I am going to choose one topic among the following ones. I have written the first draft of introduction of the speeches.
I would like to achieve three goals through this presentation.
1) Introduce my own perspective or idea.
2) Introduce Japanese culture or Japanese way of thinking.
3) Address a topic which could be socially important or a useful idea to American people.
1. Architecture in Chicago
Which city in the United States would you like to go for sightseeing? Although I live in New York, I believe that Chicago is one of the most beautiful cities in the United States. Last summer, I stayed in Chicago for a couple of days after spending one month in Michigan. I enjoyed watching towering skyscrapers in the center of the city, as many other visitors. But there are not so many people who go out to the country side of Chicago. I found it more interesting to watch small architectures in the country side. This is why I like more Chicago than New York. One architecture is Farnsworth House, which was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a German-born American architect. The other one is the Oak Park Home and Studio, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, who was an American architect and interior designer. So, today, I would like to introduce unknown but great architecture in Chicago.
2. How a Japanese diplomat see the American presidential election?
Since I came to the United States last summer as a trainee diplomat of the Japanese government, I have felt that I am so lucky to see the presidential election. It is because I could have more chance to see how American people decide their future by voting. Which candidate and what kind of issues are paid attention by American voters? How the electoral systems influence the result of the vote? These are important question not only to American voters but also people all over the world. Japanese people are not exception. They are also interested in this election for many reasons. Today, I would like to introduce Japanese views on this election. I have no intention to intervene the domestic politics of the United States. As a diplomat, I know how important it is to keep away from domestic politics in other countries. However, I hope my introduction of Japanese perspective will shed lights on some issues in the campaign.
3. Japan’s approach to environmental issues.
Last month, G8 summit was held in Hokkaido, the northern part of Japan. In the summitry meetings, national leaders and heads of international organizations discussed many global issues facing them. One of their agendas in the conference was environmental issues. In the recent summits, environmental issue has been on the table, especially after the end of the Cold War. In the summit in Hokkaido, the Japanese Government introduced environmental friendly approaches in organizing this large scale conference. Today, I am going to introduce some implementations that the government of Japan took in G-8 summit. Also, I would like to show how Japanese people make efforts to contribute environmental issues. I know how much American people also are interested in this global issue, but I hope you can learn something new from what I am going to talk today.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
My Three Goals in The English for Diplomats (EFD) Program in MIIS
I would like to achieve the following three goals in the English for Diplomats (EFD) Program in the Monterey Institute of International Studies.
1. Become more confident in using English. Erase as much as anxiety, ambiguity, and uncertainty when to use English. Building more confidence would improve English skills.
2. Improve speaking manners. Effective communication requires many kinds of skills, such as accurate pronunciation and intonation, body languages and face impression, straight logic and good structure. Acquire these skills, which will be essential to complete diplomatic tasks.
3. Establish the foundation for the future self training. Although my session in MIIS lasts only for three weeks, it is enough to find the best way to achieve higher English skills. Make a lot of efforts to get know how for language training, following guidance and recommendation by the coaches.
1. Become more confident in using English. Erase as much as anxiety, ambiguity, and uncertainty when to use English. Building more confidence would improve English skills.
2. Improve speaking manners. Effective communication requires many kinds of skills, such as accurate pronunciation and intonation, body languages and face impression, straight logic and good structure. Acquire these skills, which will be essential to complete diplomatic tasks.
3. Establish the foundation for the future self training. Although my session in MIIS lasts only for three weeks, it is enough to find the best way to achieve higher English skills. Make a lot of efforts to get know how for language training, following guidance and recommendation by the coaches.
New Vocabulary 13: "Judge clears way for first Guantanamo prosecution."
From Matt Apuzzo, "Judge clears way for first Guantanamo prosecution," Monterey County Herald, July 18, 2008.
http://www.montereyherald.com/search/ci_9908657?IADID=Search-www.montereyherald.com-www.montereyherald.com
* plea: (1) an urgent and emotional request. (2) the answer that a person gives in court to the acccusation that they have committed a crime.
"The U.S. can begin trying Osama bin Laden's former driver next week at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, a federal judge ruled Thursday, rejecting the defendant's plea to halt the historic first trial in the military system set up following the Sept. 11 terror attacks. "
* play out: When a situation plays out, it happnes and develeps.
"In a victory for the Bush administration, U.S. District Judge James Robertson ruled that civilian courts should let the military process play out as Congress intended—a decision that could clear the way for military commissions to begin prosecuting other terrorism suspects, including those charged directly in the 2001 attacks. "
* crumbe: (1) to break or to cause something to break, into small pieces, (2) to weaken in strength and influence.
"Had the trial been delayed, as requested by former bin Laden chauffeur Salim Hamdan, it would have been a sign that the entire terror-trial process might crumble under the weight of judicial scrutiny. "
* allege: (v) to state that someone has done something illegal or wrong without giving proof.
"Hamdan was captured at a roadblock in southern Afghanistan in November 2001, allegedly with two surface-to-air missiles in the car. He could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted of conspiracy and supporting terrorism. The defense says Hamdan was a low-level bin Laden employee, not a hard-core terrorist. "
http://www.montereyherald.com/search/ci_9908657?IADID=Search-www.montereyherald.com-www.montereyherald.com
* plea: (1) an urgent and emotional request. (2) the answer that a person gives in court to the acccusation that they have committed a crime.
"The U.S. can begin trying Osama bin Laden's former driver next week at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, a federal judge ruled Thursday, rejecting the defendant's plea to halt the historic first trial in the military system set up following the Sept. 11 terror attacks. "
* play out: When a situation plays out, it happnes and develeps.
"In a victory for the Bush administration, U.S. District Judge James Robertson ruled that civilian courts should let the military process play out as Congress intended—a decision that could clear the way for military commissions to begin prosecuting other terrorism suspects, including those charged directly in the 2001 attacks. "
* crumbe: (1) to break or to cause something to break, into small pieces, (2) to weaken in strength and influence.
"Had the trial been delayed, as requested by former bin Laden chauffeur Salim Hamdan, it would have been a sign that the entire terror-trial process might crumble under the weight of judicial scrutiny. "
* allege: (v) to state that someone has done something illegal or wrong without giving proof.
"Hamdan was captured at a roadblock in southern Afghanistan in November 2001, allegedly with two surface-to-air missiles in the car. He could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted of conspiracy and supporting terrorism. The defense says Hamdan was a low-level bin Laden employee, not a hard-core terrorist. "
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
New Vocabulary 12: "What a way to run the world"
From Economist, "What a way to run the world," July 3, 2008.
http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11670305
* prattle: (v) to talk foolishly or childishly for a long time about something unimportant or without saying anything important.
"CLUBS are all too often full of people prattling on about things they no longer know about. "
* in tatters: (1) badly torn, (2) badly damaged or completely spoiled.
