Series ID: EDKS-BASIC-ZH-0009 · Lesson No.009 · 零基础英语第九课 · Pre-A1 → A1

Food and Drink | 食物与饮料

I like rice. I want some water. I’d like a coffee, please.
我喜欢米饭。我想要一些水。我想要一杯咖啡，谢谢。

Food is one of the easiest places to make English useful. You eat every day. You drink every day. You buy food, choose food, ask for food, talk about taste and tell other people what you want or do not want.

食物是最容易让英语“马上能用”的主题之一。每天都要吃、要喝、要选择、要买、要表达喜欢和不喜欢。

This lesson connects vocabulary to grammar. You will not only learn rice, bread, tea, water. You will learn why English says a banana, some rice, two bottles of water, I’d like…, How much is it? and Do you have…?

这一课不只是背 food words。真正目标是让食物词进入句子、数量、问句和真实购买场景。

Chinese Edition Hub · 中文版入口 · ← Lesson No.008 · My Daily Routine

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The lesson map | 本课路线

• basic food and drink vocabulary
• meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks
• countable and uncountable nouns
• a/an, some and any
• one apple / two apples / some rice
• containers: bottle, cup, bowl, plate, glass
• How much? / How many?
• I like / I don’t like
• I want / I need / I’d like
• Can I have…? / Do you have…?
• ordering in a café or restaurant
• buying food in a shop or supermarket
• taste words: sweet, salty, spicy, sour, bitter
• dietary preference and simple allergy language
• menu reading, price reading and quantity checking
• pronunciation, listening, retrieval and error repair

1. Food and drink | food 和 drink

food means things we eat. drink can mean a beverage as a noun or the action of drinking as a verb.

• I need food. — 我需要食物。
• I want a drink. — 我想要一杯饮料。
• I drink water. — 我喝水。

Notice how the same English word can have different grammatical jobs. Do not learn only translation pairs; learn the word inside a sentence.

2. Common drinks | 常见饮料

water 水	tea 茶	coffee 咖啡	milk 牛奶
juice 果汁	soft drink 汽水	hot chocolate 热巧克力	soup 汤

• I drink water every day.
• I like tea.
• I don’t like coffee.
• I want some juice.
• I’d like a glass of water, please.

3. Common staple foods | 主食

rice 米饭	noodles 面条	bread 面包	pasta 意面
porridge 粥	potato 土豆	cereal 谷物早餐	sandwich 三明治

Do not assume a Chinese food category maps perfectly onto one English word. For example, 饭 can mean cooked rice in one context and a meal in another. Learn the English word for the exact meaning you need.

4. Fruit | 水果

apple 苹果	banana 香蕉	orange 橙子	grape 葡萄
pear 梨	watermelon 西瓜	mango 芒果	strawberry 草莓

• an apple
• a banana
• an orange
• two apples
• three bananas

This brings back the Lesson 002 article and plural system.

5. Vegetables | 蔬菜

carrot 胡萝卜	tomato 番茄	cabbage 卷心菜	potato 土豆
onion 洋葱	cucumber 黄瓜	broccoli 西兰花	mushroom 蘑菇

In everyday English, some foods can behave differently depending on whether we mean the whole item or the food as a substance. A beginner does not need every edge case today. Start with clear physical examples.

6. Meat, fish and protein foods | 肉类、鱼类和蛋白质食物

• chicken — 鸡肉 / 鸡
• beef — 牛肉
• pork — 猪肉
• fish — 鱼
• egg — 鸡蛋
• tofu — 豆腐
• beans — 豆类

Notice that chicken can mean the animal or the food, depending on context. English meaning often depends on the whole sentence.

7. Breakfast, lunch and dinner | 早餐、午餐、晚餐

• I have breakfast at seven.
• I have lunch at twelve thirty.
• I have dinner with my family.
• I eat a snack in the afternoon.

Lesson 008 already introduced have breakfast/lunch/dinner. Here we expand the food inside the meal.

