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03 .21A Bittersweet Memory of My Youth - Part 1
In the spring of 1986, I started my college life with deep disappointment. I failed in the entrance examination for Ritsumeikan University and ended up going to Yamagata University so far away from home. Most of my high school friends passed the exams to enter good universities in the Kansai area, and none of them came to Yamagata with me. I deserved this because I did not study as hard as I should have. All I was doing in high school was swimming and biking. I was very active physically, but extremely lazy intellectually.
However, there were two things I really wanted to do at the university: 1. making a long bike trip around the entire country of Japan, and 2. doing something for world peace. Back then, nuclear competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union was so severe that the world community was seriously worried about the outbreak of a Third World War. So after I entered university, I started reading a lot of books about world peace and conflicts.
During my first summer vacation in Yamagata, I joined an anti-nuclear movement planned by the YMCA. It was a campaign by a group of cyclists of Japan and the U.S., in which they would bike from Osaka to Hiroshima, appealing for an immediate stop to the insane nuclear competition. After biking more than 100 km a day for 5 days, all participants would attend the Peace Memorial Ceremony in Hiroshima on August 6.
For me it was a lucky combination of biking and the peace movement, both of which I was deeply interested in. Indeed, in the first preparatory meeting at YMCA, I was designated as one of the cyclist leaders in charge of assisting other participants because I was a tough and experienced cyclist. And then came the day of the welcome party of American participants. I was overwhelmed by more than 50 American participants of my age who were very open, friendly, and cheerful. It was my first encounter with so many Americans. Many of them tried to talk to me in English, but I could not understand or speak a word of it.
Photo credit: Roman Pohorecki @pexels
Quiz
Q1. Why did the writer go to Yamagata University?
a) Most of his friends came from that area.
b) He did not study hard enough.
c) He wanted to join the cycling club in that university.
Q2. The writer wanted to do something for world peace. What was his first step towards that goal?
a) He made a long bike trip.
b) He joined the anti-nuclear movement.
c) He began to read a lot about the subject.
Q3. Why was the protest event perfect for the writer?
a) He could assist other participants.
b) He wanted to meet a lot of foreigners.
c) It combined two of his interests.
Scroll down for answers
A1. b
A2. c
A3. c
Shoichi Maruta -
02 .21All about Ireland
I’d like to introduce my country, the Republic of Ireland. Ireland is very homogenous, like Japan – until recently, almost everybody was white and Irish. Recently, for the first time in history we’ve had immigration into Ireland. Now we have quite a few people from Poland and China, for example, but the country is still mainly very homogenous. The population is quite small at about 5 million people.
Ireland is very small. You can go from the east of the country to the west of the country in maybe three hours. And you can go from the south of the country to the north of the country in maybe four or five hours. So, Irish people feel very local. If we meet somebody, we kind of know where they're from, or we think we have a connection to every place in the country because it's so small. Because of this, it feels local, it feels familiar; it almost feels like everybody is a neighbour.
The people are famous for being very friendly and generous. So we give a lot to charity, including to charity internationally. Statistically, they are the third or fourth most generous country in the world. We're famous for things like Irish whiskey and Irish beer, like Guinness, which is a black beer.
We're also famous for Irish music and Irish dancing, which are popular around the world. Irish music has some specific instruments and the music is quite nice. It's very popular with tourists. Irish dancing is unusual because the dancers keep their arms straight by their sides, and don't move them. The legs are very quick, almost like tap dancing, but very, very, old and more traditional than that. Again, it's quite popular with tourists. There's a famous Irish dance show called Riverdance, and it goes all around the world and has even been to Japan a few times.
Photo Credit: Kelly L@Pexels
Quiz
Q1. What is the population of Ireland?
Q2. What is special about Guinness?
Q3. What is one special feature of Irish dancing?
