Naoko: My Japan

In this reader you’ll find:

- Cultural boxes - Glossary of difficult words - An audio recording of the story - Authentic photos

Naoko: My Japan

Have you ever been to Japan? Read the story of Naoko, a Japanese girl and discover all kinds of interesting things about this beautiful country. Naoko will show you how she spends her day, both at home and at school and what they do in Japan on special holidays.

You’ll also meet her family and friends and she’ll tell you all her secrets!

Tags

Stage 2 A2

Gabriele Rebagliati

Naoko: My Japan

Teen

Traditions | Family | Friends

Readers Real Stage Lives1

Gabriele Rebagliati Naoko: My Japan

Gabriele Rebagliati

Downloadable

Audio Files

Look at the inside front cover flap to find out how to download your free Audio files.

Elementary A1 Movers Pre-intermediate A2 Flyers/KEY Intermediate B1 Preliminary

Non-fiction | Real Lives www.eligradedreaders.com

RS 1 l. E n 8.r. AD pa 0 I s E Ja -32 EL LI Rmy 36 E : -5 o 8 EN ok -8 TE Na 978 BN IS

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Non-fiction

Stage 2 A2

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Downloadable

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Contents 14

Before you Read

16

Chapter 1 A Day with Naoko

26 Activities 28

Chapter 2 Autumn Days

36 Activities 38 Chapter 3 One of my Favourite Places: Harajuku 46 Activities 48

Chapter 4 A Trip to Kyoto

58 Activities 60

Chapter 5 The Summer Holidays

70

Activities

72

Test yourself

73

Syllabus

These icons indicate the parts of the story that are recorded start stop

Before you Read

Grammar for KEY (KET) 1 Read about Naoko and Japan. Choose the correct word (A, B or C) to complete the text.

is This (0) ............................ the story of a Japanese girl (1) ............................ Naoko from Tokyo. Naoko talks about (2) ............................ school day and what she likes (3) ............................ in her free time. We also learn about (4) ............................ of her family and friends. There is (5) ............................ a lot of information about Japanese food and nature. Japanese people think that the seasons are (6) ............................ important and (7) ........................... are different plants and flowers that you can see in each season.

After reading this story, you’ll want to visit Japan for sure!

0 A 1 A 2 A 3 A 4 A 5 A 6 A 7 A

speaks called his do any also much here

B is B who B her B does B no B too B such B there

Writing 2 Write an email to Naoko. Tell her your plans for today and who you think you’ll spend the day with.

Write 35-45 words.

14

C talks C she C their C doing C some C else C very C where

Vocabulary 3 Complete the definitions (1-6) with a word from the box.

Then match the definition to the correct word (A-F). hears

watches

catches

rings

keep

does

keep 1 D These ..........................

Naoko warm in bed.

2 She .......................... her favourite programmes on this.

3 She .......................... this first thing in the morning.

4 She .......................... a train from here to go to school.

5 This is where Naoko .......................... her lessons.

6 This .......................... at school when it’s time for lunch.

A bell B station C classroom D covers E alarm clock F television

Speaking / Writing 4 Discuss these questions with a partner and write your answers.

1 What countries have you visited or would you like to visit? Why? 2 Why do you think it’s important to know about people from other countries?

3 What differences do you think you’ll find between Naoko’s way of life and yours?

4 What things do you think will be the same about Naoko’s way of life and yours?

5 Have you ever used your English to speak to somebody from another country? Tell us about it!

15

Chapter 1

A day with Naoko 2

‘Naoko, Ohayo! Good morning Naoko!’ says my mum. ‘It’s time to get ready for school!’ My only answer is to pull up the covers on my futon so I can sleep a little more. Then the alarm clock starts to ring too. Still half asleep*, I get up and put on the TV to watch my favourite programme. It’s about exercises to do in the morning and I do them too on the special floor we have here called tatami.

Futon It’s the traditional Japanese bed. It’s a thin mattress* that we put on the floor. There’s a blanket (kakebuton) and a pillow* (makura). It’s very comfortable.

asleep when you haven’t woken up mattress you sleep on this 16

pillow you put your head on this when you sleep

Then I go to the bathroom and wash my face. I put on my school uniform and then I run downstairs for breakfast.

There are all my favourite dishes on the table: miso soup, natto (beans) and a big bowl of hot white rice.

There is also the fish I caught with my grandfather in the river the day before, tamagoyaki (made with eggs) and tsukemono (vegetables in salt).

There is also green tea!

Miso soup A kind of seaweed* and bean soup that the Japanese eat at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We all have breakfast together: my dad, Daisuke, who is always late, has already finished eating and he’s putting on his tie to hurry to work. Kumiko my mum, is wearing an apron* with flowers and is busy in the kitchen. Then there’s my brother Riki who is still half asleep as he starts eating his breakfast. He still goes to primary* school while I have been at secondary high school since I was 14.

seaweed a kind of vegetable you find in the sea

apron what you wear when you’re cooking to keep your clothes clean

primary school for children from 6 to 12 years old 17

Finally, there’s Lea my goldfish* who watches us all from her glass bowl. Maybe she’d like some breakfast too! We all live in Tokyo!

