Ghost in the Garden

Yuki is twelve years old girl. Recently she moved to her grandfather’s house. It’s a big house. And there is a bigger house in the neighbourhood. It has a large garden and there were a lot of trees and plants.

One night she was looked around the garden out of her room’s window. It was dark but the crescent moon emitted dim light. She saw a white shape under a big tree. It was moving slowly. Yuki was very surprised and frightened. “What’s that?” white silhouette moved. Is that happen to be a ghost?

Next night Yuki looked around the garden, she didn’t see it. “Was the silhouette an illusion?”. A week later Yuki saw it again. It was moving. She went downstairs and told to her grandmother that she saw a ghost. Her grandma laughed. “OK, you didn’t know. I have to tell about it. It is a girl. She is fourteen. She has a problem. She can’t move under the sun ray. She only move at night.” Yuki felt relieved, and thought I could be her friend someday.


Posted for Misako.

Tristan's last letter

Dear Rual,

How are you’ve been? Are you all well? I’m sorry I haven’t written so often. Sometimes I miss you and everything in Lyonesse.

I serve to King Mark as a good knight. I was welcomed by King Mark’s court, and he loved me like his son. He teaches me many things and I always think that I want to be helpful for him. I already fought many battles and I won. A few days before a big man from Ireland came to the castle and he required an unpleasant demand. I fought him. He was very strong but finally I won. I got hurt my leg. It was small wound but unfortunately there was poison on his sword. I’m ill. Doctors in Cornwall can’t cure me. Only The Queen of Ireland can cure it. So I have to go to Ireland. Don’t worry I’ll go there as a minstrel.

In Lyonesse I learnt to play the harp, that helps me. I’ll recover and be back. I promise.

Tristan

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Miami Police File: the O'Nell Case - The Utsukushigahara Open-air Museum

The museum stands on the top of the mountain, the Utsukushigahara. It located at the center of Nagano prefecture. It is about 2000 meters high and the top is flat and very wide. At the corner of it there are a lot of big outdoor sculptures of modern art. We can see all directions view, sometimes Mt.Fuji in a fine day.  And we can see a various beautiful alpine flowers in every season.

There are restaurant, gallery, indoor museum, a huge sculpture for kids playing in it and so on. The admission fee is 1000 yen for adult. It opens from April to November every day. 

It takes about 60minutes from the centre of Matsumoto city by car. And we can go down from the top to Suwa city or Ueda city if we like to.

Posted for Misako

Picture Puzzle - Front page article of the story

A gang Zetter’s jailbreak plan revealed!!

The lawyer purchased a prison officer. 

Zetter’s lawyer Mr. Thurber purchased a prison officer Wallace. Mr. Thurber gave £50,000 to Wallace to get his help for Zetter’s escape. Why did the plan find out? A young girl, Amy, who lived at same flat with Wallace heard their talk that they were going to meet at a churchyard to pass money next day. She went there and took the photo of them at that moment. But Wallace noticed her and he ran after her to take away the camera. She ran away and took the film out of camera. She ran into the shopping mall and passed it to a young man.

After all Wallace caught her and locked her in the bathroom of the flat. A young man, Pete, was surprised but he thought to solve the puzzle. He saw photos in the film, he chaced the some clues and he reached her flat at last. There Wallace waited him and threatened to give the film back. They fought. Wallace finally fired the gun so people called policeman. After all Wallace was arrested and Amy was rescued.

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Meeting my pen pal for the first time - Misako

An informal e-mail to a family member, describing your internet pen friend after meeting them for the first time. Can you guess which pen pal each student has written about?

From; Misako
To: Reiko

Sub: My Internet pen pal

I finally met him. He has blond shoulder-length straight hair. His eyes are round. His nose is tall and he has full lips. He is nicer than I expected. In his emails he said many joes and he was humourous. But he said only few words. When I asked some questions he only answered, didn't continue other topics.

