[Easy English Blog] No dogs or cats

October 19, 2019October 13, 2019 / italkyoutalk / Leave a comment

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I’m not allowed to have a dog or a cat in the place I live. I really want a dog. When I was a child, my family had dogs. Having a dog in the house is normal for me. We treated our dogs as family members. I enjoyed walking our dogs every day after school.

I have lived in different houses and apartments during my time in Japan. None of the places have allowed cats or dogs. I rent my house. The contract says no pets are allowed, so I can’t get a dog.

Sometimes I think about the type of dog I’d like. I like big dogs. My sister has a Labrador. Maybe a Labrador would be nice. I also like Japanese dogs, like Shiba or Akita. If I had the chance, maybe I would get a Japanese dog. I wonder, what language would I use with the dog? Would I use English? Or Japanese? Or both? Maybe the dog could become bilingual! But this is just a dream. I can’t have a dog.

When I go back to England to visit my family, I look forward to seeing my family, and I also look forward to seeing and playing with their dogs. It is a precious time for me.

By Heather @ I Talk You Talk Press

Down the drain

October 19, 2019October 13, 2019 / italkyoutalk / Leave a comment

Do you know the English expression “down the drain“? Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning?

Jeff: My computer broke just as I was finishing the report. I hadn’t backed up my work so it all went down the drain.

Evelyn: I’m sorry to hear that, but you should back up your work regularly.

Does it mean:

a) fall down a drain

b) be difficult to find

c) be wasted or lost

d) not back up work

The answer is below!↓

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Answer: c) be wasted or lost

Look up to (someone)

October 18, 2019October 12, 2019 / italkyoutalk / Leave a comment

Do you know the English expression “to look up to (someone)“? Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning?

Jess: Who do you look up to?

Harvey: I look up to my father. He always does his best for me and my sisters.

Does it mean:

a) like

b) dislike

c) respect

d) look like

The answer is below!　↓

selective focus photography of child hand

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Answer: c) respect

Look down on (someone)

October 17, 2019October 12, 2019 / italkyoutalk / Leave a comment

Do you know the English expression “to look down on (someone)”? Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning?

Terry: What do you think about the new boss?

Lily: I don’t like him. He looks down on us. He doesn’t respect us at all.

Does it mean:

a) stand in a high place

b) think you are better than other people

c) shout at someone

d) be annoyed by someone

The answer is below!↓

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Answer: b) think you are better than other people

[Easy English Blog] Purple sky

October 17, 2019October 13, 2019 / italkyoutalk / Leave a comment

IMG_20191011_184009_331

In our city, there is a large lake. We can see the sunset over the lake when the weather is clear. It is a very beautiful spot. Many people come around sunset time to take photographs. Last week, a strong typhoon hit Japan. There wasn’t much damage in our area because the typhoon did not hit us directly.

The day before the typhoon came, I passed the lake just after sunset. I was surprised to see that the sky was purple! I had never seen such a purple sky before!

In the photograph, you can see an island. Usually, this island is not lit up at night, but in October, our city has a “lantern festival”. The area around the castle is lit up with many lanterns. The island on the lake is also lit up during this period. It looks beautiful. When it is lit up, we know that autumn is here.

By Heather @ I Talk You Talk Press