Learn English with president Barack Obama!

Do you know who is Barack Obama? I hope you know:) It is the first Afro-American president of the USA.

In Russia Barack Obama is more known for his speeches than for his actions. And I found recently that Barack Obama’s speeches is also popular in Japan.

Japanese people use his speeches to learn English! The book and accompanying CD "The Speeches of Barack Obama" has sold 420,000 copies since its release in Japan.

I think it is a good reason to try this way of learning English.

By the way, you do not need to buy the book. I found the video of one of Obama’s popular speech “More perfect union'” and a full transcript for you!

So…let’s try:



"We the people, in order to form a more perfect union."

Two hundred and twenty one years ago, in a hall that still stands across the street, a group of men gathered and, with these simple words, launched America's improbable experiment in democracy. Farmers and scholars; statesmen and patriots who had traveled across an ocean to escape tyranny and persecution finally made real their declaration of independence at a Philadelphia convention that lasted through the spring of 1787.

The document they produced was eventually signed but ultimately unfinished. It was stained by this nation's original sin of slavery, a question that divided the colonies and brought the convention to a stalemate until the founders chose to allow the slave trade to continue for at least twenty more years, and to leave any final resolution to future generations.

Of course, the answer to the slavery question was already embedded within our Constitution - a Constitution that had at is very core the ideal of equal citizenship under the law; a Constitution that promised its people liberty, and justice, and a union that could be and should be perfected over time.

Read full transcription

P.S. By the way, if you want to learn English in a foreign country but have no money, this blog is for you: International Scholarships

Interview with English learners №5: “Everyone, let’s be happy!”

Hello my dear readers! Today we have new guest at My English Webmarks! Meet Pierre - English learner and good father from Japan:)

Name: Pierre
Age: 38
Native language: Japanese
English level: intermediate
Web: www.pierrepierrepierre.blogspot.com

Hello, Pierre! Could you please tell a little about yourself?

It is a little embarrassing to say this, I teach English to Japanese high school students at “juku” or a kind of school where they study for university entrance examination. I enjoy English rather than study. I would be happy if they also enjoy it. I also like listening to music such as rock, jazz and funk, etc.

Wow! Who would’we thought? You are not only English learner, but also English teacher:)
OK! Here are three standard questions for you:

Why are you learning English language?

The initial interest in the sound of English language turned later into that in English as a means for communication. Communication is, I believe, one of the most important elements to make people happy. (music is also among them.) It is most widely used, though Chinese in number, in the world. Besides, another element is, I would think, to get proper information. Now, there is much information, whether right or wrong, or useful or useless, out there on the Internet. if properly used, it could help us turn to better. Everyone, let’s be happy.

How long are you learning English?

It was at the age of 11, in elementary school, that I got interested in English language. My cousin had me listen to UK rock music. But I began to learn it after graduating from university. ― about 15 years.

How are you learning English?

I try to use every means I can.
Reading: read newspapers every day, browse English language web sites, and solve university entrance examinations.

Listening: listen to English programs on podcast. My favorites are Medical Minute and Science Update. You can study with ipod almost anywhere at any time. Of course, I like listening to music.

Writing: keep my diary, write my blog, and post on twitter, where you can encounter various English expression.

Speaking: read aloud English materials above. I need more conversation.

Some more questions:

I know you are the father of two beautiful daughters. Please, tell us about your family.

We are a family of four ― Besides me, two daughters and my wife. Let me tell you about the kids this time. Hiyo, the our first girl, who began attending kindergarten in April this year. She likes playing outside and often comes back, covered in mud. Coco, the second girl, goes her own way. She plays, cries and, sleeps whenever she wants to. Her favorites are vegetables such as green pepper, broccoli, and tomato, which many children probably don't like.

What is it like to be a father? Is your life change strongly after your daughters’ birth?

I have been enjoying myself since I became a father, four years ago. Though I am usually their father, I sometimes feel, when playing them, as if I was their brother or friend. I’m sorry I have bad little time with them recently due to my work hours.

Children always fall into curious situations. Do you have funny stories concerned with your little daughters?

I hear from Hiyo she has a lot of boyfriends in the kindergarten. How many boys has asked her to marry them? I’m too worried to sleep.

Thank you, Pierre:) I wish you and your family good luck:)
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Don't forget to leave your comments:) Practice your writing skills!

T.G.I.F.: George Carlin - The Little Things

Hello everyone! Today I want to show you part of a George Carlin comedy show called “The Little Things”.

I do not understand everything in this video, because George’s speech is fast, but believe me, it is really hilarious:)

As for me, this man was one of the best American stand-up comedian.



