Natural disasters have struck our country frequently in recent years. A strong typhoon accompanied by extensive rain caused wide-spread flooding; several massive earthquakes occurred in different regions across the country, and the most recent disaster has been the COVID-19 pandemic. Because these disasters occur suddenly, we have to stockpile daily necessities to last for several days at home, and learn how to evacuate according to the local government’s evacuation plan. Although we can prepare for disasters, we do not know what will happen when a disaster occurs. Trustworthy information is essential in order to make correct decisions when experiencing an emergency, particularly in bewildering situations, such as at the beginning of an incident.

Kazuyuki Sato advocated that Yasashii Nihongo（やさしい日本語）should be used to deliver essential information to non-Japanese people living in Japan during the confusion caused by the disaster. Kazuyuki Sato was inspired to develop a simple version of the Japanese language when a large earthquake struck the Hanshin area and Awajishima Island in 1995. At that time, essential information for foreigners during a disaster was supposed to be translated; however, local governments were not able to translate the information quickly because the earthquake also impacted government agencies. Therefore, Yasashii Nihongo was used temporarily to deliver essential information immediately after disasters because the common language in Japan is Japanese. Once the situation had calmed down, local governments intended to translate detailed information into foreign languages.

Yasashii Nihongo is currently in general use by local governments and communities. If one accesses Osaka prefecture’s special website explaining COVID-19 and governmental support, one will find a link to the same information in Yasashii Nihongo. As the information is essential in an emergency, it may be helpful for foreign residents who do not have perfect understanding of Japanese.

According to the Ikuno Ward in Osaka City, which encourages the use of Yasashii Nihongo, six aspects are necessary in order to convert standard Japanese into simple Japanese. These are:

1. Speak slowly.

2. Divide long sentences into shorter sentences.

3. Use basic vocabulary.

4. Avoid using words that originated in foreign languages.

5. Use examples.

6. Avoid the use of regional dialects.

Yasashii Nihongo is also used in everyday settings. The conversion process does not seem to be particularly difficult for native Japanese speakers. The number of non-Japanese people living in Japan is increasing, and many of them learn Japanese as a foreign language. At the beginning of their lives in Japan, Yasashii Nihongo may help them to understand and communicate with local residents. This will constitute an internal contribution to globalisation.

Ikuno Ward Office, Osaka City. 生野区「やさしい日本語から、つながろう」. 2020/05/27 Updated. 2020/06/10 accessed

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Blog Quiz

1. In paragraph 1, what does ‘stockpile’ mean?

A.   To put things in a pile.

B.    To make a shopping list.

C.    To make a collection of things you need.

2. What is the purpose of Yasashii Nihongo?

A.    To encourage non-Japanese residents to learn Japanese.

B.    To assist communication between Japanese and non-Japanese people.

C.    To make websites to teach Japanese.

3. Which of these are examples of Yasashii Nihongo?

A.    Speaking slowly with a standard Japanese accent.

B.    Using short sentences and simple words.

C.    Giving examples and avoiding katakana words.

D.    All of the above.

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. C

2. B

3. D

The Philippines has many young people with passion and enthusiasm to work for their people. In the summer of 2017, I joined a study tour led by an NGO in Kyoto to visit several places in the Philippines to meet local people and to learn about their life under difficult conditions. The NGO has been supporting the local people in the Philippines for more than 20 years and gave us an opportunity to meet them. The average age of the country’s citizens was 23 years old, much younger than Japan. We saw many ambitious young people, and I would like to introduce some of them.    

When we visited the largest disadvantaged area, Tondo District in Manila, we met Jel, one of the energetic young people who came to talk to us about their life. She was a twenty-year-old mother with a two-year-old son. Jel, her son, and her husband were living in Tondo District, close to Smokey Mountain. In the district, many people were making a living by collecting recyclable garbage and selling it. Jel and her younger siblings were raised by their grandmother there. Their life was hard; however, she never gave up learning. She became the best student in the sixth grade and got 13 medals. In junior high school, she worked as a babysitter to support her family. She went to school from seven in the morning to four in the afternoon. After school, she baby-sat four children until eleven o’clock at night. Even though she was very busy, she studied hard and became the second-best student. When she was sixteen, she joined the NGO youth group. She experienced a variety of activities, such as playing sports in a team and working as a volunteer. She learned the importance of human relationships like family and friends and also wanted to support other young people. She said to us, “I want to be a president of this country in the future and help the people in need.” We were quite impressed by her strong will and big smile.