"The G8 is not the only global club that looks old and impotent. The UN Security Council has told Iran to stop enriching uranium, without much effect. The nuclear non-proliferation regime is in tatters. "
* dispense: (v) to give out things, especially products, services or amounts of money, to people.
"The critics are right to argue that global organisations should be more focused than they are, but wrong to assume they can be dispensed with altogether."
http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11670305
* prattle: (v) to talk foolishly or childishly for a long time about something unimportant or without saying anything important.
"CLUBS are all too often full of people prattling on about things they no longer know about. "
* in tatters: (1) badly torn, (2) badly damaged or completely spoiled.
"The G8 is not the only global club that looks old and impotent. The UN Security Council has told Iran to stop enriching uranium, without much effect. The nuclear non-proliferation regime is in tatters. "
* dispense: (v) to give out things, especially products, services or amounts of money, to people.
"The critics are right to argue that global organisations should be more focused than they are, but wrong to assume they can be dispensed with altogether."
Sunday, June 15, 2008
New Vocabulary 11: Kamp & Lindley-French, "Big power, little will."
From Karl-Heinz Kamp and Julian Lindley-French, "Big power, little will," International Herald Tribune, June 13, 2008.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/13/opinion/edlindley.php
* parochial: (adj) showing interest only in a narrow range of matters, especially those which directly influence yourself, your town or your country.
* enigma: (n) something that is mysterious and seems impossible to understand completely.
"Indeed, Germany's parochialism lies at the heart of the enigma. Too often Germany talks Europe but means Germany. It is an indifference to meaning self-evident in the many issues that now separate Germany from key partners."
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/13/opinion/edlindley.php
* parochial: (adj) showing interest only in a narrow range of matters, especially those which directly influence yourself, your town or your country.
* enigma: (n) something that is mysterious and seems impossible to understand completely.
"Indeed, Germany's parochialism lies at the heart of the enigma. Too often Germany talks Europe but means Germany. It is an indifference to meaning self-evident in the many issues that now separate Germany from key partners."
Friday, June 13, 2008
New Vocabulary 10: Madeleine K. Albright, "The end of intervention."
From Madeleine K. Albright, "The End of Intervention," International Herald Tribune, June 11, 2008.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/11/opinion/edalbright.php
* dissent: (n) strong difference of opinion on a particular subject; disagreement, especially about an official suggestion or plan or a popular belief.
"The first and most obvious reality is the survival of totalitarian government in an age of global communications and democratic progress. Myanmar's military junta employs the same set of tools used by the likes of Stalin to crush dissent and monitor the lives of citizens."
* famine: (n) when there is not enough food for a great number of people, causing illness and death, or a particular period when this happen.
* halt: (v) to (cause to ) stop moving or doing something or happening.
"During the 1990s, certain precedents were created. The administration of George H.W. Bush intervened to prevent famine in Somalia and to aid Kurds in northern Iraq; the Clinton administration returned an elected leader to power in Haiti; NATO ended the war in Bosnia and stopped Slobodan Milosevic's campaign of terror in Kosovo; the British halted a civil war in Sierra Leone; and the United Nations authorized life-saving missions in East Timor and elsewhere."
* repercussion: (n) the effect that an action, event or decision has on something, especially a bad effect.
"Thus, Myanmar's leaders have been shielded from the repercussions of their outrageous actions. Sudan has been able to dictate the terms of multinational operations inside Darfur. The government of Zimbabwe may yet succeed in stealing a presidential election."
* back off: (phrasal verb) to stop being involved in a situation, usually in oder to allow other people deal with it themselves.
"Political leaders in Pakistan have told the Bush administration to back off, despite the growth of Al Qaeda and Taliban cells in the country's wild northwest."
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/11/opinion/edalbright.php
* dissent: (n) strong difference of opinion on a particular subject; disagreement, especially about an official suggestion or plan or a popular belief.
"The first and most obvious reality is the survival of totalitarian government in an age of global communications and democratic progress. Myanmar's military junta employs the same set of tools used by the likes of Stalin to crush dissent and monitor the lives of citizens."
* famine: (n) when there is not enough food for a great number of people, causing illness and death, or a particular period when this happen.
* halt: (v) to (cause to ) stop moving or doing something or happening.
"During the 1990s, certain precedents were created. The administration of George H.W. Bush intervened to prevent famine in Somalia and to aid Kurds in northern Iraq; the Clinton administration returned an elected leader to power in Haiti; NATO ended the war in Bosnia and stopped Slobodan Milosevic's campaign of terror in Kosovo; the British halted a civil war in Sierra Leone; and the United Nations authorized life-saving missions in East Timor and elsewhere."
* repercussion: (n) the effect that an action, event or decision has on something, especially a bad effect.
"Thus, Myanmar's leaders have been shielded from the repercussions of their outrageous actions. Sudan has been able to dictate the terms of multinational operations inside Darfur. The government of Zimbabwe may yet succeed in stealing a presidential election."
* back off: (phrasal verb) to stop being involved in a situation, usually in oder to allow other people deal with it themselves.
"Political leaders in Pakistan have told the Bush administration to back off, despite the growth of Al Qaeda and Taliban cells in the country's wild northwest."
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
New Vocabulary 9: Gabe Hudson "An American in Seoul"
From Gabe Hudson, "An American in Seoul," International Herald Tribune, June 10, 2008.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/10/opinion/edhudson.php
* phalanx: (n) a large group of people standing very close to each other, usually for the purposes of defence or attack.
"The university moved me into a high-rise studio apartment in the heart of downtown Seoul, on Jongno street, next to the recently beautified Cheonggye stream, which is surrounded by a phalanx of high-rise buildings. Right outside my 20th-floor window is the ultramodern Samsung Securities building, Jongno Tower, which at night looks like a giant robot peering in at me."
* feast: (n) a special meal with very good food or a large meal for many people.
"Most evenings, my girlfriend, Ja-Won, and I walk to one of the local downtown areas for a Korean feast. We walk to Samcheondong for sam gyeop sal (barbecued pork), or to Insadong for yang nyeom ge jang (raw crab with spicy sauce), or to Myeondong for bul dak (fiery chicken)."
* buzz: (v) to press a BUZZER in order to get someone's attention.
* vault: (n) a room, especially in a bank, with thick walls and a strong door, which is used to store money or valuable things in safe conditions.
"When Ja-Won buzzes the front door to my apartment, an image of her face instantly appears on the silver Samsung video screen on my living-room wall. When I step into the hall to greet her, the door behind me suctions itself closed, locks itself with a motor and speaks to me in Korean. You can unlock my front door with a remote control, or if you prefer, by using the keypad in the door handle. Sometimes getting back into my apartment feels like breaking into a bank vault."
* leer: (v) (especially of men) to look at someone in an unpresant and sexually interested way.
* wag: (v) (especially of a tail or finger) to move from side to side or up and down, especially quickly and repeatedly.
"I looked up and saw a middle-aged Korean man in a suit leering over our table. He said something very rude-sounding to Ja-Won. I could only make out the word "American." He wagged his finger at her, stepping in closer."