Scroll down for the answers
A1. 5 million
A2. It’s black beer
A3. The dancers don’t move their arms while dancing
Eric Lynch -
01 .31Is it worth driving in Osaka?I loved driving when I lived in the US. Apart from walking or riding a bike, there’s no other way I would want to get around.In Japan, driving is another story altogether. When I lived in Okayama, the necessity of a car was clear and even in Okayama city, there is not the abundance of transportation that a foreigner like me associates with Japan. However, since moving to Osaka I often wonder if it is necessary to drive.You might be thinking ‘what’s the big deal?’ Osaka is a city in Japan like any other. Well, that might be true to some extent. From my perspective, Osaka amplifies all the difficulties of driving in Japan to the point where I would rather avoid it altogether. With kids and no parking on campus, the choice to use either is not always mine. Take my kids in the car, take my bike to campus. But anyway, a couple sentences back, I mentioned “the difficulties of driving in Japan”, and you want to know what those are, right?Navigation systems don’t understand the roads: There is a different philosophy to how the road system is designed here. Probably due to space limitations, there are often roads running parallel to each other or on top of each other and sometimes both at the same time. The navigation system cannot display this on the screen in detail. Even if I catch what the navi is trying to tell me, I have to apply that to what I am seeing on the road. When you factor in the mental processing time of reading unfamiliar road signs and kanji characters, it is easy to take a wrong turn.Turning around, narrow roads and one-way streets: I remember one time when I drove into a one-way street the wrong way. At that moment, my wife yelled at me, and I pulled into a tiny parking space on the corner of the intersection. Since it was a one-way street, I could not continue. Pedestrians were telling me to back up and move out of the way. I was saying to myself “I know you are telling me to back up, but there is literally nowhere to go” - too many cars, too many bicycles and too many pedestrians coming in all directions. Eventually, with great stress, I inched my way back and out of the street.This brings me to the aspect of driving in Osaka that gives me the most grief; so many people, bikes, and scooters on the road. On the road, someone will inevitably invade your path. It’s just the reality of such a densely packed area. After 20 years of previously driving in relative peace, the sudden change to crowded streets really adds a lot of stress.So, is driving worth the trouble? For me it’s a necessary headache, but if you are single or at least don’t have children, I would have to say don’t bother. Save your money and your sanity.Photo credit: Satoshi@pexels.comQuizQ1. Which word or phrase is the most similar in meaning to the authors use of ‘be another story’ in line 3?a) very differentb) something interesting to hearc) a sequelQ2. For this person, driving is necessary.a) Trueb) FalseQ3. In the second to last paragraph, the authors use of the word ‘grief’ is similar to:a) Sadnessb) Seriousnessc) Creates stressScroll down for the answersAnswersA1. aA2. aA3. cWilliam Fusco
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01 .10Taking Control of TimeWhen I was younger, I didn’t think too much about time. For me, the day-to-day activities were enough, and often I found them pretty boring. I get up, have breakfast, walk to the bus stop, go to school, and then endure high school. I was a quiet student who didn’t always fit in very well, and was ready to move on from the drama of high school.Not surprisingly, when I got to college I still had drama. This time the question wasn’t so much me living with a schedule decided for me in high school, but the drama of choosing my own time. That was a difficult moment for me. I hadn’t had any previous members of my family who graduated from college, and I didn’t just want to do exactly the same thing as the person to my left or right. I wanted to understand what I wanted to do.Because I wasn’t so sure at first, I slowly decided just to set achievable goals. First it was simply to get through the day, then get through the next day, then get through week, and just keep adding to that. Eventually that led to a semester, which was the biggest hurdle I faced. After that, I had a sense that I could do it, but I knew there was more to do.In many ways, how I try to control time hasn’t changed so much since then. While it may not be from the same crazy feeling I had to just survive back then, now I have a better idea of what I can handle and what my priorities are. Focusing my time on what I can manage helped me to not lose sight of why I was doing everything in the first place. The times I felt the least in control were when I doubted myself. Even in mistakes where I chose self-doubt, I had something to learn from.Everyone’s path is not going to lead them to the same place. It can be easy just to look at the people to your left or right, and then just go along with what they’re doing. However, maybe they’re making the same uncertain choices you are. Sometimes that’s a good thing: you can have an experience that draws you closer to another, sharing in success or failure, and understanding life together. Even still, at the end of the day, when you’re alone in bed, it’ll still just be you answering the question, “how am I doing today?”Years later, as someone who is married and with young children, that hasn’t changed. The choices I make, the way I act, how I talk to strangers or loved ones - they all boil down to how I feel about my time. Does it control me, or do I control it? The best time to decide is now.Photo Credit stazknop@pexels.comQuizQ1. How would you describe the writer's feelings about high school?Q2. What helped the writer in handling time in college?Q3. What does the writer think is the benefit of making choices with others?Scroll down ? for the answersA1. He was ready to graduate.A2. Setting achievable goals.A3. You can share experiences together and better understand life.Jesse Patterson
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11 .02Make Your Dreams Come True
On my 11th birthday, my cousin gave me a Carpenters record as a present. Of course, I didn't understand English at all at that time. However, I was fascinated by the beautiful singing voice and melody and wanted to know the meaning of the lyrics. That was my first encounter with English.
