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08 .21300 + 140 = Healthy!Photo Credit: Angele J @ Pexels.comDo you like to drink milk and eat other dairy products such as cheese or yoghurt? In the UK, where I lived for over 25 years, dairy products were a big part of my daily diet and they are still very popular. Less than 20% of the UK’s population is lactose intolerant, whereas in Japan it’s almost three quarters of the population. For these people, digesting dairy products can be very difficult and troublesome. Both lactose and alcohol intolerance are quite common in Asian countries, reflecting the history of agriculture and food production, and resulting in some small but significant genetic differences between various cultural populations. However, regarding what we eat, the belief that fresh fruit and vegetables are good for our health is widely shared by humans across the globe.Even widely-held beliefs can be inaccurate, so just over 20 years ago researchers from Yokohama City University and the National Cancer Center set out to conduct a 20-year-long collaborative study to scientifically verify this idea in relation to the Japanese population. Although past studies in the United States and Europe have shown that eating lots of fruit and vegetables leads to a longer, healthier life, it was the first time such a study had been conducted in Japan. The results have recently been published and they show that people who eat lots of fruits and vegetables are at a lower risk of death compared to those who rarely eat them.So how much should we eat each day? One of the recommendations that came out of this research is that people should ideally eat at least 300 grams of vegetables and 140 grams of fruit every day. This is because the study also shows that mortality does not decrease in proportion to the amount of fruit and vegetable intake. Just the right amount each day is enough to maintain a healthier body. With the ever-increasing prices of fresh produce, it may be an economic choice to buy cheaper, processed food, but can you put a price on your health?If you’re interested in the statistics of this study, read on. Approximately 95,000 people aged 40 to 69 living in Tokyo and 10 other prefectures nationwide took part in the study. During the 20-year period about 25% of the participants died. Vegetables: risk of death for those who ate lots of vegetables was seven to eight percent lower compared to those with the lowest vegetable consumption. Fruit: Compared to participants who ate the least amount of fruit, those with high fruit consumption had an eight to nine percent lower risk of death, particularly from cardiovascular diseases. Unfortunately, no connection between eating a lot of fruit and mortality from cancer and respiratory diseases was found.{Link to Science Japan summary of study [https://sj.jst.go.jp/news/202211/n1101-01k.html]}Questions:Q1. What percent of Japan’s population is lactose intolerant?Q2. Which Japanese university was involved in the 20-year study?Q3. How many prefectures made up the population of participants in the studyå?Scroll down ↓ for the answersAnswers:A1. Almost 75%A2. Yokohama City UniversityA3. 11. Tokyo + 10 moreBen McDonough
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08 .14Black FridayPhoto Credit: Tamanna Rumee @ PixabayDo you know what day is the busiest shopping day in America? You may think that many holidays and special events in America are busy shopping days, but there is one special event in America that is the busiest, and that is “Black Friday.”Maybe you have heard about “Black Friday” before. There are three unique facts that you should know about “Black Friday” in the United States. First, Black Friday is a busy shopping day because it is considered to be the start of the Christmas shopping season. Unlike in Japan, many people buy Christmas presents for many friends and family in the US. Second, Black Friday is always on the same Friday every year – the fourth Friday of November, on the day after Thanksgiving. Third, Black Friday gets its name from the shorthand phrase “in the black” which refers to “profits” and a successful business period.One interesting thing about Black Friday is how the day has recently become popularized in Japan in the past few years. It’s common now in Japan to see many shopping centers promote Black Friday sales heavily during the month of November. However, while Black Friday has become familiar to many Japanese people in recent years, Black Friday in America is very different from Japan.First, unlike Japan, where Black Friday signs are now seemingly everywhere all throughout November, In America, Black Friday is only during one single day – the fourth Friday in November. As Black Friday in the U.S. is only during one day, many stores compete with each other to begin their Black Friday sales earlier than other rival stores. For example, many stores will advertise special Black Friday sales and promotions that begin at midnight or very early in the morning on Friday. It’s very common to see people in the U.S. line up very early in the morning and stand in line for hours in front of their favorite stores so they can be among the first people to enter the store and get the best Black Friday deals. Sometimes, you can see people bring tents and even camp out in front of their favorite stores at very early times in the morning so they can secure their place in line and be among the first to rush into the store. The competition to get the best Black Friday deals is very intense!Another interesting thing about Black Friday is how it has begun to change in recent years. While Black Friday used to be just a one day event, many Black Friday shopping deals now start earlier on the day before, on Thursdays, and end later, on the following Monday. Black Friday is proof that many special events can gradually change over time!Questions:Q1. What is the busiest shopping event in America?Q2. Why is Black Friday a busy shopping day?Q3. How has Black Friday changed in recent years?Scroll down ↓ for the answersAnswers:1. Black Friday2. It is considered to be the start of the Christmas shopping season. It is also an event with many special sales and promotions3. Many Black Friday deals now start earlier on Thursdays and end later on MondaysAlexander Sheffrin
