After listening to today’s presentations and reading what the new Minister of Education in the newspapers. Please read the opinion in the December 6th International Herald Tribune. http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/12/06/opinion/edkumiko.php
Do you agree with the writer? Why? Give at least 3 examples to support your answer.
Yes, i agree with the writer.
Now, in this global world ,we have to be required to speak in English in many situations. English is becoming no longer the foreign language, but the language that we could use to communicate each other. However, I also think that the Japanese level of English is much lower than other countries.
When I went to Germany, I was very surprised that most people (not older people) can speak English very fluently. I know it's much easier for German to learn English, but i was very surprised they could communicate in English with no problem.
They have started to learn Englsih as mostly same time that Japanese do, but I could see the great difference between German and Japanese.
Like the writer mentioned in the article, we have to overcome the shyness to speak in English.
I noticed that Chinese are very aggressive to speak English even though they cant speak perfect Englsih. They try hard to tell what they feel in Englsih and i dont think they are shy to speak . It is said that Japanese are good at reading and writing, but not speaking. It's a sad things to hear that as Japanese.... So i think that leaning Englsih from elementry school is a very good idea so that they will not have no head for English.
To put English curriculam in elementary school is a very good idea in order to study English . So i was very shocked that education minister have very set idea about that. I know it's important to learn proper Japanese, but i think kids can learn Japanese and English in same time. Minister idea seems to say that kids cant learn both langauge in same time. I think he more looks down on children abilities.
I think gernment has to think the new education system for the future !!
2008年1月20日日曜日
Homework # 11
This week's homework is to read an article from the Japan Times and give your opinion.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/member/member.html?ek20060110ks.htm
Do you agree or disagree with the author (who is Japanese). Please explain why in your blog.
Fisrt of all, I was very surprised when I read this article. I didnt know that there were many men who thought that loving relation was hassle. It's sad news to me.
Yes, there would be men who dont want to have a relationship with women and it's depends on him, so i don't say it's a bad thing. But, I don't want to believe that there are many men who are "Renai Ken-o Sho". I don't want to agree with this article.....
I would be very sad if my boyfriend thinks that dating is troblesome. I think love is one of the most important and beutiful things in this world and we can learn many things from loving each other. So, it's kind of difficult to understand the man like in the article.
Some of my boy-friends don't want to have a girlfirend with same reason in the article like, they don't want to spend that much money or time to a girlfirend. They like to hung out with girls but they don't want to have a relationship with just one girl. They want to be a free.
I think there are many reason why it happens, maybe like changing family relationship, digitalization, too much information from TV, the internet and so on.
But i hope not to many men think hassle to have a relationship with women.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/member/member.html?ek20060110ks.htm
Do you agree or disagree with the author (who is Japanese). Please explain why in your blog.
Fisrt of all, I was very surprised when I read this article. I didnt know that there were many men who thought that loving relation was hassle. It's sad news to me.
Yes, there would be men who dont want to have a relationship with women and it's depends on him, so i don't say it's a bad thing. But, I don't want to believe that there are many men who are "Renai Ken-o Sho". I don't want to agree with this article.....
I would be very sad if my boyfriend thinks that dating is troblesome. I think love is one of the most important and beutiful things in this world and we can learn many things from loving each other. So, it's kind of difficult to understand the man like in the article.
Some of my boy-friends don't want to have a girlfirend with same reason in the article like, they don't want to spend that much money or time to a girlfirend. They like to hung out with girls but they don't want to have a relationship with just one girl. They want to be a free.
I think there are many reason why it happens, maybe like changing family relationship, digitalization, too much information from TV, the internet and so on.
But i hope not to many men think hassle to have a relationship with women.
2008年1月6日日曜日
Class #10 table manner
Today we discussed table manners from all over the world. Please answer the following questions in your blog.
Have you ever eaten in a foreign restaurant?
Where? What did you eat? Did you make any mistakes? Please explain your experience. Did you learn anything?
Yes, i have been to foreign restaurants.
I have been to Australia, America including Hawaii, Germany and Netherland and i ate so many delicious food in foreign restaurants.
When i was in America, I really loved to go to Chinese restaurant. I think chinese food is one of the most favorite food for me. Some of my freinds and I often went to chinese restaurant after school or on the weekend and i often asked if i was chinese or not. Many people thought that i was chinese.
When i was in America, i was a high school student and we didn't have much money, so we ofthen went to cheap restaurants like, Ihop, Denney's, MacDolald, or Pizza place. So I didn't have to care about the table manner that much, but even though we went to a cheap restaurant , we sometime had to pay the tip, and it was new to me, so first i was comfused how much should i pay.
