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Learning to Cook

Vocabulary

Read each word out loud.
spice

/spaÉŞs/

noun

flavoring added to food with dried, ground vegetables

Example:

I love to add spices to my food when I cook.

Various spices, herbs, garlic, and chili peppers arranged on a white wooden table.
proud

/pɹaʊd/

adjective

the feeling of pride; having a deep pleasure or satisfaction in ones own achievements

Example:

I was so proud of myself when I won the competition.

A smiling young woman in a colorful flower crown and a lanyard stands in front of a lake.
frozen

/ˈfɹoʊzən/

verb

past participle of freeze (to turn something into ice)

Example:

I wanted to eat steak for dinner, but the meat is still frozen.

A hand reaches toward a raw steak on a bed of ice with parsley, a red chili pepper, and garlic.
basic

/ˈbeɪsɪk/

adjective

really simple; boring; common

Example:

I like to wear basic clothes so that I don't get recognized in public.

A man in a plain beige t-shirt and white pants stands facing the camera, with his face cropped out of the photo.
confidence

/ˈkɑnfɪdəns/

noun

feeling that you can do well at something

Example:

Her confidence grew as she practiced for the upcoming singing competition.

A smiling woman with braided hair and a blue collared shirt looks at the camera.

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Story

Read the story out loud or play the audio and follow along.
00:00 / 01:07

Audio generated by AI

Learning to Cook

I never liked cooking when I was younger. I thought it was boring and too difficult. My parents often cooked dinner, and I usually just made toast or ordered food when I was alone. But when I moved into my own apartment last year, everything changed.

At first, I ate a lot of frozen meals and fast food. It was easy, but not healthy. One day, I got sick and the doctor told me I needed to eat better. That weekend, I called my mom and asked her to teach me a few basic recipes. She was very happy to help.

I started with simple things like pasta and soup. They weren’t perfect, but I was proud of myself. Slowly, I began to enjoy the process. I liked choosing the ingredients, cutting vegetables, and trying new spices. Cooking became a relaxing activity after work.

Now I cook almost every day. I even invited my friends over last month and made a full dinner for them. They were surprised and said everything tasted great. Learning to cook not only helped my health, but it gave me more confidence too.

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Conversation Practice

Working with a tutor? Try asking or answering these questions out loud with them.
Working alone? Try speaking your answers out loud or write them in the lesson discussion below.
1. Do you enjoy cooking?

2. What is the best food you can cook?

3. Do you like to add spices to your food?

4. Where did you learn how to cook?

5. Who is the best cook you know?

Written by:

Thomas

Lesson updated:

September 2, 2026

Lesson discussion

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