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07 .31Food for ThoughtPhoto Credit: Kai Reschke @ PixabayHave you ever wondered why Japan has curry when none of your near Asian neighbours have it? Some of you may be fully aware of the answer, but some of you may not. The answer is Japanese curry is from the English via India. In the Meiji period, the Japanese Navy worked closely with the Royal Navy and it was introduced to the Japanese public in the 1870s from the Japanese Navy. To this day in the Japanese Navy, Friday is curry day.And, talking about Indian food, what do you think of? Curry? Of course. Spicy? Usually. Potatoes? Tomatoes? In fact, chillies, potatoes and tomatoes were introduced to India from South America in the 1600s by the Portuguese, and they, the Indians, made wonderful use of them. Then chillies spread to China, Korea (imagine kimchi without spice) and the rest of Asia.Why do Americans call chips (British English) French Fries? French Fries are from Belgium from Spain from Peru and Bolivia. They’re called “French Fries” in America because that is where Americans first saw them, in France. The British famous dish of “fish and chips” was possibly also introduced from Portugal as the Portuguese have a longer tradition of frying fish and vegetables (like tempura). Potatoes have become such an important food around the world that 350 million tonnes were produced in 2020 with 25% of them grown in China.Tomatoes also have an interesting history, travelling from Mesoamerica (the slim part between North America and South America) to the rest of the world. Imagine a salad or pizza (most pizzas) without tomatoes or a lot of other European foods. However, when tomatoes were introduced to Europe, people would not eat them and only grew them to look pretty in the garden. The reason for this was the belief that tomatoes were poisonous.This blog is too short to explore this topic in any real detail, but it might inspire you to think about where your food is from. We all share one tiny planet in a huge galaxy and an unimaginably big universe. We are lucky we are close enough to each other that we can share ideas, foods, herbs and spices, art, music, and everything that makes us an active member of the human race. And, on a final note, I will end with a quote (possibly from Robert Baden-Powell – founder of the Scouts organisation): “Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints, and kill nothing but time.”Questions:1. Who introduced curry to Japan?A. IndianB. ChineseC. British2. Where did chilies come from?A. KoreaB. South AmericaC. Portuguese3. Why did Europeans not eat/use tomatoes at first?A. they thought they were poisonousB. they thought they were dirtyC. they did not like things from AmericaScroll down ↓ for the answersAnswers:1. C2. B3. ABBP Staff
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07 .03How to Tell a StoryPhoto Credit: RetroSupply @ unsplash.comStorytelling is part of all cultures. Being able to tell a good story either orally or through writing is a good skill to have. Most stories have a similar structure:• Beginning• Middle• EndStories also must have a central conflict. The conflict is the problem or obstacle your main character, or protagonist, is trying to solve or overcome. (The secondary character who opposes the main character is called the antagonist.) Ask yourself “what does my main character want?” Making it difficult for your main character to get what he or she wants provides the conflict.Beginning: introduction of the conflictMiddle: attempts to solve the conflictEnd: resolution of the conflict. Does your main character succeed or fail?Your story should rise in a way that each obstacle placed in the way of the protagonist becomes more difficult to overcome until you reach the most difficult obstacle just before the story ends. The most difficult and exciting point is called the climax. Remember, the climax is always at the end of the story just before you reveal whether your protagonist succeeds or fails.When you begin to create or tell a story you must know the conflict. Also, it is helpful to know the ending before you start, even if you change the ending as you write. Next time you read a story, try to identify the conflict.Below is a retold story originally told by Aesop. Can you identify the conflict?The Fox and the CrowOnce there was a crow that had stolen a piece of cheese. She was perched on a tree branch ready to eat her meal when a fox approached. The fox saw the cheese and wanted it. However, he couldn’t climb the tree to get the cheese. He thought for a moment and then called up to the crow. “Madam crow,” said the fox. “You have the most beautiful feathers—more beautiful even than a peacock or pheasant.”The crow turned her head and looked at the fox because she had never received such a compliment. “But alas,” continued the fox, “I have not heard your voice. I’m sure your voice matches that of a song bird, but since I have never heard it, how am I to know? If I could just hear you sing, I would proclaim you queen of the birds.” The crow wanted to show the fox that she had a beautiful voice to match her feathers so she opened her mouth to sing, dropping the cheese. The fox quickly picked it up and ran off.Questions:1. What are the three parts of a story and what is the element of each?2. What is a protagonist?3. What is the conflict in the “Fox and the Crow?”Scroll down ↓ for the answersAnswers:1. Beginning: introduction of the conflict. Middle: attempts to solve the conflict. End: resolution of the conflict.2. The main character who is trying to overcome the conflict or solve the problem3. The fox wants the crow’s cheese but can’t get at it.Rex Arthur Stewart
