2-03a Language Learning Stories

Do you think that we need learning languages? I think we need to learn language. Of course mother language, English, and other country language. Languages are most important way of human communication. In past, I learn our mother language, English and French. In present, I learn English in deep. In future, I want to learn English and I want to communicate in English.

In future, I want to put English to account in my job. So I keep learn English more. I think that to communicate in English is essential for us in the future. Because Japan is in internationalization so we need English. I’ve never learned Asia countries languages but Japanese so I want to try to learn Asia countries languages for example Chinese and Korean.

In present, I learn English in KGU. I learn speaking, reading, writing, and listening. In speaking class, we learn how to debate or presentation. It is good for me to up my English skill. Speaking is the best way to improve my English skill. In reading class, I learn how to read newspapers in English. Thanks to this class, I can understand rule of English paper’s headline. In addition, I learn English history and English phonetics. It is difficult for me.

In past, when I was born, I learned mother language from my parents. After that, I learned hiragana and katakana in preschool. In elementary school, I learned kanji. I didn’t like learn kanji because it was difficult for me so I was poor at kanji. What’s more, in elementary school, I learned Japanese reading. Then I liked reading so I liked Japanese class. In junior high school, I learned Japanese grammar. I spoke Japanese without conscious grammar so I was confused a little. And I learned English in the first time. Honestly speaking, I didn’t like to learn English the first because it was difficult for me. But soon, I understood English and I enjoyed learning English. So I decided to entered English class of high school. In high school, I learned English more. I experienced English debate the first time and we played English drama at the school festival. Also, I talked with ALT and exchange students actively. They taught me English and I taught them Japanese. One German exchange student taught me German a little. In KGU last year, I learned English speaking, reading, writing, listening, and grammar. And I interested in French so learned French in KGU last year. But it is more difficult than I used to think. I could understand French a little.

I was interested in other countries languages especially English so I was English major when I was a high school student. French is difficult for me but French class was interesting. If I have a time, I want to learn French more. Now, I learn English in KGU but my communication skill of English is still weak. I’ll study English more and more, I hope that I could talk in English smoothly. Also if I have a chance, I will try to learn languages of East Asia, Chinese or Korean.

(516 words)

2-03 Outline

• Japanese
• hiragana
• katakana
• kanji
• English
• alphabet
• French
• Asian languages
• Chinese
• Korean
• English history
• phonetics
• communication
• essential

BR2-03: The Princess and the Pea

I read “The Princess and the Pea” today. This is the story of this book; A prince wanted to marry a princess so he looked and met many princesses. But he sent all of them away because he thought they were not real princesses. One day, a princess came and she said she was a real princess. The queen went off to make the bed to see if this is a real princess. She put a tiny pea and put twenty mattresses and twenty down covers on it. The princess went to bed. Next morning, the queen asked if princess could sleep well. The answer was no because she noticed there was a big lump in her bed. Only real princess could feel a pea under twenty mattresses so the queen and king understood she was a real princess. The prince married the princess.

This is a interesting book. Because the way of find a real princess is pea! I think the real princess could notice however little things. So this is a good way to find real princess. I’m sure the king, queen, and prince also can feel pea under twenty mattresses.

(193 words)

BR2-02: The Cow in the House

I read “The Caw in the House” today. This story is a man lived in a noisy old house. The bed creaked. The chair squeaked. The roof leaked. One day, he went to see wise man and gave advice. The advice is to get a cow and keep it in his house. It was silly idea but he did it. After that, he also get dog, cat, sheep, and donkey so he was mad. Then, the wise man told him that put all animals out and he did it. The bed still creaked, the chair squeaked, and the roof leaked but he felt that there is a quiet house.

The wise man use delusion. I think he is a really genius man! He makes the man’s house noisier on purpose and he makes the man feel the quiet house when the animals out. It was opposite idea. I think that this book teach us there are many many ways of thinking.

(161 words)

new CM

Have you already watched new CM of watering kiss mint gum? Sheena Ringo appears this CM. I'm very glad because I love her very much. Also this CM's BGM is Tokyo Jihen's new song 'Noudou-teki Sannpunnkan' mean active for three minutes. Tokyo Jihen is a band that Sheena Ringo act as vocal. This CM started yesterday. So I watched this CM on 'YouTube' again and again. In this CM, Sheena Ringo challenged 'moonwalk'. I would like that you notice her moonwalk. This is link of YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6H696rcw_Xs Please check this CM!

(91 words)

2-02b English Website Review (revision)

I like annual events and enjoy them very much. So I looked at two English sites about history of Halloween and Christmas around the world. These sites are interesting for me. Now, I’m going to talk about these twowebsites.

First, I’ll talk about history of Halloween. I think that many Japanese suppose Halloween is just disguise party and children get sweets. But of course Halloween has means and long history. Halloween, or the Hallow E'en as they call it in Ireland, means ‘All Hallows Eve’. So November 1 is an anniversary to honor all Saint heavens. After that, Ancient people believed that ghosts, spirits, and witches come to their house at night of October 31 so they wore masks and made fires. This is the start of Halloween. They dressed up as monsters like ghosts, witches, black cats, Dracula, Frankenstein, and so on. But after 1990, people prefer lovely disguises like spirits or vegetables to monster.

I didn’t know much about Halloween. I also thought that Halloween is disguise party. And I was surprised that October 31 of Halloween day is Hallows Eve. I wonder why There are no Halloween events in Japan. I think Japan has the Bon Festival in August. Halloween and Bon Festival are similar events. Because Japan has no Halloween events so I’ve never experienced Halloween party. I want to join Halloween events in America someday. If you are interested in Halloween, I recommend you to look at this site because it is easy to know about Halloween.

Second, I’ll talk about Christmas around the world. Christmas is a Christian’s event but Christmas is loved people around the world. In China, most Chinese people are not Christian but of course there have Christmas. Chinese people call Santa Claus Dun Che Lao Ren, which means ‘Christmas Old Man’. Christmas in India decorate mango or banana tree at Christmas time. Also, they decorate their house with mango's leaves. Christmas in Spain, December 28 is the feast of the Holy Innocents. The children of Spain receive gifts on the feast of the Epiphany.

Christmas loved people around the world! Christmas is no connection with religions. Christmas is a festival to celebrate birth of Jesus by Christian people. So I thought that other religions people don’t have Christmas. But I found that people around the world enjoy Christmas. I think that most countries celebrate Christmas as a same way. Christmas night, people eat feast and children receive gift from Santa Claus. Do you know Bethlehem? Bethlehem is the little town where Jesus was born. I didn’t know that. I like Christmas events but I don’t know Christmas mean well. So I could learn about Christian’s Christmas event and Christmas around the world. In the not Christian country, there has Christmas day but they arranged Christmas to suit their cultures. So I recommend you to look at not Christian countries pages. You might find new Christmas.

These two English sites are very interesting for me. And I could learn Halloween and Christmas means. As I learned about Halloween and Christmas, I think that I can enjoy these two events more.

(519 words)

Speaking: opinion

1. I don’t think so. Because most American foods contain more fat than Japanese food. What’s more, most American food especially snacks contain a lot of food coloring.

2. I think shopping at a “TouMe Town” is better than shopping downtown.
I think so, too. Because YouMe Town has many shops and if you have YouMe card, you can get some points when you buy something.

3. We need to let more people from other countries move to Japan and live here.
I agree with you. Because I think that Japan is safe country and Japan has many good cultures. Some American food is very healthy.

4. Showing your belly button (heso) is not attractive.
I agree with you. Showing your belly button is untidy and it is not good for your health.

(133 words)