Words of the Week - July 27th

When is the rain going to stop? It's almost August, but I still don't feel like swimming. Maybe because I get so wet riding my bike to work in the rain everyday.

The first week of radio gymnastics started last week, but due to the rain, my children could only go twice. In New Zealand, there isn't anything like radio gymnastics. Maybe they should start seeing as New Zealand was ranked the 3rd fattest country in world behind the USA and Mexico.

Anyway, here are some words to play with this week.

Heebee-jeebees - (idiom) when a person or place makes you feel uncomfortable and a little scared.

"Walking through the cemetry at midnight gave me the heebee-jeebees."

Confidential - (adjective) something to be kept secret between the people concerned.
"This project is to be kept confidential until we get approval from the government."

Unparalleled - (adjective) something which cannot be matched or equalled.
"Tom is unparalleled in the world of chess."

Replies from Mark:

1. The words 'creepy' and 'crawly' are both adjectives, but we combine the two in this way (sometimes using a hyphen) to talk about insects that creep or crawl along the ground, so becomes like a noun. The term also implies that we don't like them too much. Here are some other examples: http://www.uksafari.com/creepycrawlies.htm 2. Wetas can bite, but it is not common. They usually run away if they can. They are not poisonous, but a bite would feel like a scratch.

Do you like Creepy Crawlies?

Outside my window I can hear the sound of cicadas - hundreds, maybe thousands, of them. Their sound is a sign of summer, but I wish they were a little less noisy or could sing a nicer song.

In Japan, many people, especially children, seem to like insects. And there are a lot of big size bugs, too. Even the ants are huge.

In New Zealand, people are not so keen on bugs, that's why we call them 'creepy crawlies'. There aren't very many big ones either.

The most famous big bug in New Zealand is a weta.

There are about 70 kinds of weta, but some are now endangered. They look similar to a grashopper, but bigger and scarier. The giant weta can be up to 10cm long. Wetas are nocturnal, which means they are active at night. I often saw wetas on the verandah of my parent's house in the evenings.

If you like bugs and get a chance to visit New Zealand, keep your eyes out for a weta.

By the way, thanks for the food sentences. Anymore?

Vocabulary

keen on - like or are interested in.

"I'm keen on going to the fireworks tomorrow."

endangered - in trouble

keep your eyes out for - try to see/find something

Wednesday Food Answers

Good job today everyone.

All the talk about food made me hungry, so it was good to get home and have dinner. Tonight was yummy Omrice.

Please send your sentences by clicking on the 'Comment' button.

Here's a recipe for a great New Zealand dessert - Pavlova.

Ingredients:
4 large Egg Whites
1 tablespoon Water (warm)
1 teaspoon White Sugar
1 pinch Salt (a 'pinch' is just the amount you can pick up between your thumb and forefinger)
1 & 1/4 cup White Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
1 teaspoon Vinegar (white)

Directions:
Mix egg whites, water, sugar and salt and beat until very stiff.
Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff and shiny.
Add 1 or 2 tsp warm water if too stiff.
Add vanilla and vinegar and stir in.
Heat oven to 200C.

Put Pavlova mix onto an oven tray.

Turn down oven to 130C, then put the Pavlova in for about 1 1/2 hours.

Just before eating, cover with whipped cream and decorate with your favorite fresh fruit such as strawberries, peaches, kiwifruit, etc.

If you have time to try making a Pavlova, please try. It's very sweet, but really delicious.

Words of the Week - July 19th

Here are some words for this week. How about making some sentences using them and blogging them to me?

Beginner II

Be into (verb) - interested in something, either as a hobby or a popular trend or fashion.

"These days I am into listening to old Sponge Bob Marley records."

Complicated (adjective) - something which is difficult to do or understand.

"The recipe for making Mabo-dofu toast is not complicated."

Thesaurus (noun) - a book containing synonyms of words, i.e. words with similar meanings.

"I used a thesaurus to find a different word meaning 'beginner'."

Medium I

Contemplate (verb) - to consider carefully about something.

"I am contemplating planting a coconut tree in my bathroom garden."

Easygoing (adjective) - calm, relaxed and friendly. Usually about a person's character, but can use for something that is not difficult to do, e.g. a flat hiking course.

"Harry is a very easygoing boss. As long as it's not everyday, he doesn't mind if workers arrive a few minutes late."

Accomplishment (noun) - something completed successfully.

"Eating 1,000 hotdogs in the World Hotdog Eating Championships was quite an accomplishment."

Medium II

Procrastinate (verb) - to put off doing something which you could do now.

"Tom procrastinated all week and had to stay up until 3am on the morning before the test to finish the essay."

Spontaneous (adjective) - to do something without giving prior thought or planning.

"There was spontaneous applause for the prime minister after he spoke about new tax cuts for monkey owners."

