Happy New Year!
Today is the last class, so we are going to read something special. This is a graded reader called There will be school tomorrow,  written by my friend Ted O'Neill. There will be school tomorrow was adapted from the original short story by V. E. Thiessen. Click the link to download the free e-book. Then look at the right side of the page. Click "PDF". 
First, scan the story. Underline the words you don't know. Go to SPACE ALC. Find the translation. Add it to the Quizlet Flashcards here: http://quizlet.com/_5cfip
Enjoy!

Toyo Gakuen University Introduction to Business English 1B Final Exam Study Guide

Hello everyone!


Today we are going to learn how to write a curriculum vitae (C.V.) or resume, and we are going to prepare for the final exam.


The Final Exam is on Monday the 16th of  January 2012. The exam will be 1 hour long. The exam covers units 9, 10, 11 and 12 (pp. 78-117). The exam includes vocabulary, grammar, reading, and writing. The study guide is below.

• Part 1: Vocabulary - Fill in the blanks in a paragraph by selecting words from a box.  Please study our Introduction to Business English B Vocabulary List on Quizlet.
• Part 2:Grammar - Complete sentences by inserting the correct simple present,or present continuous form of the verb. Reviewing the CD Rom activities for Units 9-12 would be a great way to study for this section.
• Part 3:  Skills - Starting a presentation. Complete the introduction to a presentation by choosing the correct words and filling in the blanks.
• Part 4: Reading: Read a Financial Times article and answer comprehension questions using full sentences.
• Part 5: Writing - write a 70-100 word e-mail to a colleague requesting information about a presentation.

Now, let's learn how to write a resume, and also learn about a great man called An Wang. Click the link to see An Wang's resume. Write 5 questions about An Wang's resume and then ask your partner to answer the questions.

Next, click the link to download a template for your own resume, then fill in the template. When you've finished you'll have a resume!

Have a great holiday. See you next year!

応用英吾1-2B 2011 Student Fan Fiction Winners

Hello everyone,


Well we have winners. The writers of our textbook, Marcos Benevides and Adam Gray have chosen the 3 best fan fiction stories written by you. The winners are in reverse order:


#3 Natsumi - Mr. Gray said her story had a "Strong narrative presence.." and he, "...enjoyed the Leo and son angle."


#2 Kiyofumi - Mr. Benevides said "I absolutely *love* the concept--the 2nd person narration from Sara's point of view, combined with never directly revealing that it is in fact her. Very clever! I also love how it is revealed that the whole U Street case was actually a big frame-up masterminded by Sara and Carson! This reads like a real 'noir' story. Brilliant!"


and the winner is...


#1 Yuma - Mr. Benevides said, "Very nice, complete story. The characters are all believable and interesting, and the conclusion is unexpected and satisfying. The poem at the beginning is an interesting and clever way to start the story."

Mr. Gray said, "Hands down winner... thus had it all - some poetry, a gripping story, strong and complex command of English."

Honourable mentions also to Chiaki and Ryo.


Both Mr. Gray and Mr. Benevides enjoyed all the stories. Mr. Benevides said, "These are really interesting. I honestly liked all of them...and please pass a big 'thank you' to your students too. This group of stories is definitely my favourite so far!" Mr. Gray said, "In general I thought this was a solid batch of entries! Congrats to all."


All three winners receive a copy of Mystery of the Maya, which is part of a new series of graded readers edited by Mr. Benevides. The series is called Choose Your Own Adventure. Choose Your Own Adventure was originally a series of books written for native speaker children. Mr. Benevides loved reading the series when he was a boy, so he decided to edit the series for English language learners like you! Click the link to read more about the Choose Your Own Adventure Series on wikipedia in English and in Japanese きみならどうする?
I will post reformulated versions of the 3 winning stories as soon as possible. I will also post a link to all the stories in their original forms as well.


Please click the link to see previous examples of fan fiction based on Whodunit? .

Have a fun and safe winter break!

Shibaura Institute of Technology 英語総合1B Assignment 3

Hello everyone,

Well it's time for another assignment. This is Assignment 3. Please download the document and print it. You must submit your assignment by e-mail and also you must hand it in the last class. The last class is on the 17th of January. Don't forget that next Tuesday's class has been cancelled. If you can't attend the class tonight, please click the link and download your make-up assignment.  I will post an exam study guide soon. Please check this blog for your exam study guide. Happy holidays!!

基礎英吾1A Writing: My Proposal

Hello everyone,
Today we are going to start our fourth writing task of the second semester. In this task you will make a proposal for Toyo Gakuen University. What would you like to change about Toyo Gakuen Univesrity? Here's your chance to tell everyone how you think Togaku could be a better university.
First, let's look at some proposals by students at Shibaura Institute of Technology.
Now it's your turn. make a list of things you'd like to change at Togaku. Share your list with your partner. Then start the first draft of your paragraph. your first draft is due next Sunday at 6pm.
Enjoy!

