Cultural Discussion - Pets

Cultural Discussion - Pets

Do you have a pet now? Why? Why not?

Do you like animals? Why? Why not?

Your Pet History:

Did you have pets when you were a child? If so, talk about every kind of pet you had. Be sure to talk about each pet's:

• name (give it in Japanese then give the English translation)
• color
• breed/type
• good points
• bad points

Rate the Types of Pets:

Here are some types of animals. Rate each pet from 1 to 5 in terms of how good a pet it would be. The "worst" score is "1" (not a good pet) and the "best" score is "5" (a very good pet).

1. cat
2. dog
3. bird
4. snake
5. hamster
6. ferret

• Which of the animals above is the hardest to take care of?
• Which is the most expensive to buy?
• Which is the most expensive to care for?
• Which are the noisiest and quietest?
• Which are the cleanest and dirtiest?
• What kind of animals make the best pets?
• What kind of animals make the worst ones?
  

Domesticated Animals:

Animals that have been "domesticated" live comfortably with humans. They are no longer "wild" and are usually safe to be around. Domesticated animals live in people's homes or on farms for the most part. Cats and dogs are a few examples of domesticated animals.

What are some other usual domesticated animals?

Wild Animals:

"Wild" animals do not live with people or only live with people in rare cases. Wild animals can usually be seen in zoos though not all of them are large or interesting enough to be put in zoos. Lions, squirrels and bears are a few examples of wild animals.

What wild animals are in Japan?

Some animals are both domesticated and wild. For example, there are wild mice but there are also domesticated mice that people keep as pets.

Domesticated, Wild, or Both?

Look at the pictures below. Say the name of each animal and whether or not it is wild or domesticated.

Click this small preview for a larger version. These photos are from the Hemera Photo collection and are used here in accord with the royalty-free nature of the licensing agreement but they may not be copied and used for other purposes.

If you don't know the names of the animals, use the list of words below to help you:
rabbit, eagle, hamster, elephant, snake, ferret, turtle

Are there any animals that should not be kept as pets? Why?

Wild Animals as Pets:

More and more wild animals are being domesticated and kept as pets. In fact, some wild animals are being bred (繁殖するため) with domesticated animals creating hybrid (ハイブリッド) animals that are at least a little wild. Domesticated cats, for example, are bred with wild cats to make a bigger cat.

Do you think it is a good idea to try and domesticate wild animals and keep them as pets? Why? Why not?

Do you think it is a good idea to breed wild animals with domesticated animals? Why? Why not?

Cultural Differences in Pets and Domesticated Animals:

Different cultures tend to keep different animals as pets or at least to domesticate them. For example, in India, elephants are sometimes domesticated.

Are there any pets that are common in Japan but are not common in other countries?

Thinking In English (While Living in Japan)

Study Tips - Thinking In English (While Living in Japan)

Many students hesitate when they speak English. They hesitate because they often have to think in Japanese then translate into English or because the English words do not come quickly and naturally to them.

Even though you live in Japan, you can train yourself to think in English. This will help speed up you speak more smoothly and quickly. Here are some techniques and ideas for helping you think in English:

Read in English:

Many students read in English to help them study but they often choose materials that are too difficult for them. They have to stop reading very often and check words in a dictionary.

• You should choose reading material that is easy to understand. You should be able to read the content without stopping more than once or twice per page to check the meaning of new words in a dictionary.
• You should choose a book, magazine, web site or newspaper which is about a topic you really enjoy. If you like sports, fashion, cooking, etc., read about those topics. Don't read the newspaper because you think it's good to know a lot of difficult words.
  
• Read a little everyday even if it is just one page or one article. It's better to do a little often than a lot once a week.
  

Sing in English:

One of the easiest ways to learn a language is by repeating the same thing over and over. Unfortunately, this can be very boring when you are saying sentences over and over. Singing songs in English is fun and will get your mind used to patterns of grammar and sounds. At first, you can sing along with a recorded song. After you know the words, you can sing the entire song along.

Tips for singing in English:

• Choose a simple song such as a children's song. You can listen, sing along to and read the lyrics for some simple songs at this web site: http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/musicchild.htm
  
• Try to do this at least once a week.
• Sing with your family members (especially children) to have more fun and help them learn some English, too.

Build Parallel Thinking:

"Parallel" means doing something at the same time. In this case, you want to train yourself to think in both Japanese and English at the same time.

Everyday, we think the same things again and again as we have the same types of daily experiences. For example, we will be shopping and think, "that's expensive," or "I want to buy that."

You can use these situations where you have the same thoughts again and again as a chance to think in English. To start, you should choose an experience you have almost everyday in Japanese. For instance:

• "I need to brush my teeth."
• "The train is coming."
• "I need to comb my hair."
• "I should leave for work now."
  

Choose one daily experience to begin with. Every time you have the thought in Japanese, make yourself also think of that idea in English. Do this everyday for this experience until the Japanese thought and English thought occur to you together.

