Test for the English Olympiad ( First Level) Listening

Recipes from the “World’s Best Restaurant”

By NPR Staff

This year, a small, 12-table restaurant in Copenhagen was voted the world's best restaurant. The next day, Noma got 100,000 online requests for reservations. What makes it so great? Chef Rene Redzepi, 32, will only use food that grows in the Nordic region. That means no tomatoes, no olive oil — instead, he uses many local and wild foods he often gathers himself.

"We have a region that's very big — 25 million people. Which means we have a lot of diversity ... that should be used again."

The recipe "Blueberries Surrounded by their Natural Environment" is one way to use that diversity. Blueberries grow easily and quickly in Scandinavia. "My last meal on Earth," says Redzepi, "I would love it to be a bowl of blueberries with cold cream."  He thought about what grows with blueberries in the forest and decided to use mushrooms and pine nuts. The dish looks simple, but has more than 30 ingredients and more than 12 steps.

The interviewer, who is a talented chef, was intimidated by some of the recipes. The "Snowman" recipe has instructions such as "submerge in liquid nitrogen" and "fill paint gun." But Redzepi wants his food to be inspiring and different, not for people to cook every day.

"Look and see the amount of vegetables," Redzepi says. "Use that as a lesson: Eat more vegetables." He also wants guests to use their own environments for inspiration. "Take your family outside. Go to the forest and see how wonderful it is to pick your own food and go home ... and then eat it."

What would your last meal on Earth be? What is the best meal you've ever had?

Comprehension Questions

Listening Test

1. . Chef Rene Redzepi only uses foods that grow naturally in the Nordic Region              T/F
2. 8. The recipe for “Blueberries Surrounded by their Natural Environment” is NOT a complicated recipe                             T/F
3. 9.  Redzepi’s last meal would be blueberries with cold cream  T/F
4. 10.  The chef at the restaurant Noma uses ingredients like tomatoes and olive oil.     T/F
5. 11.  The interviewer is not a good chef.  T/F
6. 12.  Redzepi is the manager at the restaurant Noma.  T/F
7. Why is the restaurant Noma famous?
   1. It is very expensive
   2. It was voted the best restaurant in the world
   3. The chef only uses vegetables
   4. It is in Norway

8. What kind of ingredients does Chef Rene Redzepi use?
   1. Only organic, natural ingredients
   2. Normal ingredients everyone uses
   3. Special foods from different countries
   4. Only ingredients that grow in his region

9. What kind of inspiration does Redzepi want people get from his cooking?
   1. To eat more vegetables and see your food in nature
   2. To eat more vegetables and become vegetarian
   3. To come to his restaurant and learn about food
   4. To come to his restaurant and spend a lot of money

10.                     When the interviewer says she was “intimidated” she means . . .
    1. She was excited to cook the recipe
    2. She was scared to cook the recipe
    3. She didn’t know how to cook the recipe
    4. She really wanted to cook the recipe

11.                     A synonym for the word “looks” is . . .
    1. The dish begins simple, but . . .
    2. The dish tastes simple, but . . .
    3. The dish appears simple, but . . .
    4. The dish cooks simple, but . . .

12.                     When Redzepi says he wants people “to use their environments as inspiration” he means . . .
    1. People should know where their food is from and eat wild foods
    2. People should buy their food in a supermarket
    3. People should eat outside more often
    4. People should be environmentalists