Tornadoes!

私の日記を読みながら新しい言葉を探しましょう。読んでから質問に答えなさい。コメント部分に答えを残してください。

まずこのストーリのmp3フィルを聞いて下さい。

Click and listen here!

単語
1. tornado たつまき
2. mountainous area　やまち
3. ditch　みぞ
4. shelter　避難所
5. fierce　激しい
6. air pressure　空気圧
7. debris　残骸

マイストーリ

Recently, I saw in the news that there were tornadoes in Japan.  I think this is very unusual for Japan.  Usually, tornadoes occur in flat, wide-open areas, and not in mountainous areas like Japan. However, I noticed that more and more mountains are being flattened to build houses.  I wonder if this has something to do with it. Unfortunately, one person was killed as a result of the tornadoes. Watching it on TV was pretty scary.
My hometown in Florida is a flat area, and so there are some tornadoes every year.  I remember when I was in elementary school, we had drills on what to do if a tornado came. In case of a tornado, we were told to stay away from the windows and to try to hide in a low place like a basement or a ditch.  I saw a few tornadoes, but they were very far away.  My worst experience was during Hurricane Ivan.  I was in a shelter with my family, and suddenly a tornado was coming.  The whole building was shaking like a train was coming by.  Some guys in another room started yelling for help, and I rushed to help them keep the doors shut.  Even though they were big heavy double doors, the air pressure from the tornado was trying to rip then open.  We could hear the fierce wind as the tornado passed by.  It sounded like a huge monster was outside.  The next morning when it was all over and I went outside, I could see damage everywhere; cars were flipped over, tall trees snapped it half and sides of buildings gone.  We couldn't go home right away because the roads were covered in debris.  A few days later, when I could finally get to my apartment, I saw that a tornado had been here.  The apartment next to mine had the whole wall torn off.  I could see inside!  But my apartment was safe.  I was so lucky!

Check out this video of a recent tornado in Texas. -->http://youtu.be/WABqwKjQM_c

りかいCheck!

How about you?
このストーリはどう思いますか？
1. Have you ever been involved in or seen a tornado?

 Thank you for listening! I hope you enjoyed it and could learn something from it to help improve your English.  I would love to hear from you, so please leave a comment on my blog.  Keep studying, and I’ll see you later alligator!

聞いてくださりありがとうございます。　どうでしたか。楽しんでいただき、何かを学んでくれたらうれしいです。

みなさまのコメント、ブログにてお待ちしてます。

Please leave your comment!

Student Blog: Forest Adventure

私の生徒のYさんは勉強のためにこのブログを書きました。面白いから、読んで下さい。

読みながら新しい言葉を探しましょう。読んでから質問に答えなさい。後で、コメントを残してください。

☞タンゴ
1. expensive - 値段が高い
2. a big chicken - 怖がりな人
3. zip line - ジップライン
4. hook up - つながる
5. traffic - 交通渋滞

☞ストーリー

 I went to a place called "Forest Adventure" in Odawara with my family during Golden Week. Forest Adventure is an athletic park in the forest. The park's attractions are courses that use the park's trees. We climbed up one tree and then moved to another tree using various methods. Each course is made up of several trees that have a rope bridge, a swing, a tunnel, and a zip line connecting to the next tree. We have to wear a harness when we climb the trees in case we fall. I am connected to a harness throughout the course from the time my feet leave the ground until I come back down. It is safe, but you must be over 110cm tall, and children must be at least elementary school age. The reason is that they have to be able to hook themselves up to the harness. I was a big chicken, but I had a lot of fun with my kids! Usually kids are the ones who are scared, but my kids were very brave.
It was a little expensive; \3500 for adults, and \2500 for kids. There are 9 courses, and when you finish you have to leave. Usually it takes 2 or 3 hours. If you are a big chicken like me, then you go slow, and it will take 3 or 4 hours. We left a little early to avoid the traffic.
It was so much fun, and it made us strong!

☞質問

1. Where is the Forest Adventure Park?
2. Why do you have to wear a harness when you climb the trees?
3. How tall do you have to be to enter the park?
4. How many courses are there?
5. Why do children have to be a certain height and age to enter the park?