After you have done this for one repeated experience, choose another and do it for that experience. By doing this, you are training your mind to think in two languages instead of one.

This material is (c) The Home Sensei

Cultural Discussion - Geocaching

Cultural Discussion - Geocaching

Do you have any hobbies that use technology?

List some hobbies that use technology:

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

List some hobbies that do not require technology:

________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

Do you think hobbies that use technology are more or less interesting than those which are old-fashioned and do not use it? Why? Why not?

Geocaching:

Technology has created a new hobby that has become popular worldwide. This hobby is called “geocaching”. Have you ever heard of this hobby?

Geo:

If you haven't heard of this hobby, try to guess at what the word might mean. First, think of some other words that contain “geo”:

1. ________________________________

2. ________________________________

3. ________________________________

If you can’t think of any words, some are listed in the FYI (For Your Information) section at the end of the lesson. Do these words have anything in common?

Can you guess what “geo” means after thinking about words that have "geo" in them?

_______________________________________________________________

Cache:

The word “cache” means valuable or useful things which are hidden.

Here are some example sentences with the word “cache” to help you understand it better:

• My grandfather kept a cache of money and food in his garage for emergencies.
• The thief found Mary’s cache of jewelry under her bed and took it.
• George’s cache of rare coins was found in a box buried in his backyard.
• Everyone should have a cache of emergency items in case of an earthquake.

Do you have any type of cache in your home or near your home?

Is a "tansu yokin" a kind of cache? Why? Why not?

Try to make your own sentence using the word "cache".

Now that you know what “geo” and “cache” mean, what do you think “geocaching” is? Try to guess even if you are not sure. Use your imagination.

_______________________________________________________________

Looking at a Geocache:

Here is a picture of a geocache:

Teachers: Click on this picture to get a bigger one which is easier to see and print.

Describe the picture above.

Explanation:

Geocaching is a type of modern treasure hunting. A container which holds items ("treasure") is a "geocache". The items are put there by people who find the box and look inside of it. People who do this hobby find the box and take one item from it and put another item in it. The item a person puts in the box should be of the same or greater value than the item they take. These types of items are often put in a geocache:

• CDs
• coins
• small toys
• buttons
• key chains
  

There is also a notebook in the geocache so that people can write some notes about themselves or their travel to find the geocache.

People who do geocaching as a hobby use a GPS (Global Positioning System) to find a geocache. This box is usually waterproof and placed where it will not be easily found or disturbed. There is a web site which lists the coordinates to enter into a GPS to find these "treasures".

What kind of items do you think would be good to put inside of a geocache?

What about you?

• Now that you know what geocaching is, do you think it is a hobby that you would enjoy? Why? Why not?
• Do you think it would be popular in Japan? Why? Why not?
• Do you think there is anything dangerous about this hobby?
• Do you think a geocache would be stolen or damaged if found by a stranger who didn't know what it was?
  

FYI:

Here are some words that contain “geo”:

• geography
• geopolitical
• geological
• geochemical
• geology
  

For more information, visit the Wikipedia English entry about geocaching here. Or, you can read the Wikipedia Japanese entry about geocaching.

“Geo” means “earth”.

This material is (c) The Home Sensei

Cultural Discussion - Twixters

Note: This entry was updated on April 26, 2007 to add more Japanese into the list of terms.

Cultural Discussion - Twixters

Explain what each of the following words mean in Japanese culture:

• freeter (フリーター)
• parasite single (パラサイトシングル)
• “loser dogs” (まけいぬ, 負け犬)
• obatarian (オバタリアン)
• D.I.N.K.
• “Christmas cake” (クリスマスのケーキ)
• hikkomori (ひきこもり)

Are there any other age- or lifestyle-related terms for people in Japan?

Why do you think we create these kinds of words?

In your opinion, do they have a positive or negative feeling?

Would you mind being called one of these words?

Do you know anyone who can be described by any of these words?

Would he or she be insulted to be called by one of these names?

Terms:

In America, there are a variety of terms that describe these types of people:

1. twixters: This word comes from “betwixt” (which is an old-fashioned way of saying “between”). Adults who live with their parents are “betwixt” adulthood and childhood.
2. adultescents: This word is a combination of “adult” and “adolescent”. It implies that someone is part adult and partially still an adolescent. (See the FYI section for an explanation of "adolescent".)
3. NEET: This word stands for “not engaged in education, employment, or training”.

What about you?

Many people feel that people choosing this type of lifestyle are only common in the current social and economic situation where jobs aren't as well-paying as they were in the past and good jobs are more difficult to find.

• Do you believe this is true only of the present or do you think there were these kinds of people in the recent or distant past?
• Would your opinion of someone who lives with his or her parents be different if you knew that person didn’t make enough money to live alone? Why? Why not?
• Would your opinion of someone who lives with his or her parents be different if that person were married and/or had children? Why? Why not?
• Why do you think some people live with their parents even though they have enough money to live alone?
  

