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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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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

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André Lopes

Brazil

If I had a superpower, I would like to have the power to memorize everything, like a super computer be able to remember all in any time I want.    

02:10 AM Mar 31 2009 |

ciberd7

ciberd7

Brazil

Kaz seems to be weird, but He is like Lily Allen, He calls like it is. I think He´s such a creative person, because I wonder who´d be able to make something like Kaz has pictured in his mind? Thinking about what kinda power I´d like to own, maybe I would like to be able to use the strength of nature to stop the global warming and start bringing back the old environment like it was at the past. It would help the world to live more and more years without caring about issues we´re obliged to care. Superpower in wrong hand could tear the world in peaces. Picture it in your mind and hesitate it!

09:03 PM Mar 30 2009 |

ciberd7

ciberd7

Brazil

Kaz seems to be weird, but He is like Lily Allen, He calls like it is. I think He´s such a creative person, because I wonder who´d be able to make something like Kaz has pictured in his mind?

Thinking about what kinda power I´d like to own, maybe I would like to be able to use the strenth of nature to stop the global warming and start bringing back the old environment like it was at the past. It would help the world to live more and more years without caring about issues we´re obliged to care.

Superpower in wrong hand could tear the world in peaces. Picture it in your mind and hesitate it!

09:00 PM Mar 30 2009 |

ciberd7

ciberd7

Brazil

Kaz seens to be weird, but He is like Lily Allen, He calls like it is. I think He´s such a creative person, because I wonder who´d be able to make something like Kaz has pictured in his mind?

Thinking about what kinda power I´d like to own, maybe I would like to be able to use the strenth of nature to stop with the global warming and start bringing back the old environment it was.

It would help the world to live more and more years without caring about issues we´re obliged to care.

08:57 PM Mar 30 2009 |

eru1071

eru1071

United Kingdom

if i had a superpower, it would be "a think" that make everything what you wish or what you say and it just happend :)  there is no superpowers like that i think :D

08:55 PM Mar 30 2009 |

Cabdirisaag

United Kingdom

Don tquarrelwithyourbreadtheb utter

05:42 PM Mar 30 2009 |

Vivian83

Vivian83

Taiwan

Kaz Nomura has an interesting story. His music sounds fun.

05:20 PM Mar 30 2009 |

nghiemhoa

Viet Nam

if i had a supperpower, i want everytime, everywhere i can turn everything into money, gold, diamond, or all thing that have value. don't think i too greedy,want my parent dont have to work hard any more, i want to help the poor children, and i want to be a …......... i don't know what my dream is…...

05:12 PM Mar 30 2009 |

utnhe

Viet Nam

if i had superpower,i would use that power for my father,he's sick now

 

03:02 PM Mar 30 2009 |

zoeinbeijing

China

I want to have the ability to go to the future and the past. That's cool!

02:45 PM Mar 30 2009 |

inwoon

China

I want to have a suoerpower with which I can move to no matter where I want to be~haha!So I can travel for free!

02:17 PM Mar 30 2009 |

Athan

Athan

China

So I've been watched the sitcom,Heros.And it's all about people who after a just plain day find out they have superpowers,it's cool.When you yesterday like a normal human being,then today,you would like to be able to fly,or be invisible,or turn things into gold.It's fantastic.I really want to have my own superpower too,maybe it's like I can live forever and never become old,always in the same age,like a vampire,but I don't have to drink blood.Of course,just living forever is not enough,when you have one superpower,you are eager to have more,that's our endless desire.It's the cause that all evils come.

02:04 PM Mar 30 2009 |

larrychen

larrychen

China

If I had superpower,  i wish i would be to be able to fly!! Then I could be in the sky and go wherever I want. Haha, how cool it would be !

02:04 PM Mar 30 2009 |

SÉRGIO

SÉRGIO

Brazil

X-ray vision sounds really great! I like it!! I could look at ladies much better!! lol

01:48 PM Mar 30 2009 |

Futuristic

Futuristic

Philippines

If I have a special power, I think I could fly so high,and make my self invisible to know what people doing hahaha silly! my ultimate dream is tobecome superhero and be able to help people but you know being a super hero is not easy you have lots of responsibilty and you run off your personal life. Gosh…. I think i'm gonna cry so crazy…. 

 

01:45 PM Mar 30 2009 |

Futuristic

Futuristic

Philippines

If I have a special power, I think I could fly so high,and make my self invisible to know what people doing hahaha silly! my ultimate dream is tobecome superhero and be able to help people but you know being a super hero is not easy you have lots of responsibilty and you run off your personal life. Gosh…. I think i'm gonna cry so crazy…. 

 

01:45 PM Mar 30 2009 |

Futuristic

Futuristic

Philippines

If I have a special power, I think I could fly so high,and make my self invisible to know what people doing hahaha silly! my ultimate dream is tobecome superhero and be able to help people but you know being a super hero is not easy you have lots of responsibilty and you run off your personal life. Gosh…. I think i'm gonna cry so crazy…. 

 

01:44 PM Mar 30 2009 |

Naomi1010

Naomi1010

Taiwan

He’s quite a cool but shy guy!

01:31 PM Mar 30 2009 |

deliiin

South Korea

i would like have a good body that taller, thinner. besides eventhough eat more and more, no fat. that's my wish.

12:04 PM Mar 30 2009 |

mukashi

mukashi

Myanmar

It's a nice lesson. Eventhough I am living in Japan I didn't know him before. I think he is a great man.English is not his mother language but  he can well interviewd with english like english native person.

Anyway, if I have super power I would like to  control our world by peace, without war and also want to help people who have poverty.

11:12 AM Mar 30 2009 |

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