8. What do you have for breakfast? | 你早餐吃什么？

What do you have for breakfast?

• I have bread and eggs.
• I have rice and vegetables.
• I usually have coffee and toast.
• I don’t usually eat breakfast.

for breakfast is a useful chunk. Do not translate every preposition from Chinese one word at a time.

9. Countable nouns | 可数名词

A countable noun can normally be counted as separate units.

• one apple / two apples
• one egg / three eggs
• one banana / four bananas
• one sandwich / two sandwiches

English marks singular and plural strongly. Mandarin uses numeral-classifier structures such as 一个苹果, 两个鸡蛋. English does not use the same classifier system.

10. Uncountable nouns | 不可数名词

Some food nouns are usually treated as mass substances in their basic meaning:

• rice
• water
• milk
• bread
• sugar
• salt

So standard beginner English says some rice, not usually “a rice”; some water, not “two waters” when we mean the substance itself.

But real English can count servings or containers: two waters may mean two bottles/glasses of water in a restaurant. Learn the basic system first, then learn how context can change the counting unit.

11. A/an with one countable item | 一个可数单数

• a banana
• a sandwich
• a bowl
• an apple
• an egg
• an orange

Use a/an with one singular countable item when appropriate. The choice depends on sound: an apple, a banana.

12. Some | some 是非常实用的食物词

• some rice
• some water
• some bread
• some apples
• some eggs

some can work with uncountable nouns and plural countable nouns in common affirmative expressions.

• I want some water.
• I need some rice.
• We bought some apples.

13. Any | any 常出现在问句和否定句

• Do you have any water?
• Do you have any apples?
• I don’t have any milk.
• We don’t have any bread.

This is a useful beginner pattern, not a complete grammar theory. English uses some and any in more flexible ways too. Start with the common contrast.

14. How many? | 可数数量

• How many apples do you want?
• How many eggs do we need?
• How many sandwiches are there?

After how many, the noun is normally plural: How many apples?

15. How much? | 不可数数量或价格

• How much water do you need?
• How much rice do we have?
• How much sugar is in this?
• How much is it? — 多少钱？

How much can ask about an uncountable amount or a price. Context tells you which meaning is active.

16. Containers make uncountable things countable | 用容器来计数

a bottle of water	一瓶水
a glass of water	一杯水
a cup of tea	一杯茶
a bowl of rice	一碗饭
a loaf of bread	一条/一个面包
a piece of bread	一片/一块面包

English often counts the container or unit rather than the substance itself.

17. Two bottles, three cups, four bowls | 容器也有复数

• two bottles of water
• three cups of tea
• four bowls of rice
• two pieces of bread

This combines Lesson 005 numbers with food quantity language.

18. I like… | 我喜欢……

• I like rice.
• I like noodles.
• I like apples.
• I like spicy food.

Use real preferences. True sentences are easier to remember.

19. I don’t like… | 我不喜欢……

• I don’t like coffee.
• I don’t like very sweet food.
• I don’t like onions.

This reuses the Lesson 003 negative system.

20. Do you like…? | 你喜欢……吗？

• Do you like tea?
• Do you like spicy food?
• Do you like fish?

Answers:

• Yes, I do.
• No, I don’t.
• Yes. I like it a lot.

21. I want… | 我想要……

• I want water.
• I want a sandwich.
• I want some rice.
• I want this one.

want is clear but can sound direct in service situations. It is useful grammar to know; polite alternatives are important too.

22. I’d like… | 更礼貌的点餐表达

I’d like… means I would like…. You do not need to master the whole grammar of would before using the phrase politely.

• I’d like a coffee, please.
• I’d like some water, please.
• I’d like the chicken, please.
• I’d like two tickets, please.

Learn I’d like ___, please as a complete service-English tool.

23. Can I have…? | 我可以要……吗？

• Can I have some water, please?
• Can I have a menu, please?
• Can I have two coffees, please?

