Basic English Institute
Every morning I have the same fight against my desire for sleep. What do I have ? You have the same fight against your desire for sleep. When do I have it ? You have it every morning. I have been having this fight from the time when I was a small boy. What have I been having ? You have been having that fight. What boy was I ? You were a small boy. From when have I been having this fight ? You have been having that fight from when you were a small boy. When the time comes for getting up, I am not able to get out of bed. What am I not able to do ? You are not able to get out of bed. What do I do ? You get up. What comes ? The time comes. What does the time come for doing ? The time comes for getting up. When am I not able to get out of bed ? When the times comes for getting up, you are not able to get out of bed. I am late today, How am I ? You are late. When am I late ? You are late today. I was late yesterday, How was I ? You were late. When was I late ? You were late yesterday. and I will be late again tomorrow. How will I be ? You will be late. When will I be late ? You will be late tomorrow. When I was younger my father had the idea that my great desire for sleep was almost a disease. How was I ? You were younger. What did my father have ? He had the idea. What was almost a disease. Your great desire for sleep was almost a disease. What idea did my father have ? He had the idea that your great desire for sleep was almost a disease. When did he have that idea ? He had the idea when you were younger. He said that a healthy young man would get up early, have a cold bath, and go for a run before he went to the office. How would he get up ? He would get up early What would he have ? He would have a cold bath What would he go for ? He would go for a run. Where did he go ? He went to the office. When would he go for a run ? He would go for a run before he went to the office. What did he say ? He said that a healthy young man would get up early, have a cold bath, and go for a run before he went to the office. I myself have never seen a young man of this sort Who have I myself never see ? You yourself have never seen a young man of that sort. and I have no belief in the existence of such a person. What do I have ? You have no belief in the existence of such a person. In my opinion he is a fiction. What is he ? He is a fiction. In whose opinion is he a fiction ? In your opinion he is a fiction. Sleep is a natural pleasure about which not enough has been said in prose or verse. What pleasure is sleep ? It is a natural pleasure. What has been said ? Not enough has been said. In what not enough has been said. Not enough has been said in prose or verse, What natural pleasure is sleep ? It is a natural pleasure about which not enough has been said in prose or verse. For some time after I am awake I make no move and I keep my eyes shut. How am I ? You are awake. What do I make ? You make no move. How do I keep my eyes ? You keep your eyes shut. When and how long do I make no move and keep my eyes shut ? For some time after you are awake you make no move and you keep your eyes shut. While my eyes are shut, the physical things about me seem to have no existence. How are my eyes ? They are shut. What seem to have no existence ? The physical things about you seem to have no existence. During what time they seem to have no existence. While your eyes are shut they seem to have no existence. I do not see the daylight, though it may have been coming through the curtains for an hour or more. What do I not see ? You do not see the daylight. What may it have been coming through ? It may have been coming through the curtains. How long may it have been coming ? It may have been coming through the curtains for an hour or more. In spite of what possible condition do I see the daylight ? You do not see the daylight though it may have been coming through the curtains for an hour more. So great is the impulse to go to sleep again that I take no interest in the day which is before me. What do I do ? You go to sleep. How do I go to sleep ? You go to sleep again. How great is the impulse ? So great is the impulse. What impulse is so great ? So great is the impulse to go to sleep again. Where is the day ? The day is before you. What interest do I take ? You take no interest. In what do I take no interest ? You take no interest in the day. In what day do I take no interest ? You take no interest in the day which is before you. Why do I take no interest in the day which is before me ? Because so great is the impulse to go to sleep again that you take no interest in the day which is before you.. "Why does anyone ever get up? " I say to myself. What do I say to myself ? "Why does anyone ever get up ?" you say to yourself. The need for sleep is the one thought in my mind at this hour of the day. What is it ? It is the one thought in your mind at this hour of the day. I get as much sleep as any