GENERAL SPEAKING QUESTIONS. WORDWALL
_GRAMMAR
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🍽️ USEFUL LANGUAGE – DESCRIBING RESTAURANTS
| Category | Positive 😊 | Negative 😕 |
|---|---|---|
| Service | friendly, helpful, efficient, excellent | unfriendly, rude, slow, dreadful |
| Atmosphere | lively | dead |
| Room / Space | cosy, quiet, spacious, romantic | cold, noisy, cramped |
| Food | delicious, fresh, tasty | overcooked, tasteless, nothing special |
| Prices | good value (for money), reasonable | expensive, pricey |
- The service was friendly and efficient.
- The restaurant was cosy but a bit noisy.
- The food was delicious, although a little expensive.
- Overall, it was good value for money.
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📝 WRITTEN MEDIATION TASK
🌍 Topic: Tipping Around the World
WRITTEN MEDIATION
Context
Your English-speaking friend is planning a trip abroad and is confused about tipping customs in different countries. They have sent you an article with information, but it is too long and difficult for them to understand.
🎯 Task Write a message (120–150 words) to your friend in which you:
- Explain the main ideas about tipping culture
- Include at least 3 different countries or situations
- Highlight why tipping can be controversial or different
- Use clear and simple language
👉 Do NOT copy sentences from the text. Use your own words.
📄 🌍 6 Interesting Facts About Tipping Around the World
Do you usually leave a tip when you eat in a restaurant or receive good service? Some people are very generous, while others prefer to leave only a small amount. The truth is that tipping is different in every country, and it can sometimes cause confusion or even problems.
One surprising example happened in 2009, when two students in the USA refused to pay a service charge in a restaurant because they had received very poor service. They had to wait a long time and even got their own drinks. Although they paid most of the bill, they did not pay the tip and were taken to court. In the end, the case was cancelled, but it created a big debate about whether tipping should depend on the quality of the service.
In contrast, in Switzerland tipping is not necessary at all. Since 1974, service has been included in the price, and workers receive fair salaries. However, in other countries, many waiters prefer tipping systems because they can earn more money this way.
Sometimes, tips can be extremely generous. For example, a famous businessman once paid a waitress’s mortgage after an accident in a restaurant. In another situation, he left a very large tip simply to say thank you. These examples show that tipping can sometimes change people’s lives.
On the other hand, in Japan tipping is not common. People believe that good service is part of the job and does not require extra payment. For this reason, leaving a tip can be seen as strange or even rude. In fact, an attempt to introduce tipping in 2021 was not successful.
Interestingly, tipping was not always accepted in the USA. In 1915, some states made it illegal because people considered it unfair. However, over time, it became a normal and expected practice.
Finally, there are cases where tips can cause problems. A waitress once received a lottery ticket as a tip, which later won 10 million dollars. However, this created conflicts, as her co-workers and the man who gave her the ticket wanted a share of the money, and she also had to pay taxes. This shows that even a positive situation can become complicated.
In conclusion, tipping is not just about giving extra money. It is a complex practice influenced by culture, opinions, and different social values around the world.
✏️ Useful language
- In some countries,…
- For example,…
- However,…
- This means that…
- One interesting fact is that…
https://wordwall.net/es/resource/60050712/restaurant
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