A student draws The House of Horror

It sat on the top of a hill, far from any building, dark clouds behind it. A few dead trees stood to the right with big black birds circling over them. The large house looked grey and old. You could only see four windows on the second floor. The glass in the windows was broken and there was no light within them. A fence surrounded the building but the gate stood open. A path led to the huge wooden door, which was closed.

Posted for Misako

The Last Leaf and Other Stories - Great Detective Ben Price's Diary

Yesterday I found Jimmy Valentine at last. It is surprising he became the owner of a little shoe shop. He had stolen big money just after released from prison. I asked a lot of people about Jimmy in this town. They didn’t know him. But they talked much about Ralph D. Spencer. He was Jimmy. I knew he was going to marry Annabel, the banker’s daughter. I thought I didn’t make him do that and I would arrest him.

  Today I followed and watched him from early morning. Jimmy was with Annabel’s family. An unexpected accident happened. At the bank a little Annabel’s sister was closed into the big safe, a new strong-room. It was just built yesterday. It had a very thick door and a complicated combination lock. The banker proud of it but he didn’t know the secret numbers to open it.  They cried and were in panic situations.

  Jimmy did.  He broke the safe, cut the door and the lock with his special tools. If he didn’t broke the safe the girl would die. If he didn’t do that he could marry Annabel. He stole big money. It’s true. He saved a little girl at the cost to lose his new life.  It’s true too.

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Story telling in the future tense - Predicting Gemma's future

As a final writing task after practising using 'will' & 'going to' for future predictions, I set up a creative writing task to make predictions about the futures of 4 high school friends, using the visual prompts on the worksheet to help them generate ideas. Do you agree with the examples of 'will' & 'going to' in these texts?

Gemma's future:

Gemma loves sports, especially snowboarding. In winter she goes snowboarding every weekend. Even in summer she does hard training for snowboarding.

She is going to get a snowboarding scholarship from a university. She is going to take part in a lot of games. She is going to win in some games.

She is going to be an Olympian of the Winter Olympics. She will get a bronze medal at first entry. She is going to be famous. In the next Winter Olympics she is going to get a silver medal. Just before her third entry in Winter Olympics, she will break her leg during practice.

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Northanger Abbey - A letter to a loved one

My dear Eleanor,

Thank you for your letter. I’m so happy to hear that your father agreed our marriage. I’ve been afraid that your father might not permit us. I love Henry and I’ve wanted his father to permit our marriage. 

And You got engaged! Congratulations! Who is your fiancée? What is he like、very handsome, very rich and? Where does he live? When and where did you meet him? Now I have many questions to ask you! When we meet next time you have to tell me everything about your fiancée. We’re all for it that you and we are going to be married on the same day. Maybe we will have a most wonderful wedding ceremony. I am so excited now. You and I are going to be sisters. I hope we are always good friends forever!

Catherine

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The Phantom of the Opera - A father's letter

Christine

I will die soon. I don’t want to die but I know death is approaching. I have to say to you the important things. You have a gift for music. Your voice move people. We travelled through all the countries of Europe. Everywhere the audiences were pleased enthusiastically for your songs. You will be a wonderful singer. You will be a famous singer. That’s no doubt sure.

Until now I was always with you but from now you would be alone. You need a new teacher of music. Don’t worry about that. I will send a wonderful teacher to you, I will send you the Angel of Music. Instead me he will teach you much. He will make you better. Trust him and a brilliant future will be waiting ahead.

Please remember my soul will be always with you.

Love.

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Jane Eyre - A female writer from the Meiji era

Ichiyo Higuchi is a first female author in Meiji era in Japan. Her portrait is printed on 5000 yen bill.

She was born in March in 1872 in Tokyo Uchisaiwaicho—now Chiyoda-ku. She had two sisters and two brothers, and she was the second daughter. When she was a girl her father was rich. She loved reading. When she was seven she finished reading old long stories. Her father educated her to school and other private cram school. But her mother thought girls did not need education. She stopped school.

In 1888 the eldest brother died, next year her father died. She became a head of householder. Her father left a big debt, her family lived poverty. She did some jobs, cram school assistant, needle works, small shop master and so on.

