Writing 2 Spring 2014 Weeks 11 & 12: Task 3 - The Comparative Essay

Hello everyone, Today we are going to write the first draught of our comparative essay. First, let's watch a video made by an American student in Nagasaki called Hannah. Take notes as you watch the video, and answer the questions below.

 

1. What were the two housing options Hannah had to choose from?
2. What problem did Hannah have before she went to Nagasaki?
3. What does Hannah say about the pros and cons (賛否両論) of living in the girls' dorm at Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies?
4. What are the good points and the bad points about the dorm cafeteria?
5. What does Hanna say about the office staff?
6. What facilities does the dorm have?
7. How does Hannah's dorm room in Japan compare to the dorm room she had in America?
8. What does she love about living in the dorm?
9. Why didn't she choose a homestay?
10. What questions do you have for Hannah? Write one and post it as a comment on her YouTube Channel.

OK, now start writing! Write a four-paragraph comparative essay about two types of housing. Your essay should be at least 300 words long. Please submit your essay to my mailbox on the 4th floor of the Foreign Language Centre by Wednesday 9th July at noon.                
Enjoy!

Integrated English 1 for Physical Education Majors B4 Week 6: Paul Kariya Chapter 4

Hello everybody, Today we are going to review Chapter 4 of our Paul Kariya biography and do a test. First, let's study some vocabulary using Quizlet. Please click the link: IE-I PE (B4) Vocabulary.

The video above was made by a Paul Kariya fan. I hope you enjoy it.
See you next week.

CE-II Autumn 2013: Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone:
Today we are going to learn about Christmas in various cultures. First, let's look at a Christmas video card I made in 2010.



In the past, there were Twelve Days of Christmas. This period was known as Christmastide, or Yuletide. The twelve days of Christmas started on Christmas day and ended on or before the feast of the Epiphany (the 6th of January). In some cultures, gifts were given on each of the twelve days of Christmas. This tradition is rarely practiced now, but a song about it is still sung, "The Twelve Days of Christmas". Now let's watch another video. This is a Canadian version of the popular song. List the twelve gifts in the Canadian version. What kinds of gifts would you give in your own Japanese version?

That's all, have a safe and happy holiday. See you next year!

Integrated English 2 Autumn 2013 Happy Christmas!

Hello everyone, It's Christmas Eve. Happy Christmas. Today we are going to finish reading the Sign of Four, and then we'll talk about Sherlock Holmes and Christmas. First, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Sherlock Holmes: The Sign of Four Vocabulary.

OK, let's listen to a Sherlock Holmes story set during Christmas time. This story is called The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle. Let's listen to the story, then answer some questions about it.



Well then, how do you think the diamond got into the goose's stomach, and who do you think stole Lady Morcar's diamond? We'll find out...next time.

Finally, Sherlock Holmes is what we call an iconic character (偶像視される［に祭り上げられる］役). This means that he is such a well known and well loved character that he is like an idol, and he represents the "ideal detective". Therefore, Sherlock Holmes has appeared as a character in many stories, even science fiction. Sherlock Holmes has even appeared in the popular British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. In last year's Doctor Who Christmas Special, the Doctor disguised himself as Sherlock Holmes. You can see a clip from the programme below.  Enjoy, and have a safe and happy winter holiday!

Presentation 1 Autumn 2013 Week 4: The Demonstration Presentation

Hello everyone,
Today, after you do your layout presentations, we will learn about voice inflection. After that, we will prepare for our next presentation, the demonstration presentation.
Let's watch a demonstration of how to make ramen.



Now it's your turn. Please prepare a demonstration presentation of your favourite dish.
See you next week!

CE-II Autumn 2013 Week 2

Hello everyone,

I hope you stayed inside, stayed safe, and had a nice relaxing "Typhoon Day" yesterday.
Today we are going to review the homework about Michael Pritchard and his Life Saver bottle.

First, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Cross Cultural Awareness and English 2 Vocabulary.

Next, let's review last week's homework.

Our next topic is tap water. Do you think tap water is safe? Do you drink tap water, or do you drink bottled water because you think it is safer? Do you think that bottled water is more delicious than tap water? Let's watch an interesting video: The Story of Bottled Water. You can download the annotated script for this video too.

