Showing Off Our Creativity

 

A Cookie to be Remembered

Today, we went to a cafe, and Lux ordered a cookie.  Lux and her sister tasted the cookie, and they said it tasted bad.  I was very curious and asked to taste it.  The cookie tasted like overburnt cement.  It had grainy bitter raisins and seemed to be sprinkled with salt and pepper.  It was so bad I almost puked.  My friend Eisuke tasted the cookie, and it was so bad that he puked into the trash bag.  Lux's cookie looked good, but it tasted so bad!!!  Next time we come here, we will not order this cookie!

The Life of a Sailor on an Aircraft Carrier

It was 5:00am, and like every day, the alarm clock rang.  I woke up, and everything was dark.  I said hello to the other sailor who was in the bed above, and very slowly, I stood up and went to the line for the showers.  I waited about 10 minutes in line, and when I arrived at the shower, I took off my clothes and went in the shower.  As always, the water was freezing.  It burned my arms, and even though I did it every day, I never got used to it.  Then I went to have breakfast.

A Fairy Tale

Once upon a time, there was a girl who lived in the country with her family.  Every member of the family got his/her own unicorn at the age of 11 if he/she completed 3 tasks on their 11th birthday.  So, the girl started with the first task of eating the bean burrito from Taco Bell.  The next task was for her to do a backflip.  The last task was for her to eat 3 big cotton candies. At the end of the day, her unicorn was waiting for her, and they became best friends.

Edited for brevity and clarity.

Why You Should Come to...

 

Hong Kong

You should visit Hong Kong.  Hong Kong is an international city.  There are restaurants from different countries, shops that would be suitable for everyone, and weather that is not extremely hot or cold.  So, every visitor will not feel unhappy when they visit.

Hong Kong has many amazing views and attractions.  For example, there is Victoria Harbor.  I would recommend that you hike to the Peak at night and look down to see the greatest view of Hong Kong and the lights from the tall buildings.  You can also enjoy the comfortable weather at night in Hong Kong.  In my point of view, I don't think Hong Kong's gorgeous night view is any worse than New York's.

Hong Kong has been called the 'shopping heaven' or the 'travel heaven' for decades. It is because Hong Kong's products are not very expensive.  It is often much cheaper compared to other countries. In addition, there are no taxes on products, which is quite unique compared to other foreign countries.

Also, Hong Kong's cuisine is really delicious.  There are quite a lot of Michelin-starred restaurants in Hong Kong.

In conclusion, Hong Kong is a place that can fulfill every visitor's needs.  So, I highly recommend that you visit Hong Kong at least once in your lifetime.

The Chamonix Region

Chamonix, located at the foot of Mont Blanc, is a dream destination for winter sports and mountaineering.  Its stunning landscapes and diverse slopes attract visitors from around the world.  However, the high cost of accommodations, ski passes, and dining make Chamonix an expensive choice.

What many people don't know is that there are affordable ways to enjoy the Chamonix region.  Smaller, nearby resorts such as Vallorcine and Avoriaz offer more reasonable rates while maintaining the charm and beauty of the Alps.  These smaller resorts are less crowded as well.

Visiting these resorts outside of the peak season has its perks too.  Snow conditions are typically excellent, and prices are lower outside the peak holiday periods.  This allows the visitors to enjoy the typical winter sports, hiking and cultural activities without crowds.  

Chamonix is a popular and costly destination, but there are many ways to experience its surroundings more affordably, You will end up coming back every year!

Edited for brevity and clarity.

Battle of the Doughnuts: Dunkin Donuts vs. Krispy Kreme

 

Which is better?  Here are the viewpoints of our students from the Spring 2024 session.  

Edited for length and clarity.

Antoine

Before eating lunch, I tasted for the first time Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Dunkin Donuts, which has a worse box than Krispy Kreme doughnuts was cheaper and sweeter.  I prefer the taste of Krispy Kreme doughnuts although it is more expensive.  Krispy Kreme doughnuts have become my favorite American snack.  

