The Reading / Listening - Level 3

Two trendy restaurants in Paris give good-looking people better tables than not-so-good-looking people. This is according to staff who used to work at the two eateries. The former employees told a Parisian newspaper about the restaurants' seating policy. They said: "The good-looking customers are led to the good places, where they can be easily seen; the non-good-looking ones must be seated in the corners of the room." This rule did not apply to celebrity diners. The rule for them was that, "pretty or ugly, old or young," they got the good tables. Even the waiters and waitresses were employed based on looks. One ex-waitress said: "Anyone short, without a model's physique and over 30 need not apply."

The ex-staff members said the restaurant owners wanted to make sure the restaurant had a good image by seating attractive guests in easy-to-see places. They said the restaurants' owner would visit regularly to make sure his 'beauty policy' was working. If he saw someone whose face he didn't like at a good table, he would tell the staff: "There are good-looking people, you put them here; there are bad-looking people, you put them there." Furthermore, staff could not promise to give a table to customers who telephoned to make a booking, just in case they were not beautiful. Staff only decided where to seat them after they came to the restaurant and looked at their faces.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 2

Sources
  • http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/10431535/French-restaurants-where-your-looks-decide-your-seat.html
  • http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2489691/French-restaurant-group-seat-guests-according-good-looking-are.html


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)



The 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. RESTAURANT TABLES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about restaurant tables. Change partners often and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.

 

trendy / restaurants / good-looking people / seating policy / celebrities / physique / staff / beauty / regularly / promise / customers / telephoned / booking / faces

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. DINERS: You are a restaurant manager. What do you do about these customers? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

Diners who…

What do you do?

Has this been you?

are very noisy

 

 

just got engaged

 

 

forgot their money

 

 

are kissing too much

 

 

complain non-stop

 

 

want bigger portions

 

 

4. GOOD-LOOKING: Students A strongly believe good-looking people have a better life; Students B strongly disagree.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.



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5. RESTAURANT: Rank these and share your rankings with your partner. Put the most important things at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • atmosphere

  • wide menu choice

  • food comes quickly

  • very friendly wait staff

  • manager says hello

  • good music

  • delicious food

  • price

6. TRENDY: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "trendy". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if  a-h  below are true (T) or false (F).

a.

Most restaurants in Paris seat attractive diners at good tables.

T / F

b.

Staff at two restaurants refused to talk to a Parisian newspaper.

T / F

c.

Old celebrities at two Paris restaurants are given good tables.

T / F

d.

You cannot become a waiter at the two restaurants if you are aged 32.

T / F

e.

The restaurant put good-looking people in seats others could see them.

T / F

f.

The owner of the restaurants rarely visited them.

T / F

g.

It is easy to book your favourite table at the restaurants by telephone.

T / F

h.

Staff seated people who booked by phone after looking at their faces.

T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1.

trendy

a.

body

2.

good-looking

b.

certain

3.

former

c.

reservation

4.

policy

d.

ex-

5.

physique

e.

fashionable

6.

sure

f.

place

7.

regularly

g.

system

8.

furthermore

h.

frequently

9.

booking

i.

in addition

10.

seat (verb)

j.

attractive

3. PHRASE MATCH:  (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1.

This is according

a.

on looks

2.

The good-looking customers are led

b.

in easy-to-see places

3.

This rule did not

c.

had a good image

4.

waitresses were employed based

d.

a table to customers

5.

a model's

e.

apply to celebrity diners

6.

make sure the restaurant

f.

to make a booking

7.

seating attractive guests

g.

to staff

8.

promise to give

h.

physique

9.

customers who telephoned

i.

seat them

10.

decided where to

j.

to the good places

 

GAP FILL

Two (1) ____________ restaurants in Paris give good-looking people better tables than not-so-good-looking people. This is (2) ____________ to staff who used to work at the two eateries. The (3) ____________ employees told a Parisian newspaper about the restaurants' (4) ____________ policy. They said: "The good-looking customers are led to the good places, where they can be (5) ____________ seen; the non-good-looking ones must be seated in the corners of the room." This rule did not apply to (6) ____________ diners. The rule for them was that, "pretty or ugly, old or young," they got the good tables. Even the waiters and waitresses were employed (7) ____________ on looks. One ex-waitress said: "Anyone short, without a model's physique and over 30 need not (8) ____________."

