Finally !

Finally, my son's sports day has come today.

 

There would've been much more people coming to see today's UNDO-KAI, if it had been held on last weekend. I'm not sure if it was the reason, but the event, kind of a race or something, which was supposed to be done by parents was called off.

My son run a 50M-race, and took part in a play (or dance) in a loud T-shirt and a bandana, and also took part in a big ball relay race(?).

I tried to video all his performance, but I failed to video the latter half of his 50M-race because of my having failed in zooming in and zooming out. Fortunately, I had nobody who blamed me for my failure this time. As I didn't see the result of the race, I asked him after the race. He said he came in second. This was the first time he didn't finish last. banzai.  

It was such a sunny day today that I got suntanned on my face and arms. It made me look more weird. After taking a bath, my wife kindly put some lotion on my body. I bet it's going to be stormy tomorrow.

English Training Gym（英語トレーニングジム）

I think  I've had a hard time remembering words and phrases. So, I tried some methods to build up my vocabulary.

One of them, I've been working on it  for more than a half year, is "English training gym(英語トレーニングジム)" .

It consists of two section, basic and development(?).  I've already finished memorizing whole the basic section and one third of the development section.

It starts from very easy sentences like "I get up early everyday.", but at the end of the basic section, it's getting pretty long such as, "Now that aging xxxx is about to phase in, it is xxxx for xxxx people to feel xxxxx about xxx future."

It's easier to translate from English into Japanese. On the contrary, it is quite hard to translate from Japanese into English. In fact, it took me much more time than I had expected. I wanted to finish it at the latest  by the Golden Week.

At first, there was no remarkable progress. However, I sometimes realize that I've acquired a lot of phrases which I practiced speaking aloud repetitively.  Not enough at all, though.

 Now, I have quite difficult sentences left, one of which is like

 "ｘｘｘｘではｘｘ年前はxx価値と見なされていたベンチャーｘｘが、多くのｘｘ企業をxx規模で席巻するxxに十分xxxxしたと言う事は珍しいxxではありません"

It's so difficult for me even in Japanese !  席巻ってなんだよ～　知らん！

Anyway, I'll do it at my own pace.

 

KIYOはこれでペラペラになりました!?

           英語トレーニングジム 

                        ↓

      

Rainy day again

UNDO-KAI was put off until Wednesday due to the rain.

I'd canceled today's lessons at English school to go see UNDO-KAI. So,I have no plans today but look after my daughter. Great! Great ?

Speaking of my daughter, she still is one and a half years old. She gradually started to say some words. Can you guess what the word she first remembered was?

"OPPAI - She repeats OPPAI hundreds of times a day. In case her mother ignores her, she yells out like OPPA------I,OPPA--------------I"

"OISHII - when she feels like eating something, she repeats OISHII,OISHII, OISHII,..."

"IAI - It means bye-bye. whenever she sees me. She waves her hand, saying I-AI. It means she doesn't want to see me any more and wants me to leave."

"PAPA - It means her father who she is not interested in at all."

"MAMA - It means Oppai or food for her."

There might be lots of words she understand though she still can't pronounce properly. She seems to understand our saying, "Where is your cap?" or "Where is your brother?" or "How old are you?" or "Where are your socks?"

I suppose my studying English is just like she learns language. The more I read and listen to English contents, The better I understand what English speaking people say. But still I can't speak English properly.

The big difference between us is she has fresh brains which can absorb anything she experiences, and I don't. 

Nobody knows whether I teach her English or she kindly teaches me English in the future.

NO◎A - episode 3 -

My first level up test was not so difficult, but I was a little bit nervous.

It was an oral exam for 15 minutes or so.

I've heard that the level up test used to be both oral and written exam to see English ability totally.

First test was a role-playing test to see how I could deal with the problem.

The situation is... I'm to fly to my home town to see my father who's come down with severe disease.  I've just arrived at the airport and found that the plane for me to take was to be canceled due to an engine trouble or something. So, I have to wait until tomorrow morning although it's urgent. Another plane bound for the same destination is departing in an hour.  I must ask someone waiting for that plane if the person can exchange his or her ticket for mine.

I could do it.

The second test was an instruction test  to see how I can explain things.

The situation is... I'm talking to my friend on the phone. He's asking me how to use a coffee maker, so I have to explain. Assuming that we have the same thing.

It was so hard that it took me very long. Even if I speak in Japanese, it must be difficult to explain how to use a coffee maker. I haven't used it by myself.

Anyhow, I could do it.

After the test, the staff said to me, "Congratulations, you got promoted !"

It took me about two months to be "Level 4".

 

TO BE CONTINUED

 

Rain's getting harder

Thanks to the , a sports day was postponed until tomorrow.

My son had four ordinary classes at school instead, got back home,

started to play video games, and still playing.

I went to N◎VA, got back, and surfing now.

This keeps us stay in all this afternoon.

