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.

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 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.

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson
grill

I like to barbecue outside on the grill.

When we grill something that means we cook it on metal bars over an open
fire. Note the following:

1. Let's cook on the grill tonight.

2. We cooked burgers at the beach on a small grill.

at all

So you don't dance at all?

Something we don't do at all is something we never do. Note the following:

1. I don't speak German at all -- not even one word.

2. You never eat vegetables at all? That is sad.

line-dancer

I heard that you're a good line-dancer.

In a line dance, people line up without partners and follow a pattern of steps
usually to American country music. Note the following:

1. That bar has line-dancing on Tuesday night.

2. My sister is a good line-dancer.

officially

I haven't been officially taught how to line-dance.

Something that is taught officially requires formal instruction and often results in
certification. Note the following:

1. I never learned how to officially fly a plane, but I know how.

2. To scuba dive, you really need to officially take some courses.

do my own thing

I try to listen to the teachers now instead of doing my own thing.

When we do our own thing that means we do things our own way. Note the
following:

1. Some students hate to follow instructions. They always want to do their own
thing.
2. I used to always do my own thing. Then, I joined the Army and that changed
real quickly.

Answer the following questions about the interview.

1) What does Ron say about cooking?

a) He can cook anything.

b) He is not a good cook.
c) He never cooks.

2) How does he feel about dancing?

a) He likes it.
b) He does not like it.
c) He is learning to dance.

3) How does he feel about singing?

a) He likes to sing.
b) He hates to sing.
c) He used to sing more.

4) What does he say about school?

a) He has never liked school.

b) He takes education seriously now.
c) He loved school when he was younger.

5) What was his best sport?

 a) Soccer
b) Baseball
c) American football

Vocabulary Challenge
Complete the sentences with the words below.
grill • at all • line-dancer
officially • own thing

1. I need to make a complaint against him.

2. My cousin is an incredible .
3. Although all of my friends love to go to the mall I prefer to do my .
4. I love chicken and veggies cooked on the .
5. She doesn't drink alcohol not even wine.