Class #15 - Pet Peeves

First, a brain teaser ...

Next, we have one presentation.

Thank you for sending your course feedback to Yuki. He sent them to me with no names.

Do you know the meaning of Pet Peeve? It's always a popular topic on YouTube.

A pet peeve (or pet hate) is a minor annoyance that an individual identifies as particularly annoying to him or her, to a greater degree than others may find it.

YouTube video: 100 People Tell Us Their Pet Peeves

What are your pet peeves?
a. What is your pet peeve related to home or family?
b. What is your pet peeve related to work or school?
c. What is your pet peeve related to shopping or public transportation?

Start your answer like this:

My pet peeve is when ...

I really get annoyed when ...

I really hate it when ...

I can't stand it when ...

[1] Pet Peeves Listening & Online Exercise

Pet Peeves PDF / audio 🔊 / backup audio 🔊 

Picture Dominoes .

Class #14 - Eiken (STEP Test) Practice

First, a little thinking and speaking activity ...

Hikaru - pic
Kengo - pic
Yuki - pic
Hibiki - pic

extra - pic

Eiken (STEP Test) Practice

Ex. 2 - 1

Hikaru - 2 - 1

Kengo  - 2 - 1

Yuki - 2 - 1

Hibiki - 2 - 1


extra 1 - 2 - 1

extra 2 - 2 - 1

extra 3 - 2 - 1

extra 4 - 2 - 1



White - Gray - Black


TUPLS end of the semester survey.  / PDF

Class #13 - Relationships

Good morning!

We usually have to wait for some students, so while we're waiting, Kevin will show you this.

Next, we have one more presentation.

Our last two classes will be July 15 and July 22, both online.

Relationships Topics

Forever Single PDF / Audio 🔊 / Backup Audio 🔊

Finding the Right One PDF / Audio  🔊 / Backup Audio 🔊 

Expressions with 'get' PDF

Class #12: Presentation 3 - Face-to-face in Room 医301

July 1 is Presentation #3; everyone be ready to present in the classroom.

Classroom: 医301

• Try to have a conversational style; don't just read. 
• You need intonation and emphasis on important points.
• Check the pronunciation of words in advance (use 'define: ___' in Google to get the definition with audio)
• Check your spelling if you make a slideshow.
• Only put keywords on the slideshow, not long sentences.
• Send the slideshow to me IF you want me to operate the slides while you speak.
• Even if you present your own slideshow, you should send me the file in advance as a backup.

Spinner

Class #11 - Various Opinion Topics

Why study English? Topic PDF / audio 🔊

Healthy Diet Questions Spinner

Opinion Topic PDF / audio 🔊

Opinion Presentations are next week, July 1, in the classroom.

• Send me revised writing!
• Send me slideshows!

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Present Perfect Tense Form
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Vocabulary - Similar // Opposite Meanings Form
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Class #10 - Time on or time away from smartphones

Good morning!

I'm not addicted PDF // audio 🕪 

A visit to Grandma PDF // audio 🕪 

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Past Tense Verbs Practice Form

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Class #9 - Presentations Today

Presentation #2 (How to) is today. You should know how to pronounce all words. Try to speak in a conversational style and with good intonation.

Did you send me your revised writing? Did you send me your slideshow?

Writing #3 (Opinion) is due next week (June 17).

Class #8 - Opinions

Today, I'm introducing the Opinions writing topic, which is our 3rd and last writing and presentation topic. Sample essay PDF / Essay organization PDF

Please don't argue that people should stop smoking. I've heard this topic too often. Also, please don't write about school uniforms. That's a good topic for high school students, but ...

There are two sides to every argument. You can argue an opinion you don't really believe if you want to. It's an exercise in looking at the other side of an argument. Also, you can write a strange, funny or outrageous opinion if you want to. Just be sure to follow the organization format and have reasons for your points.

Boomerang Children cloze exercise / audio

Grammar: Comparisons with adjectives

The boy is younger than the man.
The turtle is slower than the rabbit.
The girl is prettier than her mother.
Her clothes are more expensive than my clothes.