* drag: (v) to make someone go somewhere they do not want to go.
"But that night I stood up and, even though the man didn't speak English, quickly communicated to him that I'd break his face if he came any closer. Seeing that I meant business, the man then allowed himself to be dragged away by his wife."
* fathom: (v) to discover the meaning of something.
"I won't understand the language going on around me, and I won't be able to fathom the simple miracle of how I came to be sitting there, but I will feel as if I belong."
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/10/opinion/edhudson.php
* phalanx: (n) a large group of people standing very close to each other, usually for the purposes of defence or attack.
"The university moved me into a high-rise studio apartment in the heart of downtown Seoul, on Jongno street, next to the recently beautified Cheonggye stream, which is surrounded by a phalanx of high-rise buildings. Right outside my 20th-floor window is the ultramodern Samsung Securities building, Jongno Tower, which at night looks like a giant robot peering in at me."
* feast: (n) a special meal with very good food or a large meal for many people.
"Most evenings, my girlfriend, Ja-Won, and I walk to one of the local downtown areas for a Korean feast. We walk to Samcheondong for sam gyeop sal (barbecued pork), or to Insadong for yang nyeom ge jang (raw crab with spicy sauce), or to Myeondong for bul dak (fiery chicken)."
* buzz: (v) to press a BUZZER in order to get someone's attention.
* vault: (n) a room, especially in a bank, with thick walls and a strong door, which is used to store money or valuable things in safe conditions.
"When Ja-Won buzzes the front door to my apartment, an image of her face instantly appears on the silver Samsung video screen on my living-room wall. When I step into the hall to greet her, the door behind me suctions itself closed, locks itself with a motor and speaks to me in Korean. You can unlock my front door with a remote control, or if you prefer, by using the keypad in the door handle. Sometimes getting back into my apartment feels like breaking into a bank vault."
* leer: (v) (especially of men) to look at someone in an unpresant and sexually interested way.
* wag: (v) (especially of a tail or finger) to move from side to side or up and down, especially quickly and repeatedly.
"I looked up and saw a middle-aged Korean man in a suit leering over our table. He said something very rude-sounding to Ja-Won. I could only make out the word "American." He wagged his finger at her, stepping in closer."
* drag: (v) to make someone go somewhere they do not want to go.
"But that night I stood up and, even though the man didn't speak English, quickly communicated to him that I'd break his face if he came any closer. Seeing that I meant business, the man then allowed himself to be dragged away by his wife."
* fathom: (v) to discover the meaning of something.
"I won't understand the language going on around me, and I won't be able to fathom the simple miracle of how I came to be sitting there, but I will feel as if I belong."
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
New Vocabulary 8: "A low-key visit to Germany by Bush."
From "A low-key visit to Germany by Bush," International Herald Tribune, June 9, 2008.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/09/europe/germany.php
* closeted: (adj) keeping somehting secret, especially the fact of being homosexual.
* walkabouts: (n) an informal stroll among a crowd conducted by an important visiter.
"Closeted away in the elegant Schloss Meseberg, the German government guest house north of Berlin where the president will dine with Merkel, Bush on Wednesday will be doing no walkabouts in Berlin and giving no major speeches. Instead, he will use the time talking to Merkel, one of his favorite leaders in Europe, about the Middle East, energy security and Iran."
* broker :(n) arrange or negotiate (an agreement)
"But she also brokered the compromise language about future aspirations for the countries, which eased the pain of rejection."
* brunt: (n) the worst part or chief impact of a specified action.
"Merkel too resisted pressure from Bush and NATO to send German troops to southern Afghanistan where U.S, British, Canadian, Dutch and Danish forces are taking the brunt of the fighting."
* vested interest: (n) a personal stake or involvement in an undrtaking or situation, especially one with an expectation of financial or other gain.
""The major players in both countries have a vested interest in maintaining and improving the relationship and making the trans-Atlantic bonds even closer," Voigt said."
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/09/europe/germany.php
* closeted: (adj) keeping somehting secret, especially the fact of being homosexual.
* walkabouts: (n) an informal stroll among a crowd conducted by an important visiter.
"Closeted away in the elegant Schloss Meseberg, the German government guest house north of Berlin where the president will dine with Merkel, Bush on Wednesday will be doing no walkabouts in Berlin and giving no major speeches. Instead, he will use the time talking to Merkel, one of his favorite leaders in Europe, about the Middle East, energy security and Iran."
* broker :(n) arrange or negotiate (an agreement)
"But she also brokered the compromise language about future aspirations for the countries, which eased the pain of rejection."
* brunt: (n) the worst part or chief impact of a specified action.
"Merkel too resisted pressure from Bush and NATO to send German troops to southern Afghanistan where U.S, British, Canadian, Dutch and Danish forces are taking the brunt of the fighting."
* vested interest: (n) a personal stake or involvement in an undrtaking or situation, especially one with an expectation of financial or other gain.
""The major players in both countries have a vested interest in maintaining and improving the relationship and making the trans-Atlantic bonds even closer," Voigt said."
Monday, June 9, 2008
Essay: "Hemingway's the Old Man and the Sea: Killing Marlin, Killing God?"
http://books.google.co.jp/books?id=K1cIZmFe7KoC&hl=en
“God is dead.” Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher in 19th century, described the start of modern era as the death of God in Christianity, which means old religious morals were denied in Western society. Earnest Hemingway, in his novel entitled The Old Man and the Sea published in 1952, chooses this process of Western modernization as the motif. The Nobel Prize American novelist shows an ironic story, in which a faithful old fisherman kills the most beautiful marlin that he has ever seen—God in the Sea—by his own hand.
Although Santiago, an old fisherman in the story, does not consider himself as a religious man (“I am not religious.” (p. 64)), he disrespects unfaithful villagers (pp.10-11) and prays to God many times during his two-night and three-day fishing. While he has a contest in endurance with the marlin, he prays saying “Blessed Virgin, pray for the death of this fish. Wonderful though he is,” (p. 65). Obviously, he is heavenly-minded. He is an old-type fisherman, rowing a wooden skiff and loving the Sea as if it was his lover or his mother. In other words, he lives in pre-modern era.
The old but strong fisherman eventually kills the most beautiful or a calm or noble fish in his life (p. 92) with his harpoon, and heads for the port he departs. However, the religious man starts to doubt what he has done, when he and his fish are threaten by sharks: “Perhaps it was a sin to kill the fish. I suppose it was even though I did it to keep me alive and feed many people…You [Santiago] killed him for pride and because you are a fisherman…If you love him, it is not a sin to kill him. Or is it more?” (p. 105). His sense of remorse toward the victim, which is destroyed by sharks again and again, is strengthened over and over. He concludes “I wish it were a dream and that I had never holed him. I’m sorry about it, fish. It makes everything wrong,” (p. 110).