Another ambitious young person was Rommel in Perez, Alabat Island, about five hours from Manila by bus and boat. He was a seventeen-year-old high school student and a youth group leader in the district. The NGO has been working for young students to finish elementary education in the district for about twenty years. In Perez, many fathers are low-income farmers or fishermen who work for long hours, and many mothers are busy working at home and taking care of five or six children. They have a severe financial situation and some of their kids cannot even finish elementary school. The NGO helps them financially with scholarships and also encourages them to engage in learning together through after school activities. Rommel used to be one of the scholars and has been supported by the NGO. Later, he joined the NGO youth group and became a leader of the group. He was taking care of younger members and planning some activities for their physical and mental health. He wanted to go to college and study to be a police officer to protect vulnerable people. We admired his action and friendly smile.

Before visiting the Philippines, I was not sure what to talk about or what kind of questions to ask even though I really wanted to communicate with the local people. However, their heartwarming welcome helped all of the participants, including me, to relax and get to know them. We spent time together and were able to become friends. They were very energetic and full of hope and inspired us to take action to extend our friendship. I want to keep my eye on future young leaders who are determined to contribute to their communities and their country.

Photo Credit: The Author

Blog Quiz

1. Which of these didn’t Jel do?

A.   Earn awards for academic success.

B.   Become a politician.

C.   Work taking care of children.

D.   Volunteer for an NGO.

2. Which of these describes Rommel?

A.   He is a youth group leader.

B.   He supports the health of others.

C.   He wants to study at a university.

D.   All of the above.

3. What is the main idea of the story?

A.   How a young mother overcame difficulties.

B.   What happens on an NGO tour.

C.   How a young man became a policeman.

D.   How people in the Philippines inspired the author.

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. B

2. D

About two years ago, I started running. I was not the kind of person that liked doing any kind of sports, and I did not do any exercise what so ever before I started running. Interestingly, running is now an important part of my life and it has made my life very easy in the least expected way.

So, what got me into running? What happened three years ago?

I went to a conference in a rural part of a country. The city was quite big and public transportation was available. They even had rental bicycle spots. I’ve always had some reservation in using buses when I went abroad for conferences: “What happens if I get on the wrong bus and cannot get off?”, “What happens if I am late because of the traffic jam?”. I always thought that it was best to take the route and the method that I’d have more control over. Rental bicycles seemed to be a better option. However, I was not comfortable riding a bicycle in a country that the drivers drive on the “wrong side” of the road (i.e. driving on the different side of the road from Japan). Therefore, I started to walk. As I wrote earlier, the city was quite big. I arrived one day before the conference so that I would be able to figure out how far the conference venue was from the hotel I was staying at. I also wanted to walk around the city too. Although there was Wi-Fi available at my hotel and in some cafes and restaurants, I could not rely on my smartphone for directions. Though I did not get too lost finding the conference venue, it was about a 1-hour walk. I was not tired and on the contrary, I felt good after having a long walk in the morning. My mind was refreshed and I had a very fun and productive day.

After I returned to Japan, I continued to walk in the morning on my day off, and in the evening after work. When I walked around the park in my neighbourhood, an elderly man ran past me. And I suddenly thought, “I wonder if I can run?” And the next day I went to buy a pair of running shoes and started to run slowly. Only once or twice a week, but it is now an important part of my life and it feels weird if I don’t run at all in a week.

Photo Credit: Tirachard Kumtanom@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. Which of the following is not a reason why the author does not like to take a bus?

A. getting on a wrong bus

B. being worried about traffic jam

C. being afraid of road accidents

2. How did the author feel after walking to the conference venue?

A. refreshed

B. regretted it

C. tired

3. The author started running instead of walking because:

A. they do not enjoy walking anymore

B. they thought it’s worth trying

C. they thought running is better for health

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. C

2. A

3. B

What would you say is the most popular word in the world? Many people say things like “love”, “happy”, “yes”, or “no”. Some people might think the most popular word might be a company name, like “Google”, “Apple, or “Coke”. Popular trends change every year, but the true champion for the most popular word is “OK”.

