Basic English Institute
Two women are having a talk outside a store.
What are they having ?
They are having a talk.
Where are they having a talk ?
They are having a talk outside a store.
First Woman : It's not a bad day, is it ?
What day is it not ?
It is not a bad day.
Second Woman : No. There was some mist earlier this morning when I took the boys to school,
What was there ?
There was some mist.
When was there any mist ?
There was some mist earlier this morning.
Who did she take ?
She took the boys.
Where did she take them ?
She took them to school.
But the sky is getting clear now
What is getting clear ?
The sky is getting clear.
When is it getting clear ?
It is getting clear now.
And they will see the sun in a short time.
What will they see ?
They will see the sun.
When will they see the sun ?
They will see the sun in a short time.
First Woman : There's a bit of blue sky now.
What is there ?
There's a bit of blue sky.
When is there a bit of blue sky ?
There's a bit of blue sky now.
Second Woman : Good.
What does she say ?
She says, "Good."
We may get a change of weather at last.
What may they get ?
They may get a change of weather.
When may they get a change of weather ?
They may get a change of weather at last.
First Woman : We may do so, . . .
How may they do ?
They may do so.
. . . but I have an idea that there will be some rain before the end of the day.
What will there be ?
There will be some rain.
When will there be any rain ?
There will be some rain before the end of the day.
What idea does she have ?
She has an idea that there will be some rain before the end of the day.
There was a ring round the moon last night, which is frequently a sign of wet weather, . . .
What was there ?
There was a ring round the moon.
When was there a ring round the moon ?
There was a ring round the moon last night.
What is frequently a sign of wet weather.
A ring round the moon is frequently a sign of wet weather.
What ring round the moon was there ?
There was a ring round the moon which is frequently a sign of wet weather,
. . . and the stars were not very clear.
How clear were they not ?
They were not very clear.
Second Woman : Isn't this east wind sending the rain clouds away ?
What does she ask ?
She asks," : Isn't this east wind sending the rain clouds away ?"
First Woman : There has been a change in its direction.
What has there been ?
There has been a change in its direction.
It is almost a south wind now.
What wind is it ?
It is almost a south wind.
When is it almost a south wind ?
It is almost a south wind now.
And when the wind goes to the south or the west, rain is on the way.
Where does the wind go ?
It goes to the south or the west.
What is on the way ?
Rain is on the way.
When is rain on the way ?
When the wind goes to the south or the west, rain is on the way.
Second Woman : The wind was so violent in the night that the noise of it kept me awake.
How was it ?
It was so violent.
When was it so violent ?
It was so violent in the night.
What kept her awake ?
The noise of it kept her awake.
Why did the noise of it keep her awake ?
It keep her awake because it was so violent in the night.
First Woman : Such winds are a sign of the coming spring.
What are a sign of the coming spring ?
Such winds are a sign of the coming spring.
Second Woman : That's true.
What is it ?
It's true.
Before the end of this month the spring flowers will have come out.
What will have come out ?
The spring flowers will have come out.
When will they have come out ?
Before the end of this month they will have come out.
If we have wind then, the flowers may come off the fruit trees.
What do they have ?
They have wind.
When do they have wind ?
They have wind then.
What may they come off ?
They may come off the fruit trees.
In what condition may they come off the fruit trees ?
If they have wind then, they may come off the fruit trees.
First Woman : How are the bulbs in your garden doing this year ?
What does she ask ?
She asks, "How are the bulbs in your garden doing this year ?"
Second Woman : Very well.
What does she say ?
She says, "Very well."
This hasn't been such a cold winter as we had last year
What hasn't been ?
It hasn't been a cold winter.
What did they have ?
They had a cold winter.
When did they have a cold winter ?
They had a cold winter last year.
What cold winter hasn't it been ?
It hasn't been such a cold winter as they had last year.
And the bulbs have come up earlier.
What have com up ?
The bulbs have come up.
How have they come up ?
They have come up earlier.
At this time last year, not one bulb was up.
What was up ?
Not one bulb was up.
When was not one bulb up ?
At this time last year, not one bulb was up.
Our garden is more beautiful in the spring and early summer than at any other time,
because our trees give so much shade later in the year that the flowers don't do well.
What is it more beautiful than ?
It is more beautiful than at any other time.
When is it more beautiful than at any other time ?
It is more beautiful in the spring and early summer than at any other time.
What shade do they give ?
They give so much shade.
When do they give so much shade ?
They give so much shade later in the year.
What don't do well.
The flowers don't do well.
Why don't they do well ?