After killing the marlin, the devotional fisherman never prays to God. It is not only because he achieved the goal of his vocation but also because the unprecedentedly beautiful marlin, which symbolizes God, is dead. None of the characters in the story, including the fisherman, considers the fish as the God in the Sea. However, there are some implicit messages by Hemingway in the short story. Pride, which enables the fisherman to become a victor, and Greed, which leads to his long voyage, are two of the seven deadly sins in Christianity. Though Santiago tries to achieve his goal as a fisherman, his pride and greed results nothing at last. Instead, as mentioned above, the faithful fisherman suffers from the sense of guilt for his killing the marlin. Despite his killing God, he cannot remove the awareness of sinfulness. He is too faithful and religious as if he feels his god still living in his body: “When the fish had been hit it was as though he himself were hit,” (p. 103).
In sum, Santiago cannot adjust himself to the modern era, as other villagers. Although his pride and greed is uncommon, the old fisherman is too faithful to kill his God. He loves the Sea and fishing too much, as Hemingway does in Key West and Cuba.
“God is dead.” Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher in 19th century, described the start of modern era as the death of God in Christianity, which means old religious morals were denied in Western society. Earnest Hemingway, in his novel entitled The Old Man and the Sea published in 1952, chooses this process of Western modernization as the motif. The Nobel Prize American novelist shows an ironic story, in which a faithful old fisherman kills the most beautiful marlin that he has ever seen—God in the Sea—by his own hand.
Although Santiago, an old fisherman in the story, does not consider himself as a religious man (“I am not religious.” (p. 64)), he disrespects unfaithful villagers (pp.10-11) and prays to God many times during his two-night and three-day fishing. While he has a contest in endurance with the marlin, he prays saying “Blessed Virgin, pray for the death of this fish. Wonderful though he is,” (p. 65). Obviously, he is heavenly-minded. He is an old-type fisherman, rowing a wooden skiff and loving the Sea as if it was his lover or his mother. In other words, he lives in pre-modern era.
The old but strong fisherman eventually kills the most beautiful or a calm or noble fish in his life (p. 92) with his harpoon, and heads for the port he departs. However, the religious man starts to doubt what he has done, when he and his fish are threaten by sharks: “Perhaps it was a sin to kill the fish. I suppose it was even though I did it to keep me alive and feed many people…You [Santiago] killed him for pride and because you are a fisherman…If you love him, it is not a sin to kill him. Or is it more?” (p. 105). His sense of remorse toward the victim, which is destroyed by sharks again and again, is strengthened over and over. He concludes “I wish it were a dream and that I had never holed him. I’m sorry about it, fish. It makes everything wrong,” (p. 110).
After killing the marlin, the devotional fisherman never prays to God. It is not only because he achieved the goal of his vocation but also because the unprecedentedly beautiful marlin, which symbolizes God, is dead. None of the characters in the story, including the fisherman, considers the fish as the God in the Sea. However, there are some implicit messages by Hemingway in the short story. Pride, which enables the fisherman to become a victor, and Greed, which leads to his long voyage, are two of the seven deadly sins in Christianity. Though Santiago tries to achieve his goal as a fisherman, his pride and greed results nothing at last. Instead, as mentioned above, the faithful fisherman suffers from the sense of guilt for his killing the marlin. Despite his killing God, he cannot remove the awareness of sinfulness. He is too faithful and religious as if he feels his god still living in his body: “When the fish had been hit it was as though he himself were hit,” (p. 103).
In sum, Santiago cannot adjust himself to the modern era, as other villagers. Although his pride and greed is uncommon, the old fisherman is too faithful to kill his God. He loves the Sea and fishing too much, as Hemingway does in Key West and Cuba.
New Vocabulary 7: "Sarkozy and Merkel meet as Paris prepares to take EU reins."
From "Sarkozy and Merkel meet as Paris prepares to take EU reins," International Herald Tribune, June 9, 2008.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/09/europe/EU-GEN-Germany-France.php
* reins: (n) usually plural. A long thin piece of material, especially leather, which helps you to control and direct a horse.
"French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose country takes the reins of the European Union next month, said during a visit to Germany Monday that he will need Berlin's help as he pushes for a common EU defense policy and other goals."
* credit sb with sth: 1. to consider that someone has a particular quality. 2. to say that someone is responsible for something good.
"The French leader, who met with Chancellor Angela Merkel in southern Germany, credited her with "unblocking" Europe during Germany's turn in control of the EU presidency last year."
* stint: (n) a fixed or limited period of time spent doing a particular job or activity.
"France takes over the EU presidency from Slovenia on July 1, and Sarkozy said last week that he would use Paris' six-month stint in the EU chair to push for a common defense policy for the 27-nation bloc."
* wary: (adj) not completely trusting or certain about something or someone.
"The United States has been wary of the French-led push for a security and defense role for the EU because of concerns it could threaten NATO unity. Sarkozy said last week that France's proposals would not undermine NATO."
* amid: (prep) in the middle of or surrounded by; among.
"The meeting also came amid uncertainty over the outcome of Thursday's referendum in Ireland on the EU's Lisbon Treaty, meant to reform the bloc's structures and streamline its decision making."
* streamline: (v) to improve the effectiveness of an organizaiton such as a business or government, often by making the way activities are performed simpler.
"The meeting also came amid uncertainty over the outcome of Thursday's referendum in Ireland on the EU's Lisbon Treaty, meant to reform the bloc's structures and streamline its decision making."
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/09/europe/EU-GEN-Germany-France.php
* reins: (n) usually plural. A long thin piece of material, especially leather, which helps you to control and direct a horse.
"French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose country takes the reins of the European Union next month, said during a visit to Germany Monday that he will need Berlin's help as he pushes for a common EU defense policy and other goals."
* credit sb with sth: 1. to consider that someone has a particular quality. 2. to say that someone is responsible for something good.
"The French leader, who met with Chancellor Angela Merkel in southern Germany, credited her with "unblocking" Europe during Germany's turn in control of the EU presidency last year."
* stint: (n) a fixed or limited period of time spent doing a particular job or activity.
"France takes over the EU presidency from Slovenia on July 1, and Sarkozy said last week that he would use Paris' six-month stint in the EU chair to push for a common defense policy for the 27-nation bloc."
* wary: (adj) not completely trusting or certain about something or someone.
"The United States has been wary of the French-led push for a security and defense role for the EU because of concerns it could threaten NATO unity. Sarkozy said last week that France's proposals would not undermine NATO."
* amid: (prep) in the middle of or surrounded by; among.
"The meeting also came amid uncertainty over the outcome of Thursday's referendum in Ireland on the EU's Lisbon Treaty, meant to reform the bloc's structures and streamline its decision making."
* streamline: (v) to improve the effectiveness of an organizaiton such as a business or government, often by making the way activities are performed simpler.
"The meeting also came amid uncertainty over the outcome of Thursday's referendum in Ireland on the EU's Lisbon Treaty, meant to reform the bloc's structures and streamline its decision making."
