This episode’s vocabulary
Stereotype
noun — stereotype a set idea that people have about what someone or something is like, especially an idea that is wrong.
Turn sb. off
phrasal verb — to stop someone feeling interested or excited.
Overpriced
adj. — too expensive.
Crowding
noun — a large group of people who have come together.
To romanticize
verb — to talk about something in a way that makes it sound better than it really is, or to believe that something is better than it really is.
Distraction
noun — something that prevents someone from giving their attention to something else.
Ambience
noun — the character of a place or the quality it seems to have.
Skeptical
adj. — doubting that something is true or useful.
To speculate
verb — to guess possible answers to a question when you do not have enough information to be certain.
Kick
noun — a strong feeling of excitement and pleasure.
To animate
verb — to cause someone or something to be more active or full of life.
Fix
noun — an amount of an illegal drug, or of another substance that has an effect on someone.
Caffeinated
adj. — containing caffeine.
Sit-down meal
noun — a sit-down meal is served to people who are sitting at a table.
Numerous
adj. — many.
Questions and answers
Are you ready? Rory?
I am ready.
Yay. Do people in your country like to drink coffee?
Well, I think most people do everywhere, don't they? I would say British people have earned this sort of stereotype as tea drinkers as opposed to Americans who prefer coffee. But I think there's a pretty good balance. Someone told me once that depends on the time of day actually.
What kind of people would like to go to a cafe?
It's probably easier to imagine who might be turned off by a cafe, to be honest. Um, I think most people think they're great, as long as they don't mind the noise of other people and the slightly overpriced products.
And why do some people dislike cafes?
Well, like I say, the noise or the crowding is probably the worst issue.
Why do young people like studying in a cafe instead of at home?
Well, they probably don't, to be honest. I think many people have a romanticized notion of cafes as a place where people get serious work done. But let's face it, there's a lot of noise, there are many distractions. I can't see people getting a lot done there unless it's a business meeting, which students generally don't participate in. But let's imagine they do. There are opportunities to chat, share ideas, and enjoy the ambience if it's a well-decorated place with a good atmosphere. I'm still quite skeptical about that, though.
Do old people like to drink coffee?
I have no idea. Um, but if I were to speculate, I'd say they do. It's probably a reminder of times past when they drank coffee in their youth. And it can add a kick to get the conversation animated. I suppose that's true with most people, though. Who doesn't benefit from getting their caffeine fix?
Who goes to cafes more often, older people or young people?
That's a good question. Um, on the one hand, young people are, well, they're more sociable, so they probably have more cause to go to a coffee. But older people tend to have more money, so they're able to spend it more there. I think they both like to go for different reasons and to different extents.
What are the differences between a cafe and a restaurant?
Well, I suppose a cafe is about coffee or some sort of caffeinated product. While a restaurant is more about sit-down meals, usually with big groups of people, although it doesn't have to be. So the cafe is more about drinking and restaurants is more about food. And also a cafe is more about smaller products, whereas the restaurant is about larger products.
And which ones are more popular cafes or restaurants? So more people go to cafe or to a restaurant?
That's a good question. I don't even know how you would begin to measure that. But I'd probably say cafes because, well, they're cheaper. And so... And they're more numerous as well.
All right, thank you, Rory, for your answers! -