Supermarket

LOUISE : Hey, Julia... Look at those deserts! How about baking some cookies today?

JULIA: Hmm.... Yeah, that's a great idea! While we're here, let's pick up the ingredients.

LOUISE: The recipe calls for flour, sugar and butter. Oh, and we also need eggs and chocolate chips.

JULIA: Why don't you get the diary ingredients? You'll find those in the refrigerated section in the back of the store. I'll get the dry ingredients - They're in aisle 10.

LOUISE: Great! Let's meet at the checkout.

JULIA: OK. See you there.

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Language notes

• How about is a causal way to suggest doing an activity. Notice that "how about" is followed by an "-ing" verb


• Hmm... Notice that Julia pauses for a moment. "Hmm" is an expression used to talk about something first before speaking.


• That's a great idea! Notice the emphasis on "great". Julia has thought about it and then decided that she really does want to bake cookies.


• The recipe calls for is a way of saying "the recipe says we need." The phrase "call for" can also used to talk about the weather forecast. (They're calling for rain.)


• ... flour, sugar and butter. Notice that this is it a list, so there are short pauses between each item. Notice also that each ingredient is stressed because this information is important.


• Why don't you.. This expression is used to ask someone to do something. It can also be used to give advice -- but in this case two friends are deciding on who does which tasks.


• Aisle Notice the silent "s" in aisle. An aisle is an orderly lane in a supermarket, with shelved products on both sides. Each aisle has a number, so that it is easy to find what you need.