More examples (Regular Adjectives):
1.    Add “er”  sweet:   A peach is sweeter than a banana.
small, tall, narrow, dry, slow, fast, high, low, warm, cool, cold, loud
* hot: hotter, fat : fatter, wet : wetter, big : bigger, sad : sadder, thin : thinner
* strange : stranger; loose : looser; wide : wider; safe : safer; wise : wiser

2.    Change "y" to “ier”   pretty:   This picture is prettier than that one.
happy, heavy, hungry, early, easy, cloudy, busy, funny, lonely, healthy, ugly

3.    Add “more”   expensive:   Your sweater is more expensive than mine.
delicious, energetic, dangerous, normal, interesting, boring, special, right, wrong, terrible, foolish, square, stupid

Also ...
good < better
bad < worse
far < farther
fun < more fun

Comparison Practice Exercises:
Comparisons 1
Comparisons 2 (type the words)
Comparisons 3

Do the Comparisons online form now!

To Do List

• Presentation #2 (How to ...) is next week (June 10). Be ready to present your 'How to' paper and send Kevin a link to your slideshow if you have one. Let's do this presentation with great eye contact and almost no reading!
• Writing #3 (Opinion) is due in 2 weeks (June 17).
• Do the Comparisons exercises 1, 2, 3
• Do the Comparisons online form

Class #7 - Writing #2 due; also Sentence Combining

Good morning! How was your week?

Did everyone send me Writing #2?

Sentence Combining

Writing principle - two short sentences should be combined into a longer one when possible.

Examples:
I like music. I don't like dancing. => I like music, but I don't like dancing.
I don't have any money. I can't buy a car. => I don't have any money, so I can't buy a car.
Rome is the largest city in Italy. It is the capital of Italy.
  => Rome, the largest city in Italy, is the capital.
  => Rome is the capital of Italy and its largest city.
  => The capital and largest city in Italy is Rome.

Your turn:
Sharon brought a pie to the party. It was an apple pie. =>
The baseball team celebrated. They won the championship. =>
We are going to the park. We are going to have a picnic. We are going to play soccer.  =>

More ...
My soup was cold. I heated it in the microwave.
The movie was exciting. I expected it to be exciting.
He had a lot of money. He was not happy.

Connect the short sentences below to make one long sentence. 

Video Activity

Vocabulary -use Weblio ; find the Japanese meanings for the words below

1. consumed 2. gained 3. liver 4. cholesterol 5. shot up 6. body fat 7. national average 8. doubled 9. risk 10. coronary heart disease

11. twice as likely 12. heart failure 13. depressed 14. exhausted 15. mood swing 16. my mood swung on a dime 17. craved 18. massive 19. body functions 20. optimistic

Super Size Me handout PDF

Wikipedia re. Super Size Me - English / Japanese

Super Size Me clip (7 minute version of the documentary)

Class #6 - Presentations & Next Writing

Presentation #1 is today! Gambatte!

Classroom: 医301

Writing #2 - 3 Tips: How to ...

Think of some advice you can give to the class. Give your 3 best tips on how to do something. The topic can be funny or strange; you don't have to be serious. Or you can give serious advice that will help people. It's up to you. Here are some examples:

• How to Find a Girlfriend
• How to Break Up With Your Boyfriend
• How to Get Rich
• How to Succeed at a Job Interview
• How to Get Top Grades in School
• How to Prepare for a Trip

Your writing should have these things:

• 5 paragraphs - introduction; 3 tips (tip #1, tip #2, tip #3); conclusion
• Your thesis at the end of the introduction; "Now I will tell you how to ..."
• Your tip at the beginning of each paragraph
• Details and examples that support each tip
• Repeat the 3 tips briefly in the conclusion
• End with a final sentence that concludes the presentation

Please don't tell us how to cook something (i.e., no recipes). Recipes are kind of boring. BUT you can give us general cooking tips, like "How to Cook Like a Professional" or "How to Save Time Cooking" if you can do it in three tips.

Writing #2 is due next week; May 27

Sample Writing

How to Be On Time

How to Enjoy Touring Safely

How to Write a "How to ... Essay"

Video: How to Look Confident - 3 Tips

What are the 3 tips? What are some details and examples for each tip?

To Do List for next week (May 27)

• Writing #2 - How to ...

The presentation for Writing #2 will be June 10 (対面).

Phrasal Verbs Spinner

Class # 5 - Various things to do

Presentations are next week in the classroom.

