Instructions: Ask a friend to practice this skit with you. You can take turns playing the role of the server or of Juan. You can change Juan's name--to give him a name more appropriate for your background. Or, you can change that role to be a woman. The server can be either male or female, too.

Click here to hear a version of the skit performed for you. (TBA)

Scene: Juan has just arrived in the U.S. He has never ordered a meal in English. He is very hungry, but he does not speak much English. He goes into the restaurant at his hotel and sits down. A server comes over to his table. Juan's plan is to order the simplest thing he can think of--steak and potatoes.

Server: Good evening, sir. Would you care for a drink before dinner?

Juan: I don't speak much English. I want steak and potatoes.

S: What was that, sir? What do you want?

J: Steak. Potatoes. I want steak and potatoes.

S: What kind of steak? We have New York Strip and sirloin steak.

J: What is the difference?

S: The New York Strip costs more.

J: Well, I want the other kind.

S: Oh. Okay. One sirloin steak. How do you want it cooked?

J: What? Cooked? Yes, I want it cooked.

S: Do you want your steak rare, medium, well-done?

J: What is rare?

S: Not cooked very much.

J: No, no. I want it cooked very much.

S: Okay, well-done. What kind of potatoes do you want?

J: Potatoes? Yes, I want potatoes.

S: French fries, baked, mashed. How do you want the potatoes cooked?

J: Baked. I want a baked potato.

S: With butter? Sour cream?

J: What is sour cream?

S: I don't know what it is. It's for baked potatoes.

J: No, no sour cream.

S: Okay, one baked potato with butter. The steak comes with a salad or cole slaw. Which would you prefer?

J: Cole slaw? What is that?

S: A kind of cabbage salad.

J: Cabbage? What is cabbage?

S: A vegetable. It's green. It's used in cole slaw.

J: Just a regular salad, please. Something simple and easy to order.

S: Okay, a green salad. What kind of dressing do you want?

J: I just want a steak and potato dinner. What is dressing?

S: For the salad. Do you want bleu cheese, thousand island, house, or Italian dressing on the salad?

J: You pick one. Anything is okay.

S: A well-done sirloin steak with a baked potato with butter. A green salad with thousand island dressing. What would you like to drink?

J: Drink? Coffee, I think. Yes, some coffee.

S: Regular or decaf?

J: What, another choice! I just want some hot coffee.

S: Yes, sir! Would you care for any dessert?

J: No, no, just my steak and potatoes. After I know more English, I'll order dessert.