foreign food essay

Free World Cuisines & Food Culture Essay Examples & Topics

Food is one of the greatest pleasures humans have in life. It does more than just helping us sustain our bodies. It has the capacity to bring us back in time and across the borders. In this article, we will help you explore it in your essay about food and culture.

Food culture is the practices, beliefs, attitudes around the production, distribution, and consumption of food. Speaking about it, you can touch upon your local traditions or foreign cuisine. In essays, you can explore a variety of customs and habits related to food.

In this article, our experts have gathered tips on writing food culture essays. It will be easy for you to write an academic paper with them in mind. Moreover, you will find topics for your essay and will be able to see free samples written by other students. They are great to use for research or as guidelines.

Foreign Cuisine & Food Culture Essay Tips

Writing a cuisine essay is not much different from working on any other academic piece. And because of that, you need to apply the regular rules for writing, structuring, and formatting. As a student, you probably know them well now. However, it is not that easy to keep everything in mind, isn’t it? In this section, you’ll see what rules you need to follow when writing a food and culture essay.

• Follow a typical essay structure.

A. Start with an introduction. Its goal is to intrigue your audience and establish your topic. B. Add a thesis statement. It’s the main idea expressed in the last sentence of the introductory paragraph. C. The body is where you argue your thesis statement and present your arguments and examples. D. In your conclusion, summarize your arguments and restate your thesis. Bring the essay to a new level by creating an impression that stays with the reader.

• Do not skip brainstorming.

Gathering different ideas is one of the first steps of essay writing. Collect as many thoughts and arguments as possible. Later, in your research phase, you can develop only the best ones. Write at least ten different ideas, and then choose the one that interests you the most.

• Choose a win-win essay topic.

Food is a necessity; however, it is way more than that. We associate food with the most memorable moments of our life. Choosing a topic that demonstrates this connection is not an easy task. The issue needs to be well developed but narrow at the same time. Most importantly, try to write about something you are genuinely passionate about and have a formed opinion on.

• Write for your audience.

Knowing your audience can help you decide what topic to pick and even what information to include in your paper. It also influences the tone, the voice, and the arguments you use. Consider your audience’s needs and academic background. It will help you determine your paper’s terminology, examples, and theoretical framework.

• Keep your topic in mind.

After you formulate your topic, it is time to dig into numerous sources. You can start by going to your school library and searching on the Internet. Consider visiting some ethnic restaurants in your area to get a first-hand experience of food culture. Every time you find new sources, ask yourself if this information necessary for your topic. Throughout this process, take notes. Write down precise numbers, dates, locations, names. All this data will help you greatly to write a cuisine essay in one sit.

• Write an outline.

Once your research is done, and you’ve determined the correct format for your food and culture essay, outline your work. You won’t lose track of the essential points and examples when you have the structure in front of you. An outline is like a map of your essay. It will show you how the entire piece works together.

• Proofread your essay several times.

This step is vital if you want to avoid any unnecessary mistakes and typos. Sometimes great ideas can have less impact due to errors. There are several things you can do. Try reading out loud, asking a friend for feedback, or using an online grammar checker .

13 Food and Culture Essay Topics

If you still did not choose a topic for yourself, this is a place to start. We’ve gathered this list so you can pick one and develop a good essay about food and culture. Besides, check our title generator that will come up with more ideas.

Here you go:

• The place of food in Indian culture and its connection with the religion.
• A comparison of Mexican street food and Tex-Mex culinary style.
• Advantages and disadvantages of healthy eating habits.
• How did American fast food infiltrate the Chinese market?
• Why is Japanese food so important in their culture?
• Spanish influence on Filipino cuisine.
• Why is street food so essential in Korean cuisine and culture?
• Characteristics of Italian cuisine by regions and cities.
• The development of Thai eating culture and Thai cuisine.
• What is Pakistani food etiquette?
• Relationships between gastronomy, cooking, and culture in American culture.
• Key factors that influence food habits and nutrition in different countries.
• How does national cuisine reflect national mentality and traditions?;

Thanks for your attention! Hopefully, you found our tips helpful. Good luck and Bon appetite! Further down, you can click the links and read food culture and foreign cuisine essays for your inspiration.

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Describe a foreign food you would like to try – IELTS Cue Card Sample Answers

Updated On Mar 30, 2023

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This article contains the Describe a foreign food you would like to try Cue Card Sample Answers.

During Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking test, you will have exactly one minute to prepare and speak on a specific topic. This is the IELTS cue card task. You can learn how to communicate clearly and successfully by reviewing sample answers.

This IELTS cue card gives you an opportunity to share one of your aspirations for a foreign food you would like to try.

Practise IELTS Speaking Part 2 by referencing the Cue Card Sample Answers below.

Before you start, take a look at the introduction to Speaking Part 2 below!

Check more Interesting – Cue Cards .

For more Cue Cards, take a look at IELTS Speaking Part 2 | Topics, Questions and Samples Answers .

Read Sample Answers for IELTS Speaking Part 2 to learn new vocabulary, collocations, idioms, phrasal verbs, etc and know how to answer the examiner effectively.

You can get our latest speaking ebook titled “ IELTS Speaking Actual Tests & Sample Answers ” to read Band 9.0 model answers for IELTS Speaking Actual Tests (Full 3 Parts) that appears in the IELTS speaking module from September to December 2017.

Describe a foreign food you tried/you have had

You should say:

• When you had it
• Where you ate it
• What it was

Model Answer 1

With the growing popularity of K-Pop and Korean drama, South Korean food has also come to the fore. As a result, Korean-style restaurants have been mushrooming in every part of our country. So, being an ardent BTS army member, how can I be left behind?

Recently, a close group of college friends, who are BTS fanatics like me, planned to visit a Korean street food restaurant named ‘Yum Yum’ during the weekend. When we reached the destination, we were surprised to see a long queue in front of a truck that was supposed to be the restaurant. After waiting for hours, we ordered Ramyun and Korean Fried Chicken. 

Even though we became restless at the end, our patience was rewarded with the delectable food we had after a long time. Korean fried chicken uses distinctive flavours such as sweet chilli (Yangnyeom) and soy sauce and has a more delicate coating than other types of fried chicken (Ganjang). Fried chicken may be found anywhere in the world, but the Kentucky Fried Chicken we are more accustomed to is substantially incomparable to the delicious Korean fried chicken. Most people think of ramyun, often known as ramen, as instant noodles. It is prepared with a tonne of vegetables, simple sauces, and a fried egg on top for garnishment. Ramen is gaining popularity as an alternative to other snacks thanks to its appearance in Korean dramas and films.

After having these simple meals that I absolutely loved, my friends and I decided to explore more South Korean foods in the future.

Model Answer 2

Well, I spent 2 weeks of the summer vacation in Malaysia to visit my friends, and thus had a chance to try a lot of local foods. However, the food that I miss most since I cannot find it in my hometown is called ‘Roti Susu’.

Indian food in Malaysia is highly diverse , yet my favorite one is this food. Basically, in Malaysian, ‘Roti’ means ‘bread’ and ‘susu’ means ‘milk’. We can add some curry sauce for more flavors. Because of such simple ingredients, this food can be found in any Indian restaurants in Malaysia.

My friends who were studying in Malaysia were also big fan of ‘roti susu’ so they introduced to me this food on the first day I came to visit them. Because it is sold by an Indian food court on campus, they could have it most of the time. I prefer having it without the sauce and usually it’s my everyday-favorite. Probably as the soft bread with sweet condensed milk has often been my breakfast when I’m in my hometown, the taste of ‘roti susu’ seems familiar to me.

In the future, I would love to return to Malaysia someday to enjoy ‘roti susu’ again.

Sample Audio

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To be familiar with Sth/SO (adj): to know SO or Sth well

Part 3 Questions

Why do some people’s tastes change.

Well as we grow older, our tastes are also likely to change as well. The reason for this can be we don’t have time for a decent meal as most family members are on the go , meaning that the father and mother have to work longer hours to make ends meet , whereas the students must attend extra classes to keep up with their peers at school. So, we end up eating fast foods or take-aways and become used to it. The second reason is when we grow older, for health protection, we force ourselves to refrain from certain types of foods, like meat or fast food because they contain many health hazards.