Discussion about job hunting

Green Hair PDF / Green Hair Audio 🔊 / Green Hair Online Form

Homonyms / Answer Form

Common Errors Found in Writing Exercise

About presentations next week

Discussion about writing

To Do List

1. Job Hunting (Green Hair) listening & online form
2. Homonyms listening & spelling
3. Common errors found in writing
4. Prepare presentations for in person class next week
5. Fix the errors in your paper and send it to me again

Class #4 - Writing #1 due today

Good morning, everyone!

Your first writing is due today. Did you send it to Kevin using Google Drive? Some people may need to see how to send. There are instructions below.

You will give a presentation on Writing #1 in two weeks (May 20). That class will be in the classroom (対面).

Next, we'll do a listening exercise based on a short YouTube video. Please have a blank piece of paper ready and a pen or pencil.

Be ready to ask Kevin questions, such as ...

• Could you repeat that?
• How do you spell ___ ?
• What was the word after ___ ?
• What does ___ mean?

If we have time:
Discussion about job hunting

Green Hair PDF / Green Hair Audio 🔊 / Green Hair Online Form

Next, for the exercise below, you can use your PC or download the EdPuzzle app to your smartphone. Sign in with your Gmail account. The class code is written below. Do the short listening exercise. Your scores will be viewable by Kevin.

EdPuzzle - The Origin of Vaccines
The class code for this exercise is: dutiteg



Video Link - The Origin of Vaccines

If you want to do it on your smartphone, you can download the app,

To Do List

1. Wait for Kevin's corrections to your writing. Send corrected versions to Kevin.
2. Start preparing your slideshow for presentations.
3. Do the EdPuzzle above.

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How to share a Google Drive document

Please read carefully how to send me a Google Doc

** Step #4 below is important! Please do it!

1) Make a Google document in your Google Drive.

2) Give your document a title (top left of document).

3) When you're ready to send, go to File, Share.

4) Change the setting to "Anyone on the internet with this link can view" (under "Get link")

5) Click on Copy link and click Done.

6) Make a Gmail message to Kevin and paste the link in the message. Include your name in the email.

7) Send Kevin the email.

If there is a problem, I will contact you. Please check your mail from time to time.

(There are other ways to send a document, but I will have to ask you for permission to open it, and if you don't check your mail, I will have to wait. So please do the above way.)

Class #3 - Student Life

Question ...

Probability (The Monty Hall Paradox)

simulation


Conversation Topics

10 My Student Life (PDF)

My Student Life audio 🔊

10) Think About the Issue (PDF)

3 writings this semester and 3 presentations
1) Expository - explain what something is - "I'll explain what a dog is." .
2) How to ... - explain how to do something - "How to train a dog" .
3) Opinion - give your opinion on an issue - "Dogs are better than cats." .

The first writing is due next Friday, April 30.

Example presentation re. SFTS

baseball

Student example: Chinese Cuisine

Spinner

TUPLS Class #2 - Writing Assignment #1

Good morning, everyone! I hope you have slept well!

We'll start with a little conversation practice. Kevin will ask you some questions.

I would also like to ask you some opinion questions:

• What is your personal prediction about Covid in the coming months?
• How do you think the war in Ukraine will end?

* I am not evaluating your opinions. This is just a chance to speak during our group meetings.

I saw that everyone did the grammar exercise homework last week. Nice job.! It seems that verb tenses were a little difficult for some people. Let's try another verb tenses exercise.

• Questions and Short Answers

Next, let's do a little word game. You can use an online dictionary for this.

What is the animal at left? What is the baby called?

Now, do you know about ___ words?

1) disappointed - s _ _
2) precipitation - r _ _ _
3) deceased - d _ _ _
4) encourage - u  _ _ _
5) masculine - m _ _ _
6) astound - s _ _ _
7) blossom - b  _ _ _ _
8) instructor - t _ _ _ _
9) destruction - r _ _ _
10) gigantic - g _ _ _ _
11) unsightly - u _ _ _
12) prematurely - e _ _ _ _
13) contaminate - t _ _ _ _

First writing assignment: Expository

Three Writing Assignments this Semester

1) Expository - Ex: A dog is a mammal with four legs and a tail.

2) How to ... - Ex: I will explain how to take care of a dog.

