        在前面我们介绍的二十四节气中，现在处于立夏和小满之间，就是农谚所说的：“立夏之后是小满”。 立夏表示春天结束、夏天开始了。这个时节气温将明显增高，雷雨增多，庄稼进入生长旺期。民间有很多应节的活动。

四季人生（The Four Seasons of Life）

立夏之后是小满Grain Buds comes after The Start of Summer

▼スクリプト
みんなは視力（しりょく）どれぐらいある？私は目が悪くて、コンタクトをつけてるんだけど、パソコンするときは目が乾燥（かんそう）しちゃうから、めがね使ってるんだよね。でも、ずっとパソコンしてるとほんと目がヤバくなってくるから、この前ブルーライトカットのめがねを買いに行ったの。

How good is your eyesight? I have bad eyesight, so I wear contacts, but when I use the computer, my eyes get dry, so I use glasses. But my eyes get really bad when I'm on the computer all the time, so the other day I went to buy a pair of blue light-cut glasses.

日本のめがねの値段（ねだん）はピンキリなんだけど、安いのは10000円くらいから買えるよ。有名なお店は「J!NS」とか「Zoff」とか「めがね市場」かなぁ。私は今までずっと「J!NS」で買ってたんだけど、かわいいフレームがあったから今回は「めがね市場」で買ったんだよね。

Prices for glasses in Japan vary widely, but you can buy inexpensive ones for as little as 10,000 yen. I think the most famous stores are "J!NS", "Zoff", and "Megane Ichiba". I used to buy my glasses at "J!NS", but this time I bought them at "Megane Ichiba" because they had cute frames.

レンズのオプションもいろいろあって、ブルーライトカットはもちろんなんだけど、スマホを見るとき目を楽にするレンズとか、抗菌（こうきん）レンズとかいろいろあってびっくりしちゃった。

I was surprised at the variety of lens options available, including blue-light-cut lenses, lenses that make it easier for me to look at my phone, and antibacterial lenses.

視力検査（けんさ）もめがね屋さんでするんだけど、右目も左目も「0.05」ずつしかなかったからショックだった…。あと、少し右目が乱視（らんし）って言われたから、レンズは特注（とくちゅう）になって1週間後に出来上がって取りに行ったよ。もし日本でめがねを作ることがあったら、時間に余裕をもってつくったほうがいいよ。

I also had my eyesight tested at the optometrist's, and I was shocked to see that it was only 0.05 vision each for my right and left eyes.... I was also told that I had a little astigmatism in my right eye, so the lenses were special ordered and I went to pick them up a week after they were made.If you have to get glasses made in Japan, you should make them well in advance.

ちなみに、この前、子供の視力が悪くなってるってテレビで言ってたんだよね。1.0未満の子どもは高校生で63％らしいよ。たしかに私も高校生のときからコンタクトしてるなぁって思った。いつかレーシックもしてみたい！

By the way, I heard on TV the other day that children's eyesight is getting worse: 63% of high school students have less than 1.0 vision. I have been wearing contacts since I was in high school. I'd like to have LASIK someday!

ガチ日本語 - Everyday Japanese -

Ep.3 めがねをつくる

In this episode, we dive into the character of Kenny Ackerman from Attack on Titan.
His clumsy love for others, his complicated bond with Uri, and his deeply human struggles make him one of the most intriguing characters in the series.
Through his words and actions, we catch glimpses of human weakness, strength, and even a hint of hope.
Which of Kenny’s lines or scenes stayed with you the most?
Let’s take a moment to reflect on the depth and complexity of this unforgettable character.
Original story by Hajime Isayama. Animation by WIT STUDIO and MAPPA.

YOIN Anime Reflections – Easy Japanese Podcast

Attack on Titan - A man called Kenny Ackerman for Intermediate

How can you use critical thinking more? Listen to the podcast to find some tips.

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In English exams like the IELTS test, there are speaking or writing questions that require critical thinking skills. If you feel weak in this area, you’re not alone. Many people do. The reason is that critical thinking is challenging, and this isn’t helped by the fact that not all education systems or schools focus the same energy on developing such skills. So what does it mean to think critically, and how can you do it more often?

***What is critical thinking?***

There are many different aspects to critical thinking. It may be about using your knowledge to predict what consequences different actions will have. It may be about looking at information and then forming opinions or reaching conclusions. It may also be about understanding when some important information is missing, and being able to gather the extra information that you need. In your work life or student life, these skills are vital for finding solutions to problems. If you have them and can present your analyses to other people effectively, you will be a valued member of any forward-thinking team.

---------------------------

If you want to work on your critical thinking with a qualified, experienced teacher, and to practise applying it when speaking or writing, please get in contact with me or book a class.

English exam skills

Critical thinking

Today we're talking about the noun "outset" which is a formal way to talk about the beginning of something. I hope you find it useful!

As always, my full time job is helping international professionals to improve the way that they communicate at work, in English. So, if that sounds like something you'd be interested in then feel free to book some of my time and I look forward to meeting you!

