Mari's Abilities
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Mari
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Ron
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Ron: Hi, I'm Ron from Hawaii. I'm here with Mari from Japan. Today we will be talking about abilities. So, Mari, are you a good cook?
Mari: I like to cook, more specifically, I like to cook for people. I like to have people over and eat with people. I don't really like to eat alone, so I don't like to cook for myself. I like to cook for other people, but more than cooking I like to bake.
Ron: Baking. What do you like to bake?
Mari: Cookies and brownies and cake.
Ron: That sounds very good. I would like to eat one of your brownies. OK, next, are you a good singer?
Mari: I am terrible at singing. I don't like going to karaoke and I don't like to sing. I like music, but I can't sing for my life. I, yesterday, or I guess in class it was a students birthday and I made my students sing Happy Birthday but they wouldn't start so I had to start them off singing and my voice was so bad, they started laughing at me, so I'm just a terrible singer.
Ron: That's funny. OK, next. Are you a good dancer?
Mari: No, I'm not a good dancer. I can't dance at all. I used to when I was younger, my parents would enroll me in ballet classes, so I did ballet for six years but I am not very good at dancing.
Ron: So, you're a teacher now right? So, were you a good student when you were a student?
Mari: I was a good student because I'm a dork. No, yeah, I think I was a good student. I tried hard in all of my classes. I always did my homework. I was always focused and took notes during class. If I didn't understand something, I would either ask questions in class or speak to the teacher or professor after class. I always really liked learning and so I think that's why I was a really good student.
Ron: And athletics? Were you a good athlete, and are you a good athlete now?
Mari: That's a tricky question. I like sports, and I like playing sports. I don't think I'm a very good athlete, probably compared to you, I'm probably not, but I really enjoy playing sports. In high school, I played soccer. I ran cross-country. I played ice-hockey and a little bit of lacrosse.
Ron: And which one was your favorite sport?
Mari: My favorite sport was ice-hockey.
Ron: Interesting.
more specifically
I like to cook, more specifically, I like to cook for people.
We use the phrase 'more specifically' when we want to give more detailed information. Notice the following:
- That college is famous for sports. More specifically, it is famous for football.
- Our company makes tires. More specifically, we make tires for large buses.
can't .... for my life
I can't sing for my life.
This phrase means we have absolutely no skill at something.
Notice the following:
- I can't dance for my life.
- My wife can't cook for her life.
a dork
I was a good student because I'm a dork.
A dork is someone who likes to study, is not usually attractive or popular, and is definitely not cool. Notice the following:
- I am such a dork. I did not mean to step on you.
- He is such a dork, but all the girls like him.
enroll
My parents would enroll me in ballet classes.
When we enroll in something that means we join or sign up. Notice the following:
- She plans to enroll at the local junior college.
- We just enrolled in a free Arabic class at the community center.
tricky question
That's a tricky question.
Something that is tricky is difficult to do or answer and requires that we think carefully: Notice the following:
- Hmm. Do I like cooking? That's a tricky question.
- Asking someone how much money they make is a tricky question. You need to be careful asking it.
Vocabulary Quiz
enrolled • tricky
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