Objective Proficiency p 32. Anush at the Italian Restaurant. Extra Role-play

The classroom has become an Italian restaurant in London.
There are several tables with diners sitting at them.
There are Italian waiters serving the tables.

TABLE 1
Characters: diners and a waiter.
The waiter does something that makes the diners hit the ceiling.

hit the ceiling/roof:


(informal) to suddenly become very angry.


TABLE 2
Characters: diners and a waiter.
The waiter triggers an emotionally charged response. The diners are brimming with elation.

TABLE 3
Characters: diners and a waiter.
The waiter is a bit slapdash and is left with egg all over his face. The diners cringe.

Slapdash: 

 

 

 

/ˈslæpdæʃ/ done, or doing something, too quickly and carelessly. Sp. descuidado, chapucero. E.g. She has a very slapdash approach to keeping accounts. A slapdash piece of writing. He gave a slapdash performance. She's a bit slapdash. He has a slapdash approach to work. 

have/be left with egg on/all over your face

(informal) to be made to look stupid. E.g. They were left with egg on their faces when only ten people showed up.

cringe: 

to feel very embarrassed and uncomfortable about something. E.g. I cringe when I think of the poems I wrote then. She felt herself cringe with embarrassment at the memory. The very idea made him cringe inside.

 

TABLE 4
Characters: diners and a waiter.
In the meantime some celebrities arrive and the waiter gives them a rapturous welcome. He goes to extraordinary lengths to make them  feel uplifted. However, he is too clumsy and awkward and does a botched job.
 

Rapturous: 

 

 

 

/ˈræptʃərəs/ expressing extreme pleasure or enthusiasm for somebody/something. E.g. He was greeted with rapturous applause. The Olympic team was given a rapturous welcome.

 

go to any, some, great, etc. lengths (to do something)

 

 

 

to put a lot of effort into doing something, especially when this seems extreme. E.g. She goes to extraordinary lengths to keep her private life private. 

Uplifted: 

 

 

 

/ˌʌpˈlɪftɪd/ [not before noun] feeling happy and full of hope. E.g. Everyone left the meeting feeling uplifted. 

 clumsy

(of people and animals) moving or doing things in a very awkward way. Sp. patoso. E.g. I spilt your coffee. Sorry—that was clumsy of me. His clumsy fingers couldn't untie the knot. 

 

awkward:

 

 

not moving in an easy way; not comfortable. E.g. He tried to dance, but he was too clumsy and awkward. I must have slept in an awkward position—I'm aching all over.

 

 

botch something (up)  

 

 

 

(informal) to spoil something by doing it badly. E.g. He completely botched up the interview. The work they did on the house was a botched job.

 

TABLE 5
Characters: diners and a waiter.
At another table the waiter gives a surprise to the diners. Apparently these diners are a dab hand at something and the waiter has been secretly informed about it. The diners are taken aback by it. The waiter asks them to perform for everybody. They are scared stiff about it and brimming with trepidation but they agree to take on the exciting challenge.

dab hand:  


a person who is very good at doing something or using something. Someone who is very good at a particular activity. E.g. He's a dab hand at cooking spaghetti. She's a dab hand with a paintbrush. She was a dab hand at tennis and played for her school. Carlo's a dab hand in the kitchen (= good at cooking), isn't he? Those who are a dab hand with the paintbrush can update this old painting.

Take somebody aback: 

 

 

 

 [usually passive] to shock or surprise somebody very much. E.g. We were rather taken aback by her hostile reaction.

 scared/ worried stiff

stiff: 



(adv) 1 (informal) very much; to an extreme degree. E.g. be bored/ scared/ worried stiff. 2 frozen stiff (of wet material) very cold and hard because the water has become ice. E.g. The clothes on the washing line were frozen stiff. I came home from the game frozen stiff (= very cold).

 

be brimming with trepidation

trepidation: 

 

 

 

/ˌtrepɪˈdeɪʃn/ great worry or fear about something unpleasant that may happen. E.g. He knocked on the door with some trepidation.

 

 

 

 

 

 



Key words:


the place might have been haunted: 



 /ˈhɔːntɪd/ (of a building) believed to be visited by ghosts. E.g. a haunted house.
 
Words and expressions to describe an outstanding performance

He brought the house down



bring the house down: 

to make everyone laugh or cheer, especially at a performance in the theatre.



It ended with rapturous applause: /ˈræptʃərəs/



expressing extreme pleasure or enthusiasm for somebody/something. Ecstatic. E.g. rapturous applause. The Olympic team was given a rapturous welcome. 


he nailed it: 



nail something (informal) to achieve something or do something right, especially in sport He nailed a victory in the semi-finals. She nailed it on her second jump. 


He was an absolute delight 



He is a whizz-kid 


whizz-kid /ˈwɪz kɪd/
a person who is very good and successful at something, especially at a young age. E.g.computer whizz-kids. They've taken on some financial whizz-kid. Rafa Nadal was once the whizzkid of world tennis.



he is a dab hand at it /ˌdæb ˈhænd/



a person who is very good at doing something or using something He's a dab hand at cooking spaghetti. She's a dab hand with a paintbrush. 



He is  a budding performer 


budding
beginning to develop or become successful. E.g. a budding artist/writer. our budding romance. The budding young star is now hot property in Hollywood. 





It was a jaw-dropping performance /ˈdʒɔː drɒpɪŋ/





so large or good that it amazes you. E.g. a jaw-dropping 5 million dollars. jaw-dropping amounts.  The production is absolutely jaw-dropping. 




The sound of his voice sent shivers down their spine.




shiver: a sudden shaking movement of your body because you are cold, frightened, excited, etc. 





It was spine-tinglingly beautiful




spine-tingling: very special and exciting. E.g. Watching Bolt win the Olympic hundred metres was one of those spine-tingling moments. 




He was given a standing ovation  



enthusiastic clapping by an audience as a sign of their approval while they stand up from their seats