Your foreign friend is planning to move to Japan.

Help your friend move into a good Japanese neighborhood.

IN THIS LESSON, YOU WILL

1. Discuss your friend’s preference for the city or country.
2. Read a classified ad to check for a good home.
3. Persuade your friend to move into a certain neighborhood.

PRACTICE

STEP A EXERCISE

Choose the correct expressions in the parentheses.

  1. Unfortunately, cats aren’t allowed in the apartment. But (the middle of nowhere / on the bright side), you won’t hear loud meows at night.
  2. I’m not really a fan of big cities. (I consider myself a country boy. / Don’t knock it till you try it!)
  3. All furniture is from (a non-smoking household / the middle of nowhere).
  4. I know you said you weren’t interested in this new app, but (it’s free to a good home / don’t knock it till you try it).
  5. All items are (free to a good home / in good condition). I’m selling them for 500 yen a piece or 3,000 yen for all.

STEP B EXERCISE

Choose the expressions in the box that best match the pictures.

the hustle and bustle
one downside of something
in good condition
a non-smoking household

1.

 

3.

2.

 

4.

MISSION

Challenge 1

Your foreign friend is planning to move to Japan. You want to help him/her choose a place to live. First, find out whether he/she prefers the city or the country.

Remember?

  • on the bright side
  • one downside of something
  • the best thing about something
  • the hustle and bustle
  • the middle of nowhere
  • consider someone a country/city boy/girl

Challenge 2

Read the newspaper classified ads to check for real estate properties.

Remember?

  • in good condition
  • a non-smoking household
  • free to a good home

FURNITURE/APPLIANCES

SALE: Wooden bedroom and living room furniture. All in good condition from a non-smoking household. Prices negotiable.

2-year-old computer and printer free to a good home.

MOVING OUT SALE
Bedroom, living room, and kitchen furniture and appliances for sale. Contact me at fujiwara@shuzz.jp.

REAL ESTATE

FOR SALE
2-story modern house in Kanagawa.
12-minute walk from Musashi-kosugi Station.
2BR with Western-style bathrooms and balcony.
 
Contact Mai Yamagata at myamagata@meru.com.

RUSH SALE!!!
1-story house with garden in Ikoma (Nara).
Quiet neighborhood near several temples and shrines.

Japanese-style home and garden with western-style bathrooms. Old but in good condition.
Price negotiable. Interested buyers contact me ASAP at takahashi989@meru.com.

FUJISAWA APARTMENT FOR SALE!
4-story apartment with coastal view.
Near restaurants and pubs.
Only 1 hour away from Tokyo.
Apartment uses solar panels.
Pets allowed.

OTHER

PUPPIES
Two puppies free to a good home. Breed unknown but they are so cute!!! Contact doggirl@rei.jp for details.

Challenge 3

Call your foreign friend to talk about where he/she should move to. Persuade him to move into one of the neighborhoods you found in the classified ads or your own neighborhood.

Remember?

  • in good condition
  • on the bright side
  • one downside of something
  • the best thing about something
  • you never know
  • give it a try

FEEDBACK

Help your friend move into a good Japanese neighborhood.

MISSION ACHIEVEMENT

  • 4
    Very Good

    Could complete the task with ease

  • 3
    Good

    Could complete the task with some clarifications

  • 2
    Fair

    Could complete the task with additional instructions

  • 1
    Poor

    Could somehow complete the task with difficulty

PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK