Ron!s Abilities Mari asks Ron about the things he can do well. 1 2 Mari: I'm Mari from Japan and I'm here with Ron from Hawaii. Today we are going to be talking about abilities so let's start with food. Can you cook? Ron: I can't cook well, but I do cook, so I think the reason why I can't cook well is because I can eat anything, so I don't try very hard to make it take good. Mari: What do you like to cook? Ron: I like to barbecue outside on the grill. Mari: What do you put on your barbecue? Ron: When I cook meat, I don't put much, only salt, pepper, and a little bit of seasoning. Mari: OK. Good. Next, do you think you're a good dancer? Ron: No, I don't think I'm a good dancer and I don't really try to be a good dancer. Mari: Do you not like to dance? Ron: No, I don't like to dance. Mari: At all? Ron: Right. Mari: I heard that you're a good line dancer. Ron: I would like to learn how to line dance, and I do like country music but I haven't been officially taught how to line dance. 3 4 Mari: So you don't dance at all? Ron: No. Mari: Next, are you a good singer? Ron: No, I'm not a good singer but I do enjoy going to Karaoke. Mari: What do you like to sing? Ron: In Hawaii, when I go to Karaoke I enjoy singing Hawaiian music. If I'm in Japan I like to sing other English songs that they have, usually country music or 80 s or 90 s music. Mari: Good. That's good. Do you think you're a good student? Ron: I don't know if I'm a good student. Growing up I was not a good student but now I am trying harder to be a good student. Mari: How were you not a good student growing up? Ron: I didn't enjoy going to school and I didn't try very hard in school. Now I try a little harder. I make an effort. Mari: Can you talk more about your effort? What do 5 you do to try to be a good student? Ron: I try to listen to the teachers now instead of doing my own thing, and I try to complete everything with good quality. Mari: That's good. And, last do you think that you're a good athlete? Ron: Growing up I was a good athlete. I played a few sports. Now I don't play any sports anymore because I'm old, but growing up I think I was a good athlete. Mari: What sports did you play? Ron: I played American football, baseball, and soccer. Mari: Which one is your best sport? Ron: I would say football. American football is my best sport. Mari: How long did you play? Ron: I played since I was eleven until age twenty-two. Mari: So for eleven years. And you played when you were in university? Ron: I played at the University of Hawaii.
Summarize Take notes as you listen or read the interview on the left side of the paper. Then write complete sentences to summarize the story in your own words. The first one is done. Part 1: Ron, cook, not well, eats anything Likes BBQ, meat: salt pepper Part 2: Dancer, not good, doesn!t like it learn line dancing, country music hasn!t been taught, doesn!t dance Part 3: Part 4: Part 5: Ron likes to cook, but he doesn!t cook very well. The reason he doesn!t cook well is that he can eat anything so it doesn!t matter if he cooks well or not. He loves to barbeque. When he cooks meat on the grill, he doesn!t add a lot--just a little bit of salt and pepper. He keeps it simple.
Start a Conversation Asking someone s!hat they are good a" is a great way to start a conversation. Match the following questions with the responses. 1. What were you into when you were a kid? Whenever I get a chance, I play online video games. I!m a total addict. 2. What do you do in your free time? I can remember the lyrics to a song after listening only once or twice but I have a hard time remembering names. 3. What can you cook? I used to be fascinated with animals which is why I am studying to be a veterinarian. 4. Do you do any sports? You have to get over your fear of talking to people that you don!t know. If you can do that, everything else is easy. 5. How did you get so good at speaking English? Yeah, I have 8 brothers and sisters and I am the oldest so I guess I am comfortable around young people. 6. Do you have a good memory? Since I grew up in India and my parents are vegetarian, I!m good at making dishes without meat. 7. How do you make so many friends? I!m not that good. My writing is terrible, but I like to meet people so I!m getting better and better at talking. 8. Do you like to be around kids? I!ve always been good at taking things apart and then putting them back together. 9. It seems like you would have a nice singing voice. Are you good at singing? In my country, the most popular sport is soccer, so I!m much better at soccer than basketball or baseball. 10. How did you know how to fix that? Not really, but I do play the guitar. I!m actually looking for a couple of other people to start a band with me.
Keep the Conversation Going Te#ing a story about your personal experience is a great way to keep a conversation going. A: How did you know how to fix that? B: I!ve always been good at taking things apart and then putting them back together. A: That reminds me of Have you ever? _ A: What do you do in your free time? B: Whenever I get a chance, I play online video games. I!m a total addict. A: You know what I!m addicted to? Have you ever?
Start a Conversation Asking someone s!hat they are good a" is a great way to start a conversation. Match the following questions with the responses. 1. What were you into when you were a kid? 2 Whenever I get a chance, I play online video games. I!m a total addict. 2. What do you do in your free time? 6 I can remember the lyrics to a song after listening only once or twice but I have a hard time remembering names. 3. What can you cook? 1 I used to be fascinated with animals which is why I am studying to be a veterinarian. 4. Do you do any sports? 7 You have to get over your fear of talking to people that you don!t know. If you can do that, everything else is easy. 5. How did you get so good at speaking English? 8 Yeah, I have 8 brothers and sisters and I am the oldest so I guess I am comfortable around young people. 6. Do you have a good memory? 3 Since I grew up in India and my parents are vegetarian, I!m good at making dishes without meat. 7. How do you make so many friends? 5 I!m not that good. My writing is terrible, but I like to meet people so I!m getting better and better at talking. 8. Do you like to be around kids? 10 I!ve always been good at taking things apart and then putting them back together. 9. It seems like you would have a nice singing voice. Are you good at singing? 4 In my country, the most popular sport is soccer, so I!m much better at soccer than basketball or baseball. 10. How did you know how to fix that? 9 Not really, but I do play the guitar. I!m actually looking for a couple of other people to start a band with me.