Friday, June 6, 2008
New Vocabulary 6: "The Revolutionary."
From Ruth La Ferla, "The Revolutionary, " New York Times, June 5, 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/05/fashion/05YSL.html?_r=1&ref=fashion&oref=slogin
* ehemeral: (adj) lasting for only a short time.
* adage: (n) a wise saying; proverb.
* weight: (n) respect, imfluence, trust, or importance.
* thrall: (n) 1. the state of being someone's power, or of having great power over someone. 2. a slave, servant, or captive.
"FASHION, they say, is ephemeral. But in the case of Yves Saint Laurent, that adage holds little weight. During much of his 45-year career, Saint Laurent, who died in Paris on Sunday at the age of 71, held the style world in his thrall, wielding an influence that dominated the runways and exerts a fascination to this day."
* streak: (n) an often unpleasant characteristic which is very different from other characteristics.
"A stylistic rebel with a paradoxically conservative streak, Saint Laurent arguably did more to advance fashion than any designer of his generation."
* gauge: (n) a way of judging or showing something, especially the success or popularity or something.
“I and a couple of friends would always say, ‘How would Saint Laurent do it,’ ” Mr. Jacobs told Women’s Wear Daily. “It’s a little, funny gauge of a thing being right, a kind of standard for chic, for youth, for sex appeal without vulgarity and with overall beauty.”
* cascade: (v) to fall quickly and in large amounts.
* homage: (n) deep respect and often praise shown for a person or god.
"There are the cascading ruffles on dresses by Mr. Elbaz, who briefly designed for the Saint Laurent label, a not-so-subtle homage to Saint Laurent’s gypsy looks of the mid-’70s. And, of course, Le Smoking, a women’s tuxedo revived over the years in the collections of Mr. Elbaz, Giorgio Armani, Viktor & Rolf, Ralph Lauren and others. "
* extravagant: (adj) spending, using or doing, more than necessary in an uncontrolled way.
* raid: (v) to take something from a place, usually secretly.
"There is no telling where the next impulse may come from: the Mondrian mood of the mid-’60s? The extravagant Cossacks of 1976. Designers continue to raid the archives, scour vintage shows and dealers’ ateliers for plunder."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/05/fashion/05YSL.html?_r=1&ref=fashion&oref=slogin
* ehemeral: (adj) lasting for only a short time.
* adage: (n) a wise saying; proverb.
* weight: (n) respect, imfluence, trust, or importance.
* thrall: (n) 1. the state of being someone's power, or of having great power over someone. 2. a slave, servant, or captive.
"FASHION, they say, is ephemeral. But in the case of Yves Saint Laurent, that adage holds little weight. During much of his 45-year career, Saint Laurent, who died in Paris on Sunday at the age of 71, held the style world in his thrall, wielding an influence that dominated the runways and exerts a fascination to this day."
* streak: (n) an often unpleasant characteristic which is very different from other characteristics.
"A stylistic rebel with a paradoxically conservative streak, Saint Laurent arguably did more to advance fashion than any designer of his generation."
* gauge: (n) a way of judging or showing something, especially the success or popularity or something.
“I and a couple of friends would always say, ‘How would Saint Laurent do it,’ ” Mr. Jacobs told Women’s Wear Daily. “It’s a little, funny gauge of a thing being right, a kind of standard for chic, for youth, for sex appeal without vulgarity and with overall beauty.”
* cascade: (v) to fall quickly and in large amounts.
* homage: (n) deep respect and often praise shown for a person or god.
"There are the cascading ruffles on dresses by Mr. Elbaz, who briefly designed for the Saint Laurent label, a not-so-subtle homage to Saint Laurent’s gypsy looks of the mid-’70s. And, of course, Le Smoking, a women’s tuxedo revived over the years in the collections of Mr. Elbaz, Giorgio Armani, Viktor & Rolf, Ralph Lauren and others. "
* extravagant: (adj) spending, using or doing, more than necessary in an uncontrolled way.
* raid: (v) to take something from a place, usually secretly.
"There is no telling where the next impulse may come from: the Mondrian mood of the mid-’60s? The extravagant Cossacks of 1976. Designers continue to raid the archives, scour vintage shows and dealers’ ateliers for plunder."
New Vocabulary 5: "Next on Agenda Is Clinton's Role."
From Adam Nagourney, "Next on Agenda Is Clinton's Role," New York Times News Analysis, June 4, 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/04/us/politics/04assess.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=barack%20obama%20heads%20into%20the%20general%20election%20campaign%20with&st=nyt&oref=slogin
* off the hook: if you are off the hook, you have escaped from a difficult situation.
* evade: (v) to avoid or escape from someone or something.
"If there was ever any hope in Democratic circles that she would let Mr. Obama off the hook with an evasion or a flat declaration of no interest, Mrs. Clinton dashed it on Tuesday."
* lavish: (v) to give someone a lot or too much, of something such as money, presents, or attention.
"It was hardly a surprise that Mr. Obama lavished praise on Mrs. Clinton and her accomplishments in his remarks Tuesday night."
* rectify: (v) to correct something or make sometihng right.
"Until he deals with the Clinton question, it could be hard for Mr. Obama to move on to what he would like to achieve next: presenting himself to the entire electorate and not just Democrats, laying out his political ideology before Mr. McCain does it on his terms and trying to rectify some of the weaknesses highlighted by the combative primary process."
* trump: (v) 1. if you trump another player's card, you beat it with a card that belongs to the group of cards that has been chosen to have the highest value in the game you are playing. 2. to beat someone or something by doing or producing something better.
"But it is not yet clear that those substantive issues will fully trump cultural issues and values — like race, patriotism and class — or the question of whether voters will judge Mr. Obama, just a few years out of the Illinois legislature, to have the experience necessary to sit in the Oval Office."
* dent: (v) to make a small hollow mark in the surface of something.
"Mrs. Clinton does not come alone; beyond her own history — and the legions of voters who do not like her — she would bring along former President Bill Clinton, whose baggage might well be judged by Mr. Obama to outweigh his political skills, especially after a primary season that left Mr. Clinton’s reputation dented."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/04/us/politics/04assess.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=barack%20obama%20heads%20into%20the%20general%20election%20campaign%20with&st=nyt&oref=slogin
* off the hook: if you are off the hook, you have escaped from a difficult situation.
* evade: (v) to avoid or escape from someone or something.
"If there was ever any hope in Democratic circles that she would let Mr. Obama off the hook with an evasion or a flat declaration of no interest, Mrs. Clinton dashed it on Tuesday."
* lavish: (v) to give someone a lot or too much, of something such as money, presents, or attention.
"It was hardly a surprise that Mr. Obama lavished praise on Mrs. Clinton and her accomplishments in his remarks Tuesday night."
* rectify: (v) to correct something or make sometihng right.
"Until he deals with the Clinton question, it could be hard for Mr. Obama to move on to what he would like to achieve next: presenting himself to the entire electorate and not just Democrats, laying out his political ideology before Mr. McCain does it on his terms and trying to rectify some of the weaknesses highlighted by the combative primary process."
