1The Bob and Rob Show Study GuideLesson 66: Japanese New Yeardate: Dec 29, 2006file name: bobrob12-29-06file length: 27:28

Show notes10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1Happy New Year! Wherever you are, why dont you welcome in2007 with Bob and Rob. Find out about Hogmanay1 here:

http://www.rampantscotland.com/know/blknow12.htm

And find out about the history of new year here:

http://images.google.co.jp/imgres?imgurl=http://wilstar.com/images/nysnowman.gif&imgrefurl=http://wilstar.com/holidays/newyear.htm&h=245&w=185&sz=6&hl=ja&start=14&tbnid=SM2cWPNu7pHKaM:&tbnh=110&tbnw=83&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnew%2Byear%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Dja%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG

PSANew year resolutions for ESL students

Besides the great ideas on the PSA, here are some more: Learn a new phrasal word a day Learn a new idiom a day Subscribe to the bob and rob show

Phrasal Verbs"to kick off"1) Sport games start e.g: soccer games usually kick off at 3 Oclock on Saturday

afternoons in Britain.2) to start fighting (British English only) e.g: fights are always kicking off when the pub

closes on Friday nights.3) to start something e.g: lets kick off the new year with a party.4) to be removed from a team (especially in American English) e.g: He was kicked off the

team because he was caught cheating.5) To remove something by kicking e.g: she kicked off her shoes and paddled in the water.

Idioms Be a party to something

To participate in something and thus be partly responsible for it e.g:1)The teachers had to find out the names of everyone party to the incident.2) While you didnt actually commit the crime, you were a party to it, so you may still go tojail.

2Bonus Idiom: The party line.

The policies or beliefs of a political party e.g:1) If ministers dont tow the party line, there is usually trouble.2) Some people feel that in order to be successful in politics, you need to adhere to theparty line, while other people feel being a maverick can help your career.

Extra Extra Idiom: your party piece (British English)

In Britain, this is something someone does at parties in order to entertain guests, and it isusually a card trick or something similar e.g:His party piece is to sing and drink water at the same time

Email BagJirka talked to us about beer from the Czech Republic

Ancient Japanese Study Secret

Giving news that is surprising and getting the other person ready for the news:

Guess what? I won a brand new carDo you know what? I broke up with my girlfriend on New Years eveYoud better sit down Youve been nominated for the Nobel Peace PrizeYou wont believe this, but Ive decided to quit my job

Both Sides of the Pond(US) gala (pronounced gayla) (UK) gala (pronounced garla)_(US) caribbean (stress on 2nd syllable) (UK) caribbean (stress on 3rd syllable)(US) lavatory (tory is extended (UK) lavatory (tory sounds like tree)

EXTRA

(US) multi-talented (2nd syllable pronounced Thai) (UK) multi talented (2nd syllablepronounced T)

SongAuld Lang Syne (pronounced Old Lang Zine) by Friction Baileyhttp://www.podshow.com

QuotesRing out the old, ring in the new,Ring, happy bells, across theSnow;The year is going, let him go;Ring out the false, ring in theTrue.

Lord Tennyson (1850)

3Time has no divisions to mark itsPassage, there is never aThunderstorm or blare of trumpetsTo announce the beginning of aNew month or year. Even when aNew century begins it is only weMortals who ring bells and fire offPistols.

Thomas Mann (1924)

EXTRAS

Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve. Middle age is when you'reforced to.

Bill Vaughn.

Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year findyou a better man.

Benjamin Franklin

A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.

Author Unknown

Show transcript

BOB00:06Hi, it's the Bob and Rob Show. This is Bob.

ROB00:07And, this is Rob.

BOB00:30Ready to go?

ROB00:31Ready to go, yes. Ready to rock and roll.

BOB00:33Ready to rock and roll. We're not to far away from the new year, are we?

ROB

400:34No we're not. It's very close and it's always a great time - the change of the year.

