【英语趣味课堂】你擅长什么-What are you good at?

Abidemi: Okay, Rory, are you good at sports?

 

Rory: Yeah, I am. I'm good at soccer, I think. And I run quite a lot. I'm getting faster. So yeah, I think I'm quite good at sports.

 

Abidemi: Wow.

 

Rory: How about you?

 

Abidemi: No, not really. It's something that I never really practiced when I was a child so I'm not really good at sports. But when people look at me, they always say, "You look like you can run so fast. You look like you can play all these sports." I can run, but I don't do it often or played so many sports. Yup.

 

image

 

Rory: Okay. And are you good at math?

 

Abidemi: Yes. I feel like I'm bragging² when I say that but I enjoy math. And when I was in school, I did well in it. I think up to high school level math, I'm good. What about you, Rory?

 

Rory: Yeah, the same. So I think I'm quite good at math. I enjoyed it at high school but I didn't do it after that. Now I help my daughter with her math homework, and yeah, I think I'm pretty good.

 

Abidemi: Lucky her.

 

Rory: And how about computers? Are you good at computers?

 

Abidemi: I think I have the basics down. So I'm good at the basic things in computers. But overall³, when it gets too complicated⁴, I'm not too good at it. What about you, Rory?

 

Rory: Yeah, I'm okay. I can use a computer but I can't – I'm not good at programming, things like this, you know. I don't understand this.

 

Abidemi: I think this is a big one for people. Are you good at getting up early?

 

Rory: I'm really good at getting up early.

 

Abidemi: How early?

 

Rory: You know 5:00 or 6:00 o'clock is no problem for me.

 

Abidemi: Wow.

 

Rory: And I think it's because ever since I was young, I've always got up early. I used to do a paper round when I was a kid.

 

Abidemi: I see.

 

Rory: I get up before 6:00 o'clock. So how about you? Are you good at getting up early?

 

Abidemi: No, not really. I like to sleep in. Especially when it's winter, I'm not good at getting up early at all. My body just wants to sleep the whole day. In the summer, I'm a lot better with the sun.

 

Rory: Okay.

 

[End of Transcript]

 

重点词汇：

 

brag¹

 

I feel like I'm bragging when I say that.

 

When you brag, you talk about yourself in a positive manner. Notice the following:

 

She always brags⁵ about her kids.

She likes to brag about her wedding ring.

have (it) down

 

I think I have the basics down.

 

When you 'have something down,' you know how to do it confindently. Notice the following:

 

I had trouble with the software at first, but now I have it down.

I still don't have this down. I need to study.

complicated

 

It gets too complicated.

 

Something that is complicated is difficult of complex. Notice the following:

 

This video game is too complicated for me.

This math problem is so complicated.

a big one

 

I think this is a big one for people.

 

Here, 'a big one' means something important. Notice the following:

 

At my new job I can wear jeans. In terms of benfits, that's a big one for me.

There are some things I hate, and smoking is a big one for me.

a paper round

 

I used to do a paper round when I was a kid.

 

A paper round is a paper route, a delivery⁶ route for a paperboy. Notice the following:

 

I had a paper round as a kid.

Children no longer have paper routes.

sleep in

 

I like to sleep in.

 

When you sleep in, you do not wake up early. Notice the following:

 

I love to sleep in on the weekend.

My father never sleeps in. He always gets up early.

1 brag   

v./n.吹牛，自夸；adj.第一流的

参考例句：

• He made brag of his skill.他夸耀自己技术高明。
• His wealth is his brag.他夸张他的财富。

2 bragging   

v.自夸，吹嘘( brag的现在分词 )；大话

参考例句：

• He's always bragging about his prowess as a cricketer. 他总是吹嘘自己板球水平高超。 来自辞典例句
• Now you're bragging, darling. You know you don't need to brag. 这就是夸口，亲爱的。你明知道你不必吹。 来自辞典例句

3 overall   

n.工作服，工装裤；全面的，全体的

参考例句：

• The shop assistant was wearing a white overall.那店员穿着白色的工作服。
• How much will it cost overall?一共多少钱？

4 complicated   

adj.错综复杂的，麻烦的，结构复杂的

参考例句：

• The poem is so complicated that I cannot make out its meaning.这首诗太复杂，我理解不了它的意思。
• This is the most complicated case I have ever handled.这是我所处理过的最为复杂的案子。

5 brags   

v.自夸，吹嘘( brag的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He constantly brags about how well he plays football. 他老是吹嘘自己足球踢得多么好。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• \"I don't care to listen to your brags.\" \"我没有兴趣听你吹了！ 来自飘（部分）

6 delivery   

n.交付；投递；分娩；解救者；演讲的风格

参考例句：

• The strike caused a great delay in the delivery of the mail.这次罢工严重地延误了邮件的投递。
• He was employed at the local grocery store as a delivery boy.他受雇于当地杂货店当送货员。