Around in 1890 she tried to be a novelist. To earn a living as a novelist she apprenticed to Tosui Nakarai famous novelist.

In 1895 she published “Takekurabe”. It received high praise. She continued to publish “Nigorie” “Juusanya”. She became a popular writer. She suffered from tuberculosis. She died in November in 1896. She was 24.

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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - A letter of your adventures

Dear Mrs.Douglas,

 Hi, this is Huck. Have you been anxious about me disappearing suddenly? Now I am at Mr.Phelp's farm in Arkansas. Mrs. Phelps is Tom’s aunt and what are the chances, I met Tom here. At that morning on the way to school I was caught by my father and was confined in a cabin in the wood near the river. He drank heavily and hit me every night. I thought I would be killed some day. Then I escaped to the Jackson’s Island in the river, and there I met Jim who escaped from Miss Watson.

Then we went down the river toward a free state together. One day two men got aboard the raft, one was a king of France another was a duke of England, they said. It was not true. They were confidence trickers. They planned some tricks for deceiving big money. But they failed. Now Jim is not a slave now. I know my father died. Finaly all`s well that ends well. I’ll see you some day.

Huck

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The Hundred Year's War - after reading The Three Musketeers

The Hundred Year' War was from 14century to 14cenntury. The war continued for about one hundred years with several interval. The beginning of the War was Edward Ⅲ,king of England pretended to the French throne. And he sent army to France. It was just one reson of many things. One of other reasons was that England and France had contended for supremacy of woolen industry in Frandre district. First England was strong and superior for long years, but French girl Jeanne D’arc who had heard the words of God appeared, led French army and relieved Orleans from long siege by England. She is a historic heroine in France but her life was very short. She was soon arrested and had execution by burning. About her life many novels and films had been made. At all England lost possessions in France.

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After-reading Christmas in Prague

I write to you Josef, that your wife is dead. On Christmas night she ran to the border to enter to Austria. Just before crossing the border the guards shot her. She carried Pavel –your baby son, and my grandson on her back, and fortunately he is alive! You had better not to come back to Prague. It’s too dangerous for you. I made a firm resolution to bring up Pavel instead of my daughter. I am going to educate him to be a good man. Someday the country will change better, and you and Jan will be able to get a chance to see him. I wish your new life be peaceful and may the blessing be upon you.

Stanislava

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Musically inspired postcards - Misako

Music can be a great teaching tool, and it's something that I don't use enough of with my adult classes. Music can spark imagery, feelings and emotions, which was what I was aiming for with this lesson. The first step was to draw a picture while listening to a song (a upbeat little number by Musical Youth, chosen intentionally to inspire a summery beach scene), jotting down whatever came to mind while the tune played. Every 30 seconds we paused the song and passed our picture (key here being on OUR not MY) onto the person next to us, evolving the picture every so slightly with each iteration. After the song had played it's course, we were left with 4 unique postcards.

The next stage was to imagine yourself as part of the scenery, and to send a postcard home describing what you're doing, how you feel and what is going on around you. To get a feel for each picture, everyone took turns describing the postcard, and how they felt whilst listening to song. This allowed everyone to collect some ideas before putting pen to paper. 

Although all the picture share some a common style and contents, each one has it's own twist and interpretation. It would be a fun experiment with the type of music students listen to and observe the differences!

Dear Damian

I am staying in a southern island now. The weather is fine and people look very happy. Little children

are playing together outside. They don't need any toys.

I am now relaxing and feeling all my stress go away.

See you soon!!

Misako

After-reading - Misako imagines planning a trip to England

First I'd like to go to Lake District, and visit  Grasmere, William Wordsworth's  home and Beatrix Potter's musium.

Then go to Liverpool, see  Cathedral and visit some places of "Beetles".

I'd like to go to Stradford-upon-Avon, pretty town, visit William Shakespeare's house and watch the stage play at Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Last I stay in London one or two days and visit some famous places.

If possible I'd like to stay at manor house, but I'm afraid it is inconvinient or uncomfortable.