3) Opinion - Ex: Dogs are better pets than cats

The first writing assignment is an expository essay. You will explain what something is. You should try to introduce a topic that you know something about to your classmates. This can be a non-scientific topic or research related, but I recommend a non-scientific topic.
Writing Sample "The Origins of Baseball" (non-scientific topic)

Topics from past students included: Chinese New Year Festival, Solar Eclipses, Taiko Drums, Kite Flying in China, Local Jazz Music, Yuru-chara, Bouldering, Paper Cutting Art, Gaming, the Tour de France, Aquariums (and more)

Student Sample "Ceramide" (research oriented)

Topics from past students included: Ceramide, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Legionella Bacteria

I think a non-scientific topic is easier and more fun to write, and the class will enjoy your presentation more. With research topics, students tend to be too technical, and people who are not doing the same research cannot understand well.

The first writing is due: May 6 (but you may submit it earlier if you like).

I will return it to you for corrections by May 13. You will present this on May 20 in the TUPLS classroom. (301)

Writing Guidelines

Reading Exercise (please finish quiz below by April 21)

"Japan locals eager to help Ukrainian evacuees" - Kyodo (PDF)
Reading Comprehension Quiz

To Do List

1) Understand writing guidelines

2) Reading Comprehension Quiz (re. Japan locals help Ukrainian evacuees)

3) \Writing #1 (due May 6)

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Welcome to English Presentation at TUPLS 2022!

Greetings!

My name is Kevin Miller. For the third year, this class will mostly be on Zoom due to the COVID-19 situation. I hope that works for you!

I hope you are all staying healthy and practicing social distancing when possible. We need to get our lives back to normal soon, and with no hospitalizations. Hopefully, we are all vaccinated! (I have had 3!)

Anyway, here's a short introduction to me and my course. I am American, and I work at Tsurumi University (near Kawasaki). I am only part-time at Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences (TUPLS). This is my ninth year to teach at this school. Basically, we do writing, make presentations, and do speaking and listening activities.

I will use this blog every week to present information. We will also make use of live video conferencing (ZOOM) and if you're willing, we can make a Line group for easy communication. In theory, your writing will be submitted by Gmail using the "share" function. If we have trouble with that, you can submit by email to my email addresses.

I am planning to have 4 in-person classes this semester, mainly for presentations. You'll see the presentation days on the course schedule below.

I will see you on Zoom and chat with you on Line soon!

Cheers!
Kevin

TUPLS - Class #1 Intro

Hi everyone! It's a strange and uncertain time we live in, but let's do our best!

I will explain the Schedule & Grading Policy next week

I'm Kevin Miller, and I will introduce myself a little in English.

slideshow

joinmyquiz.com

Grammar Exercises:

• Eduardo's Family (simple present verbs)
• What's the Word (simple present verbs)
• Verb Forms

To Do List

1. Reply to my email.
2. Join the TUPLS 2022 Line group
3. Make a Zoom account if you don't have one; you need the app on your PC, smartphone or tablet.
4. Make a Google (Gmail) account if you don't already have one
5. Write a short intro to yourself in the Comment box at the bottom of the Welcome post. Just introduce yourself in about 5 sentences. Please include your first name (not your family name).
6. Remember the Useful Classroom English questions & phrases
7. Complete the 3 grammar exercises above; be sure to click Submit at the end
8. (In class) Do Kevin's game and writing exercise.

Maybe next week;

• Capitalization Practice
• Punctuation and Spacing

TUPLS Schedule 2022

TUPLS English Schedule 2022

4/8  対面  Introductions; goals; policies; schedule; email; blog comments

4/15  online  Writing #1 assigned; sample 1; writing guidelines

4/22  online  Current issues discussion; listening; writing exercises; presentation sample

Holiday! 4/29 - No class!

5/6  online  Writing #1 due; discussion; listening; writing exercises

5/13  online  Writing #1 returned; discussion; presentation prep

5/20  対面  Presentation 1; discussion; writing #2 assigned

5/27  online  Writing #2 due; discussion; listening; writing exercises

6/3  online  Writing #2 returned; presentation prep; writing #3 assigned

6/10  対面  Presentation #2; discussion; listening; writing exercises

6/17  online  Writing #3 due; discussion; listening; writing exercises

6/24  online  Writing #3 returned; discussion; presentation prep

7/1  対面  Presentation #3; discussion

7/8  online  Current issues discussion; speaking & listening exercises

7/15  online  Current issues discussion; speaking & listening exercises

7/22  online  Conclusion; speaking & listening exercises