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🇯🇵 Japanese · Fluency Level 2

PART 2 · LESSON 19 OF 30 · 30 MINUTES

The warm-up talk

Thursday at the hall, three weeks before the show: Mr. Hoshino teaches the minute before a story, Ben tries two jokes at his own expense, the cat's name and the backpack, learns to say what the audience is thinking before they do, asks what happens if nobody laughs, and Ms. Ogawa knows the answer is not a compliment.

Audio instruction: English

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THE STORY

The neighbourhood hall in Asakusa on a Thursday evening, three weeks before the summer show. Mr. Hoshino is plain with Ben; Ben is polite with him and polite on the cushion; Ms. Ogawa is polite.

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Words and phrases

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まず、 まくら。 じぶん の こと を、 いっぷん。mazu, makura. jibun no koto o, ippunFirst, the pillow: a minute about yourself.
メープル です。 ねこ の なまえ です。 ねこ は、 はんたい でした。Mēpuru desu. neko no namae desu. neko wa, hantai deshitaI'm Maple. It's my cat's name. She was against it.
みんな が おもって る こと を、 さき に いえ。minna ga omotte ru koto o, saki ni ieSay what they're thinking before they do.
リュック で きて、 まだ います。ryukku de kite, mada imasuI came with a backpack, and I'm still here.
きゃく は もう、 きみ の もの。 「さて」。kyaku wa mō, kimi no mono. 'sate'The audience is yours now. Now then.
だれ も わらわなかったら？dare mo warawanakattara?And if nobody laughs?
それ なら、 ほんもの だ。 ようこそ。sore nara, honmono da. yōkosoThen you're the real thing. Welcome.
わたし も、 さんねん まえ に。 ほめことば じゃ なく。watashi mo, sannen mae ni. homekotoba ja nakuMe too, three years ago. Not as a compliment.