normal person, What do I get ? You get sleep. How much sleep do I get ? You get as much sleep as any normal person. but by now it will have been made clear to you that a normal amount of sleep is not enough for me. How will it have been made ? It will have been made clear. Who will it have been made clear to ? It will have been made clear to us. How is a normal amount of sleep not ? It is not enough. Who is it not enough for ? It is not enough for you. What will have been made clear to us ? It will have been made clear to us that a normal amount of sleep is not enough for you. By what time will it have been made clear to us ? By now it will have been made clear to us. At this early hour, my brain and my senses are not fully awake, How awake are they not ? They are not fully awake. When are they not fully awake ? At this early hour they are not fully awake. but my hearing is good at all times What is good ? Your hearing is good. How is my hearing good ? It is good at all times. and the noises in other parts of the house are a sign to me that it is getting late. What are a sign ? The noises in other parts of the house are a sign. Who are they a sign to ? They are a sign to you. How is it getting ? It is getting late. What sign are they to you ? They are a sign to you that it is getting late. In a short time I will have to get up. What will I have to do ? You will have to get up. When will I have to get up ? In a short time you will have to get up. I give my eyes a rub What do I give my eyes ? You give your eyes a rub. and put my head out from under the bed-covers. What do I put out ? You put your head out. What do I put out my head from ? You put your head out from under the bed-covers. The cold air on my nose sends my head back under the covers. What sends my head back ? The cold air on your nose sends your head back. Where does it send my head back ? It sends your head back under the covers. After waiting a minute, I slowly put my head out again and have a look at the clock. How am I waiting ? You are waiting a minute. What do I put out ? You put your head out. How do I put my head out ? You slowly put your head out again. What do I have a look at ? You have a look at the clock. When do I slowly put my head out again and have a look at the clock ? After waiting a minute you slowly put your head out again and have a look at the clock. How quickly the hands go round in the early morning ! What go round ? The hands go round. When do they go round ? They go round in the early morning. How do they go round in the early morning? They very quickly go round in the early morning. At other times it is very different. How different is it ? It is very different. When is it very different ? At other times it is very different. If it had been the end of the day and I had been kept late at my work, every minute would have seemed like an hour. What had it been ? It had been the end of the day. How had I been kept ? You had been kept late. What had I been kept late at ? You had been kept late at your work What would have seemed like an hour ? Every minute would have seemed like an hour. In what condition every minute would have seemed like an hour ? If it had been the end of the day and you had been kept late at your work, every minute would have seemed like an hour. Now I see the minute-hand make another move forward. What does the minute-hand do ? It makes move. What move does it make ? It makes another move. How does it make another move ? It makes another move forward. What do I see the minute-hand do ? You see the minute-hand make another move forward. When do I see the minute-hand make another move forward ? Now you see the minute-hand make another move forward. It is almost at the hour. What is it at ? It is at the hour. How is it at the hour ? It is almost at the hour. Then the sound of the bell will put an end to all hope of sleep. What will it put an end to ? It will put an end to all hope of sleep. Last night my bed seemed hard and my feet were made as cold as ice by the currents of air which got under the bed-covers. How did my bed seem ? It seemed hard. How were my feet made ? They were made cold. How cold were they made ? They were made as cold as ice. What were they made as cold as ice by ? They were made as cold as ice by the currents of air. Where did the currents of air get ? They got under the bed-covers. What currents of air were they made as cold as ice by ? They were made as cold as ice by the currents of air which got under the bed-covers. When did my bed seem hard and were my feet made so cold ? Last night your bed seemed hard and your feet were made so cold. Now, even my toes down at the end of the bed are warm and my bed seems to be made of some substance as soft as air. What are warm ? Even your toes down at the end of the bed are warm. What does my bed seem to be made of ? Your bed seems to be made of some substance. What substance does it seem to be made of ? It seems