Would you eat a possum? ‘Ecologically, it’s all very much above board’
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EN: When using adjectives with words ending in '-thing' (like 'something', 'anything', 'nothing'), the adjective must go AFTER the word, not before it.
I want to try something delicious at the market.
EN: Tasmania is an island state of Australia known for its pristine wilderness and unique wildlife. The Dark Mofo festival, held in Hobart, celebrates the winter solstice with art, food, and light, often featuring unusual or controversial culinary experiences to challenge visitors.
EN: The modal verb 'could' is used here to express past ability or possibility. It is followed by the base form of the verb (in this case, 'eat').
We could see the stars clearly last night.
EN: The Dark Mofo Winter Feast is a famous annual food and art festival held in Hobart, Tasmania. It is known for its gothic, dark aesthetic, red lighting, and for showcasing unusual, wild, and exotic local Tasmanian foods, such as wallaby and possum, which are legally harvested and managed under strict ecological guidelines.
EN: The structure 'stood in a queue to [verb]' is used to describe the action of waiting in a line in order to do something. 'To' here introduces the purpose of standing in the queue.
We stood in a queue to buy movie tickets.
EN: In Australia, particularly in Tasmania, the brushtail possum is an overabundant species. While eating possum might seem unusual to tourists, using locally sourced, sustainable wild game is a growing culinary trend in the region, as seen at festivals like Dark Mofo.
EN: We use 'with + noun' to describe what something has inside or what features it has. It is a simple way to add details to a noun.
He bought a cup of tea with milk.
EN: The word 'Bao' (or baozi) refers to a wide variety of filled buns in Asian cuisine. In Western countries, it has become highly popular in food markets, often referring specifically to Taiwanese 'Gua Bao' (steamed wedge buns filled with meat).
EN: We use the passive voice (was/were + past participle) when we want to focus on the action happening to the subject, rather than who did the action. Here, 'was' is shared by both 'slow-cooked' and 'put'.
The bread was baked and sold in the morning.
EN: The word 'bao' refers to the Chinese steamed bun (刈包 / 割包), which has become highly popular in Western food festivals as a trendy street food vessel for various fusion fillings, such as slow-cooked Tasmanian possum.
EN: The Simple Past Tense is used to describe an action that was completed at a specific time in the past. Regular verbs form the past tense by adding '-ed' to the base form (e.g., 'create' becomes 'created').
She cooked a delicious dinner yesterday.
EN: Hobart is the capital city of Tasmania, Australia. While possums are protected in many parts of Australia, in Tasmania, certain species like the brushtail possum are very common and can be sustainably harvested for meat under strict regulations, which is why local chefs like Jeremy Waterhouse can feature them on their menus.
EN: The phrase 'ago' is used to talk about a specific time in the past, counting back from the present. It is always placed after the time period (e.g., 'three years ago', not 'ago three years').
We moved to this city five years ago.
EN: In Australia, particularly in Tasmania, the brushtail possum is an introduced species that has become overpopulated and causes significant environmental damage. While eating possum might seem unusual or controversial to some, using it for food is promoted by some local chefs as an eco-friendly way to manage the pest population.
EN: The verb 'think' (past tense: 'thought') can be followed directly by a clause (a mini-sentence with a subject and verb) to show what someone believes. The word 'that' is often left out in casual English.
I thought you were at home.
EN: The pattern 'feel + adjective + about + doing something' is used to describe someone's emotions or reactions toward a specific activity. 'About' is a preposition, so the verb that follows must end in '-ing' (gerund).
She felt excited about traveling to Japan.
EN: In Australia, particularly in Tasmania, the brushtail possum is an introduced species that has become overpopulated, causing ecological damage. While eating possum is very unusual for most Australians and tourists, some chefs promote it as an environmentally friendly, sustainable meat source. However, because possums are commonly seen as cute backyard animals, many people have a strong psychological barrier to eating them.
EN: The pattern 'It takes/took someone time to do something' is used to express how much time is needed for someone to complete an action. 'It' is a placeholder subject, and the real action is introduced by 'to' followed by a verb.
It took me three hours to finish my homework.
EN: In Australia, particularly in Tasmania, the brushtail possum is an overpopulated species that causes significant damage to the local ecosystem and forests. While eating possum might seem unusual or even taboo to outsiders, promoting it as a sustainable, organic meat source is seen by some locals as an eco-friendly way to manage the pest population.
