Hello everyone!

The rain is back and another typhoon is set to ruin another weekend. Hopefully this one tracks between Korea and Japan and doesn’t do too much damage. I am a little disappointed however, because every year I take a cycling trip on this weekend. I usually go down to Hiroshima and cycle the “Shimanamikaido”.

This summer was so hot I didn’t have much of a chance to ride my bike. In fact, I would say that I am “a little rusty” at long distance riding. In English, when you haven’t used a skill for a long time, we say that it “gets rusty”.

Rust is the brown colour you see on metal that hasn’t been taken care of. Old buildings, old cars, and old tools can all get rusty. But, with a little practice and a little care, the rust can be removed and something can look like new again.

Take a look at these pictures. On the left are the tracks used everyday at Ozaki station. On the right are the tracks that have not been used since the fire a few weeks ago. See that rusty brown colour?

Like these tracks, your English skills need care and attention. If you leave them too long, they will get rusty, just like these tracks. Take care of them everyday, however, and they will be sharp and ready whenever you need them.

Good luck on your last day of tests,

Allen.