Too Hot!

Denmark, one of the places I want to visit

I was trying to update this blog site. But, because of hard work and the climate during these few days prevent me from doing so. I just want to get out of this humid place and go to the Northern Europe for vacation. It is impossible, though.

Cruel Hypothesis

In Japan, there has been some news about Masumi Kuwata, who is playing at the Pittsburgh Pirates. However, I doubt that the same thing is happening in Pittsburgh. And I even think that there's some set-up about his pitching.

I remember reading a lame article about Ichiro's comment about his pitching. He said, "Kuwata seemed to have accepted what he is now." It didn't sound like a comment from a batter who was struck out. Maybe Ichiro was struck out on purpose to let people pay more attention to Kuwata and stay in a better position at an imaginary community named "Japanese professional Baseball society." What a wonderful country Japan is! Of course, nobody in this imaginary community seems to admit what I'm saying is true.

This gotta be such a fake, man!

According to IHT/Asahi, June 20,2007:

10. Waseda University pitcher Yuki Saito, normally a starter, comes on in relief in his team's victory against Kyushu International University in the All Japan University Baseball Championship Series. On the other side of the Pacific, Masumi Kuwata debuts with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 39 year-old pitcher becomes the oldest Japanese to play in a major league game.42 min, 35 sec

http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200706200060.html

TOEIC 900 is like Ave .300

I checked the score of the TOEIC test I took at the end of May. It's not a terrible score, but it didn't reach 900. Although I know that the result is pretty much accurate and I often make grammatical errors to some extent, it is a little bit regrettable that my score is close to 900 but it hasn't reached 900 yet.

I just wondered that to get a score of more than 900 is like to get a high batting average with more than 0.300. I don't think that there is a huge difference in their skills between a batter with .300 and a batter with .295. But, impression that gives others are pretty much different. That's life.

Burger King is back!

Burger King has opened again at Shinjuku.

Today I was hanging out with one of my friends at Shinjuku. We happened to remind that Burger King started out their business in Japan again. We checked out where the restaurant was and found that it was very near where we were. Then, we decided to go to the restaurant. We were really surprised that so many people were in lines to wait for their orders.

SSN in Japan?

Friday, June 15, 2007

Abe eyes pension ID numbers, IC cards
Kyodo News

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday he was eager to introduce a common social security number that would allow the government to unify its scattered data on pensions, health-care and other public social security programs, saying it would be more convenient and raise administrative efficiency.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20070615a7.html

This quote from the Japan Times made us think about the possiblitity that each of the Japanese will have their social security number soon. I wonder whether it is good, though. I can't imagine how much it would cost to have a new system, which will be paid by tax. Also, it might be kind of risky to let the nation have all the information each Japanese citizen has.

The EIKEN -- Another common English proficiency test for Japanese people...

Today I used part of previous exam of the EIKEN pre-2nd grade as some exercise for my students. According to the STEP, you should get the 2nd grade if you know what you have learned in high school. However, few of my students could answer pre-2nd level questions with ease.

What is making this kind of things happen? The answer is pretty much easy. Few people can master what they have learned in high school. According to the STEP, you should pass the 1st grade test if you know what you have learned at university. Nowadays, a person with a BA is everywhere, but few people of them have got a STEP 1st grade.

Seijo, Setagaya

I went to Seijo University to take the EIKEN test in Practical English Proficency today. When I reached Seijo Gakuenmae Station, I recognized the shopping center at the station looked like a shopping mall in the United States. And the area itself looked different than most areas of Tokyo, which is pretty much squalid. Most people who live here belong to the upper-middle class or higher. Although I have lived in Tokyo for more than 20 years, Any time has never made me feel that there is a clear gap even inside Tokyo more than now. Yoshimichi (Gido) Nakajima, who I respect, said, though, that Tokyo is just unsophisticated and there is no difference between Ikebukuro and Karasuyama, Setagaya.

This place is so clean that nobody would believe it's Tokyo. Unfortunately, the area where I live is not as clean as here.


By the way, the 1st Grade of the EIKEN test was too difficult for me. I really feel that I have got to have more vocabulary. And my listening comprehension isn't good enough.