A Psychological Theory:

Many people in western countries who study society, psychology or culture speculate about why there are more and more young people living as adolescents with their parents. They believe adults who can afford to live on their own but choose to live with their parents are experimenting with their lifestyle. They are taking a long time to choose a job, life partner, etc. because they want to be sure they have made the best choice before they move out and live on their own.

Do you agree with this theory?

Do you think there are other explanations? Give any other explanations you can think of:
________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________


FYI:

“Adolescent” means someone who is not quite a child and not quite an adult. Usually, this word is used to talk about those who are in the process of becoming adults both physically and emotionally.

This material is (c) The Home Sensei

Cultural Discussion - Color

note: this lesson edited to add in more follow-up questions on 4/18/07

Cultural Discussion - Color

What is your favorite color?

How does this color make you feel?

Do any colors make you feel especially sad/happy/calm/tired?

Do you choose this color when you buy the following things:

• clothing
• shoes
• jewelry
• bags
  
• bedding/pillows
  
• curtains
• carpet
• pencils/pens
• car/bicycle/motorbike

What colors do you think are best for each of the items above?

Talking About Color:

Here are 12 common colors. Name each one.


Many Japanese people make a mistake when they talk about color. They often say the name of the color plus the word "color". For example, they might say, "my shirt is blue color" but this is not correct. We do not say "red color" or "white color". We just say the color's name.

X I like orange color.
O I like orange.

Practice talking about color by making sentences about color combinations. For example:

• red + yellow = ?

Red plus yellow makes orange.

• red + blue = ?
• blue + yellow = ?
• white + black = ?
• white + red = ?
• brown + white = ?

How do each of the colors above make you feel?

Are there any colors which you feel are better for women or men? If so, why are these colors better for each of them?

Can men wear any color of clothing to their offices? If not, why not?

Can women wear any color of clothing to their offices? If not, why not?

Color Connections:

When you hear each of these words, what color do you think of?

Please make a sentence and say, "I think of (color) when I hear (word)." For example, I think of blue when I hear the word "water".

• sky
• tree
• flag
• snow
• banana
• eye
• death
• sun
• beer
• boys
• girls
• hair
• robot
• refrigerator
  

Color and Culture:

• What colors are important in Japanese culture?
• What are the colors of the Japanese flag?
• Do you know the colors of any other country's flags? If so, which ones and what colors are they?
• Are there any colors that have a special meaning in Japan?

Color and Holidays:

• Are some colors part of Japanese holidays?
• How are white and pink used in Japanese culture? Why are these colors special ones?
• There are colors connected to certain holidays in the west. Do you know the colors connected to these holidays?
• Christmas
• Halloween
• Valentine's Day

FYI - The "Meaning" of Some Colors in Western Culture:

Purple is connected with royalty.
White is connected with purity and innocence.
Black is connected with death.
Green is connected with nature and freshness.
Gold is connected with wealth.
Yellow is connected with happiness.
Blue is connected to being a boy and coldness.
Pink is connected to being a girl.
Red is connected with heat and love.

The meaning of color is culture-specific. For example, black is the color of death in the west but white is worn when someone dies in Korea.

This material is (c) The Home Sensei

Cultural Discussion - Tipping

Cultural Discussion - Tipping

What is a "tip"?

Have you ever been to a country where tipping is common? If so, did you ever forget to tip someone?

Do you think tipping is difficult to understand or calculate? If so, why?

Pronunciation:

Many Japanese people say "chip" instead of "tip". In English, a "chip" is something you eat (a fried potato) so be careful to pronounce "tip" correctly. Practice saying each word a few times to make sure you can say them correctly.

Usage:

(a) tip (noun)

• George left a big tip because his waitress was very good.
• Fred didn't leave a tip. His waiter was angry.
• I always leave a 15% tip.

Try to make your own sentences using the word "tip" as a noun.

(to) tip (verb)

• He tipped his waitress 20% because she was very pretty.
• I always tip 15%.
• You should always tip in restaurants.

Try to make your own sentences using the word "tip" as a verb.

(a) gratuity (noun) is a bigger word for "tip"

• Many restaurants allow you to pay a gratuity with your credit card.
• Please leave a gratuity for good service.

Try to make your own sentences using the word "gratuity". Making your own sentences helps you remember the word better.

Why We Tip:

Tipping is done in some countries as a way of getting the best service. If someone does a bad job serving you, he knows he will not get a good tip. If he does a good job, he knows he will get a good tip.

In countries where tipping is common, people who work at jobs where they commonly get tips get a low salary. Tips are very important to these types of workers. Without tips, many people in such jobs cannot pay their rent or buy food so they work hard to make the customer happy.

• Do you think tips are a good idea? Why? Why not?
• Do you think service in Japan would be better if tips were given? Why? Why not?
• Have you ever had bad service at a Japanese hotel or restaurant? If so, please describe it. Also, do you think tipping would reduce the chance that customers would receive bad service? Why? Why not?
  

