March 2nd Notes: A Fictional Game of Go Fish

A: Let's play "Go Fish"!

B: What's "Go Fish"?

C: Yeah, what's "Go Fish"?

D: Do we need fishing poles?

E: And bait?

A: Uhm, no. It's a card game.

D: Card game?

E: You mean, like trump?

A: Well, sort of. It's kind of like Old Maid, but different.

C: What's "Old Made"?

B: Is it something you made a long time ago?

D: I think that's a different "made".

A: Yeah. This is not the past tense of  "make".

C: So what is it?

D: Isn't a "maid" an unmarried woman?

A: That's right.

E: Uhm, then, "old" is, like, not young?

A: Yeah.

E: Oh, yeah. Let me guess. One of the cards is the "old maid". And you take turns taking cards from each other. And nobody wants the old maid.

C: That's terrible! Prejudice! Discrimination!

E: It's Baba-nuki in Japanese.

A: Right. Well, Go Fish is different. Instead of taking cards, you ask for them.

B: Does it use a trump deck?

A: It can. But I've made a deck of irregular verb cards.

B: Verbs! Yuck!

D: I get it.  Different forms. Present tense and past tense make a pair.

A: Actually, past tense and past participle in the deck I made.

E: Sneaky. You're making us practice. Cool.

B: No. Not cool. You're mean.

A: But I've put the plain form on both.

B: Well, ...

C: So, how do we play?

A: I'll be the dealer the first time. First, I shuffle the cards, of course. Then I deal seven cards to each player, like this, face down. I put the rest of the cards in a draw pile, or "pond", where everyone can reach them.

D: Can we look at our cards?

A: Sure.

E: But we don't let anyone else see them, right?

A: Yeah. Look for pairs of cards in your hand. Put any pairs you have down in front of you.

B: Here in the middle?

A: Uh, no, you want keep them in front of you so you can count them later.

C: Do they count against us?

E: I think the one with the most pairs wins?

A: That's right.C

D: Who starts?

A: The player to the left of the dealer, or we can jung for it.

All: Jung-ken-poh!

B: I start!

C: So it goes to the left, anyway.

B: Okay, hold up your cards so I can pick.

E: Wait. That's Baba-nuki. I think Go Fish is different.

A: Yep. Look in your hand and choose a card.

B: Okay, this one. I want this one.

A: You can ask anyone.

C: Not just the next person?

A: Right. Anyone.

B: Okay, Mr. A, give me this one.

A: That's one way to ask. What is it?

B: This one.

D: What's the word?

B: Uhm, let me see. "Eaten".

E: So the card that matches it is "ate", right?

A: Right. And I don't have it. Go fish.

B: Huh?

C: I think that means you draw a card from the pond.

A: Exactly.

B: Okay. Now what?

D: Does it match? Is it "ate"?

B: Yeah. Should I make a pair and put it down?

C: Lucky!

A: Yeah, put it down. And, since you got the card you asked for, you get to go again.

B: Okay, Ms. D, I want "sleep".

D: I want some sleep, too. But I don't have it. Go fish.

B: I didn't get it. What time did you get to bed last night?

D: I got to bed about three o'clock this morning.

E: That's way too late.

D: I was making a present for my husband.

C: What are you making?

D: Now, I can't tell anyone before I give it to him, can I?

E: Awww.

A: Can you make any other pairs, Mr. B?

B: Uhm. Nope. I gave my wife a present yesterday!

A: Okay, it's your turn, Ms. C.

D: What did you give her?

B: A box of chocolates.

E: Goncharoff?

B: I think it was Godiva.

C: I'm jealous. Hmm. Any card, and I can ask anyone?

A: Yeah.

C: Do I ask in plain form, or do I have to ask for the one I don't have?

E: I think we have to practice.

B: I can't remember them all.

A: It's up to you guys.

D: I vote we don't have to remember today.

C: Me, too.

E: Hmmph.

A: Of course, if we do remember, we should practice, but let's not make it too hard today.

E: Weeelllll, okay. I guess I don't mind.

C: Okay, I remembered. Ms. E, do you have "written"?

E: No. I don't. Go fish.

B: She's cheating.

D: I think she's hiding a card.

E: If I am, you'll find out.

A: Yeah, it can be pretty obvious if we cheat. So, no cheating!

E: Anyway, I don't have it.

C: All right. Let's see what I get. Nope, I didn't get it. But I can make a different pair now.