This is another useful polite request frame. It does not literally mean “Am I physically capable of having this?” In service contexts, it functions as a request.

24. Do you have…? | 你们有……吗？

• Do you have tea?
• Do you have vegetarian food?
• Do you have any rice?
• Do you have this in a smaller size? — useful outside food too

This is a powerful shopping and restaurant question.

25. What would you like? | 你想要什么？

In cafés and restaurants, staff may ask:

• What would you like?
• What can I get you?
• Are you ready to order?

For a beginner, you only need to recognise these as “Tell me your order” questions.

26. Ordering a drink | 点饮料

Staff: What would you like?
Learner: I’d like a tea, please.
Staff: Hot or iced?
Learner: Hot, please.
Staff: Anything else?
Learner: No, thank you.

中文：店员：想要什么？学习者：一杯茶，谢谢。店员：热的还是冰的？学习者：热的，谢谢。店员：还要别的吗？学习者：不用了，谢谢。

27. Ordering food | 点餐

Staff: Are you ready to order?
Learner: Yes. I’d like the chicken and rice, please.
Staff: Would you like a drink?
Learner: Water, please.
Staff: Anything else?
Learner: That’s all, thank you.

That’s all, thank you. is a useful way to say the order is complete.

28. At a supermarket | 在超市

• Where is the rice?
• Where are the eggs?
• Do you have any milk?
• How much is this?
• How much are these?
• I need two bottles of water.

This combines location, quantity, questions and price into one real task.

29. How much are these? | 多个东西多少钱？

• How much is this apple?
• How much are these apples?
• How much is the bread?
• How much are the sandwiches?

Notice is with one item and are with plural items.

30. Taste words | 味道词

sweet 甜	salty 咸	spicy 辣
sour 酸	bitter 苦	mild 味道较淡/不辣

• This is sweet.
• The soup is salty.
• I like spicy food.
• This coffee is bitter.

Chinese food vocabulary can describe taste with great nuance. Basic English begins with a small set, then expands through experience.

31. Hot and cold | 热和冷

• hot tea
• cold water
• hot soup
• iced coffee

Be careful: hot can mean high temperature and can also mean spicy in some contexts. Use context and more precise words when needed.

32. Fresh, cooked, raw | 新鲜、熟的、生的

• fresh fruit
• cooked rice
• raw vegetables
• raw fish

These words are useful for shopping and menus. Do not assume one Chinese word always maps to the same English adjective across all foods.

33. Vegetarian and other food preferences | 饮食偏好

• I’m vegetarian. — 我吃素。
• I don’t eat meat. — 我不吃肉。
• I don’t eat pork. — 我不吃猪肉。
• I prefer mild food. — 我比较喜欢不辣的食物。

Use the sentence that accurately describes the person. Do not infer religious, medical or cultural reasons unless the person says so.

34. Simple allergy language | 简单过敏表达

• I’m allergic to peanuts.
• I’m allergic to shellfish.
• Does this contain peanuts?
• Please check. I have a food allergy.

This is language instruction, not medical advice. If a food allergy is serious, learners should use clear language, verify ingredients with the responsible staff and follow their own medical guidance.

如果是真实严重食物过敏，重要的是清楚表达并主动确认成分，不要靠猜。

35. Does this contain…? | 这个含有……吗？

• Does this contain milk?
• Does this contain nuts?
• Does this contain egg?
• Does this contain alcohol?

contain is a high-value menu and label word. Learn the whole question frame.

36. Please leave out… | 请不要放……

• Please leave out the onions.
• No sugar, please.
• No ice, please.
• Without chili, please.

Different restaurants and regions use different wording. The simplest clear request is often best.

37. More, less, another | 更多、少一点、再一个

• More water, please.
• Less sugar, please.
• Another cup of tea, please.
• One more, please.

These small words are powerful because they modify an existing order without rebuilding the sentence from zero.