After my yummy breakfast, I say goodbye to everybody, take my bentō (lunch box) and leave home to go to the station.

Today the train is really crowded: it’s full of salarymen (people who work in the offices of Japanese companies). Some are having a nap* until they arrive at their station, others are working or playing with their mobiles. I’m standing because there are no seats left and I’m looking around to see if Chika has managed to get on.

A typical Japanese breakfast

Chika is one of my classmates who gets the same train as me every morning. There she is! She’s lucky: she’s found a seat and is reading a book! The next stop is ours! goldfish 18

nap when you sleep for a short time

Our school is on a hill near a Buddhist Temple. There are lots of big old trees around it and there is a big playground where there is also a swimming pool that is open all summer.

There are 25 boys and girls in my class. Every morning the teacher calls out our names to see if we are all there, then we start our Japanese lesson where we learn kanji. We start learning kanji when we are very young as it’s very difficult to remember; in fact there’s so much to learn that I don’t think we’ll ever finish.

Kanji After this, we have another two lessons that aren’t Kanji is the Chinese very interesting, but then way of writing that we Professor Smith arrives to use to write in Japanese. teach us English. He’s tall In our daily life we use with a long beard and is 1850 characters called about 35 years old. tōyō kanji.

I love his lessons even if it’s In Japan we have three really difficult to understand ways of writing: him sometimes because kanji, hiragana and he doesn’t speak a word of katakana.

Japanese.

19

My bento

Then the bell rings: it’s already lunchtime. We all pull out our lunch boxes. They are all different colours – pink, yellow – and it’s great fun to open them and see what’s inside. Chika and I sit next to each other and we look at what we both have in our lunch boxes: I’ve got karaage chicken (fried* chicken) rice with egg and kombu (seaweed). For Chika there’s fried fish and other vegetables. We share our food and chat about what we like best. Our lunchbreak is always too short, only 20 minutes. I’d like it to be longer.

Karaage chicken Fried Japanese chicken, yummy to eat hot or cold.

It’s lighter than western fried food and is eaten with white rice. People often take it in their lunchboxes or on picnics during the season when the cherry trees are in flower. fried cooked in hot oil 20

Lessons finish at 3.35 pm. I say bye to Chika who has to hurry to her theatre club: this year she’ll be ‘Juliet’ and Tatsurō ‘Romeo’. Tatsurō is the guy I like, and today we have to clean the classroom together. Every day two students have to do this.

He’s really quiet and doesn’t speak much except when he’s on stage. I’d clean all day just to be with him! We take the things out of the cupboard and start cleaning. We don’t say much while we’re cleaning but I’m really happy just the same. The classroom is spotless* when we’ve finished. We put everything back in the cupboard and Tatsurō goes to the theatre club while I go to Chika’s house to finish our homework.

spotless very clean 21

Later I run to my kyūdō ( Japanese archery*) club. I do archery three times a week and on the other days, I go to guitar lessons.

I really like archery and watching my friends doing it too.

The only problem is carrying the bow* and arrows* to the lessons, especially on the train! Fortunately I can usually leave them in the gym* so I don’t need to worry about that!

archery see the photo above on the left bow 22

arrows gym where you do sport

When I’ve finished my lessons, I get a cold drink from the Jidōhanbaiki in front of the gym.

Jidōhanbaiki You can find these vending machines* all over town. Jidōhanbaiki are very common in Japan. Some offer free drinks if there is a disaster*. vending machine see picture on the right disaster when something terrible happens 23

I get the bus home. I prefer it to the train because I almost always find a seat. I know the other people on the bus because I always get this bus at the same time.

When I get on, I bow* to them as a way of saying hello and being polite.

Then I sit down and read my manga ( Japanese comic*) that Chika gave me at school.

When I open the door of my house, I can smell* something nice! Mum is already making the dinner. I take off my shoes in the genkan and go up to my room.

Genkan Genkan is the name of the hall in a Japanese home. Japanese people always take off their shoes in the hall before going into the rest of the house. It’s like a kind of cupboard for shoes.

to bow move your head down comic magazine for children with pictures 24

smell what you do with your nose

Before starting my homework, I look at my mobile and open an app called LINE (the most popular social network in Japan). There’s a message from Chika: ‘Naoko, what’s the manga like? Do you like it? This evening after theatre club, we went and had some kaiten-sushi (sushi served on a special belt that moves the dishes around the restaurant). There was also Mic-chan who spoke to me about you…’

Mic-chan was one of our classmates at primary school. He’s at our school now but in a different class. He’s a boy who’s always been a great friend! Who knows what he said! For sure he’ll want to play one of his jokes* on me!

Anyway, I need to start my homework or I won’t finish in time to see my favourite TV programme. Then a nice hot bath and at 11p.m. off to bed! The end of another day. Who knows what will happen tomorrow… play a joke when you do something funny 25

After-reading Activities

Stop & Check 1 Choose A, B or C to make true sentences about Naoko’s day in Chapter 1.

In the morning Naoko watches a TV programme about…

A cooking.

