中高生の基礎英語 24/7/4(木) T7-D4 What do you do to help around your home?

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中高生の基礎英語 24/7/4(木) T7-D4 What do you do to help around your home?
What do you do to help around your home? 家ではどんな手伝いをしますか? Day 4
-Chat with the Guest
Q1. How many years has Mieke lived in Japan?
Q2. What brought Mieke to Japan?
Q3. What are some of Mieke’s favorite activities to do in Japan?
–
Q1. What are some ways that Mieke helped around her home? Name two or three things.
Q2. Why did Mieke stay out of the kitchen?
Q3. Although Mieke did a lot of things to help around her house, she says that she realizes something now. What is it?
-Sandy’s Thoughts
Q1. What are some ways that Sandy helped around her home? Name two or three things.
Q2. In those days, how did Sandy feel about doing house chores?
Q3. What does Sandy think now about the house chores she did when she was younger?

–
pile up
landscape
scenery, view
dorm
a building for students (often college or university students) to live in;
= dormitory
expo
= fair, exhibition; exposition
merchandise
goods, products
cosplay
to dress up as a character from a comic book, anime, game, etc.
put away
to place something where it is normally kept
realize
to become aware of, notice, understand
store away
= put away
the most work
= the hardest work
satisfying
making you feel pleased and happy

mop
hang up the laundry

-Chat with the Guest
♪Topic 7: What do you do to help around your home?
All right. Let’s begin with a chat with Mieke. So, Mieke, how many years have you lived in Japan?
I’ve been living in Japan for almost 14 years.
Oh.
Wow.
I moved here in 2010.
Does it feel long or short?
It feels kind of long, actually.
Ha, ha, ha.
So, what brought you to Japan?
I’ve loved anime since I was a kid. So, my dream was always to study and live in Japan. And then I came to Japan to study for my master’s degree at a university in
Niigata for two years.
A master’s degree. So, you went to daigakuin?
That’s right.
What did you study?
I studied International Relations.
International Relations?
Yes. International Relations is to study relations between countries.
Oh, that’s interesting. What did you like about Niigata?
Oh. I really loved Niigata because of its beautiful snowy landscapes. Yeah. It’s known as snow country. And in winter, the snow can pile up to more than three meters.
Three meters!
Yeah. I lived in a university dorm, and all I had to do was open my window to see the mountains covered with snow everywhere I looked. And we could ski almost every weekend, which made it, yeah, even more amazing.
Nice.
Plus, Niigata is famous for its delicious rice.
Yeah.
So, I enjoyed the fresh air, scenery, and the taste of Niigata rice.
What is your favorite Japanese food?
Oh. I like sushi the most and ramen. But in summer, I like zaru soba. It’s perfect for the summer, right?
Nice.
Mieke?
Yes?
What are some of your favorite activities to do in Japan?
Some of my favorite activities to do in Japan are going to anime shops and anime expos.
Expos. What do you do at an expo?
I would buy merchandise, like keychains and T-shirts, meet the seiyu – the voice actors of the anime.
Do you cosplay?
No. I didn’t(→ don’t) have the confidence to do that.
Do you also sometimes travel in Japan?
Yeah. I like traveling across Japan, from Hokkaido to Okinawa.
Oh, wow.
In summer, I enjoy watching fireworks. And in winter, going to an onsen or a hot spring is like heaven.
I agree. I love hot springs.
Yeah. It’s super relaxing and feels amazing, especially when it’s snowy and cold outside, right?
Right.
-Guest’s Thoughts
Now, let’s move on to Mieke’s and Sandy’s thoughts. So, Mieke, please tell us, when you were in high school, what did you do to help around your home?
I helped at home by tidying my room, washing dishes, and taking out the trash. I also helped with laundry by folding clothes and putting them away.
Uh-huh. “To tidy your room” means “to put everything in the right place in your room.” Sounds like you helped a lot at home. Did you help cook meals, too?
No, I didn’t. When my mom prepared meals, I stayed out of the kitchen because she worried that I might get hurt. But I helped with setting the table before meals. Plus, I took care of our dog, giving it baths and feeding it. I realize now that I didn’t do enough. Well, I also helped by getting rid of cockroaches when needed.
What does “getting rid of cockroaches” mean?
That’s a good question. “To get rid of something” means “to make something go away.” And a cockroach is a type bug that you might find in your home.
Ah.
All right.