The Reading / Listening - Mayonnaise - Level 6

Mayonnaise fans in Japan have a new product to savour – drinkable mayonnaise. Lawson, one of the country's largest convenience store chains, has started selling a mayonnaise-flavoured drink. It is called "Nomu Mayo" in Japanese, which translates as "mayo drink". Lawson has tapped into the particular fondness the Japanese have for mayonnaise – the creamy, egg-based condiment. The store has called its new liquid refreshment, "a long-awaited new product for mayonnaise lovers". It added that, "the richness and sourness of mayo are reproduced in this chilled beverage". The Nomu Mayo label states the drink is a "mayonnaise-style drink" and "not mayonnaise".

Nomu Mayo is priced at ¥198 ($1.32) for 200 ml. It is currently in a "test sales" phase to gauge its potential. While Japan's version of mayonnaise, which uses rice vinegar, is ubiquitous in and on Japanese meals, the jury is out on whether drinkable mayo will take off as a product. It has gone viral on social media and has garnered very mixed reviews. Yahoo Japan stated: "It had the texture of mayonnaise dissolved in water and definitely tasted like mayonnaise, although it had the texture of water. The taste didn't feel diluted at all, and it tasted like mayonnaise, which is a bit strange." It added the drink was "a bold product aimed at a very niche demographic".

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Mayonnaise - Level 4  or  Mayonnaise - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-14145659/Japanese-supermarket-launches-drinkable-mayonnaise-sip-straw-leaving-foodies-horrified.html
  • https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/japan/mayonnaise-drinkable-mayo-japan-nomu-lawson-b2655230.html
  • https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/6f3e9a141106df538c25fad632b5e6703f690d10


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. MAYONNAISE: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about mayonnaise. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       mayonnaise / fans / convenience store / translate / condiment / beverage / label /
       sales / gauge / potential / vinegar / jury / social media / reviews / texture / niche
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. DRESSING: Students A strongly believe mayonnaise is the world's best dressing; Students B strongly believe it isn't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. CONDIMENTS: How important are these condiments? What can they be used for? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Importance

Uses

Mayonnaise

 

 

Soy sauce

 

 

Ketchup

 

 

Chili sauce

 

 

Vinegar

 

 

Salt

 

 
MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. FAN: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "fan". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. SAUCES: Rank these with your partner. Put the best sauce at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Mayonnaise
  • Tomato sauce
  • Salsa
  • Tomato sauce
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Tabasco sauce
  • Barbecue sauce
  • Oyster sauce

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. savour a. A group of stores that have the same name and sell the same things in different places.
      2. chain b. A feeling of liking something or someone a lot.
      3. tapped into c. Enjoy the taste of food or drink very much and slowly.
      4. fondness d. Cold, but not frozen.
      5. condiment e. Something like ketchup or salt that you add to food to make it taste better.
      6. chilled f. A drink, like water, tea, or juice.
      7. beverage g. Used something or taken advantage of it, like an idea or resource, to get help or benefits.

    Paragraph 2

      8. gauge  (verb) h. A group of people who are similar in age, interests, or other things.
      9. ubiquitous i. Become very popular or successful quickly.
      10. the jury is out j. When something (like sugar) mixes completely into a liquid and disappears.
      11. take off k. Measure something or to guess how big, strong, important or popular it is.
      12. dissolved l. Found everywhere, like something you see or find all the time.
      13. niche m. A small, special part of something that is for a specific group or purpose.
      14. demographic n. People still don’t know the answer to something or haven’t decided yet.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. All mayonnaise fans are savouring a new mayonnaise drink.     T / F
  2. The mayonnaise drink comes in garlic, cheese and cucumber flavours.     T / F
  3. A store said people had been waiting a long time for the drink.     T / F
  4. The store said the new mayonnaise drink was diluted mayonnaise.     T / F
  5. Japan's mayonnaise uses a different kind of vinegar to other mayos.     T / F
  6. A jury in a court is making a decision on the Nomu Mayo drink.     T / F
  7. The mayo drink has the same feeling on the tongue as mayonnaise.     T / F
  8. The mayo drink is aimed at a large section of the Japanese population.    T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. savour
  2. chain
  3. fondness
  4. awaited
  5. beverage
  6. gauge
  7. ubiquitous
  8. garnered
  9. texture
  10. diluted
  1. affection
  2. assess
  3. drink
  4. accumulated
  5. company
  6. watered down
  7. enjoy
  8. feel
  9. anticipated
  10. omnipresent