I'll take a nap and come back again tonight.

What's the weather like tomorrow ?

UNDO-KAI

UNDO-KAI (A field day held at elementary schools or middle schools. Kids in white gym suit devided into two teams - white and red - compete some events such as track races, games, and also dancing in bright costumes. Parents are supposed to take part in some events) of my son's school is going to be held tomorrow, unless it rains. This is going to be his second UNDO-KAI in the elementary school.

I'm afraid that the weather forecast for weekend is .   If it rains tomorrow, it will be put off till the next day.  If it's rainy on Sunday as well, it will be held on this coming Wednesday.  If so, I need to take a day off.  I 'd have to say that "I can take a day off". It sounds much better, isn't it ?

As for field day, it used to be held in fall when I was a student. Why is it held in this time of the year now ?  I havn't been able to find it out. It's not worth knowing it though.

Since my son is definitely not an excellent sprinter, it seems like he doesn't want to run in front of hundreds of spectators. But I have to add, for the honor of him, that he can swim very well.

The best shots of UNDO-KAI are coming to this blog so soon !

 

N■VA - episode 2 -

My N◆VA life started May 23 in 2004.

1 point is needed to take 1 lesson which is 40 minutes long.
The more point you purchase, the cheaper the price for 1 point is.
If you are sure to continue to study for a long time, buying as many points really saves.

So, I bought as many as 600 points good for 3 years, which meant that I would have to keep taking 4 lessons every week for 3 years since then. It might sound easy for someone to spend, but I usually get home from work at earliest after 9, it's hard to go study on weekdays. Besides, I'm a married man with two lovely children, having a lot to do on weekends. It's been quite hard to manage to go sometimes.

Anyway, as a result of the level check test that I took before the regular class, I started at level 5, just the middle class of all.
(N■VA class consists of 9 levels like 7c - the lowest,7b, 7a, 6, 5, 4,3, 2, 1 - the highest. Level 1 student is almost a native speaker who doesn't have to study at N☆VA.)

Level 5 lessons were still very easy to understand, however I had a hard time speaking something in English fluently. At this class, they can speak what's on thier mind only if they take a lot of time. If they are asked a question, they can  tell "yes" or "no". But telling the reason why they think so or why they do so is difficult unless the teacher press them for an answer. The conversation usually went like this,
"How are you, KIYO ?"
"I'm very sleepy."
"Oh, why ?"
"Because I went..went to bed very late yesterd...last night."
"Really? You must be tired. What did you do last night ?"
"I read the book which was...which I bought the other day."
"Was it interesting ?"
"Yes, it's...it was interested....interesting."
"Sounds great!"

I can tell whether the lesson is inspiring or not depends on how the teacher shows their enthusiasm to students. They need to teach us students with more effort to make students feel like studying more.

What was so lucky was that I had a favorite teacher whose lesson was super exciting. And our branch wasn't large and we didn't have a lot of students. Even though I took a group lesson every time, A private lesson needs 3 or 4 points for 1 lesson, I was an only student in my class sometimes and I had a lot of time to talk with the teacher. That's why I was promoted to upper class very soon.

I've got a level-up recommendation on July 17.
My first level-up test was approaching.

TO BE CONTINUED.

Take a break ?

♀　 "If I were you, I would have never married myself."

♂   "How come? You're so pretty and smart. Perfect is the word for you!"

♀   "So, I don't wanna aim too high and fail."

 

 

♀   "Who's the most important person to you?"

♂   "Of course you."

♀   "Me, too."

 

 

♂   "I'm not content with my physical appearance."

♀   "Me, either."

♂   "Oh, come on! You are extremely beautiful."

♀   "I mean that I don't like your look, either."

 

 

Makes sense ?

 

Who's never been scolded ?

When I got home tonight, my wife was scolding my son for his having lost his T-shirt at school.  I'm sometimes scolded by her for my mistakes, too.  Am I reflecting ordinary husband's actual life ?

She's always complaining to somebody about something in my family.  It's been really annoying for everybody.

On the contrary, nobody can scold her even though she sometimes makes a mistake. Everybody knows what's going to happen if she turns furious. 

It's not fair, is it ?

Writing like this, somebody might think I'm a henpecked husband. But the truth is opposite. I believe I have more power than she does. Only I may believe so.

Today's saying - "Let sleeping dogs lie."

 

 

英会話

英会話の練習をはじめてから早２年。

最初は、２年もすればペラペラだぜ、なんて考えていたけれど、
いや、なかなか簡単にはいかないもんだ。
確かに必死になって勉強すれば、２年もあれば進歩するだろうが、
仕事をしながら、休みには家族サービスしながらとなると、難しい。
・・・言い訳がましいぜ！

あと１年で、自分でも成長が感じられるくらいは進歩したい。
一日一日を有意義に使う事にしよう。

というわけで、
一年後には、信じられない程英語が上達しているであろう事を願って
ブログを始めました。