Passion & Concentration

Today was my birthday.
I wrote my resolutions of this year already, but I'd like to note my "theme" of this year here.
That is...passion & concentration.

When I attended the Toastmaster's Christmas Gala last year, a former president Masako said, "I attended my relative's international wedding reception party. They had a bilingual emcee.
But she was...not good. Her English was not good, but most importantly, I noticed she didn't have passion for her job, and the couple. I felt how important an emcee is for a wedding! The wedding was not a fiasco, but not fantastic at all because of the emcee!"

At that time, I had a big wedding job as a bilingual emcee a few days later.
Listening to her talk, I determined,"I might not be a very experienced emcee, but at least I have to have passion for the job and the couple!"

On the last Christmas Eve and Christmas day, I was locked myself at home to prepare for the international wedding reception.
Then, I watched the Japanese Figure Skating Championship on TV.
I was so impressed by some performances. I noticed...when a skater was satisfied his/her performance and judges gave him/her a very high score, the skater looked so together.
S/he seemed very concentrated the performance. For example, Takahiko Kozuka's short program performance, and stunningly, Miki Ando looked having no other thoughts during her both performances.

When I watched those performances, I felt just breathtaking, and even sensed the time had stopped because of their...concentration.
Then, I noticed how important concentration was for performances.
My stage is not as big as the top skaters, but the importance of concentration is the same.
I engraved the words, "passion & concentration!" in my mind when I went to the wedding job.
Then...I did a good performance.

Two days ago, I went to a bilingual emcee's party that my teacher Ryoko Sumitomo designed.
The participants were so passionate even they have already great careers!
I want to be like them. I need to be like them. Also, I should try to meet the people whom I want to be like them.

Last year, I became "the year girl" on my birthday.
Can I become the "it girl" this year? I mean, by my career & English and so on...not my appearance, unfortunately... "Year girl"×3 and "it girl" are so different!!

How to improve TOEIC score

Last November, I took the TOEIC.
A month later, I got the result. I forgot to keep the result on this blog because I was busy around the time. But now I remember...

I felt very happy to see the score because my reading score was 490, just 5 point short of the full score(495!)
My listening score had been a full(495) score, but my reading score hadn't been improved for a few years. It had been from 450-465. (The original TOEIC consists of a listening test and a reading test.)
I thought that was an obstacle I couldn't take the full score, and I had no idea how I could improve the reading score.

However, a year ago, I decided to subscribe an English newspaper.
I didn't think I could catch up with reading a daily newspaper, so I took the weekly one.
I've been reading the English newspaper...that's why my stagnant reading score has improved!?
Maybe...

My students often ask me, "what should we do to improve TOEIC score?"
I recommend them to study TOEIC reference books, and study basic English, half and half.
For example, if you study English one hour a day, take thirty minutes to learn TOEIC book, and take half an hour to look up English grammar book.

Do I do that? Actually, no... I shouldn't excuse, but it's hard to make time to sit down in front of the desk, and study everyday. But I try to use English all the time.
So, I also tell my students, "Learning a foreign language is like working out.
Don't think too much, just move your body! Your body learns how to do it before you think of it."

You could read English (newspaper, book, Internet..,) write (anything! blog, diary, e-mail, money book...)in English, listen to English TV shows or dramas, and speak in English to...anyone. You could talk to an international tourist, "May I help you?" when you see someone, wondering in an unfamiliar place.
Many Japanese hesitate to use English, saying,"I'm not fluent in English!"
But I want to say it in a loud voice. "YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE PERFECT ENGLISH!!"
If you keep using it, English would become a part of you.

My English is not perfect too. I'm also one of the people who are "struggling" with English.
But I just keep learning, so I know, if I don't stop learning it...I'll get "reward" sometimes.

If your TOEIC score is not good, don't care about it too much.
Take another chance. You have "saving" of studying English, and you just didn't use your saving for the test.
But I also know, you would be very glad if you took the right score.

TOEIC is just "a test," but IT IS A TEST.
To get the "reward," I mean, getting a good score, just keep trying!

...So, my TOEIC score was almost full because I got a almost full score of reading test?
NOOO! My listening score had been a full score, but this time, it was not.
Therefore, my score was 955. Just 5 points above the last year.
I improved 5 points, should I say "only" 5 points or "as a big step" 5 points??
...I'll get the answer this year, or the following year because it takes time to acquire a skill.

...Am I forgetting my listening skill (score) has fallen down??
...It takes time to recover a skill as well, you know...