☞コメント

 Good job Ms. Y! I thought it sounds like fun. She must be very brave!  I think I want to try it one day. How about you? What do you think? Have you ever had an experience like this? コメントを残して下さい。

Student Blog - 3,5,7 Day

私の生徒のＫさんは勉強のためにこのブログを書きました。面白いから、読んで下さい。読みながら新しい言葉を探しましょう。

I was 7 years old.  I wore a kimono and make-up. I had my picture taken by a professional photographer.  I went to a shrine near my home to pray with my family and then we had lunch.  When we were walking, suddenly a stranger stopped and put money into the pocket of my sleeve. We didn't know him, but he said, "You are beautiful".  I was very suprised and happy.

Good job, Ms. K!

Student Blog- Hiroshima

私の生徒のT さんは勉強のためにこのブログを書きました。面白いから、読んで下さい。

読みながら新しい言葉を探しましょう。読んでから質問に答えなさい。後で、コメントを残してください。

☞新しい言葉

- reservation- 予約

- souvenir - おみやげ

- came to pick us up - 迎え二来ました。

- old enough - 年齢がじゅうぶん

- bbq  - barbeque

☞ストーリー

I went back to my hometown, Hiroshima about 2 weeks ago with my family. We went there by plane from Haneda. It took about 1 hour. My children slept during the flight, so there were no problems. My father came to pick us up at the airport in Hiroshima. We drove about 30 minutes to my parents house. Later that day, we had a bbq.

　The next day, my family and I went to a jam factory near my parents home. The name of the factory is Aohata Jam. When we arrived, I found out that you have to have a reservation to go on a tour of the factory. Since we didn't have a reservation, we couldn't do anything. We could only see the souvenir store inside the factory. Even if I had a reservation, my kids wouldn't have been able to enter anyway because they are under 6 years old. I want to go back again when they are old enough. We enjoyed buying jam at the souvenir shop.

　We also visited a small island named O-Kunoshima. We took a ferry; it took about 10 minutes to get there. There were many small rabbits hopping around freely on the island. Anyone could feed them and play with them. My kids enjoyed it very much. My wife and I rented bicycles to ride around the island with my kids.

☞理解チェック

1. How long did it take to go to Hiroshima?

2. Why couldn't we go on a tour of the jam factory?

3. What was on the island?

4. Where were the rabbits? In a zoo?

Student Blog - A crowded train

私の生徒のNさんは勉強のためにこのブログを書きました。面白いから、読んで下さい。

読みながら新しい言葉を探しましょう。読んでから質問に答えなさい。後で、コメントを残してください。

☞タンゴ

crowded - こんでいます。

strap - つり革

unbelievable! - 信じられない！

pay attention - 注意を払う

bump - ぶつかる

luckily - 良かった！

☞ストーリー

One day, I got on the train's women-only car in the morning. But, the train was so crowded. I was standing next to a woman who was standing in front of another woman sitting down. Then, another woman got on the train at the next stop, but the train was already too crowded, and so the woman starting pushing me as she was getting on the train. When she reached up and grabbed the same strap that I was holding on to, I started to get angry. I was trying not to let the strap I was holding on to hit the head of the other woman I was standing next to, but when she grabbed it, I couldn't lift it up anymore with her hand on it. After that, she started reading a book, and not paying attention to the people around her. Unbelievable!. She was bumping into everyone around her as the train shook, including me! I had to put up with her all the way to Yokohama. Finally, I was relieved when it was time for me to get off, but she wouldn't get out of my way! Luckily, a seat suddenly became vacant as another passenger got off, and she rushed to sit down, so I got off the train before the doors closed. That morning was one of the worst. I hope that I never have such an experience again in my life. I have had enough already.

☞質問

1. Why did Ms. N get angry?

2. Was Ms. N standing or sitting?

3. Why was the lady bumping into everybody?

4. How did Ms. N get off the train?

5. Did Ms. N sit down when a seat became available?

☞コメント

Good job Ms. N! I thought it was a funny story.　How about you? What do you think? Have you ever had an experience like this? コメントを残して下さい。