside are going to form a set of laterals, a set of branches up here. Grow up, and it just does that every year.

One thing I’d like to point out to people: if there is a dead needle in your tree, that is not a bad thing. Trees shed their needles every year. The needles that are on the interior of the tree, the trees have decided they do not need those needles to continue growing, and it sheds those, usually when the needles are about 3 or 4 years old. Now this time of year especially this tree is filled with dead needles in here. And on the ground a nice solid mat of needles that have dropped over the years. This is a naturally occurring event on all Christmas trees.

source :Geobeats

Can you match the words and the definitions? 

Key:

1. e

2. h

3. a

4. g.

5. b.

6. c.

7. f

8. d.

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answers: 1-d 2-f 3-e 4-b 5-h 6-g 7-a 8-c

Generous gran starts Christmas shopping in January for presents for her 80 grandchildren

A pensioner is preparing for a family-packed Christmas as she buys presents for her 80 grandchildren. Great-great-grandmother Mary Scholey, 82, not only has to start gift shopping early but also gets through piles of cards every year. And Mrs Scholey, called Nana Mary by the youngsters, has no trouble remembering the names of all 33 grandchildren, 44 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

Mary, who is a mother of 10 children, said: “I never really thought I would have a big family but 60 years ago there wasn’t that much of a choice in the matter. I had two sets of twins and six other children so the family just kept on growing. We are not on Facebook or anything so I get all of the news about my family through word of mouth.” She added: “Christmas is a busy time because there are so many of us but it’s nice to see everybody. It’s always busy here anyway so I’m used to that.”

No sooner has Christmas finished than Mary, of Sheffield, starts planning the following year, keeping an eye out for bargains at markets in nearby Wombwell and Barnsley. Son Stephen said: “Obviously with so many to buy for mum doesn’t spend a lot on each one, but she always puts a lot of thought into it. The children always get a Christmas and birthday present from her but these days she misses out the adults, otherwise the cost would be ridiculous. Although with so many presents to hand out she sometimes forgets where she has stored them during the year.”

Another hurdle is getting all of Mary’s relatives into one building for special occasions, but that did not stop Stephen. More than 100 family members turned up to a festive family gathering as an early Christmas present for Mary, at Wadsley Bridge Working Men’s Club in Sheffield. And there is more joy to come for the super gran as four more great-great-grandchildren are due in the family next year.

www.mirror.co.uk

Fill in the gaps with the right words from the table. There is one extra.

1. I invited ten people to the party but only 5 ……………….. .

2. Many people send Christmas cards to their ……………….. .

3. We need to hurry, ……………….. we’ll miss the train.

4. Jack organised a ……………….. to celebrate his grandfather’s 90^th birthday.

5. It was great ……………….. to see all the family get together for our wedding.

answers: 1-turned up 2-relatives 3-otherwise 4-family gathering 5-joy

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