When to Tip:

Usually, you tip any time someone serves you or takes care of your personal needs. Generally, you do not tip in places where the prices are cheap and there is little personal service.

For example, you should not tip in fast food restaurants because you carry your own food from the counter to the table. You do not tip a bus driver because he is not taking care of you personally. He is driving many people.

Should you tip at each of these places in the U.S.? Explain why you should or should not tip at each.

• Starbucks
• The Hard Rock Café
• The Sheraton Hotel
• Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)
• Subway Sandwich shops
• a hotel bar

How to Tip:

There are several ways to tip.

1. You can give the tip in cash to the person who served/helped you.
2. You can write the amount you want to tip on the credit card bill and add it into your total bill. There is a special box on American credit card statements which will say “tip” or “gratuity” and you write the amount you would like to tip in the box.
3. You can put the money into a tip jar if there is such a jar on a counter or bar at which you are eating or drinking.

FYI — Who and How Much to Tip:

These amounts are average amounts. At an expensive restaurant or hotel, you should tip the higher amount of the given numbers (or more if you like). Additionally, in big cities, you may be expected to tip a little more compared to smaller cities.

Restaurants, Cafés, Bars, Food-related services:

• Waiters and Waitresses - 15-20% of the total bill
• Busboys - not necessary to tip
• Bartenders - $1 per drink or 15% of the total bill
• Baristas (those who prepare special coffee drinks) - 50 cents to $1 per drink
• Pizza (and other food) delivery people - 10% of total or $3, whichever is higher
• Restroom attendant - $1
• Coat checker - $1 per coat
• Valet parking attendants - $1-$2 twice (first when you arrive and second when you leave)
  

Transportation:

• Taxicab/limo drivers - 15% of the total bill

Hotels:

• Room Service 15-20% of the total bill
• Bellhops $1 to $2 per bag
• Hotel maids $2 per day (leave it on the bedside table)
• Hotel concierge - $5-$10 if you are helped by him/her
• Hotel doorman - $1 per bag for help with luggage, $1 for getting you a cab
• Sommeliers - 15% of the cost of a bottle of wine
• Restroom attendant - $1
• Spa service - 15-20% of the bill
• Coat checker - $1 per coat

Other Services:

• Hairdressers/barbers - 10%-20%
• Manicurist - $5-15%
• luggage handlers at airports - $1 per bag

Why do you think these types of jobs are ones in which people receive tips?

Do you think they are enjoyable jobs? Why? Why not?

Do you think people who do these jobs are treated kindly by customers, guests, or clients? Why? Why not?

Would you like to do one of these jobs? If not, do you think you'd enjoy it more if you got tips? Why? Why not?

Answers to the tipping questions above:

• Starbucks - no (you carry your own drink from the counter)
  
• The Hard Rock Café - yes (you order and are served at the table)
  
• The Sheraton Hotel - yes (you should tip at all hotels which offer help with carrying your bags and room service)
  
• Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) - no (you carry your own food to the table and order at a counter)
  
• Subway Sandwich shops - no (you carry your own food to the table and order at a counter)
  
• a hotel bar - yes (you order at the bar but are served at the bar or will be served by a waiter/waitress)
  

This material is (c) The Home Sensei

Cultural Discussion - Money

Cultural Discussion - Money

How important is money to you?

Why is money important to most people?

Do you think that money affects how happy you are? Why? Why not?

Saving:

How important is saving money to you?

Why do you save money?

List all the things you think it’s important to save money for in your future (either long-term or short-term).

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________


Here are some statistics about saving in the United States and Japan:

Savings Habits:

• amount of income saved: U.S. - 1%, Japan - 6%
• amount saved in 1990's: U.S. - 1.7%, Japan - 15%
• *average savings at retirement: U.S. - $55,00, Japan - $113,000
• amount of money in cash savings: U.S. - 13%, Japan - 55%
• amount of stock invested - U.S. - 34%, Japan - 9%

*These figures do not include non-cash assets such as the value of property.

1. Do any of these statistics surprise you? If so, which ones and why?
2. Why do you think the amount of savings is so different between Americans and Japanese?
3. Why do you think Japanese people invest far less of their savings in stocks compared to Americans?
4. What is “tansu yokin”?

Spending Habits:

Do you worry about how much money you spend? Why? Why not?

Does spending money make you feel happy or sad? If so, what kind of spending makes you feel good and what sort of spending makes you feel bad?

In English, there are some sayings which describe living with barely enough money to get by. Some of these sayings are:

• living hand to mouth
• living paycheck-to-paycheck
• barely eking out a living

People who must live this way have little or no extra money with which to buy unnecessary items. A lot of people in developed countries would find this type of life unbearable.

How would you feel if you were to find yourself in such a situation?

Look at the list of items below and number them from 1 to 10 in order of the highest to the lowest expense in your life. Number “1” should be the item you spend the most on. Number “10” should be the item you spend the least on.