Toyo Gakuen University Special Reading Lesson: Romeo and Juliet.

Hi!

Today we will have a special reading lesson made by a great teacher in Thailand called Brian Boyd, also known as Grammarman. Brian has simplified a Classical Comics version of the romantic story Romeo and Juliet. Click the link to download a pdf version of the comic.

Read the comic and do the tasks on your worksheet.

After, post a comment. What do you think of the story Romeo and Juliet. Can you think of any stories like it? Can you name any examples of Shinju (心中) in Japanese literature. What do you think of these stories.

Shibaura Institute of Technology 英語総合1B Global Issues - Chapter 7: Love and Marriage Part 3

Hello everyone, Today we will continue discussing Love and Marriage. Look at the picture above. This is a picture I look of a Bangladeshi bride and groom at a wedding reception I attended in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In the photo below you can see me with my colleagues. I am wearing a traditional Bengali panjabi. We were a little embarrassed because all the Bangladeshi men wore European business suits. 



 


Now let's listen to two people talking about Love and Marriage in Bangladesh. Some people in Bangladesh have arranged marriages. Let's listen to a conversation about arranged marriages on my friend Todd Beukens great website English Listening Lesson Library Online (ELLLO). Please listen to the conversation and do the quiz. 


Now let's study some vocabulary. Please click the Vocabulary Flashcards tab above. Then scroll down and find the link to our SIT 英語総合 Vocabulary Flashcards. Click the link and sign into Quizlet. After that, scan the next reading and add unknown words to our flashcard set.

Today we are going to learn about love songs in Crete. The picture on the left is a picture of a building in Crete.

Before you read, make a list of words that you can usually hear in a love song. 

One of my favourite love songs is First Love by Utada Hikaru. What's your favourite love song. Please post your answer as a comment.

See you next week!

応用英語1-2B Review

Well we've finished reading Death on U Street. I think the story was great. Today we are going to review the story. First, let's review the vocabulary. Click this link: 応用英語1-2B Reading Vocabulary Review all six lists.

Now click this link to review the events in the story: Death on U Street Timeline 1. Copy the timeline onto a piece of loose leaf paper. Next, review the story and add in any more important events. Include events from the timeline on p.111. Also scan pp. 121, 124, 125, 132, 148. Look at pp. 111 and 148. What time was Terry Sweet murdered?

After that write a summary of the story on p.14 in your Detective's notebook.
Finally, write a review of the story. Maybe Adam and Marcos will read your reviews and write a reply. Post your review as a comment below.

Shibaura Institute of Technology 英語総合1B Global Issues - Chapter 7: Love and Marriage Part 2

Hello everyone!
Today we are going to continue talking about love and marriage. Look at the picture. This is a photo I took at a Tahitian Wedding ceremony in Bora Bora. You can read about Tahitian wedding ceremonies here: http://www.tahitianwedding.com/en/ I went to Tahiti with my wife. It was our second honeymoon. We celebrated our tenth anniversary in Tahiti. You can see more pictures of this Tahitian wedding ceremony and other pictures from my Tahitian holiday here:http://mrstoutsblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Tahiti

Now let's study some vocabulary. Please click the Vocabulary Flashcards tab above. Then scroll down and find the link to our SIT 英語総合 Vocabulary Flashcards. Click the link and sign into Quizlet. After that, scan the next reading and add unknown words to our flashcard set.

Chinese bride before the wedding

Today, we are going to learn how modern technology has changed love and marriage in China. You can learn more about Chinese pre-wedding customs here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_pre-wedding_customs


Finally, you can download your second assignment here: http://www.box.com/s/uvkqlms69b60cdx1ygf5
Please submit your assignment by e-mail by next Monday night at 6:00.
Enjoy

応用英吾1-2B Short Story Project Part 2

Good morning everyone!

Today we are going to continue working on our Short Story Project. First let's study some vocabulary.

Now let's read another story written by a Togaku student. After you read the story, write 2 questions about the story with your partner.

Next, draw a picture of a scene from this story.

 Takaaki's Story

One morning, Kazuo Yokota got up and ate breakfast, and then he went out for a walk with his dog Oto-san. Yokota’s favourite pastime was going for a walk with his dog. They went to a nearby park, the vegetable store, and the local shopping area. Along the way, Yokota dropped in to the doughnuts store. Actually his favourite food was doughnuts, and he was worried about gaining weight because he eats doughnuts too much, but he loved doughnuts, so he bought a lot of doughnuts and started to eat. His dog Oto-san waited for his master until he finished eating the doughnuts. An hour later “Oto-san” said,

 “Hey Yokota, lets continue our walk”

Yokota ignored him, so he got angry and left. When Yokota finished eating a lot of doughnuts, he noticed that his dog was gone and he thought maybe Oto-san might have got angry and left the store because he was eating a lot of doughnuts for long time.