My English is getting worse.

I need to take a shower of English, not a shower of tomato.

You may think my English skills won't wither as long as I am working as an English teacher. That's not true, though. The level of my students is pretty much low, and I have to use my head for making the content as easy as I can. And while doing these things, the English I have learned in the states is about to be gone. That is really sad.

Today, I joined a meeting done in English. I found difficulty finding appropriate words at times, which hadn't happened last year. Therefore, I really have got to think about moving to another workplace where I can use English more often and more naturally.

A sassy student

I'm not good at dealing with inpudent students. Today, one student said something inappropriate, and I tried to stop talking like that. But, he talked back to me. It seemed like he couldn't stop insulting words just because using insulting words is the reason he existed. It is kind of sad and I think the student is really pathetic. However, I feel terrible at the same time, because I couldn't say anything to help him become better.

Although this is the first time that happened to me at this school, I had a similar experience before. So, maybe I need to think about how to deal with sassy students.

Lots of work...

I've been busy today. After leaving office in the evening, I had to tutor. And then, I got an email from my friend who is trying to get a job and checked out a cover letter she had written.

Now, it's 10:30 and I find myself without enough preparation for my classes tomorrow. And I've got to teach a kind of like problematic class tomorrow. So, I sigh...

The guy in the picture always looks happy and without trouble. So, I envy him.

Softboiled!?

Everybody seems to like Raymond, but why?

I rent a book from the library near my house. The book is written by Yusuke Higuchi. I was somewhat influenced by his style. It seems like he was influenced by Raymond Chandler.

However, I don't think that he is my favorite author any more. Why? It is hard to say, but probably I'm not that romantist any more. It is kind of sad, but at the same time I feel kind of proud although I don't know why.

No drama, please!

Nobody wanna be in That 70s Show!?

I remember teaching Japanese to Americans, who really liked the Japanese TV drama "Gokusen." I think the drama is funny too. However, what if I was in the drama? I'm sure it wouldn't be as good as you watch "Gokusen." Why am I saying such a thing? Because... actually I'm kind of in a Gokusen situation.

My roomie used to tell me that you could enjoy "Friends" because you were out of the drama and that if you were in the drama, you would be freaked out. When I heard his word for the first time, I understood what he meant theorically. But, now I understand practically. That isn't fun, though.

What is communication?

Nowadays I feel that more and more Japanese people use this word "communication." But, what does the word mean exactly?

I have been wondering why so many Americans will major communication in college. I guess universities in Europe do not have "communication" as an independent major and that European college students try to learn rhetoric or sociology instead.

In Japan, more and more books about "intercultural communication" are written by college professors. I suspect that this is not admitted by Western academic world, though. Personally, I don't agree with the idea that the content of science varies according to each country. I try to check out whether or not "intercultural communication" will fulfill international academic standards.

job offer

今日，短い時間ではあったが，会議通訳をやらなければならなかった．しかも，同時通訳である．「Aという学生が，B社から内定を取り付けました」という極めて簡単そうな文章もうまく訳せなかった．確か，

She got a job.

のように誰でも云えそうなことを云っていたと思う．これでは，内定のニュアンスは出てこない．で，最近改訂版がでた『トレンド日米表現辞典』（これは通訳者にとってはバイブルらしい．ぼくはあまり使ってないが）を見た後，

She received an informal [unofficial] job commitment from Company B.

She just got a job offer.

などと云えたような気がした．でも，今となってはもう遅い．勉強をさせていただいた．ただ，次同じ間違いをしなければいいのだが，なかなかそれを減らすのも難しい．よく，「委託業務」という言葉を訳さなければならないが，いつも entrust(ed) という単語が出てこなくなってしまう．あと，「提携（している）」というような内容もよく通訳しなければならないことがあるが，これも affricated という単語を発音するときに「噛んで」しまう．こういうミスがなくならない限り，いい通訳にはなれないだろう．

Some Japanese who like English often say that they want to do interpreting. However, it is not easy to acquire interpreting skills. Compared with those skills, it is not that had to improve your English good enough to be a translator. I mean it.