Spanish, Arabic, Hebrew, Chinese, Korean, French, Punjabi, Hindi, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Malay, and more. It is almost impossible to find a country or language that doesn’t use “OK”. The spelling and pronunciation can sometime change (O.K., OK, o.k., ok, okay, окей, Ô kê, ô-kei, okej, oukei), but the meaning never really changes.

The first printed “OK” comes from 1839, in the March 23rd edition of the Boston Morning Post newspaper. After that, “OK” appears in other newspapers and printed material more frequently. There are some hand-written examples of “OK” pre-1839 (e.g. two diaries from 1815 and 1816), but many researchers debate if these are real examples of “OK”.

So, where did “OK” come from? There are many different theories and ideas, but one seems stronger than others. The most popular is the “Boston abbreviation & Old Kinderhook” theory. Around the summer of 1838 in Boston, USA a trend began of people using incorrect spelling and abbreviations (words shortened to letters, e.g. “空気読めない” = “K.Y.”) for comedy. This maybe doesn’t sound very funny, but this kind of comedy is used in Japan today, especially by Daigo Naitō (内藤大湖). These spelling mistakes and abbreviations became popular across the US and were printed everywhere. This boom in bad-spelling comedy changed “all correct” to “oll korrect", which was shortened to “O.K.”.

This funny, short spelling was recycled by Martin Van Buren in 1840. Van Buren’s nickname was “Old Kinderhook” (he was 58, and his hometown was Kinderhook, New York) and he had a campaign to become the next US president. His “Vote for OK” campaign was very popular, but Van Buren lost. However, the campaign pushed the word “OK” into newspapers and printed material across the USA and had also started the trend of the popular “OK” hand gesture.

Is this the true beginning of OK? Possibly, but researchers still debate other origins. Here are a few:

- “okeh”, from the Native American Choctaw language, meaning “it is so” (1825)

- “kay”/”waw-kay”/”o-ke” from the African Wolof/Bantu and Mande languages, meaning “yes indeed” (1784)

- “och aye”, from Scottish/Ulster Scots, meaning “oh yes”

- “óla kalá”, from Greek, meaning “all good”

Maybe “OK” comes from Africa, or Greece, or from people trying to be funny. Maybe each theory is a little bit correct and they mixed to become the “OK” we use across the world today. Maybe we will never really know. It’s ok though, no matter what country you travel to, or what language you try to speak, it’s always ok to use “OK”.

Photo Credit: Skitterphoto@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. What do the Vietnamese, Punjabi, Tagalog, and French languages have in common?

A.   They don’t use the word OK.

B.    They pronounce OK the same way.

C.    The meaning of OK is the same.

2. What did OK represent in Martin Van Buren’s “Vote for OK” campaign.?

A.  It was a hand gesture.

B.   It was an abbreviation of his nickname.

C.   It was the name of his hometown.

3. Where does the word OK come from?

A.  Boston.

B.  We aren’t sure.

C.  Africa or Greece.

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. C

2. B

3. B

My hometown in America is known mainly for its tourism. With the mountains and forests surrounding it as well as 19th century architecture dotting the town, a person can spend a lot of time doing little. If someone wanted to take some time to be alone, they could simply go hiking or read next to a waterfall.

For this reason, living on the edge of nature has been something I had gotten used to when I was kid. In our home we had a birdhouse next to the deck, and we would regularly see a battle between gray squirrels and birds over who got to eat the bird feed. We eventually had to remove the birdhouse because the animals were making a mess, but it was always refreshing to see nature so close.

Now that I live in Nara, I’ve been given something a little similar by being close to nature again. The squirrels I knew as a kid have gotten bigger and look more like deer, but the presence of nature has returned. This is not something I was able to pay very much attention to over the past couple of years. In many ways, I was similar to the tourists and other visitors that had regularly walked around Nara Park. I would pass by and observe nature through the window of a bus, but couldn’t see very much in the early morning or later in the evening. It felt more like I was still a guest in my own community.

Recently, though, my relationship (and perhaps the relationship of many who live in Nara) is somewhat different with nature. There are now fewer people out, and that creates a little more privacy. On prepared trips out, it’s now a little easier to be uninterrupted and pay better attention to nature. The many deer in Nara have grown more adventurous and occupy more of the park. They are still comfortable around people, but the deer don’t expect to be given crackers unless they hear something that sounds like it. Not everywhere in the world will have these same sights as Nara, but, in these slower times, it seems healthy to make a little time to be peaceful.