Artur

Which doughnut was more delicious?  Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme?  I tasted for the first time Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme doughnuts, and I found that they are different!  Krispy Kreme doughnuts are more beautiful, and Dunkin Donuts are sweeter and bigger.  I prefer Krispy Kreme doughnuts because I don't like food that is too sweet.

Pauline

I tasted real doughnuts, Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme doughnuts, for the first time in NYC.  I first looked at Dunkin Donuts.  I love big and sweet snacks and thought that Dunkin Donuts would be better than Krispy Kreme doughnuts.  I was wrong.  Dunkin Donuts was too sweet.  I prefer Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

If I Were Rich and Famous...

I would live in a Hanok in the middle of Seoul.  A Hanok is a traditional Korean House.  It is cool in the summer and warm in the winter.  I like "ondol", which is a special feature of an Hanok house.  "Ondol" is used in the winter.  It is placed under the floor, and it can heat a room very fast.  I would also like to see beautiful plants and trees in the garden.  I would like to adopt a dog with white hair too.  I have an allergy to dog hair, but I would like to have the allergy disappear in the future.  It may take a long time to reach my every wish, but I will never give up.

I would live in a log cabin in a forest in the US.  The house would be made of wood and have 3 floors and 5 rooms - a living room, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and my secret room!  The secret room would be on the third floor, and in the room, I could play games, play with my animals and feed them.  In front of my house, there would be a pool and grass.  On the grass, I could play.  I think my house would be real some day.

I would live in a big house in Florida.  The house would have a big game room and kitchen because I love to play games and cook.  I would like to have a PS5 computer, TV, LED lights etc.  I would like to have a gym room too, with all the machines.  Very cool.  I would also like to have a dog and live with my girlfriend or best friend.  I could go to parties, work out in the gym and eat ramen with them.  I would like a car (Supra Toyota) or a motorbike (Z1000), big pool and a tree house where I could watch movies with my friends.  I can't wait!

I would live in a big house with a swimming pool and a huge garden.  My house will have a big, cozy bedroom and an exciting game room.  I would have a very cute cat and a dog.  Also, my little lizard Sand would live in a very big cage.  My house would have three floors, and on the third floor, there would be very big windows on all four walls.  The garden would be very colorful.  My house would be the nicest in Seoul, Korea.

Rockefeller Center

Many people are familiar with the iconic Rockefeller Center in the heart of New York City, but have you ever spent time at this famous landmark? Hi-New-York is based at Rockefeller Center, and this summer, our students spent some time exploring the art and history of this venue and wrote about their experiences and what they learned.

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Rockefeller Center has been giving New Yorkers joy ever since it was built.  During the Great Depression, J.D.Rockefeller Jr. wanted to create something with his money that other people could enjoy. He also created jobs by financing the building. J.D. Rockefeller Jr. was never interested in spending his money on himself. He wanted to spend it on others. He built Rockefeller Center so that New Yorkers can enjoy the cultural richness of their city.

….....

Rockefeller Center is a really cool place with a lot of things to see and do. When the weather is good, you can go up the skyscrapers and take a look at New York from above. Rockefeller Center has a big underground system with cafes and shops where you can go when the weather is bad. On the outside of many buildings, there is art, and you can ask the receptionists of the buildings about the art. There are many interesting shops you can visit, and in the middle of Rockefeller Center, you have an ice-skating rink which opens every Christmas. During Christmas, they also put up a very big Christmas tree. Rockefeller Center has been giving New Yorkers joy ever since it was built. 

…….

In New York, there is an important and famous place called Rockefeller Center. If you go there, you will have a lot of fun. You can skate, and you can see a lot of art. During the winter, it is even more amazing! You should definitely go there and enjoy it. There is a huge Christmas tree full of different colored lights and a lot of beautiful shops;  so, you won’t be bored!