A: Great. Put that pair down, but, since it's not the one you asked for, it's D's turn.

D: Okay, Ms. E, do you have "done"?

E: Nope. Go fish.

D: Okay, I didn't get it, and I can't make a pair.

E: So, it's my turn. Mr. B, do you have "slept"?

B: That's sneaky!

D: Oh. I see. We have to listen to who asks for what.

E: Right!

B: Here you are.

E: Thank you.

E: Mr. A, do you have "gave"?

A: I would give you "gave", but I'll give you "given", instead. Here. Take this.

E: Oh.

C: Ah hah! You forgot the past participle!

E: Heh heh. Yep. Thanks. Now, it's my turn again?

A: Yeah.

E: Okay, Ms. C, do you have, uhm, "said"?

C: No, I don't. Go fish.

E: Okay. Hmm. It's your turn, Mr. A.

A: Okay. I want "said". Please give it to me.

B: Now Mr. A is being sneaky!

E: Here you are.

A: Thank you. Mr. B, do you have "got"?

B: No, I don't. Go fish.

A: Okay. Nope. Nothing. No match. Your turn, Mr. B.

B: Ms. E, you look suspicious. I think you have "slept".

E: I'm sure not getting enough sleep. Let me sleep. I haven't slept in the last twelve hours!

C: Now, that's teasing.

E: Heh, heh. Here you are.

B: Thank you. Ms. D, do you have, "goon"?

D: "Goon"? I don't think that's a verb. Please ask me again.

B: How do you say this?

C: "Gone."

B: Okay, do you have "gone", Ms D?

D: Yes, I do. Here it is.

B: Thank you. Mr. A, do you have "read"?

A: Did you say "reed?"

B: Uhm, is it like "red", then?

A: Yes. Please take this.

B: Oh! Thank you. Now I'm out of cards. What do I do?

A: We can either go out and wait, or we can draw a card and end the turn. Which way do you guys want to do it?

D: Let's keep playing.

C: I think so, too.

E: Yeah. Draw another card, Mr. B.

[About twenty minutes later --]

D: Ms. C, where have you been? I mean, do you have "been"?

C: Here you go. I'm out.

D: Thank you. That makes all of us.

B: So, now we count our pairs. Who won?

E: I think we all did.

A: I think so, too.

B: Let's play this again some time.

March 2nd Notes -- Vocabulary and Phrases

old maid

オールドミス（若くない未婚の女性）

Old Maid

ばば抜き

ask

伺う、聞く（質問する）、頼む

Please ask me again.

（質問や頼みごとを）もう一度言ってください。

take

取る、受け取る

Please take this.

これを取ってください。

Take one.

一つ取ってね。

sneak

隠れてやる、こそこそやる

sneaky

こそこそした、（隠れて）ずるい

She's being sneaky!

彼女、狡うしてる！（「He」などでも使えます。）

cheat

欺く、だます、ごまかす。いかさまトランプ。または、ぺてん（師）や詐欺（師）など。浮気も。

He's cheating!

かれ、狡うしてる！（「She」などでも使えます。）

turn

曲がる、回る、（順番などが）回ってくる。引いて、順番。

It's your turn.

あなたの番です。

hide

隠す

She's hiding something!

彼女、何かを隠している！

No! I'm not!

ちがいます、よ。（違うわ!）

out

外れた状態

She's out.

彼女は上がりました。（手札がなくなったこと。）

have

（を）持つ、（が）有る

Do you have a queen of hearts?

ハートの女王を持っていますか？

We used a deck of verb cards in the class, one of the pair with the plain past and the other with the past participle.
今回、動詞のカードを使って遊んでいました。ペアの片方は単純過去形で、そのマッチは過去分詞です。

For example, the pair of cards for "eat" was "ate" and "eaten". But for "sleep", both cards were "slept".
例えば、（食べるの）"eat" のペアは、一枚が "ate" で、もう一枚が "eaten" でした。しかし、 "sleep" の場合は、２枚とも "slept" になりました。

Do you have "sleep"?

"Sleep" （のカード）を持っていますか?

Give me "sleep".

"Sleep" のカードください。

Did you get any sleep last night?

昨晩、寝ました?

I'm not getting enough sleep.

充分な睡眠をとっていません。

I didn't sleep well last night.

よく寝れなかった。

I went to sleep at midnight last night.

