My trip plan to London

 On the 1st day of a three-day trip, I am going to visit the Leeds castle which is called “The Loveliest Castle in the world” to see beautiful castles and gardens. In Japan, we can see temples and shrines, but have no chance to see castles. All things in Leeds castle will be completely new to me.

On the 2nd day, I am going to visit St. Peters Celtic Football Club who Mr. Daizen Maeda plays to watch a game. Mr. Maeda played in Matsumoto Yamaga F.C. and I will not be able to believe my eyes that Mr. Maeda plays in the worldwide big football club. Also, I would like to know how atmosphere supports make because I had watched a game between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, and I was interested in the atmosphere of supporters and stadium.

On the last day, I am going to visit Spitalfields Market and take an afternoon tea. At Spitalfields Market, I may be able to find a design that I cannot find in shops in Japan. I found some instagrammable “afternoon tea” restaurants, but I want to take a traditional style of afternoon tea with various scones.

Cambridge Speaking Examiners - high maintenance!

Unfortunately, with the upturn of 'you know what' cases in Japan lately, I'm looking at having to provide certification for our nationwide network of Cambridge Assessment English Speaking Examiners online again this spring.


Really grateful that our Preparation Centre in Akasaka, Tokyo (King's Road School of English) provided me with the chance to video record more than 50 candidates back in early January. This was a massive undertaking, arranged during the Christmas holidays.

Over a dozen experienced Speaking Examiners offered up their free time for this crucial project on the day - demostrating for the first time how to properly, fully, deliver all levels of speaking examinations with covid-precautions/altered scripts & procedures in play, including groups of three candidates.

All of which means that we can now show recently trained/not examined yet/less experienced/'not examined since covid started' SEs copper-bottomed examples of how to deliver (interlocute)...properly.

I exhausted my go-to box of online certification tricks over the last two years. I'm quite sure Japan's Speaking Examiner team will be delighted with the quality of refreshing, relevant, and recent procedural examples they will be able to discuss & learn from as we certify this year.

When? All times JST = GMT +9. For SEs in Japan (as well as our disapora denied the opportunity elsewhere):

Feb 26 9:00am - A2:Key + B1:Preliminary
Feb 26 1:30pm - A2:Key + B1:Preliminary
Feb 27 9:00am - A2:Key + B1:Preliminary
Feb 27 1:30pm - Young Learners
Mar 13 9:00am - A2:Key + B1:Preliminary
Mar 13 1:30pm - A2:Key + B1:Preliminary
Mar 20 9:00am - A2:Key + B1:Preliminary

Contact Jim George oyajim@gmail.com if you would like information on attending future Cambridge Assessment English SE training - across Japan.

One of the largest museums of modern art in the world

The Museum of Modern Art is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street. MoMA has two locations in Midtown Manhattan and Queens. It is called PS1 in Queens, NY. In 1997, the museum was renovated and expanded by Japanese architect Yoshio Taniguchi. The project nearly doubled the space for MoMA's exhibitions and programs.
MoMA offers free admission every Friday night from 5:30 pm - 9 pm. You can access all the museum’s galleries and special exhibitions. UNIQLO is a sponsor of Free Friday Night now, but it has been suspended for health and safety guidelines.

MoMA exhibits modern and contemporary arts, including works of architecture and design, drawing, painting, photography, illustrated books and film. You can also enjoy most of the works online.

Current exhibitions:
Sophie Taeuber-Arp – Living Abstraction, through Mar 12
Shigeko Kubota – Liquid reality, through Feb 13
Greater New York, through Apr 18

Upcoming exhibitions:
- The Project of Independence: Architectures of Decolonization in South Asia, 1947–1985 Member Previews, Feb 17–19
- Nora Turato: pool 5, Mar 5–20, 2022
- Frédéric Bruly Bouabré: World Unbound, Mar 13–Aug 13, 2022

As you can see, MoMA shows a lot of Japanese artists’ works, as well as young and energetic ones from around the world. You should go and find your favorite works at MoMA so that you can feel the latest modern art.

Washington Square -review & role-play

 

Review:

For me, the title of the book sounds exciting, because Washington Square (where this story is set) is in New York City, can which is the most exciting city in the world and the area surrounding the square has a high society atmosphere. So, I expected a kind of graceful, dramatic story, but unfortunately it is not so exciting.

Most of the characters are unique and eccentric, obstinate and lack flexibility. That makes for an unhappy ending to the story. Sadly, nobody becomes happy in this novel.

In the end, I thought cynically, is embroidery more important than Morris for Catherine!? 

 

 

Role-play :  Agony Aunt 

 

Dear Teruki,

I am confused about the situation with receiving a visit from my ex-lover Morris. I was madly in love with him before, as he was with me, I believe, but my father was strongly opposed to my engagement with him. My father never changed his mind that if I were to marry Morris, he would never give me a penny. I don’t mind if I get my inheritance or not, but is it right for Morris? I don’t know.

Anyway, he has just left me, all alone. I am completely miserable. I have lost my sanity. This deep sadness has controlled me for ages, until suddenly I heard the news that Morris wanted to visit me. It has made me really upset. I don’t know what should I do. Please advise me.

 

 

Dear Katharine,

You have been going through a difficult time in your life. I can imagine how disappointed you were with your father and your lover. I am so sorry that there is still deep sorrow in your heart. However, it is the time for rebirth. You should part from the pain and accept his visit with brand-new attitude. If you do not do it, you will terrible feelings of heartache forever. Just leave your persistence and have courage, be happy!!

 

Teruki