Yokota searched around the doughnut store, the local shopping area, the vegetable store, and the nearby park and his home. Yokota asked the people at the stores and members of his family if they knew where Oto-san was, but Yokota couldn’t find his dog, Yokota was weak and tired and sat on the bench in the park, and then his cell-phone rang and he answered it. It was Ellie who was his friend She said,

“Oto-san  is at our police station. I think you should come here now because he is angry.”

Yokota ran to the police station and found Oto-san. Yokota got chewed out by Oto-san for 3 hours. After that they went home.

 Now please look at the corrections and rewrite your stories. Your second draft is due next Thursday.

Enjoy!

Shibaura Institute of Technology 英語総合1B Global Issues - Chapter 7: Love and Marriage

Hello everyone!
Today we start a new topic - Love and Marriage. To begin, let's make a list of words we know related to love and marriage.

 As the song says, "Love and Marriage" go together like a horse and carriage. "Love" and "marriage" and "horse" and "carriage" are collocations. (コロケーション、語と語のつながり、語の配列、連語（法）、連語構成語) Can you think of any more collocations reelated to the topic of love and marriage? With your partner, please make a list.

Now, please click the tab above called "Vocabulary Flashcards". Scroll down and then click the link called SIT 英語総合1B Vocabulary Flashcards. Please add any words on page 122 in your textbook that you don't know to our vocabulary flashcards. After that, please study the flashcards for 5 minutes. 

Our first reading is about a marriage tradition in Botswana. Please look at the map below. Where is Botswana? The titles of our first reading is Brides for Sale. What do you think you will learn from the reading? Finally, please leave a comment. Do you think that marriage must include love? See you next week!

応用英語I-2B Reading - Chapter 6 Review and Introduction to the Short Story Writing Project

Hello everyone!
Today we are going to review Chapter 6 and then take the last quiz. After that we are going to start a small project about Death on U Street. You are going to write a short story about what happens to your favourite character after the events in Death on U Street. I will send your stories to Adam Gray and Marcos Benevides. They will choose the 3 best stories and I will publish those stories on this blog!

First let's learn some new words. Click this link: Death on U Street Vocabulary.

Next, let's read a story written by a Togaku student. Please click the link: Michinori's Story.

Now, please download the worksheet below. Follow the steps and write your story.
Enjoy!

Shibaura Institute of Technology 英語総合１B Global Issues - Unit 4 Reading 3

Hello everyone, Today we are going to read about the largest garbage dump in the Middle East. You can see a picture of Hiriya below. Hiriya is in Isreal.

Downloaded from wikipedia

First let's study some vocabulary. Please click this link: 英語総合iB Vocabulary.

You can read more about Hiriya here: Garbage to Green: 10 landfills turned into nature preserves, and here: Trashy Travel: Isreal's new recycling park.

There is a park in Toronto that was once a garbage dump. It's called Centennial Park. You can see a picture of the ski hill in Centennial Park below. 

Uploaded to Flickr by Boblink

So, how do Japanese deal with garbage? According to the New York Times, over 80% of garbage in Japan is incinerated. Click here to see an interesting story about garbage in Japan by the New York Times: Trash in Japan - 44 types of garbage. 

What do you think of the way Japan deals with garbage? What do you think about sorting garbage? Please leave a comment below.

基礎英吾1B Writing Lesson 6: Movie Review Voicethread project

Hello everyone, I hope you had a great week-end. Today we are going to learn about a great internet tool called Voicethread. We are going to look at a Voicethread presentation and then we are going to make our own Voicethread presentation using our movie reviews.
First, let's study some vocabulary. Please sign into Quizlet and study CIC Unit 6 Travel Vocabulary

Now let's go to our shared blog - Connected Classrooms. Please look to see if there are any new comments and posts. Please post three comments.

Now look at the slide below. We are going to start a Voicethread project. Please look at the questions and answer one. You can see a Voicethread made by Togaku students here: Music Genres.

Now log in to Voicethread and make a slide for your movie review. Please get your pictures from wikipedia.
Enjoy!

Introduction to Business English 1B Fall 2011 My Company Presentation Lesson 2

Uploaded to Flickr by 05com

Today we will continue learning about presentation skills. First, let's study some vocabulary. Please click this link: Introduction to Business English B Vocabulary.
Now let's review last week's lesson. Last week we learned about posture and gesture. Look at the picture below. What does the gesture mean? Now practice some gestures from last lesson.