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06 .26Let it BePhoto Credit: John Hain @ PixabayEvery evening at 17:45, the temple bell rings at centuries old Daitokuji Temple near my house. When I take a walk, I listen to the great bell and feel a sense of inner peace. As the bell rings and vibrates like a rising and falling ocean wave, I cannot help but soften my cadence. In my steps, I find myself meditating almost like the monk in a blue robe who I met one day in front of a Kyoto Tofu store.It was a rainy afternoon. I went for my usual walk and got caught in the passing drizzle. I did not have an umbrella. I hastened my steps and with a crinkly nose and uplifted tense shoulders, I was almost in a small jog. I hated getting wet and I irritably looked ahead as my hair slowly plastered onto my forehead. In front of me I saw a figure. A straight back. Shoulders wide. Long legs stretching out of a blue robe of linen. Bare feet wearing zori Japanese sandals. The monks head was clean shaven. Disregarding the sudden drizzle, he walked ahead as if there was no hurry or rush, never changing his steps to the happening of the moment – a drizzle slowly turning into a generous pour. He was carrying a blue shopping bag made out of the same material as his dress. He stooped low and entered the Tofu store. “Momen icho onegaishimasu,” said the monk in a calm tone. Rain water was dripping from his shaved head, his robe heavily clung onto his body. “Hai yo.” The elderly tofu-maker responded. Exchanging money for product, the monk gently put the tofu into his blue bag and walked on. I raced quickly to be at his side.Surprisingly the monk was a Westerner from Iowa. He had been living in Japan for more than 10 years and was training at Daitokuji temple. “How can you walk so calmly, never changing your cadence in the rain?” I asked as I peered sideways as the rain was rolling into my eyes and fogging my glasses. “Let the rain do its thing.” The monk asked where I was from and what I was doing in Kyoto. As we continued our small-talk, getting to know more of each other, the rain turned into a slow drizzle once again. We parted ways, he, back to his temple and I on to my house. “Let the rain do its thing…” “Let it…” I thought to myself “What a funny answer this was…”. When I got home, I dried myself off and quickly filled my bathtub with hot water. I gladly peeled off my wet clothes and welcomed the warm soothing water. I worked up the shampoo bubbles into my scalp. The unpleasant unexpected rain, the comforting soothing water, and the fresh lemony scent of my surroundings. “Let it…” I smiled.Questions:1) Who did the main character meet and how?2) Where did the monk come from?3) What did the monk mean by "Let the rain do its thing"?4) Why did the main character smile?Scroll down ↓ for the answersAnswers:1. The main character met a monk in the rain.2. The monk came from Iowa in the United States of America.3. There is a reason for everything.4. The rain did its thing and made the main character enjoy the comfort of a bath.Jackie Kim-Wachutka
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06 .12The Fun of Learning IdiomsPhoto Credit: Tima Miroshnichenko @ Pexels.comIdioms generally refer to conventionally used phrases whose meanings cannot easily be inferred from their literal meanings. More precisely, the Oxford Dictionary of English defines the word idiom as “a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words.” Take a famous English idiom like “kick the bucket” as an example. To those who have never heard this phrase, it only means “to strike an open cylindrical container with the foot,” and none of them could guess that it also has a conventional meaning of “to die.”You may say learning idioms is just boring and troublesome because it is a matter of memorization. However, you will find it interesting to deepen your understanding of idioms by looking at the cultural ideas and customs behind them. Where do you think the conventional meaning of “kick the bucket” is derived from? The most common etymology would be that it comes from a scene where a person wishing to commit suicide stands on an upside-down bucket and kicks it to hang himself/herself. On the other hand, according to the Oxford Dictionary of Idioms, another etymology explains that “bucket” in this phrase is a homonym that refers to a beam: in the Norfolk dialect, a bucket means a beam that was used to suspend a slaughtered pig by its heels. Another characteristic of idioms is that they often involve metaphors. For example, the expression “have butterflies in one’s stomach,” which denotes uneasy or nervous feelings, gives us a vivid image of fluttering sensations as if real butterflies were flying inside the stomach. Also, “a hot potato” refers to a controversial issue