The dads getting entrepreneurial in lockdown. Keith Tiplady runs a chocolate business from his family kitchen

Click on the picture below to watch the video. Then, read the text and answer the questions. 

Part 1.

    A consignment of 300kg of chocolate arrives at the house of Keith Tiplady, 35, in Leicester.He moves bags containing thousands of pure chocolate pellets to a dedicated room in his house, where he also stores 1.5km of ribbon. This is the "new normal" for Keith, who is now a chocolatier.

    Until Covid-19 struck, he was a project manager with Triumph Motorcycles. But in April he was furloughed and later he was made redundant.In the short term he had his wife's income to rely on. She works full-time for the NHS. But the cost of childcare for their three-year-old twins was more than their mortgage, so something had to change.

    Keith decided to look after the twins himself, while also setting up a business from home. His entrepreneurial wife ran a bakery business in the evenings from their kitchen. Keith had always been fascinated by her chocolate-tempering machine, which she used to make decorative curls for cakes. The machine melts chocolate pellets (known as callets) at controlled temperatures, turning them to liquid.

   Keith experimented with things his wife hadn't tried, like chocolate moulds. Before he knew it he was creating ganache and caramel-filled, Belgian chocolates. And so his start-up, Indulgent Chocolates, was born.

    During the spring lockdown, he set up "walking markets" for local entrepreneurs like himself, where people sell from stalls in their driveway, garden or garage. He also found success selling the chocolates online. People were buying them as gifts to be posted out to teachers, or for birthdays in lockdown.

    Keith of course had to combine chocolate making with childcare. "In between making chocolates I'm reading stories with them and playing games, then I wash my hands and get back to work," he says. "In a way I'm lucky they are twins, they play really well with each other."

    The business is generating more money now as corporate clients put in orders - hence the 300kg consignment of chocolate."If this business scales up it will allow me to live a normal life again," he says, "and I won't have to worry about affording Christmas presents."However, he also now faces a dilemma. He's had interest from employers that could lead to a new role similar to his old job.

    His wife remains supportive, though she would prefer him to find secure paid employment again. Then again, she also enjoys testing his latest creations in the kitchen.

Question 1: (2 points). Indicate whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE and write down the sentences or part of the text that justifies your answer. No points will be given if the evidence is not correct.

a)Chocolate has been delivered at Keith’s house.

b) When Keith became unemployed, the family lived on MrsTiplay.

c) The chocolate-tempering machine was underused.

d) “Indulgent Chocolates” are a kind of Belgian chocolates.

Question2: (2 points) Choose and answer only TWO of the following questions in your own words according to the text.

a)How did Keith’s life change after being fired?

b)How did Keith sell his products during the lockdown?

c)Does his wife like the new situation?

Question 3: (1,5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given. You only need to have five correct answers to get 1,5 points.

a) ordinary (paragraph 1)

b) unemployed (paragraph 2)

c) originate, launch (paragraph 3)

d) businessperson (paragraph 5)

e) present (paragraph 5)

f) pay for, have enough money for (paragraph 7)

Question 4: (1,5 points) Choose the correct option – a, b, c or d – for each question and COPY both the letter and the sentence that follows onto your answer sheet.

1. Keith …

a) stops for a while making chocolates to play with the twins.

b) plays with the twins while making cholcolates.

c) plays with the twins after making chocolates.

d) plays with the twins before making chocolates.

2. Having twins...  

a) is a problem.

b) is very expensive.

c) helps Keith.

d) is fun.

3. Keith’s wife…

a) likes his chocolates.

b) works full time at her bakery.

c) helps him with the chocolates.

d) looks after the twins in the afternoon.