Now let's talk about voice inflection. Click the link to see an interesting video about voice inflection.
Your presentation is next week. Click the link to see the presentation assessment criteria (評価基準)
.Have fun preparing. See you next week!

応用英語1-2B Chapter 5 Review and Chapter 6 Preview

Hello everyone,
Well, we are almost finished our story. Today we are going to review Chapter 5, and then do the quiz. After that we are going to finish the story. Next week will be the last quiz.
Let's review some vocabulary. Please click this link: 応用英語1-2B Vocabulary.
Now, in your groups, fill in important information about Chapter 5 and prepare for the quiz.
Good luck!

Shibaura Institute of Technology 英語総合１B Chapter 4 Reading 3 Going Going Gone

Hello everyone, Today we are going to talk about endangered species.

First let's study some vocabulary. Please click this link: 英語総合iB Vocabulary.

Look at the picture below. What's the name of this bird. Do you know where it lives?

Downloaded from wikipedia

Look at the picture below. What is the name of this fish? Maybe you are surprised that this fish is endangered.

The animal in the picture below is the Japanese Sea Lion. It is extinct.

What do you think we should do about endangered species. Please leave a comment below.

基礎英吾１B Writing Lesson 5: Writing a Movie Review Part 2

Hello everyone, I hope you had a great week-end. Today we are going to participate in our Interschool Blogging Project again. First, let's study some vocabulary. Please sign into Quizlet and study CIC Unit 6 Travel Vocabulary

Now let's go to our shared blog - Connected Classrooms. Please look to see if there are any new comments and posts. Please post three comments.


Now, write your second draft of your movie review. Next week we will make a Voicethread of our movie reviews. See you next week!

Introduction to Business English 1B Fall 2011 My Company Presentation Lesson 1

Today we will start the My Company Presentation Project.
First let's look at a video of two American university students giving a presentation. This presentation has many problems. Watch the presentation. Do the following tasks:
1. Make a list of the problems you see.
2. Think of 2 ways this presentation could be improved.

Ok, let's study some vocabulary. Click this link: Introduction to Business English 1B Vocabulary
Now lets start. Click here to download your task sheet: Introduction to Business English 1B Project Task Sheet.

OK, with your partner start the project. We will continue next week. Enjoy!

応用英語I-2B Reading Chapters 4 Review pt. 2 and Chapter 5 Preview

Hello everyone!
Today we are going to review Chapter 4 some more and preview Chapter 5. First, let's review some vocabulary. Click this link: Death on U Street Chapter 4 Vocabulary.
Last week, you commented on this blog. You told us who you think is the murder. Let's look at the comments.

In Chapter 5, we learn about a new suspect. Look at the mind map below. Who is the new suspect?

Next week will be the chapter 5 quiz. Don't forget to make notes in your Detective's notebook.
See you next week.

Shibaura Institute of Technology 英語総合1B Global Issues Assignment 1

Hello everyone! Today we are going to continue studying Chapter 4 in our textbook and we are going to start Assignment 1. First let's study some vocabulary. Please click this link: 英語総合1B Vocabulary.

Now let's look at Assignment 1.

Assignment 1 is due on Monday 7 November at 7 pm. Please e-mail your assignment to me. Also please print your assignment and bring it to class next Tuesday.
Enjoy!

基礎英吾1B Semester 2 Lesson 5: The Interschool Blogging Project

Hello everyone!
Today we are going to continue working on our movie reviews and we are going to start a new project called the Interschool Blogging Project. First, let's study some vocabulary. Please click this link: Togaku 英単　Set 7. Now let's go to Connected Classrooms, which is the blog that we will share with students in Japan and around the world. Let's read some posts written by Chiba University of Commerce. Read the post and then write a comment. When you're finished, continue working on your movie review. Your first draft is due next Monday.

Introduction to Business English B - Unit 9: Companies

Hello everyone!
Today's topic is companies. Look at the picture above. Do you know these companies? What do these companies do? Do these companies do business in Japan? Have you ever bought these companies goods or services? Discuss these questions with a partner.
Now let's review some vocabulary. Introduction to Business English B Vocabulary .
Next, let's learn more about a company called Natura. Click this link to read a wikipedia article about Natura in Japanese, and click here to read a wikipedia article about Natura in English.
Now, please answer the following questions:

• When was Natura founded?
• What are Natura's products?
• Where is Natura's headquarters?
• Who are the key people at Natura?
• What was Natura's revenue in 2010?
• What was Natura's net income in 2010?
• What does Natura focus its image on?

 Now let's read the Financial Times article about Natura in our textbook.
Finally, what kind of company would you like to found? Why would you like to found a company like that? Leave a comment below.