By the way, he became super popular in America after his "Seven Dirty Words You Can't Say On Television." This is from the 1978 show "George Carlin: Again!"

If you want to learn forbidden American words, you can see "Seven Dirty Words” here :)

Interview with English learners №4: "As everyone know, Many of Japanese are weak in English."

Hello everyone! First of all I want to make excuses to my permanent readers for my last week’s absence. Thank you for worrying about me:). I had some problems with my PC. But I installed my Windows again and ready for posting new interesting interviews and review of educational resources:)

By the way, our today’s guest is a programmer from Japan!

Nick-name: PsychoCat
Age: 47
Native language: Japanese
English level: ( I can’t tell my level. I haven’t taken any examination since now. Perhaps beginner's level. )
Web: http://oddeye.blogspot.com/
http://cross-the-sea.blogspot.com/

Hello PsychoCat! Could you tell us a little about yourself?

I live in Owariasahi where is next to Nagoya, Japan. And with a wife and two cats. I work as a programmer for a printing company and make a software that is a DataBase publishing program.

Here are three standard questions for you:

Why are you learning English language?

At first, I want to read some technical documents, mailing lists and its archives and BBS in English. Because programming’s tips on Mac is many more English than Japanese. But now, simply I want to read overseas websites without relation to programming. Some day if I can, I want to have overseas friends.

How long are you learning English?

I began to study English again three years ago. I have blank of more than twenty years about learning English. It is the distant past. I needed to start from contents for students who are thirteen years old on Japanese. As everyone know, Many of Japanese are weak in English. Back then also I quite didn’t get ability to communicate with overseas people.

How are you learning English?

I’m using only several text books that were published by Cambridge University Press. And I read some paperbacks for young adult to practice reading. I think that reading techical documents about programming is more easy than reading novels for young adult. Then, for my writing skill, I’m writing my blog and twitter using English. I never use Japanese there.

About dictionaries, I use English-English dictionary as possible as I can, don't use Japanese-English dictionary. The dictionary is LONGMAN. I think it’s match the dictionary with my level.

I’m in situation that don’t require to use English in my life. Even if I can’t do reading, writing, listening and speaking, I’m sure I have no problem. I’m not attending anywhere, like an English school. And there aren’t friends who are studying English around me. But it means that I don’t have any situation to need to use English. Instead, if I used English, maybe everyone would look at me like a ludicrous person. So I think it’s the very least I want to use English in my blog. In other words, I don’t have place where I use English in except Web.

One more thing. My annoyance is too few time to practice hearing and speaking. Anyway I feel a need for my teacher.

Well, let’s talk about pets. I know you have two cats! Why do you prefer cats to other pets?

Their curiosity are very strong and they take attitude like sage but what they do are silly, so make me laugh always. And then I feel happiness to just watch a sleeping cat figure. Cats have spirit of independence, and are proud. However sometimes there are times when they fawn over us. I envy their life like anything goes.

I hope you could tell us a little about your cats. What are their names? How do you get them? What's odd about your cats?

Their names are Siren and Dante.

Siren I have in my house has yellow color eye at the right and blue color eye at the left. If you know much about cats, perhaps you would guess that the cat is deaf. It’s correct. She is deaf. Deaf ear is not only one-sided. Pitifully both her ears are damaged. This symptom is genetic strain. And what is worse, She has a deformed front paw. I guess she was dumped by an unscrupulous breeder. She had been abandoned kitten for a year at least, since I came across her in my parking. I really admired that she had survived when I caught her to have as a pet.

Dante came from Oita of Kyushu who wife bought via a net auction. When I saw his pictures on the net auction, his eyes both were steel gray color. I looked like that. But it seemed my wife already awared that he is odd-eye. After he came my home, his right eye had changed color from blue to yellow day by day, but yet it is not clear yellow. He also is the same odd-eye with Siren. The thing that I felt reassured is he didn’t lose his sense of hearing. But If I call out to him from behind, he turns around and closes me with running.

One more question:) Why do you have so unusual nick-name? It is because of your cats?

Well... is there a lot of people using a name that is PsychoCat, isn’t there?

Siren is female and she always is called “Saiko” by wife and me in Japanese. The last two characters of Saiko, “ko” often was using in Japanese girls name thirty-forty years ago. Example Seiko, Yoshiko, Sachiko, Reiko, blah-blah-blah. And so I spelled the Saiko as in English and then added “Cat” to the last. The result is SychoCat :-)

I have my domain name as psychocat.net. That’s why I have using the nick-name.

I like your cats. They realy cute:) Thank you for interview. Good luck in learning English!
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For my dear readers: comments are welcome:)