Because their trees give so much shade later in the year.
Why is their garden more beautiful in the spring and early summer than at any other time ?
Because their trees give so much shade later in the year that the flowers don't do well.
First Woman : Our garden is so high that it gets more wind than your garden does.
How high is it ?
It is so high.
What wind does it get ?
It gets more wind.
What does it get more wind than ?
It gets more wind than the second woman's garden does.
Why does it get more wind ?
Because it is so high that it gets more wind than the second woman's garden does.
For this reason we have our best flowers in the summer and the fall.
What flowers do they have ?
They have their best flowers.
When do they have them ?
They have them in the summer and the fall.
Why do they have them in the summer and the fall?
Because their garden is so high that it gets more wind than the second woman's garden does.
Second Woman : The trees round our garden keep out the wind.
What keep out the wind ?
The trees round their garden keep out the wind.
Our trouble is the river.
What is the river ?
Their trouble is the river.
It makes our land very wet.
How wet does it make their land ?
It makes their land very wet.
After a winter such as we have had this year some of the garden is like a sponge.
What have they had ?
They have had a winter.
When have they had a winter ?
They have had a winter this year.
What is like a spong ?
Some of the garden is like a sponge.
When is it like a sponge ?
After winter such as they have had this year it is like a sponge.
First Woman : The slope of our land keeps it from ever being very wet.
How wet is their land ?
It is very wet.
What keeps it from ever being very wet ?
The slope of their land keeps it from ever being very wet.
Second Woman : It is best to be high in a place as wet as this.
What is it ?
It is best to be high.
Where is it best to be high ?
It is best to be high in a place as wet as that.
First Woman : That's what I said to Fred when I first saw the house.
Who did she say to ?
She said to Fred.
What is it ?
It's what she said to Fred.
What did she see ?
She saw the house.
When did she see the house ?
She first saw the house.
When did she say to Fred
She said to Fed when she first saw the house.
What is it ?
It is what she said to Fred when she first saw the house.
So we went there.
Where did they go ?
They went there.
And it was a wise decision.
What decision was it ?
It was a wise decision.
My dear, have you ever been anywhere as wet as this ?
What does she ask ?
She asks, " My dear, have you ever been anywhere as wet as this ?"
I haven't.
Where hasn't she been ?
She hasn't been anywhere as wet as that.
I take my umbrella with me everywhere, don't you ?
What does she take ?
She takes her umbrella.
Who does she take her umbrella with ?
She takes her umbrella with her.
Where does she take her umbrella with her ?
She takes her umbrella with her everywhere.
Second Woman : It's wise to do so because the rain comes so suddenly.
How is it ?
It is wise to do so.
What comes ?
Rain comes.
How does it come ?
It comes so suddenly.
Why is it wise to do so ?
Because rain comes so suddenly.
I foolishly didn't take my umbrella or my raincoat when I went to the market one day.
What didn't she take ?
She didn't take her umbrella or her raincoat.
How didn't she take it ?
She foolishly didn't take it.
Where did she go ?
She went to the market.
When did she go ?
She went one day.
When didn't she foolishly take her umbrella or raincoat ?
She didn't do so when she went to the market one day.
Not a cloud was in the sky when I went out.
What was in the sky ?
Not a cloud was in the sky.
What did she do ?
She went out.
When was not a cloud in the sky ?
Not a cloud was in the sky when she went out.
Then, when I was on the way back, some dark gray clouds came from nowhere . . .
Where was she ?
She was on the way back.
What came from nowhere ?
Some dark gray clouds came from nowhere.
When did they come ?
They came when she was on the way back.
. . . and there was suddenly a complete change in the weather.
What was there ?
There was a complete change in the weather.
How was there such a change ?
There was suddenly such a change.
I got under a tree to keep dry, . . .
Where does she get ?
She got under a tree.
Why did she get under a tree ?
She got there to keep dry.
. . . but the rain came through the branches
What came ?
The rain came.
What did rain come through ?
Rain came through the branches.
And when I got back I hadn't a dry thing on.
What did she do ?
She got back.
What hadn't she on ?
She hadn't a dry thing on.
When hadn't she a dry thing on ?
She hadn't a dry thing on when she got back.
First Woman : It is said that the quick changes in the English weather make us healthy.
What make them healthy ?
The quick changes in the English weather make them healthy.
Second Woman : But are we in England any healthier than the men and women of other countries ?
What does she ask ?
She asks, "But are we in England any healthier than the men and women of other countries ?"
Sudden changes in the weather don't seem to make my family healthy.
What don't seem to make her family healthy ?
