The English Lesson! [Nomics]

[Samari]

[Continuing from before...]




Kumiko shrieked when Nomics took her notebook. She whined and reached for it as he kept trying to read her writing. Hikari hissed at the man who took the notebook as well.




"Aiya!""What are you doing? Stop making fun of my writing! I know its bad!"

[phyrstyr]

As he saw her become upset and start shouting Japanese angrily, his face fell. "I is sorries." He said sadly as he handed the notebook back. Scratching his head he amended plaintively, "I guess i got a little carried away. Actually, your handwriting is better than mine." He then sat down across from her and took on a look of dejected-ness that was only half fake.

[Samari]

Kumiko sniffled and took her notebook back. She shook her head and sighed.



She wrote something down.


"I'm Sorry. I'm a bit..Sensitive."


Hikari chirped at Nomics and then nuzzled Hers tenderly.


Kumiko resumed to stare at Nomics, waiting for him to teach her something else.

[phyrstyr]

Nomics read her message and took note. Don't criticize her, even in jest. He smiled a little at the affection of her flitter-ling.

As she looked at him expectantly he remembered that he was supposed to be teaching her. "Oh, yeah. Um... lets see. Where were we," a pause and a half smile, "before i rudely interrupted."

He glanced at his notes and began writing words on the board, talking all the while. "It seams that you already know the meanings of may words. And how to pronounce individual letters. That's a good start. I'm going to write some words and we will try to sound them out. We can then decide if you are ready for it. If not we will do some different exercises."

He started slow, writing "CAT", "BAT', "IS", "WE", "COW", and "BOAT". He put boat to see if she was at a higher level. "If you cant pronounce this one," he tapped the board where he had written boat, "i wont hold it against you, it is more difficult than the others." He paused a moment. "Actually, i would be content if you only got one. So try your best. I'll help you if you need it." He smiled happily and waited to see how she would take it.

[Samari]

Kumiko nodded and read the words. She sat up to pronounce them.



"Cat. Bat. Is. We. Cow. Bo-at."




She pronounced the word "boat" as 'bow-at.'



She frowned and scratched her head. She didn't think that sounded right.

[phyrstyr]

Nomics was pleased by her apparent knowledge. "Amazing!" He chuckled lightly. "But the 'O'-'A' combination usually makes the 'O' sound. When there is a vowel pairing, the first vowel is the one that commonly makes a sound. However there are a few exceptions, such as 'Great'.

Now it was time to test true comprehension. "Alright. This time I will write a sentence and have you say it and then draw a picture of it." He erased what he had written and wrote: "THE FOX JUMPED OVER THE BOX."

[Samari]

Kumiko smiled. She doodled a picture of a fox taking a leap over a cardboard box. She threw in a couple of hearts around it, just for fun. She then spoke.



"The...fox...jumped over the box."




Hikari chittered in celebration. She was learning fast!

[phyrstyr]

"Excellent! I really dont think there is anything i could 'teach' you at this point... all you have to do is practice!" Nomics exclaimed and then laughed loudly.

He sighed sadly, "I guess i feel pretty useless. Alas!" He lamented. Then he walked over to her and nudged her in the side once. "But you could keep coming over. Your presence adds a sense of elegance to this otherwise drear room." As he said the last part, he spread one of his hands like a blooming flower to accent his statement.