2018年8月6日月曜日

The Lost Smile

"Why are you always so sad?" (p. 9)

 Sarah and Ben wonder adults don't look happy every day. So they try to stop the Lord of Tears who takes over the world and make everyone sad.
 Now it is said that people work too much in Japan. I often see people who don't smile because they are so busy and tired. Some of them are forced to work for over eight hours by their company. I think it makes people and whole of Japan unhappy. Rogue companies of Japan are the Lord of Tears! I hope that people can be happy without being pressed by work in the future.


Holizmann, C. (2007). The Lost Smile. Helbling Languages.

2018年7月15日日曜日

The Teacher's Secret

"What's the matter? Why are you all lying in the floor?" (p. 16)

「the teacher's secret dominoes」の画像検索結果  This is set in a school in Korea. A teacher eats dried fruit in secret everyday but one day his students find it and eat. Then they work to hide it, they pretend to eat poison.
  I like this story because I read a story which is similar to this before. It appeared on an English text when I was a high school student. But at that time the story is set in Japan, and not a teacher but a chief priest appeared. The students were the monks of a temple. I thought the monks are full of wit so I liked the story.
  Do you remember the story of textbook which you read before? Are there your favorite story?


Hannam, J. (2002). The Teacher's Secret. Dominoes.

2018年7月14日土曜日

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

The Night is very dark. Ichabod thinks about Katrina and he feels terrible. Then he hears a noise. (p. 30)

「the legend of sleepy hollow」の画像検索結果  Ichabod Crane is a teacher who works in a small town. There is a rumor that a ghost, called Sleepy Hollow, appears in the forest. One day Ichabod goes to a party held by a rich man who has a daughter. He wants to marry her so he tries to approach her. In the party he interrupts other men who is talking her. But after the party on the way to his house, he feels something strange behind him...
  Ichabod gives up the daughter and does out the town, but after all it is a man's work. He is interrupted in the party by Ichabod so he surprises him. Ichabod's character of greedy causes this result. There are a lot of story like this in the world.
  This story is a comic and the details of people's facial expressions are drawn. So it is easy to read and interesting because it is different from Japanese comics. If you are interested in, please check it out!


Irving, W. (2002). Rip Van Winkle & The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Dominoes

2018年7月12日木曜日

Rip Van Winkle

Just then, he puts his hand to his face, and finds he has a long white beard! (p. 8)
 Rip Van Winkle likes liquor and doesn't work. One day his wife tells him to work, but he goes out without saying something. In a forest he meets an old man and follows him. They arrive the man's house and drink liquor together until night. Next morning, Rip is under a tree when he gets up. Then he is very surprised because he turns into an old man.
 This story reminds me of a Japanese story, Urashimataro. He also becomes an old man in the end. However Rip enjoys the rest of his life and tells his strange experience to people, so I think it's a happy story in contrast to Urashimatato. If you know the continuation of Urashimataro, please tell me!


Irving, W. (2002). Rip Van Winkle & The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Dominoes

2018年7月11日水曜日

The Nightingale and the Rose

"Death is a price to pay for a red rose," says the Nightingale. (p. 51)
「The Nightingale and the Rose helbring」の画像検索結果 This story is about a Nightingale which dies for a man. She likes him but he likes an another woman who is a daughter of the Professor. He tries to invite her to a dance, and she requests him a red rose for his invitation. So he looks for a red rose but there is no red rose. At that time the Nightingale sees him and she wants to help him. She sticks a branch of rose in her heart to dye a white rose to a red rose. However the Nightingale's death isn't paid in the end.
 This story is sad but it tells us pure love. A Nightingale gives her life for a man because she likes him. I think her love for him is so strong and she is so brave. I was moved by her strong will.


Gerngross, G. (2007). The Nightingale and the Rose. Helbling Readers.

Zadie's Big Day


"You're the best footballr, Zadie, and the best skateboarder!" (p. 53)

 Zadie is a good football player and she is called hero by her team mates. One day she meets a new student, Simon, in her school. He plays skateboard very well. Zadie and Simon have a competition of skateboard, but she hurts her leg.
 Zadie is competitive, so she practices skateboard if she isn't good at it. I can understand her feeling that she doesn't want to give up. When I was a child, I often had a quarrel with my brother. Though I couldn't beat him, I didn't want to give up. Do you have experiences which you feel you're competitive?



Hobbs, M. (2009). Zadie's Big Day. Helbling Readers.