昨晩、１２時に寝ました。

Let me sleep.

（寝たいから）寝させてください。

Example Short Speech: Cakes

[Note that this is intended a (fabricated) example essay, not as a personal statement.
あくまでも、見本作文です。特定の人の経験および意見を伝えるつもりではありません。]

My name is (Given) (Family). I am a freshman at (School Name) High School, in class 9. I will talk about cakes.

I like cakes. They are very sweet, and I like sweet things. The sweetness comes from sugar, and sugar is important for energy.

Cake batter is made with sugar and wheat flour and eggs. Cakes are usually baked in an oven.

Some cakes are best eaten hot. Others are best eaten cold. Some are delicious either way.

You can put nuts in cakes, too. Nuts are nutritious. They have protein and good oils and important vitamins. And you can add dried fruits to cakes. Dried fruits have vitamins and fiber, so they are also nutritious.

Nuts and dried fruits add variety to the flavor of cakes.

I think that cakes are good food.

Example Short Speech: Ping-pong

[Note that this is intended a (fabricated) example speech, not as a personal statement.
あくまでも、見本作文です。特定の人の経験および意見を伝えるつもりではありません。]

My name is (Given) (Family). I am a freshman at (School Name) High School, in class 1. I will talk about ping-pong.

I like ping-pong.

It is called ping-pong because of the sound the balls make. It is also called table tennis because it is like playing tennis on a table.

The basic rules of table tennis are not hard. You hit the ball back and forth on the table.

Ping-pong is good exercise. You use your arms, legs, and eyes when you play. And ping-pong takes at least two players. So it is a good opportunity to practice social skills.

I have my own ping-pong paddle. I take good care of it.

Ping-pong is interesting and fun.

Example Short Speech: Matchbox Cars

[Note that this is intended a (fabricated) example essay, not as a personal statement.
あくまでも、見本作文です。特定の人の経験および意見を伝えるつもりではありません。]

My name is (Given) (Family). I am a freshman at (School Name) High School, in class 9. I will talk about matchbox cars.

I like matchbox cars.

They are called matchbox cars because they fit in a matchbox.

There are many kinds of matchbox cars. There are racing cars, family cars, emergency vehicles, and industrial vehicles. They look cool.

You can race matchbox cars on the floor or on plastic tracks. You can also put them on a shelf and just look at them.

I collect matchbox cars. I have about thirty different cars.

Matchbox cars are interesting and fun.

Example Essay: Model Rockets – My Teenage Hobby

When I was a teenager, I built and launched model rockets.

Most of the models I built were pre-designed kits from the model rocket company Estes. Some were designs of my own. Some were very simple. Some were quite elaborate.

Usually, I used a stiff paper tube for the body and a cone of light balsa wood for the nose cone and fins. The parachutes were thin nylon sheets and strings.

I didn't risk making my own motors, just bought them from Estes.

One model that was easy to build was a ten centimeter paper tube with a two centimeter nose cone and three short fins. It was light enough that it didn't need or use a parachute.

A more elaborate one was a model of the space shuttle. I built it for a physics class at high school. We used our physics to check how high it actually flew. But I was too impatient to get the right motor, and my rocket crashed. I was disappointed, of course, but it was a good experience.

You have to be careful when you launch rockets because they can be dangerous.

I learned a lot about physics and responsibility from building model rockets. And it was fun.

Example Essay: My Favorite Sport Is Not a Sport

My favorite sport is dance.

I have danced since I was pretty young. My mother used to tell me I was born dancing. My body moved a lot.

My friends and my siblings and their friends sometimes teased me about my dancing. I’d hang around at parties that my brother and my sisters sometimes held, and jive and groove until my mother told me it was time for me to go to bed. Several of my sisters took creative dance classes, and sometimes they wouldn’t chase me off when I watched them work out and practice.

After I saved up money from delivering newspapers and bought my own sound system, sometimes I’d close the bedroom door, turn up the volume, and ride the vibes. The noise of my feet on the wooden floor was about as loud as the music, I think.

In college, I took a lot of modern dance classes. I also took some martial arts, to improve my timing and balance. I don’t have time to dance much any more, but I still use a daily exercise regime that I developed from what I learned in those classes.

One of my dance teachers described modern dance as a study in how to move from here to there.

I tend to describe it as a study in the use of the body as a tool.

You may not think that my favorite sport is a sport, but my favorite sport is dance.