Is Pizza Really from Italy? ELL listening lesson

50-minute English Lesson

In this ELL listening lesson, students learn the history of pizza and answer the question, Did pizza really come from Italy?

Read the story

ELL listening lesson: Pizza

Many people think pizza started in Italy. That’s part of the story, but it’s not the whole story.

The history of pizza begins thousands of years ago.

Ancient people collected wheat and pounded it into small pieces. They added water and cooked it on a hot rock. That was flatbread.

Around 700 BC, the Greeks discovered new ways to prepare and cook flatbread. They made it round and added an outside edge. Oil, onions and garlic were added before cooking. They also used yeast to make the bread easy to eat.

The Romans came up with several improvements, like adding cheese and meat. They also made a thin crust cooked in a wood-burning oven.

Ten centuries later, tomato sauce was finally added to flatbread. The tomato first arrived in Europe in the 1530s, but it was rarely used. Many thought it was poisonous.

The people of Naples, Italy were perhaps the first to cook with this round, red fruit. By the 1750s, flatbread with tomato sauce was an essential part of the diet in Naples. By the 1790s, the streets in busy neighbourhoods were filled with food stands selling low-cost pizza. When visiting Naples, everybody wanted to eat the local dish. In 1830, the first pizza restaurant opened. That restaurant is still open today.

In 1889, pizza became popular in Italy. That’s when the King and Queen visited Naples. The queen loved pizza with red sauce, white cheese and green herbs; the same colours as the Italian flag. After the visit, Italy experienced a pizza craze.

The rest of the world didn’t experience pizza until after the 1950s. Following World War 2, millions of Italians moved abroad. When they moved, they brought their food culture with them.

Pizza shops popped up everywhere. People around the world fell in love with pizza, a food that was started in ancient times, improved by the Greeks and Romans, and perfected in Naples.

Listen to the story

english listening lesson Pizza story

English listening lesson: Gap Fill

listen tO THE ELL lesson STORY AGAIN AND FILL IN THE BLANKS.

Many people think pizza __________ in Italy. That’s part of the story, but it’s not the __________ story.

The history of pizza begins __________ of years ago.

Ancient people collected wheat and __________ it into small pieces. They added water and cooked it on a hot __________ . That was flatbread.

Around __________ BC, the Greeks discovered new ways to __________ and cook flatbread. They made it round and added an __________ edge. Oil, onions and garlic were added before cooking. They also used yeast to make the __________ easy to eat.

The Romans came up with several __________ , like adding cheese and meat. They also made a __________ crust cooked in a wood-burning oven.

Ten __________ later, tomato sauce was finally added to flatbread. The tomato first __________ in Europe in the __________ , but it was rarely used. Many thought it was __________ .

The people of Naples, Italy were perhaps the first to cook with this round, red __________ . By the 1750s, flatbread with tomato sauce was an __________ part of the diet in Naples. By the __________ , the streets in busy neighbourhoods were __________ with food stands selling low-cost pizza. When visiting Naples, everybody wanted to eat the __________ dish. In __________ , the first pizza restaurant opened. That restaurant is __________ open today.

In __________ , pizza became popular in Italy. That’s when the King and Queen __________ Naples. The queen loved pizza with red __________ , white cheese and green herbs; the same colours as the Italian flag. After the visit, Italy experienced a pizza __________ .

The rest of the world didn’t experience pizza until after the __________ . Following World War 2, millions of Italians moved abroad. When they moved, they brought their food __________ with them.

Pizza shops __________ up everywhere. People around the world __________ in love with pizza, a food that was started in __________ times, improved by the Greeks and Romans, and __________ in Naples.

ESL discussion questions

Talk about the ELL listening lesson article.

1. What is a pizza?
2. Did you like pizza? What are your favorite toppings?
3. What do you think about pineapple or anchovies on pizza?
4. Summarize the evolution of the pizza.
5. Based on the information in the story, is pizza an Italian food?

Synonym match

MATCH THE WORD OR PHRASE ON THE LEFT WITH THE CORRECT SYNONYM.

English listening lesson: anagrams

MOVE LETTERS. MAKE A WORD FROM the critical listening story.

1. NATIECN
2. UCESA
3. BHSER
4. REACZ
5. TUCRS
6. ETSYA

Writing practice

Write the sentences. Put the words in the correct order.

1. 1889 / in / pizza / popular / became / In / Italy
2. rock / cooked / hot / They / added / a / it / on / and / water
3. Ten / was / finally / sauce / later / flatbread / to / centuries / tomato / added
4. flatbread / Naples / 1750s / part / the / sauce / was / in / essential / of / an / tomato / diet / the / with / By
5. they / moved / their / culture / When / food / with / brought / them / they

More listening and reading

ESL critical listening lessons

Learn more English online about food? Try this English listening comprehension lesson about sugar.

Watch a video and take notes

extending critical listening

Learn more? Watch a short video about the Pizza Hut, an international restaurant. It’s about four minutes.

1. Watch the video.
2. Take notes.
3. Make a list with at least eight facts.

Get the worksheet

Print out the worksheet for this ESL article about pizza? Click to download the PDF worksheet.

Click to see the answers for this ELL listening lesson about pizza.