May CROSSROADS Language Studio’s Newsletter 2005

Summer is hopping along quickly andsoon we will all be screaming for ice
cream! But really, where was ice creaminvented?
In the beginning, ice cream was a treat
for the rich and the royal. Before
refrigeration, it was rare and expensive.
Nothing was impossible, however, for
the Emperor of Rome, Nero, who would
send his slaves up into the mountains togather ice and have them run back to hiskitchen so that his guests could enjoy ice
flavored with fruits, wine, or honey. And
that was in A.D. 54!
But others like to think that Marco
Polo, in the 13th century, brought backrecipes from the Far East, said to havebeen in use for thousands of years inAsia. Indeed, they were! Iced beverages
were known during Solomon's reign in
Judea. The earliest records of an iced
dairy product come from the era of
China's Emperor Tang of the Shang
Dynasty (618-97). The recipe included
buffalo milk, flour and camphor.

The King of England in the 1600’s,Charles I, offered a chef a job for life if
he could make ice cream for him andkeep the recipe a secret. The first ice
cream recipe written in English did notappear until 1718.
Nowadays, everyone can enjoy a niceice cream whenever they wish. But ice
cream does indeed have a prettyinteresting history, don’t you think?

And now…
The Top ten flavors in North America
1. Vanilla
2. Chocolate
3. Butter pecan
4. Strawberry
5. Neapolitan
6. Chocolate chip
7. French vanilla
8. Cookies and cream
9. Vanilla fudge ripple
10. Praline pecan(These words are in color in the story)

Joshua Says: It’s May and this year marks our first anniversary inOkaido. As they say, “time flies when you’re having fun!” So much haschanged, and so much has been revived. Clearly, the new courses are
popular, and, who knows, we may even see some English drama
performances this year,..? Anyway, congratulations to all students and staff.
Let’s look forward to even more of the same success this year.
Junko Says: I’ve been thinking about China recently, as, I’m sure, many ofyou have been also. One interesting piece of information I read about China
the other day concerned English study. Did you know that there are more
people studying English in China than there are in the total population ofthe United States?! Now, that’s something to think about, don’t you agree?
Ad a m S a y s : For Golden Week, I traveled to Canada for a short, eventful visit. During mytime in Niagara Falls, I was able to catch-up with many of my immediate family members as well
as close friends. Also, I traveled to Toronto and down to western New York for some personal
shopping. It’s been about one and a half years since my last visit to Canada and I was amazed withthe progression of construction. So many new hotels, restaurants and community facilities havebeen constructed making Niagara Falls an even more desirable location to take a vacation.

Greg Says: Last month I ventured along to Spice Kingdom and enjoyed delicious foodand sensational company. Actually I think my little daughter has met her first littleboyfriend. Perhaps you have seen him around. His name is Wynter and he is Steven andMagnolia’s son. After our Spice Kingdom feast together, all Joy wants to do is meet Wynter.
She even pretends to call him on the phone. Pretty cute to see! They are both 3 years old.
Natacha Says: Spring is here! And I am so happy! Spring and fall
are for many of us, bike season! It is the best time to ride amotorcycle. It is so nice to put away the winter clothes and makespace for the summer ones. I can’t wait to be heading to Futami
and Hojo for a traditional ice cream at sunset!
Steven Says: Isn’t the weather just perfect for all those outdoor activities we havebeen waiting to do? But, wait a minute! What’s that familiar sound I hear buzzing
around my head? Ahh, the dreaded Matsuyama mosquito… Well, you may be pleased toknow that one of the best ways to keep those little guys away is with Citronella oil. You can also
burn Citronella candles outdoors which will allow you to enjoy a “mossie”-free barbeque.

Magnolia Says: I have been busy at home; cleaning, redecorating and basically simplifying
things. It is amazing how a simple change can make a big impact on our emotions andenvironment. It is important for our health, happiness and wellbeing to make our living
environment a creative, inspiring and pleasant place to be in. Your body is a temple, so why not
make your living space like a temple too? Your character is the product of your premises.
Natasha Says: Last month was Easter. It is the most joyful cerebration of theOrthodox faith in Russia. After devout church services, families gather to exchange
gifts of decorated eggs, which symbolize the renewal of life and hopes. The mostexpensive EasterEggs in history are"Faberge Imperial Eggs"created by Peter Carl
Faberge (1846-1920) in the Romanov Dynasty. Have you ever seen any of these?
Yuka Says: The other day I had a medical check-up and the doctor
advised me to take a lot more calcium and other minerals, and cut
back on sweets, which is impossible for me to do. So, I made mymind up to start eating healthy natto. Hopefully, by doing so, Iwill be able to avoid osteoporosis in the future.

Shinobu_Says:_ I'm looking forward to seeing the exhibition "The works ofCharles & Ray Eames" which will be held at Ehime Prefectural Museum fromMay 3rd to June 12th. These works are well designed, stylish in appearance
and have caught the attention of a lot of people worldwide during the 20century, and are still doing so to this day. This furniture is usually exhibited inthe Vitra Design Museum in Germany. Ihope you enjoy seeing it.

Special from Tamara in Canada:
Hello everyone! Can you believe it’s been
one year since I left Japan?!? Sometimes
it feels like yesterday that I was drinking
my CC Lemon and riding my bicyclearound Matsuyama. Since I left, I’ve
traveled to many countries but I am
always looking forward to the daythat I can return to Japan. I missall of the students at Crossroads
very much and will always
remember my time in Japan
fondly. Take care everyone!

NET LESSONS:
Are you too busy to come to
CROSSROADS to study? Try ourlessons on the internet!
It’s CROSSROADS in your home oroffice! You get CROSSROADS’ greatteachers, teaching programs, evenclassmates, all on-line! Call for details.

NET SITE OF THE MONTH:
Get all the low-down, history, recipes, coolideas, etc. on and about ice cream at:www.home-ice-makers.com/ice_in_ice_cream.htm

NET NOTEBOOK: Don’t forget to take alook at the Internet Activity Notebook in

our Open-house lounge. You’ll find great
games, news and English study sites.

Don’t forget…
You can still havelessons with Tamara
even though she’s in Canada! Youand your friends can sign up in ournet-lessons program. Just think,
you could be having lessons withyour teacher even though she is on
the other side of the world!!!
If you are interested,talk with Junko in
the office.

IF, the Z ERO CONDITIONAL!
When we want to talk about the result ofsomething (an action, a condition, etc.) that is
100% certain, we use the co-called ZEROconditional.
IF you put your hands into a fire, you will burnthem.
My boss gets angry IF I am late for work.
IF you leave ice cream out of the refrigerator it
will melt.
NOTE: Sometimes WHEN can be used as aZERO conditional:
WHEN I sleep, I dream.
I get tied WHEN I run.
Phone: 0120-21-7594
Tel: (089) 921-7595
Fax: (089) 921-7319
E-m ail:info@crossroadsco.com
WebSite:www.crossroadsco.com