Which are more popular in your country: fast food restaurants or traditional restaurants?

They’re both popular, but in different ways and for different reasons. I think fast food restaurants are popular for grabbing a quick bite or snack, as they are fast and you can usually find one nearby. Traditional restaurants are more popular for special occasions or going out for lunch or dinner at the weekend when people have more time to sit and enjoy the food and the ambience or atmosphere of the place. They usually cost more too, so maybe people don’t go as often, but they’re still popular. I don’t think anyone would consider gong to a fast food place for a special occasion – unless it was a kid’s birthday party or something similar, in which case it makes a lot of sense, as some of these places cater specially for such events.

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Nafia Zuhana is an experienced content writer and IELTS Trainer. Currently, she is guiding students who are appearing for IELTS General and Academic exams through ieltsmaterial.com. With an 8.5 score herself, she trains and provides test takers with strategies, tips, and nuances on how to crack the IELTS Exam. She holds a degree in Master of Arts – Creative Writing, Oxford Brookes University, UK. She has worked with The Hindu for over a year as an English language trainer.

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IELTS Speaking Part 1 Foreign Food

Have you ever tried foreign food? 

Yes, I tried a lot of foreign food. My favourite foods are sushi and Mexican tacos. Sushi is a traditional dish in Japan, whereas tacos are a famous dish in Mexico.

Do you like to try new food? 

Yes, I like to try new food because trying food from different countries is my hobby. 

What foreign cuisine have you tried recently?  

I recently went to Sakuna restaurant, a traditional Japanese restaurant. They had sushi with salmon over there. It’s a Japanese rice rolled over with seaweed and raw salmon. 

How do you think exposure to foreign food influences people’s cooking preferences and habits?

 Exposure to foreign food: when we try foreign food and if we like it, we try to include those ingredients in our cooking habits. Moreover, due to that, our cooking preferences and cooking habits are changing. For example, when I first ate Chinese food, I started using corn flour in my North Indian cooking, and that enhanced the taste. 

In your opinion, what are the benefits of including foreign dishes in one’s diet?

 The only benefit is that it can increase the taste of our dish. Apart from that, some foods are very good in nutrition. For example, the Japanese prefer boiled food, which is a good idea. In India, we use different spices to make our food more tasty. But on the other side, it affects our body. That’s why foreign food will help us to make our lifestyle better. 

Have you ever had any difficulties or challenges when trying foreign cuisine? 

Yes, as I recall, last year I tried to cook momos at my home, which is a Chinese dish. Everything was going perfectly, but the only thing was that no oil was used while we steamed the momos.

So, only that part was difficult for me, and I could not cook them perfectly. Whenever I tried to steam them, I overcooked them or sometimes ruined my dish.

 Is it important for people to explore and appreciate food from different cultures?  

Yes, it builds up globalization and can also help us learn about different cultures and foods. So yes, we should try new foods from different countries and offer our food to others. 

Any foreign dish you haven’t tried yet but would like to try in the future?

 I have yet to have lasagna. It’s an Italian dish; it’s paper pasta.

So whenever I get a chance, I will grab that opportunity to try that one. Next month, I will go to the Italian restaurant and try it over there. 

How do you think globalization has affected the availability and popularity of foreign food in your country?  

Well, it increased the taste of my country’s people because more and more people prefer foreign food.

The Italians, especially, now have lasagna and spaghetti, and we can also see the proliferation of Chinese food in my country. 

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Describe a foreign food you would like to try - cue card # 300, describe a foreign food you would like to try..

• how you know about this food
• where it is mostly prepared and consumed

Similar Cue Card Topics

• Describe a foreign menu you have had.
• Describe a food item you ate outside your home.
• Describe your favourite dish.
• Describe a common food item in your country.
• Describe a program you recently watched on TV. 
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What Americans can learn from other food cultures

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Food feeds the soul. To the extent that we all eat food, and we all have souls, food is the single great unifier across cultures. But what feeds  your  soul?

For me, a first-generation Korean-American, comfort food is a plate of kimchi, white rice, and fried Spam. Such preferences are personally meaningful — and also culturally meaningful. Our comfort foods map who are, where we come from, and what happened to us along the way. Notes Jennifer 8. Lee (TED Talk: Jennifer 8. Lee looks for General Tso ), “what you want to cook and eat is an accumulation, a function of your experiences — the people you’ve dated, what you’ve learned, where you’ve gone. There may be inbound elements from other cultures, but you’ll always eat things that mean something to you.”

In much of China, only the older generations still shop every day in the wet market, then go home and cook traditional dishes.

Jennifer Berg, director of graduate food studies at New York University, notes that food is particularly important when you become part of a diaspora, separated from your mother culture. “It’s the last vestige of culture that people shed,” says Berg. “There’s some aspects of maternal culture that you’ll lose right away. First is how you dress, because if you want to blend in or be part of a larger mainstream culture the things that are the most visible are the ones that you let go. With food, it’s something you’re engaging in hopefully three times a day, and so there are more opportunities to connect to memory and family and place. It’s the hardest to give up.”

Food as identity

The “melting pot” in American cuisine is a myth, not terribly unlike the idea of a melting pot of American culture, notes chef Dan Barber (TED Talk: How I fell in love with a fish ). “Most cultures don’t think about their cuisine in such monolithic terms,” he says. “French, Mexican, Chinese, and Italian cuisines each comprise dozens of distinct regional foods. And I think “American” cuisine is moving in the same direction, becoming more localized, not globalized.”

Most cultures don’t think about their cuisine in monolithic terms. Mexican, Chinese and French cuisines each comprise dozens of distinct regional foods.

American cuisine is shaped by the natural wealth of the country. Having never faced agricultural hardship, Americans had the luxury of not relying on rotating crops, such as the Japanese, whose food culture now showcases buckwheat alongside rice, or the Indians, or the French and Italians, who feature lentils and beans alongside wheat. “That kind of negotiation with the land forced people to incorporate those crops in to the culture,” says Barber. And so eating soba noodles becomes part of what it means to be Japanese, and eating beans becomes part of what it means to be French.

Every single culture and religion uses food as part of their celebrations, says Ellen Gustafson, co-founder of the FEED Project and The 30 Project, which aims to tackle both hunger and obesity issues globally. (Watch her TED Talk: Obesity + hunger = 1 global food issue .) “The celebratory nature of food is universal. Every season, every harvest, and every holiday has its own food, and this is true in America as well. It helps define us.”

Food as survival

Sometimes food means survival. While the Chinese cooks who exported “Chinese” food around the world ate authentic cooking at home, the dishes they served, thus creating new cuisines entirely, were based on economic necessity. Chinese food in America, for example, is Darwinian, says Lee. It was a way for Chinese cooks to survive in America and earn a living. It started with the invention of chop suey in the late 1800s, followed by fortune cookies around the time of World War II, and the pervasive General Tso’s Chicken, in the 1970s. Waves of more authentic Chinese food followed, as Hunan and Sichuan cooking came to the U.S. by way of Taiwan.

In Chinese cities, meanwhile, only grandparents are cooking and eating the way that people from outside of China might imagine “Chinese” food. The older generation still would shop every day in the wet market, bargain for tomatoes, then go home that night and cook traditional dishes, says Crystyl Mo, a food writer based in Shanghai. But most people born after the Cultural Revolution don’t know how to cook. “That generation was focused purely on studying, and their parents never taught them how to cook,” says Mo. “So they’re very educated, but they’re eating takeout or going back to their parents’ homes for meals.”

Food as status

Those slightly younger people have been the beneficiaries of the restaurant culture exploding in Shanghai. The city is home to 23 million people, and has more than 100,000 restaurants, up from less than ten thousand a decade ago. Now, you can find food from all of the provinces of China in Shanghai, as well as every kind of global food style imaginable.

The introduction of global foods and brands has compounded food as a status symbol for middle-class Chinese.

The introduction of global foods and brands has compounded food as a status symbol for middle-class Chinese. “Food as status has always been a huge thing in China,” says Mo. “Being able to afford to eat seafood or abalone or shark’s-fin or bird’s-nest soup, or being able to show respect to a VIP by serving them the finest yellow rice wine, is part of our history. Now it’s been modernized by having different Western foods represent status. It could be a Starbucks coffee, or Godiva chocolates, or a Voss water bottle. It’s a way of showing your sophistication and worldliness.”

