someone decides to do a search it means that they try to find something by looking for them carefully because they want to find something every important, something that they have lost, for example. It may be anything. It may be the key to your room; it maybe the book you’re reading now, or it may be, like in our case, the telephone number. So the wisest donkey suggests doing a big search on the farm in order to find Alex’s telephone number. The telephone number is very important for all of them. I think you get the idea, right?
And our final word for today is “to search”
In the previous vocabulary item, you see this word “search” as a noun, as a thing. Do what? A search. And “a search” there means a thing which is expressed by the object. But here we have the verb. Yes, in English the same word can be a noun and can be a verb. It all depends where we put it in the sentence. In the story I say, “For three days and three nights, the farmer and the animals have searched everywhere.” I use the word “search” as a verb which means to go around a place and look around everywhere very carefully. I put the word between the subject (the farmer and the animals) and the adverbial modifier “everywhere”. This is where we usually put verbs, because we are talking about actions. We put verbs between subjects and objects or adverbials. By doing it we show what the subjects do. This is how we usually structure all the sentences in English, and not only in English. We do it in Russian, in Spanish and in many other European languages. So the farmer and the animals search everywhere wanting to find Alex’s telephone number to start speaking English. And as you remember, they find it. They telephone Alex and everything ends well.
That’s the end of the vocabulary lesson for “The Japanese Farmer” Okay. See for the mini-story.
Unit 1. The mini-story lesson
Hi, this is Alex. And this is the mini-story lesson for “The Japanese Farmer”. By the way, my friends, how are you doing today? I hope that you are doing well. The mini-story lesson is the lesson where I ask a lot of funny, easy and stupid questions and answer them. You are listening and answering the questions when you are ready. Are you ready? Are you ready? Let’s rock it! It means let’s do it, but do it with energy and enthusiasm.
One early morning, a farmer heard a knock on the door. Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you that the story is going to be in the past tense. Okay, let’s start it again.
One early morning, a farmer heard a knock on the door. When he answered the door, he saw all of his animals standing on their heads on the porch. The farmer immediately understood that something had happened.
How did the farmer understand that something had happened? Come on, you know the story so you can answer it. I know.
Because the animals were standing on their heads and they were looking unhappy, upset and even angry.
“What’s happened?” the farmer asked. Right?
Yes, exactly. That was what the farmer asked them. “What’s happened?”
One of the oldest and the wisest donkeys said, “On behalf of the animals, I want to say that there is a big problem, Tatsuki.” By the way, the farmer’s name was Tatsuki.
“A big problem? What’s the problem? Tatsuki wondered.
What was the problem?
The problem was that the animals did not know English.
“Tatsuki, you understand English. You read in English and speak English, but not we. We do not understand English. We do not speak English. We need to know English. Do you think it is fair?” the donkey said.
It means that the animals believe that it is not right, not good or not just for them not to speak English.
“Why do you need English?” Tatsuki asked.
And what did the animals say? Right. “You don’t understand, Tatsuki. We need English to watch YouTube videos, to read American and English books and, of course, to talk with other animals from different countries”.
Why did the animals need English?
They needed English to watch YouTube videos, to read books in English and, of course, to talk with other animals from different countries in the world.
Did the farmer agree with the animals?
Yes, he did. He said, “Okay. Fair enough! (It means I agree.) I know English, but I can’t teach you English. So I can’t help you”.
Did Tatsuki know English?
Yes, he did. Tatsuki the farmer knew English very well. He could understand English. He could speak English. English was not a problem for him.
What was the problem for Tatsuki?
The problem was that he couldn’t teach English. Yes, he knew English, but he couldn’t teach his animals English.
That’s why he said, “Sorry, I can’t help you.” Right?
Yes, that’s right. He was sorry for not being able to help his animals.
Did his animals give up?
No, of course, not. They asked, “Maybe you know someone who can?”
Did the farmer know anyone who could help the animals?
Well, first he said, “Search me!”
He said that?
Yes, he said, “Search me!”
What does it mean “Search me!”?
It means “I do not know”. When someone asks you a question and you don’t know the answer to the question, you say “search me!” Wow! Interesting! I love it. Search me! I don’t know. That’s cool. English is really full of surprises.
Okay. Getting back to the story. But then Tatsuki remembered Alex, the English teacher.
Oh, that’s great! What did he say?
And he went, “Wait, wait, I know. If there is anyone who can help you, it is Alex. Alex can teach you to understand to read and to speak true, real and excellent English.”
Were the animals happy with Tatsuki’s answer?
Happy? Happy is not the word. All the animals were elated.
“But”, said the farmer.
“But?” asked the animals. My God! There is always a “but”.
“But I have lost his telephone number somewhere. So I can’t call him. Sorry, guys.”
What did the farmer do with Alex’s telephone number?
He lost it. The farmer lost the telephone number somewhere.