• Rent
• Groceries
• Eating Out
• Holidays (travel, hotel, etc.)
• Luxury Goods
• Necessary Sundry Goods
• Entertainment
• Utility Bills (gas, electric, etc.)
• Clothing
• Gifts
• Other (car, health club, etc.)

Here is information on the average debts of people in Japan and America.

Debt Information:

• average credit card debt: U.S. - $8,940, Japan - $400
• % of homeowners who take out a mortgage to buy a home: U.S. - nearly 100%, Japan - 33%
• total credit card debt nationwide: U.S. - $800,000,000, Japan - $70,000,000

Here are some common causes of debt in America:

1. A consumptive lifestyle (buying too much, often more than one needs)
2. Ease of credit encouraging one to live beyond one’s means
3. Adult “toys” (recreational vehicles, boats, computers, etc.)
4. Eating out
5. Unexpected expenses (medical expenses, car failure/breakdown, etc.)
6. Reduction of income
7. Lack of a household budget to help control spending

Do you think any of these are common causes of debt in Japan?

Do you ever shop as a “hobby”? Do you think this puts you at risk of going into debt? Why? Why not?

How is bankruptcy viewed in Japan?

Would you be surprised to learn that 1/3 of all suicides in Japan are because of financial problems?

Describing Our Habits:

There are many words in English to describe how people handle their money. Here are two of them: frugal cheap

These words have very similar meanings. Both of them talk about people who don't spend more money than necessary. The difference is that "frugal" sounds good and "cheap" sounds bad.

For example:

He is frugal. = He spends money carefully.
He is cheap. = He doesn't spend money because he is selfish.

• Why do you think there are both positive and negative words for how people spend money?
• How do you view someone who spends money freely?
  
• How do you view someone who doesn't want to spend money because he wants to keep his money for himself?
• What about you? Are you frugal or cheap?
  
• What major decisions in your life have been affected by concerns about money?

Consider each of the following choices we make in our lives and how money affects decision you would make about each one:

• Do you choose your job based on the salary or the type of work?
  
• Do you choose a marriage partner based on his or her job?
• Do you choose the city you live in based on how expensive it is?
• Do you choose the kind of clothing you buy based on its price or style?
  
• Do you choose a hobby based on how expensive it is?
  
• Do you choose your means of transport (train, bus, subway, taxi, etc.) based on how expensive it is?

This material is (c) The Home Sensei

Cultural Discussion - Romantic Meetings

Cultural Discussion - Romantic Meetings

Think about the many ways in which people meet a romantic partner in your country.

• Where and how do people usually meet their boyfriends or girlfriends?
• Which way do you think is the most natural and comfortable?
• Which ways do you think are possibly dangerous?
• Which way do you think is best for meeting someone who could be a good future spouse? Why do you think this way is best?

Meeting Places:

Here is a list of places people might meet a romantic partner. As you consider each place, answer these questions for each one:

1. Is it a good place to meet a romantic partner? Why? Why not?
   
2. Is it a safe place to meet someone? Why? Why not?
   
3. Is it a usual place for people to find a boyfriend or girlfriend in Japan?

Places:

• a bar
• a church
• a library
• the Internet
• the office
• a classroom
• a dating service
• a club meeting
• a friend’s house (a friend of a friend meeting)
• a blind date
• a train

Meetings in the Movies:

In the movies, people meeting in many unusual ways. A famous movie critic in America named Roger Ebert calls these types of meetings a “meet cute”. He calls them this because they are unrealistic and never happen among real people.

Here are some examples of “meet cutes” from television and movies. Read each one and discuss how realistic or possible each is in real life.

• A girl is browsing for books in a book store and the book she needs is on a high shelf. She jumps up to reach the book and knocks it down onto the head of a boy. The boy becomes her boyfriend.
• A man is out jogging and he stops at a bench to tie his shoe. A woman is sitting on the bench reading talking on her cell phone and her dog is near her. The dog tries to bite the man while he is tying his shoe. They become romantically involved.
• A pregnant woman rides a cab to the hospital when she is ready to have her baby. Her baby arrives too quickly and has to be delivered in the cab by the cab driver. She later marries the cab driver.

Can you think of any “meet cute” moments from any movies you have seen?

Why do you think these types of unusual meetings are so popular in movies?

Do you know anyone in real life who has had an unusual meeting like the ones above?

The “meet cute” situations assume complete strangers will meet and become romantically interested in each other. Do you think that strangers do this? Would you do this? Why? Why not?

What about you?

• Has a stranger of the opposite sex ever tried to start a conversation with you? If yes, how did you respond?
• How did you feel after the experience?
• Have you ever tried to start a conversation with a stranger for any reason? How did you feel about the experience?
• How did you meet your boyfriends or girlfriends?