 

 

easily
based
according
apply
former
trendy
celebrity
seating

The ex-staff members said the restaurant owners wanted to make sure the restaurant had a good (9) ____________ by seating attractive guests in easy-to-see (10) ____________. They said the restaurants' owner would visit (11) ____________ to make sure his 'beauty (12) ____________' was working. If he saw someone whose face he didn't like at a good table, he would tell the staff: "There are good-looking people, you put them here; there are (13) ____________ -looking people, you put them there." Furthermore, staff could not (14) ____________ to give a table to customers who telephoned to make a (15) ____________, just in case they were not beautiful. Staff only decided where to (16) ____________ them after they came to the restaurant and looked at their faces.

 

bad
places
booking
promise
image
regularly
seat
policy

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)

The former employees told a Parisian newspaper about the restaurants' ______

 

a.  seat in policy
b.  seating policy
c.  sea tin policy
d.  see thing policy

2)

The good-looking customers are led to the good places, where they ______

 

a.  can be easily seen
b.  can be easy to be seen
c.  can be easier seen
d.  can be easiest seen

3)

This rule did not apply to ______

 

a.  celebrity dinners
b.  celebrity dine us
c.  celebrity dines are
d.  celebrity diners

4)

Even the waiters and waitresses were employed ______

 

a.  based on lookers
b.  based on locks
c.  based on looks
d.  based on look is

5)

Anyone short, without a model's physique and over 30 ______

 

a.  need not apple pie
b.  need not app
c.  need not application
d.  need not apply

6)

the restaurant owners wanted to make sure the restaurant ______

 

a.  had a good image
b.  had a good images
c.  had a goody image
d.  had a goodly image

7)

They said the restaurants' owner would ______

 

a.  visit regular
b.  visit regularly
c.  visit irregularly
d.  visit irregular

8)

make sure his 'beauty policy' ______

 

a.  was work in
b.  was worked in
c.  was working in
d.  was working

9)

give a table to customers who telephoned to ______

 

a.  make a book in
b.  make a book king
c.  make a booking
d.  make a bookings

10)

Staff only decided where to seat them after they came to the restaurant and ______

 

a.  looked at them faces
b.  looked at they're faces
c.  looked at they faces
d.  looked at their faces

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

(1) ___________________ in Paris give good-looking people better tables than not-so-good-looking people. (2) ___________________ staff who used to work at the two eateries. The former employees told a Parisian newspaper about the restaurants' seating policy. They said: "The good-looking customers (3) ___________________ places, where they can be easily seen; the non-good-looking ones must (4) ___________________ corners of the room." This rule did not apply to celebrity diners. The rule for them was that, "(5) ___________________ or young," they got the good tables. Even the waiters and waitresses were employed based on looks. One ex-waitress said: "Anyone short, without (6) ___________________ and over 30 need not apply."

The ex-staff members said the restaurant owners wanted to make sure the restaurant (7) ___________________ by seating attractive guests in easy-to-see places. They said the restaurants' owner (8) ___________________ to make sure (9) ___________________ was working. If he saw someone whose face he didn't like at a good table, he would tell the staff: "There are good-looking people, you put them here; there are bad-looking people, you put them there." Furthermore, (10) ___________________ to give a table to customers who telephoned (11) ___________________, just in case they were not beautiful. Staff only decided (12) ___________________ after they came to the restaurant and looked at their faces.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.

Who told a newspaper about the good-looking-people story?

2.

Where is the newspaper based?

3.

Where are the not-so-good-looking diners seated?

4.

To whom did the "not-so-good-looking-diner rule" apply?

5.

How old must you be to apply for a job at the restaurants?

6.

What did the restaurants' owners want to make certain of?

7.

How often would one of the owners visit?

8.

What could staff not promise over the phone?