Watch the video and read the annotated script then answer the questions on the worksheet. You can download the worksheet here: Bottled Water vs. Tap Water.

For homework please read Waste not, Want not on pp. 37-39. Answer the questions on pp. 38 and 39.
See you next week!

Presentation 1 2013 Week 4: Voice Inflection and the Demonstration Speech

Hello everyone,
Today, after you do your layout presentations, we will learn about voice inflection. After that, we will prepare for our next presentation, the demonstration presentation.
Let's watch a demonstration of how to make ramen.


Now it's your turn. Please prepare a demonstration of your favourite dish.
See you next week!

Cross Cultural Awareness and English 2013 Semester 1 Week 2: Love and marriage in China

Hello everyone, I hope you had a nice weekend.
Today we are going to review our reading about love and marriage in Botswana. First, please click the link. Let's sign up for Quizlet. Next, please join the class I have created for us on Quizlet. Please click the link: Cross Cultural Awareness and English 2013/2014. Now let's study some vocabulary, please click the link: Cross cultural Awareness and English Vocabulary.

In the reading, "Brides for sale?", we learned that "lobola", the African custom of paying for a bride, was controversial. Let's review the arguments for lobola and the arguments against lobola. Please turn to p. 124 in your textbook.

Now we are going to start our next topic, Love and Marriage in China. Like Botswanan marriage customs, Chinese marriage customs include a "bride price". Chinese marriage customs also include a dowry. You can read about Chinese pre-wedding customs by clicking the link. Let's watch a video of a Chinese wedding. Please click the link.

Now, please read "A new dowry item: the computer" on pp. 128-129, then answer the questions on p.129.

For homework, please watch the video below. After that, please download the article, "Thousands marry on love you forever day". Read the article and do the tasks. Enjoy!

Presentation 1: Welcome

Hello everyone, welcome to Presentation 1.
Today I am going to introduce you to the course. Let's look at the course outline.
look at the picture on the left. This is the text book we will use. I hope you have bought it. If not, please buy it as soon as possible. We will be using it starting next class. This semester we will learn the basics of how to give 5 types of presentations: an informative presentation, a layout presentation, a demonstration presentation, a comparison demonstration and a persuasive presentation.

First, lets look at a bad presentation. Watch the presentation and take notes. What mistakes are the presenters making? Now let's watch another bad presentation.

Next week we will start our first presentation.
See ya!

Cross Cultural Awareness and English 2013 Semester 1 Week 1: Welcome

Hello everyone, welcome to the University of Tsukuba!
Today I'm going to introduce you to the course. Please click the link to download your Course Outline.
Well, as you saw from the course outline, we will be discussing love and marriage in various cultures this semester. Let's listen to a great song by Frank Sinatra called "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 related to the topic of love and marriage? With your partner, please make a list.

Now, let's learn some vocabulary. Please click the link: Cross Cultural Awareness and English Vocabulary. 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!

The University of Tsukuba IE Phys. Ed B3 Trimester 3 Wk 8

Downloaded from Wikipedia

Hello everyone,
Today we are going to talk about a famous European footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo.  Let's watch a video of Cristiano Ronaldo scoring goals. Now let's download the article. Please click the link: www.famouspeoplelessons.com: Cristiano Ronaldo. Now scan the article for words you don't know. Add those words to our flashcard set on Quizlet: IE-PhysEd B3 Vocabulary.
Next, let's read the article and do the tasks.
Finally, please leave a comment. What do you think of Cristiano Ronaldo?
See you next week!

The University of Tsukuba Cross Cultural Awareness and English Trimester 3 Week 8

Hello everyone,
Well, I thought we were finished our discussion of love and marriage, but I discovered this story and I couldn't resist planning one more lesson before we start to review and prepare for the final test. Today we are going to talk about love and marriage in China again.

Before we start, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Cross Cultural Awareness and English.

Yesterday was a lucky day in China. Let's find out why by reading an article called Thousands marry on "Love You Forever Day" on breakingnewsenglish.com

Will you choose a "lucky day" for your wedding day? Please leave a comment below.

