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  4. パン バージニ マリ 先生(経済学部)

パン バージニ マリ 先生(経済学部)

 


今回のテーマ : Books to help you with English studying.

『Study skills in English : a course in reading skills for academic purposes』
Michael J. Wallace(Cambridge University Press, 2004)

One of the most difficult tasks for students when entering university is to become independent learners. Time-management and note-taking are some of the skills to help become strong independent learners. This book covers these skills and others to help students. This book is not simply for helping in English classes but for all classes. There is also a book called Becoming a Master Student by Dave Ellis which covers many more skills.

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『Focus on vocabulary : mastering the academic word list』
Diane Schmitt, Norbert Schmitt(Longman, 2005)

This is a book of readings mostly for vocabulary building. It covers useful academic vocabulary and provides good exercises. I have recommended this book to many students for summer studies in order to increase vocabulary and to not forget English. There are sections in the book that are helpful to practice dictionary skills in English. Using an English-English dictionary is one of the best ways to increase your English vocabulary. Thus, try to go through some of the exercises in this book and learn to use an English-English dictionary.

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『Longman preparation course for the TOEFL test : iBT speaking』
Deborah Phillips(Pearson Longman, 2008)

The TOEFL test is not a requirement for Economics students to graduate, but it is a necessary test for those wanting to go abroad to study. In the past, I have had a few students who have come to me for help in preparation, especially the speaking section. The TOEFL test is very intense now with writing and speaking included. The speaking section is especially hard as students have to think what to say in a short amount of time. Students need to have a strategy to prepare outlines for the speaking and this book provides some good advice. Please read this book to find helpful strategies for the speaking section of the test. There are many other books in the library that can help you with the TOEFL as well, so please look at them.

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『Barron's TOEIC : test of English for international communication 』4th ed
Lin Lougheed(Barron's, 2007)

When I was studying for the SAT's as a high school student, I relied on Barron publications to help me. I found that they provide good practice questions for preparation. As the TOEIC test is a major test for all students at this university, I would like to recommend this book to help some students in their preparation. There is no Japanese in this book, but it is packed with questions. The library is full of books to help with TOEIC, so check out all of the others as well for instance the Complete Guide to the TOEIC Test 3rd edition from Thomson.

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『Bed-knob and broomstick』
Mary Norton (Harcourt, 2000 他)

The author of this book is the one who wrote the Borrowers which was the theme of a Ghibli movie very not long ago. This book is very easy to read as it is written for children. However, the story is one of my favorites and so I wanted to recommend it here. This is the story of three children who move to the countryside during World War II. While they are in their new house, they get involved in fun adventures as their guardian learns magic. While in university, there are many serious materials that you must read in English. However, I would like you to find enjoyment in using English, too. Since the vocabulary is not very difficult, I think you will find satisfaction in being able to read an entire book.

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『Wuthering heights』
Emily Brontë ; retold by Clare West(Oxford University Press, 2000 他)

This was a book that I thoroughly enjoyed as a young teenager. Of course it was required reading in English literature class, so I had to read the book. Most of the time, required reading was boring. However, I enjoyed Wuthering Heights so much that it was difficult to put down the book! This version that I am recommending is a simpler version than what I read in school. However, the original version is also available in the library and is good to tackle. Since the vocabulary in the Oxford Graded Readers version is easier, you can enjoy the story without worrying about unknown vocabulary. Wuthering Heights is a story about love and revenge between Heathcliff and Catherine. However, the story becomes more complex when these two get married to others and their children grow up. The struggles between these people are as complex as you would find in television dramas or movies but I think the resolution in the end is much more satisfying.

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『The fellowship of the ring』(The lord of the rings ; pt. 1)
J.R.R. Tolkien(HarperCollinsPublishers, 1999)

I probably do not need to introduce the content of this book as it has been made very famous by the movie. However, I wanted to recommend this book to those who have more confidence in their English reading and who want an enjoyable book. I read all three books in the Lord of the Rings series and thoroughly loved them. You might find the vocabulary challenging in this book as the names of the various characters and places are strange. However, do not be discouraged by names and strange language. Just look at the words and move on with the story. The book is really very exciting, so I hope you can enjoy reading in English.

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『Building social business : the new kind of capitalism that serves humanity's most pressing needs』
Muhammad Yunus with Karl Weber(Public Affairs, 2010)

I am not an economics or business major, so when I first encountered a reading about Grameen Bank several years ago, I thought it was a revolutionary idea. Then last year I picked up this book by the founder of Grameen and was struck by Social Business in the same way. I do not know how successful such businesses will be, but I am sure these types of businesses can change business models. Right now consumers and businesses are very aware of corporate social responsibility. The model of social business seems to me to expand the avenues for showing responsibility. It would be wonderful for students here to get a hold of the possibilities and begin to change businesses of the future. The English used in this book is not dense academic English but relatively easy to read, so I hope you will try to read it.

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『The economist』
(Economist Newspaper)

This is not a book that I am recommending but a magazine. As students, this is the time to become more aware of your role in society. If you are planning to speak to people in English, you need to be able to talk about what is happening in the world. Only talking about movies or music or other hobbies will not last long. I have found that The Economist is an excellent magazine that provides news of the business world, political world and other fields in society. While Time and Newsweek are also excellent, The Economist I think gives a perspective that economists will appreciate. The articles are not as long as in Time or Newsweek, but they tend to have relevance to people in the business world. As The Economists is published every week, the news is very current. Please read it and become familiar with news in the world and the vocabulary that is used.。

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『The Japanese economy』
David Flath(Oxford University Press, 2005 他)

A few years ago, in the English program for Economics, we created reading materials for second year students. One of the required readings we provided had to do with Japanese Economy. At the time, I had little knowledge about this subject. Thus, I had to do a little research for myself. This book by Flath was very helpful in providing a little more depth in my knowledge. The English is very academic and will be challenging. However as citizens of Japan, it is important to understand some of the historical changes that have happened your economy and be able to talk about it. In addition, becoming familiar with economic vocabulary will help you in your classes.

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