Do you know the verb “to startle“? Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning?
Helen: I think I startled your baby when I dropped the glass. He’s crying.
Yuko: It’s OK. He often cries when he is startled.
Does it mean:
a) surprise and frighten
b) annoy
c) irritate
d) surprise and entertain
The answer is below! ↓
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Answer: a) surprise and frighten
Do you know the phrase “to fall out with (someone)“? Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning?
Karen: Why aren’t you talking to your brother?
Tom: I fell out with him last week. He said bad things about my friend.
Does it mean:
a) move away from someone
b) have an argument and stop being friendly with someone
c) have an argument and make friends with someone
d) hit someone
The answer is below! ↓
Photo by Kat Jayne on Pexels.com
Answer: b) have an argument and stop being friendly with someone
Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com
Here is a short story for Halloween!
Wallace lives alone. He doesn’t like children.
He hates Halloween. He doesn’t want any children coming to his door for Trick or Treat. He doesn’t want to give them candy.
When the children ring his doorbell, Wallace gets very angry. He doesn’t open the door. He stays inside and shouts “Go away!”
One Halloween, Wallace has an idea. I will scare the children. They will be too frightened to come to my door.
Wallace is very smart. He knows a lot about electronics. He goes to the electrical shop and buys everything he needs to scare the children. He buys a sensor, a mini sound player, speakers, batteries and switches.
He finds audio files of screams and groans on the Internet. He makes a recording.
Then he sets up his system in his mailbox. He tests it. It works very well.
If anyone walks towards his gate, the recording will start playing. There will be very loud screams and groans. Wallace thinks the sounds will frighten the children and they will run away.
This year, Wallace is looking forward to Halloween.
He waits until it is dark. Then he goes to his mailbox and turns the sensor on. He turns the volume on the recorder up to maximum. He goes back into his house and waits by the window.
I will see the children in their costumes, he thinks. I will see them come to my house. I will see them run away because they are so scared.
About 30 minutes later a group of children walks down the street. They are dressed as ghosts, princesses, and super heroes. Their parents are with them. The parents are dressed up too. They walk to Wallace’s gate. The sensor works. The sounds of moans and screams are very, very loud. Wallace can hear them easily inside his house.
The children shout. They jump up and down. Wallace cannot believe it. The children laugh. They do not run away. They run towards Wallace’s door. They ring the bell.
“Go away!” shouts Wallace. The children are still laughing and talking outside his door. He waits for a long time. Finally, it is quiet. The children have gone.
Wallace does not understand. I thought my plan was very clever. Why didn’t my plan work?
The next morning, Wallace goes out to his mailbox. He takes everything out of the mailbox.
Lucy Parks, who lives next door, comes into the street. “Wallace!” she shouts. “Thank you so much! The children loved your surprise!”
Wallace shakes his head and walks back inside.
It’s not surprising I don’t like children, he thinks. I don’t understand them at all!
Do you know the adjective “ravenous“? Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning?
Ellie: We’ve been hiking all morning. We should take a rest and have something to eat.
Rob: Good idea. I’m tired and ravenous.
Does it mean:
a) very hungry
b) very thirsty
c) very tired
d) lacking energy
The answer is below!↓
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Answer: a) very hungry
Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com
It is nearly Halloween. Do you do anything for Halloween? It has become popular in Japan in recent years. There are some Halloween parties in the city where I live, and many children I know are going to events.
It has become a popular event in the UK too. When I was a child, it was not so popular. There were some Halloween parties, but not many. I remember one year, I went to a Halloween party at a local community centre. My friends and I dressed up as ghosts and witches. I was a witch. I had a tall, pointed hat, and a costume made from plastic garbage bags. I took the broom from my house. One of my friends wore a white bedsheet. She was a ghost. Unfortunately, she didn’t put eye holes in the sheet, so she couldn’t see! Nowadays, there are many costumes available, especially online.
Also, trick or treating has become popular. When I was a child, no one went trick or treating. Maybe it is an American tradition. At the Halloween party I went to, we played Apple Bobbing. In this game, apples are put into a bowl of water. People have to catch an apple with their teeth. They cannot use their hands. I didn’t enjoy the game, because my face got wet! But the apple was tasty!
I wonder what games children play at Halloween parties nowadays?
Do you know the adjective “lethargic“? Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning?
Vince: Are you OK? You have been working on that short report all morning.
John: I’m feeling lethargic. Maybe I need some coffee.
Does it mean:
a) energetic
b) hungry
c) thirsty
d) lacking energy
The answer is below!
Photo by Jay Graph on Pexels.com
Answer: d) lacking energy
Photo by Jupen on Pexels.com
“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
The other day, I asked some children this question. One wants to be a doctor. Another wants to be a teacher. I was impressed with their answers. When I was a child, I wanted to be a Formula 1 driver.
