PRE-READING VOCABULARY

permanent (permanente) = lasting for a long time or forever
Example: The company opened a permanent office in Madrid.

conveyor belt (cinta transportadora) = a moving machine that carries objects
Example: The sushi plates moved around the restaurant on a conveyor belt.

delight (deleitar / encantar) = to make someone very happy
Example: The food delighted the customers.

pop-up (temporal / emergente) = temporary; open for a short time only
Example: The café started as a pop-up business.

expand (expandirse) = to grow larger or move into new places
Example: The restaurant chain plans to expand into Europe.

profit (beneficio / ganancia) = money earned after costs are paid
Example: The company made a large profit last year.

PRE-READING

WARM-UP QUESTIONS

1. How popular is Japanese food in your country?

2. Have you ever eaten at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant?

3. Why do some restaurant chains become successful internationally?

4. Would you open a restaurant in a famous tourist area? Why or why not?

READING

ARTICLE

Sushiro to Open First Restaurant Outside Asia

Sushiro has announced that it is opening its first permanent US restaurant this fall.

The popular Japanese conveyor belt sushi chain said it is opening a restaurant in the Times Square area of New York City.

Food and Life Companies, the group that owns Sushiro, said it wants to create a restaurant that “delights as many customers as possible in New York.”

Times Square is on the island of Manhattan and is one of the busiest and most famous places in “The Big Apple.”

Sushiro already has almost 950 restaurants, including about 660 in Japan. However, the New York restaurant will be the company’s first restaurant outside Asia.

There have already been Sushiro pop-up restaurants in the US before now.

The permanent restaurant will open in a three-story building that used to be a McDonald’s restaurant. The first and second floors will have about 150 seats and the famous conveyor belts.

The basement floor will include private rooms and a sushi bar.

The New York menu will probably be similar to the menus at other Sushiro restaurants. The company promised delicious food and good value for customers.

Food and Life Companies is in a strong position to expand because sales and profits increased during the financial year ending in March.

It is likely that more Sushiro restaurants will open outside Asia in the future.

However, not everyone on social media thinks opening in Times Square is a good idea.

Some people think prices will be too high because of the location. Others believe the sushi will not taste as good as it does in Japan.

COMPREHENSION CHECK

B1 LEVEL – BASIC UNDERSTANDING

Multiple Choice

1. Where will Sushiro open its first permanent US restaurant?

• a) Los Angeles

• b) New York City

• c) San Francisco

2. Approximately how many restaurants does Sushiro already have?

• a) 300

• b) 660

• c) 950

3. What used to be inside the building before Sushiro?

• a) A hotel

• b) A McDonald’s

• c) A supermarket

4. What will the basement include?

• a) A kitchen only

• b) A shopping area

• c) Private rooms and a sushi bar

5. Why are some people worried about the new restaurant?

• a) The sushi may be expensive

• b) The restaurant may close quickly

• c) The menu may be too small

True or False

6. Sushiro already has restaurants in Europe.

7. Times Square is located in Manhattan.

8. The company wants to expand internationally.

9. The menu in New York will probably be completely different from Japan.

10. Social media reactions were completely positive.

Short Answers

11. What makes Sushiro restaurants different from many traditional restaurants?

12. Why is the company in a good position to expand?

13. Why do some people think the sushi may not be as good as in Japan?

B2 LEVEL – DEEP COMPREHENSION

Reading for Detail

1. What evidence in the article suggests that Sushiro is already a successful company?

2. Why might Times Square be both a good and bad location for the restaurant?

3. How does the article suggest the company wants to maintain its brand identity in New York?

4. Why do you think the article mentions the building was previously a McDonald’s?

5. What can we infer about Sushiro’s future international plans?

Reading Between the Lines

6. Why might customers expect authentic Japanese sushi from Sushiro?

7. What concerns do people often have when international brands expand overseas?

8. Why could social media opinions affect the restaurant before it even opens?

9. What does the phrase “good value for money” suggest about Sushiro’s business strategy?

10. Why do you think the company tested pop-up restaurants before opening a permanent location?

Vocabulary in Context

11. What does expand mean in this sentence?
    “Food and Life Companies is in a strong position to expand.”

12. What does delights mean in this sentence?
    “It wants to create a restaurant that delights as many customers as possible.”

