Grade 5 EIKEN Grammar Practice

Let’s practice Grade 5 grammar that will be on the EIKEN!

５級英検の文法を練習しましょう！

 

1)A: Hey mom, can I (  ) to my friend’s house?

B: OK. After you do your homework.

① have                     ② go                         ③ walk                     ④ speak

2) They like to (       ) study at Starbucks.

① have                     ② go                         ③ walk                     ④ use

3) A: Let’s (      ) shopping at AEON mall.

B: OK.

① have                     ② go                         ③ walk                     ④ speak

4) In winter, my family (      ) skiing in Switzerland.

① asks                     ② goes                     ③ meets                   ④ lives

5) Hayabusa  (      ) swimming every Sunday.

① asks                     ② goes                     ③ meets                   ④ lives

6) A: Is that your bike, Tony?

B: Yes, it’s (      ).

① I      ② my  ③ me  ④ mine

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The answers will be on the next post! Stay tuned!

回答は次回の投稿にありますので、少々お待ちして下さいね！

EIKEN Interview Tips

The EIKEN interview can seem pretty intimidating. Especially talking to people you don’t know for the first time in a second language you’re studying.

英検の面接は結構おびえさせるようなことなんですね。特に、初対面の人と勉強中の第二言語として話してることも怖いですよね。

It’s natural to feel nervous. Think about something that makes you calm before you start talking. It’s also best to eat somthing that will help calm your neves before you enter the test center.

緊張するのが当然ですので、そんなに気にしないで下さいね。緊張感を抑える物を食べる事も受験会場を入る前におすすめです。

Here’s a list of tips to get all 3 points for ‘Attitude’ in your interview:

面接に「アティチュード」の全３点をとらえるためのコツ：

• Keep eye contact with the interviewer; do NOT look at the ceiling, floor or anywhere else.面接官の目をきちんと合わせること；天井、床などを見たりしないように要注意！*This is actaully considered rude in American culture相手の目を合わせないことはアメリカの文化では失礼に当たります。
• The interviewer is probably as nervous as you are, so smile. 面接官もあなたと同じく緊張しているかもしれないので、笑顔で話しましょう
• Even if you get nervous try to speak as loud as possible. 緊張になっても頑張って出来る限り大きな声で話しましょう。
• Always remember if you’re asked a question that starts with ‘Do you~?’ then it’s a Yes/No answer. Do you～？から始まる質問に聞かれたらYesかNoと答えるのを覚えてね。
• Simple=accuracy. Because it’s only natural to get nervous and go blank, so keep your answers short. シンプル＝正確。緊張になって頭が真っ白になりがちなので、答えを短くにした方が良いです。
• “Dress to impress.” If you feel good about your attire and appearance then it will boost your confidence. 「好印象を与えるためにおしゃれしよう。」自分の服装や身だしなみに自信があるなれば積極的に英語を話せるようになる自信も沸いてきます。

Ok everyone, that’s it for today. Good luck with your test results! さて、皆さん。これで今日の英検訓練は終わります。皆さんが良い試験結果を貰いますように！

Shinrin-yoku or Forest Therapy/ Forest Bathing (森林浴)

Shinrin-yoku—translated as ‘Forest Therapy’ or ‘Forest Bathing’ in English but can also be understood as the romaji spelling—is a therapeutic activity created in Japan. In 1982 the Forestry Agency and Ministry of Health approved scientific research studies that show a connection between human psychological therapy and intaking nature—the Akasawa Natural Recreational Forest in Nagano Prefecture was registered as the birthplace of this scientific study.

Have you ever noticed when you go walking in the mountains, go hiking, camping or look at nature you suddenly feel refreshed?

The next time you go into nature, observe how you feel before and after!

romaji: ロマジ

therapeutic: 心を癒す

Forestry Agency: 林野庁

Ministry of Health: 厚生労働省

intaking: 摂取

Akasawa Natural Recreational Forest: 赤沢自然休養林

observe:観察する

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お疲れ様でした。今日の英文は２級学習者向けでしたので５～準２級の学習者には大変でしたらそんなにご心配しないで下さいね。森林浴って言葉は知ってましたか？やはり自然が本当に不思議な力がありますよね。ストレスを感じるとき是非、英気を養うために自然なところへ行きましょう！

Did You Take the EIKEN? 英検を受けしましたか？

The latest EIKEN test was held in Osaka on Sunday, October 8th.

先日ほどの大阪に受験され英検では１０月８日（日曜日）に行われました。

For those of you who took the test Sunday, I hope you relaxed and did well!

日曜日に受験したの皆さん、試験を受けた時に冷静になってうまく受けたらいいですね！

The second stage will be held on November 5th or 12th.

二次試験は１１月５日か１２日に受験されるだそうです。

Wishing you the best of luck on your results!

