Long TextExercise 59 of 74

It is a common observation that a skilled cook can walk into an unfamiliar kitchen, survey the available ingredients, and improvise a coherent meal without consulting a recipe. To many people this ability seems almost magical - an expression of innate talent that separates the gifted from the merely competent. But…

• What does the writer say most people assume about skilled cooks?
• How does the writer use the linguistic distinction between competence and performance?