to be made of some substance as soft as air. When are they warm and it seems to be so soft ? Now they are warm and it seems to be so soft. I give my body a stretch, What do I give my body ? You give your body a stretch. I have a feeling of great physical comfort. What do I have ? You have a feeling of great physical comfort. Naturally I go to sleep again almost before my eyes are shut. What do I do ? You go to sleep. How do I go to sleep. Naturally I go to sleep again. How are my eyes ? They are shut. When do I naturally go to sleep again ? You do it almost before your eyes are shut. A minute later my sleep is broken by the sound of the bell. What is it broken by ? It is broken by the sound of the bell. When is it broken ? A minute later it is broken. Still I make no move, What do I make You make no move. How do I make no move ? Still you make no move. … but I am more awake now How awake am I ? You are more awake now. and in my mind I go over the events of the coming day. What do I go over ? You go over the events of the coming day. How do I go over them ? You go over them in your mind. Which shirt am I to put on ? What do I ask ? You ask, "Which shirt are you to put on ?" That is not a hard question. What question is it not ? It is not a hard question. I have only one good shirt in my drawer. What shirt do I have ? You have only one good shirt. Where do I have it ? You have it in your drawer. Are there holes in the socks which 'l took off last night ? What do I ask ? You ask, "Are there holes in the socks which you took off last night ?" I will see when I get up. What will I do ? You will see. What do I do ? You get up. When will I see ? You will see when you get up. What is the name of the man l am going to see this morning ? What do I ask ? You ask, "What is the name of the man I am going to see this morning ?" I have no idea What idea do I have ? You have no idea. … but I may have put his card in the pocket of my coat. What may I have put ? You may have put his card. Where may I have put his card ? You may have put it in the pocket of your coat. Will my girl friend be in a good or a bad humor when I see her ? What do I ask ? You ask, "Will my girl friend be in a good or bad humor when I see her ?" A bad one, because I said I would take her out and I didn't do so. In what humor will she be ? She will be in a bad one. Who do I take out ? You take her out. What did I say ? You said you would take her out. What didn't I do ? You didn't do so. Why will she be in a bad humor ? Because you said you would take her out and you didn't do so. The accounts were wrong and I had to do them again. What were wrong ? The accounts were wrong. What did I have to do ? You had to do the accounts. How did I have to do them ? You had to do them again. So I kept her waiting when she might have been going to the pictures with a friend. Where might she have been going ? She might have been going to the pictures. Who might she have been going to the pictures with ? She might have been going to the pictures with a friend. What did I keep her doing ? You kept her waiting. When was she kept waiting ? She was kept waiting when she might have been going to the pictures with a friend. Have l enough money to take her to the pictures tonight ? What do I ask ? You ask, " Have I enough money to take her to the pictures tonight ?" No, I haven't enough money even to give her a meal or take her some flowers. What do I give her ? You give her a meal. What do I take her ? You take her some flowers. What haven't I ? You haven't enough money. What enough money haven't I ? You haven't enough money to give her a meal or take her some flowers. This is near the end of the month What is it near ? It is near the end of the month. and I am in debt. What am I in ? You are in debt. Will there be a letter waiting for me when I go down ? What do I ask ? You ask, "Will there be a letter waiting for me when I go down ?" If there is, I have a fear that it will give me bad news about my mother, who is in hospital. What is there ? There is a letter. What do I have ? You have a fear. What will it give me ? It will give you bad news. Who will it give me bad news about ? It will give you bad news about your mother. Where is your mother ? Your mother is in hospital. What mother will it give me bad news about ? It will give you bad news about your mother, who is in hospital. What fear do I have ? You have a fear that it will give you bad news about your mother, who is in hospital. In what condition do I have such a fear? If there is a letter, you have such a fear. What is that noise ? What do I ask ? You ask, "What is that noise ?" It is rain on the roof. What is it ? It is rain on the roof. Another wet day What day do we have ? You have another wet day. … and my raincoat is in the country. Where is my raincoat ? It is in the country. Tired by all these thoughts, I go to sleep again, but only for a short time. What am I tired by ? You are