Sudden changes in the weather don't seem to make her family healthy.
In our house, we're tired of hearing coughs and sneezes.
What are they hearing ?
They are hearing coughs and sneezes.
What are they tired of doing ?
They are tired of hearing coughs and sneezes.
Where are they tired of hearing them ?
In their house, they are tired of hearing them.
Tom had such a bad cough that we have sent him south to get well.
What cough did Tom have ?
He had such a bad cough.
Who have they sent ?
They have sent him.
Where have they sent him ?
They have sent him south.
Why have they sent him ?
They have sent him to get well.
First Woman : We will all be better when the summer comes.
How will they all be ?
They will all be better.
What comes ?
The summer comes.
When will they all be better ?
They will all be better when the summer comes.
But are you able to do as much in the summer as in the colder months ?
What does she ask ?
She asks, "But are you able to do as much in the summer as in the colder months ?"
Second Woman : Yes, aren't you ?
What does she say ?
She says, "Yes, aren't you ?"
First Woman : No. The heat in the summer makes me so tired that I'm not able to do anything.
What makes her so tired ?
The heat in the summer makes her so tired.
What is she not able to do ?
She is not able to do anything.
Why is she not able to do anything ?
The heat in the summer makes her so tired that she's not able to do anything.
When the warm rays of the sun come in at the window I go to sleep.
Where do they come in ?
They come in at the window.
What does she do ?
She goes to sleep.
When does she go to sleep ?
When the rays of the sun come in at the window she goes to sleep.
But when there is snow and ice outside, I am ready for work . . .
What is there ?
There is snow and ice.
Where is there snow and ice ?
There is snow and ice outside.
How is she ?
She is ready.
What is she ready for ?
She is ready for work.
When is she ready for work ?
She is ready for work when there is snow and ice.
. . . and long walks are a pleasure.
What are a pleasure ?
Long walks are a pleasure.
Second Woman : It's true that when the weather is dry the cold air gives one a desire to do things.
How is the weather ?
It is dry.
What does the cold air give one ?
It gives one a desire to do things.
What desire does the cold air give one ?
It gives one a desire to do things.
When does the cold air give one such a desire ?
When the weather is dry it gives one such a desire.
What is true ?
It's true that when the weather is dry the cold air give one a desire to do things.
Last winter I went on the ice with the boys . . .
What did she do ?
She went on the ice.
Who did she go on the ice with ?
She went on the ice with the boys.
When did she go on the ice with the boys.
Last winter she did it.
. . . and we made snowmen and sent snowballs at one another.
What did they make ?
They made snowmen.
What did they send ?
They sent snowballs.
What did they send them at ?
They sent them at one another.
I got as much pleasure from it as they did.
What did she get ?
She got pleasure.
What did they get ?
They got pleasure.
What pleasure did she get ?
She got as much pleasure as they did.
But the dark, cold, wet days this year were bad for everyone, weren't they ?
What were bad ?
The dark, cold, wet days this year were bad.
Who were they bad for ?
They were bad for everyone.
First Woman : Yes, it hasn't been a healthy winter,
What winter hasn't it been ?
It hasn't been a healthy winter.
And we have had such cold winds.
What winds have they had ?
They have had such cold winds.
My bedroom has a north window,
What window does her bedroom have ?
It has a north window.
And on some days the room was like an ice-box.
What was it like ?
It was like an ice-box.
When was it like an ice-box on ?
On some days it was like an ice-box.
Second Woman : What was that noise ?
What does she ask ?
She asks, "What was that noise ?"
First Woman : It was thunder, wasn't it ?
What was it ?
It was thunder.
Second Woman : Yes, there it is again,
What is there ?
There it is again.
And the sky is getting quite dark.
How dark is it getting ?
It is getting quite dark.
We will have more rain in a minute.
What will they have ?
They will have more rain.
When will they have more rain ?
They will have more rain in a minute.
I will get back quickly because I have been foolish again and I have no umbrella with me.
How will she get back ?
She will get back quickly.
How has she been ?
She has been foolish again.
What does she have ?
She has no umbrella.
Who does she have no umbrella with ?
She has no umbrella with her.
Why will she get back quickly ?
Because she has been foolish again and has no umbrella with her.
I have no desire to get this new dress wet.
What desire does she have ?
She has no desire to get her new dress wet.
First Woman : I will not keep you, dear.
Who will she not keep ?
She will not keep her.
Go quickly before you get wet.
What does she suggest her to do ?
She suggests her to go quickly before she gets wet.
Saburo Terada
Saitama Prefecture