Eating is done family style, with shared dishes, and eating is the major social activity for friends and families. Eating, exchanging food, taking photos of food, uploading photos of food, looking at other people’s photos of food — this is all a way that food brings people together in an urban center. Even waiting in line is part of the event. People may scoff at the idea of waiting two hours in line to eat in a trendy restaurant, says Mo, but waiting in line for a restaurant with your friends is an extension of your experience eating with them.

How and why you eat your food, is, of course, also very cultural. In China, people eat food not necessarily for taste, but for texture. Jellyfish or sliced pig ear don’t have any taste, but do have desirable texture. Foods must either be scalding hot or very cold; if it’s warm, there’s something wrong with the dish. At a banquet, the most expensive things are served first, such as scallops or steamed fish, then meats, then nice vegetables, and finally soup, and if you’re still hungry, then rice or noodles or buns. “If you started a meal and they brought out rice after the fish, you’d be very confused,” says Mo. “Like, is the meal over now?”

Food as pleasure

“Food in France is still primarily about pleasure,” says Mark Singer, technical director of cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. “Cooking and eating are both past time and pleasure.” The French might start their day with bread, butter, jam, and perhaps something hot to drink — “There’s no way that it would expand to eggs and bacon,” says Singer — but it’s a time of the day when the whole family can be united. Singer, who was born in Philadelphia, has lived in France for more than 40 years. (He doesn’t eat breakfast.)

“Things have changed dramatically in the past 20 years when it comes to food in the country,” he says. “What was a big affair with eating has slowly softened up. There are still events in the year, like birthdays and New Year’s Eve and Christmas Eve that still say really anchored into traditional food and cooking. But it’s not every day.”

Some of the ideas of French food life may be a performance, adds Berg. “I led a course in Paris this summer on myth-making and myth-busting and the performance of Frenchness. The students want to believe that France is this pastoral nation where people are spending five hours a day going to 12 different markets to get their food. The reality is most croissants are factory made, and most people are buying convenience food, except for the very elite. But part of our identity relies on believing that mythology.”

An Italian child’s first experience with food is not buns or rice or eggs, but probably ice cream.

Food in Italy is love, then nutrition, then history, then pleasure, he says. An Italian child’s first experience with food is not buns or rice or eggs, but probably ice cream, notes Bolasco. Status and wealth play less of a role in food than say, in China.

Food as community

In Arab cultures, community is key to the food culture. The daily iftar that breaks the fast during Ramadan, for example, features platters of traditional fare such as tharid and h’riss that are shared by all who are sitting down to break the fast, eating with their hand from the same dishes. Families and institutions will host private iftars, of course, but mosques, schools, markets and other community organizations will also offer large iftar meals, and all are open to the public and shared. This family style of eating is not dissimilar to the dishes on a Chinese dinner table, where one does not eat a single portioned and plated dish, but is expected to eat from shared, communal platters.

Food as humanity

Perhaps cuisine, though, isn’t so much about progress as it is about restraint.

“One of the great things about cuisine is that it the best way to hold back our worst kind of hedonism,” says Barber. “There is no landscape in the world that sustainably allows us to eat how we think we want to.” In another sense, says Barber, food is the physical manifestation of our relationship with the natural world. It is where culture and ecology intersect. It can become even more important than language, and even geography, when it comes to culture.

“Your first relationship as a human being is about food,” says Richard Wilk, anthropology professor at the University of Indiana and head of its food studies program. “The first social experience we have is being put to the breast or bottle. The social act of eating, is part of how we become human, as much as speaking and taking care of ourselves. Learning to eat is learning to become human.”

Illustrations by Andrea Turvey for TED. 

About the author

Amy S. Choi is a freelance journalist, writer and editor based in Brooklyn, N.Y. She is the co-founder and editorial director of The Mash-Up Americans, a media and consulting company that examines multidimensional modern life in the U.S.

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IELTS Essay: Imported Foods

by Dave | Real Past Tests | 9 Comments

This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of the pros and cons of importing foods from the real IELTS exam.

Please consider supporting my efforts to creative high quality IELTS materials for students around the world by signing up for my Patreon (and don’t miss any of my exclusive IELTS Ebooks)!

Some countries import a large amount of food from other parts of the world.

To what extent is this a postive or negative trend?

Nations are increasingly importing food products and relying less on domestic supplies. In my opinion, though this has narrow economic drawbacks, it is a net positive.

The negative aspects of increased imports relate to domestic agriculture. In the United States, for example, there are trade agreements with a variety of countries enabling customers to purchase foreign products that cannot be locally grown, are only available seasonally or are prohibitively expensive. Any local farmers who rely on higher prices for specialised crops or expect a surge in sales when the seasons change, must now account for the global nature of agriculture. If they are not in a position to begin exporting to other countries themselves, there is a strong likelihood they will suffer a serious decline in their living standards and may have to consider the possibility of new employment.

However, the cases above are often mitigated with government subsidies and the benefits of imports for the average shopper are substantial. In the past, customers resigned themselves to a limited range of local produce, restricted by both geography and the seasons. Nowadays, imports make it possible to eat exotic fruits and vegetables that cannot be grown in one’s own country. Aside from the luxuries now available, there are also more utilitarian benefits. Countries with large populations and limited arable land, such as in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, can make deals that leverage their more abundant natural resources. The tangible result is that previously malnourished residents now have greater access to nutritious foods, which in turn raises both life expectancy and quality of life.

In conclusion, the limited economic collateral of a thriving import and export agricultural market do not outweigh the advantages gained for both affluent and underprivileged segments of a population.

1. Nations are increasingly importing food products and relying less on domestic supplies. 2. In my opinion, though this has narrow economic drawbacks, it is a net positive.

• Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
• Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here .

1. The negative aspects of increased imports relate to domestic agriculture. 2. In the United States, for example, there are trade agreements with a variety of countries enabling customers to purchase foreign products that cannot be locally grown, are only available seasonally or are prohibitively expensive. 3. Any local farmers who rely on higher prices for specialised crops or expect a surge in sales when the seasons change, must now account for the global nature of agriculture. 4. If they are not in a position to begin exporting to other countries themselves, there is a strong likelihood they will suffer a serious decline in their living standards and may have to consider the possibility of new employment.

• Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
• Explain your main idea.
• Develop it with specific examples.
• Continue to develop it fully.

1. However, the cases above are often mitigated with government subsidies and the benefits of imports for the average shopper are substantial. 2. In the past, customers resigned themselves to a limited range of local produce, restricted by both geography and the seasons. 3. Nowadays, imports make it possible to eat exotic fruits and vegetables that cannot be grown in one’s own country. 4. Aside from the luxuries now available, there are also more utilitarian benefits. 5. Countries with large populations and limited arable land, such as in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, can make deals that leverage their more abundant natural resources. 6. The tangible result is that previously malnourished residents now have greater access to nutritious foods, which in turn raises both life expectancy and quality of life.

• Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
• Explain your new main idea.
• Include specific details and examples.
• The more specific, the better.
• Keep adding more specific and examples.
• And develop them fully.

1. In conclusion, the limited economic collateral of a thriving import and export agricultural market do not outweigh the advantages gained for both affluent and underprivileged segments of a population.

• Summarise your main ideas. Read more about conclusions here .

What do the words in bold below mean?

Nations are increasingly importing food products and relying less on domestic supplies . In my opinion, though this has narrow economic drawbacks , it is a net positive .

The negative aspects of increased imports relate to domestic agriculture . In the United States, for example, there are trade agreements with a variety of countries enabling customers to purchase foreign products that cannot be locally grown , are only available seasonally or are prohibitively expensive . Any local farmers who rely on higher prices for specialised crops or expect a surge in sales when the seasons change, must now account for the global nature of agriculture. If they are not in a position to begin exporting to other countries themselves, there is a strong likelihood they will suffer a serious decline in their living standards and may have to consider the possibility of new employment.

However, the cases above are often mitigated with government subsidies and the benefits of imports for the average shopper are substantial . In the past, customers resigned themselves to a limited range of local produce , restricted by both geography and the seasons. Nowadays, imports make it possible to eat exotic fruits and vegetables that cannot be grown in one’s own country. Aside from the luxuries now available, there are also more utilitarian benefits . Countries with large populations and limited arable land , such as in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, can make deals that leverage their more abundant natural resources . The tangible result is that previously malnourished residents now have greater access to nutritious foods, which in turn raises both life expectancy and quality of life .