38. Menu reading | 读菜单

Item	Price
Chicken Rice	$8.50
Vegetable Noodles	$7.00
Fish Soup	$9.50
Tea	$2.50
Coffee	$3.00
Water	$1.50

Questions:

1. How much is the chicken rice?
2. Which food costs seven dollars?
3. How much is tea?
4. Which drink is cheapest?
5. If you buy vegetable noodles and water, how much do you pay?

A menu is a reading text. You scan for item, price, description and restrictions.

39. Restaurant listening | 餐厅听力抓什么？

When staff speak quickly, listen for:

• choice: tea or coffee?
• quantity: one or two?
• size: small or large?
• temperature: hot or iced?
• extras: sugar, milk, ice?
• price: fifteen or fifty?

Do not try to hear every word equally. Catch the decision points.

40. Checking an order | 确认订单

• One coffee and one tea, correct?
• Did you say two bottles?
• No sugar, please.
• Sorry, I ordered the chicken, not the fish.

Order checking is a communication skill. Clear repair is better than silent frustration.

41. Mandarin transfer: no English classifier system | 中文量词不要逐字搬

Mandarin can say 一杯茶, 两瓶水, 三碗饭. English also uses container nouns, but the whole grammatical system is different.

• a cup of tea
• two bottles of water
• three bowls of rice

Do not assume every Chinese classifier has one fixed English classifier. English often names the physical container or unit.

42. Mandarin transfer: rice and bread | 不可数概念需要重新包装

Chinese does not use an article system identical to English. A learner may say “a rice” because “一份饭” feels countable in the real world. English usually counts the serving or bowl instead:

• some rice
• a bowl of rice
• two bowls of rice

Likewise:

• some bread
• a piece of bread
• two slices of bread

43. Mandarin transfer: 有 and have | “有”不总是只翻 have

In a shop, Chinese “有水吗？” can naturally become Do you have water?. But other 有 structures may use there is/are in English.

• 你们有水吗？ → Do you have water?
• 桌上有水。 → There is water on the table.

Meaning decides the English structure.

44. Reading practice A: breakfast | 阅读 A

Lin usually has breakfast at home. On weekdays, he eats two eggs, some bread and a banana. He drinks tea without sugar. He does not drink coffee in the morning. On Saturday, he gets up later and sometimes eats noodles for breakfast. His daughter likes milk and fruit. His wife usually has coffee and toast.

中文：Lin 通常在家吃早餐。工作日吃两个鸡蛋、一些面包和一根香蕉，喝不加糖的茶。早上不喝咖啡。星期六起得晚，有时早餐吃面。女儿喜欢牛奶和水果，妻子通常喝咖啡、吃吐司。

1. Where does Lin usually have breakfast?
2. How many eggs does he eat?
3. What does he drink?
4. Does he drink coffee in the morning?
5. What does he sometimes eat on Saturday?
6. What does his daughter like?

45. Reading practice B: supermarket | 阅读 B

Mei goes to the supermarket on Friday evening. She needs rice, milk, eggs, vegetables and fruit. She buys one bag of rice, two bottles of milk, twelve eggs, three tomatoes, two cucumbers, four apples and six bananas. She also buys a loaf of bread. She checks the prices before she pays.

1. When does Mei go shopping?
2. How many bottles of milk does she buy?
3. How many eggs?
4. How many apples?
5. What uncountable food does she buy in a bag?
6. What does she do before she pays?

46. Reading practice C: café order | 阅读 C

David meets his friend at a café. He orders a coffee and a sandwich. His friend orders tea and a bowl of soup. David does not want sugar in his coffee. His friend asks for more hot water for the tea. The total price is twenty-two dollars. David checks the bill before they pay.

1. What does David order?
2. What does his friend order?
3. Does David want sugar?
4. What does his friend ask for?
5. How much is the total?
6. What does David check?