13. What does profits increasing tell us about the company’s situation?

14. Why is the word permanent important in the article?

15. What does the phrase good value for money mean?

C1 LEVEL – ADVANCED ANALYSIS

Analytical Questions

1. To what extent does the article present globalization as a positive development?

2. How does the writer balance factual reporting with public opinion throughout the article?

3. What assumptions do customers make about authenticity when international brands expand abroad?

4. Why might opening in Times Square be considered both a branding strategy and a financial risk?

5. How does the article reflect changing international attitudes toward Japanese cuisine?

Inference and Interpretation

6. What can be inferred about the competitive restaurant market in New York City?

7. Why might the company prioritize “value for money” in such an expensive location?

8. What does the public reaction on social media suggest about customer expectations of foreign food chains?

9. How might Sushiro’s business model differ from traditional high-end sushi restaurants?

10. What broader economic trends may have encouraged Sushiro’s international expansion?

Critical Response

11. Do you think authenticity is more important than accessibility in international cuisine?

12. Should global restaurant chains adapt heavily to local tastes, or preserve their original identity?

13. How can social media shape public perception before consumers even experience a product?

14. Why are consumers often skeptical about overseas versions of famous brands?

15. In what ways does location influence customer expectations about quality and pricing?

LANGUAGE SUPPORT

Expressing Analysis

• The article suggests that…

• This may imply that…

• One possible interpretation is that…

• The writer appears to highlight…

Speculating

• It is likely that…

• This could indicate…

• The company may be attempting to…

• Consumers might perceive…

Evaluating

• One advantage is…

• A potential drawback could be…

• This strategy may be effective because…

• From a business perspective…

ANSWER SECTION

B1 Multiple Choice

1. b) New York City

2. c) 950

3. b) A McDonald’s

4. c) Private rooms and a sushi bar

5. a) The sushi may be expensive

B1 True or False

6. False

7. True

8. True

9. False

10. False

B1 Short Answers

11. They use conveyor belts to serve sushi.

12. Sales and profits increased.

13. They think the sushi quality may not be as good outside Japan.

B2 ANSWERS

Reading for Detail

1. The article says Sushiro has almost 950 restaurants and increasing sales and profits.

2. Times Square is a good location because many people visit it, but it may also cause high prices and high business costs.

3. The company plans to keep a similar menu and use the famous conveyor belts.

4. It shows the building is large, well-known, and located in an important commercial area.

5. We can infer that the company plans to continue opening more restaurants outside Asia.

Reading Between the Lines

6. Because Sushiro is a famous Japanese sushi chain with many successful restaurants in Japan.

7. People worry about lower quality, higher prices, or losing authenticity.

8. Negative opinions online can influence customer expectations before the restaurant opens.

9. It suggests the company wants to offer reasonable prices with good quality food.

10. The company probably wanted to test customer interest before investing in a permanent restaurant.

Vocabulary in Context

11. It means to grow or open in more places.

12. It means to make customers happy or satisfied.

13. It tells us the company is financially successful.

14. It is important because previous Sushiro restaurants in the US were only temporary.

15. It means customers receive good quality food for a fair price.

C1 ANSWERS

Analytical Questions

1. The article mostly presents globalization positively through expansion and business success, but it also includes concerns about quality and pricing.

2. The writer combines factual business information with social media reactions to create a balanced perspective.

3. Customers often assume authentic food quality may decrease outside the brand’s home country.

4. Times Square offers global visibility and tourism, but also involves extremely high operating costs and customer expectations.

5. The article reflects the growing worldwide popularity and acceptance of Japanese food culture.

Inference and Interpretation

6. The market is likely highly competitive, expensive, and difficult for new businesses.

7. The company may want to attract both tourists and local customers despite high location costs.

8. Customers expect authenticity, reasonable prices, and similar quality to the original country.

9. Sushiro appears to focus on accessibility, efficiency, and affordability rather than luxury dining.

10. Global interest in Japanese cuisine and strong company profits likely encouraged expansion.

Critical Response

11. Possible answer: Both are important, but accessibility allows more people to experience international cuisine.

12. Possible answer: Companies should balance local adaptation with preserving their cultural identity.

13. Social media can create positive or negative expectations before customers visit the restaurant.

14. Consumers may believe international versions are less authentic or lower quality.

15. Expensive locations often increase expectations about food quality, atmosphere, and pricing.