This material is (c) The Home Sensei

Cultural Discussion - The Taste of Home

Cultural Discussion - The Taste of Home

Look at the words below and discuss the traditional Japanese food for each of the following:

• breakfast
• lunch
• dinner
• sweets
• snacks
• drinks
• staple food(s)

Do you eat these traditional foods everyday? If not, why not?

Unique ingredients

An ingredient is part of a recipe. For example, flour, sugar, yeast, and water are ingredients in bread making. Some unique Japanese ingredients are listed below. Describe each ingredient in English and talk about what types foods they are used in.

• mirin
• miso
• sen-cha
• shoyu
• anko
• nori
• wasabi
• sake
• konyaku
• katsuobushi
• ponzu

Why do you think these foods are unique to Japanese or Asian cooking?

Do you often use these ingredients in the food you cook or eat?

FYI:

There are many foods which are similar but not quite the same when you compare the American version and the Japanese version. Here are some examples:

1. milk: Milk in Japan is heat-treated differently than it is in the U.S. and tastes very different. Japanese milk is heated more so it can be kept on the store shelves longer. Also, milk in the U.S. does not come in a wide variety of fat contents. Usually, you can only buy “whole milk” (full fat), skim milk (no fat) or “2% milk”. In Japan, you can get a variety of milk with different fat percentages. Also, milk is most often sold by the gallon in America. In Japan, it is impossible to buy large size containers of milk.
2. bread: Bread in Japan is usually sliced much thicker and white bread is usually much softer and “cake-like”. The thinner bread cuts in America are designed to accommodate toasters.
3. soft drinks: Soft drinks in Japan are mixed with a different formula than they are in the U.S. Even brand names that are famous worldwide like Coca-cola and Pepsi are different in Japan. It is impossible to know for sure but there seem to differences in the amount of acidity (or “bite”) and sweetness.
4. frozen yogurt: Frozen yogurt is much more popular in America than Japan but the main difference is that Japanese frozen yogurt tastes sour like regular yogurt. American frozen yogurt is a low fat, lower calorie version of ice cream and is rarely sour.
5. bagels: Japanese-made bagels are more bread-like and softer than traditional bagels. American bagels are chewier and denser.
6. icing/frosting: Most icing and frosting in Japan has less sugar and more fat than that in America. American frosting is sweeter but the texture is not as rubbery as Japanese frosting.
7. donuts: Japanese donuts are not as sweet as American ones and tend to be smaller and more cake-like.
   
8. bacon: American bacon is much saltier and usually thinner than Japanese bacon. It is more crispy when cooked. Japanese bacon is closer to what Americans call “fresh side” than what they call “bacon”. “Fresh side” is very lightly cured or uncured bacon.

This material is (c) The Home Sensei

Cultural Discussion - Coupons

Cultural Discussion — Coupons

What is a coupon? ______________________________________________________

Types of Coupons:

One type of coupon allows you to reduce the cost of an item. For example, Pizza Hut (in Japan) often gives away coupons (on their menus) which allow you to take ¥600 or ¥800 off of the price of orders of ¥2500 or ¥3500 yen or more.

What other types of coupons are there?

____________________________________________________________


Coupons in Japan:

What types of businesses use coupons in Japan?
____________________________________________________________

Which types of business never use coupons in Japan?
____________________________________________________________

Where do you get coupons?
____________________________________________________________

Which kinds of coupons have you used?

Are you more likely to buy something if you have a coupon for it? Why? Why not?

Why do you think companies give away coupons?

Coupons in America:

Here is some news about coupon use in America:
“Americans took 3 billion coupons to retailers last year, a 33% drop from 2000, according to NCH Marketing Services Inc., a Deerfield, Ill.-based coupon processor. At the same time, the average coupon value has risen from 79 cents to 89 cents.”
(Washington Monthly magazine, April 1, 2006)

Answer these questions about this news:

• True or False Americans are using coupons more than before.
• True or False Americans can save an average of 10 more cents per coupon compared to the past.

Americans use coupons the most often in grocery stores or supermarkets. The coupons they use are given away by the makers of various brand name products. For example, Hershey’s chocolate company will give away coupons for their candy. These coupons usually are given away with newspapers (especially the Sunday paper) but you can get some coupons by visiting web sites and printing out the coupons. For example, a Hershey’s coupon from a web site is shown at below:


(Teachers: Click this picture to bring up a larger one which is more legible on a new page.)

Try to answer these questions about the coupon:

How much must you buy in order to use this coupon?

_________________

If you spent $20 on chocolate, how much would you save with this coupon?

_________________


Finding Coupons:

Coupons are so popular that there is a web site that lets you find all the coupons that can be used in your city. This web site is www.valpak.com. When you visit this web site, you enter your city or town’s zip code (postal code) and it shows you all the places which you can get coupons from. You can click on the links and print out the
coupons that you want to use.

Here is part of a page of search results:

(Teachers: Click this picture to bring up a larger one which is more legible on a new page.)

Would you use a web site like this? Why? Why not?

FYI:

Wikipedia's definition of a coupon is here.