BOB00:412007, wow.

ROB00:43Time flies2, doesn't it?

BOB00:45That's a cliche, but it's true, time flies.

ROB00:49It's a cliche, but it's also a proverb, "Time flies like an arrow."

BOB00:53That's a Japanese proverb, isn't it?

ROB00:55As well, yes.

BOB00:56Ko in yanogo toshi3

ROB00:57It's an English one as well.

BOB01:00So, here we are in Japan celebrating the new year. I suppose we should let out listenersknow that the new year here might be a little different than their country. I think in Japan it'squieter than it is in the United States.

ROB01:14Yes, and the UK as well, and I think the rest of Europe, as well.

BOB01:18We always associate New Year with partying and celebrating - it's quiet here.

ROB01:28

5Here it's more of a time for family; whereas, we in the West, we would spend Christmas daywith our families. Here, New Year's Day is a time for spending with your family. In fact, a lotof Japanese people travel hundreds of kilometers just to stay with their families.

BOB01:45Well, that's what I'm doing. Every year I go down to Fukuoka4, where my wife's family lives,and we have the new year down there. I like it, it is relaxing, but I do miss the...

ROB01:59Champagne at midnight?

BOB02:00I miss the champagne; I miss the excitement of New Years.

ROB02:04Do you have a count down with your family?

BOB02:05We do, yea.

ROB02:06Okay, that's nice.

BOB02:08It's just so solemn5 here; so quiet with the "gong" - they hit the bell.

ROB02:14In the shrine and temples.

BOB02:17You can't really talk about Japanese New Year without mentioning osechi ryori, which istheir Japanese New Year dishes.

ROB02:26Traditional food served on just New Year's Day - once a year

BOB02:31I'm going to get into trouble for say this, but I don't really like traditional Japanese NewYear's food very much.

6ROB02:37I have to agree with you, Bob, it's not the best of foods in my books6.

BOB02:43It's bland.

ROB02:44It's difficult to swallow; some of it's great, some of it's lovely, but some of it I can't stand.

BOB02:53Just lot's of bland potatoes and ...

ROB02:55The pickles they're very ...

BOB02:57Radishes ...

ROB02:58Quite healthy.

BOB02:59Very healthy, but maybe the other problem I have, is you tend to have it for several days -over, and over, and over, and over.

ROB03:10A bit like us with the chicken or turkey, we tend to have turkey sandwiches ...

BOB03:13But that has more flavor.

ROB03:15That's true, for us, anyway.

BOB03:18It's not bad food certainly, and it's nice because you have a little beer or sake with it, but fortwo days, three days, it gets a bit boring.

ROB

703:31Is that what you do down in Fukuoka?

BOB03:33Well, their nice, they know I'm not a big fan of osechi ryori, so they make some other stuff inthe evening for me.

ROB03:42That's nice.

BOB03:43Because, I'm such a wimp7. One thing I do like, as far as New Year's food is - it's calledolzoni. It's like a vegetable soup with rice cake, or rice dumpling in it. They call it "mochi."What would you call that in English "hard rice dumpling"?

ROB04:00Yea, I think so.

BOB04:01It kind of melts in the broth.

ROB04:06Yea, mochi, it's very soft and chewy.

BOB04:10Chewy like taffy8, but it's not sweet. A significant number of elderly people, and childrentoo, choke every year eating mochi.

ROB04:14They do, they have to be very careful. It's easy to swallow and choke on it. It's quitedangerous, yea.

BOB04:27So be careful, Rob.

ROB04:29How do you celebrate in the states, generally?

BOB04:31In the states - a party, party, party. And, I guess the popular image of the US for New

8Year's is Time Square in New York City. That's where all the cameras are focused ...

ROB04:45At midnight ...

BOB04:46And that's where obviously, the New Year starts in the US, because it's East Coast - that'sthe first place.

ROB04:54I see, that's interesting, and thousands of people go out onto the streets.