EN: Using a gerund (verb + -ing) as the subject of a sentence. When a verb ends in '-ing', it can act like a noun and be the subject of a sentence. It is always treated as singular, so we use 'is'.
Eating vegetables is good for your health.
EN: In Australia, particularly in Tasmania, the brushtail possum population is very large and can cause ecological imbalance. While eating possum might seem unusual or controversial to outsiders, some locals and chefs promote it as a sustainable, organic meat source that helps manage the pest population, making it 'good for the environment.'
EN: Using 'Subject + is + Adjective' to describe a state or characteristic. 'Common' is an adjective meaning happening often or found in many places.
Rain is very common in this city.
EN: The brushtail possum is a nocturnal marsupial native to Australia. While protected in mainland Australia, they are very common in Tasmania and are sometimes harvested for meat and fur to help manage their population ecologically.
EN: The idiom 'above board' (often 'open and above board') means honest, legal, and completely transparent, without any secret or illegal activity.
Don't worry, the entire business deal is completely above board.
EN: The idiom 'above board' historically comes from card games, where players keeping their hands 'above the board' (table) showed they were not cheating. In Tasmania, hunting and eating brushtail possums is strictly regulated by government guidelines to ensure sustainability, which is why the chef emphasizes that it is 'above board' (legal and ecologically sound).
EN: When a singular subject (like 'the chef') does two actions, we use 'and' to connect the two verbs. Both verbs must end with '-s' or '-es' in the simple present tense (uses, cooks).
She plays the piano and sings beautifully.
EN: In Australia, particularly in Tasmania, the brushtail possum is an introduced species that has become overpopulated and causes environmental damage. While eating possum might seem unusual to outsiders, using it for food is promoted by some local chefs as an eco-friendly way to manage the pest population.
EN: We use 'a few' with plural countable nouns (like 'times', 'days', 'people') to mean 'a small number of' (usually 3 to 5). It has a positive meaning, showing that there are some, unlike 'few' which means 'almost none'.
I go to the library a few times each month.
EN: In Australia, particularly in Tasmania, the brushtail possum is an abundant species. While eating possum is very unusual for most Australians and tourists, some local chefs promote it as an environmentally friendly, sustainable meat source ('game meat') to help manage the wild population.
EN: We use the Present Simple tense (e.g., 'happens') to talk about regular events, routines, or facts that are true all the time.
The school year starts every September.
EN: Dark Mofo is a famous winter arts and food festival held in Hobart, Tasmania. Because Tasmania is in the Southern Hemisphere, winter occurs from June to August, making this a unique mid-year winter celebration.
EN: The phrase 'be famous for' is used to describe what a person, place, or thing is well-known for. It is followed by a noun or a gerund (verb-ing).
The city is famous for its beautiful beaches.
EN: The Dark Mofo festival in Tasmania is famous for its dark, gothic, and winter-themed art installations, light shows, and unusual culinary experiences. It celebrates the winter solstice and embraces things that are alternative and avant-garde.
EN: Using 'with' to describe what is on or accompanying an object. In the phrase 'long tables with candles', 'with' means 'having' or 'decorated with' candles.
He likes to drink tea with honey.
EN: The Dark Mofo festival in Tasmania is known for its gothic and moody aesthetic, which is why the market is decorated with red lights and candles to create a dark, warm, and mysterious winter atmosphere.
EN: We use 'like' to give examples. It has the same meaning as 'such as' and is followed by nouns or noun phrases.
I like sweet fruits like mangoes and strawberries.
EN: In Australia, wallaby is a common native animal similar to a small kangaroo. While eating wallaby or kangaroo meat might seem unusual to international visitors, it is a sustainable and lean source of protein that can be found in Australian supermarkets and specialty food festivals.
EN: The pattern 'one of the + superlative adjective + plural noun' is used to talk about a single person, place, or thing that belongs to a group of the highest degree. Remember that the noun following this pattern must always be plural (e.g., 'dishes', not 'dish').
She is one of the smartest students in our class.
EN: The 'bao' mentioned here refers to the traditional Asian steamed bun (often known as gua bao), which has gained immense popularity in Western food festivals as a trendy street food vessel for various fusion fillings, including local Australian wild game like possum.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
cooked slowly over a low heat for a long time
legal, honest, and open; without deceit
to wait in a line of people