2016-12

#914 Stollen for Christmas season

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Stollen is a sweet for Christmas

I’m always look forward to getting a stollen in December every year. Stollen is a traditional German sweet for Christmas. Recently it is getting popular in Japan too.
The main ingredients are dried fruits, nuts, butter, flour and sugar. As it is quite sweet, I cannot finish it all in one time. I usually cut a thin slice and eat it little by little during Christmas. It is said that there is an ageing effect in the stollen. And I often found that its taste gets better near the end.

What is “Dresden stollen”?

The birthplace of the stollen is said to be from Dresden, Germany.
In order to maintain the traditional taste and quality, undercover agents are sent to check the taste of the stollen in each shop in Dresden.
Only those that pass the tasting test can be labeled as “Dresden stollen.”

My favorite stollen is my local bakery’s.

I buy a stollen every December. Although I have tasted many stollens from different shops, I think the ones from my local bakery is the best!

Small joy!!!(2016.12.9)

2016-12-15 | Posted in English2 Comments » 

 

#915 宇多田ヒカルと小学生

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宇多田ヒカルを知らない小学生

今時の小学生は、「宇多田ヒカル」を知らない。
私が英語を教えている塾の小学6年生達に、
”Does Hikaru Utada sing songs?”と質問すると「誰それ?知らん〜」と言う子が多い。
それでも、朝ドラソングとCD発売もあって宇多田ヒカルの知名度は上昇中と予想される。(小学生の間で)

小学生の人気歌手は誰?

では、小学生の人気歌手は誰か。
それは「西野カナ」。
宇多田ヒカルは小学生から見たらおばさんなのかな?西野カナくらいがちょうどいい年齢なんだろう。

ピコ太郎と小学生

世間が「ピコ太郎」一色だった頃、さぞかし小学校では誰もが真似しているのかと思い、「学校でピコ太郎流行ってるの?」と聞いてみた。
「流行ってな〜い。そんなん前に流行った。うちら早いから」と小学6年女子にクールに言われた。
次に、小学5年生男子の英語の授業があった。まだまだ子供の小学5年の男子達は”I have a apple〜♪”とか無邪気にやっている。(a apple じゃなくてan apple でしょ、教えたよね!?)

小学6年女子のクールさと小学5年男子の無駄な熱さの隔たりは、年の差1年以上の何かがあるように思う。

Small joy!!(2016.12)

2016-12-06 | Posted in Japanese2 Comments » 

 

#916 “Dracula” lessons

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“Dracula” lessons

I’m interested in Vampire recently, since I’ve watched a lot of vampire dramas this year.
And I’m going to this so-called “Dracula” course in Osaka. The teacher is a specialist on monster, fairy, mystery and sub culture. The classroom looks like a wonderland. There are many DVDs, CDs and big audio sets. We watch the Dracula movies and listen to nice music. Overall I think it is a unique experience that I think some of you will enjoy.

Dracula was alive and the novel

Dracula was alive in 1432-1476. He was a king in Romania. He was feared as a tyrant. After 400 years of his death, a novelist Bram Stoker wrote the famous novel “Dracula” which describes him as a vampire.
There is a Dracula castle in Romania. The teacher visited the castle. He taught us the secrets of the castle.

Do you like mysteries and urban legends?

Do you know that Dracula doesn’t show up in the mirrors?
It’s exciting to know things which I want to especially mysteries and urban legends.

Today is the last lesson of the three lessons in the course.
I wander what our teacher would tell us tonight.

Small joy!!

吸血鬼ドラキュラ (創元推理文庫)
ブラム ストーカー
東京創元社
売り上げランキング: 76,275
2016-12-02 | Posted in English4 Comments »