Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a twist
    • ex. The pasta has an interesting Japanese twist.
  2. inspired
    • ex. The author said that the book was inspired by real events.
  3. an ingredient
    • ex. We’re missing ingredients for our cake. We don’t have eggs.
  4. a game-changer
    • ex. Mobile phones are a game-changer. They greatly improved the way we communicate.
  5. in-house
    • ex. Our in-house researchers and writers create all the articles for our newspaper.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Starbucks stores in Italy have added a surprising twist to their coffee: olive oil. Coffee drinkers in Milan can now order five different beverages under the “Oleato” collection, from the Italian word for “oiled.” The idea was inspired by the keto diet trend of adding fats to coffee. The release made Italian coffee lovers both amused and curious.

Italian food and wine magazine, Gambero Rosso, praised the idea of using a popular ingredient in Italy for the new beverages. According to the magazine, many Italians use extra virgin olive oil a lot because it has many health benefits. The magazine even added that the drinks are “a chance to promote Italian excellence.”

The idea of adding olive oil to coffee came from Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz. He was inspired by his visit to an olive oil producer in Sicily, and he called the idea a “game-changer.” He worked with an in-house coffee drink developer to create the new recipes. The drinks were launched during Milan Fashion Week. They will also be released in other parts of the world, including Japan, the Middle East, and Britain later this year.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Cafés

  • Do you think the “Oleato” coffee will be popular in your country? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Imagine that you owned a café. Are you going to make unique recipes like Starbucks, or offer only the usual types of coffee? Why? Discuss.
  • Do you think it’s important for cafés to have an in-house drink developer? Why or why not? Discuss.

Game Changers

  • Starbucks’s CEO called the new beverages a “game-changer.” Is there a food product in your country that you can call a “game-changer” (ex. instant ramen)? Why? Discuss.
  • What’s a “game-changer” product, service, etc. that has really helped you (ex. a cellphone, translation apps)? Discuss.
  • Do you think a company needs to create a “game-changer” to be successful? Why or why not? Discuss.