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. a new product
  2. one of the country's
  3. Lawson has tapped
  4. the creamy, egg-
  5. reproduced in this chilled
  6. gauge its
  7. the jury
  8. It has gone
  9. the texture of mayonnaise
  10. a bold product aimed at a very
  1. is out
  2. into the particular fondness
  3. dissolved in water
  4. largest
  5. potential
  6. niche demographic
  7. to savour
  8. beverage
  9. viral on social media
  10. based condiment

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
translates
condiment
chilled
savour
sourness
tapped
chains
awaited

Mayonnaise fans in Japan have a new product to (1) _________________________________ – drinkable mayonnaise. Lawson, one of the country's largest convenience store (2) _________________________________, has started selling a mayonnaise-flavoured drink. It is called "Nomu Mayo" in Japanese, which (3) _________________________________ as "mayo drink". Lawson has (4) _________________________________ into the particular fondness the Japanese have for mayonnaise - the creamy, egg-based (5) _________________________________. The store has called its new liquid refreshment, "a long-(6) _________________________________ new product for mayonnaise lovers". It added that, "the richness and (7) _________________________________ of mayo are reproduced in this (8) _________________________________ beverage". The Nomu Mayo label states the drink is a "mayonnaise-style drink" and "not mayonnaise".

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
ubiquitous
dissolved
bold
gauge
niche
viral
jury
diluted

Nomu Mayo is priced at ¥198 ($1.32) for 200 ml. It is currently in a "test sales" phase to (9) _________________________________ its potential. While Japan's version of mayonnaise, which uses rice vinegar, is (10) _________________________________ in and on Japanese meals, the (11) _________________________________ is out on whether drinkable mayo will take off as a product. It has gone (12) _________________________________ on social media and has garnered very mixed reviews. Yahoo Japan stated: "It had the texture of mayonnaise (13) _________________________________ in water and definitely tasted like mayonnaise, although it had the texture of water. The taste didn't feel (14) _________________________________ at all, and it tasted like mayonnaise, which is a bit strange." It added the drink was "a (15) _________________________________ product aimed at a very (16) _________________________________ demographic".

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Mayonnaise fans in Japan have a new ______
     a.  product to saviour
     b.  product to slaver
     c.  product to savour
     d.  product to savoury
2)  Lawson, one of the country's largest ______
     a.  convenience stored chains
     b.  convenience store chain
     c.  convenience store chains
     d.  convenient store chain
3)  the particular fondness the Japanese have for mayonnaise - the creamy, ______
     a.  egg-based condiment
     b.  egg-baste condiment
     c.  egg-based compliment
     d.  egg-based con dim meant
4)  the richness and sourness of mayo are reproduced in ______
     a.  this child beverage
     b.  this chilled average
     c.  this chilled beaver age
     d.  this chilled beverage
5)  The Nomu Mayo label states the drink is a ______
     a.  mayonnaise-still drink
     b.  mayonnaise-stile drink
     c.  mayonnaise-style drink
     d.  mayonnaise-stale drink

6)  It is currently in a "test sales" phase to ______
     a.  gage its potential
     b.  gauge its potential
     c.  gorge its potential
     d.  grudge its potential
7)  While Japan's version of mayonnaise, which uses rice ______
     a.  vinegar, is ubiquitous
     b.  vinegar, is iniquitous
     c.  vinegar, is ubiquity
     d.  vinegar, is your bicker test
8)  It has gone viral on social media and has garnered ______
     a.  very mixed review
     b.  very mixed reviews
     c.  very mix reviews
     d.  very nixed reviews
9)  It had the texture of mayonnaise ______
     a.  resolved in water
     b.  unsolved in water
     c.  dizzy solved in water
     d.  dissolved in water
10)  It added the drink was "a bold product aimed at a ______"
     a.  very quiche demographic
     b.  very nice demographic
     c.  very niche demographic
     d.  very mesh demographic

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Mayonnaise fans in Japan have a new (1) _______________________________________________ – drinkable mayonnaise. Lawson, one of the country's largest convenience store chains, has (2) _______________________________________________ mayonnaise-flavoured drink. It is called "Nomu Mayo" in Japanese, (3) _______________________________________________ "mayo drink". Lawson has tapped into the particular fondness the Japanese have for mayonnaise - the creamy, (4) _______________________________________________. The store has called its (5) _______________________________________________, "a long-awaited new product for mayonnaise lovers". It added that, "the richness and sourness of mayo are reproduced in this chilled beverage". The Nomu Mayo (6) _______________________________________________ drink is a "mayonnaise-style drink" and "not mayonnaise".