Posted for Misako

After reading - a summary of another Sherlock Holmes story

The Red-Headed League

One day a man visited Sherlock Holmes. He was confused by his recent mysterious experience. He was a master of pawnshop with red hair . He told the whole story to Holmes and Dr. Watson.

He employed a salesclerk who worked well and don’t mind working for low salary. A couple months later the salesclerk came with a newspaper and showed him a notice in the papers. It said an association of red hair man was looking for a member and member could get much salary for easy work. The salesclerk suggested him frequently to apply for membership of the association. A lot of red-hair men applied and he was adopted only. He had to stay an office from morning to afternoon and do boring job(to copy an encyclopedia? I’m not sure.) At the end of the week he received special much money. He went to the office and worked and got money every week. (Two or three months went by) one morning he found the office shut. There wasn’t any contact from the association and nobody knew about it. So he visited Sherlock Holmes.

The big project was attempted. Robbers tried to make an invasion upon a large safe of the basement of a bank. They digged tunnel to the safe and it went along just under the pawnshop. They had to make him go out not to notice the noise of construction.

Of course robbers were all arrested before stolen.

Posted for Misako

After-reading - film review of Elizabeth

In England, in the 16th century there was a big conflict between old religion and new religion, Catholicism and Protestantism. English Queen Mary at that time oppressed Protestantism and confined Elizabeth (Kate Blanchett) of the Protestant, sister by a different mother, to the Tower of London.

However Queen Mary died from an illness soon. Elizabeth succeeded to the throne as English Queen at 25 years old. England faced a crisis. The chief minister suggested New Queen to marry the Lord Anjou (French King Henry Ⅲ) or the Spanish King to get through a difficult situation. .Elizabeth was often meeting with Robert Dudley (Joseph Fiennes) secretly, so she didn’t agree it.

The domestic finance of England was tight, furthermore England lost for war with Scotland. Elizabeth got Protestant Walsingham (Geoffrey Rush) to her side and decided to unify country in Protestantism. The Pope got angry, Protestant inside and outside never accepted the policy. The situation surround England was getting worse and worse, until an assassination of Elizabeth was attempted.

To break a situation, Walsingham assassinated Scottish Queen Mary who was a strong Catholic. Elizabeth knew Robert had a wife. Elizabeth arrested main Catholisism groups and executed them. Elizabeth had her hair cut and declared in front of the people that she would marry nation.

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Remember remember, the menu of November

I realize we are already into December, but due to a bi-monthly class I haven't been able to share this work until now. With many festivities and celebrations occurring over the months of November and December, there has been a running theme where we have touched on Halloween, Guy Fawkes Day, Christmas to name but a few.

Japanese people tend to be big on food, so I was expecting great things from my class when I asked them to design a night time menu to go along with while watching fireworks on Bonfire Night. Definitely beats a jacket potato or a greasy burger!

Yoko's selection

Reiko's hearty menu

Misuzu' has her priorities right, hot wine only!

Misako's comfort food

Love or Money - after reading: your favourite romantic story

“Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte 

Jane Eyre was an orphan. She was sent to a boarding school by her aunt.She is not so beautiful but she is a reliable person. 

She got a job as a private teacher for a child at a big residence.She grew up and became independent. The master, Mr. Rochester was not friendly at first. 

She received him at last but there was something warrying her. but they became close and understood each other. He asked her to marry him. 

She found that he had a wife and his wife was insane. She was shut up in the room. The strange sound was hers.Sometimes at midnight she heard a strange sound of laughter from a corner of the residence. Jane left him. Jane worked at school at a new place and she lived peacefully. 

She rejected his proposal and then she heard a voice to ask for help.A man,a good person proposed to her but she was at a loss to receive or not. She was not certain he loved her truly. She decided to return to Mr. Rochester. The residence was in ruin . The mad wife set fire to the residence and kill herself. 

He got back his hope and they married.Rochester was alive but he lost his arm and eyesight. 

Jane determined to live with him.


Posted for Misako