My friends and i made a mistake at Chinese restaurant in Amsterdam. There was a bottle of water on the table, and we thought that we could drink that for free but it was not free. We opened it and then we asked. Waiter said that it costs 5 and half euro and my friend was so surprised that she had never paid that much for water in her country.
I leaned that i should not drink or eat anything unless i know it's free =)
Have you ever eaten in a foreign restaurant?
Where? What did you eat? Did you make any mistakes? Please explain your experience. Did you learn anything?
Yes, i have been to foreign restaurants.
I have been to Australia, America including Hawaii, Germany and Netherland and i ate so many delicious food in foreign restaurants.
When i was in America, I really loved to go to Chinese restaurant. I think chinese food is one of the most favorite food for me. Some of my freinds and I often went to chinese restaurant after school or on the weekend and i often asked if i was chinese or not. Many people thought that i was chinese.
When i was in America, i was a high school student and we didn't have much money, so we ofthen went to cheap restaurants like, Ihop, Denney's, MacDolald, or Pizza place. So I didn't have to care about the table manner that much, but even though we went to a cheap restaurant , we sometime had to pay the tip, and it was new to me, so first i was comfused how much should i pay.
My friends and i made a mistake at Chinese restaurant in Amsterdam. There was a bottle of water on the table, and we thought that we could drink that for free but it was not free. We opened it and then we asked. Waiter said that it costs 5 and half euro and my friend was so surprised that she had never paid that much for water in her country.
I leaned that i should not drink or eat anything unless i know it's free =)
2007年12月6日木曜日
Homework #8
Since Japanese weddings are expensive, do you think having a massive wedding like Korea or UAE is a good idea? Eloping? Having it in a foreign location like Hawaii?What is your ideal wedding? What would you definitely do or wear or go to on that big day? Why is that important?
1. Do you think having a massive wedding like Korea or UAE is a good idea?Eloping?Having it in a foreign location like Hawaii?
I don't think to have a massive wedding is not a good idea. It may be good to save your money, but i don't want to celebrate my wedding with tottaly strangers. I want to celebrate my wedding with just families, friends, work friends, people that i want to celebrate with each other. Now, it has become popular having a wedding in foreign countries, and i think it could be a really nice. I want to do that in my wedding, but only if i could afford money for that. It should be very expensive, and i think not many people can come to the wedding.
2. What is your ideal wedding? What would you definitely do or wear or go to on that big day? Why is that important?
As I said before, i want to have my wedding ceremony in foreign country, maybe somewhere in Europe and somerwhere near beach or lake. I want to have out door party after the wedding and have fun with my friends and family. On wedding day, I defiitely want to make a little speech for my parents and i want to make a movie using pictures to show how i have grown up.
I really want to show my appereciation for my parents, so make a little speech for my paretens is really important for me.
1. Do you think having a massive wedding like Korea or UAE is a good idea?Eloping?Having it in a foreign location like Hawaii?
I don't think to have a massive wedding is not a good idea. It may be good to save your money, but i don't want to celebrate my wedding with tottaly strangers. I want to celebrate my wedding with just families, friends, work friends, people that i want to celebrate with each other. Now, it has become popular having a wedding in foreign countries, and i think it could be a really nice. I want to do that in my wedding, but only if i could afford money for that. It should be very expensive, and i think not many people can come to the wedding.
2. What is your ideal wedding? What would you definitely do or wear or go to on that big day? Why is that important?
As I said before, i want to have my wedding ceremony in foreign country, maybe somewhere in Europe and somerwhere near beach or lake. I want to have out door party after the wedding and have fun with my friends and family. On wedding day, I defiitely want to make a little speech for my parents and i want to make a movie using pictures to show how i have grown up.
I really want to show my appereciation for my parents, so make a little speech for my paretens is really important for me.
2007年12月5日水曜日
Superstitions Homework
We talked about many superstitions in many countries, but do you think it is important to talk about them? Why?
Is communication affected by superstitions?Do you believe in Japanese superstitions? If so, what superstitions, what do they mean and why do you do,use, or believe in them?
1, Do you think it is important to talk about them? Why ?
I think it's importnat to talk, because superstition is based on their country's value, daily life, or religious, and it's good to know to understantd their life or culture. It doesn't matter if you believe them or not, but those superstition has came down with generations, so there would be something that made those superstition and i think it would be really fun to know them !!
2, Is communication affected by superstitions?
My age, i think our communication is not affected by superstitions that much. We do talk about that if it happens, like when we find a four-leaf clover, but it's not often. I think my gradparents age, they would believe more and talk more about the superstitions, cause my grandmother tells me about superstitions a lot, so i could say my gradparents generations, the comminivation is more affected by superstitions.