Eventually my schedule will go back to something closer to normal, and perhaps my relationship with the nature in Nara will be a little less. Still, the transition to a more even-paced life has helped me to look around more carefully and see the things I may have otherwise overlooked. While I would have definitely preferred different reasons to bring about this change of season, it has kept me from focusing only on what is in front of me, and instead to look around more often.

Photo Credit: Manuela Adler@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

True or False?

1. The author didn’t have much experience with nature as a child.

2. The author often visits Nara as a tourist.

3. Recent events have changed the author’s viewpoint of Nara.

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. False

2. False (He lives there)

3. True

One of the most valuable experiences in my life was going back to school to complete a master’s degree when I was 30 years old. I must admit it was neither easy nor without sacrifice for me and my family. However, this experience was extremely valuable as it taught me three important things.

“A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step”

First, I learned the difficulty and importance of taking those first steps. For me, the hardest step was leaving my full-time teaching position to become a full-time student at Okayama University. I strongly felt that to become a better teacher, I had to focus on my own education first. This decision was not easy for my family financially, but all four of us managed to survive on our savings and my wife’s salary during those years. This motivated me to become the best student I could because failure was not an option.

“In Rome do as the Romans do”

Second, I gained a better understanding of students by becoming one myself. As a teacher, I had forgotten how hard it was to be a student. Most, if not all, of my teachers scheduled important tests and reports during the last two weeks of each semester. This led to busy and stressful times where I couldn’t produce my best work as a student. It was a very valuable experience that taught me to have some empathy. Today, as a teacher, I am careful to spread out homework and tests across the whole semester for my students.

“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today”

Third, I learned that education is a good investment, especially if you take full advantage of it. I valued my opportunity at Okayama University and took as many extra classes as I could. In addition to my master’s degree, I was able to get teaching licenses for both junior and high school English. Completing four years of university credits within a two-year time frame wasn’t easy but the knowledge and experience I gained were very well worth the extra effort.

Finally, education is a lifelong process and my own is far from being over. There is still figuratively one last mountain for me to climb - the Ph.D (or doctoral degree). From April 2020, I have started my Ph.D. at Kyoto University. Although this will not be an easy climb, I feel relieved in knowing how to take those first steps, learn from fellow students, and value everything it will bring.

Photo Credit: Pixabay@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. How did the author survive after he became a full-time student at Okayama University?

A.   By starting a full-time teaching position.

B.    On savings and his wife’s salary.

C.    By becoming a better teacher.

2. What does “Education is the passport to the future” mean?

A.    A passport allows you to travel in the future.

B.    Investing money helps you in the future.

C.    Education can provide better future opportunities for people.

3. What is the author’s current goal?

A.     Getting a master’s degree.

B.     Getting a doctoral degree.

C.     Finding a full-time teaching position.

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. B

2. C

3. B

When I was growing up I didn’t spend much time in the kitchen except if I wanted to see what my mother was cooking. Food for me was whatever was put in front of me, and I didn’t really have to worry about how it got there. This loosely continued on into college and early adulthood, as well. My college had a cafeteria, and I had a meal plan to get three meals a day there. After graduating, my jobs overseas provided a similar dining setup. For too many years, I was ignorant about cooking.

That changed after I returned to the United States and got a full-time job. I had to move for the job, and, while a cafeteria setup was available, I chose not to go with it. That choice marked my process of being more comfortable with cooking. After my time living in developing countries where people got by with less, my standards were low and I just appreciated having food available (as I still do). I depended heavily on recipes and followed them as closely as possible. At that time, I didn’t trust my cooking ability enough to experiment. Gradually, I became more confident, my dishes tasted less like plastic, and I was willing to try more difficult recipes.

Much of this was made easier because I was given cooking appliances from family members that no longer needed them, but this would change when I decided to move to Japan. Bringing those familiar appliances were not an option since they’d likely get broken when shipped, or the cost of shipping would be much too high. Space was also a problem since my home in Japan had less space than where I lived in America. There were many unknowns that made my experience cooking in Japan feel like my progress was for nothing.

After I moved, I took time to adjust to the flow of life and learned what I could expect on a normal day. Cooking needed time, too, because some ingredients weren’t available and I needed to adapt to kitchen limitations. Eventually I would adjust, my recipes would taste a little more familiar, and I added a few more useful appliances after getting married (especially a generous marriage gift of a Kitchen Aid Mixer from friends in America).

