Art & Culture
Select a Level
NEW
11 Sept 2026
Sonoran hot dogs — bacon-wrapped franks served in bolillo rolls with an array of flavorful condiments — have their own food trail in Tucson, Arizona. Lisa Cherkasky/The Washington Post/Getty Images
The Tasty Sonoran Hot Dog Hits Tucson
Warm-up → Read & Listen → Check Understanding → Language → Use It
WARM UP
Think Ahead: Which detail do you think appears in this story?
a) A special street food wrapped in crisp bacon
b) A hot dog made only with sweet fruit jam
c) A cold soup served in big blue bowls
Ask:
(1) Have you ever eaten a hot dog with unusual toppings?
(2) Do you like trying new food from other places?
VOCABULARY
bacon (/ˈbeɪ.kən/, noun)
Meaning: Meat from a pig that becomes crispy when you cook it.
Example: I like eating bacon with my warm breakfast.
bread (/bred/, noun)
Meaning: A soft baked food made from flour and water.
Example: We put the sausage inside fresh bread.
border (/ˈbɔː.də/, noun)
Meaning: The line that divides two countries or areas.
Example: The city is very close to the border.
sauce (/sɔːs/, noun)
Meaning: A thick liquid that adds flavor to your food.
Example: She puts red sauce on her tasty meal.
street (/striːt/, noun)
Meaning: A road in a town with cars and shops.
Example: The food cart stands on a busy street.
cook (/kʊk/, verb)
Meaning: To make food hot so you can eat it.
Example: Chefs cook nice food for hungry people.
Many people love hot dogs. In Tucson, Arizona, people eat a special kind. It is the Sonoran hot dog. This food comes from Sonora in Mexico. It is very popular today. Cooks wrap the sausage in bacon. Then they grill the hot dog until it is hot. Next, they put the meat into soft bread. They add beans, onions, and tomatoes. They add mayo and mustard too. People eat these hot dogs on the street. Vendors sell them from bright carts. One famous cook opened a shop in 1994. He makes hundreds of hot dogs every day. Many visitors travel to Tucson to try this food. The city is famous for tasty meals. Children and adults love the rich flavors. It is a fun food to share with your friends. You can eat it quickly with your hands.
The hot dog, as the sausages brought to the US by German-speaking immigrants came to be known, has long been a staple at baseball games. Kyle Rivas/Getty Images
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What toppings do you like on a hot dog?
2. Why do you think people like street food?
3. Is it good to share food with friends?
4. Would you like to travel to Arizona?
5. What is your favorite meal from your home country?
FILL IN THE GAPS
FILL THE GAPS
Section 1: Fill in the Gaps
Word Bank: bacon, border, bread, street
Many people love hot dogs. In Tucson, Arizona, people eat a special kind. It is the Sonoran hot dog. This food comes from across the _______(1). It is very popular today. Cooks wrap the sausage in _______(2). Then they grill the hot dog until it is hot. Next, they put the meat into soft _______(3). They add beans, onions, and tomatoes. They add mayo and mustard too. People eat these hot dogs on the _______(4). Vendors sell them from bright carts.
Section 2: Main Idea
What is the main idea of the article?
a) Hot dogs are only eaten in winter.
b) Sonoran hot dogs are a popular and special food in Tucson.
c) People in Arizona do not like street carts.
UNDERSTANDING
Section 3: True or False
1. Cooks wrap the hot dog sausage in bacon. T/F
2. The Sonoran hot dog comes from Germany. T/F
3. Vendors sell these hot dogs from street carts. T/F
Section 4: Put Events in Order
a) Put the meat into soft bread.
b) Wrap the sausage in bacon.
c) Add beans, onions, and tomatoes on top.
LANGUAGE
Section 5: Vocab Match
1. Bacon
2. Bread
3. Border
4. Sauce
5. Street
a) A line between two countries
b) Soft baked food for sandwiches
c) A public road in a city
d) Crispy meat from a pig
e) Liquid that gives food extra flavor
USE IT
Section 6: Discussion Builder
1. I want to buy a hot dog from the street _______.
a) cart
b) chair
2. The cook puts yellow _______ on top of the sausage.
a) mustard
b) water
Section 7: Sentence Unscramble
1. Unscramble the sentence:
A) love / B) many / C) hot dogs / D) young / E) people
2. Unscramble the sentence:
A) is / B) soft / C) the / D) very / E) bread
ANSWER KEY
Warm Up Answer: a
Section 1: 1) border, 2) bacon, 3) bread, 4) street
Section 2: b
Section 3: 1) T, 2) F, 3) T
Section 4: 1) b, 2) a, 3) c
Section 5: 1-d, 2-b, 3-a, 4-e, 5-c
Section 6: 1) a, 2) a
Section 7: 1) B-D-E-A-C (Many young people love hot dogs.), 2) C-E-B-A-D (The bread is very soft.)
Section 8: Open student responses.
Thank you for your feedback!