BOB04:56That's really famous in the US, that celebration in Times Square. How about in the UK?

ROB05:01Well, in London many people go to Trafalgar Square, which is in the centre of London. It'snot far from Buckingham Palace, and they have a big party. It's very cold, but some peoplestill go into the fountains.

BOB05:16Have you every participated in that?

ROB05:17Actually, no, I've never been down there, but I used to go to a lot of parties with friends. Anypub, and friend's houses are always open. It's good fun.

BOB05:32Do you send out New Year's cards in Japan? That's another thing we should mention.

ROB05:35My wife does.

BOB05:38We send Christmas cards in the West. Here they send a New Year's greeting card. It's likea postcard and it has the Chinese symbol Zodiac on it. This year the animal is the boar -the wild boar9. I think last year was - I don't remember, we didn't send cards.

ROB05:54Chicken, maybe? Any chickens in the background this week, Bob?

9BOB05:59No, not for this show, no more chickens. We fried those and ate them. We're going to sendout Christmas cards as well. I'm sorry, we're going to send out New Year's cards as well. Iactually made mine on our computer this year, and we're going to have them printed.

ROB06:17Do you have a picture of your son on there?

BOB06:18Yea, several pictures.

ROB06:20Excellent. That's a nice way to do it.

BOB06:22That's nice. If someone in your family dies then you send out a card saying, "Please don'tsend me a New Year card." Because, if you have a death in the family your not celebrating,so people are not suppose to send you a New Year's greeting card. You have to first sendthem a notice saying, "Please don't send me a New Year card."

ROB06:42That's right.

BOB06:44I've gotten 10 several of those this year. Also, when you send the notice out your telling thepeople - your connections - that your not going to be sending a New Year's card out.Because, if you've lost someone in your family you don't celebrate that year.

ROB07:01Yes, of course, you don't send anything out either.

BOB07:02Last year I lost my father-in-law, so we sent out that card, and didn't send out any NewYear cards.

ROB07:16Okay.

BOB07:18

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We've talked a little bit about New Year's in Japan, but we've actually got a nice voicemessage from Sergey in Russia. He's going to tell our listeners a little bit about what theRussian New Year is like, and how they celebrate it, so shall we listen to Sergey.

ROB07:36Yes, let's do that.

OTHER07:36SERGEY: This is Sergey from Russia. About New Year's in Russia. I am very sure that forour people this is the most favorite holiday. Last year it became very uncommon to ? partybefore New Year. But night from 31 December, to 1st January, Russians as a rule prefer tospend it at home with relatives. There are some old traditions connected with New Year inRussia. First of all, of course, is fir trees which are settled and decorated at many publicplaces and private quarters. Children put their footwear under the fir tree, and the parentsfill it with the gifts at New Year night. Saying that it was brought by Grandfather Frost - thisis Russian Santa Claus. Maybe, the second tradition is funny, I think. On 31 December, oneof the national TV channels shows a movie called in Russian ?? Or in English "Hope YouEnjoyed Your Bath." It's a very nice melodrama and theme comedy with great music andsongs. Most of the adults saw it many times. For me, for example, maybe ten times, orabout this. But it doesn't matter, time and again on 31 December, we watch with movie, andoften prepare at the same time the holiday meal. At two or three hours before midnight allsit down around the table, and take a holiday supper which starts at the old year, andfinishes after a long time into the New Year. At five minutes before twelve, TV showspresident of Russia before the Kremlin Wall with his New Year speech, and then the mainnational ? tower clock Kremlin. There the second hand catching up minute and hour once,and then we connect old Dutch glasses, drink champagne and cry, "the New Year!" And,the party goes on as long as everybody can.

BOB10:19Okay, very interesting.

ROB10:21Brilliant stuff, thank you very much, Sergey.

BOB10:26Thanks very much. It's always nice to hear how other cultures celebrate.

