英語表現演習3 (金 2限): Engineering measurement・工務の測定、寸法

Hello! 

How are you? The picture above is of the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer. It set a record for flying around the world in a little under 77 hours, at the highest average speed for an aircraft without inflight refueling at 551/kmph. 

Quite impressive, isn't it? But for its performance, it isn't the largest or most powerful aircraft ever built. Just how large is it - for example, its length? 

Today, let's look more at how to accurately measure some examples of works of engineering.  

Activity/homework

Look at the pictures below. Search out the measurements of these examples of engineering in terms of the following: 

• overall length
• overall height
• width (in various parts) 

Important notes:  

With aircraft - remember for your measurements to find out not only the overall length and overall height, but the maximum cabin width and fuselage width as well, plus the wingspan. 

With bridges - find out not only the overall length, but also the height of the tallest support from the ground. You also need the width, plus thickness, of the decks. In addition, you need the maximum span between the supports.

With buildings - search out not only the overall height, but the width of the base of the buildings at their thickest plus average width of the building if this is different from the base. Find out as well what the length of any structures are that might be on the building (such as towers at the top) plus the length and width of any structures such as elevated walkways or bridges from the building (if they exist). 

Let's start! Note these measurements in your notebooks (and hand in next class if we do this as homework)!

1. Queen Mary 2

2. The Concorde

3. Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

4. Tianjin Grand Bridge, China

5. Rainbow Bridge

I hope you can find some useful information that perhaps might surprise you about these aircraft and other structures. 

NEW! Here are the board notes for our class today on 5/31:

See you next time!

Images: Top - by Alan Radecki Akradecki - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2940912/Queen Mary 2 - by أشرف العناني from alshekh zwaed, egypt - Queen Mary II ship Crosses Suez Canal الملكة كوين ماري الثانية أضخم سفينة سياحية في العالم تعبر قناة السويس, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50547512/Concorde - by Alexander Jonsson - http://www.airliners.net/photo/Air-France/Aerospatiale-British-Aerospace-Concorde/0432634/L/, GFDL 1.2, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16590988/Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building - by Kakidai - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19529189/Tianjin Grand Bridge, China - by Wuyouyuan - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6938813/Rainbow Bridge - by Javachan - Shot by Wikipedia user javachanTransferred from English Wikipedia; en:File:Rainbow Bridge,Tokoyo Bay from Odaiba.jpgTransfered by Gobonobo, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17916431/Board notes - personal photographs. All rights reserved on personal photographs.

英語表現演習 all classes (3・1・e-class): 5/24 board notes・5月24日のボードノートレビュー

Hello!

How are you? Here are the board notes for today (5/24) in all classes - English Expression 3 (Friday 2nd period), English Expression 1 (Friday 3rd & 4th periods), and English Expression e-class (Friday 5th period). 

The notes above are for the EE3 class on Friday 2nd period. Here are some more notes for EE3 Friday 2nd period.

English Expression 3 (Friday 2nd period):

Now here are the board notes for English Expression 1 Fridays 3rd & 4th periods. 

English Expression 1 (Friday 3rd & 4th periods):

Now here are the board notes for the English Expression e-class on Friday 5th period.

English Expression e-class (Friday 5th period):

I will have some extra notes for all of you to post over the next few days here. 

Take care! All of you are doing a great job in your classes. 

See you next week!

Images: Personal photographs. All rights reserved.

英語表現演習1 (金 3・4限): Mid-term short presentation board notes review・中間ショートプレゼンテーションのボードノートレビュー

Hello!

How are you? Here is a special post to review the board notes for both today (5/17) and last week (5/10). 

I'm very sorry I overlooked uploading these notes for you before today, so I've made this special post for all of you. 

First, look at the board notes at the top. They're from today's (5/17) class. Now here are the other notes from today's (5/17) class about your presentation displays. I added some more notes to it to make some things more clear, such as how long you should plan to speak on the presentation day:

From now you should start working on your presentations, so for a review on what to do, click on this link here. It's a link to the mid-term presentation assignment blogpost from last week (5/10). 