Is communication affected by superstitions?Do you believe in Japanese superstitions? If so, what superstitions, what do they mean and why do you do,use, or believe in them?
1, Do you think it is important to talk about them? Why ?
I think it's importnat to talk, because superstition is based on their country's value, daily life, or religious, and it's good to know to understantd their life or culture. It doesn't matter if you believe them or not, but those superstition has came down with generations, so there would be something that made those superstition and i think it would be really fun to know them !!
2, Is communication affected by superstitions?
My age, i think our communication is not affected by superstitions that much. We do talk about that if it happens, like when we find a four-leaf clover, but it's not often. I think my gradparents age, they would believe more and talk more about the superstitions, cause my grandmother tells me about superstitions a lot, so i could say my gradparents generations, the comminivation is more affected by superstitions.
3. Do you believe Japanese supersutition? If so, what superstitions, what do they mean and why do you do, use or believe in them?
I believe some superstition, one that bring me a good luck. For examle, when i find a four-leaf clover and see a shooting star. It doesn't happen that much, so if it happens, i feel so happy and i feel something good luck will happen. I don't usually believe superstition with bad luck, because i don't want care about the bad luck.
Homework #4
The English language has many proverbs and sayings about time.
1. Time is money.
2.A stitch in time saves nine.
3.There's no time like the present.
4. Fashionable late.
Please explain what you think are the meanings of each of the 4 expressions
1,Time is money
This is the famous proverb. Time is eqal for everybody. It's up to you how to spend your day, 24 hours. This proverb reminds me that if i waste my time, it's like waste of my money. I don't want to waste my money, because it's important for me to live. I should more careful about how to spend my time. Because time is same as money.
The meaning of this expression is, if you waste of your time, it's like wasting your money. Money is not eqal for everybody, but time is eqal. Everybody gets 24 hours a day. We have to think about that to not to waste our time.
2. A stitch in time saves nine.
Other three expressions are new to me. I've never heard of these proverbs, so let me look for the dictionary. Sorry about that. In dictionary, it says that it is better to deal with problems early than to wait until they get worse. It really makes sence. I think that's true. When we have a problem or thing we don't want to face, people tend to not to deal with those problems and leave them until they get worse. I do now, like my graduate thesis. but i cant leave it cause i will not able to graduate if i don't write it. This sentence is really good proverb for me to face my problems. Good to know !!!!
3.There's no time like the present.
In dictionary, it says; Now is a good time to do something.
Example sentence A:"I should probably was the car" B: " yeah, there's no time like the present"
First, i thought that this proverb would be a same meaning as time is money. But when i looked it up in dictionary it was totaly different. Even though, i know all of the words of the sentence, it doesn't mean that i get the true meaning. I have to learn more English, there's no time like the present =)
4. Fasionable late
In dictionary there is no explanation of this sentence, so i have to guess. I think fashinable late means that someone or something really late for something. If someone comes really late, it could be said "He made a fashinable late" i think. But i don't know the true meaning, so i should ask somebody... !!!
1. Time is money.
2.A stitch in time saves nine.
3.There's no time like the present.
4. Fashionable late.
Please explain what you think are the meanings of each of the 4 expressions
1,Time is money
This is the famous proverb. Time is eqal for everybody. It's up to you how to spend your day, 24 hours. This proverb reminds me that if i waste my time, it's like waste of my money. I don't want to waste my money, because it's important for me to live. I should more careful about how to spend my time. Because time is same as money.
The meaning of this expression is, if you waste of your time, it's like wasting your money. Money is not eqal for everybody, but time is eqal. Everybody gets 24 hours a day. We have to think about that to not to waste our time.
2. A stitch in time saves nine.
Other three expressions are new to me. I've never heard of these proverbs, so let me look for the dictionary. Sorry about that. In dictionary, it says that it is better to deal with problems early than to wait until they get worse. It really makes sence. I think that's true. When we have a problem or thing we don't want to face, people tend to not to deal with those problems and leave them until they get worse. I do now, like my graduate thesis. but i cant leave it cause i will not able to graduate if i don't write it. This sentence is really good proverb for me to face my problems. Good to know !!!!
3.There's no time like the present.
In dictionary, it says; Now is a good time to do something.
Example sentence A:"I should probably was the car" B: " yeah, there's no time like the present"
First, i thought that this proverb would be a same meaning as time is money. But when i looked it up in dictionary it was totaly different. Even though, i know all of the words of the sentence, it doesn't mean that i get the true meaning. I have to learn more English, there's no time like the present =)
4. Fasionable late
In dictionary there is no explanation of this sentence, so i have to guess. I think fashinable late means that someone or something really late for something. If someone comes really late, it could be said "He made a fashinable late" i think. But i don't know the true meaning, so i should ask somebody... !!!
