Hokudai/Cast 67: Chinese for the Olympics

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Choose Hokudai/Cast 67 to Listen to these notes.

The Beijing Olympics will be held in August - that's two plus months away. On Hokudai/Cast 67 we are going to hear some Chinese (and Japanese) words you can use if you go to Beijing. Many Hokuriku University students go to Beijing to study English and Chinese simultaneously. But you can sit at home and study these simple phrases just by listening to Hokudai/Cast 67.

Before the useful sentences though, why are the Olympics sometimes called the Olympics and sometimes called the Olympic Games? The Olympics (with an 's') is a short way to say The Olympic Games. Sometimes the city where the Olympics were held is added: the Mexico City Olympics, the Seoul Olympics, the Barcelona Olympics, and now the Beijing Olympics. 

Olympics - with an 's' - is a noun but Olympic - without an 's' - is an adjective: the Olympic Games vs the Beijing Olympics.

Hokudai/Cast's Trilingual Lesson includes the following sentences (in English - click on the title to hear the sentences in Japanese and Chinese):

• Where is the National Stadium?
  
• Where is the bus stop?
  
• Where is a good restaurant?
  
• Where is the restroom?
  
• Where are you from?
  
• I'm from Japan.
  

Thanks for listening.

The music today is Rolling Family from Jesushairdo. 

You can find more Jesushairdo at music.podshow.com

Additional music is by Manzi, a local Kanazawa indies band.

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 Hokudai/Cast: Your fun-service podcast for learning Japanese, English, and Chinese.

Hokudai/Cast 31: Ten Words and a Song

Today's Hokudai/Cast has: ten words in our three languages of Japanese, Chinese, and English. It also has an interview in English with the Chinese teacher who teaches us both English and Chinese. We also have a song by a singer who will be performing at Hokuriku University's School Festival October 6 and 7: 北大祭.

The ten words that we learn in English and Chinese are:

• 昨日
• 今日
• 明日
• 趣味
  
• 映画を見る
• 友達と喋る
• スキー
• 柔道
  
• スノボード
• 音楽を聴く

The music in today's show is "Weather Report" by Hitomitoi.
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Hokudai/Cast: Your fun-service podcast for learning Japanese, English, and Chinese.

See Kanazawa And Three Ways to Speak English

What is Kanazawa? Click and see.

What does Hokuriku University look like? Click and see!

Three Simple Steps on How to Improve Your English Speaking Ability

• Find what you need.
• Practice what you find.
• Use what you practice.

Easy. You must practice and use your English more than once a week. Everyday is best.

Email us at Hokudai/Cast (at) gmail.com
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Hokudai/Cast: Your fun-service podcast for learning Japanese, English, and Chinese.

Hokudai/Cast 26: One-Minute Drama

Click here to hear Hokudai/Cast 26!

Good morning one and all. Hokudai/Cast 26 is up and running at Hokudai/Cast.net. It has something new: One-minute dramas; skits written and performed by Hokuriku University students about ghosts, car accidents, and strange people who take your drinks. Please listen and enjoy.

Today's Learning Tip ~ These two are obvious. Many people think grammar exercises in a textbook will lead them to being better speakers or writers. However,

1. If you want to learn to speak English, Chinese, or Japanese you must speak English, Chinese, or Japanese. Practice making the noise of language with your mouth. (Each language uses different muscles in your head - you have to exercise them just as you exercise the rest of your body.) Practice speaking the words you want to say.

2. If you want to learn to write English, Chinese, or Japanese you must write English, Chinese, or Japanese. Practice writing everyday (or often). Practice writing the words, sentences, paragraphs and reports you want to write.

But how can I build my Vocabulary?
Write and speak about yourself! Write and about your hobby or what you are interested in. Write and speak about any topic you find interesting. If it's not interesting for you, you won't continue, you'll get bored, and you'll quit.

One problem with textbooks is they think they know what words you will need. They even give you a vocabulary list of important words! But if those words aren't important to you, you won't remember them and you won't use them. Build Your Own Vocabulary List!