At the age of 12, I was impressed by the impressive singing voice of The Three Degrees, who were as popular as the Carpenters in Japan, and became interested in black music (soul music). However, it was a group of five black brothers called Tavares who I saw on TV the following year that caught my heart. I became a big fan of them and joined the Tavares fan club, which was backed up by a Japanese record company (Toshiba EMI) when I was in junior high school.
Perhaps because I was enthusiastic, I ended up becoming the president of the fan club when I was a high school student. At that time, I held Tavares record concerts and even went to radio stations to promote their new songs. My dream was to go to a Tavares concert and meet them in America someday, so I studied English hard to make that dream come true. Tavares eventually disappeared from the music scene in the 1980s, not releasing any more records.
When I gave up my dream of meeting them, I heard the news that Tavares was coming to Japan to give a concert! I wrote to their record company in English even though I wasn’t sure if it would reach the group. At that time, I really wanted to thank them for their music, which enriched my life and gave me a lot of happiness. It is no exaggeration to say that they helped me to become an English teacher. On the day of their concert in Osaka, my dreams finally came true. Not only was I able to hear their singing live, but I was also allowed to meet them in the dressing room. Tavares looked at me and said, "You are the one who wrote us." Yes, they had received my letter! The members were very happy, and we took pictures together. The photo is still a lifelong treasure. Through English, I was able to fulfil my dreams. I hope that all students will meet many wonderful people and have valuable experiences through English. I want you to make your dreams come true!
Photo Credit: Vannessajg@Creative Commons
Quiz
Q1. What was my first encounter with English?
a) Receiving the Carpenters' record as a birthday present from a cousin
b) Hearing the Carpenters on the radio
c) Seeing the Carpenters in concert
Q2. What did I do as the president of the Tavares Fan Club?
a) Made badges and T-shirts for other fans of Tavares
b) Recorded concerts and went to radio stations to promote Tavares' new songs
c) Followed Tavares around on tour
Q3. How did my dream come true?
a) When I met Tavares backstage when they came to perform in Osaka
b) When Tavares wrote to me, thanking me for being a fan club president
c) When Tavares performed for me at my 11th birthday party
Scroll down for the answers
A1. a
A2. b
A3. a
A1. a
A2. b
A3. a
Nobuaki Irie -
10 .25How to Learn more Vocabulary
Students often ask me how they can improve their English. My advice is almost always the same: you need to review new vocabulary a lot. Everyone knows this, but it can be difficult to get motivated to actually do it. Research shows a student needs between 3,000 and 5,000 words in order to understand an unsimplified text. Making it more difficult, it takes between 5 and 16 exposures to a word before it can be learned.
So how can you even begin to recycle so many words, that many times? Flashcards are great, and many students already use them, but it can take a long time to make good sets, and they can be lost easily.
Luckily, there is an app for you, and it is free and popular. Some students already know about Quizlet (https://quizlet.com). You can use it on your smartphone or tablet, or play it on your computer through any browser.
To get you started you can find and use any number of word-sets such as TOEIC words, for example. Even better, you can make your own flashcards, or adapt ones that have already been made.
You can choose to have the meaning of the words in English or any language you choose. You can write the definition yourself, or use ones supplied in the app. You can even add pictures to help you remember.
Once you have some flashcards, there are various ways to play. You can do the traditional flashcard way of looking at the definition and trying to recall the word; you can listen to the word and practice your spelling; you can drag and match the meaning to the word, and you can even play a game of Asteroids. Finally, you can also play live games against your friends, which is very motivating and fun.
I have used this app with many students over the past 4 years and it is always very popular, so please do check it out. It is not magic - you will still need to put in the time, but it should make it easier for you to learn new words.
