Your foreign coworker’s spouse and daughter are coming to Japan to visit him/her.

Help your friend introduce his/her family to Japanese culture.

IN THIS LESSON, YOU WILL

1. Listen to your friend’s news about his/her family.
2. Tell your coworker about Shichi-Go-San.
3. Explain how to properly bow.

PRACTICE

STEP A EXERCISE

Replace the underlined parts with expressions from the box. The form of some expressions may need to be changed.

commercialized
put a lot of thought into something
convey something
be all about something
  1. I love all the artwork in your house. You must really think carefully about your decorations!
  2. My boss told us not to gossip about each other because it shows disrespect.
  3. Jade thinks that the pop music industry has become too focused on making money.
  4. I take baking lessons after work every Wednesday. Today’s lesson was focused on how to make a lot of different types of cheesecake.

STEP B EXERCISE

Choose the sentences that best match the bold sentences.

 

1. The new horror movie is about a house that’s haunted by the spirits of the dead.

  1. The new movie is about a house haunted by ghosts.
  2. The new movie is about a house haunted by demons.

 

2. Rachel wants a secular wedding.

  1. Rachel wants to get married in a church.
  2. Rachel doesn’t want to get married in a church.

 

3. Remember to do a deep bow while handing your business card with both hands.

  1. You should do a 45-degree bow when giving out your business card.
  2. You should do a 15-degree bow when giving out your business card.

 

4. Reading my horoscope is a deeply ingrained habit that started when I was a teenager.

  1. I’m a teenager, and I just started reading my horoscope.
  2. I’ve been reading my horoscope every day since I was a teenager.

MISSION

Challenge 1

You’re having coffee with your foreign coworker. Listen to his/her news.

Remember?

  • put a lot of thought into something
  • the spirits of something/someone

Challenge 2

You’re still having coffee with your coworker. Answer his/her questions about Shichi-Go-San.

Remember?

  • show one’s gratitude
  • be all about something
  • commercialized
  • secular
  • the spirits of something/someone
  • give offerings

Challenge 3

It’s been one week since your coworker’s spouse and daughter arrived in Japan. He/She has some more questions about Japanese culture. Answer them.

Remember?

  • a slight/deep bow
  • convey something
  • deeply ingrained
  • show one’s gratitude

FEEDBACK

Help your friend introduce his/her family to Japanese culture.

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