The University of Tsukuba Academic English Presentation I Trimester 3 Wks 6 & 7

Hello everyone, I hope you had a nice week-end. Let's begin to day by watching an interesting video made by a Chinese speaker of English. How does he recommend that you open your presentation?


OK, today we are going to learn how to write effective introduction. This will be the first step in preparation for our final presentation.

The University of Tsukuba Academic English Presentation II Trimester 3 Wk 5

Hello everyone,
Today we are going to do our second presentations. Then we'll move on to our next topic: Using Visuals. First, let's watch a video made by a great teacher in Japan called Tom Kenny.


OK, now let's learn more about using visuals. Click the link to see some previous posts about visuals.

The University of Tsukuba IE Engineering C1 - Trimester 3 Week 3

Hello everyone, Today we are going to review chapters 5 -9 of The Hound of the Baskervilles. First, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles Vocabulary. Now, let's do a quiz. Please answer the questions in the Quiz form below. Some of the questions are the same as the questions in last week's quiz.

Now let's watch a video. Please click the link: Sherlock Holmes and the Baskerville Curse Part 2. Watch the video and take notes.
Now please click the link and download today's worksheet: Hound of the Baskervilles Chapters 1-9 Worksheet.
For homework please read chapters 10 and 11. There will be another quiz next class.
Happy holidays!

The University of Tsukuba Cross Cultural Awareness and English Trimester 3 Week 3

Hello everyone!

Today we are going to learn about μαντινάδες (Mantinades), which are love poems sung at weddings on the island of Crete. Crete is the largest island in Greece. It was once the centre of the ancient Minoan civilization, which was the oldest civilization in Europe, so Crete has a rich cultural tradition. This rich cultural tradition has given the people of Crete some wonderful wedding customs, including the Mantinades.

Before we learn about the Mantinades, let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Cross cultural awareness and English Vocabulary. 
Now let's listen to a mantinades. The song is called Please click the link: 

Ο ΥΜΝΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΜΑΝΑΣ - ΓΙΩΡΓΟΣ ΖΕΡΒΑΚΗΣ . 

The title means, "Hymn to Mother". The singer says that there are many kinds of love in the world but the one kind of love that stands out is love for one's mother. Why do you think that a man might sing a song about his love for his mother at his wedding?

Ok, now please turn to p. 142.

What do you think of Mantinades? Are there any similar types of poetry in Japanese culture, or in the cultures of other peoples? Post a comment below.

See you next week!

The University of Tsukuba Cross Cultural Awareness and English Trimester 3 Week 2

Hello everyone,
Last week we talked about marriage in Botswana. We learned about the Botswanian practice of Labola. Labola is sometimes translated into English as "bride price".

This week let's talk about marriage in China. Chinese marriage customs include a bride price too. Chinese marriage customs also include a dowry. You can read about Chinese pre-wedding customs by clicking the link.



Let's watch a video of a Chinese wedding. Please click the link.

Now let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: Cross Cultural Awareness and English Vocabulary.


Now lets read about how modern technology is changing the traditional Chinese dowry.
Finally, what do you think of Chinese wedding customs? Please post a comment.
See you next week

The University of Tsukuba Presentation I - Week 9: Final Presentation Part 2

Hi everybody,
Today we are going to finish preparing for our final presentations and do some practice too. First, let's watch one of the best presentations ever - Steve Job's introduction of the MacBook Air, one of the greatest inventions ever!

OK, keep practicing. See you next week.

The University of Tsukuba CE Science and Maths C1 - Week 9

Bison skull pile

Hello everyone,
Today we are going to talk about endangered species. Some species become extinct naturally. For example, dinosaurs became extinct because of a natural disaster. However, some species become extinct because of human behaviour. Look at the picture on the left. Hundreds of Bison were killed in order to make this pile of skulls. The Bison nearly became extinct because of hunting in the 19th century.
Click the link to see a video showing endangered species.



Now let's study some vocabulary. Please click the link: CE Science and Math C1 Vocabulary.

Honshu Wolf

Look at the picture on the left. The Honshu wolf is extinct now. The Hokkaido wolf is extinct now too.
What do you think of buying products made from endangered species, for example: shamisen picks (撥) and Japanese seals (はんこ) made of ivory? Please post a comment.





Don't forget, your final test is next week. Study hard!