Nomu Mayo is priced at ¥198 ($1.32) for 200 ml. It is currently in a "test sales" (7) _______________________________________________ its potential. While Japan's version of mayonnaise, which uses rice vinegar, is (8) _______________________________________________ on Japanese meals, the jury is out on whether drinkable mayo will take off as a product. It has (9) _______________________________________________ social media and has garnered very mixed reviews. Yahoo Japan stated: "It had (10) _______________________________________________ mayonnaise dissolved in water and definitely tasted like mayonnaise, although it had the texture of water. The taste didn't (11) _______________________________________________ all, and it tasted like mayonnaise, which is a bit strange." It added the drink was "a bold product aimed at a (12) _______________________________________________".

Comprehension questions

  1. Who has a new drink to enjoy?
  2. Where is Lawson on the list of Japan's largest convenience store chains?
  3. What do Japanese people have a fondness for?
  4. What was reproduced in the mayo drink?
  5. Where did it say that the mayo drink was not mayonnaise?
  6. What is Lawson currently assessing?
  7. Where in Japan is mayo ubiquitous?
  8. What kind of reviews has the mayo drink received?
  9. What did a Yahoo Japan reviewer say the drink had the texture of?
  10. Who did the reviewer say the drink was aimed at?

Multiple choice quiz

1) Who has a new drink to enjoy?
a) mayo fans worldwide
b) people who love new drinks
c) mayo fans in Japan
d) children
2) Where is Lawson on the list of Japan's largest convenience store chains?
a) third
b) fourth
c) fifth
d) sixth
3) What do Japanese people have a fondness for?
a) new drinks
b) mayo
c) chilled food and drinks
d) convenience stores
4) What was reproduced in the mayo drink?
a) flavours of Japanese food
b) memories of the past
c) helpful bacteria
d) the richness and sourness of mayo
5) Where did it say that the mayo drink was not mayonnaise?
a) a newspaper
b) the website
c) the label
d) an advertising poster

6) What is Lawson currently assessing?
a) a garlic drink
b) the drink's potential
c) a mayo and onion drink
d) a mayo chocolate bar
7) Where in Japan is mayo ubiquitous?
a) in sandwiches
b) in kitchens
c) in schools
d) in and on food
8) What kind of reviews has the mayo drink received?
a) rave reviews
b) mixed reviews
c) terrible reviews
d) disastrous reviews
9) What did a Yahoo Japan reviewer say the drink had the texture of?
a) cream
b) water
c) jelly
d) toothpaste
10) Who did the reviewer say the drink was aimed at?
a) a niche demographic
b) workers
c) children
d) people who love sandwiches

Role play

Role  A – Mayonnaise
You think mayonnaise is the best sauce. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sauces. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): tomato sauce, tabasco sauce or soy sauce.

Role  B – Tomato Sauce
You think tomato sauce is the best sauce. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sauces. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): mayonnaise, tabasco sauce or soy sauce.

Role  C – Tabasco Sauce
You think tabasco sauce is the best sauce. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sauces. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): tomato sauce, mayonnaise or soy sauce.

Role  D – Soy Sauce
You think soy sauce is the best sauce. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sauces. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): tomato sauce, tabasco sauce or mayonnaise.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'mayonnaise'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'drink'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • fans
    • chains
    • tapped
    • creamy
    • long
    • label
    • currently
    • version
    • vinegar
    • social
    • definitely
    • bold

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - Mayonnaise

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'mayonnaise'?
    3. What do you think of mayonnaise?
    4. Is mayonnaise a condiment, a dressing or a spread?
    5. What can we use mayonnaise for?
    6. What do you think of a mayonnaise-flavoured drink?
    7. What's your favourite convenience store?
    8. What three adjectives best describe this story?
    9. Would you like to try Nomu Mayo?
    10. What advice would you give to the drink's makers?

