Friday, April 28, 2006

A Comparison of sorts!Sorting the Grammar : 田中先生、ありがとう!



Comparison

1. Expressing facts about a certain topic or person (This is a statement.)

e.g.

私はピーターくんよりせが高いです。

I am taller than Peter.


2. Comparing two things or people (Often there is a question before the answer.)

e.g.

Q.トムくんとピーターくんとでは、どちらがせが高(たか)いですか。

Q. Which (person) is taller between Tom and Peter?

A. ピーターくんのほうがトムくんよりせが高いです。

A. Peter is taller than Tom.

Or

A. ピーターくんのほうが高いです。

A. Peter is taller.




Structure Summary

Question:

AとBとでは、どちらがAdjective or Verb ending.

Between A and B, which is more Adjective or which does the activity more?



Answer:

A のほうがBより Adjective ですor Verbます。

A is more Adjective than B or A does the activity more than B.

Note: Never use とても in this sentence. You may use もっとor ずっと.

Comparison Exercise

Read each question or answer sentence and write the appropriate question or answer sentence in Japanese.

1. コリンウッドとホーソンとではどちらがつよいと思いますか。


Your answer




             


2. カイリーとマドンナとブリトニーとではだれが一番セクシーだと思いますか。



Your answer




3.

Your question





オーストラリアンアイドルのほうがおもしろいです。


4.

Your question




ミートパイが一番すきです。



Thursday, April 06, 2006

Email from Stephen


I'll send periodic emails such as this every couple of weeks.
I arrived in Fukuoka at 8:00am this morning (9:00 Melbourne time). The weather is wet, but the cherry blossoms are out. Fukuoka is very built up - I haven't seen any grass here yet. All buildings are are over five stories high. Japanese drivers posses little regard for pedestrian safety, and businessmen in suits ride bicycles on the footpath.
I arrived at the same time as another Australian boy, two NZ boys and an NZ girl. Already here are three Canadian boys, three American girls and some Chinese/Tiawanese whom I haven't seen yet.
The dormitory I'm staying in has seven floors - the international students are on the third floor, and the rest are filled with baseballers (who practise every day - the school reached the semifinals at Koshien last year). The dormitory matron is an eccentric woman with an intense dislike of electrical appliances. She is paranoid that electrical appliances left plugged in after use will start a fire, and takes it upon herself to unplug everything at the end of the day.
Among other things, I went to the local government building to be registered as an alien today. We were treated to lunch at a local steakhouse (unfortunately Japanese law does not prohibit smoking in restaurants). I'm currently staying in my own room, but will be moved tomorrow and soon will have a Japanese roommate.
I haven't done anything too offensive yet, save for closing the door of a taxi (apparently they're automatic and handling them damages the mechanism) and eating while standing up in the cafeteria.
Tomorrow I have to deliver a speech in Japanese to the whole school at their opening assembly - about the same number of students as Xavier.
I've taken some photos and may either send them via email or post them on the web soon, if your interested.
Feel free to foward this email to any interested parties at Xavier.
Thanks,
Stephen