Songs can be a fun way to learn English. Different songs show different language features, but most pop songs are fairly simple. Class groups can enjoy learning together.
The use of repetition and the catchy tunes also make pop songs a good way to learn English.
Continue reading Learning English with Songs
QUESTIONS – AN OUTLINE
If you are speaking with a native English speaker and you are not so confident about your own English, asking questions is a useful way to keep a conversation going.
Continue reading Asking Questions in English
it’s well known that Aussies love the beach.
However, it’s probably true to say that we take our beaches for granted.
Most overseas visitors are boggle-eyed at seeing so many beautiful beaches.
Anyway, we took a casual drive to the ocean this morning.( New Year’s Eve 2013)
It was actually cloudy and a lot cooler than yesterday.
Continue reading At the Beach
Continue reading High School in Australia
This word expresses my first sensible recollections of exposure to things Japanese (as opposed to Western banzai movies and comics). Memories come from when I was about 10 years old.
Continue reading Japonisme – related to Japan
Charms, amulets and talisman are various objects of luck. In all countries around the world many people use charms to bring them good luck, or to avoid bad luck. In Japan, for example, they are called omamori. Please realise, these are old traditions, and not everybody believes them completely.
Continue reading Omamori (charms, amulets and talisman)
Many years ago, an Emperor lived in a faraway country. This Emperor liked new clothes very much. He spent all his time and money buying clothes.
1.
In fact, the Emperor always wanted to show all his people new clothes.
He had a different suit for every day in the year.
2.
One day two men arrived in the Emperor’s city. These men were swindlers – dishonest people. The swindlers said they could make the finest clothes in the world.
They told everybody in the town, “Our colours and patterns are truly beautiful.” The swindlers also said the clothes they made were very special. “If you wear these clothes”, they said, “You will have perfect judgement”.
The Emperor really wanted such clothes very much.He said, “If I wear these clothes, I’ll be able to judge my officers.”He said , “Which officers are honest and clever?” And he said, “Which people are unfit for their jobs?”The Emperor gave a large sum of money to the swindlers.
3.
The Emperor ordered them to make a suit of clothes for him.
The Emperor gave them the finest silk and the most precious gold cloth.
The swindlers hid the silk and gold cloth away, instead of making suits with them.
For many days, the swindlers pretended to be very hard at work.
But they did not make any clothes at all.
4.
Meantime, everybody in the whole town talked about the precious clothes.
Eventually the Emperor went with all his officers and attendants to see the swindlers. The swindlers pretended to work as hard as they could.
However, they were not using any material or any thread.
5.
All the Emperor’s officers said. “Isn’t it magnificent? ” “Isn’t it beautiful?”
And the Attendants said “Your Majesty must admire the colors and the pattern.”
And then they pointed to the empty sewing machines.
They thought all the other officers and attendants could see the clothes.
The Emperor accepted what his officers said.
He thought, if I can’t see the clothes, I must be unfit to be Emperor.
So he looked at the empty machines.
And he told the swindlers their clothes were wonderful.
6.
All the Emperor’s attendants agreed. They said the same things as the Emperor.
They advised him to wear the new magnificent clothes at a grand procession.
7.
On the day of the procession, The Emperor first showed his new clothes to all his courtiers. Then he turned once more to the mirror, admiring his new clothes. he loved his new clothes. He said,“Doesn’t my suit fit me marvellously?”He thought he looked very very good.All the courtiers said “Indeed, your clothes are magnificent!” But they could not see anything, of course. That’s because there was nothing to be seen.
8.
The Grand Procession took place soon after that.
9.
Now everybody was ready for the procession. “I am ready!” said the Emperor.
Everybody praised the Emperor’s new clothes.
Nobody wished to admit that he saw nothing.
10.
A little boy said at last “But the Emperor is not wearing any clothes.”
The boy’s father said “Good heavens! Listen to the voice of an innocent child.”
Now people whispered to each other what the child had said.
“But he has nothing on at all,” people cried at last.
11.
That made a deep impression upon the Emperor.
The Emperor was so embarrassed!
12.
THE END