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'store'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. How well do you think Nomu Mayo will sell?
    5. How popular might Nomu Mayo be in your country?
    6. What do you think people are saying in reviews?
    7. What would you use instead of mayonnaise?
    8. What other condiments or dressings could become a drink?
    9. What is your favourite dressing, condiment and spread?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the makers of Nomu Mayo?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    Mayonnaise fans in Japan have a new (1) ____ to savour – drinkable mayonnaise. Lawson, one of the country's largest convenience store chains, has (2) ____ selling a mayonnaise-flavoured drink. It is called "Nomu Mayo" in Japanese, which translates (3) ____ "mayo drink". Lawson has tapped into the particular (4) ____ the Japanese have for mayonnaise - the creamy, egg-based condiment. The store has called its new liquid refreshment, "a long-(5) ____ new product for mayonnaise lovers". It added that, "the richness and sourness of mayo are reproduced in this chilled (6) ____". The Nomu Mayo label states the drink is a "mayonnaise-style drink" and "not mayonnaise".

    Nomu Mayo is priced at ¥198 ($1.32) for 200 ml. It is currently in a "test sales" phase to (7) ____ its potential. While Japan's version of mayonnaise, which uses rice vinegar, is ubiquitous in and on Japanese meals, the (8) ____ is out on whether drinkable mayo will take off as a product. It has gone (9) ____ on social media and has garnered very mixed reviews. Yahoo Japan stated: "It had the texture of mayonnaise dissolved (10) ____ water and definitely tasted like mayonnaise, although it had the texture of water. The taste didn't feel diluted (11) ____ all, and it tasted like mayonnaise, which is a bit strange." It added the drink was "a bold product aimed at a very (12) ____ demographic".

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     produce     (b)     production     (c)     product     (d)     producer    
    2. (a)     started     (b)     stated     (c)     sated     (d)     startled    
    3. (a)     as     (b)     has     (c)     was     (d)     that's    
    4. (a)     fondness     (b)     fondles     (c)     fondues     (d)     fondant    
    5. (a)     wait     (b)     awaited     (c)     waiting     (d)     awaits    
    6. (a)     verge     (b)     leverage     (c)     coverage     (d)     beverage    
    7. (a)     gorge     (b)     gage     (c)     gauge     (d)     gag    
    8. (a)     jewel     (b)     judge     (c)     juror     (d)     jury    
    9. (a)     viral     (b)     rebel     (c)     rival     (d)     vial    
    10. (a)     in     (b)     at     (c)     up     (d)     on    
    11. (a)     at     (b)     by     (c)     up     (d)     as    
    12. (a)     nice     (b)     quiche     (c)     niche     (d)     lichen

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. a new product to arsvou
    2. which steatsraln as "mayo drink"
    3. tapped into the particular fnesnosd
    4. the creamy, egg-based toncnmdie
    5. its new liquid eneehmrsfrt
    6. reproduced in this chilled begarvee

    Paragraph 2

    1. a "test sales" phase to egagu its potential
    2. iqotiusbuu in and on Japanese meals
    3. reegrnda very mixed reviews
    4. olvsseidd in water
    5. The taste didn't feel tidduel at all
    6. aimed at a very cihen demographic

    Put the text back together

    (...)  the drink was "a bold product aimed at a very niche demographic".
    (...)  lovers". It added that, "the richness and sourness of mayo are reproduced in
    (...)  flavoured drink. It is called "Nomu Mayo" in Japanese, which translates as "mayo drink". Lawson has tapped
    (...)  Nomu Mayo is priced at ¥198 ($1.32) for 200 ml. It is currently in a "test sales" phase to gauge its
    (...)  diluted at all, and it tasted like mayonnaise, which is a bit strange." It added
    (...)  potential. While Japan's version of mayonnaise, which uses rice vinegar, is ubiquitous in and on Japanese meals, the jury is
    (...)  into the particular fondness the Japanese have for mayonnaise - the creamy, egg-based
    (...)  tasted like mayonnaise, although it had the texture of water. The taste didn't feel
    (...)  of the country's largest convenience store chains, has started selling a mayonnaise-
    (  1  )  Mayonnaise fans in Japan have a new product to savour – drinkable mayonnaise. Lawson, one
    (...)  out on whether drinkable mayo will take off as a product. It has gone viral on social media and has garnered very mixed
    (...)  this chilled beverage". The Nomu Mayo label states the drink is a "mayonnaise-style drink" and "not mayonnaise".
    (...)  condiment. The store has called its new liquid refreshment, "a long-awaited new product for mayonnaise
    (...)  reviews. Yahoo Japan stated: "It had the texture of mayonnaise dissolved in water and definitely