In conclusion, the limited economic collateral of a thriving import and export agricultural market do not outweigh the advantages gained for both affluent and underprivileged segments of a population .

increasingly importing bring in more products from other countries

relying less not need as much

domestic supplies what is made in your country

narrow economic drawbacks small disadvantages for the economy

net positive overall good

negative aspects disadvantages

relate to concern

domestic agriculture farms in your country

trade agreements deal between countries

a variety of countries many nations

enabling allowing for

purchase buy

locally grown grown in your country

only available seasonally can only be bought sometimes

prohibitively expensive too much

rely on need

specialised crops rare, specific foods

surge increase a lot

now account for consider now

global nature all countries involved

not in a position can’t

strong likelihood good chance

suffer a serious decline decrease a lot

living standards how you are living

consider the possibility think about the chance

mitigated weakened

government subsidies government support/money

average shopper normal consumer

substantial a lot

resigned themselves given up and now happy with

limited range not many types

local produce grown in nearby farms

restricted by limited by

geography land, terrain

eat exotic fruits eat rare fruits

aside from besides

luxuries not necessary

utilitarian benefits real impact

limited arable land not much farming land

Sub-Saharan Africa countries in and below the Sahara desert

make deals sign constracts

leverage exploit

abundant natural resources lots of resources

tangible result real effect

previously malnourished residents starving before

greater access more ability to get

nutritious healthy

in turn then

life expectancy longevity

quality of life standards of living

limited economic collateral just hurts a bit

thriving doing well

outweigh stronger than

affluent rich

underprivileged segments of a population poorer residents

Pronunciation

ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli ɪmˈpɔːtɪŋ   rɪˈlaɪɪŋ lɛs   dəʊˈmɛstɪk səˈplaɪz ˈnærəʊ ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈdrɔːbæks nɛt ˈpɒzətɪv ˈnɛgətɪv ˈæspɛkts   rɪˈleɪt tuː   dəʊˈmɛstɪk ˈægrɪkʌlʧə treɪd əˈgriːmənts   ə vəˈraɪəti ɒv ˈkʌntriz   ɪˈneɪblɪŋ   ˈpɜːʧəs   ˈləʊkəli grəʊn ˈəʊnli əˈveɪləbl ˈsiːzənli   prəˈhɪbɪtɪvli ɪksˈpɛnsɪv rɪˈlaɪ ɒn   ˈspɛʃ(ə)laɪzd krɒps   sɜːʤ   naʊ əˈkaʊnt fɔː   ˈgləʊbəl ˈneɪʧə   nɒt ɪn ə pəˈzɪʃən   strɒŋ ˈlaɪklɪhʊd   ˈsʌfər ə ˈsɪərɪəs dɪˈklaɪn   ˈlɪvɪŋ ˈstændədz   kənˈsɪdə ðə ˌpɒsəˈbɪlɪti   ˈmɪtɪgeɪtɪd   ˈgʌvnmənt ˈsʌbsɪdiz   ˈævərɪʤ ˈʃɒpə   səbˈstænʃəl rɪˈzaɪnd ðəmˈsɛlvz   ˈlɪmɪtɪd reɪnʤ   ˈləʊkəl ˈprɒdjuːs rɪsˈtrɪktɪd baɪ   ʤɪˈɒgrəfi   iːt ɪgˈzɒtɪk fruːts   əˈsaɪd frɒm   ˈlʌkʃəriz   ˌjuːtɪlɪˈteərɪən ˈbɛnɪfɪts ˈlɪmɪtɪd ˈærəbl lænd sʌb-səˈhɑːrən ˈæfrɪkə   meɪk diːlz   ˈliːvərɪʤ   əˈbʌndənt ˈnæʧrəl rɪˈsɔːsɪz ˈtænʤəbl rɪˈzʌlt   ˈpriːviəsli məˈnʌrɪʃt ˈrɛzɪdənts   ˈgreɪtər ˈæksɛs   nju(ː)ˈtrɪʃəs   ɪn tɜːn   laɪf ɪksˈpɛktənsi   ˈkwɒlɪti ɒv laɪf ˈlɪmɪtɪd ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk kɒˈlætərəl   ˈθraɪvɪŋ   aʊtˈweɪ   ˈæflʊənt   ˌʌndəˈprɪvɪlɪʤd ˈsɛgmənts ɒv ə ˌpɒpjʊˈleɪʃən

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

Nations are i______________________g food products and r______________s on d_____________________s . In my opinion, though this has n____________________________s , it is a n______________e .

The n____________________s of increased imports r_______________o d______________________e . In the United States, for example, there are t___________________s with a__________________________s e_____________g customers to p_______________e foreign products that cannot be l__________________n , are o______________________________y or are p________________________e . Any local farmers who r_______n higher prices for s__________________________s or expect a s____e in sales when the seasons change, must n___________________r the g____________e of agriculture. If they are n__________________________n to begin exporting to other countries themselves, there is a s___________________d they will s______________________e in their l_______________________s and may have to c_________________________________y of new employment.

However, the cases above are often m______________d with g_______________________s and the benefits of imports for the a____________________r are s____________l . In the past, customers r______________________s to a l_______________e of l___________________e , r__________________y both g______________y and the seasons. Nowadays, imports make it possible to e____________________s and vegetables that cannot be grown in one’s own country. A_________m the l________s now available, there are also more u____________________________s . Countries with large populations and l_________________d , such as in S_______________________a and the Middle East, can m_________s that l__________e their more a_____________________________s . The t_______________t is that p________________________________________s now have g_________________s to n___________s foods, which i_______n raises both l______________________y and q__________________e .

In conclusion, the l________________________________l of a t________g import and export agricultural market do not o________h the advantages gained for both a_________t and u__________________________________________n .

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic in the video below and practice with these activities :

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice :

https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/china-pips-us-emerge-india-biggest-trade-partner-2020-despite-border-conflicts/story/432057.html

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam :

• What kinds of foods do you like to eat?
• How different is food in your country today from when you were younger?
• Which foods do you dislike?
• What foods do people in your country buy at the market?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related topic below and then check with my sample answer:

Some feel that countries should produce most of the food that is eaten in their country and import as little as possible.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Producing & Importing Food (Real Past IELTS Exam/Test)

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Should I choose the one side of the question or not I’m bit confuse.

It’s usually better to write about both but choose an overall opinion, Varinder.

What is its score? Is this marked 7+or not??? Please tell me

All my essays are band 9.

I don’t think so

Thanks for offering your opinion. I’m a former IELTS examiner and I’ve been writing an essay daily for years – if mine aren’t band 9, then no one’s are.

Hi Dave, what band will I get for this essay?

There are a few countries depending on heavy imports of food from other constitutes of the world. While some may agree that it can bring negative impact, I believe it is a positive outcome in regards to economic growth.

Proponents may argue that the recipient country can face severe financial loss when primary dependence of food imports are from other countries. For instance, when the receiving country is a developing country with low economic growth and their predominant revenue is from these food imports, their strong intercommunication between other countries has to constantly be uphold with good political reputation. If a political upheaval or natural disasters occurs, these substantial amount of food imports can impact the livelihood of people like local farmers and home-based businesses and result in starvation among the low-income groups. As a result, these low-income groups can incur financial burden if a slight miscommunication or dispute arrives during the food imports.

Having said that, it has immensely benefited the economic gains for both developing and developed countries. Developing countries can financially grow from seasonal food imports that only happen in their counterparts. For example, mangoes which grow in rural areas during summer seasons are sold to higher-income countries for profit. Moreover, developed countries can benefit parallelly as they expand their unique variation of food to boost their cultural element of the country. This can attract more tourists and evidently increase their tourist revenue. As a result, both low- and high-income countries can progressively contribute to economic gains through exchange of food trade.

To encapsulate, though it may seem that heavy dependence on food imports may not be beneficial in certain countries, the benefits of food imports can substantially develop both recipient and donor countries. Government and organisations should also be more considerate and responsible during the trade to prevent any disagreements between countries that can impact the food imports. 

”Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, can make deals that leverage their more abundant natural resources.” what does LEVERAGE means here

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Describe a foreign food you would like to try

ielts speaking part 2

IELTS Speaking Part 2

Describe a foreign food you would like to try. You should say: • What it is • Where you can eat it • How you know about this food And explain why you would like to try it.

Sample Recording

Today I would like to tell you about crepes, one of the most popular French street foods that I have been  longing to try.

I first became interested in this food after learning about it through a TV program that I watched about a year  ago on different cultures around the world. The show gave a really detailed description of how to prepare this  dish, what ingredients are required, the different stuffings that are used to make different types of crepes, and  why this food is so closely related to French culture. I was watching with utmost interest and attention and immediately jumped onto my computer to do some more research about it after the show ended.

It’s said that, walking around Paris you can locate street stands selling crepes everywhere and that this dish is a  really tasty afternoon snack to indulge in before dinner without ruining your appetite . And even though it is  not that hard to find a crepe shop in Hanoi, I believe the taste cannot be compared to the authentic recipe that  only street stands or restaurants in France are capable of delivering .

Since watching this program, the idea of walking down the street in Paris while enjoying a delicious crepe has  been on the top of my wish-list ever since, and I’ve been saving up money recently hoping that I get to fulfil  this dream sometime soon.

Vocabulary highlights:

1. longing to – a strong want or desire to

2. utmost – greatest or most

3. to indulge in – to allow yourself to enjoy something

4. ruining your appetite – to eat something before a meal that makes you not feel hungry anymore

5. authentic – real or genuine, to not be fake

6. capable of delivering – able to offer or achieve

7. wish-list – a list of things someone wants to have or do

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Speaking part 1 Foreign Food

The questions in Part 1 are on general topics about your life. Your answers are from your life and experience. There is no right or wrong answer.

Topic: Foreign Food 1. Have you ever tried foreign food? 2. Do you like to try new food? 3. What kind of new food have you tried recently? 4. What kind of foreign foods is popular in your country?

Q1. Have you ever tried foreign food? A. Well, nowadays everything is available in India, so I have tried different cuisines such as Pizza, Manchurian and Hakka noodles some are Italian and Chinese dishes.

Q2. Do you like to try new food? A. Yes, I love to try new food. Whenever I visit a new place, I alwaystaste the famous dish in that area. I also love to watch cooking shows, and I try to make something new.

Q3. What kind of new food have you tried recently? A. Last Sunday I was watching a cookery show on television. It was about a china dish named Manchurian. I noted all the ingredients and steps of making this dish. After that, I collected all the items and started to make them. It took one hour. I eat this dish with my family.

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Food Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on food.

Food is the basic human need to stay alive. Moreover, it is the need of every living organism . Therefore it is important that we should not waste food. Our world consists of different types of cultures. These cultures have varieties of dishes of food in them.

Thus, all the dishes have different taste. Furthermore, our nature provides us a variety of food. From fruits to vegetables, from Dairy food to seafood everything is available. Different countries have their own specialty of dishes. Therefore some of them are below:

World-famous Cuisines

Italian Cuisines – Italian cuisines is one of the most popular cuisines around the world. Moreover, it is widely available in our India too. Dishes like pizza, pasta, and lasagna own a special place in the hearts’ of people.

Furthermore, restaurants like Dominos and Pizza hut are available all over the country. People of every age love the taste of these Italian dishes. Also, Italian dishes are famous for their’ cheese filling. Every dish is load with cheese. Which enhances the taste of these Italian dishes.

Indian cuisine – Indian cuisine is always filled with a lot of herbs and spices. Furthermore, the specialty of Indian dishes is, it is always filled with curries. Whether veg or non-veg the dishes are in curry form. Moreover, Indian cuisine has so many varieties of food that has further branches. The Branch consists of Mughal cuisine which is mostly of non-vegetarian dishes. Also, almost every Indian love Muglia dishes.

Chinese Cuisine – Chinese cuisine in India is also very popular. There are many Chinese theme-based restaurants here. Moreover, in these restaurants Chinese are preferable chefs because they can only give the perfect Chinese blend. Chinese cuisines have a wide variety of dishes. Some of them are Chinese noodles, fried rice, Dumplings, etc. Dumplings have a different name here. They go by the name of momos in India and people love the taste of it.

These were some of the favorites of Indian people. Moreover, these are in almost every part of the city. You can find it anywhere, whether be it in 5-star restaurants or at the side of the street as street foods.

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Importance of Food in Our Life

We cannot deny the importance of food in our lives. As it is the basic need to survive. Yet some people waste not thinking that there are still some people that do not get any of it. We should always be careful while taking a meal on our plates.

In other words, we should take only that much that our stomach can allow. Or else there will be wasting of food . In India there are many people living in slums, they do not have proper shelter. Moreover, they are not able to have even a one-time meal. They starve for days and are always in a state of sickness.

Many children are there on roads who are laboring to get a daily meal. After seeing conditions like these people should not dare to waste food. Moreover, we should always provide food to the needy ones as much as we can.

Q1. Name any two different types of cuisines available in India.

A1. The two different types of cuisines available in India are Italian and Chinese cuisine. These are famous apart from Indian cuisine.

Q2. How can we not waste food?

A2. You cannot waste food by taking only a sufficient amount of it. Moreover, people should seal pack the leftover food and give it to the beggars. So that they can at least stay healthy and not starve.

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Sample IELTS Writing Task Two: Local Food vs Foreign Food

Here is the IELTS Task-Two Question.

Here is the model answer. Notice that there are three separate conclusion. The first (1) is recommended when running out of time, since it is just a concluding sentence to Paragraph 4.

The second (2) and third (3) allow more style. Time, however, is the enemy of almost every IELTS candidate, so think seriously about using Conclusion 1 as the most practical alternative [See also p.100 of my IELTS Writing: Task Two book.]

Here is a list of the difficult vocabulary.

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Foreign Food – What is a good IELTS Speaking Part 1 Response

By ielts-jonathan.com on 11 September 2023 0

The topic of   Foreign Food in IELTS speaking Part 1

For many people, the first part of the IELTS Speaking test can be the most stressful and where the most mistakes are made.

Not only are you in a test situation, but you have the stress of meeting the examiner, who you don’t know, who may speak with an unfamiliar accent or at some speed.

But don’t worry, it can also be the easiest part, and the most enjoyable of the IELTS speaking test if you know a few key points.

There is a valid reason for this part of the IELTS test, and I will explain this below.

One reason for Part 1 is to ease the candidate into the test, and allow the candidate to tune into the voice of the examiner.

In general the examiner and these questions are there to help you. 🙂 

The three sets of questions are not particularly challenging, but are varied in topic and allow the candidate to ‘ warm up ‘ and ‘ gain confidence ‘ and additionally give the examiner ‘ a feel ‘ to immediate level.

Advice on Part 1 IELTS Speaking

One way to do well in this section is to relax.

A relaxed candidate always listens better and responds well.

Other tips are 

• Don’t give the examiner an opportunity to ask ‘why’. Always try to give a reason
• Connect your sentences, when you can
• Attempt to use complex sentences rather than short, simply ones
• Don’t hesitate too much
• It’s okay to make some mistakes, that’s natural
• Don’t be afraid to correct yourself

If you don’t understand something, always ask the examiner to repeat the question. 

Foreign Food as an IELTS Speaking Topic

Think about these examiner prompts.

What answer would you give to these questions?

• Have you ever tried foreign food? 
• Do you like to try new food? 
• What kinds of new food have you tried recently?
• What kinds of foreign food are popular in your country?
• Do you like any food from the countries near your country?

IELTS Part 1 features three random topics chosen by the examiner.

There is a around a minute of speaking time allowed for each section of part 1, so if you can answer the questio n fully AND extend it, you will get asked f ewer questions!

Yes, I love trying foreign food.   When I went to the USA, I was there for a long stay and so I was able to try all sorts of American food, especially hamburgers, sandwiches, as well as meatballs and Italian food in New York.  I also love Japanese cuisine a lot.

• Do you like to try new food?

Yes, when I visit a new place I always try to seek out local food, especially street food.  Many people eat what they are used to when they travel, like Mac Donalds or KFC, or go to a Chinese restaurant. Maybe because it’s a kind of comfort food, but I really try to experience a lot of  new things.  It gets you closer to the real lifestyle of that country. 