tired by all these thoughts. What do I do ? You go to sleep again. How long do I go to sleep again ? You go to sleep only for a short time. How and how long do I go to sleep again ? Tired by all those thoughts, you go to sleep again but only for a short time. One is given no chance of sleep in this house. What is one given ? One is given no chance of sleep. Where is one given no chance of sleep ? One is given no chance of sleep in that house. There are loud footsteps outside my room What are there ? There are loud footsteps. Where are there loud footsteps ? There are loud footsteps outside your room. … and someone gives a blow on the door. What does someone give ? Someone gives a blow. Where does someone give a blow ? Someone gives a blow on the door. I have a sudden feeling of shame. What do I have ? You have a sudden feeling of shame. I give the cover a kick What do I give the cover ? You give the cover a kick. … and before the door is open I have one leg out of bed. How is the door ? It is open. What do I do ? You have one leg out of bed. "What have you been doing ? Aren't you ready ? The water is boiling and the food is on the table. It will have got quite cold before you are down." What do these words say ? They say, "What have you been doing ? Aren't you ready ? The water is boiling and the food is on the table. It will have got quite cold before you are down." The same sort of thing has been said at the same time every morning for a long time. What has been said ? The same sort of thing has been said, When has it been said ? It has been said at the same time every morning. How long has it been said ? It has been said for a long time It is a rule of the house that no food is kept warm. What is kept warm ? No food is kept warm. What is it ? It is a rule of the house. What is a rule of the house ? It is a rule of the house that no food is kept warm. The purpose of this is to make one get up. What does it make one do ? It makes one get up. What is it to do ? It is to make one get up. A cold meal is the punishment for not being down at the right time. Where is one not ? One is not down. When is one not down ? One is not down at the right time. What is it ? It is the punishment for not being down at the right time. "I'll be down in a minute," I say in a bright voice, Where will I be ? You will be down. When will I be down ? You will be down in a minute. What do I say ? You say, "I'll be down in a minute." How do I say it ? You say it in a bright voice. … and get out of bed with a jump. What do I get out of ? You get out of bed. What do I get out of bed with ? You get out of bed with a jump. Why aren't my meals sent up to my room ? Why is nothing done in this house for my comfort ? What do I say ? You say, "Why aren't my meals sent up to my room ? Why is nothing done in this house for my comfort ?" The door is shut again and the footsteps go away. What is shut again ? The door is shut again. What go away ? The footsteps go away. I take one last look at the bed What do I take You take one last look. What do I take one last look at ? You take one last look at the bed. … and have an impulse to get back under the covers, What do I have ? You have an impulse. Where do I get back ? You get back under the covers. What impulse do I have ? You have an impulse to get back under the covers. … but I do not do so. What do I not do ? You do not do so. I put my face in a basin of cold water What do I put ? You put your face. Where do I put it ? You put it in a basin of cold water. … and give my body a wash. What do I give my body ? You give your body a wash. After a quick rub I am dry. How am I ? You are dry. What am I dry after ? You are dry after a quick rub. Where did I put the collar of my good shirt ? What do I ask ? You ask where you put the collar of your good shirt. It is nowhere in the drawer. Where is it ? It is nowhere in the drawer. It may not have been sent back from the wash. What may it not have been sent back from ? It may not have been sent back from the wash. I have to put on my old one. What do I have to put on ? You have to put on your old one. When I put on my socks I see that there are holes in the toes, What do I put on ? You put on your socks. What are there ? There are holes. Where are there holes ? There are holes in the toes. When do I see that there are holes in the toes ? When you put on your socks you see that there are holes in the toes. … but I do not take them off because my other socks have even worse holes. What do I not take off ? You do not take them off. What do they have ? They have even worse holes. Why do I not take them off ? Because your other socks have even worse holes. Now I get into my trousers and put on my coat. What do I get into ? You get into your trousers. What do I put on ? You put on your coat. When do I do these ? Now you do those. It is the start of another day. What is it ? It is the start of another day.
Saburo Terada
Saitama Prefecture