What I cook now is closer to what I’ve done in the past, but with some differences. The taste and texture may be a little different because ingredients aren’t exactly the same. The time it takes to prepare varies because of available space. The oven I use is not as strong as the one in America, so the heat and cooking time need to be played around with. I am still learning to cook, but I am no longer starting over.

Photo Credit: Pixabay@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. When did the author start cooking regularly?

A.   When he first moved overseas.

B.    When he first got a full-time job in the U.S.

C.    In college.

2. Why did the author have difficulties cooking in Japan at first?

A.  Because his cooking appliances broke.

B.  Because the cost of food was too high.

C.  Because there were many unknowns.

3. Why do the author’s recipes taste different in Japan?

A.    Because ingredients are different.

B.    Because he forgot the recipe.

C.    Because he got a cooking appliance gift from friends.

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. B

2. C

3. A

Is the Color “Blue” or “Green” on a Traffic Light?

Before the invention of the blue light emitting diode, which made the “blue” on a traffic light look much more blue, the color on the traffic light was “green”. In most western countries today, such as the U.S.A., the traffic light meaning “go” is called “a green light”. Today, I’m going to talk about “colors”. There are some interesting differences in the way colors are thought of by Japanese and Westerners.

Let’s start with filling in the blanks with the name of a color:

1. I am healthy = I am in the ____.

2. He isn’t mature enough = He is _____.

3. She is good at gardening= She has a _____ thumb.

4. They are cowards= They are ______.

5. He has bruise around his eye= He has a _____ eye.

Check your answers at the bottom of this page. How many did you get right? I thought number 2’s answer was blue because of “Aonisai（青二才）” in Japanese and that number 5’s answer was blue or purple because of “Aoaza（青あざ） in Japanese. It is a well known fact that the Japanese sense of color differs from that of people overseas. Some say the differences can be attributed to cultural issues, genetic factors such as the performance of photoreceptors inside the eyes or even the climate. Acquiring a certain country's ideology regarding colors can be difficult unless you are a native to that specific country.

There are also cultural differences in the way countries think of numbers. The numbers 4 and 9 are considered bad luck by the Japanese. In the western mind, the numbers 13 and 666 are bad luck or carry a negative image. I hope you have a chance to discover and experience these interesting differences in culture and ways of thinking.

1. pink   2. green   3. green   4. yellow   5. black

Photo Credit: JESHOOTS.com@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. In the United States, what color do they call the traffic light that means “go”?

A.   blue

B.   green

C.    yellow

2. What color represents a person who is not brave?

A.   yellow

B.    pink

C.    green

3. What numbers have bad images in many western countries?

A.    4 & 9

B.    666 & 13

C.    2 & 5

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. B

2. A

3. B

Have you ever done yoga before? It is said that more than 300 million people in the world do yoga these days. I started doing yoga 12 years ago and my first impression of yoga was “NOT EASY” mostly because I imagined that yoga was all about taking a yoga pose beautifully. However, my image of yoga was completely changed after I realized that yoga is more about breathing than striking a pose. More importantly, I feel that the longer I continue doing yoga, the healthier I become both physically and mentally.

So, what is yoga then? The Yoga Therapist Association [https://www.yogatherapist-association.com/column/1934/] explains that the main purpose of doing yoga is to arrange both your physical and mental condition by stretching your body and keeping specific postures. The word YOGA means a connection of your body and mind in Sanskrit. The origin of yoga goes back to about 5,000 years ago in India. Yoga was originally done as religious training but today the religious meaning has weakened, and yoga has become more for the promotion of health especially after it was introduced in Europe and North America. Did you know that ZAZEN in Buddhism originally takes a part of yoga style? As far as the connection between yoga and Buddhism is concerned, it is said that ZAZEN spread when Buddhism was introduced from India to China and Japan.

Anyway, what is good about doing yoga? The Yoga Therapist Association [https://www.yogatherapist-association.com/column/1934/] emphasizes three benefits which can be brought about through yoga;

1. Change of your Breathing

The strongest point of doing yoga can be about changing how you breathe. We naturally breathe in our everyday lives and this breathing usually tends to become shallow. However, you will be required to control your breathing deliberately along with your body movement while you do yoga. It is said that our brain especially needs a lot of oxygen and this intentional control of your breathing will make it possible to bring oxygen into your brain so that your mind will be clearer.