* trump: (v) 1. if you trump another player's card, you beat it with a card that belongs to the group of cards that has been chosen to have the highest value in the game you are playing. 2. to beat someone or something by doing or producing something better.
"But it is not yet clear that those substantive issues will fully trump cultural issues and values — like race, patriotism and class — or the question of whether voters will judge Mr. Obama, just a few years out of the Illinois legislature, to have the experience necessary to sit in the Oval Office."
* dent: (v) to make a small hollow mark in the surface of something.
"Mrs. Clinton does not come alone; beyond her own history — and the legions of voters who do not like her — she would bring along former President Bill Clinton, whose baggage might well be judged by Mr. Obama to outweigh his political skills, especially after a primary season that left Mr. Clinton’s reputation dented."
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
New Vocabulary 4: "Barack Obama's Remarks in St. Paul"
From New York Times, "Barack Obama's Remarks in St. Paul," June 3, 2008.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/03/us/politics/03text-obama.html
* tout: (v) to advertise, make known or praise something or someone repeatedly, especially as a way of encouraging their sale, popularity or development.
"My differences with him -- my differences with him are not personal. They are with the policies he has proposed in this campaign, because while John McCain can legitimately tout moments of independence from his party in the past, such independence has not been the hallmark of his presidential campaign."
* innuendo: (n) a remark or remarks that suggest something sexual or something unpleasant but do not refer to it directly.
"But what you don't deserve is another election that's governed by fear, and innuendo, and division. "
* bludgeon: (v) 1. to hit someone hard and repeatedly with a heavy weapon. 2. to force someone to do something.
"What you won't hear from this campaign or this party is the kind of politics that uses religion as a wedge and patriotism as a bludgeon... "
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/03/us/politics/03text-obama.html
* tout: (v) to advertise, make known or praise something or someone repeatedly, especially as a way of encouraging their sale, popularity or development.
"My differences with him -- my differences with him are not personal. They are with the policies he has proposed in this campaign, because while John McCain can legitimately tout moments of independence from his party in the past, such independence has not been the hallmark of his presidential campaign."
* innuendo: (n) a remark or remarks that suggest something sexual or something unpleasant but do not refer to it directly.
"But what you don't deserve is another election that's governed by fear, and innuendo, and division. "
* bludgeon: (v) 1. to hit someone hard and repeatedly with a heavy weapon. 2. to force someone to do something.
"What you won't hear from this campaign or this party is the kind of politics that uses religion as a wedge and patriotism as a bludgeon... "
New Vocabulary 3: "Clinton plans to end campagne on Friday"
From Reuters,"Clinton plans to end campagne on Friday," June 4, 2008.
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN0439743420080604
* flank: (v) to be at the side of someone or something.
"ABC reported that Clinton would hold an event on Friday flanked by supporters "in which we believe, all indications are she will concede the race, once and for all.""
* bid: (n) an offer to do something when you are competing with other people to do it.
"She has indicated interest in the job after her presidential bid fell short."
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN0439743420080604
* flank: (v) to be at the side of someone or something.
"ABC reported that Clinton would hold an event on Friday flanked by supporters "in which we believe, all indications are she will concede the race, once and for all.""
* bid: (n) an offer to do something when you are competing with other people to do it.
"She has indicated interest in the job after her presidential bid fell short."
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Journal Entry 2: Crows in Japan
Although we can rarely see ravens in the main island of Japan, Japanese have a long history with crows. In the ancient era, crow was a symbol of auspicious sign. In Kojiki, oldest surviving book in Japan, crow is described as a servant of the God of the sun. The crow guides the Emperor Jinmu to the Yoshino River in the book, when the emperor starts to dominate the country. Even in the modern era, Japanese people use crow as a benign omen. Japan Football Association use this black bird as its symbol (http://www.jfa.or.jp/eng/jfa/outline/index.html).
On the other hand, crows have scared people with the color of the body and its smartness. It is said that someone will be dead when crows caw. In urban areas, we can see many crows since they know it easy to find some foods by picking through the garbage. In Ginza, one of the shopping spot in Tokyo, more than fourteen thousand crows are living. They have nests on power poles with hangers and other garbage. They steal soaps from human because they love oils. Sometimes they attack human because they are turf-conscious. As a result, they are not so popular in those areas.
Crows are so smart that we have a lot of observation to show their intelligence.
· Crows can have a good time by playing. They drop a stick of wood when flying, and they catch it in the air closed to the ground.
· Crows know which cats are pregnant and they carefully watch the pregnant cat. They try to steal a baby of the cat to eat them. They
· Crows can talk to each other but they have dialects and local languages. If crows in Tokyo area go to countryside, it is said that these moving crows cannot talk to the local crows.
When I was a child, I remember that I heard crows caw on the way home. It is time to go home when we hear crows croaking. In this sense, crows live in our human community. At the same time, crows are so smart that they can harm human being in many ways, as I mentioned above. They can live wherever human can live. Therefore, human being has to be smart enough to design for the peaceful co-existence of human and the one of the most intelligent birds.
On the other hand, crows have scared people with the color of the body and its smartness. It is said that someone will be dead when crows caw. In urban areas, we can see many crows since they know it easy to find some foods by picking through the garbage. In Ginza, one of the shopping spot in Tokyo, more than fourteen thousand crows are living. They have nests on power poles with hangers and other garbage. They steal soaps from human because they love oils. Sometimes they attack human because they are turf-conscious. As a result, they are not so popular in those areas.
Crows are so smart that we have a lot of observation to show their intelligence.
· Crows can have a good time by playing. They drop a stick of wood when flying, and they catch it in the air closed to the ground.
· Crows know which cats are pregnant and they carefully watch the pregnant cat. They try to steal a baby of the cat to eat them. They
· Crows can talk to each other but they have dialects and local languages. If crows in Tokyo area go to countryside, it is said that these moving crows cannot talk to the local crows.
When I was a child, I remember that I heard crows caw on the way home. It is time to go home when we hear crows croaking. In this sense, crows live in our human community. At the same time, crows are so smart that they can harm human being in many ways, as I mentioned above. They can live wherever human can live. Therefore, human being has to be smart enough to design for the peaceful co-existence of human and the one of the most intelligent birds.
New Vocabulary 2: Robert Kagan "End of Dreams, Return of History"
From Robert Kagan. 2008. "End of Dreams, Return of History." Policy Review, 144 (Aug & Sep, 2007).
http://www.hoover.org/publications/policyreview/8552512.html
* tantalizing: (adj) describes something that cuases desire and excitement in you, but which is unlikely to provide a way of satiflying that desire.
"The world has become normal again. The years immediately following the end of the Cold War offered a tantalizing glimpse at a new kind of international order."
* abberation: (n) a temporary change from the typical or usual way of behaving.
