Travel English

Episode 8:

Making
a Dinner
Reservation
Pre-Reading
Match up as many words and meanings
as you can. Check this exercise again after
seeing the words in context on page 2.

1. booked solid a) to like better

2. reputation b) a group of people

3. look forward to c) an event, an occurrence

4. convenient d) easy to use, suitable

e) to contact, to get in touch with

5. party
f) completely reserved, no available places
6. celebrate
g) to be excited about something that will happen in the future
7. occasion
h) an outdoor courtyard or area next to a house or building
8. prefer
i) to do something to show that a day or event is important
9. patio
j) the general opinion or thoughts about
10. reach the character or qualities of a person or thing

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 Making a Dinner Reservation
Episode 8 of 13 | Travel English

Reading
Read the dialogue out loud with a partner.
Underline any words or phrases you don’t understand.

Ellen Hostess

Good afternoon. This is Fresco’s.

No. We’re just here on vacation.
How may I help you?

We have openings at 6:15 or 8:00.

I’d like to make a reservation for this evening.
Which would you prefer?

I’m sorry. We’re completely

I think later would be better.
booked for this evening.

And would you like a table

Do you have any openings for tomorrow?
on the terrace or inside?

We’re booked solid for the next few days. Oh, I think a patio table would be lovely.

Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. We’re only in Okay. What name should
New York for a week. Your restaurant has I put the reservation in?
such a wonderful reputation. We were
really looking forward to trying it. Baxter.
We have a few tables available on
Wednesday and Thursday. Would either And can we have a number where
of those days be convenient for you? we can get in touch with you?

We’re going to the theatre on You can reach us at the Park Inn.
Wednesday, but Thursday would be fine.
Okay, Mrs. Baxter. We’re holding a
How many will there be in your party? patio table for you on Thursday at 8:00.

Just two, my husband and I. Great. We’ll see you then.

Are you celebrating a special occasion? Thank you. Have a good day.

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 Making a Dinner Reservation
Episode 8 of 13 | Travel English

Comprehension
A. True or False?

Read the statements below.

If the statement is true based on the reading, write T beside the sentence.
If it is false, write F and correct the information in your notebook.

1. Ellen and Martin are going to eat at Fresco’s tomorrow night.

2. Ellen and Martin had heard about Fresco’s before.

3. Fresco’s is a popular restaurant.

4. Martin and Ellen are going to a party at Fresco’s.

5. Martin and Ellen are going to have dinner with another couple.

6. The Baxters are celebrating Ellen’s birthday.

7. Ellen chose a table inside.

B. Multiple-Choice

Circle the correct answer for each question.

1. Why aren’t Ellen and Martin going to eat at Fresco’s tonight?

a) They are going to the theatre.

b) The restaurant is booked solid.
c) They want a patio table.
d) The restaurant has a bad reputation.

2. When is their dinner reservation for?

a) tonight at 8:00
b) Thursday at 8:00
c) tomorrow at 6:15
d) Wednesday at 6:15

3. Where can the restaurant contact Ellen and Martin?

a) at the park
b) on the patio
c) at their hotel
d) on the terrace

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 Making a Dinner Reservation
Episode 8 of 13 | Travel English

Vocabulary Review
A. Complete the Sentences

Complete the sentences using the vocabulary from page 1.

You may need to change the word forms.

1. I wanted to share my news, but I wasn’t sure how to you.

2. We probably need to book more than one table because we are a of eight.

3. That restaurant is great. You need to make a reservation because it’s always .

4. If it’s a warm night, we’ll have his birthday dinner on the .

5. I don’t think Alice should marry that man. He doesn’t have a very good .

6. I’m really my vacation next month.

7. We want to move to a new apartment. This location is not very

because there are no shops or public transportation nearby.

8. We bought a bottle of champagne to his good news.

B. Odd One Out

Circle the word that doesn’t belong in each group.

1. a) contact 3. a) expect 5. a) lobby

b) get in touch with b) prefer b) courtyard
c) book c) await c) terrace
d) communicate d) look forward to d) patio

2. a) reach 4. a) suitable
b) reserve b) easy
c) save c) convenient
d) book d) difficult

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 Making a Dinner Reservation
Episode 8 of 13 | Travel English

Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION: LEVEL: Int

In this lesson, Mrs. Baxter makes a reservation at a restaurant. TIME: 1–2 hours
Students listen to the dialogue and practise it. Includes vocabulary
TAGS:  travel, traveling, travelling,
review and comprehension tasks.
restaurant, reservation, telephone

Pre-Reading Vocabulary Review

1. f 3. g 5. b 7. c 9. h A. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES

2. j 4. d 6. i 8. a 10. e
1. reach 5. reputation
2. party 6. looking forward to
Reading (and/or Listening) 3. booked solid 7. convenient
4. patio 8. celebrate
Play the audio as your students read along. Then have students
practise reading the dialogue with a partner. Monitor their
B. ODD ONE OUT
pronunciation. Go over any difficult vocabulary and useful
phrases as a class. 1. c 2. a 3. b 4. d 5. a

Comprehension
Dialogue Building
A. TRUE OR FALSE?
This optional task is included at the end of the lesson. Students
1. F – They are going to eat at Fresco’s on Thursday night. should cut up the strips and rearrange them into the correct order.
2. T
1. j 5. p 9. c 13. o 17. h 21. s
3. T
2. m 6. g 10. e 14. f 18. l 22. v
4. F – Martin and Ellen are not going to a party at Fresco’s.
3. u 7. a 11. i 15. k 19. n 23. r
5. F – Martin and Ellen are having dinner together.
4. b 8. q 12. t 16. w 20. d
6. F – The Baxters aren’t celebrating anything.
7. F – Ellen chose a table on the patio.
Word Bank
B. MULTIPLE-CHOICE
These optional sheets are included at the end of the lesson. Here
1. b are some ideas for use: Give to students for extra review, cut
2. b up the entries and definitions to use for a matchup task, give to
3. c students and have them write their own example sentences in their
notebooks, have students keep them in a vocabulary journal, etc.

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 Making a Dinner Reservation
Episode 8 of 13 | Travel English

Dialogue Building
The dialogue below is not in the right order. Cut up the strips, and then work alone or
with a partner to rearrange them into the correct order. Then practise the dialogue.

We have a few tables available on

l Baxter.
Wednesday and Thursday. Would
a
either of those days be convenient
for you? I’d like to make a
m
reservation for this evening.
Do you have any
b
openings for tomorrow? And can we have a number where
n
we can get in touch with you?
c How many will there be in your party?
We have openings at 6:15 or 8:00.
o
Which would you prefer?
d You can reach us at the Park Inn.
We’re booked solid
p
for the next few days.
e Just two, my husband and I.
We’re going to the theatre
q on Wednesday, but Thursday
would be fine.
f I think later would be better.

r Thank you. Have a good day.

Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. We’re
only in New York for a week. Your
g restaurant has such a wonderful Okay, Mrs. Baxter.
reputation. We were really looking s We’re holding a patio table
forward to trying it. for you on Thursday at 8:00.

Okay. What name should

h t No. We’re just here on vacation.
I put the reservation in?

Are you celebrating I’m sorry. We’re completely

i u
a special occasion? booked for this evening.

Good afternoon. This is Fresco’s.

j v Great. We’ll see you then.
How may I help you?

And would you like a table Oh, I think a patio

k w
on the terrace or inside? table would be lovely.

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 Making a Dinner Reservation
Episode 8 of 13 | Travel English

Word Bank

WORD DEFINITION EX AMPLE

host (male) / a person who greets

The hostess showed us to our table.
hostess (female) guests at a restaurant

We can’t get a reservation for

booked reserved, held, saved tonight at the new restaurant.
It is completely booked.

I wanted to get a haircut, but

a place or position that
opening my hairdresser didn’t have
is open or can be used
any openings all day.

I couldn’t get an appointment with

completely reserved,
booked solid my dentist yesterday because he
no available places
was booked solid.

the general opinion or thoughts about

He wants to go to Harvard University
reputation the character or qualities of a person
because it has an excellent reputation.
or thing

She is looking forward to visiting

to be excited about what
look forward to her grandchildren during the
will happen in the future
Christmas vacation.

You’ll have to wait. The table will

available ready to be used
be available in about ten minutes.

He lives in a very convenient location.

convenient easy to use, suitable
His apartment is close to everything.

We made a dinner
party a group of people
reservation for a party of six.

to do something to show that We’re having a big party to

celebrate
a day or event is important celebrate his high school graduation.

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 Making a Dinner Reservation
Episode 8 of 13 | Travel English

Word Bank cont.

WORD DEFINITION EX AMPLE

It was a special occasion,

occasion an event, an occurrence
so we decided to have a big party.

prefer to like better Would you prefer coffee or tea?

an outdoor, open area We sat outside on the terrace

terrace
next to or part of a building and looked at the beautiful city lights.

a courtyard or area next to a house It was a beautiful night,

patio
or building that is open to the sky so we ate dinner on the patio.

Can you give me your telephone number

get in touch with to communicate with, to contact
so I can get in touch with you again?

You can reach me at the

reach to contact, to get in touch with
office between 9:00 and 5:00.

to save, to keep, to reserve We’ll hold your place while

hold
(a table, a place, etc.) you go to the washroom.

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