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Hello once again!
Firstly, my leg is improving all the time, which is very good news for me!
This week I received my business cards. This isn’t as common in England or Poland as it is in Japan so it’s the first time I’ve had my own. You might spot us giving out cards and information in the city in the next few weeks! We currently have a special offer of 50% off the joining fee if you sign up to the school in July or August.
On Monday I used my free day to visit the castle in Takada. It was great, surrounded by nice ponds with koi carp. Even though the castle is a modern reconstruction, it was still very interesting. I love castles in Europe so it was nice for me to see a Japanese castle – I hope to visit many more! I also chatted to some nice ladies on the train using my dictionary.
Next weekend I’ll watch some football. Albirex Niigata wear the same colour as my local football team in England so I will support them whilst I’m in Japan!
As usual, if you have any questions or comments, let me know!
Improving (verb, from ‘to improve’): to become better; e.g. My English is improving; the weather will improve next week.
Business cards (plural noun): A small piece of card with information about somebody and their profession/business; e.g. In Japan, it is polite to receive a business card with two hands, read it and place it on the table.
Common (adjective): Something which can be seen/found etc. in many places; e.g. It is common to see tourists in Kyoto; it is common to eat rice with a meal in Japan. This word is often confused with ‘popular’, which means ‘liked my many people’. For example, corruption in some countries is common, but is it popular?!
Spot (used here as a verb): To see from amongst many things; e.g. It was difficult to spot my friend in the crowd; I hope to spot a geisha when I visit Kyoto.
(A/the) few: Normally means ‘some’; e.g. There are a few people waiting for the bus; the next few days will be important for the Prime Minister; it can also mean ‘some but not many, not enough’, e.g. He has few friends; he works too few hours.
Sign up: Means ‘to join’, ‘to become a member of’; e.g. My friend has signed up to become a member of a gym.
Surrounded by: If something is surrounded by something, then something is all around it; e.g. At Shinjuku station I was surrounded by people; the pop star was surrounded by fans.
Pond: A small, man-made lake; e.g. many people in England have ponds in their garden.
Even though: Means ‘despite’ or ‘in spite of’ – used when something bad/negative doesn’t stop an action, or vice versa; e.g. Even though it was raining, we still played football; even though he doesn’t know anybody, he will go to the party.
Reconstruction (noun, from the verb ‘to reconstruct’): The verb means ‘to build again’. The noun is a building which has been ‘built again’; e.g. If a building is destroyed (e.g. in a war, in an earthquake) it can be reconstructed.
Chatted (verb, from ‘to chat’): This means to talk informally; e.g. I like chatting to my friends in the pub; after the meeting, I chatted to my boss about the football.
Local (adjective): From near to you or near to a particular area/region; e.g. When I go on holiday I like to eat the local food; The weather there was terrible but the local people were very friendly.
Support (verb): a) literally means ‘to help’; e.g. I supported my sister by giving her the money for college; b) can also be used to mean ‘want to win’, especially in sport; e.g. I support Blackpool Football Club; a person who supports a sports team is called a ‘supporter’.
Now practice by completing the text below! (Last week’s answers are below)
During a business meeting, people shouldn’t waste time by ____________ about unimportant things.
When meeting new friends from different countries, it is _____________ to give them _____________ foods from your area to try.
In the beautiful garden, I was ____________________ trees, flowers and rocks. I ________________ the designer by buying an entrance ticket and ___________ for his monthly newsletter. I visited the garden _________________ I had _____________ hours to spare as it was very famous. Afterwards, I __________ one of my students in the crowd. He must have been studying as his English was really ____________________.
Last week’s answers:
When somebody moves to a new country, it takes time for them to settle in and feel comfortable living there. Travelling and living in a new culture can be exciting. If you have a long flight in an aeroplane, it is important to exercise so you don’t get economy class syndrome. It can take a long time to get better after this. Some things in a new country can be different or even bizarre. Many people look forward to travelling and going on holiday for a long time. It means they can relax and experience new places.
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不倫にすっかりハマってしまった奥様達があなたとの出会いを待ってます。
2009/9/15(火) 午前 11:56 [ 不倫 ]