Photo Credit: Pixabay@pexels.com
Quiz
Q1. How many words does a learner need to be able to understand an authentic text?
a) Between 3,000 and 5,000 words
b) Between 4,000 and 6,000 words
c) Between 2,500 and 4,500 words
Q2. How many times do you need to review a word before you can remember it?
a) Between 12 and 18 times
b) Between 10 and 20 times
c) Between 5 and 16 times
Q3. Do you have to make your own flashcards in Quizlet?
a) You can, but you can also use sets that have been made by other people
b) You need to buy them online
c) You can borrow them from a friend or classmate
Scroll down ↓ for the answers
A1. a
A2. c
A3. a
Eric Lynch -
11 .18Dealing with Stress
I don’t really like stress. Not that I can think of anyone who does, but it is often the case that I will be happy when I’m done feeling it. At times, stress can seem to push me to try harder and to do more, but it can also leave a mess along the way. I often find that experiencing stress can become less about what is stressing me out and more about how I respond to it.
A person does not need to be taught what stress is in order to know what it feels like. For every person it can be something different. What stresses one person can be nothing to another, and what is a small problem for one can be huge for somebody else. When I am dealing with stress, I find I first need to be open with someone who knows me well enough to understand how my stress is affecting me.
That wasn’t always the case. In college, it was more difficult for me to adjust. I didn’t know too many people and college was very new for me since it wasn’t very common in my family. I was more concerned with just getting through the first semester, and, perhaps, the rest of my time at the university would follow.
Obviously, it eventually did work out, but not because I kept to myself the whole time. I had friends along the way and people I talked to who helped give a different perspective on things. I am not in contact with them so much now, but their perspective then helped me to see beyond the initial stress.
While that was years back, being able to look around me and get other perspectives is still important. It doesn’t have to be a huge number of people, but hopefully it is more than just one. Why? Because we’re all human, and sometimes the ones we lean on may need to lean on us from time to time.
Stress is something we all share and have in common. It isn’t the only thing we’ll ever feel in life, but I’m grateful to not have to be alone when I feel it. Remember to keep your head up and look around you.
Photo Credit: Andrea Piacquadio@Pexels.com
Quiz
Q1. What is the first thing the author does when dealing with stress?
Be open with someone that knows them
Hides away from everyone
Writes down problems in a journal
Q2. When was it more difficult for the author to adjust to stress? Why?
At home because sometimes problems are difficult to share with family
When alone because there was nobody to talk to
In college because going to college wasn't common in their family
Q3. What is important about having friends when dealing with stress?
They offer a different perspective on how to deal with the issue
They help you forget about your problems
They agree with everything you say
Scroll down ↓ for the answers
A1. a
A2. c
A3. a
Jesse Patterson -
10 .04Japanese AtlantisThe Ryukus are a chain of islands that stretch from Kyushu to Taiwan. They are a popular diving area and attract divers from around the world who often come to observe the hammerhead sharks that populate the clear blue waters.In 1986, while searching for dive sites in the area Japanese diver Kihachiro Aratake came across a very unusual site; the straight lines and regular angles of what appeared to be a manmade structure. The structure was massive in size and covered a wide area, yet it was 26 meters under the sea. What was this strange place and who or what had created it? Located off the coast of Yonaguni Island at the southernmost point of the Ryukyu Island chain this monolith soon became known as the Yonaguni Monument and began to attract many divers and sightseers. However, it also began to attract a lot of controversy. Was it in fact manmade or just a natural outcrop of rock?Professor Masaaki Kimura from the University of the Ryukyus and writer Graham Hancock firmly believe that the structure is man made. They claim that the monolith is too regular in shape to be of natural origin; pointing out what they allege is clear evidence of stairways, terraces and even a gateway. They argue that during the last ice age sea levels would have been much lower, at which time this would have been an ocean side settlement. Perhaps even more controversially, they believe that it points to evidence of an ancient but advanced civilization.However, there are many who oppose this theory calling it pseudoscience. Geologist Robert Schoch argues that the monolith is merely a geological outcrop. He says that the many earthquakes and strong currents in the area have resulted in the sandstone taking on these unusually symmetrical formations. Others have pointed out the similarity of other structures nearby.Earlier this year National Geographic, using advanced imaging techniques and cutting edge graphics reconstructed the monolith in 3D. For the first time this gave a clear picture of the formation that had lain submerged for thousands of years. Their conclusion was that it was more likely to be a natural structure. Usually ancient sites show some evidence of human habitation, such as tools or utensils. However, in there research they found no such evidenceNevertheless the debate continues on both sides. With some academics and writers continuing to argue that mainstream archeologists are just reluctant to accept the theory of an ancient advanced civilization. Who do you think is right?1 What is a monolith? A A large animal that is now extinct B A massive structure C An underwater dwelling2 Why do some people think it is manmade? A There is evidence of human habitation B It looks like it was purposefully made C The sea levels were lower in the past3 What is pseudoscience? A belief that is not based on the scientific method B An ancient religion C A method of fortune tellingScroll down below for answers1. B2. B3. AChris Pond
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09 .13Women's Empowerment in India - Part 2
This is Part Two of Women’s Empowerment in India.