or question that nobody is willing to treat, like people avoiding touching a piping hot potato.Interestingly, some English idioms have their analogs in Japanese though their components don’t necessarily correspond with each other. Typical examples include “bite one’s lip (kuchibiru wo kamu)” and “pull the strings (ura de ito wo hiku).” Let’s look closely at another example such as “give someone the cold shoulder.” Apart from its literal meaning, it conventionally means “to ignore or behave unfriendly to someone.” According to the Oxford Dictionary of Idioms and many other English dictionaries, this idiom comes from the idea that serving a visitor a cold roast shoulder of meat represents inhospitality. Although this origin lies in European culture, it also seems convincing to many Japanese speakers because Japanese culture also has a similar idea: remember that the Japanese idiom “hiyameshi wo kuwaseru,” which literally means “to let someone eat cold cooked rice,” has almost the same meaning as “give someone the cold shoulder.”Below is a list of other interesting English idioms. Can you explain all of their meanings? If not, look them up in dictionaries. Once you find that conventional meanings of idioms have not arbitrarily been established, you can no longer say learning idioms is just a boring part of English study.put oneself in someone’s shoesget into a stewcarry a torch for someonelet the cat out of the bagrain cats and dogstake the bull by the hornswhen pigs flywater under the bridgeon the ballnot rocket scienceQuestions:1. According to the writer, the origin of the English idiom “kick the bucket” is already identified. True or False?2. According to the writer, a Japanese analog to the English idiom “give someone the shoulder” is_______________.A. kata no chikara wo nukuB. hiyameshi wo kuwaseruC. te wo kasu3. The conventional meaning of the English idiom “let the cat out of the bag” is_______________.Scroll down ↓ for the answersAnswers:1. False2. B3. reveal a secret carelessly or by mistakeHideki Goto
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06 .05Have you ever been to Baltimore?Photo Credit: Brendan Beale @ Unsplash.comI’m from Baltimore, and I proudly use every opportunity to share about my hometown whenever I can. Baltimore is just the 30th largest city in the United States, so it may be an unfamiliar destination to many people. However, Baltimore, which is home to over half a million people, is one of the oldest cities in the United States with a rich history as well as boasting many attractions and places of entertainment.History of BaltimoreBaltimore was one of the first major cities to develop in the United States and as a result, there are many historical buildings and structures in Baltimore. In fact, close to one third of all buildings in Baltimore are designated historical structures. Cobbled stone streets, colonial style architecture, and row houses that are hundreds of years old are a very common sight in Baltimore. Other than its large supply of historic buildings, Baltimore also holds a famous place in U.S. history as the birthplace of the U.S. national anthem. The lyrics to the U.S. national anthem, known as the "The Star-Spangled Banner,” were famously written in Baltimore in 1812 by Francis Scott Key, an American lawyer, after he was moved by the sight of the American flag proudly waving in the Baltimore Harbor during the War of 1812. Baltimore is also famous for being the birthplace of Babe Ruth, nicknamed the “The Great Bambino,” who is widely considered to be the greatest baseball player of all time.Attractions and Entertainment of BaltimoreBaltimore has many sights of attractions and entertainment. The city has two major professional sports teams, a Major League Baseball team, the Baltimore Orioles, and a National Football League team, the Baltimore Ravens. Both sports teams, which are hugely popular and play in large stadiums close to downtown Baltimore, are a big source of pride for Baltimore residents and residents wearing their teams’ jerseys, hats, coats, logos, and colors is a common sight.The other major attraction of Baltimore is its strong connection to the sea and water. The Baltimore Inner Harbor, for example, is a popular tourist attraction and pedestrian friendly waterfront with many shops and seafood restaurants. If you visit any of the restaurants at the Baltimore Inner Harbor, you can order a “crab cake,” which is a type of fishcake made with crab meat, breadcrumbs, and mayonnaise. “Crab cakes,” which are said to originate from various fish markets around Baltimore, are a very popular food eaten all over the city. At the Baltimore Inner Harbor, you can also visit the Baltimore Aquarium, which is one of the most extensive aquariums in the United States, with over 17,000 species of animals.Finally, another major attraction is a group of four historic ships docked in the Inner Harbor that were built between 1853 to 1944 and are fully accessible to the public as a maritime museum. If you have a chance, I definitely recommend that you visit Baltimore!Questions:1. How many people live in Baltimore?2. What happened in Baltimore in 1812?3. What popular food can you eat in Baltimore?Scroll down ↓ for the answersAnswers:1. 500,000 people2. The lyrics to the U.S. national anthem, known as the "The Star-Spangled Banner,” were written by Francis Scott Key after he was moved by the sight of the American flag in the Baltimore Harbor.3. Crab cakesAlexander Sheffrin
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05 .29Gestures and physical movements are parts of our communication.