    Put the words in the right order

    1. Mayonnaise   new   a   product   savour   .   have   fans   to
    2. chains   .   largest   store   the   One   of   country's   convenience
    3. the   particular   tapped   Lawson   into   has   fondness   .
    4. new   The   called   its   refreshment   .   store   has   liquid
    5. mayonnaise   A   new   product   long-awaited   for   lovers   .
    6. in   is   It   a   currently   phase   .   sales   test
    7. in   meals   .   ubiquitous   and   Mayonnaise   is   on   Japanese
    8. texture   water   .   It's   the   in   dissolved   mayonnaise   of
    9. feel   The   didn't   all   .   diluted   at   taste
    10. at   bold   A   aimed   a   demographic   .   product   niche

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Mayonnaise fans in Japan have a new product to savoury / savour – drinkable mayonnaise. Lawson, one of the country's / countries largest convenience store chains, has started selling a mayonnaise-flavoured drink. It is called "Nomu Mayo" in Japanese, which translates as / that's "mayo drink". Lawson has tipped / tapped into the particular fondling / fondness the Japanese have for / at mayonnaise - the creamy, egg-based condiment. The store has called its new liquidity / liquid refreshment, "a long-awaited new product for mayonnaise lovers / loves". It added that, "the richness and sourness of mayo are reproduced in this thrilled / chilled beverage". The Nomu Mayo label states / stating the drink is a "mayonnaise-style drink" and "not mayonnaise".

    Nomu Mayo is price / priced at ¥198 ($1.32) for 200 ml. It is currently by / in a "test sales" phase to gauge its potential. While Japan's version of mayonnaise, which uses rice vinegar, is ubiquity / ubiquitous in and on Japanese meals, the jury is up / out on whether drinkable mayo will take off as a product / produce. It has taken / gone viral on social media and has garnered very mixed reviews. Yahoo Japan stated: "It had the texture of mayonnaise resolved / dissolved in water and definitely tasted like mayonnaise, although it had the texture of water. The taste didn't feel diluted / dilated at all, and it tasted like mayonnaise, which is a bit / bite strange." It added the drink was "a bold product aimed at a very quiche / niche demographic".

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    M_y_nn__s_  f_ns  _n  J_p_n  h_v_  _  n_w  pr_d_ct  t_  s_v__r  –  dr_nk_bl_  m_y_nn__s_.  L_ws_n,  _n_  _f  th_  c__ntry's  l_rg_st  c_nv_n__nc_  st_r_  ch__ns,  h_s  st_rt_d  s_ll_ng  _  m_y_nn__s_-fl_v__r_d  dr_nk.  _t  _s  c_ll_d  "N_m_  M_y_"  _n  J_p_n_s_,  wh_ch  tr_nsl_t_s  _s  "m_y_  dr_nk".  L_ws_n  h_s  t_pp_d  _nt_  th_  p_rt_c_l_r  f_ndn_ss  th_  J_p_n_s_  h_v_  f_r  m_y_nn__s_  -  th_  cr__my,  _gg-b_s_d  c_nd_m_nt.  Th_  st_r_  h_s  c_ll_d  _ts  n_w  l_q__d  r_fr_shm_nt,  "_  l_ng-_w__t_d  n_w  pr_d_ct  f_r  m_y_nn__s_  l_v_rs".  _t  _dd_d  th_t,  "th_  r_chn_ss  _nd  s__rn_ss  _f  m_y_  _r_  r_pr_d_c_d  _n  th_s  ch_ll_d  b_v_r_g_".  Th_  N_m_  M_y_  l_b_l  st_t_s  th_  dr_nk  _s  _  "m_y_nn__s_-styl_  dr_nk"  _nd  "n_t  m_y_nn__s_".