Now look at these notes. They're the ones from last week (5/10): 

I know that there were some confusing things in today's class, which I am also very sorry - they're my fault! I hope this special post and these notes can help you. 

One extra special note here - on #5 about the homework above - everyone will get homework credit for writing a summary. I saw the papers on your desks that you had done this - though I'm very sorry once again that I didn't get a chance to check all of them!

See you next week with your presentation topic summary rough drafts (下書き), some pictures that connect to your topics, and your great energy! 

See you then!

Images: Personal photographs. All rights reserved.  

英語表現演習3 (土 2限): Mid-term writing assignment・中間作文

Hello!

How are you? Here are the themes & topics, deadline, & guidelines for our mid-term writing assignment (中間作文).

Before anything, here are the board notes from last week's (5/11) class: 

Now let's look at the mid-term writing assignment!

Themes & topics

Here are your choice of topics. They're based on the themes what we've done so far in class - about DNA, genetics, and language. You can choose one (1) of these topics: 

• Genetic origins of the Japanese people
• How children learn/acquire language
• Facts and/or applications about DNA
• Genetic facts and other characteristics of twins

Guidelines & how much to write

Because we have done some practice with summary writing, this may help you to be clear about what your topic is. So I recommend that you write a summary (要約) about the topic you want to present on. You do not have to write a summary - but if you do, let me look at it next week (来週).

There is no set length, but I would like you to write as much as you can, perhaps around 3-4 paragraphs' worth of writing, more if possible. But if you believe you can write more than that, go for it! I will recognize and reward writing that has had effort put into it for length. You may find that you will have to go longer if you have to.

Special notes: Here is where the vocabulary you have seen in the textbook units becomes important and valuable for you. 

Look at the vocabulary from the textbook units we've done so far in this class - Units 1, 2, 3, & 4 - plus any other words you may have found that were not on the vocabulary notes lists in the textbook. These would be the words that you could gather up and wrote on your worksheets. 

Whichever unit has the most meaningful vocabulary for you - review that vocabulary on your worksheets and use it in your writing!

Please type your paper up on Word. Next week (5/25), I will show you a format to follow about how to write your name, class, assignment, and date, plus title, on your assignment. 

Deadline (締め切り)

It will be June 8th (6/8), so you have three (3) weeks to research and write. Please hand in at the deadline.

While the syllabus shows a June 1st deadline, I have decided to give everyone one (1) extra week. So - hand in on June 8th.

I want you to bring in a rough draft (下書き) of a summary for the topic from the list you are most interested in next week (5/25). I'll give everyone time in class on 5/25 to do research and work on the rough drafts of the composition (作文). 

Then on June 1st (6/1), bring your rough drafts of the composition writing in your notebooks in pen or pencil. I will give some more details, and where I can, review your work. Then you can change things about the draft as you need to, then write to the finish and turn in your work on June 8th (6/8). 

Here are the board notes for today's (5/18) class:

Good luck! I’ll look forward to reading your great writing on these topics!

Image: By Zephyris - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15027555

英語表現演習3 (土 2限): Conjoined twins・ 結合双生児

Hello!

How are you? Do you know who the two people in the picture above are? They are Chang and Eng Bunker, the conjoined twins (結合双生児) who became famous in the 19th century. 

At that time, conjoined twins were called Siamese twins. This is because Chang and Eng Bunker were born in Thailand, which at that time was called Siam. Even today, they are still among the most famous conjoined twins who ever lived. 

Activity/homework

Here is a video about Chang and Eng Bunker. Watch the video and answer the questions below. Watch it as many times as you need. 

