Food

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of fast food?

    패스트푸드의 장점과 단점은 무엇인가요?

2. What is the difference between fresh and canned food?

   신선한 식품과 통조림 식품의 차이는 뭔가요?

3. What can we do to solve the problem of food shortages?

   식량 부족 문제를 해결하기 위해 무엇을 할 수 있을까요?

4. Where do Koreans go when they eat out?

    한국인들은 외식할 때 어디로 가나요?

5. Who usually cooks in a typical Korean family?

   한국의 가정에서는 주로 누가 요리하나요?

6. What are some of the eating habits of Korean people?

    한국인들의 식습관에는 어떤 것들이 있나요?

7. Do you think people will eat out more often in the future?

   여러분은 미래에 사람들이 외식을 더 자주할 거라고 생각하나요?

< Sample answer >

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of fast food?
OK… Well in terms of advantages, fast food – including processed food and ready meals – is quick and easy to prepare and cook, so it’s really handy, especially for busy people like, um, office workers. That said… fast food has low nutritional value. I mean, it contains tons of additives and fats, so eating too much junk food can lead to health problems such as obesity and diabetes. On top of that, it’s oily and greasy. So… those are some benefits and drawbacks.

2.What is the difference between fresh and canned food?

Uh… There are a few differences. I mean… canned food is usually more affordable and reasonably-priced than fresh food. And… it can be stored for longer, I mean it doesn’t go off as quickly as fresh produce. But… on the other hand it probably has lower nutritional value because it contains artificial preservatives. So there are quite a few differences actually.

3. What can we do to solve the problem of food shortages?
Well… I reckon there are several measures we could take. Erm, when it comes to individuals, we could reduce demand for food by limiting our waste… I mean, we should only buy as much as we need. On top of that… I think the government could support education in terms of ways we can reduce waste and the dire consequences of food shortages. So basically there are a few things we could do.

4. Where do Koreans go when they eat out?

Hmm… It’s hard to generalise but I’d say that Italian cuisine is quite trendy in Korea right now, so lots of people are going to restaurants that serve things like pizza and spaghetti. But also… Korean food has always been popular, so when people want to grab a bite to eat, they sometimes go to a Korean restaurant. Fast food joints are also handy if you want to eat a light lunch. So there are lots of places I guess.

5. Who usually cooks in a typical Korean family?

I guess Korea is fairly conservative compared to lots of Anglophone countries, so cooking is still considered the mother’s role… There are more and more families where both parents work but this hasn’t changed – the mother tends to do the cooking. In my experience, my mum cooked most meals, but my dad was quite fond of cooking so sometimes he cooked on weekends or holidays. But basically, mothers usually cook in typical Korean families.

6. What are some of the eating habits of Korean people?

Right… Well in terms of food, Koreans tend to like spicy, salty dishes. And when it comes to eating etiquette, I suppose we usually eat with metal chopsticks and a spoon, although it depends on the kind of food we’re eating. Also… traditionally we wait for the oldest person at the table to start eating before anyone else tucks in. So those are a few eating habits.

7. Do you think people will eat out more often in the future?

Um… Yeah, I suppose I do… If you look at current trends, people’s lives are becoming more and more hectic because working hours are increasing, so people are turning to fast food or they grab a bite to eat at a restaurant to avoid cooking… In the future I reckon this trend will continue, especially as people get wealthier and can afford to eat out more often.

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