Types of coupons (use this list for the second question in this lesson to augment what the student has said):

• Buy one (item), get another (item) free.
• Price reduction by %. (e.g., 10% off the retail price)
• Price reduction by a set amount of money. (e.g., $1.00 off the retail price)
• Free shipping.
• Free gift with purchase (of an item). (free toothbrush with purchase of toothpaste)
• Free extra service with the purchase of a service. (e.g., free cleaning of the inside of
• your car with purchase of a car wash and wax)
• Free food item or drink with meal purchase at a restaurant. (e.g., free Coke with
• purchase of a lunch set at a fast food restaurant)

Which type of coupon is most useful in your opinion? Which is least useful?

This material is (c) The Home Sensei

Cultural Discussion - Being "Japanese"

Being “Japanese” Discussion Lesson

What does it mean to be Japanese? Write 3 things which are very important for being “Japanese”:

1. _______________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________


How important are each of these factors in deciding how “Japanese” a person is? Rate each factor from 1 to 5.
1= unimportant
2=a little important
3=important
4=very important
5=very, very important

1. speak Japanese
2. read/write Japanese
3. epicanthic fold (eyes)
4. straight hair
5. black hair
6. brown eyes
7. born in Japan
8. unselfish
9. hard working
10. likes Japanese cuisine
11. likes alcohol
12. has many friends
13. has Japanese ancestors
14. follows societal rules
15. polite
16. shy
17. knows Japanese traditional culture (sumo, kimono, ikebana, tea ceremony, etc.)

Consider whether or not the following people are “Japanese” and explain why they are or are not Japanese:

• The son of Japanese parents who were born in Japan but moved to Peru before their son was born.

• A British man who applied for Japanese citizenship and has been accepted as a naturalized Japanese citizen.

• The daughter of Japanese parents. She was born in Japan and lived there until she was 2 years old but moved to Australia and lived there until she was 16.

• The son of American parents who was born in Tokyo and lived there until he was 15 years old. He speaks, reads, and writes Japanese at the same level as Japanese 15-year-olds.

• The daughter of Japanese parents who was born in California but moved back to Japan just before she was one year old.

• The son of an American man and a Japanese woman who was born and grew up in Osaka.

This material is (c) The Home Sensei

TOEIC Reading Techniques

TOEIC Reading Tips

Basic Technique:

1. Read the questions and answers first. Think about what kind of answer the question needs.
2. Skim read the keywords of the reading passage.
3. Answer the questions to which you know the answers.
4. Scan the reading passage for answers to questions to which you don’t know the answers.

How to Skim Read:

When you read, you don’t need to read and understand every word. In fact, to answer questions in the TOEIC reading sections, you often do not have to understand all the words. You just have to find the answers. You don’t have to understand the answer.

Skim reading will help you read quickly so that you have more time to finish the test or to go back and check your answers. When you skim, you only read the key words in the sentence. You skip over the small words which are not necessary in understanding the content of the lesson.

The passage below has the key words in bold. The bold words are the ones you want to quickly read to "skim" read. Read it quickly and don't worry about understanding it yet:

In terms of personal tax responsibility, Americans don't need to pay income taxes in the United States unless they make more than $84,000 a year. Needless to say, few of us are in any danger of losing our tax-exempt status. We have to file a tax form regardless of whether we owe money or not. This was a fact that my husband and I were unaware of for an extended period of time while living here and there was quite a bit of panic when we discovered we hadn't filed for well over a decade and it may result in some problems despite the fact that we owed nothing. Fortunately, we didn't get in trouble. In fact, the IRS seemed to take it all in stride and sent us 3 years of back tax forms which we filled out and sent in. Now, we're on a regular schedule but it was a bit of a worry for awhile.

The key words are usually:

• Nouns (the subject of the sentence and direct objects especially)
• Verbs
• Adverbs of frequency or time (usually, now, etc.)
• Numbers

The non-key words are usually:

• Prepositions (in, on, out)
• Conjunctions (and, but, or)
• Idioms (needless, regardless of, in terms of)
• Descriptive adverbs (fortunately, unfortunately)
  

If you read only the key words, you should be able to answer the questions and read much more quickly and you will have the same chance of answering the questions correctly as if you had read every word.

Here are some questions for the passage above:

1. Do Americans who make $60,000 a year need to pay income taxes?
2. Do they have to file a form if they do not need to pay taxes?
3. Was the writer worried about not filing a tax form?
4. How long had it been since the writer last filed a tax form?
5. Did the writer get in trouble with the IRS?
6. What did the IRS send the writer?
   

…personal tax responsibility, Americans don't need to pay income … United States unless … make more than $75,000 a year. … few of … losing our tax-exempt status. We have to file a tax form … whether we owe money or not. … my husband and I were unaware of … period of time … there was … panic … we hadn't filed for … over a decade … may result in some problems … we owed nothing. … we didn't get in trouble. … the IRS … sent us 3 years of back tax forms … we filled out … sent in. Now, we're on a regular schedule ...