"Today the nations of the West still cling to that vision. Evidence to the contrary--the turn toward autocracy in Russia or the growing military ambition of China--is either dismissed as a temporary aberration or denied entirely."
* subjugate: (v) to defeat people or a country and rule them in a way which allows them no freedom.
"They have declared their readiness to "support free people who are risisting attempted subjugation" by forces of oppresion, to "pay any price, bear any burden" to defend freedom, to seek "democratic enlargement" in the world, and to work for the "end of tyranny.""
* abjure: (v) to state publicly that you no longer agree with a belief or way of behaving.
"It is worth asking not only whether past administrations acted differently but also which of these any future administration, regardless of party, would promise to abjure in its conduct of foreign policy."
* nil : (n) nothing
"The prospect of a unified Europe counter balancing the United States is practically nil."
* ominipotent: (adj) having unlimited power; able to do anything.
"Predominanc is not the same thing as omnipotence. Just because the United States has more power than every power else does not mean it can impose its will on everyone else."
* jostle: (v) to knock or push rougly against someone in order to move past them or get more space when you are in a crowd of people.
"During the Cold War, this historical tendency of great powers to jostle with oen another for status and influence as well as for wealth and power was largely suppressed by the two superpowers and their rigid bipolar order."
* passe: (adj) no longer fashionable
"The Chinese do not share the view that power is passe; hence their now towdecades-long military buildup."
* grudge: (n) strong feeling of anfer or dislike for a person who you feel has treated you badly, which often lasts for a long time.
"They either happily or grudgingly allow United States Navy to be the gurantor of international waterways and trade routes."
* recoil: (v) to refuse to accept an idea or principle feeling strong disgust or disapproval.
"Most Europeans recoil at the thought, but even today Enrupe's stability depends on the gurantee, however distant and one hopes unnecessary, that the United States could step in to check any dangerous development on the continent."
* succumb: (v) to lose the determination to oppose something to accept defeat.
"People who believe greater equality among nations would be preferable to the present American predominance often succumb to a basic logical fallacy."
http://www.hoover.org/publications/policyreview/8552512.html
* tantalizing: (adj) describes something that cuases desire and excitement in you, but which is unlikely to provide a way of satiflying that desire.
"The world has become normal again. The years immediately following the end of the Cold War offered a tantalizing glimpse at a new kind of international order."
* abberation: (n) a temporary change from the typical or usual way of behaving.
"Today the nations of the West still cling to that vision. Evidence to the contrary--the turn toward autocracy in Russia or the growing military ambition of China--is either dismissed as a temporary aberration or denied entirely."
* subjugate: (v) to defeat people or a country and rule them in a way which allows them no freedom.
"They have declared their readiness to "support free people who are risisting attempted subjugation" by forces of oppresion, to "pay any price, bear any burden" to defend freedom, to seek "democratic enlargement" in the world, and to work for the "end of tyranny.""
* abjure: (v) to state publicly that you no longer agree with a belief or way of behaving.
"It is worth asking not only whether past administrations acted differently but also which of these any future administration, regardless of party, would promise to abjure in its conduct of foreign policy."
* nil : (n) nothing
"The prospect of a unified Europe counter balancing the United States is practically nil."
* ominipotent: (adj) having unlimited power; able to do anything.
"Predominanc is not the same thing as omnipotence. Just because the United States has more power than every power else does not mean it can impose its will on everyone else."
* jostle: (v) to knock or push rougly against someone in order to move past them or get more space when you are in a crowd of people.
"During the Cold War, this historical tendency of great powers to jostle with oen another for status and influence as well as for wealth and power was largely suppressed by the two superpowers and their rigid bipolar order."
* passe: (adj) no longer fashionable
"The Chinese do not share the view that power is passe; hence their now towdecades-long military buildup."
* grudge: (n) strong feeling of anfer or dislike for a person who you feel has treated you badly, which often lasts for a long time.
"They either happily or grudgingly allow United States Navy to be the gurantor of international waterways and trade routes."
* recoil: (v) to refuse to accept an idea or principle feeling strong disgust or disapproval.
"Most Europeans recoil at the thought, but even today Enrupe's stability depends on the gurantee, however distant and one hopes unnecessary, that the United States could step in to check any dangerous development on the continent."
* succumb: (v) to lose the determination to oppose something to accept defeat.
"People who believe greater equality among nations would be preferable to the present American predominance often succumb to a basic logical fallacy."
Monday, June 2, 2008
New Vocabulary 1
• inch (v): to move very slowly or in a lot of short stages.
“Senator Barack Obama, inching closer to the Democratic nomination, seized on the occasion while speaking in Navada about the mortgage crisis.”
(“McCain accepts a hand from Bush – with a reservation.” International Herald Tribune, May 28, 2008. http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/28/america/bush.php )
• allude (v): allude to sb/sth; to mention someone or something in an indirect way.
“More than once, though, he alluded to Bush’s “heavy” and “busy” schedule,” which in hingsight perhaps had more significance than might have appeared. (Ibid. )
• munitions (n): military weapons such as guns and bombs.
“A sudden change of British policy by Prime Minister Gordon Brown has lent momentum to negotiations on an international treaty to bun claster munitions and created…”
(“Britain drops opposition to cluster bomb ban.” International Herald Tribune, May 28, 2008. http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/28/europe/cluster.php )
• outright (adv, adj): complete
“The United States has been joined in its outright opposition to the ban.” (Ibid.)
• incursion (n): 1. A sudden attack on or entry into a place, especially across a border. 2. When people involve themselves in another person’s private situation.
“Cluster weapons used by the United States and Britain in Iraq during the invasion of 2003, and by Israel in its incursion into Lebanon in 2006, have been blamed for the death of hundreds of civilian.” (Ibid.)
• signatory (n): a person, organization or country which has signed an agreement.
“…the treaty could still be derailed or diluted by an unresolved dispute over responsibilities and potential legal liabilities of signatory states that co-operate war with nations that have not joined the ban.” (Ibid.)
“Senator Barack Obama, inching closer to the Democratic nomination, seized on the occasion while speaking in Navada about the mortgage crisis.”
(“McCain accepts a hand from Bush – with a reservation.” International Herald Tribune, May 28, 2008. http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/28/america/bush.php )
• allude (v): allude to sb/sth; to mention someone or something in an indirect way.
“More than once, though, he alluded to Bush’s “heavy” and “busy” schedule,” which in hingsight perhaps had more significance than might have appeared. (Ibid. )
• munitions (n): military weapons such as guns and bombs.
“A sudden change of British policy by Prime Minister Gordon Brown has lent momentum to negotiations on an international treaty to bun claster munitions and created…”
(“Britain drops opposition to cluster bomb ban.” International Herald Tribune, May 28, 2008. http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/28/europe/cluster.php )
• outright (adv, adj): complete
“The United States has been joined in its outright opposition to the ban.” (Ibid.)
• incursion (n): 1. A sudden attack on or entry into a place, especially across a border. 2. When people involve themselves in another person’s private situation.