ROB10:30I'd also like to say, Sergey, that you English is absolutely fantastic.

BOB10:34Very good. Very nice. Of course, he listens to the Bob and Rob Show.

ROB10:40

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Of course, that's why, maybe.

BOB10:43Come on, it's a no brainer11. No brainer means "it's obvious." One of the popular thingsabout New Year's is the New Year's resolution. We talked about this last year on the Boband Rob Show. Do you make New Year's resolutions?

ROB11:08I do, sometimes.

BOB11:10Do you keep them.

ROB11:11Yea, yea I do. I haven't made one in awhile, but generally speaking, I do.

BOB11:19I think it's important if youre studying a language to make New Year's resolutions. Howyoure going to study the language throughout the year, or goals that you have.

ROB11:28It's a good time to renew your goals, or to establish new goals.

BOB11:32In fact, we have a really nice audio clip here; I got it from voiceofamerica.com, and their avery good site They present English news for English learners. It's a little bit easier thanregular news. They have audios as well; check that site out. I got this from the Voice ofAmerica site, and it's New Year's resolutions for ESL students. ESL meaning English as aSecond Language. Let's listen to this.

OTHER12:01NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS FOR ESL STUDENTS: My first resolution that I wouldrecommend people make, is to spend a certain amount of time listening to English. And, itcan be five minutes a day, or it can be ten minutes a week, or it can be whatever suits apersons work schedule, life schedule, or whatever. But, it's really important to set goals andto stick to them. And, it would be very helpful if people had Internet access to do this.Because, what I'm going to recommend is listening to sites that have scripts included. So,spend a little bit more time listening, or have a goal for listening. Listen to English music.What else? Something I always tell my students, and their very surprised when I tell themthis - is read children's books.

2ND SPEAKER12:51That makes sense though.

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OTHER12:53Yea. Why do you say that?

2ND SPEAKER12:55Fewer words.

OTHER12:56Fewer words, direct, simple. Lot's of pictures that puts it into a context.

2ND SPEAKER12:59There you go12.

OTHER13:02There you go. And the other thing is that you can find children's books at all levels. If youare a total beginner in English, you know you start with books that have just a few words onthe page, and lots of pictures. And, you can work your way up to books that have relativelyspeaking, more text.

2ND SPEAKER13:21So now we've got; the listening to the radio, listening to music, going online and looking forscripts of programs to go with the audio, reading children's books. What's your nextresolution?

OTHER13:33Learn a new word every day, and if you don't have time to do it every day do it every otherday. Again, pick a realistic goal. Choose you word, look up the meaning, but then don't stopthere. Look at the examples in the dictionary for how the word us used; is it used as a noun,is it a verb. And, so now we come to our very last resolution, which in a way is the mostdifficult one. Because, my last resolution would be, even if it's only very occasionally, talk tonative speakers every chance you get.

2ND SPEAKER14:09Lita Baker from the American Language Center at the University of California at LosAngeles.

BOB14:19Okay. You could probably use that for Japanese as well - my Japanese study.

ROB14:21That's a good idea.

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OTHER14:25It's 2006 and many of you have made your New Year's resolutions. And, while yourdetermined to lose that weight, quit smoking, or finally clean the attic; try to two moreresolutions that can take you more safely through the winter season, and the rest of theNew Year. How about don't drink and drive. Over seven-hundred New Jerseyans are killedin alcohol murder motor vehicle related crashes. These are people like you, me, ourchildren, friends, and co-workers. Another good resolution; don't drive aggressively.Aggressive driving can, and does lead to crashes resulting in serious injury or death. Whyput yourself and others at risk; by tailgating13, weaving in and out of traffic, driving fasterthan the flow of traffic, and flirting with road rage14. When you consider the consequences,it's just not worth it. This year keep all your resolutions, especially the ones about drunkdriving and aggressive driving. Because, on December 31, 2006, you'll want to be aroundto say "Happy New Year." This message from the New Jersey Division of HighwayTraffic Safety, The New Jersey Broadcaster's Association, and this station.