Photo Credit: Andrea Piacquadio @ pexels.com
In many countries, people often use hand gestures, such as “beat” gestures, to make communication easier. There is scientific research showing that “beat” gestures improve children's narrative discourse performance. Other studies illustrate that people can more easily realise the meanings of words when hand gestures are used during a conversation than during a conversation without gestures.
As there are different languages depending on cultures, different hand gestures are used from country to country. For example, Japanese people wave their hands when they want to call over somebody, or ask somebody to move forward. More specifically, they repeatedly drag their four fingers inwards to their palm, before then straightening them again. These beckoning gestures have an opposite meaning in Western culture. People in Western countries use similar gestures when they want to say goodbye.
Japanese people wave their hands left to right in front of their faces when they want to say 'no'. However, people in Western countries use a similar expression when something smells bad.
Not only hand gestures, but also physical behaviours are culturally different. At this point I would like to introduce my experience in the UK when I was a postgraduate student. When I was a college student in Japan, I thought it was okay to sniffle quietly when I had a runny nose. I did not care about other people's sniffling sounds, unless they were loud. However, when I was a postgraduate student in the UK, I realised that making a sniffling sound is very rude in Western cultures. When I was studying in a university library with my friend from Luxemburg, a male student next to us sniffled many times. I did not care about it so much, but suddenly my friend from Luxemburg stood up and whispered into my ear, 'I can't stand that sound, Chika. I'm gonna leave'. She looked very angry, and I was extremely surprised to learn the reason for this anger. I realised that it is better to blow one’s nose in Western countries even if it makes a sound. It may not be good to make a big noise, though.
Of course, it is very important to learn other languages. However, as we can see in the examples of this blog, physical movements or behaviours also have huge impacts on our communication. While learning foreign languages, it may be interesting to observe the physical movements or behaviours which are common in our own countries, and think about how these common behaviours are considered in other countries.
Questions:
Question 1: What kinds of hand gestures do Japanese people use when they want to call somebody over?
Question 2: What does the beckoning gesture of Japanese people mean in Western countries?
Question 3: What kinds of hand gestures do Japanese people use when they want to say 'no'?
Scroll down ↓ for the answers
Answers:
Answer 1: They drag their four fingers inwards to their palm, before then straightening them again and repeating the gesture.
Answer 2: It means 'goodbye'.
Answer 3: They repeatedly wave their hand left to right in front of their faces.