Well, I recently tried oysters served with lemon and white wine, it was really delicious. I’ve  also tried pineapple on an American pizza, I didn’t really like that so much. It was a strange combination.

In my country, Japanese food like Sushi and Sashimi are becoming more popular, as well as being very healthy in general. Many people also like Korean BBQ. It’s also now common to see more and more western fast food chains appearing near shopping centres, like Burger King an KFC, as well as coffee shops like Starbucks. I prefer the healthier food though so I tend to avoid these places.

Well, foreign  food is becoming  more accessible in my country, especially Japanese food because it is seen as being fresh and generally healthy.  I like most foods from the countries that surround China, as I said, Korean food is popular, and it’s very different to Japanese. Share Pin Share Tweet 0 Shares

I’m Jonathan

I’ve taught IELTS and University English in more than a dozen universities and schools around the world.

I’m a parent, traveller and passionate about language teaching and helping students achieve their dreams.

Whilst living in Austria or working in Asia, I run IELTS courses to help students get to where they want to be.

If you are serious about IELTS, connect with me to see how I can help you.

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Bài mẫu IELTS Speaking Part 2 cho câu hỏi Describe your favourite foreign food

You should say: 

• what the food is and which country it comes from
• where you can get it
• what ingredients it is made from
• and explain why you like it.

Well, the foreign food I like most is sushi, which is the symbol of Japanese cuisine . It is regarded as the healthiest food in the world.

Basically, it can be easily found in many kinds of places, mainly at Japanese restaurants, supermarkets, and cafeterias. The food is a combination of different vegetables and seafood with rice, such as cucumber, seaweed, salmon, and shrimp.

I love sushi for several reasons. Firstly, I think sushi is pretty handy . Sushi comes in a roll or in a box; it is very convenient to take away. Occasionally, I’m in a hurry for work, so I have to finish my lunch as soon as possible. Besides, I also think sushi is nutritious . It provides us with all sorts of daily essential nutrition, such as vitamins, protein, minerals, and fiber, and it is low in fat and calories. I am currently trying to lose weight, so it is perfect to feed myself and makes me worry-free regarding weight gain. Most importantly, I always feel the price is totally and utterly affordable. It only costs me roughly 5 USD for a meal on average, and it is a real bargain compared with other options. I am on a tight budget , so the cheaper, the better.

In short, those are the reasons why I like sushi.

Từ vựng hay:

• cuisine (a) : ẩm thực ENG: a style of cooking
• handy (a) : tiện lợi, thuận tiện ENG: useful or convenient
• nutritious (a) : bổ dưỡng ENG: containing many of the substances needed for life and growth
• worry-free (a) : thảnh thơi, không lo sợ ENG: Free from worries
• bargain (n) : mặc cả, món hời ENG: something on sale at a lower price than its true value
• on a tight budget (idiom) : tài chính eo hẹp ENG: involving a relatively small amount of money for planned spending.

Món ăn nước ngoài mà tôi thích nhất là sushi, biểu tượng của ẩm thực Nhật Bản. Nó được coi là thực phẩm lành mạnh nhất trên thế giới.

Về cơ bản, nó có thể dễ dàng tìm thấy ở nhiều nơi, chủ yếu là tại các nhà hàng Nhật Bản, siêu thị và quán ăn tự phục vụ. Món ăn là sự kết hợp của nhiều loại rau và hải sản ăn kèm với cơm như dưa chuột, rong biển, cá hồi và tôm.

Tôi thích sushi vì nhiều lý do. Đầu tiên, tôi nghĩ sushi khá tiện dụng. Sushi ở dạng cuộn hoặc trong hộp; nó rất thuận tiện để mang đi. Thỉnh thoảng, tôi vội đi làm nên phải ăn xong bữa trưa càng sớm càng tốt. Bên cạnh đó, tôi cũng nghĩ rằng sushi rất bổ dưỡng. Nó cung cấp cho chúng ta tất cả các loại dinh dưỡng thiết yếu hàng ngày, chẳng hạn như vitamin, protein, khoáng chất và chất xơ, đồng thời lại ít chất béo và calo. Tôi hiện đang cố gắng giảm cân, vì vậy thật hoàn hảo khi tự ăn và tôi không phải lo lắng về việc tăng cân. Quan trọng nhất, tôi luôn cảm thấy giá cả hoàn toàn phải chăng. Trung bình tôi chỉ mất khoảng 5 USD cho một bữa ăn và đó là một món hời thực sự so với các lựa chọn khác. Tôi đang ở trên một ngân sách eo hẹp, vì vậy càng rẻ, càng tốt.

Tóm lại, đó là những lý do tại sao tôi thích sushi.

Nguồn: Sách IELTS Speaking Actual Test

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• IELTS Speaking theo chủ đề

In many countries, people can eat a wide variety of food today. As a result, they eat food from other regions than local food. Do you think the advantages of the development outweigh disadvantages?

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some country pay extremely high salaries for people. Some people believe that the country must not do that and make a limit for the salaries. Do you agree or disagree.

Discuss your academic and non-academic achievements (for undergraduate and vocational student), and industrial experience (for vocational student only) including the process and skills involved in your previous or current degree program, qaqas) . the best way to solve the world’s environmental problems is to increase the cost of fuel for cars and other vehicles. to what extent do you agree or disagree, nowadaysn teenagers are suffering from a lot of pressure.write an esay of about 250 words to list the causes of teen pressure and give solutions to overcome, countries should produce enough food for their own population and import as little as possible. do you agree or disagree with this statement.

ChatGPT: Disruptive or Constructive?

Thursday, Jul 18, 2024 • Jeremiah Valentine : [email protected]

What is Chat GPT?

ChatGPT is a popular emerging technology using Artificial Intelligence. GPT stands for Generative Pre-trained Transformer, which describes an AI program that looks for patterns in language and data learning to predict the next word in a sentence or the next paragraph in an essay. The website has a friendly interface that allows users to interact with AI in a n efficient conversational tone . ChatGPT provides another opportunity for students, instructors, researchers, workers, and others to find practical solutions to everyday and complicated problems.

At the root of this conversation is Artificial Intelligence. I plan to explore applicable uses of AI and ChatGPT in the classroom , entrepreneurial potential uses, and applications in industry .

Everyday Uses of Artificial Intelligence

The use of Artificial I ntelligence varies based on the user and their end goal. While many individuals will use certain programs or websites to meet specific objectives , many companies and apps have begun to utilize this emerging technology to better meet their customer's needs.

Duolingo is a popular foreign language learning application that I use to supplement my Spanish studies . The app uses Artificial Intelligence to assess users' knowledge and understanding as they interact with the program , thus streamlining users learning outcomes.

As another example, Khan Academy is a free online resource that helps teachers and students learn any level of math or other grade school topics for free. They have created Khanmigo , using AI. The model acts as a tutor that helps work through a problem while not directly providing the answer. It can assist in writing an essay or solving a complex math problem step by step.

These everyday applications continue a trend of companies implementing this new technolog y into students and teachers' lives . . This new AI technology also allows business professionals to enhance aspects of their processes.

Entrepreneurs, A.I. and the Advantages

While AI already provides companies and organizations with new ways to interact with and better support their customers, AI could also provide emerging industries and entrepreneurs with new paths to business success. 

According to Entrpreneur.com, most businesses currently use AI for customer service purposes , however , AI could also help entrepreneurs create effective spreadsheets cataloging useful data with accuracy that can be incredibly specific or broad. Specifically with customer service, AI can quickly find what a customer needs and solve their problems efficiently. It could also analyze how effective marketing campaigns are influencing customers’ purchases.

As I researched for more information about this topic, I found an article in The Journal of Business Venturing Insights published in March 2023, sharing different techniques business students can use ChatGPT as an asset to generate entrepreneurial business pitches. The article titled “ The Artificially Intelligent Entrepreneur” written by Cole Short, an Assistant Professor of Strategy at Pepperdine University, and Jeremy C. Short, a UTA alumni and Professor at the University of North Texas at Denton, showcased different elevator pitch scenarios.