9.

Why could the staff not make promises?

10.

When did staff decide where to seat customers?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.

Who told a newspaper about the good-looking-people story?

6.

What did the restaurants' owners want to make certain of?

 

a) former staff
b) customers
c) journalists
d) the restaurants' owners

 

a) the decor
b) the taste of the food
c) the ambience
d) the restaurants' image

2.

Where is the newspaper based?

7.

How often would one of the owners visit?

 

a) online
b) in the restaurants
c) Paris
d) Geneva

 

a) once in a blue moon
b) frequently
c) when celebrities came
d) every July 14

3.

Where are the not-so-good-looking diners seated?

8.

What could staff not promise over the phone?

 

a) upstairs
b) in the corners
c) in the kitchen
d) outside

 

a) the menu
b) the price of the food
c) that a celebrity would be there
d) which table

4.

To whom did the "not-so-good-looking-diner rule" apply?

9.

Why could the staff not make promises?

 

a) the owners
b) teenagers
c) journalists
d) celebrities

 

a) celebrities might drop in
b) they didn't cook the food
c) in case the caller wasn't attractive
d) the computer broke

5.

How old must you be to apply for a job at the restaurants?

10.

When did staff decide where to seat customers?

 

a) 30 or under
b) 30
c) in your 20s or 30s
d) over 30

 

a) when the owner arrived
b) after they looked at them
c) at 7pm
d) the morning of the booking

ROLE PLAY

Role  A – Atmosphere

You think the atmosphere is the most important thing when eating at a restaurant. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): a wide menu choice, food coming quickly or the manager greeting you.

Role  B – Wide menu choice

You think a wide menu choice is the most important thing when eating at a restaurant. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): the atmosphere, food coming quickly or the manager greeting you.

Role  C – Food comes quickly

You think food coming quickly is the most important thing when eating at a restaurant. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): a wide menu choice, the atmosphere or the manager greeting you.

Role  D – Manager says hello

You think the manager greeting you is the most important thing when eating at a restaurant. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): a wide menu choice, food coming quickly or the atmosphere.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words 'restaurant' and 'table'.

restaurant

table

 

 

 

  • Share your findings with your partners.
  • Make questions using the words you found.
  • Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

  • Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
  • Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

  • trendy
  • used to
  • led
  • rule
  • looks
  • 30
  • sure
  • regularly
  • if
  • promise
  • case
  • after

RESTAURANT TABLES SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about restaurant tables in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

 

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

 

 

 

 

Q.2.

 

 

 

 

Q.3.

 

 

 

 

Q.4.

 

 

 

 

Q.5.

 

 

 

 

  • Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
  • Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

RESTAURANT TABLES DISCUSSION

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

a)

What did you think when you read the headline?

b)

What springs to mind when you hear the word 'good-looking'?

c)

Do you often go to trendy restaurants?

d)

How does a restaurant become trendy?

e)

What do you think of the restaurants' seating policy?

f)

Will you wonder if the wait staff showed you to a table in the corner?

g)

Will you think about your table next time you go to a restaurant?

h)

Would you ask to sit at a good table?

i)

Do you want to test your beauty by visiting the restaurants?

j)

Is it OK to hire staff based on looks?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

a)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?

b)

What do you think about what you read?

c)

Is it a good idea to put the beautiful people where they can be seen?

d)

What happens to a group if half are beautiful and half are not?

e)

What would you like to tell the owners?

f)

Do you have a favourite table at a restaurant?

g)

How important is it to choose your table in a restaurant?

h)

Is the world going image / good-looking crazy?

i)

What questions would you like to ask the restaurants' owners?

j)

What do you think their answers might be?

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE - CLOZE

Two (1) ____ restaurants in Paris give good-looking people better tables than not-so-good-looking people. This is according (2) ____ staff who used to work at the two eateries. The former employees told a Parisian newspaper about the restaurants' (3) ____ policy. They said: "The good-looking customers are led to the good places, where they can be easily (4) ____; the non-good-looking ones must be seated in the corners of the room." This rule did not (5) ____ to celebrity diners. The rule for them was that, "pretty or ugly, old or young," they got the good tables. Even the waiters and waitresses were employed (6) ____ on looks. One ex-waitress said: "Anyone short, without a model's physique and over 30 need not apply."