Chika Kitano -
05 .15Why I Read Self-Help BooksPhoto Credit: Kranich17 @ pixabayMore and more, I hear students say something that completely breaks my heart. “I don’t like reading.” This, to me, is one of the saddest things I hear from today’s younger generation. I’ll admit to you, there are definitely a lot more exciting things we can do with our time. Reading does not often give us a rush of adrenalin or dopamine, two chemicals that bring us joy and cause addiction (both healthy and unhealthy ones). However, it does so much for us that we often overlook (or ignore).First, reading books, especially non-fiction, gives us a better education than many of our university classes do. Why, you ask? You can take the learning at your own pace and review things as much as you want before moving on to the next stage (chapter). Also, being a published author requires the writer to be an expert in the topic. Furthermore, the book will have been read, questioned, evaluated, rewritten, and perfected, before it reaches your eyes. This means the content in the book can be trusted to be valid and accurate, whether it matches our opinion or not.By contrast, magazine and online articles, blog entries, tweets, and other reading materials, are often produced much more quickly and with less peer reviewing than books. In some cases, no one has verified the information before it goes public! Some of these writings can be trusted, but not all!My second reason for reading these kinds of books is that it allows me to hear points of view that are different from the ones I currently hold. I have been influenced by my parents, my friends, my teachers, and others who are in my circle of contacts. However, bringing in someone else’s perspective, someone that I have never met before, allows me to get a fresh angle on a topic that might already interest me. I might not take everything that they teach and apply it to my life, but at least I can gain something from reading their work!Finally, reading relaxes me a lot more than staring at my smartphone or computer screen. I get enough social media, movie streaming, and other such entertainment in my life. I find that looking at books, pages with meaningful writing on them, calms me down and helps reset my mind for a while. If I do not read on any given day, I feel that I am a little bit too wound up to handle the next day.By the way, I strongly recommend the book Atomic Habits (by James Clear). It has been translated into Japanese and is called 複利で伸びる一つの習慣. I am also currently reading a really cool book called Terraform by my favorite rapper, Propaganda. I also just recently bought a book called Stop Living on Autopilot by Antonio Neves. I hope it gives me a good education, offers some new perspective, and relaxes me from day to day.I recommend you pick up a book and learn more about how you can make yourself a better person, too!Questions:1) What do the chemicals adrenaline and dopamine do for us?A - Give us a happy feeling in our brainsB - Make us want to read more booksC - Provide entertainment such as Netflix and social media2) Why are blogs less enjoyable than books, according to the writer?A - They do not have enough depth, so we cannot learn from themB - They can be read on the train, so reading them is not relaxingC - They are often not fact-checked by others, so they might be inaccurate3) Which of these is NOT a reason that the writer enjoys reading self-help books?A - They help him gain new perspectives on topics he already cares aboutB - They help him avoid using his smartphone and computer so muchC - They provide a good education because the writers of these books are expertsScroll down ↓ for the answersAnswers:1) A2) C3) BTrevor Raichura
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05 .01Out-of-the-box ideas for your leisure time at home
Photo Credit: Ylanite Koppens on pexels.com
Have you been looking for something different to do while staying at home? How about learning to play a board game or having a game night? There are many types of games that can be played by yourself or with a group. Although you might think games are just for children, they can be enjoyed by adults too: from strategy games to family games to word games, there are many to choose from.
The game of chess has been growing in popularity, especially since The Queen’s Gambit was released on Netflix last year. The show is based on a book with the same title, and it refers to the name of an opening move in the game of chess. This fictional story follows chess prodigy Beth Harmon as she struggles with personal problems and strives to become the best chess player in the world. Because of this series, more and more people are buying chess sets, learning the rules, and following famous chess players online, like grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura. These new members of the chess community are practicing at home with their friends or family members, or they are playing online. Although the rules of chess are easy to understand, the strategy is difficult to master, so it can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities. In fact, my father taught me to play chess when I was an elementary school student, and although I don’t play it now, I remember the time we spent playing chess together.
During the stay-at-home period, some families have started a new tradition—game night. Game nights are a fun way to spend time together and not only play games but also talk. Over the past year, my family often played board games, and the one we have played the most is called Ticket to Ride. Two to five people are needed to play the game, so it is ideal for a game night with friends or family; however, there is also an app version if you want to play alone. The object of the game is to collect colored cards and then build train routes to connect cities across the board. There are various versions of the game, each based on a different map: The United States, Europe, and so on. Players earn points based on the length and point value of the train routes, and the winner is the person with the most points at the end of the game. Therefore, this game is a mixture of luck and strategy, so it is very fun to play on game night.
Games are good for the brain, and they can be a fun way to practice language skills too. Classic word games like Scrabble, Boggle, Scattergories, and Taboo are sure to challenge your English vocabulary skills, and most of them are available in both tabletop and online versions. No matter which one you choose, playing a game can be an excellent way to spend your leisure time.Questions:
Q1. According to the article, why has chess become popular recently?
A. It is easy to master the game of chess
B. There was a popular show about chess
C. A game of chess can be played quickly
Q2. What kind of game is Ticket to Ride?
A. A word game
B. A card game
C. A board game
Q3. Which benefits of game night are mentioned in the article? (Choose all correct answers.)
A. Competition
B. Communication
C. Tradition
D. Imagination
Scroll down ↓ for the answers
Answers:
1 – B
2 – C
3 – B & C
Mary Hillis