Views #958| Intermediate 5

Household Chores

Buddhi and Todd discuss who does what in their families.

Todd and Buddhi continue their conversation about household chores and responsibilities.


Todd: Looking back I think other roles were kind of traditional like I have two sisters and they usually had the responsibility of doing the cleaning, and I had the responsibility of , you know, mowing the lawn, and taking out the trash and cleaning up the yard and stuff like that. Was it similar in your house?

Buddhi: Well, dad used to do stuff like that and my brother and I didn't do much work.

Todd: You were spoiled.

Buddhi: Very, very, very, very .... yeah. Did you ever decide to shift work with your sisters?

Todd: No, of course, it never even occured to me. I mean, when you're young, you just do they tell you to do, and to be honest I was very happy. I think I loved doing yardwork. I loved mowing the grass and pruning the trees and, you know, taking about the trash - anything that was physical I enjoyed. I didnt enjoy cleaning. But you never had to do that?

Buddhi: Well, I cleaned my own room and my brother cleaned his own, and I mean, it's obvious and it's ... I mean... it's something we really should do, like at home. When we eat, you clean your dish, and maybe we ... when I grew up, I'd wash ... I'll do the dishes, and even if I didn't do my mom wouldn't expect me to do it, and make sure I do it somehow. If it's not done, she'd do it. If I do it, well, she'll be thankful.

Todd: So, in your household, who mops the floor?

Buddhi: My dad would.

Todd: Your dad would. Who washes the windows?

Buddhi: My dad, yeah.

Todd: Oh, your dad! He's hardworking. OK, who does the laundry?

Buddhi: My mom or myself.

Todd: Or yourself? Really! OK. What does your brother do?

Buddhi: Most of the time, like, he's about eight years older than me, so as soon as he graduated from high school he went abroad for high studies, so when he was doing the usual stuff, I was a kid, so I was not doing anything, so soon after he went I took over or something like that.

Todd: Well you did some stuff.

Buddhi: I did. I'm proud.

 

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

looking back

notes

Looking back the roles were kind of traditional.
.
When we look back, we think about the past. Notice the following.

  1. Looking back, university days weren't so bad.
  2. Once you leave home, there's no looking back.

spoiled

notes

You were a spoiled child.

A spoiled child can do or have anything he or she wants. Here are two samples.

  1. Were you spoiled as a kid?
  2. My boyfriend called me a spoiled princess!

occur

notes

It never even occurred to me.

If something didn't occur to us it means we didn't think about it. Notice the samples.

  1. It never even occurred to me that you were married.
  2. He should have taken a morning class, but it never occurred to him.

expect

notes

My mom wouldn't expect me to do it.

Here, mom didn't think something would happen. Here are two samples.

  1. No one expected me to pass the exam, but I studied hard and passed!
  2. He didn't expect to enjoy the movie. He's just not a Tom Cruise fan.

the usual stuff

notes

I did the usual stuff on the weekend.

'Usual' is similar in meaning to 'normal', and 'stuff' just means 'things'. Notice the following.

  1. I have the usual stuff to do after school today.
  2. The action movie was boring; fight, car chase, bomb, the usual stuff.

Vocabulary Quiz

looking back • spoiled • occur
 expect • usual stuff
  1. And it didn't even to you to call me?
  2. We are just doing the this weekend like cleaning and washing clothes.
  3. , is there anything that you would change about your life?
  4. Did you that you would get the job?
  5. Their daughter is very difficult and .  She cries when she doesn't get what she wants.
Answer the following questions about the interview.

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