B exercises.

C travelling.

1 At breakfast, Naoko drinks…

A green tea.

B milk.

C coffee.

2 Naoko goes to school by…

A bus.

B car.

C train.

3 Naoko’s school is…

A only for girls.

B on a hill.

C near a river.

4 Naoko has lunch…

A at home.

B at her C at school. grandparent’s.

5 After school, Naoko…

A plays B goes C goes to her the guitar. swimming. theatre club.

Grammar 2 Choose the correct word.

Naoko puts on /wears her school uniform before

having breakfast.

1 Professor Smith, the English teacher doesn’t

speak/speaks a word of Japanese.

2 At lunchtime, Naoko and Chika chat/say about what

they like best in their lunchboxes.

3 Naoko have/has to clean the classroom with Tatsuro,

the boy she likes.

4 When Naoko gets home, her mum is making/makes

dinner in the kitchen.

5 Naoko knows/has known Mic-chan since primary school.

26

Writing 3 In Chapter 1, Naoko describes what she does every day.

Write to her about your day. Talk about:

- Mealtimes and what you eat - What you study at school - What you do in your free time

Write about 100 words.

Speaking 4 Naoko talks about what they eat in Japan for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Discuss with a partner what things you’d like to try and what your favourite dishes are.

Vocabulary 5 Circle the odd one out in each line.

1 2 3 4 5 6

a face a bathroom a hill a fun a summer a chicken a hate

b hair b kitchen b sea b sad b spring b rice b enjoy

c ears c floor c lake c nice c June c beans c love

d hand d hall d river d exciting d autumn d tea d like

Before-reading Activity

Speaking 6 Chapter 2 is called Autumn Days. With a friend, try and think of what Japanese people do at this time of year.

Then read the chapter and see if your ideas were right.

27

After-reading Activities

Stop & Check 1 Choose the correct answer, a or b about Chapter 5.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Naoko says that the lessons at school were 7 long and hard. a ■ b ■ short and easy.

Naoko and Riki usually spend their holidays a ■ at home with their parents. b ■ at their grandparent’s home.

Naoko goes to the village a ■ on her bike. b ■ on foot.

O-bon day is on a ■ August 15th. b ■ August 13th.

Naoko and Riki go to the beach and they find a ■ some fish. b ■ some shells.

This year, Naoko a ■ is going to dance in the show. b ■ is going to watch the show with her friends.

Naoko meets her friends a ■ at the station. b ■ at the beach.

Tatsuro gives Naoko a ■ a fish. b ■ a bird.

The fireworks show is a ■ two hours long. b ■ one hour long.

70

Vocabulary 2 In this book you’ve learnt a lot about Japanese Culture.

How many words can you make from the letters in ‘Japanese Culture’? Read the clues and guess the words.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

You use your eyes to do this. (v) These are like trousers. (n) The opposite of exit. (n) You do this at night. (v) A kind of fruit. (n) You run with other people when you do this. (n) You do this when you take something that isn’t yours. (v) You find these in a forest. (n) You give someone this on their birthday. (n) It means nice. (adj) The opposite of early. (adj/adv) One hundred of these makes a dollar. (n) The opposite of dirty. (adj) You drink from this. (n) Easy to understand (adj)

e_ e _s _ j____ e_______ s____ p___ r___ s____ t____ p______ p_______ l___ c____ c____ c__ c____

Speaking/Writing 3 Discuss with a friend what there is to see and do in your town or city, then write an email to Naoko. In your email, you should: - invite her to come and stay with you and tell her the best time to come - tell her the places you’ll visit - explain what you can do together Write 35-45 words.

71

Test Yourself How much can you remember? Choose A, B or C to complete the sentences about Naoko’s story.

In Naoko’s class there are…

A 20 boys B 15 boys C 25 boys and girls. and girls. and girls.

1 Naoko has a A dog and B cat and C goldfish a cat. a bird. and a dog.

2 Naoko’s lunchbreak is…

A 20 minutes B 40 minutes C 30 minutes long. long. long.

3 Before going to bed, Naoko has a…

A bath.

B shower.

C cup of tea.

4 The ‘Day of Culture’ in Japan is on…

A Nov 30th.

B Nov 3rd.

C Nov 13th.

5 During the school show…

A Tatsuro kisses B Tatsuro kisses C Mic-chan kisses Naoko. Chika. Naoko.

6 Naoko likes ………… ice-cream.

A coffee B strawberry C chocolate 7 Naoko lives in a…

A big flat.

B big house.

C small flat.

8 Naoko and her friends go to Kyoto by…

A plane.

B car.

C train.

9 Their school trip to Kyoto is …………. days long.

A three B two C four 10 Naoko watches the fireworks…

A on the beach.

B from a hill.

C at home.

72

Syllabus Topics Family Friends Daily Routine Traditions Verbs Positive and negative imperative forms Present simple and present continuous Past simple and past continuous Present perfect simple Future with going to and will Can, have to, need, must, would like Common phrasal verbs Passive forms – present and past simple Adjectives Comparative and superlative forms

Teen

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