XXI. Read and translate a newspaper article.
NOTE: C$ Canadian Dollars Business Cities: Toronto offers a room with a sporting view Sports-loving business travellers visiting Canada's commercial and financial hub have an attractive new option to consider when deciding where to spend the night. The 348-room Sky Dome hotel, part of the Sky Dome stadium, the city's new £305 m sports complex which boasts a Hard Rock cafe and a retractable roof among other amenities, has 71 rooms overlooking the playing surface. Nightly rates range from C$175 {about average for a Toronto luxury hotel) to C$850 for a bi-level suite. Rooms with a view will start at C$275 a night for dates when events are scheduled. The stadium is centrally located, so the hotel should be relatively convenient for business meetings. However, for those seeking to avoid the soulless anonymity which can pervade even the best chain hotels, the hostelry of choice in Toronto remains the Windsor Arms. This small hotel, recently purchased by Edoken Canada, is situated near the expensive Yorkville shopping area, a ten-minute taxi ride from the financial district. Individually - furnished rooms lend it something of the air of a country mansion. The hotel's high teas are strongly recommended, as is the Three Small Rooms restaurants. The general standard of restaurants in Toronto has risen by leaps and bounds, the legacy partly of the accelerating influx of immigrants into the city from all corners of the globe. Most of the ethnic tastes are catered for. The city's sprawling Chinatown is a particularly happy hunting ground. Probably the best restaurant in town for the certified "foodie" is Jamie Kennedy's adventurous Palmerstons. The menu specialises in unusual combinations of flavours, sweetbreads are a speciality. Expect to pay C$60—C$70 per head, including wine. In the medium price range the restaurant Southern Accents is hard to beat, not least for its generously proportioned cocktails. Blackened and bronzed dishes are uniformly flavourful. For spice lovers, piquant shrimp pasta is the order of the day. Service is outstanding. Advancebookings are advised for both establishments. Among the pick of the bunch in the cheap and cheerful category is The Real Jerk, a raucous West Indian restaurant. A range of roti and curry dishes is on offer, as well as a surprisingly delicately spiced Jerk chicken. It is not unusual to escape for less than C$15 per person. It helps if you enjoy a reggae music accompaniment. Recommended at lunchtime are Sangam, an Indian restaurant which serves a first class luncheon buffet catering particularly well for vegetarians, and Simcoes, an up-market pasta eatery. The latter also boasts a fine selection of fruit sorbets. On a less cheerful note, it is worth bearing in mind that Toronto's traffic problem is getting worse. Two upshots of this are: first, allow at least an hour for the trip to the airport. Second, become familiar with the subway. This is safe, efficient and very, very tidy. Finally, although everybody knows that Canada is cold in winter, Toronto's oppressive summer heat and humidity is often overlooked. If visiting between June and early September, lightweight clothing is accordingly indispensable. (adapted from the FT) a) Explain the meaning of the following: visiting a hub a retractable roof a bi-level suite the soulless anonymity high teas has risen by leaps and bounds, to cater for the ethnic tastes a happy hunting ground the certified "foodies" generously proportioned cocktails is the order of the day the pick of the bunch in the cheap and cheerful category It is not unusual to escape for less than... per person. luncheon buffet catering an up-market pasta eatery it is worth bearing in mind summer heat and humidity is often overlooked lightweight clothing is indispensable b) Answer the questions: Why is the Sky Dome hotel recommended to sports-loving business travellers? What other amenities attract visitors? What are the room rates at the Sky Dome? How different is the Windsor Arms? Where is it located? What features are especially recommended? Why did the standard of Toronto restaurants rise by leaps and bounds? Why are different ethnic tastes catered for? What part of the city is a happy hunting ground? Why? What types of restaurants are there? How are restaurants classified according to the prices charged? What other recommendations are given to visitors to Toronto? Why?
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