家 でやろう！

What is America's national flower? Did you guess the rose? Guess again... Actually it is the "car"nation. Get it? If you live in the States, you have to have a car. I suppose you can get by without one but it is not convenient at all. I have been living in Tokyo for over a decade and I can't imagine having to drive to work every morning ever again. I don't mind taking the train. Actually I like taking the train. (One of the main reasons is that I usually don't have to take the train in the morning)

Commuting by train allows me to do all the things I had always wanted to do while commuting to work back in the States. Think reading, catching 40 winks, commuter-watching. But best of all, I get time to squeeze in some kanji-review and check out some interesting ads. Have you seen ads like the one above? Hilarious, aren't they? It seems that people's manners have gone south and it has become so bad that the Tokyo Metro has decided to run a series of ads to remind riders how to behave properly and keep the "和". This particular ad reminds people that it is polite or proper to give up their seats to the elderly, expecting mothers, and those others in need. We can also use the (V)~ing form, e.g. Giving up your seat to those in need is the proper thing to do.

Try making some (V)~ing sentences from the ones below.
It is impolite to eat on the train. Eating on....
It is dangerous to rush into the train.
It is inconsiderate to other riders to block the door.

If you are interested in seeing some of the older posters, check out this website
http://www.tokyometro.jp/anshin/kaiteki/poster/index.html

Now if you can help me think of a few ideas for a "クラス でやろう!" campaign, I would eternally grateful. Just remember, studying consistently is the key to English mastery.

Useful vocabulary
get it~理解｛りかい｝する、分かる、了解｛りょうかい｝する、納得｛なっとく｝する
・Why would she want to marry a guy like that? I don't get it! :
なぜ彼女はあんな男性と結婚したいのか。理解できない。
・I get it. : 分かりました。／なるほど。
・You don't get it. : 分かってませんね。

get by~うまく通り抜ける, 〔検閲｛けんえつ｝などを〕通る, なんとか生きてい
・I don't think I could get by without my cell-phone anymore. :
携帯電話なしでは、もう生きていけないと思う。
・How can you get by on three hours of sleep a night. :
どうやったら1日3時間の睡眠でやっていけるの？
・"How're you doing?" "Just getting by." : 「どないでっか？」「ぼちぼちでんなー」

catch 40 winks~昼寝｛ひるね｝［うたた寝］をする、昼寝｛ひるね｝のための時間｛じかん｝を取る
When I'm tired, I usually try to grab a 40 winks during the lunch break. :
疲れている時は、昼休みの間に軽い睡眠をとるようにしている。

go south~ To become unfavorable; to decrease; to take a turn for the worse.
南に行く、低下する、下向く、暴落する、失敗する、消滅する、消えてしまう