BOB15:19So, let's do some phrasal verbs and idioms. What's our phrasal verbs for today?

ROB15:28Well, we're going "to kick off" the New Year with a bang.

BOB15:28Kick off. We say that a lot, "let's kick off the party, kick off the New Year."

ROB15:42Right. It essentially means "to start something." You can also have - in British English,maybe American too, I'm not sure - soccer games kick off usually at 3 p.m. on Saturday inthe UK.

BOB15:42Sure, with American football, that's true.

ROB15:42You say, "kick off"?

BOB15:57That's true as well. "Kick off" means "if you get booted 15off a team."

ROB16:02Right. Booted off a team, or kick off the team.

BOB16:06

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"Booted," as in forced to stop being a member; so for an example, If you commit a crimeyou might get kicked off your sports team. You might be forced to stop being a member.

ROB16:21If youre on an email list and you write something bad then you've got a chance to be kickedoff.

BOB16:25Kicked off a list, oh really?

ROB16:27Yes, but in Britain "to kick off" also means "to start a fight."

BOB16:31Oh, really? Give me an example sentence.

ROB16:32In many suburbian towns in Britain, on Friday nights things usually kick off after the pubsclose. Because people come out drunk and aggressive.

BOB16:53Also, kick off your shoe.

ROB16:56Yea, "put up your feet and kick off your shoes" means "to take off your shoes."

BOB17:03Okay, good. Some idioms that we have todays idiom is "to be a party to." We're talkingabout New Year's, so we're talking about parties. In this sense it means to "take part in asecret plan, or an agreement, and be partly responsible." So, "to have a part in something,"we often say, "he's a party to." For example, "While you didn't actually commit the crime,you were a party to it, so you may still go to jail." To be involved in something.

ROB17:33Yea, good, good.

BOB17:34Obviously it doesn't mean in a drinking party sense, but to be in a group connected with....

ROB17:40

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Or involved with.

BOB17:41Todays bonus idiom is "party line."

ROB17:43The party line.

BOB17:45The party line; for example, "some people feel that in order to be successful in politics youneed to adhere to the party line. While other people feel that being a maverick can helpyour career."

ROB17:55So what does "the party line" mean "towing the party line"?

BOB18:00Youre going to put that in the study guide.

ROB18:02Sure. If you want to find out the answer to that please check out the study guides.

BOB18:09Okay. Time for Ancient Japanese English Study Secret.

ROB18:12Ancient Japanese English Study Secret.

BOB18:14Okay, what are we going to talk about today, Roberto?

ROB18:16Well, today we're going to talk about giving news that's surprising. Some ways to get theother person ready for the news, prepare them for some unexpected information.

BOB18:28What are some examples?

ROB18:29

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"Guess what"?

BOB18:30Then I might say, "what?" Or "do you know what"?

ROB18:34That's a good one. "You'd better sit down."

BOB18:37I'd better sit down. Okay, or "you won't believe this but..." So let's practice some of these. I'lldo the first one. Hey guess what?

ROB18:37What?

BOB18:46I won a brand new car!

ROB18:49Wow! Okay, do you know what, Bob?

BOB18:50No, what?

ROB18:53I broke up with my girlfriend on New Year's Eve.

BOB18:54Oh, you bastard16! Hey Rob, you'd better sit down.

ROB19:03Oh, no. Okay.

BOB19:04You've been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

ROB19:09Wow, hey, heavy duty 17news. Hey, you won't believe this, Bob, but I've decided to quit myjob.

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BOB19:16Hey, should I congratulate you? Okay, those are some ways to get people ready for somesurprising news. Well, that's been Ancient Japanese English Study Secret. AncientJapanese English Study Secret. Email bag today.

ROB19:38This is from someone called Jurka and she's talking about beer.

BOB19:43Is it a she, or a he?