2018年6月27日水曜日

The Suriprise

"Look at the egg," shouts Helen. " Something's happening. It's cracking" (p. 11)

 One day Roger and Helen are playing cards withe their parents when Aunt Elizabeth calls them. She is an explorer and back from Greenland on that day. She prepares a surprise for her nephew and niece. Next day she gives them a present and it is an egg. When they're eating breakfast, the egg is cracking. A pterodactyl was in it! They raise it carefully and they bring it to a museum which Aunt Elizabeth works. In the museum, the pterodactyl does a good job.

In this story, a pterodactyl becomes a pet of a family. So it remains me of my pet. I used to have a hamster for three years and he is my first pet. He came to my house when I was eight years old. I liked him very much and I was very sad when he died. However thanks to him, I learned the importance of lives.


Gerngross, G. (2007). The Surprise. Helbling Readers.

2018年6月24日日曜日

Holly and ECO Warrior

"I'm not staying here another minute. I'm leaving home!" (p. 11)

「holly and the eco warrior」の画像検索結果


 Holly is a high school student. She likes nature and Eco-friendly products but her family don't. So one day she leaves her home because her opinion doesn't match. She stays on a treehouse for resisting her family for a week. She gathers her friends to show her family that she won't change her mind.  I thought she has a very strong will and power to take an action.
I think that few people can take an action like her so she is brave.




Hobbs, M. (2007). Holly and Eco Warrior. Helbling Languages.

2018年6月13日水曜日

David and the Great Detective

"You're a real action hero!" (p. 54)



 I read David and the great detective. David, a main character is a high school student. He often daydreams so his classmates make fun of him. One day one of the classmates asks him to help to find stolen bicycle. David's ability of imagining becomes the power for finding the bicycle.
 My favorite scene is the last scene. David says to the boys who steal the bicycle "Leave the bike there. Now get out of here." He isn't good at fighting, but he decides to help his classmate. I thought that he has bravery and kindness from this part.




Hobbs, M. (2007). David and the Great Detective. Helbling Languages.

2018年6月6日水曜日

The Red- headed League

My dear doctor, let's look, not talk. (p.42)

  I read The red- headed league which was written by Arthur Conan Doyle.
  One day an red- headed man visit Sherlock Holmes because he wants advice from Holmes. He is deceived by a group which is called The red- headed league. He works hard every day but suddenly the organization disappears. Holmes tries to solve the mystery. I think his powers of observation for the mystery is a highlight of this story.
  In this story the monetary unit of London appears and it is Pound. Yuka researched about it for literature circle. According to her, 1 Pound is 250,000- 500,000 yen now. The client of Holmes works to get 4 pound which is paid every week, so his salary becomes 1,000,000 yen now... I was so surprised to hear that.



Doyle, C. (2007). The red- headed league. Helbling languages.

2018年5月30日水曜日

The Happy Prince

"Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," says the Prince. (p. 17)

  Today I discussed The Happy Prince with Yuka, Mako and  Ruka. This story is sad  but makes us warm. The Prince is so kind that tries to help unhappy people in the town. However he is a statue and he cannot move his body freely. One day a little swallow flies to him. The swallow helps him and does what he asks.

  There is a scene which the mayor and the councilors take the prince's statue because his gold which cover his body is taken off for poor people. They want to make their own statue, so they start arguing for next statue. From this scene the readers see people's foolish. According to this book, the author describes their stupidity by comparing with kind prince and swallow. That is so interesting for me.



Wilde, O. (2007). The Happy Prince. Helbling Languages.

2018年5月9日水曜日

Wagon Wheels

I know you can do it because you are my fine big boys. (p. 47)

Hello everyone! Today I read Wagon Wheels.

 Johnny is a main character of this story. There are four people in his family, his father, Willie, little brother and him. He lost his mother on the way to a hard trip. They are traveling to find their new house.
 In this story, Johnny is described as a brave boy and it is impressive for me. Though he is eleven old years, he takes care of his brother and fight with a big snake. If I were he, I could'n do that.


Brenner, B. (1993). Wagon Wheels. I can read books.


2018年4月25日水曜日

Shipwreck

"It's an old shipwreck," thinks John. "Wow, I love this place," he thinks. (p. 16)


 Today I read The Shipwreck. John and David are swimming around their boat. They find an old treasure chest at the bottom of the sea. But first they see a big shade like a shark. Can you predict what happen next?

 This story reminded me of a saying, "Must be on guard." I thought that it told us the importance to pay attentions when we go to the sea.


Waring, R., & Jamall, M. (2006). The Shipwreck. Boston, MA: Thomson ELT.