On Hokudai/Cast 26 you will hear:

1. An interview in English and Japanese on the topic: Have you ever been to America?
   
   
2. A vocabulary lesson. Right after I said Build Your Own Vocabulary list, I give you one!
   
   
3. An Interview from California: About A Foreign Student in Riverside.
   
   
4. The Three One-Minute Dramas: The Strange Woman in a Bar, The Car Accident, and Beer-Drinking Ghost.
   

The music is "Beyond the Horizon" by Yum from GarageBand Users Club.

Email us at Hokudai/Cast (at) gmail.com

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Hokudai/Cast: Your fun-service podcast for learning Japanese, English, and Chinese.

My English Life 23-30 April

Hokudai/Cast: Your Fun-service podcast for learning Japanese, English, and Chinese.

Here is installment two of Haruka's Diary of her Life in England. It looks like she's settling in nicely in Bath.

23th April: This morning, I made a sandwich for lunch and I walked though Royal Victoria Park when I went to school. This day, I was walking, I saw a squirrel. I saw a wild squirrel for the first time, so I took a picture. When I arrived at University and talked with my classmates, I saw some new students. I was very surprised because almost all the students were Japanese students!! Five new students came to my class. All the students were Japanese. My class has 10 students including new students. Seven students are Japanese!! I made friends soon. They're good people.

After school, I got a student card and went to the city centre with my friends. We went window shopping and went to a photo shop to develop a lot of photographs. But when we arrived there, the shop was closed, so I'm going to go again tomorrow. After I left them. I went to the sports and leisure centre and heard about a street dance. Then I decided to get a dancing lesson and got a membership card.

24th April: This day was a rainy day. I don't really like rain... On the way to school, I met a new student. We went to school together and talked using English and Japanese. Today's class was interesting, too. After school, I went to the photo shop to develop lots of pictures, and I called my brother because he called me during my English lesson. I talked with my family for a long time. Then I came across a my classmate, Ladda, and we went to the bus station to go home. When we arrived there, I met Cecilia, the American student I live in the same house with, so we went home together.

25th April: After school, I went to the city centre with some classmates. I went to the photo shop to get a lot of photographs with my classmate, Asuka. I asked a member of staff, but my photographs hadn't been developed yet, so we returned to the meeting place. Nobody appeared, so we went our different ways. I bought pants and tank top to wear in the dancing lesson, and I went to the sports and leisure centre. I couldn't understand how to use a locker and when I received a lesson, I had to give the instructor a piece of paper. The lesson started at 5:20 and finished at 6:10. The street dance lesson was difficult for me, but it was very pleasant!! I'll go every Wednesday.

26th April: Today I went ice skating in Bristol. After school, I went to the bank to take out some money and went back home once. I ate some dinner and went to the city centre again. Then we got on a bus and left for Bristol. We arrived in Bristol at 8:30. We skated until 10:00. It was the first time I've been skating so I couldn't walk unless I held on to the side. After a while, I could walk without holding on to the side. But I could only walk slowly. I fell over 3 times. I was a little sore. I thought it was more difficult than the dancing lesson. When I got home, I couldn't walk properly.

27th April: I wore a dress I bought in this city because I was asked to by my classmates, then I wore my new high heels which I bought in Bath, too. The shoes didn't fit because I was wearing them for the first time. I injured my heels, so I went to the shoes shop and bought new shoes which is flat. It was easier to walk than before. I thought that I have to be careful about new shoes.

29th April: Today, I went to the city centre with my Japanese classmates, Kimika and Yuko. We met in front of McDonald's, and we ate lunch and talked there. We spent about 2 hours talking. Later, we walked through the streets and went shopping. It was fun!! Then we met other students, Ju Yeon, Jinny, and Asuka. They went to the library, and we went to Sainsbury's which is a big supermarket in Bath to buy something. Then we went home. This day, my host family went to a family birthday party. They said it was exciting!! I ate dinner and sent e-mail.

30th April: Today, my University started IELTS (International English Language Testing Service) classes. I didn't take a IELTS class, because I thought I didn't need to take this class. I took the same lesson as before. After school, I went to the computer room with my classmates and used the Internet. Then we talked about English life and our plans for this weekend. It was fun. Then we went home at 6:30. I went home with my classmates, Yuko and Eriko and we talked about lots of things. When I arrived home, my host mother was already sleeping because she had a cold, so I ate dinner alone, watched TV and did my homework.