The ex-staff members said the restaurant owners wanted to make sure the restaurant had a good image (7) ____ seating attractive guests in easy-to-see places. They said the restaurants' owner would visit (8) ____ to make sure his 'beauty policy' was working. If he saw someone whose face he didn't like at a good table, he would (9) ____ the staff: "There are good-looking people, you put them here; there are bad-looking people, you put them there." Furthermore, staff could not promise to give a table to customers who telephoned to make a (10) ____, just in (11) ____ they were not beautiful. Staff only decided where to (12) ____ them after they came to the restaurant and looked at their faces.

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.

(a)

trend

(b)

trending

(c)

trendy

(d)

trendsetter

2.

(a)

to

(b)

by

(c)

of

(d)

at

3.

(a)

seating

(b)

seats

(c)

sitting

(d)

sit-in

4.

(a)

seen

(b)

seeing

(c)

scene

(d)

sheen

5.

(a)

reply

(b)

apply

(c)

comply

(d)

imply

6.

(a)

cased

(b)

eased

(c)

laced

(d)

based

7.

(a)

to

(b)

so

(c)

by

(d)

as

8.

(a)

regularity

(b)

regulars

(c)

regular

(d)

regularly

9.

(a)

tell

(b)

shout

(c)

whisper

(d)

say

10.

(a)

looking

(b)

booking

(c)

hooking

(d)

cooking

11.

(a)

bag

(b)

case

(c)

box

(d)

carton

12.

(a)

cook

(b)

look

(c)

seat

(d)

menu

SPELLING

Paragraph 1

1.

Two ndyter restaurants

2.

This is ardgoncic to staff

3.

former oyseeelmp

4.

This rule did not lapyp

5.

yritbeelc diners

6.

a model's hspyieuq

Paragraph 2

7.

araectvtti guests

8.

visit lalrgeuyr

9.

beauty loipyc

10.

staff could not rspomei

11.

make a kongboi

12.

just in case they were not tbfeuulia

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

seat them after they came to the restaurant and looked at their faces.

(    )

led to the good places, where they can be easily seen; the non-good-looking ones must be seated in

(    )

The ex-staff members said the restaurant owners wanted to make sure the restaurant had a good image by

(    )

on looks. One ex-waitress said: "Anyone short, without a model's physique and over 30 need not apply."

(    )

the corners of the room." This rule did not apply to celebrity diners. The rule for them was that,

(    )

at a good table, he would tell the staff: "There are good-looking people, you put them

(    )

a Parisian newspaper about the restaurants' seating policy. They said: "The good-looking customers are

(    )

here; there are bad-looking people, you put them there." Furthermore, staff could not promise to give a table to customers

(    )

looking people. This is according to staff who used to work at the two eateries. The former employees told

(    )

regularly to make sure his 'beauty policy' was working. If he saw someone whose face he didn't like

(    )

who telephoned to make a booking, just in case they were not beautiful. Staff only decided where to

1  )

Two trendy restaurants in Paris give good-looking people better tables than not-so-good-

(    )

seating attractive guests in easy-to-see places. They said the restaurants' owner would visit

(    )

"pretty or ugly, old or young," they got the good tables. Even the waiters and waitresses were employed based

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.

to    used   who   staff   to    According   eateries   two   the    at   work.

2.

former     The     newspaper     Parisian     a     told     employees.    

3.

looking   -   good   The   places   good   the   to   led    are   customers.

4.

diners     not     apply     This     to     rule     celebrity     did.    

5.

employed     Waiters     based     and    on    waitresses    looks    were.     

6.

restaurant     good     To     the     a     sure     had     image     make.    

7.

attractive     guests     in     easy     -    to    -    see    places    Seating.    

8.

a     make     to     telephoned     who     Customers     booking.     

9.

were     they     case     in     Just     beautiful     not.    