皆さん、全員、良い結果をお届けますように祈っています！

For more information, please check the official EIKEN website here

英検について詳細は正式なHPでご覧下さい。

 

 

 

 

 

Fifteen Nights：Moon-viewing (十五夜・お月見)

October 4th was officially the last day of Fifteen Nights—when we can see a full, bright moon.

Every fall in Japan, some people continue to do an old custom of moon-viewing: where you eat dango and drink a delicious hot beverage (usually rice wine) and decorate the tatami room with Japanese pampas grass to rid evil spirits.

During the harvest season, it is said to take 15 nights from the frist day of the month for the moon to become full!

What did you do on Moon-viewing Day?

officially: 正式に

Fifteen Nights: 十五夜

custom: 風習；習慣

moon-viewing:（お）月見

dango:団子

beverage: 飲み物

rice wine:お酒

decorate: 飾る

tatami room:畳部屋 ；和室

Japanese pampas grass: ススキ

rid: 除く；退散する

evil spirits: 悪霊

harvest season: 収穫期

fall: 秋

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お久しぶりです。今日の読み練習をお疲れ様でした。今回は３級向けでした。明日英検を受験するの皆さんを頑張って下さい！

 

Header Image Source

Calligraphy

Writing Japanese characters, kanji, is called calligraphy. In English, traditional writing is called cursive.

A 27-year old master calligrahper named Bisen Aoyagi is very famous. Aoyagi made a video writing probably the most difficult kanji in Japan. It has 56 strokes!

Can you write this kanji? Watch the video here!

 

calligraphy: 書道

traditional: 伝統的な

cursive: 筆記体

calligrapher: 書道家

strokes: 画；一筆で書く線や点

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今日は５級学習者向けでした。皆さんはちゃんとお勉強しているのかしら。来週、英検を受験している方、頑張って下さい！

Tatto Artists in Osaka Region Must be Licensed

On September 27th the Osaka Bar Association—assembly hall where all lawyers gather to pass and deny laws—decided that all tattoo artists must have a medical license to perform tattoing on customers.

Mr. Taiki Masuda was charged—claimed to be guilty by authorities—for not possessing a license and tattooing 3 women in 2015 without proper licensing.

Official Link

Osaka Bar Association: 大阪弁護士会館

tattoo artists: 入れ墨師の複数形

medical license: 医者免許

charged:起訴された

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今日の英文は準２級学習者向けでした。難しい言葉がでてきましたかもしれませんが、社会人になる前に分かるべき言葉ですので覚えた方がいいでしょう。

Isle of Dogs (犬ヶ島)

An interesting movie with renowned Japanese actors and actress, such as Ken Watanabe and Yojiro Noda, will be starring as voice actors in this movie.

The art is very interesting.

Take a look at the trailer for more on the story!

 

renowned: 有名な

voice actors: 声優

trailer: 予告

take a look at:チラッと観て；目を通して

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今日の英文は３級でした！

Namie Amuro is Retiring Next Year!

Namie Amuro is a very famous J-pop artist that if you haven’t heard her music, then I’m sure you have at least heard of her name before.

She has won many awards and sold many albums during her career starting in 1996.

About a month ago, she announced she will be retiring from the music industry in September of 2018.

Now everyone is worried about who will sing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony!

I hope it’s Utada Hikaru!

I’m sure you have at least: ～少なくとも～と確かに思います

career:キャリア

announced:発表しました

retiring: リタイアする

music industry: 音楽業界

worried: 心配する

opening ceremony:開会式、入場式

I hope: ～だといいですね

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安室奈美恵さんが来年９月にリタイアするなんて本当に残念なニュースですね。２０２０年東京五輪の開会式に誰が演奏するのかしら。私のもう１人の好きな歌手の宇多田ヒカルさんが演奏するだといいですね！今日の英文は５級向けでした！

Autumnal Equinox Day （秋分の日）

Today is Autumnal Equinox Day in Japan.

There are two equinoxes— when the sun shines directly on the equator, or middle area of planet Earth, and the length of day and night is nearly equal.

This happens twice a year. It happens in March and September.

Autumn, or fall, is my favorite season of the year!

I can’t wait to see the beautiful autumn leaves!

equinox(es): 昼夜平分時、春分、秋分◆昼と夜の長さがほぼ等しくなる時。

equator:赤道

equal: 同じようになる

autumn: 秋、またはfallと呼ばれます。イギリスでは良くautumnと言いますとアメリカではfallを良く使います。

leaf:葉っぱ、leavesは葉っぱの複数形

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今日はめっきり涼しくなりましたね、特に夜になる時。これから日が長くなるだそうです。天候や気温が良いうちに散歩したりしましょう！今日の英文は３級でした。