“Cluster weapons used by the United States and Britain in Iraq during the invasion of 2003, and by Israel in its incursion into Lebanon in 2006, have been blamed for the death of hundreds of civilian.” (Ibid.)
• signatory (n): a person, organization or country which has signed an agreement.
“…the treaty could still be derailed or diluted by an unresolved dispute over responsibilities and potential legal liabilities of signatory states that co-operate war with nations that have not joined the ban.” (Ibid.)
• snarl (v): (especially dogs) to make a deep rough sound while showing the teeth, usually in anger or (of people) to speak or say something angrily and fiercely.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Journal Topics May 29
Journal Topic:
Think of a favorite story that someone told you when you were a child or adolescent. Was this a story that you asked your parents or relatives to tell you repeatedly? Please write about why this story is special to you and why you cherish the story so much. Try to describe how the narrator told the story and how it made you feel. Also, please try to include a brief summary of the story itself.
Journal:
Although it is not a story that my parents told me repeatedly, this was one of my favorites that I read in the textbook in the elementary school: Gon, the Little Fox. I didn’t understand why I liked this story so much during adolescence, but I found the reasons for which I recall the story well, being an adult.
Gon is a little fox, which likes to trick on people. He often steals foods from villagers, and gets them angry for many times. One day, he finds one of the villagers Hyoju trying to catch an eel in a river. Gon steals an eel from Hyoju, when Hyoju almost catches it with his hands. Hyoju wants to get for his mother, because she is very sick. A couple of days later, the fox feels the sense of guilty knowing that Hyoju’s mother is died. Since then Gon continues to secretly leave mushrooms and chestnuts in Hyoju’s house. One day, Hyoju sees the little fox sneaking around his house, and he shot the fox with a gun. Afterwards Hyoju finds that the fox was not a thief but just trying to leave the mushrooms and chestnuts in his house.
I learned a lot of lessons from this story. First, to be trusted by others, it is important to always behave well. It is not easy to be trustful if one behaved badly in the past. In the story, Gon was pretty naughty and steals a lot of foods from villagers. This made it difficult for villagers, including Hyoju, to believe that the little fox actually left the gift in Hyoju’s house. Therefore, one should usually be nice and kind to others if he/she wants to be trusted by others. Otherwise one cannot prove his achievement to others when he/she really wants to be understood by others.
The second lesson that I learned from this story is the impact of misperception in social interaction. Even if people have good intentions, a tragic event could happen between the actors. In the story, neither Gon nor Hyoju has a bad intention, and they are not liable for the accident. Gon just wanted to make Hyoju feel happy with the foods that he collected in forests: Hyoju just protect, with the gun, his house and foods from the “naughty” fox. Even though both Gon and Hyoju have defensive purpose, the result was a tragedy due to the misperception to each other.
Misperception differentiates a result of social interaction from other possible consequences. For example, wars sometimes occur not because a country wants to attack their adversary but because of the misperception shaped through the interaction between states which try to defend themselves from a possible aggression by others, as First World War showcased. In this sense the fairy story developed my interest and curiosity to the question of why a tragedy happens, and as a result I took political science as a major in the graduate school, in order to answer to the question.
Third, I cherish my sympathy to animals through reading this story. Compare with the human strength and violence, animals are weak. Human can kill any animal with devices they developed if they want. Once he decides to remove a living nature, it takes no time to achieve it. We can kill a living creature; however, we cannot revive it. Therefore, before judging if we should eliminate a natural life, we should take time to carefully think about the reasons and the consequences.
Fairy tales give us many insights to see the world and ourselves. I remember that I sobbed after reading this story when I was a child because the ending was too tragic for the junior student to accept the "reality." However, I learned a lot of lessons from this sad story, which I hope make my life happy. I hope that I read this story for my child when I become a parent.
Think of a favorite story that someone told you when you were a child or adolescent. Was this a story that you asked your parents or relatives to tell you repeatedly? Please write about why this story is special to you and why you cherish the story so much. Try to describe how the narrator told the story and how it made you feel. Also, please try to include a brief summary of the story itself.
Journal:
Although it is not a story that my parents told me repeatedly, this was one of my favorites that I read in the textbook in the elementary school: Gon, the Little Fox. I didn’t understand why I liked this story so much during adolescence, but I found the reasons for which I recall the story well, being an adult.
Gon is a little fox, which likes to trick on people. He often steals foods from villagers, and gets them angry for many times. One day, he finds one of the villagers Hyoju trying to catch an eel in a river. Gon steals an eel from Hyoju, when Hyoju almost catches it with his hands. Hyoju wants to get for his mother, because she is very sick. A couple of days later, the fox feels the sense of guilty knowing that Hyoju’s mother is died. Since then Gon continues to secretly leave mushrooms and chestnuts in Hyoju’s house. One day, Hyoju sees the little fox sneaking around his house, and he shot the fox with a gun. Afterwards Hyoju finds that the fox was not a thief but just trying to leave the mushrooms and chestnuts in his house.
I learned a lot of lessons from this story. First, to be trusted by others, it is important to always behave well. It is not easy to be trustful if one behaved badly in the past. In the story, Gon was pretty naughty and steals a lot of foods from villagers. This made it difficult for villagers, including Hyoju, to believe that the little fox actually left the gift in Hyoju’s house. Therefore, one should usually be nice and kind to others if he/she wants to be trusted by others. Otherwise one cannot prove his achievement to others when he/she really wants to be understood by others.
The second lesson that I learned from this story is the impact of misperception in social interaction. Even if people have good intentions, a tragic event could happen between the actors. In the story, neither Gon nor Hyoju has a bad intention, and they are not liable for the accident. Gon just wanted to make Hyoju feel happy with the foods that he collected in forests: Hyoju just protect, with the gun, his house and foods from the “naughty” fox. Even though both Gon and Hyoju have defensive purpose, the result was a tragedy due to the misperception to each other.
Misperception differentiates a result of social interaction from other possible consequences. For example, wars sometimes occur not because a country wants to attack their adversary but because of the misperception shaped through the interaction between states which try to defend themselves from a possible aggression by others, as First World War showcased. In this sense the fairy story developed my interest and curiosity to the question of why a tragedy happens, and as a result I took political science as a major in the graduate school, in order to answer to the question.
Third, I cherish my sympathy to animals through reading this story. Compare with the human strength and violence, animals are weak. Human can kill any animal with devices they developed if they want. Once he decides to remove a living nature, it takes no time to achieve it. We can kill a living creature; however, we cannot revive it. Therefore, before judging if we should eliminate a natural life, we should take time to carefully think about the reasons and the consequences.
Fairy tales give us many insights to see the world and ourselves. I remember that I sobbed after reading this story when I was a child because the ending was too tragic for the junior student to accept the "reality." However, I learned a lot of lessons from this sad story, which I hope make my life happy. I hope that I read this story for my child when I become a parent.
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