The Emperor

Before class please watch the video and answer the questions.

 

1. Did you enjoy the video? Why or why not?
2. Which of the four words in the video do you think suits the Emperor best?
3. If you were asked to choose a word to represent the Emperor, what word would you choose and why?
4. How do you feel about the Emperor abdicating?
5. What do you think about the next Emperor? 

Before class please prepare a short talk about the present Emperor or any previous one. Also before class think of some questions to ask about the British Queen.

JAL

Before class watch the video and answer the questions

1. What was your impression of the advertisement?
2. What does "while others fly, we soar" mean?
3. What are your experiences with JAL?
4. Which is your favorite airline and why?
5. Is flying enjoyable for you? Why or why not?
6. Which do you think is the top rated airline in the world?

Before class please prepare two talks, one about a good experience with an airline and one about a bad experience.

From a little acorn

Last winter in Kameoka I found an acorn. I took it home, put it in a plant pot and forgot about it. But recently it started to germinate and has grown some leaves. This reminded me of the English idiom:

"Great oaks from little acorns grow"

The meaning is, from a small start you can create something big. For example starting to learn a new language begins with the first word.  If you start a new business, you have to start with small steps, but there is the possibility that it will grow into something big.

For this weeks class, think of something that you started with one small step and has grown into something big in your life. Prepare to tell the class about it.  

•  Acorn：　　　　ドングリ
• Germinate：　発芽する 
• Oak：　　　　　　樫の木 

International Quiz

This weeks lesson is an international quiz. Before class choose a country (not Japan or the UK) and read a little about it on the Internet. Then make five questions about it for the quiz. Choose five categories from the list below. 

• Culture
• Food
• Music
• History
• Geography
• Art
• Manufacturing
• Sightseeing 

New Luxury Train

Before class please check the vocabulary below and watch the video.

• Launch
• Region
• Itinerary
• Application
• Deluxe
• Boutique Hotel

1. What is your impression of the train? 
2. Would you like to ride it? Why or why not?
3. When is it fully booked until? 
4. How can you buy a ticket?
5. What is the train compared to?
6. What are the two itineraries?
7. How does the food change during the trip?

The train travels through different regions in Japan. In those places  you can see, do and eat many different things. Before class, please make a travel itinerary (detailed travel plan).  You should: choose three regions in Japan or another country; for each region think of something to see; choose a special food to eat and decide an activity to do there. Prepare to present your itinerary to the class and be ready to answer questions. Ａｌｓｏ think about the questions that you might want to ask the other students about their itineraries. 


 

Lyrics

The video above is the American singer song writer Nanci Griffith performing her song It is a hard life wherever you go. The song is about prejudice and racism having a terrible effect on children. Before class listen to the song and answer the questions.

1. Did you enjoy the song? Why or why not?
2. How did the song make you feel?
3. Were the lyrics easy or difficult to understand?

Before class prepare a two minute talk about a musician that you respect. Then write a second two minute talk about the lyrics of a song that you like. 

If you would like to listen to more of Nanci Griffith's songs, follow the link below:
Nanci Griffith 

 

Quiz

This weeks lesson is going to be a quiz, before class try to answer the questions below.

1. Which is Britain's second biggest city?
2. What is the most popular sport in the UK?
3. Which British city did the Titanic set sail from, for America?
4. Which city is the Capital of Wales?
5. What is the name of the UK's largest airport?
6. Someone from the East End of London is called a Cockney, someone from Birmingham is called a Brummie;  how about people from Liverpool, what are they called?
7. What is the Union Jack?
8. What is the national flower of Scotland?
9. Which is the Red Rose county?
10.   What is Hadrian's Wall?

 If you do not know the answers, check on the Internet. All of the questions above are about the United Kingdom, but before class prepare five questions about Japan to ask your classmates. Also choose one topic listed below and think of five questions to ask your classmates about that topic.

• History
• Culture
• Sports
• Music
• Art
• Science