ROB19:44I think it might be a she.

BOB19:46Maybe we should ask our listeners - because there's a lot of foreign names, obviously - ifyou do send us a message, please let us know if youre a woman or a man.

ROB19:58Some of the names we can obviously tell.

BOB20:00Yes, if it's Frank, or Roberto we know it's a man; but if possible, if you think we might beconfused, please tell us your gender.

ROB20:14And, I've got a feeling it might be pronounced Jurka. I'm not sure.

BOB20:14Jurka, says "we are first - he sent us an email about our beer show- he says, "we're first,"he just wants to mention he lives in Prague, and he says, "one thing you didn't mention,"and this is interesting, "let me site etimology dictionary. Pilsner, 1877, after Pilsen Germantown in Bohemia were it was first brewed. Now designated a type not an origin." Soapparently Pilsner was an actual place in the Czech Republic. And he says we shoulddefinitely try the original Pilsner brewed in - how would you say, spell that -

ROB20:58Urquell, maybe.

BOB

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21:03Urquell, thank you very much. I had no idea there was an actual town in the CzechRepublic called Pilsen.

ROB21:10Good recommendation there. If I get the chance I'm going to try some original.

BOB21:14I'd like to try it there.

ROB21:15That would be good.

BOB21:16Have you every been to the Czech Republic?

ROB21:17Unfortunately, no.

BOB21:19It seems like a cool place. Lots of great architecture. I've heard the beer is really cheap.

ROB21:27And, good.

BOB21:28It might be kind of dangerous; I'd never get anything done. Should we do some Both Sidesof the Pond?

ROB21:36Some Both Sides of the Pond. I thought today we could just focus on some pronunciationdifferences. When we have to wear a black bow-tie and black suit.

BOB21:46For a party or something - formal party?

ROB21:48Very formal party.

BOB

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21:49Maybe on New Year's?

ROB21:51New Year's, maybe. They usually called them "galas" in the UK.

BOB21:57I think in the US we would say, "gala." G-A-L-A You say, "gala"?

ROB22:00We say, "gala," yea.

BOB22:01They both sound right to me. How would you say, "the Caribbean," in the UK?

ROB22:09The Caribbean we pronounce that "the Caribbean."

BOB22:12We actually do both too, in the US. What's another one?

ROB22:17Bob, I must go to the lavatory.

BOB22:24Your drinking a lot on New Year's Eve, and you have to go to - what did you say?

ROB22:25The lavatory.

BOB22:28I think we would say, "lavatory."

ROB22:29Lavatory, okay, so you stress the last part.

BOB22:33And, you say?

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ROB22:34Lavatory. We stress the first part the first syllable.

BOB22:37Usually, we don't use lavatory. We would say, "we have to go to the toilet."

ROB22:40Or, the restroom.

BOB22:41Or, the restroom.

ROB22:42We don't say, "restroom,"18 in the UK.

BOB22:47All right, just some announcement here.

ROB22:53Okay, we'd just like to thank everybody for your donations, and if you enjoy the show andyou listen regularly, please think about making a donation, or join up to be a part of thestudy guides.

BOB23:09Yes, we're growing and growing; everyweek we're getting more people signing up19.

ROB23:14Yes, please consider becoming a Bob and Rob Show member.

BOB23:17Also if you know anyone that might be interested, please be sure to let them know. If youhave any friends or people you think...

ROB23:25Might be interested in learning some English.

BOB23:26Tell them. Again, if you want to send us a message we're at www.thebobandrobshow.com.Any nice quotations we can leave our listeners with at the end of 2006?

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ROB23:41As we go into 2007. "Time has no divisions to mark its passage. There is never athunderstorm or blare of trumpets to announce the beginning of a new month or year. Evenwhen a new century begins it is only we mortals who ring bells and fire off pistols." Andthat's by, Thomas Mann, 1924.

BOB24:03That's a great one. Deep.