Students and entrepreneurs study CEOs who have impacted an industry dynamically; the CEO's mentality is an asset . I had the opportunity to question Dr. Jeremy Short on how he arrived at the initial question of using AI as a CEO archetype business consultant. An archetype is a symbol, term, or pattern of behavior which others have replicated or emulated.

He responded, “ We used this existing framework and selected a CEO from each archetype and used ChatGPT to create elevator pitches, social media pitches, and crowdfunding pitches. The strength of ChatGPT is based largely on the creativity of the prompt, which is where we aim as authors.”

CEO Archetypes and Prompt Engineering

ChatGPT allows the user to understand the archetypes of successful CEOs and collaborate with entrepreneurial styles. These archetypes are accessible options to consult with AI. Let ’ s break down different CEO archetypes students used during this study:

Creator CEOs are typically serial entrepreneurs and serve during the growth stages of developing new businesses. These individuals are risk takers recognizing opportunities that others don ’ t see. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and Twitter is the creator archetype.

Transformer CEOs are created by climbing the ladder of a successful business and adding new ideas . They have a firm understanding of the company's culture and work to dramatically change the company, separating it from missteps in the past. Indra Nooyi CEO of PepsiCo is the transformer archetype.

Savior CEOs rescue businesses on the verge of failure with disciplined actions, unique experience and insights they forge a successful path forward for declining businesses. Lisa Su, CEO of AMD is the savior archetype.

ChatGPT was prompted to write an elevator pitch in the style of the previously listed CEOs. 

The response for Elon Musk included language about “ building” a product with “ cutting-edge technology.” 

Indra Nooyi ’s response included phrases like “ the world is changing” and making “ a positive impact in the world.” 

Lisa Su's response produced a pitch speaking about being “ accountable, tough and disciplined” with an emphasis on “ a strong focus on efficiency and performance.”

However, I believe these positions can help entrepreneurs develop their own successful business practices; creating a product your former employer could use to gain an advantage over the competition is disruptive. B uying a company on the brink of bankruptcy that has been mismanaged is a scenario entrepreneurs have explored and practiced .

Prompt engineering is the description of a task AI can accomplish , with instructions embedded in the input. Using prompt engineering, users can fine-tune their input to achieve a desired output incorporating a task description to guide the AI model. 

Conversation around ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence

I asked Dr. Short about how students could use this technology as an asset that guides their learning and, additionally, how instructors can use this as well. He spoke about an assignment he is currently using in his classes. “ Chat GPT might be valuable in helping create a recipe for material that students can then refine. For example, in my social entrepreneurship class students create crowdfunding campaigns for either DonorsChoose , a platform that caters to public school teachers or GoFundMe , a service which allows a variety of project types to a larger userbase . I plan on students using ChatGPT to create a ‘rough draft’ to show me so I can see how they refine their responses for their particular campaigns this upcoming fall.” Th is approach allows students to take advantage of popular technology in a constructive way.

The journal article provided some notable conclusions about ChatGPT , i ncluding “ quality control is essential when using automated tools; a hallmark of success for large language models is their vast associative memory, this strength can also be a weakness. Specifically, models such as OpenAI’s GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 are capable of confidently generating “ hallucinated” output that appears correct but, it is incorrect or completely fabricated. ChatGPT serves as an emerging tool that can efficiently and flexibly produce a range of narrative content for entrepreneurs and serve to inspire future research at the intersection of entrepreneurship and AI.” ChatGPT ’s limitations and potential applications are continually being explored.

Industry Application

After researching various applications of AI, I spoke with Dr. George Benson, Professor and Department Chair of the Department of Management at The University of Texas at Arlington, about AI and ChatGPT from an industry perspective. His research focuses on Artificial Intelligence with Human Resource Management .

Dr. Benson told me that Artificial Intelligence is being invested heavily by human resource departments who are looking to automate hiring practices. Specifically, he mentioned “ HR is using this as a market opportunity. AI is a useful tool to sift through potential applicants by scanning their resumes for qualifications and experiences. Allowing professionals to hire applicants faster.”

This application allows the technology to handle low-level tasks, but the results generated are being handed to a human to review and act on. He spoke about the potential of A.I. “ There are a lot of unknowns, but the technology is new and getting better.” Looking towards the future, technology is already being applied in different ways . These applications are being explored in the classrooms of UTA as well.

Exploration of AI at UTA

The College of Business conduct ed a survey to understand the faculty’s attitude towards A I in the classroom. It was a part of the “Teaching with Chat GPT” workshop on Friday February 9 th , which focus ed on how to integrate Chat GPT and other AI platforms into teaching . 

Dr. Kevin Carr, a Clinical Assistant Professor of Marketing at UTA, was a part of the workshop ; he currently teaches Advanced Business Communication . I talked to him about the purpose of the workshop and what he hopes to gain from the group's sessions. 

Dr. Carr explained "The point of the workshop is designed to give faculty ideas for instruction and to develop classroom activities to work with students . Our goal for th e workshop is to introduce Artificial Intelligence as a teaching tool for faculty, including showing what AI can do potentially in the classroom. We are going to be very open to faculty’s direction, in terms of ongoing discu ssions and meetings.”

Personal Take

Artificial Intelligence or Chat GPT , in my view, is another useful tool in the toolbox of technology. It will take the air out of certain industries, and it will change jobs, yet every major technological advancement has the potential to do so. The automobile was considered radical, the use of plastic, computers in the workplace, and alternative energy have been impactful on society. 

Alternative energy was headlined as the end of oil use. The automobile changed the way cities were formed and led to the creation of a national highway system. Society has always found a way to adapt and overcome major technological innovations, artificial intelligence is not any different.

AI is the technology of tomorrow. It reminds me of something Dr. George Benson said , “ It's cool software that is a sophisticated search engine.” Google, one of the most popular search engines, reshaped the internet, as you search for resources, it is a natural starting point. AI and ChatGPT are an evolution, for students it is a tremendous resource consulting a CEO archetype, creating business pitches, and most importantly shaping the future .

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Essay: The Hidden History of China’s Post Office

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The Hidden History of China’s Post Office

What the making of a national mail system reveals about the country’s push for modernization..

When a young Robert Hart arrived in Shanghai in 1854 as a translator for the British consulate, he could hardly have anticipated that his life would be so closely intertwined with China’s evolution into a modern state. Few people have heard of Hart today, but in a career spanning nearly 60 years, this official from the rural market town of Portadown in what is now Northern Ireland played a transformative role in Chinese history.

This article is adapted from The Making of China’s Post Office: Sovereignty, Modernization, and the Connection of a Nation by Weipin Tsai (Harvard University Asia Center, 450 pp., $75, February 2024).

As the inspector general of China’s Imperial Maritime Customs Service from 1861 to 1911, Hart initiated major infrastructure projects, from port facilities and lighthouses to meteorology and mapmaking services. But his most important program had to do with postal services.

From his very first meeting at the newly established Zongli Yamen, China’s foreign affairs ministry, Hart arrived with a comprehensive vision for Chinese modernization—one that included plans for a modern, state-run national post office based on the model recently adopted by countries such as Britain, Germany, and the United States.

Yet for all his successes, and despite dogged persistence, it took Hart 35 years to materialize a post office. This delay is one of the most intriguing historical questions of the period, and it takes us into the heart of Qing political dynamics and the struggle to direct the course of Chinese modernization. Whether to adopt foreign models of reform remains a tense issue in China today—as do the struggles of reformers to change entrenched institutions.

By 1861, the Qing court was finally prepared to accept that Western foreigners were in China to stay—along with their innovative weapons, an international treaty-based order, and new types of trade. Western powers had recently defeated China in the Second Opium War, and China was forced to ratify new treaties with Britain, France, Russia, and the United States. Though these treaties were different, they all included the opening of new ports, provisions for foreign legations to be stationed in Beijing, and permission for foreigners to travel in China.

In response to this new reality, China established the Zongli Yamen and launched a reform program called the Self-Strengthening Movement. Empress Dowager Cixi authorized many of these reforms. In the summer of 1861, after her husband’s death, Cixi staged a successful coup d’état against other imperial regents. The empress dowager—who liked to compare herself to her contemporary, Britain’s Queen Victoria—effectively ruled China from behind the curtain for most of the next 50 years.

