The Cafe Where the Waiters Are Fifteen

5th Grade Common Core RI.5.1 Feature article and interview 381 words ⏱ 40 minESL B1

An article about a cafe that teenagers run after school, and a short interview with its manager.

Name: ______________________ Date: ____________

Text 1: The Cafe Where the Waiters Are Fifteen

At four o'clock in the afternoon, the small cafe in the youth center is already busy. A girl takes an order, a boy makes sandwiches, and two others are cutting a chocolate cake. There is nothing strange about this, except one thing: all the workers are teenagers.

The cafe opened three years ago. Today twenty students aged 15 to 17 work there after school, four afternoons a week. Each of them works one or two afternoons, so they still have time for homework. They do everything: they bake, serve customers, clean the tables and count the money at the end of the day.

Owen, 16, remembers his first week. "I dropped three cups and forgot two orders," he says and laughs. "I was sure they would ask me to leave. Instead, the older students showed me how to do it right. Now I teach the new kids."

The customers are mostly parents, teachers and older people from the neighborhood. Many of them come every week. "The coffee is good," says one woman, "but I come for the smiles."

Part of the money from the cafe goes to the youth center. Last year it paid for new computers and a trip to the north for the young members.

Text 2: Five Questions for the Manager

Dana Levi has managed the youth center cafe since it opened. We asked her about her work with the teenagers.

How did the idea start? "Some teenagers told me they wanted a job but couldn't find one because they had no experience. So I thought: let's give them a place to get that experience."

What is the hardest part for the students? "Being on time, at first! And talking to customers who are not happy. A fifteen-year-old doesn't always know how to answer an angry adult. We practice this a lot."

Do the students get paid? "Yes, they get a small salary for every hour. It's important. When you get paid, you feel that your work is real."

What do they learn here? "Much more than making coffee. They learn to work in a team, to plan and to take responsibility. I see shy kids become confident in just a few months."

What advice do you have for other schools? "Trust young people. If you give them responsibility, most of them will surprise you."

📘 Word bank

youth center: a place where young people meet and take part in activities
order: a request for food or drink
customers: people who buy things in a shop or cafe
except: not including
experience: knowledge you get from doing something before
salary: money you get regularly for your work
responsibility: a duty to take care of something or someone
confident: sure of yourself
shy: nervous with other people

✏️ Questions

Text 1
Key details
What is special about the cafe in Text A?
Key details
How many afternoons a week does each student work?
Key details
Give TWO jobs the students do in the cafe.
Inference
How did Owen feel during his first week?
Reference words
What does the word "them" in "Many of them come every week" (paragraph 4) refer to?
Inference
"I come for the smiles" (paragraph 4) means that the woman comes because…
Key details
What did the money from the cafe pay for last year?
Text 2
Key details
Why did Dana start the cafe?
Key details
Give TWO things that are hard for the students, according to Dana.
Key details
Why does Dana think it is important to pay the students?
Key details
Copy the words that show the students learn more than making coffee. Give TWO things.
Word meaning
In paragraph 5, "shy kids become confident". The opposite of "shy" here is…
Fact, opinion & point of view
What is Dana's advice to other schools?
Comparing texts
Owen's story in Text A is an example of one of Dana's ideas in Text B. Which idea? Write ONE sentence.

Questions

What is special about the cafe in Text A?
1. It is open only in the morning.
2. It sells only chocolate cake.
3. All the workers are teenagers.
4. It is inside a school.
How many afternoons a week does each student work?
______________________________________________________________
Give TWO jobs the students do in the cafe.
______________________________________________________________
How did Owen feel during his first week?
1. Worried that he would lose his place.
2. Bored with the simple work.
3. Proud of his good work.
4. Angry with the older students.
What does the word "them" in "Many of them come every week" (paragraph 4) refer to?
______________________________________________________________
"I come for the smiles" (paragraph 4) means that the woman comes because…
1. the coffee is cheap.
2. her children work there.
3. she likes the friendly young workers.
4. she has nowhere else to go.
What did the money from the cafe pay for last year?
1. New tables for the cafe.
2. Salaries for the teachers.
3. A new youth center.
4. New computers and a trip to the north.
Why did Dana start the cafe?
1. To give teenagers a place to get work experience.
2. To make money for herself.
3. Because the neighborhood had no cafe.
4. Because the students asked for a place to study.
Give TWO things that are hard for the students, according to Dana.
______________________________________________________________
Why does Dana think it is important to pay the students?
1. So they can buy coffee.
2. So they feel their work is real.
3. Because the law says so.
4. So they come every day.
Copy the words that show the students learn more than making coffee. Give TWO things.
______________________________________________________________
In paragraph 5, "shy kids become confident". The opposite of "shy" here is…
1. sure of themselves.
2. tired.
3. quiet.
4. young.
What is Dana's advice to other schools?
1. Pay teenagers more money.
2. Open a cafe in every school.
3. Watch teenagers all the time.
4. Trust young people and give them responsibility.
Owen's story in Text A is an example of one of Dana's ideas in Text B. Which idea? Write ONE sentence.
______________________________________________________________

Answer key

c) All the workers are teenagers.
One or two afternoons.
Any two of: they bake; serve customers; clean the tables; count the money.
a) Worried that he would lose his place.
The customers (parents, teachers and older people from the neighborhood).
c) she likes the friendly young workers.
d) New computers and a trip to the north.
a) To give teenagers a place to get work experience.
Being on time (at first); talking to customers who are not happy / angry adults.
b) So they feel their work is real.
To work in a team; to plan; to take responsibility (any two).
a) sure of themselves.
d) Trust young people and give them responsibility.
If you give young people responsibility, they surprise you – Owen made mistakes at first, and now he teaches the new kids. (Also accept: young people learn to take responsibility and become confident.)