2. Recovery from Pain

Many people say that they started doing yoga due to their bad physical condition such as weakened muscular strength or inflexibility. Yoga originally includes poses which increase your flexibility. In other words, doing yoga is fixing your body’s distortion and straightening your posture. As a result, people can recover from the chronic body pain such as stiff shoulders and lower-back muscle pain.

3. Free from Stress

One of the reasons why yoga is accepted by so many people in the world is probably because people live in modern stressful society. Since yoga not only stretches your body but also includes self-meditation, it can help you reduce or get rid of psychological stress. Doing yoga will be able to give you the power of concentration as well as the ability to control your emotions.

Now, yoga is known globally. The United Nations [https://www.un.org/en/events/yogaday/index.shtml] established June 21 as International Day of Yoga in 2014 for introducing the advantage of doing yoga internationally. Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi said in his speech at the 69th session of the General Assembly, “ Yoga is not just about exercise; it is about a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nation.”

Photo Credit: Prasanth Inturi@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. Which best describes yoga?

A.   It is physical exercise.

B.    It is mental exercise.

C.    It is both mental and physical exercise.

2. How should a person breath when doing yoga?

A.   Fast breathing

B.    Deep breathing

C.    Shallow breathing

3. What are the psychological benefits of doing yoga?

A.   It can lessen stress.

B.    It can improve ability to focus.

C.    It can aid self-control.

D.  All of the above.

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. C

2. B

3. D

Do you like playing musical instruments? I do. I used to play the piano when I was little although I was not a good player. I also tried playing the guitar in college when I enjoyed listening to Avril Lavigine. I wanted to sing while playing the guitar like her. However, it was so difficult to press guitar strings with my little hands. So, I have given up the guitar and just enjoyed singing at karaoke.

Recently, however, I have started playing a new musical instrument, the ukulele. Unlike the guitar, the ukulele is smaller, cheaper and has fewer strings. This time, I felt like I could play some chords. At first, I tried to learn how to play the ukulele by reading a practice book for beginners. On the first day, I was already able to play “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” On the second day, I was able to play “Happy Birthday to You.” Wow. I was impressed. On the third day, I was bored. These are adorable and nice songs. What was wrong with me? I simply did not enjoy singing the songs.

I changed my approach to practicing the ukulele, and this new way worked well for me. I used Youtube videos. Visual demonstrations and step-by-step instructions were much more helpful for me than just following my practice book. I can even use Youtube videos to tune my ukulele! What attracted me more was that Youtube provides many videos for learning how to play famous pop music. At first, I hesitated to practice those tunes, remembering my failure in playing the guitar, but I tried. It was free anyway.

I practiced playing “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. It sounds difficult, doesn’t it? Relax. The video I used was for beginners. For a week or so, my clumsy fingers were a lot slower than my singing, which annoyed me a little, but I was very pleased and satisfied when my fingers caught up with my singing speed. It felt so good. After all, I was able to sing while playing an instrument. Of course, I cannot play the ukulele as professionally as Jake Shimabukuro or Grace Vanderwaal, but I am quite satisfied.

What’s better, I got another benefit from practicing the ukulele on Youtube. I learned some new English words and expressions because I kept watching the same video in English and singing the same song over and over again. You may be able to pick up vocabulary in a foreign language as a by-product of practicing a musical instrument. The approach is extremely simple. Watch Youtube and practice. You may be able to kill two birds with one stone.

Photo Credit: Pixabay@pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. How did the author practice playing the ukulele?

A.   She used a practice book.

B.    She used Youtube videos.

C.    She used a practice book and Youtube videos.

D.  She used songs played by Jake Shimabukuro and Grace Vanderwaal.

2. What does the passage indicate about Jake Shimabukuro and Grace Vanderwaal?

A.  They are professional guitarists.

B.   They are professional singers.

C.    They play the ukulele as skillfully as the author.

D.  They play the ukulele very well.

3. What are the “two birds” in this passage?

A.  the ukulele and English skills

B.    the ukulele and guitar skills

C.    the ukulele and Youtube

D.  the ukulele and karaoke

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

1. C

2. D

3. A