Pukman @ WinK: the community that time didn't forget

POSTS
Total: 44

Monthly Totals
April: 6
May: 22
June: 16

WORDS
Total: 4630

Monthly Totals
April: 566
May: 2419
June: 1645

ESSAYS

Number of completed essays: 2

1. Kumamoto
2. University

BOOK REVIEWS

Number of book reviews:
See all book reviews.

I LIKE UNIVERSITIES. (3 words)

There are many universities in Kumamoto. The ones I know well are KGU, PUK, and KU. They mean Kumamoto Gakuen University, Prefectural University of Kumamoto, and Kumamoto University. (28)

1. Write a book review
2. Write a list of words from your translation homeworks, or from a book you have read recently.
3. Visit an interesting site and write a few sentences about the site.
4. Write about a TV programme you watched recently.
5. Write about what you did at the weekend or what you plan next weekend or in the vacation.
6. Write in Japanese about one of your classes (remember you need at least 3 posts in English as well). Give advice to next year's first-year students.
   

I like PUK and KGU! (5 words)

Today's typing test: University
Next week's typing test: University

Post target before next week's class: 55

Last week, I made a mistake looking at the calendar and gave you an incorrect target number of posts. Sorry! But hopefully, you will now have a little "yoyuu". That's good because I want you to have lots of time to improve your typing.

The target is 100 words in 5 minutes. This gives you enough speed to enjoy blogging. If possible, I would like everyone to reach this target. For those who cannot reach this target, I'm giving you a new minimum target of 75 words. It is not possible to pass the course without reaching this target. Without reaching 85 words, it will not be possible to get a higher grade. Remember that next semester you will be expected to type at a rate of 100 words, so it is best to reach this target as soon as possible.

Important points for the weekly typing test:

1. Remember the topic and prepare for it. If you don't prepare, the typing test becomes a combined composition/typing test. If you prepare you can just concentrate on typing.
2. Get to class on time, start up the computer, log in, start up Word, and type the title. Then start typing as soon as the timer starts.
   

I like the Harry Potter books. Today, I reserved a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows at Amazon Japan.

Let's do lots of reading-related activities today.

First, please visit Penguin Dossiers, click on Archive at the top of the page, and look through the list of articles. When you find an interesting one, click on Read Dossier.

When reading the dossier, click on the words in blue to see definitions. If necessary, go to rikai.com to help you with other words. When you have finished reading, write a blog post summarizing the article.

When you have finished summarizing the article, do other reading-related activities freely. Some choices:

1. Write a book review on your blog.
2. Write a blog post listing some of the vocabulary you have learned from reading recently.
3. Work on your LibraryThing collection. Make sure that you are a member of the WinK People group. Remember you can search for books or add from other people's collections.
   
4. Browse the WinK book site. Remember that the first semester is coming to an end. Make sure that you have read a variety of books by the end of the semester and that you are able to read longer books easily (for example Oxford Bookworms Level 1; Cambridge English Readers Level 1).
   

I like Kumamoto Castle very much. It’s exciting and beautiful. It was built several centuries ago. I don’t often go inside the castle because you have to pay to enter. I usually go to Ni no Maru park. I went there with my family on Sunday, and we played volleyball and Frisbee. It was very hot, and we were very tired when we got back. Kumamoto Castle looks great seen from the city centre. When friends visit me in Kumamoto, I always try to take them to Kumamoto Castle. I recommend that you go there if you haven’t already. (99 words)

I like Kumamoto Castle. (4 words)

Today's schedule:

1. Typing: A Sightseeing Spot I Recommend
   
2. Attendance email: In the body of your message your name/number is enough!
3. Announcements
4. Mini-lecture: 5-paragraph essays
5. Free time: Starting to write your essay & Working with librarything.com

If you are not yet a member of the WinK people group in LibraryThing, look for a message in the top left of your collection.

Next week's typing: University

Remember that by next week's class you should have 55 posts on your blog, including 10 book reviews and 1 essay (about Kumamoto). You can finish essay 2 (University) next week.

Try V-Flash at lexxica. (Don't forget to register.) This will tell you your vocabulary size. Then move to V-Flash to learn some words. It's best to use V-Flash regularly; it will remember the words that you know and don't know for you.

Please report your score on your blog!

Please also do a science vocabulary post and a science translation post, as you did before.

Free time? Work on your LibraryThing collection. If you click edit on a book without a cover, you may be able to find a cover.

Here are a couple of interesting lists I found on Amazon Japan today:

1. 英語・英会話 ３年プラン
2. 安かったら買いたい英語の本
   

I like many movies, and don’t really have a favorite one. Two movies that I have watched many times are Midnight Run and Donnie Brasco. The movie that I want to write about today is Man on Fire. This movie stars Denzel Washington, who is well-known for Training Day, Philadelphia, and many other movies. (54 words)

One of my favorite movies is an action comedy called Midnight Run. It stars Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin. Probably everyone knows Robert De Niro. Charles Grodin is less well-known but he was in the Beethoven movies. One wouldn’t think that Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin would make a good team, but they are excellent together. Robert De Niro is a bounty hunter, and Charles Grodin is a criminal. However, Charles Grodin had a good motivations for his crime. The movie is funny, exciting, but also very moving. I recommend that you watch it if you get a chance. The Japanese title is the same as the English one.

1. Typing practice: A Movie I Like (9:05~9:10)
2. Attendance email
3. LibraryThing demonstration
4. LibraryThing practical & individual writing tuition.

Typing practice is a little later than usual, because I want to talk for a short time about the importance of typing, and of following the class schedule.

If you come early, write a short post on your blog before the typing session. Remember that you don't have to finish it. Be ready for the typing practice.

For (4), please have your essay displayed on your screen.

Next week's typing: A Sightseeing Spot I Recommend

LibraryThing provides an easy way to keep track of your books. You can see my collection here. It is very easy to join. Just enter a username and password, and then start using it. Use the same username as you use for Gmail and Blogger, so that you don't forget it.

LibraryThing gives you a graphical representation of your books. Look back through the entries in your Orange Book and start entering them. You can use an ISBN number or the title to find the book, or you can copy books from other people's collections.

After you have joined, I will send you an invitation to the WinK group. It will then be easier for you to find people who have similar books to you.

After you have entered a few books, you should make a widget to add to your blog. You can do this from the Tools section in LibraryThing. Copy the code, then go to Blogger to Add an Element in your sidebar. Choose the Javascript option.