10.

them     seat     to     where     decided     only     Staff.    

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

Two trendy / trending restaurants in Paris give good-looking people better tables than not-so-good-looking people. This is according by / to staff who used to work at the two cafeterias / eateries. The former employees told a Parisian newspaper about the restaurants' seating / sitting policy. They said: "The good-looking customers are fed / led to the good places, where they can be easily seeing / seen; the non-good-looking ones must be seated in the corners of / on the room." This rule did not reply / apply to celebrity diners. The rule for them was that, "pretty or ugly, old or young," they got the good tables. Even the waiters and waitresses were employed basted / based on looks. One ex-waitress said: "Anyone short, without a model's physique and over 30 need not / non apply."

The ex-staff members said the restaurant owners wanted to make sure the restaurant had a good image by seating attractiveness / attractive guests in easy-to-see places. They said the restaurants' owner would visit regular / regularly to make sure his 'beauty policy' was / wasn't working. If he saw someone whose face he didn't like at a good table, he would say / tell the staff: "There are good-looking people, you put them here; there are bad-looking people, you put him / them there." Furthermore, staff could not promise / promises to give a table to customers who telephoning / telephoned to make a booking, just in / on case they were not beautiful. Staff only decided where to suit / seat them after they came to the restaurant and looked / checked at their faces.

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

INSERT THE VOWELS (a, e, i, o, u)

Tw_ tr_ndy r_st__r_nts _n P_r_s g_v_ g__d-l__k_ng p__pl_ b_tt_r t_bl_s th_n n_t-s_-g__d-l__k_ng p__pl_. Th_s _s _cc_rd_ng t_ st_ff wh_ _s_d t_ w_rk _t th_ tw_ __t_r__s. Th_ f_rm_r _mpl_y__s t_ld _ P_r_s__n n_wsp_p_r _b__t th_ r_st__r_nts' s__t_ng p_l_cy. Th_y s__d: "Th_ g__d-l__k_ng c_st_m_rs _r_ l_d t_ th_ g__d pl_c_s, wh_r_ th_y c_n b_ __s_ly s__n; th_ n_n-g__d-l__k_ng _n_s m_st b_ s__t_d _n th_ c_rn_rs _f th_ r__m." Th_s r_l_ d_d n_t _pply t_ c_l_br_ty d_n_rs. Th_ r_l_ f_r th_m w_s th_t, "pr_tty _r _gly, _ld _r y__ng," th_y g_t th_ g__d t_bl_s. _v_n th_ w__t_rs _nd w__tr_ss_s w_r_ _mpl_y_d b_s_d _n l__ks. _n_ _x-w__tr_ss s__d: "_ny_n_ sh_rt, w_th__t _ m_d_l's phys_q__ _nd _v_r 30 n__d n_t _pply."

Th_ _x-st_ff m_mb_rs s__d th_ r_st__r_nt _wn_rs w_nt_d t_ m_k_ s_r_ th_ r_st__r_nt h_d _ g__d _m_g_ by s__t_ng _ttr_ct_v_ g__sts _n __sy-t_-s__ pl_c_s. Th_y s__d th_ r_st__r_nts' _wn_r w__ld v_s_t r_g_l_rly t_ m_k_ s_r_ h_s 'b___ty p_l_cy' w_s w_rk_ng. _f h_ s_w s_m__n_ wh_s_ f_c_ h_ d_dn't l_k_ _t _ g__d t_bl_, h_ w__ld t_ll th_ st_ff: "Th_r_ _r_ g__d-l__k_ng p__pl_, y__ p_t th_m h_r_; th_r_ _r_ b_d-l__k_ng p__pl_, y__ p_t th_m th_r_." F_rth_rm_r_, st_ff c__ld n_t pr_m_s_ t_ g_v_ _ t_bl_ t_ c_st_m_rs wh_ t_l_ph_n_d t_ m_k_ _ b__k_ng, j_st _n c_s_ th_y w_r_ n_t b___t_f_l. St_ff _nly d_c_d_d wh_r_ t_ s__t th_m _ft_r th_y c_m_ t_ th_ r_st__r_nt _nd l__k_d _t th__r f_c_s.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

