We only have three weeks of meetings! Time flies! As you plan for your summer break, remember to keep up your studies in English. I just read that knowing the most frequent 1000 words helps you understand a language and grow your language skills.
Here is a great list of the 1000 most common phrases and the most common 1500 words with pronunciation. This site also has 100 conversation/listening lessons. Please enjoy!
And speaking of the listening lessons, the 100th lesson is about elections. How timely (although the lesson was recorded eight or more years ago--Obama and McCain are the candidates). And here we are in a primary election year! One interesting statement there is that one of the characters says, "It's hard to know what the truth is. That's why I don't pay attention to politics." That was a prevailing attitude for a while, but that perspective seems to be changing. Everyone is getting involved. So much of American political news is based on sound bites and opinions. You have to do your own research: read webpages, watch YouTube videos of the candidates and hear their talking points straight from the horse's mouth to get to the heart of matters.
International Bible Study: Tuesdays, 9:00-10:30, Room 100
This week we read Luke 9:28-45. This is a great story where Jesus has close friends and family support Him in a very unusual way. He takes two close friends up on a mountain and they meet two famous Jewish prophets/leaders: Moses and Elijah. Both of these heroes were long dead. It is good to have old friends and new friends to meet with when you need support. God speaks out and says, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen: listen to him."
We continued on to read a story where a Jesus heals a young boy from an evil spirit. Jesus returns from His meeting on the mountain to find that a man came to the disciples for help healing his son. Somehow, the disciples were not able to heal the boy. Why? The father believed that they could help, but the disciples attempted to take the glory of the healing for themselves. They didn't realize that this power comes from God; credit is due to Him for these gifts. Jesus warns them about what is to come, but even though they didn't understand, they didn't ask questions. They were afraid of looking like they didn't understand. How often do we fumble through life because we don't understand and are afraid of our appearance.
Tuesday, April 26: This week we will read Luke 9:46-62
International Friends: Tuesdays, 10:30-12:00, Room 100
We enjoyed a spring pitch in. What delicious treats! We often share fall and winter foods that are warming, but this time we e
Tuesday, April 26: Let's make Mother's Day Cards
Maaki will host Mother's Day card making. Bring scissors and double sided tape or glue tape. We learned an interesting fact: in Japan they call glue tape a "snail".
Conversation: Wednesdays, 4:30-6:00, upstairs classroom
We grilled out in the parking lot. It's amazing how delicious hot dogs taste when grilled over a charcoal fire. We sat around in a circle and enjoyed conversation.
April 27: Let's take Jeep rides
If the weather is nice, we will take a spin in my Jeep with the top down and the doors off. How is that for excitement?
English Classes: Thursdays, 9:00-12:00, upstairs classrooms
It is so nice to see everyone again. Welcome back to many of you. Things get crazy as the weather warms up and school wraps up. It may be hard to finish up these last few weeks. You can be sure that as we end up classes you will make plans with friends to meet up over the summer months.
Time flies: time passes quickly (slang)
keep up: practice, continue to do something
How timely: when something occurs at a good time
primary election: selection of one candidate by each of the parties to run for president next year
prevailing attitude: common idea or sentiment
for a while: for a short time
perspective seems to be changing: a new opinion or idea
sound bites: short audio clips, not a full conversation
talking points: main discussion and the conversation surrounding it
straight from the horse's mouth: from the person and not other people's opinion
get to the heart of matters: find out the truth
this week we read: this is talking about what happened in the past or previous week. We know this because the word here is read (pronounced red).
whom: if you could substitute him/her then you use whom; if you could substitute he/she then use who. Some people misuse "whom" to sound classy!
This week we will read: upcoming event will is one indicator and then pronounce read reed.
appearance: our reputation; what others think of us.
things get crazy: people become busy and schedules change
up: many times we add the word "up" after a verb to emphasize or intensify the verb; in this case up isn't functioning like a preposition telling you a direction but is providing action
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