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Rockefeller Center is a group of buildings in Midtown. Every building is decorated with art and colors. There is everything in those buildings like restaurants, shops and snack stands. The subway is connected to the Center too. We can also go to the Top of the Rock, an observatory at Rockefeller Center. There, we can see a lot of skyscrapers like the Empire State building. We can visit the Center when it's sunny and when it's raining. Rockefeller Center is a very good place to visit.

Using Technology to Learn English

 

When it comes to learning English, there are many resources out there that can help you, and with advances in technology, there are now more resources available online than ever before. Armed with smart phones, ipads, laptops and gaming devices, our students have access to so much that it can be overwhelming at times. Therefore, we have summarized below some of the online resources that are available to young learners today.

We always encourage our students to watch movies or shows in English with English subtitles. Streaming services like Netflix offer this capability. This can be a great way to improve listening comprehension and speaking skills for everyday situations. Quite often, our European students don't realize that we are using vocabulary they already know because the words are pronounced differently in English. Many also find it challenging to know where to place the stress on an English word. Listening to the English being spoken while reading the English subtitles will help bridge these gaps. Watching and listening in another language requires a lot of focus and attention; so, watching episodes or movies in short parts can help to take in more of the language. Noting new words and pronunciation as they appear can also help with the learning process.

YouTube also offers a lot of content that is fun and accessible for all language levels, including music and videos on various topics of special interest. Adding on a brower extension like the ‘language reactor’ can help to sift through the content and enhance the learning experience through subtitles and a pop-up dictionary.

Language app's such as Duolingo, Babbel, Rosetta stone and Memrise to name a few can also be a great way to learn new vocabulary and basic grammatical structures. Many of the app’s have ways to keep track of one's progress to help maintain motivation.

A bit more controversial are online games because of the amount of time being spent in front of a screen. The important thing here is to find those games with high educational value like the recently released Minecraft ‘adventures in English with Cambridge’. There are also many other video games that can be switched to English in the settings, and some video games have characters who speak in English or features that allow for communication in English with other players from around the world

Accessing online content on topics of interest can help to maintain motivation and ensure continued learning. National Geographics, for example, offers interactive games, activities and videos on animals, science and history. These topics might interest some students. PBS is another organization that offers video and game content through which younger children can learn and practice English.

Although technology can be very useful in learning English, it’s important to remember that it can't replace everyday human interactions and should be used alongside real-life experiences. Immersing oneself in the English language and practicing it in situ is required for mastery. Communicating fully with other English-speaking people should be the goal and not the acquisition of vocabulary or knowledge of grammar rules.

Emails from NY

Dear Martina,

How are you?  Are you fine?  In New York, the weather is terrible!  It's rainy!!  

I like New York.  This week, I visited the Empire State Building, Natural History Museum and a botanical garden.  Two days before yesterday, I saw Lion King.  It was very beautiful.

Love,

G

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Dear Best Friend,

How are you?  I am well.  Yesterday, we went to a museum and saw many pictures.  They were beautiful.  I also played with water in a park with my friend.  We then went to buy some ice cream.  It was cold but very delicious.  Yesterday was very hot, but I made some good memories with a new friend.  Now, I want to do something with you!

S

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Dear Dad,

Is everything ok?  I'm in NY, and it's amazing.  The city is a bit crowded, but it has some spectacular buildings with very creative shapes.  I've been to visit the Statue of Liberty, and the view from the island is beautiful.  We are planning to visit the Empire State Building next.  I have seen it from the outside, and it is especially beautiful at night.

I hope you can write back soon and tell me how you are doing.  I miss you.

Love,

T

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Dear Grandma,

How are you?  I'm doing fine.  I ate ice cream yesterday.  I watched Aladdin on Broadway on Wednesday,  It was very powerful and amazing. I'll be home soon.

R

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Dear Grandma,

How are you?  I am fine.  In New York City, I am doing many things, but I want to go back to Russia.  Write back to me, and tell me what's new in Moscow.  I miss you a lot.

Love,

V