Spain Trip 4

I went to a Tapas restaurant. Tapas is like an appetizer or snack. It's a small dish and we can order many kinds of Tapas. So we can share and have fun with each kind of food together. The word "tapas" is from tapar which means "to cover" in English. First, they used a piece of meat or bread  to cover a glass of sherry to guard it from flies. Also they used a dish for a cover and then they began to put some snacks on it and they started to call this "Tapas". Even just to see the Tapas restaurant is so fun! It's like a cake shop!

I found a "A-un" statue in Santiago de Compostela! Wow! 

I was surprised to see it for real!
This "→" (arrow) is a sign for pilgrims. There were signs of yellow scallop too.







I went to Portugal by bus after that. To finally go there has been a dream of mine! I've wanted to go there for loooong time! Yeah!! 
My first impression when I arrived in Porto, was how colorful, pretty and hilly it was! It's like a town for doll's. Using tiles for walls is common? There were many kinds of tile patterns and so very colorful. Although it was rainy when I first arrived I was very excited during these 3 days of our stay!
  

June Lessons

Spain Trip 3

I went to Santiago de Compostela from Barcelona by plane. It was one of the purposes of my this trip. Although, I'm not a Catholic, I wanted to go there on a pilgrimage if possible. But I didn't have enough time for that.  I stayed at Parador which are usually located in a converted historical building such as a monastery or castle. This one was very old so the floor made sounds when I walked on it. But the room, breakfast and  their service was great! 
I went to see Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela the next day at last ! The tears came naturally into my eyes. The atmosphere was very serious. I felt awestruck inside there. I couldn't help thinking about the long history. I saw real confession box for the first time. I've only seen them in old movies!
I ate Tarta de Santiago which is a typical cake there. It's main ingredient is crushed almonds. Yummy!

                                 Tarta de Santiago

Children

Spain Trip 3

I went to a market in Barcelona. Colorful and interesting! They have sooo many kinds of foods, tables and chairs too. Where we could enjoy eating! I had Paella and beer! Fun!

I also went to Montserrat which is a multi-peaked rocky range located near Barcelona by train and using a gondola. On the top there is the Benedictine abbey and Black Madonna※ . They say it's an energy vortex place. (power spot in Japanese)
Gaudi also considered the rocks, nature and history there, when he planned Sagrada Familia. 
It’s unbelievable that they built the abbey on level rocks on top of such a mountain! Beautiful view! And I heard hymns being sung as well. Beautiful voices! Everything was beautiful!! It's like heaven??

energy vortex 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　※

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

多読３原則

【多読３原則】

英語の本を楽しく読み続けるためには、いくつかのコツがあります。
その中で一番大事なのは、次の多読３原則です。

                    【第１原則】　　　辞書は引かない

                  　【第２原則】　　　わからないところはとばす　                 

                    【第３原則】　　　つまらなければやめる

【第２原則】   について

わからないところはとばす
大胆な飛ばし読みの技術を身につけよう！


前回は第１原則についてお伝えしました。今回は第２原則についてです。

初めて見る単語に出会ったとき、前後の状況から辞書を引かずに、その単語の意味が自然にわかる場合もありますし、辞書を引かなければ、まったく意味が想像できない場合もあります。でも、そのわからない部分を飛ばしても、全体の筋はつかめます。

６０％～８０％理解できれば、小説は十分に楽しむことができます。私たちは日本語の本を読むときだって、１００％は理解していません。

そもそも、他の人が書いたものを文字情報だけで、１００％理解することは原理上不可能です。

ベストセラーエッセイ「ダーリンは外国人」の中で、著者は語学の達人である夫のトニーさんの「日本人は１００％理解にこだわりすぎるから語学が上達しない」という主張をマンガで紹介していますが、まったくその通りだと思います。

１００％理解にこだわらず、ある程度理解できればよいとわりきり、読書や会話のスピードと量を重視することが語学上達の道なのです。

単語だけに限らず、文章でもよくわからないときには必要以上に分析しようとせず、そのまま飛ばし読みしましょう。飛ばし読みはわかるところをつなげて全体を理解する技術です。飛ばし読みは多読の本質であり、この技術はリスニンぐにも大いに役立ちます。第２原則は「１００％にこだわらずに読む」という原則であり、「飛ばしてもわかるようなやさしい本を読む」という原則でもあるのです。

自宅や自分の時間で英語の本を読む時に効果的な方法です。
レッスンでは、先生がサポートしますので、１～２ランク上のレベルの本を読みましょう。

May 2017 lesson schedule