2007年11月10日土曜日
Homework # 3
Today we discussed the language of clothes. After listening to the lecture and the meaning of colors in clothing, answer the following questions:
1. Do you judge people according to what they wear? Why?
Yes I do.
I believe that fashion is one of the expression of theirselves. Some people really care about the fasion and some people don't. We could know what kind of fashion they like according what they wear . So what they wear is one of the ways to understand them, I think.
But, it's just the one of the things to understand of them , so i don't judge them all just by what they wear. The word of the judge in this case for me is just to know what they like, how to combine their clothes, and so on. It doesn't include what kind of person they are. I can't tell that from clothes, we need to communicate each other to know that.
2 Do you think Japanese society puts an importance on clothing when judging other people from another country?
I don't think Japanese "society" puts an importance on clothing when judging other people from another country, or I just don't know about that. I think we rather judge them by character than what they wear.
3. What colors are you wearing now? Do they reflect your mood?
I'm wearing a green sweater and black jeans right now.
It doesn't reflect my mood but i tend to buy more darker colour clothes rather than brighter colour clothes. I think I don't have any pink, red or orange clothes. I like black, natural brown, blue, green or something like dark colour. I think it reflects myself. Those colour make me feel relax and comfortable ,that's why I tend to choose those colour clothes.
Next week we will discuss friends, please prepare by answering the following questions:
1. What are some subjects that you will never discuss with a friend?
I've never thought about this before, so I have to think about that.....
The subjects that never discuss.... I don't have any ideas right now....There are some subjects we hardly discuss, like social problem, enviromental problem, political things and so on. We do talk about that but not that often. I think all pelope have something that they don't tell anybody like, for me, i don't tell my freinds what i write on my diary, so it's one of the things i guess.
2. Do you have different friends for different parts of your life? If so, how are they different to you? Do you talk about different things? Go to different places? Give me some examples.
More I get older, more i get to meet many types of people.
So, I could say i have different friends for different parts of my life.
For example, when I meet friends from elementary school or junior high school, we talk about our youth,our town , friends of our town and I don't talk that much those things to my university's friends.
With part time job's friends, there are some places, like restaurant or bar that i don't go that much with other friends.
University's friends are really close to me, so I talk many things to them.
When i was a high school student, there was a special place that we always hang out. I have so many differents memories with many types of friends. And I really thank to meet them because they all help me to grow up ^^
1. Do you judge people according to what they wear? Why?
Yes I do.
I believe that fashion is one of the expression of theirselves. Some people really care about the fasion and some people don't. We could know what kind of fashion they like according what they wear . So what they wear is one of the ways to understand them, I think.
But, it's just the one of the things to understand of them , so i don't judge them all just by what they wear. The word of the judge in this case for me is just to know what they like, how to combine their clothes, and so on. It doesn't include what kind of person they are. I can't tell that from clothes, we need to communicate each other to know that.
2 Do you think Japanese society puts an importance on clothing when judging other people from another country?
I don't think Japanese "society" puts an importance on clothing when judging other people from another country, or I just don't know about that. I think we rather judge them by character than what they wear.
3. What colors are you wearing now? Do they reflect your mood?
I'm wearing a green sweater and black jeans right now.
It doesn't reflect my mood but i tend to buy more darker colour clothes rather than brighter colour clothes. I think I don't have any pink, red or orange clothes. I like black, natural brown, blue, green or something like dark colour. I think it reflects myself. Those colour make me feel relax and comfortable ,that's why I tend to choose those colour clothes.
Next week we will discuss friends, please prepare by answering the following questions:
1. What are some subjects that you will never discuss with a friend?
I've never thought about this before, so I have to think about that.....
The subjects that never discuss.... I don't have any ideas right now....There are some subjects we hardly discuss, like social problem, enviromental problem, political things and so on. We do talk about that but not that often. I think all pelope have something that they don't tell anybody like, for me, i don't tell my freinds what i write on my diary, so it's one of the things i guess.
2. Do you have different friends for different parts of your life? If so, how are they different to you? Do you talk about different things? Go to different places? Give me some examples.
More I get older, more i get to meet many types of people.
So, I could say i have different friends for different parts of my life.
For example, when I meet friends from elementary school or junior high school, we talk about our youth,our town , friends of our town and I don't talk that much those things to my university's friends.
With part time job's friends, there are some places, like restaurant or bar that i don't go that much with other friends.
University's friends are really close to me, so I talk many things to them.
When i was a high school student, there was a special place that we always hang out. I have so many differents memories with many types of friends. And I really thank to meet them because they all help me to grow up ^^
登録:
投稿 (Atom)
