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"Superpowers" - Interview with PWRFL Power

"Superpowers" - Interview with PWRFL Power English, baby! Video Lesson

Date: Mar 30 2009

Themes: Celebrity, Travel

Grammar: Be Able To

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

One day he’s performing in the US, and the next in Japan. Then Canada…It almost seems like Kaz Nomura, who performs his indie rock folk songs as PWRFL Power, can fly around the world like Superman.

But the young Japanese singer’s real superpower is playing beautiful guitar melodies and writing funny songs about losing his keys and people who don’t hold their chopsticks correctly. PWRFL Power (pronounced “powerful power”) has been written about by dozens of newspapers and magazines in the US.

Jason met up with Kaz at a concert in Portland just hours before he left for Japan, where he is currently touring. Watch the video below and learn about superpowers and the type of superhero Kaz would like to be.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

Log in to Listen

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Jason

Jason

Kaz

Kaz

Jason:  Welcome to English, baby! I’m Jason, here with Kaz who performs under the name PWRFL Power. Where are you from, Kaz?

Kaz:  I’m from Hokkaido, Japan.

Jason:  Your first language was Japanese then? When did you learn English, and how?

Kaz:  I mean, everyone in Japan starts learning, you know, when they enter junior high. I didn’t speak English until I came here. So I guess it’s been, like, five and a half years.

Jason:  So when you first arrived, was it hard to get around and make friends and stuff?

Kaz:  Yeah. It was really hard. I remember I was living in this international dorm kind of place in Seattle. I couldn’t talk to any of, you know, my roommates and it was very frustrating. There was this Turkish guy who…One day I made a huge pot of curry, and I left it in the kitchen, and he just ate it all. I wanted to, like, you know, tell him, like, not to. But I couldn’t say what I wanted to say so…

Jason:  When did you turn the corner? When did you feel like, “OK. Now I know English”?

Kaz:  After two years. I think it’s just that I spent enough time talking to people and being social.

Jason:  So your name is PWRFL Power when you perform. What kind of superpower would you like to have the most?

Kaz:  You know, I’ve been really craving frozen yogurt. So I think I’d like to be able to, like, make frozen yogurt anytime. Maybe, like, with my index finger or something. Then I could just, like, push it and…Like that.

Jason:  That’s a great superpower. Can I get you to give me a high-five and say, “English, baby!”?

Kaz:  English, baby!

 

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

Like most Japanese kids, Kaz began learning English in school. But he didn’t master it until he came to the US a few years ago. In fact, when he first arrived, one of his roommates ate all his food because he didn’t know how to ask him to stop!

Since Kaz’s stage name is PWRFL Power, Jason asks him what kind of superhero he would like to be. Kaz says that he really likes frozen yogurt, so he would like to have the superpower to make it with his finger.

That’s a really creative superpower! A lot of movies and comic books about superheroes with superpowers that help them fight crime like flight, superhuman strength, invisibility or X-ray vision. If you had a superpower, what would it be?

For more on PWRFL Power, go to his blog or MySpace page. Image by Erin Harrell.

 

Comments

Log in to Comment

vik32

vik32

India

i would like to be google…lolz…!!! so what i read it is  stored into my memory forever…!!! right now i am having a bit problem in learning language but if  i had a good memory dat wud rly help me to learn it so fast without struggling and getting frustrated…!!! he he

05:21 AM Oct 30 2010 |

kpl

kpl

Taiwan

In the dorm , I hope that I could have a superpower like a superman, then i would  use my x-ray vision or index finger shooting the dead-ugly-idiot mosquitos.But as i am bit again , I know that I should turn the corner and not  crave to be a superhero anymore.  I got be mastered by using a real way to kick that flying sucking guys' ass . 

04:45 PM Mar 30 2010 |

ms_lonely89

Viet Nam

do anyone know his face?i think he is handsome lol Sealed

06:52 AM Nov 24 2009 |

jolefrancaisSuper Member!

France

hi everyone 

such great lesson when I will be able to speak and understand english like this fellow i will be pretty happy 

 

06:47 PM Sep 21 2009 |

jack2_20

jack2_20

Palestinian Territory, Occupied

hi
hello
any one here

06:42 PM Aug 31 2009 |

Noor-alhalabi

Jordan

funny songs : D

02:48 PM Jun 26 2009 |

AlejandrO

AlejandrO

Venezuela

Hii everybody! Cool

02:15 AM Jun 16 2009 |

efcla

China

God is love and love is from God. God pours His love into my heart and flow to others, so love is a powerful thing ! Well let's learn to accept with love from each other. May God bless all of you. Laughing

07:36 AM May 28 2009 |

sakareeya

Thailand

 

        hello evry body, who like contect me? please I'm

raedy all time.

02:05 AM Apr 24 2009 |

sakareeya

Thailand

      

          may I join with, do you let me? thank you.

01:46 AM Apr 24 2009 |

josuekissous

France

hi

02:41 PM Apr 21 2009 |

stonehui1

Cocos (Keeling) Islands

I want to chat with a foreigner,to learn about the differences between different countries.

10:22 AM Apr 10 2009 |

blackrussian

Israel


05:29 PM Apr 09 2009 |

blackrussian

Israel

i would like to breath underwater like a fish. so i might dive without skuba. Fantastic!!!

05:17 PM Apr 09 2009 |

juan luis armenta perez

Congo

nobody knows what's want, who have saying? i want to get power for getting peace.

 

Best regards, Juan L.

07:16 PM Apr 07 2009 |

MiSS_AZERI

Azerbaijan

good )) im cool

07:06 PM Apr 07 2009 |

MiSS_AZERI

Azerbaijan

if u want u can learn english in everywhere-just u must have wish, aim….

07:04 PM Apr 07 2009 |

MiSS_AZERI

Azerbaijan

untill today i havent discover any superpower on me,

But i think everybody has superpower. Just we have to try realize it. use it for good things!

06:57 PM Apr 07 2009 |

muying

China

there is not environment for us to speak English in Chinese!

04:06 PM Apr 05 2009 |

scratchie

Turkey

I would have ability of reading minds. Laughing

02:40 PM Apr 04 2009 |

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