December 19, 2022 Important
Instructions for the Speaking Test and the Final Test
The speaking test will be held during the last class on January 16, 2023.
There will also be a paper test during the final examination period on January 23, 2023, 13:30-14:30, room 712. The listening section of the final test will be based on this video (5:31):
The video has English subtitles, so you can read the story and listen to the story as much as you want before the test.
On December 19, 2022, we did a practice test. The final paper test will have the same format as the practice test, and the grammar points tested will be the same, but the questions will be different. You can download the answers for the practice test.
Speaking Test 2023/01/16. Come to the classroom five minutes before your speaking test appointment and wait outside.
13:00 |
Riho |
Hana Shindo |
13:10 |
Mikari |
Asaka |
13:20 |
Moeka |
Hana Sasaki |
13:30 |
Haruka |
Chihiro |
13:40 |
Kohei |
Raiki |
13:50 |
Takeru |
Shota |
14:00 |
Midori |
Ayuri |
14:10 |
Momoka |
Manami |
14:20 |
Miho |
Kureha |
The speaking test topic will be one of the three topics that we practiced during this semester: 1. your high school days 2. your favorite memorable trip 3. your favorite story, movie, manga or television series. Before the test, you don’t know the topic and you don’t know if you will ask or answer the questions. You have to keep your conversation going for five minutes. Practice it well with your partner before the test.
December 5, 2022
Choose the story you are going to talk about in the speaking test. It is easier to write a summary if you choose a story that is realistic. Stories in the fantasy genre are usually very difficult to explain. Answer all the questions about the story elements: characters, setting, who made it, when it was made, genre, actors and actresses (if it is a film or television show), conflicts, conflicts of loyalty, plot (action, events—what happens?) theme, etc. Be ready to practice talking about your story when we practice for the speaking test in the next lesson on December 12th. DON'T COME TO THE CLASS UNPREPARED. You can download the document that we used in the class on December 5th: Story elements—summary of Titanic as an example.
November 28, 2022
You can download the file that contains the story about the Escape by Helicopter.
Speaking practice to be done in December:
1. Practice the 3rd topic for the speaking test: your favorite story.
2.
Make a short presentation about one of your reports.
November 21, 2022
The second report is due on November 28th.
Download
the grammar lesson done on November
21st during the class. You can see sample answers on page 3.
Homework given during the class on November 21st:
1. Look at your notes about “favorite trip” or “favorite holiday.”
2. Look at the list of questions you made for this conversation topic.
3. Choose one person to ask the questions, and one person to answer the questions.
4. Practice the conversation.
5. If you are answering the questions, give long answers. If you are asking the questions, give good reactions to the answers. Show some feelings and empathy. Remember the guide: Conversation Guide--How to Interview
6. With your partner, make a voice recording (not a video recording) of your interview practice. The time limit is between 4 and 5 minutes.
7. Before the next lesson, send the audio file to the teacher (riches@seijo.ac.jp) as an email attachment.
8. Change the name of the audio file so that your last names are in the file name. For example: Suzuki-Yamamoto.m4v or Suzuki-Yamamoto.mp3
November 14, 2022
The second report is due on November 28th. The procedure for writing reports is exactly the same as it was in the first semester. Study a resource in English, then write a report about it. Many students liked watching TED Talks, but it doesn't have to be about a TED Talk. Review how to write your report. This the link to the blank report form.
Download
this document if you need the papers that
I gave to students on November 14th.
October 31 and November 7, 2022
The second report is due on November 28th. The procedure for writing reports is exactly the same as it was in the first semester. Study a resource in English, then write a report about it. Many students liked watching TED Talks, but it doesn't have to be about a TED Talk. Review how to write your report. This the link to the blank report form.
We
had an online realtime lesson on Saturday October 29th. You can
download the full document for that day's study. This
document includes the story and the answers to all the
exercises.
You can listen to the story again here: The Dream that Came True (audio).
Grammar
review papers that were given to you in class recently:
October
31: Using verb tenses in a story: A
visit to a town in Colorado
November
7: be allowed to and have to
-- explaining the rules for getting a driver's license
October 29, 2022 (Saturday)
We
had an online realtime lesson on October 29th. We finished the
lesson quickly and made the rest of the lesson an on-demand lesson
with some homework that you need to finish before the class on
Monday October 31st.
You can download the document that you need here: The Dream that Came True (summary writing).
You can listen to the story again here: The Dream that Came True (audio).
I
made this exercise more challenging because the document does not
include the text of the story. You can see the list of words from
the story, but you have to understand the story by listening to it.
Finally, you have to write a summary of it.
October 24, 2022
The
first report is due on October 31st.
Other
documents you can download:
Conversation Guide--How to Interview
Grammar exercise: should
+ verb base form and should
have + verb past participle
October 17, 2022
Work
on your first report. It is due on October 31st. The procedure for
writing reports is exactly the same as it was in the first semester.
Study a resource in English, then write a report about it. Many
students liked watching TED Talks, but it doesn't have to be about a
TED Talk. Review how to
write your report. Thiis the link to the blank
report form.
October 10, 2022
The first topic we are practicing for the speaking test is "high school days." We made a plan of sub-topics to talk about: festival, teachers, study, corona, friends, sports, clubs, rules, school trip, lunch. Your homework is to write three questions about each sub-topic.
I
made the students do a test of their knowledge of irregular verb
forms. If you can quickly remember these verb forms when you are
writing or speaking, you will feel your English communication skills
improving. You should aim for at least 90% accuracy in a test of 85
common irregular verbs. Irregular verbs are the most common verbs,
so they appear in every conversation, even the simplest
conversations. You can download this
pdf file to get a list of 85 common irregular verbs.
October 3, 2022
Write
a summary of the story about the house that was next to a golf
course. You can download this
file, print out page 8, and write your summary on that page.
If you don't have a printer, just write your summary on note paper.
There will be a listening quiz about this story next week. Learn the story well, and read it aloud a few times. Reading aloud practice is a good way to memorize information and improve listening skill.
September 26, 2022
Write
the summary of the story about the lost earring. You can download this file,
print out page 6 and write your summary on that page. If you don't
have a printer, just write your summary on note paper.
Review materials from the first
semester
Stay healthy. Don't catch a cold this year! Review the video Diet for a Strong Immune System.
Video lessons on pronunciation we
will study this semester:
How to Relax Your Accent Part 1: Consonant to vowel linking
How to Relax your Accent Part 2: Consonant Linking
How to Relax Your Accent Part 3: Vowel Linking
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