Views #177 | Mid-Beginner 2

Abilities

Sophie from Australia talks about things she can and cannot do well.
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Todd: Hello!

Sophie: Hello!

Todd: OK. We're going to talk about things you can do.

Sophie: OK.

Todd: Can you cook?

Sophie: Yes, I can cook.

Todd: OK. What can you cook?

Sophie: I cooked. I can cook cakes. I cooked fish last night with vegetables.

Todd: Oh, nice! Was it good?

Sophie: Yeah, it was nice. It was good.

Todd: OK. Can you speak any foreign languages?

Sophie: No I can't.

Todd: No! Did you study any in high school or anything?

Sophie: I did for a few years but I need to study more.

Todd: OK, well, what, what did you study?

Sophie: I did French for awhile, and German, but that was about it.

Todd: Yeah, those are tough. that's tough pronunciation. Yeah. Can you fix things?

Sophie: Yeah I'm quite practical. I can fix things?

Todd: OK. What can you fix?

Sophie: I can fix, I can change a car tire.

Todd: Wow! That's good.

Sophie: Fix a flat tire. Um..I can fix a bike.

Todd: OK, nice. And you're a farmer girl.

Sophie: Yeah.

Todd: Now, you're Australian so I have to ask. Can you surf?

Sophie: No, I can't.

Todd: Really!

Sophie: No, I can't.

Todd: Oh, wow! That's, that's rare.

Sophie: I know. I've tried. It's actually more difficult that it looks.

Todd: Yeah. I'm from California. I know it's..I know. It's tough. OK. Thanks.

Learn vocabulary from the lesson!

for awhile

I did French for awhile.

When you do soemthing for awhile, you do it for a short period of time. Notice the following:

  1. After you boil the pasta, you should let them cool for awhile.
  2. I visited for awhile, and then we went home.

that was about it

but that was about it.

Here, when you say 'that was about it' it means that is all, or there is nothing else to say.

  1. Last night I stayed home and cleaned, and that was about it.
  2. I can sing a few songs, and that is about it.

tough

Yeah, those are tough.

When something is tough, it is difficult or hard. Notice the following.

  1. It was tough growing up poor.
  2. The math class was very tough.

so I have to ask

You're Australian so I have to ask. Can you surf?

We sometimes say 'I have to ask' to show that the question is either silly or slightly impolite. Notice the following:

  1. You are Japanese, so I have to ask, do you like sushi?
  2. You are American, so I have to ask, who did you vote for, Trump or Biden?

more difficult that it looks

It's actually more difficult that it looks.

When something is more difficult that it looks, it is not easy to do, even though it looks easy.

  1. Riding a skateboard is more difficult that it looks.
  2. Juggling is a lot more difficult that it looks.

Vocabulary Quiz

for awhile • about it • tough
have to ask • difficult
  1. I was in a band in college.
  2. You are Canadian, so I , do you like hockey?
  3. Boiling an egg is more that it looks.
  4. I bought some fruit and pastries and that's .
  5. Living on a tropical island looks fun, but is actually to do.
Answer the following questions about the interview.

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