(If you have any trouble watching the video here, go to this link - or copy and paste this URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=14&v=AWXoPrGAQMk)

1. While Chang and Eng Bunker were born in what is now Thailand, what was the ethnicity of their mother and father?

2. What did the Scottish merchant Robert Hunter ask them to do in 1829?

3. What did they do after?

4. How many children did Chang and Eng have with their wives?

5. Which brother died first?

I hope you find this interesting. Take care!

Image: By User CatherineMunro on en.wikipedia - Originally from en.wikipedia; description page is (was) here, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36896751
Video uploaded from YouTube. I do not own the rights to the video or content. Uploaded for classroom purposes only.

英語表現演習e (金 5限): Mid-term presentations & summary writing・中間発表・要約を書いて

Hello!

Here are the topics, deadline, & guidelines for our mid-term presentations, plus notes about writing summaries (要約).

Before anything, here are the lesson board notes from our class last week (5/10):

Let's look at the themes and topics you can do for your presentations first!
 

Themes & topics

Here are your choice of themes & topics. They're based on what we've done so far in class. You can choose one (1) of these: 

• A famous figure of science & technology from the past or present
• A unique place in Japan or elsewhere (such as a World Heritage Site)
• Unique aspects of psychology (such as in education or sports performance) 
• An environmental issue and a possible solution for it in Japan or elsewhere  

Deadlines (締め切り)

Your presentation day will be on June 7th (6/7), so you have three (3) weeks to prepare them. Please be ready on the day to present.

About summaries
Now let's look at summary writing. 

What is a summary? It's a short statement of purpose (SOP) about your presentation topic. 

It should begin with a short introduction showing a general background about the topic and any interesting points, issues, problems, or a situation, and what is unique or noteworthy about it. Then you should show directly what you will present about in these points, issues, problems, or situations. 

Here is an example of what a summary should look like, with the steps you should take when writing it. It's an example from a presenter who is going to speak about famous figures in science and technology - in this case, the rivalry between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla. 

First, the presenter shows some general background to the topic: 

例えば：There have been many great partnerships, as well as rivalries, in the history of science and technology. Perhaps no rivalry was greater than that between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla.

Next, the presenter shows a connection between the background and what he/she will present or write about:

There have been many great partnerships, as well as rivalries, in the history of science and technology. Perhaps no rivalry was greater than that between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla. While both figures are crucial in the development of the practical application of electricity to everyday life…

Then, the presenter comes in with what he/she will directly present or write about:

There have been many great partnerships, as well as rivalries, in the history of science and technology. Perhaps no rivalry was greater than that between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla. While both figures are crucial in the development of the practical application of electricity to everyday life, this presentation/report will show that Edison may have been the greater figure given the numerous applications of electricity he made possible through his inventions. (71 words)

This summary runs to only 71 words in total. But it shows completely the background to the topic, and the presenter's purpose with the topic.

Preparation
You have the choice to fill in the topic preparation sheet that comes with the handout. You do not have to use it if you don't want to - but you may find it very useful. This is a working record of your preparation about your topic.

You will also see, on the other side of the sheet, a classmates' presentation evaluation form, with a space at the top for you to write your final version of the summary.  

This part of the form you will hand in to me. On it, you write your final summary - but then you mark your classmates' presentations.
 
Be ready for me to review your progress next week and for you to practice your presentation in-class. You can practice with me and/or other group of students.

Finalize your presentation outside of class and be ready to present on the day of your class!

Guidelines

1. Prepare a summary about the topic you want to present on. The summary will be due next week (来週).

2. Fill in the topic preparation sheet that comes with the handout, or do notes and planning in your own notebook. I will not collect it - but you should do this as a working record of your preparation about your topic.

3. Be ready for me to review your progress next week. I will require that you also practice your presentation in-class. You can practice with me and/or other groups of students.

4. Finalize your presentation outside of class and be ready to present on the day of your class!

NEW! Now here are the board notes for our class today (5/17):

Good luck with these! I’ll look forward to seeing your great presentations!

See you next time!

Images: Personal photograph. All rights reserved.