I loved watching Formula 1 racing on TV. I bought many magazines and books about Formula 1 and the drivers. I wanted to be like them. All of the drivers were men, but still, I thought I could become a racing driver. Of course, it was impossible. I didn’t have any money or experience. I didn’t live near any racing circuits or teams. I was just a small girl with a dream.
My dream changed when I got older. I wanted to be a musician. So, I went to music college and studied to become a musician. Unfortunately, I wasn’t good enough. Then, I decided I wanted to become a Japanese translator. So, I studied Japanese hard, and at last, I succeeded. This dream was more realistic than my earlier dreams. Now, when I think about my earlier dream of becoming a Formula 1 driver, I laugh.
I wonder if the children I spoke to will grow up to become a doctor and a teacher. I hope their dreams come true.
It is nearly Halloween, so here is a strange story. We hope you enjoy it!
Photo by Toni Cuenca on Pexels.com
Malcolm has a new job in Bayerville. He will work as a mechanic in the gas station. It is a very small town. He has to find somewhere to live. It is very difficult, but he finds a small house about 2km outside Bayerville. The rent is very low. Malcolm is pleased.
I can save money and buy myself a new motorbike, he thinks. The house is old and dirty, but I can clean it up. And it’s next to the river. I like that. I am very lucky.
Malcolm works hard to clean the little house. After two days, he can move his furniture into the house. He rides his motorbike into Bayerville and buys food from the supermarket. He is pleased and excited.
He goes back to the house and cooks himself a meal. He drinks some beer. Then he feels very tired. He goes to bed.
Very early the next morning, Malcolm wakes up. There is someone in his bedroom!
He is very shocked. Then he sees that it is a small child. A little girl in a nightdress.
“What are you doing here?” he asks. “Where did you come from?”
The child doesn’t answer. She turns and walks out of the room. Malcolm jumps out of bed.
She is too young to be out alone at night. I must find out where her parents are. I must take her home, he thinks.
He sees the child’s footprints on the floor. The footprints are wet.
Has she been in the water? This is very strange. Malcolm follows the footprints. The child has walked out of the house.
It is still dark outside. Malcolm takes a flashlight from the kitchen. He hurries out the door.
He can see the little girl walking towards the river.
“Stop! Come back!” shouts Malcolm, but she keeps walking.
She moves very quickly and Malcolm has to run.
At edge of the river, the little girl disappears.
Oh, no! She has fallen in the river! I have to save her! he thinks.
A little later, the man who delivers the newspaper comes to Malcolm’s house. He sees the door of the house is open. He is a very friendly man.
I will say ‘Hi’ to the new customer. I will welcome him to Bayerville, he thinks.
He goes to the open door. Then he stops. He can see very small wet footprints on the floor.
Oh, no! Not again!
He takes out his smartphone and calls the police. “Mary Lou is back!” he says. “Yes. I’m sure. There are footprints on the floor. This is the first time in ten years. Yes. I’ll wait here for you to come. I will help you search the river.”
He goes back to his truck and waits for the police.
Ever since Mary Lou drowned in the river, some people who live in this house disappear, he thinks. We always find their dead bodies in the river. The only clue is the wet footprints on the floor. I think she gets lonely.
Do you know the adjective “penniless“? Read the conversation below. Can you guess the meaning?
Lauren: Have you found a new job yet?
Jane: No. But if I don’t find one soon, I’ll be penniless.
Does it mean:
a) unsuccessful
b) have no money
c) bored
d) scared
The answer is below!↓
Photo by bruce mars on Pexels.com
Answer: b) have no money
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
How often do you visit other areas of your country? This year, I have left the prefecture where I live only three times. I went to Tokyo in March, Okayama in April, and Hiroshima earlier this month.
Every year, I say to myself “I’m going to travel to other places in Japan more often this year.” But time passes so quickly! Last year, I only left the prefecture once – when I went to Osaka to fly back to the UK. The year before, I left the prefecture twice – I went to Tokyo and Osaka.
The area of Japan where I live is far from major cities. It is a rural area. It is quite expensive and time-consuming (time-consuming = takes a lot of time) to travel to other parts of Japan. The nearest major cities are Okayama and Hiroshima. It takes around 2 and a half hours to 3 hours to reach those cities by train or by car.
I love the place where I live, but sometimes, I wish I lived a little nearer to a big city. When I travel to big cities like Tokyo, I feel energized. There are a lot of people in the cities, so there is a lot of energy. I like that. However, I wouldn’t like to live in a big city.
A long time ago, I moved to Osaka for work. It was convenient, but it was tiring (tiring = makes me tired). It was also lonely. There were many people there, but I had few close friends. So, I quit my job and moved back to a rural area. I think I made a good decision, but sometimes, I miss the city.
Next year, I’m going to try to visit other places in Japan more often.
I Talk You Talk Press EXTRA 
You must be logged in to post a comment.