47. Writing practice: my food day | 写一天吃什么

1. For breakfast, I have ______.
2. I drink ______.
3. For lunch, I usually have ______.
4. In the afternoon, I sometimes eat ______.
5. For dinner, I have ______.
6. I like ______.
7. I don’t like ______.

Use simple true sentences. Do not try to impress with difficult food names.

48. Writing practice: shopping list to sentences | 从购物清单变句子

Notes:

• rice
• 2 milk
• 6 eggs
• 3 apples
• bread

Turn them into English:

• I need some rice.
• I need two bottles of milk.
• I need six eggs.
• I need three apples.
• I need a loaf of bread.

This turns a list into grammatical quantity language.

49. Speaking practice: order a meal | 点餐口语

Use only these prompts: main food, drink, extra request, finish.

Example: I’d like the noodles, please. I’d like tea. No sugar, please. That’s all, thank you.

Repeat with a different menu item. Keep the grammar stable.

50. Speaking practice: describe preferences | 说喜好

• I like ______.
• I don’t like ______.
• I usually drink ______.
• I sometimes eat ______.
• I never eat ______.

This combines Lesson 003 preference with Lesson 008 frequency.

51. Pronunciation focus: rice / lice | /r/ and /l/

Some Mandarin speakers may find English /r/ and /l/ contrasts difficult depending on their language background and exposure.

• rice
• lice
• right
• light

Do not exaggerate or shame accent differences. Use audio comparison and aim for intelligibility where the sound contrast changes the word.

52. Pronunciation focus: plural endings | apples, eggs, cups

Food quantity often depends on plural endings:

• apple → apples
• egg → eggs
• cup → cups
• sandwich → sandwiches

If the ending disappears, the listener may lose quantity information.

53. Error clinic | 常见错误诊所

Common error	Better English	What broke?
I want a rice. ✗	I want some rice. ✓	uncountable noun
two bread ✗	two pieces/loaves of bread ✓	unit needed
How many water? ✗	How much water? ✓	uncountable amount
How much apples? ✗	How many apples? ✓	countable quantity
I no like coffee. ✗	I don’t like coffee. ✓	negative system
I want two coffee. △	I’d like two coffees, please. ✓	serving context + politeness
Do you have some milk? △	Do you have any milk? ✓ basic pattern	some/any pattern

54. First weak link diagnosis | 第一个卡点诊断

• I know food words but cannot order → request frames.
• I know nouns but misuse a/an/some → countability.
• I know countability but quantities sound wrong → container/unit phrases.
• I can order but cannot understand staff → listening for decision points.
• I know the menu but cannot ask price → How much?
• I can ask but cannot repair an incorrect order → checking language.
• I translate Chinese classifiers directly → English unit mapping.
• I know grammar but freeze → repeated menu role-play.

55. Retrieval lab | 提取练习

• 我想要一些水。 → ______
• 我想要一个苹果。 → ______
• 我需要两瓶水。 → ______
• 你们有牛奶吗？ → ______
• 多少钱？ → ______
• 你要几个苹果？ → ______
• 我不喜欢咖啡。 → ______
• 我想要一杯茶，谢谢。 → ______
• 不要糖，谢谢。 → ______
• 这个含花生吗？ → ______

Suggested answers: I want some water. / I want an apple. / I need two bottles of water. / Do you have any milk? / How much is it? / How many apples do you want? / I don’t like coffee. / I’d like a cup of tea, please. / No sugar, please. / Does this contain peanuts?

