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Unit 3: If or whether?
Pronunciation: Changing sounds

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  1. 1 Go beyond intermediate with our new video course
  2. 2 Reported speech in 90 seconds!
  3. 3 If or whether?
  4. 4 5 ways to use 'would'
  5. 5 Let and allow
  6. 6 Passive voice
  7. 7 Unless
  8. 8 Mixed conditionals
  9. 9 The zero article - in 90 seconds
  10. 10 The indefinite article - in 90 seconds
  11. 11 The. That's right - the! Learn all about it in 90 seconds
  12. 12 The continuous passive
  13. 13 Future perfect
  14. 14 Need + verb-ing
  15. 15 Have something done
  16. 16 Wish
  17. 17 Word stress
  18. 18 Different ways of saying 'if'
  19. 19 Passive reporting structures
  20. 20 The subjunctive
  21. 21 When and if
  22. 22 Inversion
  23. 23 Phrasal verbs
  24. 24 The future
  25. 25 Modals in the past
  26. 26 Narrative tenses
  27. 27 Phrasal verb myths
  28. 28 Conditionals review
  29. 29 Used to - review
  30. 30 Linking words of contrast

Session 5

Find out what's going on in the kitchen of The White Elephant restaurant. There's a problem with the cooker and Gordon the chef isn't happy. Watch and learn some useful phrases to talk about things that are broken

Sessions in this unit

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Session 5 score

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    Activity 1
  1. Activity 1

Activity 1

Drama: The White Elephant

Episode 3: Broken

The restaurant finally gets a customer which gives Gordon, the chef, a chance to try out his special recipe. But there's a problem... the cooker is broken and a solution needs to be found quickly. Will Gordon get the chance to finally prove himself as a culinary genius?!

Watch the video and complete the activity

Show transcript Hide transcript

Peter
I've got an order from table 3...

Gordon
Amazing, he wants the 'chef's special' - duck a la plum. Now this should be good.

Ceilia
Duck a la plum!? Shouldn't it be duck a l'orange Gordon?  

Gordon
This is my 'chef's special' - just leave it to me.

Peter
I'll go and tell him it's on its way.

Ceilia
...and give him a glass of wine - on the house.

Ceilia
Problem Gordon?

Gordon
The oven won't light - the cooker's on the blink! Where did you get this piece of junk from?

Ceilia
I bought it second hand. It was in good working condition.

Mary
Try pressing that button there.

Gordon
What do you know about cookers, huh? Can't you see it's kaput - knackered! We're going to lose yet another customer now. I was really looking forward to cooking my duck a la plum!

Mary
Have you tried the gas connections?

Gordon
Don't be ridiculous - I have worked in some of the world's top restaurants - and I know when a cooker has packed up - and this one has completely had it.

Peter
Oh... I'll go and tell him the duck's off shall I?

Mary
Wait a minute Peter. If I just press this knob here - now try that a try.

Gordon
Ah... well...

Ceilia
Well done Mary.

Peter
So we're 'cooking on gas' then! I'll go and give the customer the good news. Mary you're brilliant!

Download

You can download the drama from our Unit 3 downloads page.

Vocabulary

on the blink
not working correctly

knackered
(here) old and broken

packed up
stopped working

had it
no longer useful

cooking on gas
the situation is going well

To do

See how much you understood from the story by answering these questions...

White Elephant quiz

3 Questions

How much did you understand in The White Elephant: Episode 3?

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Credits

Gordon Grater: Neil Frost

Ceilia Spatula: Amina Zia

Peter Peppermill: Darren Benedict

Marigold Marcelo (Mary for short): Stacha Hicks

Written, produced and directed by: Rob Carter

More

You can find our other BBC Learning English dramas on our Drama page.

End of Session 5

Join the team at the White Elephant next week when Gordon gets annoyed yet again. Find out what has made him cross this time.

Session Vocabulary

  • on the blink
    not working correctly

    knackered
    (here) old and broken

    packed up
    stopped working

    had it
    no longer useful

    cooking on gas
    the situation is going well

View full vocabulary reference

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