ROB24:05Do you have some, Bob?

BOB24:07I don't think mine is as good as yours. "Ring out the old, ring in the new. Ring happy bellsacross the snow. The year is going, let him go. Ring out the false, ring in the true." That'sby, Lord Tennyson, 1850.

ROB24:23Excellent, some great quotes.

BOB24:27Well, why don't we leave with probably the most popular New Year's song of all, called AuldLang syne. We should mention, in Japan they use this song a lot.

ROB24:36They do, don't they.

BOB24:37Out of context. If their closing a department store they'll play Auld Lang syne.

ROB24:45So you can hear Auld Lang syne pretty much everyday over here.

BOB24:48In Japan.

ROB24:49If your in any kind of shop and its closing up, they will play Auld Lang syne.

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BOB24:54It kind of ruins the song.

ROB24:55It does a little. Of course, without the lyrics, just the actual tune.

BOB24:59This is a nice guitar version of the song. It's a very famous New Year's song and it's byFriction Baily, and we got the show from postshow..

ROB25:08We got this what, Bob?

BOB25:11By, Friction Baily, and we got this song from podshow.com. If you want to learn more aboutthe artist go to www.music.podshow.com. We want to wish everyone a wonderful New Yearand a great start to 2007.

ROB25:26Very much looking forward to all the comments you have in the future, and we wish you allthe best in your studies. If you've got exams coming up good luck; study hard and I'm sureeverything will be fine.

BOB25:38Looking forward to another year of doing the Bob and Rob Show. Let's make 2007 a greatyear too, and thanks for all your support in 2006.

ROB25:50Yes, thank you everybody.

BOB25:53We'll leave you now with Auld Lang Syne. Bye

ROB25:56Okay, bye, bye.

OTHER26:07

Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind ?_Should old

acquaintance be forgot, and days of auld lang syne (days of long ago)

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CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup o kindness yet,

for auld lang syne

we'll take a cup o kindness yet,

for auld lang syne

Extension and Review Study*note: we encourage you to respond to the questions and readings by posting on the new discussion board(Login using your Bob and Rob Show membership username and password)http://englishcaster.com/discussionboard/

1/ Bob and Rob talked about the Japanese new year in this show. How is this festivalcelebrated in your country? What do you usually do on December 31st and new years day?Is it a national holiday? Do you have January sales?

2/ What are your new year resolutions? How would you like to change your life? How canyou stick to and achieve your new goals?

Champagne? New Year sunrise

3/ What is your party piece? What can you do to impress people at a social gathering? Theother idioms today were be a party to, and the party line and the phrasal verb was to kickoff. Try to use these new expressions in sentences of your own.

Glossary

1 Hogmanay = this is what the New Year is called in Scotland.2 Time flies = the full saying is time flies like an arrow. It means time passes quickly.3 Ko in yanogo toshi = this is the same proverb in Japanese.4 Fukuoka = this is in Kyushu, the southern island of Japan.5 Solemn = quiet, peaceful and serious.6 in my books = this means in my opinion.

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7 a wimp = a weak person.8 Taffy = in England, this is called toffee.9 the wild boar = similar to the wild pig, with small tusks like an elephant.10 I've gotten = in British English, the past participle of get is got. Gotten is Bobs and theAmerican way of saying it.11 no brainer = this is a slang term.12 There you go = good example of the expression we talked about a few shows ago.13 Tailgating = driving very closely to the driver in front of you.14 road rage = this is a new word and refers to people getting angry/violent with otherdrivers. Other spin-off phrases include air rage (on planes), and roid rage, which are theside effects of steroid abuse.15 get booted off = this phrase is more informal and slang like.16 Bastard = this is a taboo word, a swear word and quite strong.17 Heavy duty = serious, important.18 "restroom" = other UK slang phrases for the toilet are: the bog, the Kazi, the throne andthe Gents to name but some.19 more people signing up = this naturally makes us very happy