You can read Part one here.
In Visakhapatnam, we were introduced to very positive and active women. When we interviewed them, we tried meta-facilitation skills to find out the truth. They were eager to talk about how much effort they made to become independent. Many of them were from the poorest families and were not educated at school. Some of them could not even read or write when they first came to Mura no Mirai. They did not know how to calculate either. They never had a bank account. They never made any decisions by themselves. They did not have confidence. However, after being involved in the activity of the NPO, they learned not only how to read, write, and calculate, but also got a job at their own community bank called VVK.
Those poor women got higher self-esteem little by little though an opportunity to borrow a small amount of money from the bank. They borrowed and paid back money again and again. All the small loans were used for their living expenses and their children’s education. They sent their kids to college and finally returned their debts. Their lifestyle was very simple, and they seemed not to have many possessions. However, they looked very happy. What they were proud of was not what they had, but their children’s education and their efforts for that. They showed us their passbooks which proved completion of their repayment. They seemed to gain confidence by paying back all the money they borrowed, making decisions by themselves, and becoming independent financially and psychologically. Moreover, this confidence inspired them to learn how to read, write, and calculate, and even to manage their bank by themselves. Most of them were once just customers at the bank for their microcredit, but they became indispensable workers there. They keep challenging themselves, and their bank is growing and helping more poor women.
What is happiness for human beings? Can people feel happy when they are able to own a lot of things? When supporting people in need, giving something might be a common idea. However, through communicating with them, these Indian women made me realize what is important in life. I will never forget their happy smiles.
Photo Credit: jeswinthomas@pexels.com
Blog Quiz
Q1. Where did the writer visit in India?
Q2. How did the Indian women use the money they borrowed?
Q3. What is important for the Indian women the writer met?
Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.
Quiz Answers
A1. Visakhapatnam, India
A2. They used the money for living and educational expenses.
A3. Becoming independent, getting confidence, making decisions, (children’s) education
Kahori Kobayashi -
09 .06Women's Empowerment in India - Part 1
Empowered women in India taught me what happiness means. I visited some women in the southern part of India with an NPO called “Mura no Mirai (Future of Villages)” in February 2018. I was interested in world cooperation, but not sure about how to find out the real needs of people in developing countries. The NPO has been active in several countries and successful in supporting underprivileged people. They gave me a chance to learn about the precious things in life from the Indian women in the slum.
Mura no Mirai offers a special way to communicate called meta-facilitation, which means to ask only fact-questions when trying to find someone’s needs. From his experiences in world cooperation, Mr. Wada from the organization found that when answering fact-questions, people gradually recognize what they really need and start to think about what they should do for their future. This NGO never gives money or things, but through meta-facilitation, they help people in need empower themselves and become independent financially and psychologically. Their goal is not to do everything for the people, but to guide them to stand up and walk by themselves at their pace. When I attended their seminar about meta-facilitation, I became very much interested in communicating with people using the method.
One of their great projects was to support poor women in Visakhapatnam, India. They asked fact-questions to find their needs and succeeded in leading them to manage their own community bank for small loans by themselves. I read their reports and books about their activities, but I could not believe what they have done and really wanted to see and listen to the local women’s groups. I joined their study tour to visit them in India.
Photo Credit: Still@pexels.com
Blog Quiz
Q1. What is Mura no Mirai?
Q2. What is the communication method used by Mura no Mirai?
Q3. What project was the writer particularly interested in?
Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.
Quiz Answers
A1. An NPO that helps underprivileged people
A2. meta-facilitation
A3. The writer was impressed by the women who managed a community bank for small loans.
Kahori Kobayashi