    N_m_  M_y_  _s  pr_c_d  _t  ¥198  ($1.32)  f_r  200  ml.  _t  _s  c_rr_ntly  _n  _  "t_st  s_l_s"  ph_s_  t_  g__g_  _ts  p_t_nt__l.  Wh_l_  J_p_n's  v_rs__n  _f  m_y_nn__s_,  wh_ch  _s_s  r_c_  v_n_g_r,  _s  _b_q__t__s  _n  _nd  _n  J_p_n_s_  m__ls,  th_  j_ry  _s  __t  _n  wh_th_r  dr_nk_bl_  m_y_  w_ll  t_k_  _ff  _s  _  pr_d_ct.  _t  h_s  g_n_  v_r_l  _n  s_c__l  m_d__  _nd  h_s  g_rn_r_d  v_ry  m_x_d  r_v__ws.  Y_h__  J_p_n  st_t_d:  "_t  h_d  th_  t_xt_r_  _f  m_y_nn__s_  d_ss_lv_d  _n  w_t_r  _nd  d_f_n_t_ly  t_st_d  l_k_  m_y_nn__s_,  _lth__gh  _t  h_d  th_  t_xt_r_  _f  w_t_r.  Th_  t_st_  d_dn't  f__l  d_l_t_d  _t  _ll,  _nd  _t  t_st_d  l_k_  m_y_nn__s_,  wh_ch  _s  _  b_t  str_ng_."  _t  _dd_d  th_  dr_nk  w_s  "_  b_ld  pr_d_ct  __m_d  _t  _  v_ry  n_ch_  d_m_gr_ph_c".

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    mayonnaise fans in japan have a new product to savour  drinkable mayonnaise lawson one of the countrys largest convenience store chains has started selling a mayonnaiseflavoured drink it is called nomu mayo in japanese which translates as mayo drink lawson has tapped into the particular fondness the japanese have for mayonnaise  the creamy eggbased condiment the store has called its new liquid refreshment a longawaited new product for mayonnaise lovers it added that the richness and sourness of mayo are reproduced in this chilled beverage the nomu mayo label states the drink is a mayonnaisestyle drink and not mayonnaise

    nomu mayo is priced at 198 132 for 200 ml it is currently in a test sales phase to gauge its potential while japans version of mayonnaise which uses rice vinegar is ubiquitous in and on japanese meals the jury is out on whether drinkable mayo will take off as a product it has gone viral on social media and has garnered very mixed reviews yahoo japan stated it had the texture of mayonnaise dissolved in water and definitely tasted like mayonnaise although it had the texture of water the taste didnt feel diluted at all and it tasted like mayonnaise which is a bit strange it added the drink was a bold product aimed at a very niche demographic

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    MayonnaisefansinJapanhaveanewproducttosavour–drinkablemayo
    nnaise.Lawson,oneofthecountry'slargestconveniencestorechains,h
    asstartedsellingamayonnaise-flavoureddrink.Itiscalled"NomuMayo
    "inJapanese,whichtranslatesas"mayodrink".Lawsonhastappedintot
    heparticularfondnesstheJapanesehaveformayonnaise-thecreamy,e
    gg-basedcondiment.Thestorehascalleditsnewliquidrefreshment,"al
    ong-awaitednewproductformayonnaiselovers".Itaddedthat,"theric
    hnessandsournessofmayoarereproducedinthischilledbeverage".Th
    eNomuMayolabelstatesthedrinkisa"mayonnaise-styledrink"and"no
    tmayonnaise".NomuMayoispricedat¥198($1.32)for200ml.Itiscurre
    ntlyina"testsales"phasetogaugeitspotential.WhileJapan'sversionof
    mayonnaise,whichusesricevinegar,isubiquitousinandonJapanesem
    eals,thejuryisoutonwhetherdrinkablemayowilltakeoffasaproduct.It
    hasgoneviralonsocialmediaandhasgarneredverymixedreviews.Yah
    ooJapanstated:"Ithadthetextureofmayonnaisedissolvedinwaterand
    definitelytastedlikemayonnaise,althoughithadthetextureofwater.T
    hetastedidn'tfeeldilutedatall,andittastedlikemayonnaise,whichisabi
    tstrange."Itaddedthedrinkwas"aboldproductaimedataverynichede
    mographic".

    Free writing

    Write about drinkable mayonnaise for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    Mayonnaise is the greatest of all condiments. Discuss.

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    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. MAYONNAISE: Make a poster about mayonnaise. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. NOMU MAYO: Write a magazine article about Nomu Mayo. Include imaginary interviews with people who think drinkable mayonnaise is great and those who think otherwise.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on mayonnaise. Ask him/her three questions about mayonnaise. Give him/her three of your ideas. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

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    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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