Can you answer the questions by reading only the key words?

Types of Reading/Questions:

There are two types of questions on the TOEIC test.

Specific information:

A specific information question will ask about a detail mentioned in the passage. For instance, it the passage above, $75,000 is a piece of specific information.

These questions would be “specific information” questions:

How much must you make less than in order to be tax-exempt?
How many years worth of tax forms was the writer sent?

These kind of questions can be answered by scanning a reading passage. Scanning is when you search through a reading passage to find a detail. You don’t have to understand anything but the sentence that contains that information.

“How much” and “how many” questions are often asking for specific information. You can usually scan a reading passage for numbers and find answers to these kinds of questions. These questions are easy to answer compared to the other kind of question.

Overall understanding:

The other kind of question is about overall understanding. This kind of question requires you to read a lot of information and then reach a conclusion about the passage. The conclusion you have to reach is not something that is clearly stated in the reading. You have to understand and decide for yourself.

For example:

John Brown works with animals. He gives them medicine and sometimes performs surgery on them. He works in the afternoon and evenings most of the time because that’s when people have free time to bring their pets to him.

What is John Brown’s job?

You will notice that John Brown’s job is not mentioned in the reading. You have to read the information and then reach a logical conclusion.

Overall understanding questions are more difficult than specific information questions. These questions often take this type of form:

What is this article/passage about?
Who is this advertisement directed at?
What is this advertisement for?

Test Taking Advice:

When you take the test, do not struggle to answer every question. Answer the questions you are sure of the answer to. If a question is tough and taking a lot of time, guess at an answer and continue to take the test. If you finish the test, go back and try to answer those tough questions in the time remaining.

If there are any pictures included as part of a reading lesson, do not rely on them to tell you what a reading passage is about. Sometimes the pictures are misleading in the reading section.

Do not panic if you don’t understand the vocabulary. The grammar of a sentence and the questions can help you answer even if you don’t know the vocabulary.

If you can’t tell which answer is correct, think about which answers are not correct. If you can see that 2 of the 4 answers are wrong, then you have a 50% chance of guessing which one is right instead of a 25% chance.

For example:

The widget was wonky and Wilbur’s knees grew wobbly as he was afraid it would go kablooie.

What was having problems?
a. the widget
b. Wilbur’s knees
c. Wilbur
d. Kablooie

Look at the question. What verb is being used? What is the question word? Which part of the sentence is the likely answer based on the verb and the use of the word “what”?

What was Wilbur afraid of?
a. The widget would be wonky
b. His knees would give out.
c. The widget would break.
d. He wasn’t afraid of anything.

Look at the structure of the sentences and see where “afraid” is positioned. Can Wilbur be afraid of anything mentioned before the word “afraid”?

What does “wobbly” mean?
a. broken
b. weak
c. fearful
d. explosive

Think about what is “wobbly”. Think about what adjective cannot be used to describe “knees”. Even if you don’t know the word, knowing the noun it describes will help you guess the answer. Only one of these words can describe a “knee”.

This material is (c) The Home Sensei

Cultural Discussion - Sightseeing in Japan

Sightseeing in Japan

What are your favorite sightseeing spots in Japan?

What do you like best about each of them?

If a foreign friend were to visit you, what places would you recommend to him or her? Why are these good places?

Are these places different from those you'd recommend to a Japanese friend?

A survey was done of the top 10 locations for taking pictures in Japan. What do you think are the best places for taking pictures in Japan?

Survey results:

10. Tsukiji Fish Market
9. Kimono
8. Japanese street signs
7. Mt. Fuji
6. Vending machines
5. Narita Airport
4. Shibuya Crossing
3. Asahi Beer Headquarters
2. Tokyo Imperial Palace
1. Kaminari-mon

Have you ever been to any of these places?

What is the best site at each of these places?

Do you think there are more interesting places than these in Japan?

This material is (c) The Home Sensei

Cultural Discussion - Blood Type and Personality

Blood Type and Personality

Do you believe that blood type influences personality? Why? Why not?

What are the different blood types?

What kind of character do people with each type have?

Do you think people should consider blood type when they decide who to marry?

Do you feel any of the other things listed below influence personality? Explain why each does or does not influence personality.

1. Body type (fat, thin, short, tall, small-boned, big-boned)
2. Eye color
3. Hair color
4. Birthplace/Ethnicity (country or city you were born in)
5. Birth order (oldest child, middle child, youngest child)
6. Religion
7. Education
8. (Your) Parents' Personalities
9. Weather of the place you reside in
10. How much money you have
11. (Your) Friends’ personalities
12. (Your) Spouse’s (husband/wife) personality
13. Birthday/Astrological sign

Can you think of any others?

Which has the biggest influence on personality?

Which has the smallest influence on personality?

This material is (c) The Home Sensei

For your reference, you may want to review the Wikipedia page on the Japanese theory of blood type and personality.