two trendy restaurants in paris give good-looking people better tables than not-so-good-looking people this is according to staff who used to work at the two eateries the former employees told a parisian newspaper about the restaurants' seating policy they said "the good-looking customers are led to the good places where they can be easily seen the non-good-looking ones must be seated in the corners of the room" this rule did not apply to celebrity diners the rule for them was that "pretty or ugly old or young" they got the good tables even the waiters and waitresses were employed based on looks one ex-waitress said "anyone short without a model's physique and over 30 need not apply"

the ex-staff members said the restaurant owners wanted to make sure the restaurant had a good image by seating attractive guests in easy-to-see places they said the restaurants' owner would visit regularly to make sure his 'beauty policy' was working if he saw someone whose face he didn't like at a good table he would tell the staff "there are good-looking people you put them here there are bad-looking people you put them there" furthermore staff could not promise to give a table to customers who telephoned to make a booking just in case they were not beautiful staff only decided where to seat them after they came to the restaurant and looked at their faces

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

TwotrendyrestaurantsinParisgivegood-lookingpeoplebett
ertablesthannot-so-good-lookingpeople.Thisisaccordingtostaff
whousedtoworkatthetwoeateries.TheformeremployeestoldaParis
iannewspaperabouttherestaurants'seatingpolicy.Theysaid:"Theg
ood-lookingcustomersareledtothegoodplaces,wheretheycan
beeasilyseen;thenon-good-lookingonesmustbeseatedinthecorne
rsoftheroom."Thisruledidnotapplytocelebritydiners.Theruleforthe
mwasthat,"prettyorugly,oldoryoung,"theygotthegoodtables.Eve
nthewaitersandwaitresseswereemployedbasedonlooks.Oneex-
waitresssaid:"Anyoneshort,withoutamodel'sphysiqueandover30
neednotapply."Theex-staffmemberssaidtherestaurantown
erswantedtomakesuretherestauranthadagoodimagebyseatingatt
ractiveguestsineasy-to-seeplaces.Theysaidtherestaurants'own
erwouldvisitregularlytomakesurehis'beautypolicy'wasworking.Ifh
esawsomeonewhosefacehedidn'tlikeatagoodtable,hewouldtellthe
staff:"Therearegood-lookingpeople,youputthemhere;thereareb
ad-lookingpeople,youputthemthere."Furthermore,staffcou
ldnotpromisetogiveatabletocustomerswhotelephonedtomakeabo
oking,justincasetheywerenotbeautiful.Staffonlydecidedwheretos
eatthemaftertheycametotherestaurantandlookedattheirfaces.

FREE WRITING

Write about restaurant tables for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

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ACADEMIC WRITING

"Good-looking" people have a better life than "normal-looking" people.    Discuss.

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HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about French restaurants. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. RESTAURANT TABLES: Make a poster about restaurant tables. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. GOOD LOOKING: Write a magazine article about this story. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against the idea of seating good-looking people where others can see them.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

6. LETTER: Write a letter to the restaurant owner. Ask him three questions about his seating policy. Give him three ideas to make "normal-looking" diners happy. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

F

b

F

c

T

d

T

e

T

f

F

g

F

h

T

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.

trendy

a.

fashionable

2.

good-looking

b.

attractive

3.

former

c.

ex-

4.

policy

d.

system

5.

physique

e.

body

6.

sure

f.

certain

7.

regularly

g.

frequently

8.

furthermore

h.

in addition

9.

booking

i.

reservation

10.

seat (verb)

j.

place

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.

Former employees / ex-staff

2.

Paris

3.

In the corners of the restaurant

4.

Celebrities

5.

30 and under

6.

The restaurants' good image

7.

Regularly

8.

Which table the caller would get

9.

Just in case the customer wasn't good looking

10.

After looking at them

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

a

2.

c

3.

b

4.

d

5.

a

6.

d

7.

b

8.

d

9.

c

10.

b

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

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