Legacy (noun) - something handed down or left unfinished from the past.

"Jack's legacy as the most outstanding worm wrangler in the USA lives on within the town in which he was born."

Beat the Heat

Has the rainy season finished yet? I hope it does soon. Once it's over, then it will be summer. It is already getting hot and sticky. Hands up if you've started using your air-conditioner at home.

I like summer in Japan (and winter, spring and autumn) even though it's as sticky as natto. Okay, it's not so nice when you have to wear long pants and a neck tie, but most times those clothes are worn in an air-conditioned office. But on the other hand, summer is filled with kakigori, fireworks and swimming. Is there somewhere nearby where I can watch fireworks while I am in a pool? Eating kakigori l at the same time would be great, but will probably give me a stomachache.

You are probably wondering why there is a photo of myself waist-deep in snow when I am talking about summer. That photo was taken a long time ago, but when it gets really hot, I think of a time when it was really cold (this day was around -10 degrees) and it helps me feel cool. You might try remembering when you were a junior high school student sitting in your classroom with the broken heater in February. The only way to keep warm was by writing faster. In Japan, students are assigned a seat, but when I was a high school student in New Zealand we sat anywhere in the room. So on cold days, the first students in the room took the desks next to the heaters. Those who came late froze on the other side of the room. By the way, winter uniform was short pants.

Well, I hope you can find ways to beat the heat. Just remember to drink lots and eat chocolate out of the sun. Keep cool!

Give me punk music, not punk tires!

Yesterday I wrote about how I am hooked on bike riding these days. It's exciting, healthly, great for the earth and on my wallet.

However, it rained AGAIN today. I rode my bike to work everyday during the rainy season and to be honest, I don't mind the rain. What I don't like about riding in the rain is having to wash my bike when I get home at night and wearing a plastic raincoat. But hopefully, today was the end of the rainy season in this area, so now we will have sunny blue skies every day until Christmas when it will snow for Santa.

But my trouble in the rain today was getting a puncture - not once, but twice! This morning, about 500 meters before my office I got the first puncture so I pushed my bike in the rain to the office. At lunchtime, I changed the tube. Then I was all ready for the ride home at 6pm. However, half way home, I got another puncture! What's going on today? I managed to put a little more air in to get me most of the way home, but had to walk the last 200 meters or so.

After dinner, I checked both tubes - the morning one had a hole in it. The afternoon tube was leaking air from the patch I put on about two months ago, so I was doomed to have two punctures in one day.

Well, now everything is fixed and my bike is clean. Hopefully it will stop raining tonight and I can get to the team ride tomorrow.

By the way, I've had enough rain for a while, so please don't wash your car or squash any spiders. These are bad luck things that bring rain. Can you tell me anything else that will make it rain?

PS. The picture above is of my bike near the top of Mt. Mikuni on the border of Seto City and Gifu Pref. Sorry the photo is on it's side. I'll find out how to turn it over next time.

Hooked on Bike Riding

At the end of February this year, I bought a new bicycle. It is black crossbike made by Giant. In New Zealand I had a mountain bike. When I came to Japan this time I needed a bike to ride to my schools. I bought a one-speed beach cruiser style bike. It is very comfortable to ride.

However, I always wanted to ride more than just a few kilometers in town. So, finally this year I decided to buy a new bike. I decided to ride to work everyday to save money and get in shape. After I started riding my new bike, I was invited by hillclimb champion Naokki to come along to a team ride on Saturday mornings.

The first team ride was tough. I had never been so fast on a bike before. The others soon disappeared far ahead of me. Luckily, one other rider stayed with me and showed me the way back. Although that first team ride was hard work, I had a great time. Now each Saturday I try my best to stay with the others.

I also started looking for longer routes to get to my office, as well as riding at lunchtimes with another company worker. Now I am hooked on bike riding and travel about 300km a week. In September, I am going to take part in the Suzuka 8hour Enduro, so I need to keep training even though it is getting hot and sticky these days. If you see me on the road, please wave or give me some ice.

Vocabulary

hooked on - like to do something very much; addicted to; crazy about

crossbike - mountain bike frame with flat style handlebar, but has thinner tires for street riding

get in shape - do exercise to become healthy and/or lose weight

route - a way to get from one place to another

take part in - join; participate in

sticky - humid weather; your clothes stick to your body

Mark's Eikaiwa Blog Begins

Welcome to Mark's Eikaiwa Blog!

During Tuesday's English class this week, I had an idea to create a blog to practice English.

I thought it might be useful to be able to improve your English by writing.

Sure, you could just write on a piece of paper, but then noone else can see it.

How about writing here and we can help each other.

You can write about anything, comment on other member's writing, or ask questions about what we studied at last week's class.

You don't have to write everyday or a really long story. Anything will be great. This is an extra place for you to practice English.

I will give you information about the blog at the next class. See you then.