56. Ten-minute daily practice | 每天十分钟

2 min	five food words in sentences	食物句子
2 min	a/an/some/any	限定词
2 min	quantity + container phrases	数量单位
2 min	one café dialogue	点餐
2 min	retrieval without Chinese	不看中文提取

57. Seven-day training cycle | 七天训练

Day 1	food and drink core	核心词汇
Day 2	countable/uncountable	可数不可数
Day 3	a/an/some/any	限定词
Day 4	containers + quantity	容器和数量
Day 5	likes + preferences	喜好
Day 6	café + supermarket role-play	真实场景
Day 7	one-minute food day + menu task	综合输出

58. Self-test: 30 questions | 30 题自测

1. Translate: 一杯水。
2. Translate: 两瓶水。
3. Choose a/an: ___ apple.
4. Choose a/an: ___ banana.
5. Choose some/a: ___ rice.
6. Correct: two bread.
7. Ask: 多少个苹果？
8. Ask: 多少水？
9. Ask: 多少钱？
10. Translate: 我喜欢茶。
11. Translate: 我不喜欢咖啡。
12. Ask: 你喜欢辣的食物吗？
13. Translate: 我想要一些水。
14. Give a polite café request for coffee.
15. Ask: 你们有牛奶吗？
16. Translate: 不要糖，谢谢。
17. Translate: 再来一杯茶，谢谢。
18. Translate sweet.
19. Translate salty.
20. Translate spicy.
21. Translate sour.
22. Translate bitter.
23. What is the difference between how many and how much?
24. Why is bread often uncountable in its basic meaning?
25. How can you count bread?
26. Ask whether a food contains peanuts.
27. Say that you do not eat meat.
28. Give a three-item shopping list in full sentences.
29. Order one meal and one drink politely.
30. Correct one wrong order politely.

Answer key | 答案

1 a glass of water; 2 two bottles of water; 3 an; 4 a; 5 some; 6 two pieces/loaves of bread; 7 How many apples?; 8 How much water?; 9 How much is it?; 10 I like tea; 11 I don’t like coffee; 12 Do you like spicy food?; 13 I want some water; 14 I’d like a coffee, please; 15 Do you have any milk?; 16 No sugar, please; 17 Another cup of tea, please; 18 sweet; 19 salty; 20 spicy; 21 sour; 22 bitter; 23 how many asks countable number, how much asks uncountable amount or price; 24 it is treated as a mass food in the basic use; 25 a piece/slice/loaf of bread; 26 Does this contain peanuts?; 27 I don’t eat meat; 28–30 answers vary.

59. For parents and teachers | 给家长和老师

Food is ideal for real-object teaching. Use actual safe food items, packaging, menus or pictures. Let the learner point, name, count, request and compare.

Do not teach countable/uncountable as a giant abstract list first. Start with contrasts the learner can see: an apple / two apples versus some rice / a bowl of rice.

For Mandarin speakers, explicitly compare English noun packaging with Chinese classifiers, but do not imply the systems are equivalent. English plural marking and unit phrases do a different grammatical job.

Use role-play repeatedly. The same café dialogue can be practised five times with different food. Repetition reduces planning load and increases fluency.

If a learner has real dietary restrictions or allergies, respect privacy and accuracy. Teach clear language; do not turn a language lesson into medical advice.

60. Final real-world challenge | 最终真实任务

1. Name fifteen common foods and drinks.
2. Give five countable and five uncountable examples.
3. Use a/an/some/any correctly in ten phrases.
4. Count three uncountable foods using containers or units.
5. Ask How many? and How much? correctly.
6. Give three likes and two dislikes.
7. Order one meal and one drink politely.
8. Ask a price and check a quantity.
9. Read a simple menu and choose an order.
10. Give a one-minute description of what you eat in one day.

If you can do this, food vocabulary has become food communication.

如果能完成，你已经不是“认识食物单词”，而是在使用英语完成饮食任务。

Next: Lesson No.010 | 下一课

Food teaches you to ask for what you want. Next, build a wider repair system for situations where you need another person.

Can you help me? I don’t understand. Please say it again.
你能帮我吗？我不明白。请再说一次。

Lesson No.010 · Can You Help Me? · 请求帮助

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Reference floor: British Council A1 Elementary · British Council A1–A2 Vocabulary · Cambridge English Vocabulary in Use: Elementary · Cambridge Essential Grammar in Use A1–B1.