DAILY Business English VOCABULARY builder

I knew this from the beginning!

🧠💬 “I understand everything, but I can’t speak…”
¿Te suena familiar?
Este episodio es una llamada de atención para todos los que han pasado años estudiando español pero aún no se atreven a usarlo.

🔍 Aquí no te vamos a hablar de reglas gramaticales.
Hoy vamos directo al punto:
➡️ Entender español no significa que lo hables.
➡️ Estás atrapado en la comprensión pasiva.
➡️ Y no es tu culpa, pero sí es tu responsabilidad cambiarlo.

En este episodio aprenderás:
✅ Por qué esperar a sentirte listo es una trampa.
✅ Qué te impide hablar aunque sepas mucho vocabulario.
✅ Cómo activar tu español hoy, con frases simples y reales.
✅ El cambio de mentalidad que necesitas para avanzar.

🎁 Incluye una hoja práctica gratuita con frases listas para usar y un reto de 5 minutos diarios para empezar a hablar con lo que ya sabes.

🎧 Escúchalo ahora y recuerda:
La fluidez no empieza con saber más, empieza con atreverte a usar lo que ya sabes.

📩 Escribe “ACTIVO” por mensaje directo y te envío el recurso gratuito.

Español No Excuses: Level-Up Your Mind, Speak Out Loud

Entender no es lo mismo que hablar (y este es tu verdadero problema)

Yǒumíng de gēshǒu
有  名      的     歌 手

Zhōu shēn jīn nián 32 suì ， tā shì Zhōng guó rén ，
 周     深       今    年 32 岁，    他 是 中   国  人，
tā de jiā xiāng shì hú nán shào yáng 。
他 的  家 乡  是 湖 南  邵   阳。
   Zhōu shēn cóng xiǎo jiù rè ài yīnyuè ，shēngyīn hěn tè bié 。
   周   深   从 小  就 热爱 音乐，     声音   很 特别。
    Tā huì chàng mín zú gē qǔ ，shí dài gē qǔ hé xì qǔ ，děng děng 。
    他 会  唱    民 族 歌 曲，   时 代歌曲  和 戏曲，   等 等。
   Tā chàng guò 《qíng shì hé wù 》，《dà yú 》hé 《dēng huǒ lǐ de zhōng guó 》。
   他  唱    过 《情是何物》，    《大鱼》  和   《灯火里的中国》。
   2024nián 4 yuè ，Zhōu shēn hái zài lián hé guó zǒng bù ，chàng le yī shǒu 
《hé píng sòng 》。
   2024年4月，   周深还在联合国总部，唱了一首《和平颂》。
Xiànzài yuè lái yuè duō de rén rèn shi zhōu shēn ，xǐ huan tīng tā de gē 。
   现 在  越 来 越  多 的 人  认识    周    深， 喜欢    听 他的歌。
   Nǐ rèn shi Zhōu shēn ma ？Nǐ yě xǐ huan tīng tā de gē ma ？
   你 认 识   周  深   吗？ 你 也 喜 欢   听 他 的 歌 吗？



Zhou Shen is 32 years old. He is Chinese and his hometown is Shaoyang, Hunan.
Zhou Shen has loved music since he was a child and has a very special voice.
He can sing folk songs, contemporary songs and dramas, etc.
He has sung "What is Love", "Big Fish" and "China in Lights".
In April 2024, Zhou Shen also sang "Ode to Peace" at the United Nations headquarters.
Now, more and more people know Zhou Shen and like to listen to his songs.
Do you know Zhou Shen? Do you like listening to his songs?





Quizzes:
1)	What is Zhou Shen's (Charlie Zhou) occupation?   
医生 yīshēng
歌手 gēshǒu                                        ✔

2)	周深今年多大了？ Zhōu shēn jīn nián duō dà le?
32 岁                                              ✔
23 岁

3)	他是哪里人？ Tā shì nǎlǐ rén?
北京  Běijīng
湖南  Húnán                                       ✔

4)	今年4月，他在联合国总部唱了什么歌？ Jīn nián 4 yuè, tā zài Lián hé guó zǒng bù chàngle shénme gē?
《大鱼》  Dà yú
《和平颂》Hé píng sòng                            ✔



Correction notebook   错题本 (Mandarin)

讲解《有名的歌手》Explaining the essay ' A famous singer'

En este episodio especial de No Hay Tos, hablamos sobre 6 activadores (triggers) del subjuntivo en español.
Roberto Andrade and Héctor Libreros are the creators of No Hay Tos, a podcast designed to help English speakers practice their Spanish listening skills by listening to real conversations at a normal speed by native speakers.

No Hay Tos

Subjunctive Triggers | Adverb Clauses

Сегодня я встала без пяти пять. У меня был урок с ученицей. Потом я немного подремала и проснулась в семь утра. Сейчас у нас идёт дождик, и на улице очень свежо. Я люблю жить в Кито, потому что здесь всегда прохладно и никогда не бывает жарко.

А какая погода у вас сегодня? Напишите мне на русском. Мне будет очень приятно почитать.