The modernization projects of the Self-Strengthening Movement included agricultural reform; naval procurement and training; the creation of schools and military colleges with new curricula; and the establishment of railroads, telegraph, steamship routes, modern mining, and textile operations. Many of these projects relied on foreign capital, and foreigners helped deliver them.

Hart was one of these foreigners. In the years following the outbreak of the 1850 Taiping Rebellion, the largest civil war in China in centuries, many foreigners were employed by the Qing government in support of its military campaigns. They were also recruited to work in various modernization programs. The fledgling Customs Service that Hart inherited and shaped to his vision was a hybrid institution: Its highest-ranking officials were foreigners, while the organization collected tariffs for the government and represented the Qing Empire’s sovereignty.

Hart established a high degree of confidence and trust among the Manchu royal family, which ruled the Qing Empire, and high officials in Beijing who oversaw the Zongli Yamen. By the 1880s, the Customs Service had become one of the largest and most reliable sources of government revenue. China used the service’s tariff collections to service its foreign loans and pay its treaty indemnity obligations, but also as collateral to finance new projects. This brought Hart respect, but also suspicion, particularly as nationalist sentiment rose. This wariness was one factor that made it difficult for Hart to realize his plans for a post office.

Before the national post office was established, China had two main postal systems: military courier and private letter hongs. By the mid-19th century, the centuries-old military relay courier system, used only for important official communications, was moving toward collapse, as corruption was endemic and maintenance costs extremely high.

Meanwhile, private letter hongs—family-owned courier firms—had long proved their usefulness for merchants and ordinary people. The hongs operated with a storefront and would collect and deliver mail and small packages across a specified area. They also handled remittances, in conjunction with traditional Chinese banks. While firms were local or regional, they also participated in cooperative networks enabling deliveries over long distances. They often had their own dedicated transportation methods, such as on foot, by animal, or by boat. Networks of private letter hongs covered the whole of China, and indeed operated beyond its borders and at many locations overseas to service the Chinese diaspora. The hongs continued to exist after the establishment of the post office and were its most important rival.

Left: The exterior of the Fuzhou Post Office, circa 1905-06. Two wooden boards behind the group read: “The Postmaster orders – Important official bureau” (right) and “The postmaster orders – Noise prohibited.” Right: The postal agency as a local information hub in Yongchun, Fujian province, circa 1904-07. Harvard University, Edward Bangs Drew Collection, Harvard-Yenching Library; John Preston Maxwell, Cadbury Research Library, University of Birmingham

Hart clashed with provincial governors, who repeatedly prevented his postal plans from being approved, in some cases in response to lobbying from private letter hongs. Li Hongzhang, the powerful governor-general of Zhili province and long-term ally of Cixi, commented in 1876 that some Chinese officials feared that if Hart were to succeed in launching and controlling a national post office, it might leave him with too much power, and it would become too difficult to ever remove him from his post. Li was also concerned about the extent of British power in China, and he was instrumental in shifting his country’s military procurement away from Britain to its rising European rival, Germany.

After several attempts to win approval from the central government for the establishment of an Imperial Post Office, Hart’s moment finally arrived when China suffered a humiliating defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895. China had to cede Taiwan to British-equipped Japan, and the Qing court was swamped by petitions arriving from officials and intellectuals in all corners of China to remove Li and to implement further reforms. These roundly criticized China’s tactical failures, and many of the petitions blamed them on Li, who had led naval affairs in northern China and signed the Shimonoseki Treaty that ended the war.

As Li became the scapegoat for the wider military failures, Hart found a powerful ally in Weng Tonghe, a member of the Grand Council and teacher of Cixi’s nephew, the young Emperor Guangxu. Weng supported reform and was willing to give backing to Hart. Despite Cixi’s reluctance, Li was not only removed from his governor-general position, but also sent to Russia to attend the coronation of Czar Nicholas II, an intentional move to take him out of the capital. On March 20, 1896, not long after Li left Beijing for Shanghai to catch a French ship to Europe, the Zongli Yamen presented the long-awaited proposal to establish the Imperial Post Office to the emperor, who approved it the same day.

A drawing of a letter pillar box, circa 1906. On the front of the pillar box there is a note, deliberately made in the design of a traditional Chinese letter cover. On a letter cover, the red central area was the customary place for the recipient’s name, the white area on the right was for the recipient’s address, and the sender’s name was placed on the left. Postal Circular/Tianjin Municipal Archives

Hart’s success in establishing a post office with a national presence mainly came down to the fact that it was left to develop without much direct interference from either central or local government. With only a modest budget to start with, provided by the Chinese Maritime Customs Service, the post office was placed under the care of a core group of the agency’s foreign and Chinese staff. They had little or no prior experience running postal services, but they were given space to learn from mistakes and proceed at their own pace.

Hart also kept the post office away from the Universal Postal Union (UPU) because he thought full membership too early would be costly and interfere with the institution’s development. He complained that both France and Germany wanted to bully China into joining the UPU before it was ready for all incoming mail from abroad; China would also have to accommodate postal rates decided by other countries and pay UPU fees. There was a political dimension, too: Hart was concerned that joining the UPU might give the French greater leverage in how China’s post office was developed and run.

Hart and his team needed to make the post office acceptable to the Chinese public and win the collaboration of local governments. To achieve this, they introduced measures that would project the postal service’s “Chinese” elements, including placing Chinese employees in positions of authority in local branches, designing postage stamps and pillar boxes that featured Chinese characters and symbolism (such as Qing dragons), and establishing post offices in busy market locations or the precincts of larger temples. Hart’s team also co-opted local shops to double as postal agencies, which helped the post office expand outside major cities. This proved to be mutually beneficial: The locations became information hubs for communities, bringing with them greater social status for their owners.

The post office’s arrival had a striking visual impact on city, town, and even village landscapes, with new signboards, letterboxes, and grand post office buildings. Collectively, these helped project a new image for the Qing empire of a rising modern state.

Revisiting Chinese Empire

A new book explores parallel lives spent on its periphery.

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On a practical level, the communication networks that Hart’s team developed intentionally moved away from the old military relay courier approach, which focused on finding the most direct routes between regional centers and the imperial capital of Beijing. Postal route design now had different priorities: Hart’s team emphasized the creation of more contact points on routes to maximize the speed and usability of services for the greatest number of people. Based on this logic, the team set up post offices in hinterland towns on borders between provinces. It also established express delivery points in non-treaty port cities and smaller towns that may have ranked poorly in the traditional administrative hierarchy but that had developed important commercial neighborhoods with significant mail traffic.

When the Qing government reassessed its central administration in 1906, it set up a new Ministry of Posts and Communications to bring together railway, steam transportation, telegraph, and postal services under one banner. This marked a significant shift in the government’s approach to managing transportations and communications to suit the need of a modern state. Prior to this time, these areas were considered foreign affairs and placed under the supervision of the Zongli Yamen; this change saw them formally re-designated as domestic matters.

For the government, the Imperial Post Office materialized at the right time, and not only because it showcased the country’s reform program. Efficient, cost-effective communications across the empire’s vast territory had been a problem for many decades, particularly at its periphery where its sovereignty was increasingly under challenge. For the frail Qing empire, the post office presented itself as a solution.

Consequently, along with its visible but seemingly mundane role of collecting and delivering mail, the post office carried the flag for two important missions: the construction of a unified communications network across China’s enormous land mass for use by the general public for the first time in Chinese history, and the projection of national sovereignty. The final reaches of postal routes were the end points of sovereign power over a vast territory.

The final years of the Qing empire, which met its end in the revolution of 1911, were a trying time as it struggled to reform amid widespread calls for change in the streets. While prestige projects struggled, the post office—quietly and humbly rolled out at ground level without a grand plan—provides a rare example of a reform initiative that was an unequivocal success.

Books are independently selected by FP editors. FP earns an affiliate commission on anything purchased through links to Amazon.com on this page.

Weipin Tsai is a historian of modern China at Royal Holloway, University of London. Her research interests include knowledge exchange and global material culture in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and she works closely with materials related to the Chinese Maritime Customs Service.

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Early this year, I went for my first physical in longer than I’d care to admit. At the time, I was about halfway through a list of 140 or so restaurants I planned to visit before I wrote the 2024 edition of “The 100 Best Restaurants in New York City.” It was a fair bet that I wasn’t in the best shape of my life.

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