Hi, ladies!!
Last Saturday night, my daughters and I went to see movies at a community center near my house. This is the first time we have ever joined such events, and I was looking forward to seeing them. That is because the program was Tsumiki no ie and Okuribito, both of which received an academy award this February.
I was worried that there might be too many people at the room, but there were about 40 participants, most of whom were in middle age, sitting at ease in each chair. The staff members were very kind, offering us a bottle of tea and some sweets.
The movies were fantastic. In especially Okuribito was perfect. I never expected it was such a sensitive movie. No one can watch this story without shedding tears. Though I hadn’t had any interest in the actor Masahiro Motoki until then, I was deeply impressed by his charm, talent and great sense for the dignity of life. I strongly recommend this touching movie.
So, see you next. Bye!
6 comments:
Hi, ladies!!!
It’s Monday, March 30, 2009 today.
What a lovely day it is!!!!! It’s sunny and warm, and perfect for taking a walk. I walked to the bank, the post office and the supermarket located at Motoyama in the early afternoon. I wish I could keep walking all afternoon, I thought to myself. But unfortunately I had much to do at home and so hurried home.
Thank you so much for letting me read Bev’s responses to you, Sunflower and Rose. Until now I scarcely had an opportunity to read comments given to you by Bev, and thus I hardly knew what were happening between you, essay contributors, and Bev. Fortunately this time I could get some information about it, thanks to the messages from Cherry, Cosmos, Sunflower and Rose.
This is a new quiz for you and me. The purpose of my making article quizzes is to deepen and broaden my knowledge about the English articles. But at the same time I would like you to enjoy quizzes I make and so I present each quiz I have created in my message.
I have found in the BBC a very interesting piece of news about two US automakers. I hope you enjoy this quiz. As usual, the answers are listed below.
Have a fascinating Monday afternoon, my precious friends.
GM chairman forced out by Obama
The chief executive of struggling US car company General Motors - Rick Wagoner - has agreed to step down.
He will leave his post immediately at (1) request of (2) White House, a government official confirmed.
President Barack Obama is preparing to outline terms for offering more help to GM and fellow car giant, Chrysler.
The two firms have already received $17.4bn (£14.4bn) in bail-outs. Chrysler has requested (3) further $5bn while GM says it needs $16.7bn more.
Reports have suggested that (4) frustrated Mr Obama will reject GM and Chrysler's turnaround plans as unrealistic, raising the risk of the carmakers' bankruptcy.
(5) Auto task force appointed by Mr Obama released two reports on Monday on the financial health of both carmakers, saying that Chrysler was "not viable" in its current form.
It demanded (6) merger with Italy's Fiat or another carmaker if Chrysler was to survive and said the Obama administration would only provide the company (7) working capital for the next 30 days.
It also said that it would pledge to fund (8) GM's operations for the next 60 days only, requiring the carmaker to come up with another plan detailing further restructuring.
"While Chrysler and GM are different companies with different paths forward, both have (9) unsustainable liabilities and both need a fresh start," the task force said.
"Their best chance at success may well require utilising (10) bankruptcy code in a quick and surgical way."
Answers:
1. the
2. the
3. a
4. a
5. the
6. a
7. ---
8. ---
9. ---
10. ---
Hi, ladies!!!
It’s Tuesday, March 31, 2009 today. It has been cloudy but not windy, and so it is wonderful. As far as I’m concerned, unless it is windy, all types of weather would be fine, whether it is raining or snowing.
I got an email from Cosmos in which she copied for me a few questions and comments posed by Bev. These questions and comments of Bev’s to Cosmos were most hilarious to me, and upon reading them I burst into laughter, though soon I came to myself and sympathized with Cosmos, since she had to finish up her essay.
These are Bev’s questions and comments:
Mitsuda believed that regulated management was necessity in order
to maintain order [in other words, no one was allowed to complain?].
Mitsuda understood the human nature through clinical experience. If such people were granted the right of self-government, the strong would soon prey upon the weak [This is truly ironic because the conditions in the sanatorium were
precisely those of the strong (director and staff) preying on the weak(patients)]
Also, Cosmos listed a reason why the condition of the leprosarium became worse and despicable, like this:
… due to the country’s mobilization at the onset of Japan’s involvement in World War Two[Wy is the reason? /…]
The Japanese way of information provision is different from the one of English language speakers.
Every time we say something in English, we have to clarify what we are talking about. The clarification of a topic is a speaker’s burden, not a listener’s, in English language communication. In Japanese language communication the other way round is possible. Thus, speaking English is sometimes tiring and exhausting to Japanese English learners. We have to speak a lot, otherwise they don’t understand…
Anyway, it’s fun to learn English and English communication skills. No doubt about it, isn’t there?
This is a new quiz for you and me. Do you still remember the news that two US female reporters were caught by North Korea border guards? They are going to be tried in the country. Oh, yuck… There is a big disparity between the arguments by the US reporters and the NK coastal guards.
Enjoy this quiz, my lovely friends, and get 100%.
US reporters face N Korea trial
Two US reporters held in North Korea earlier this month will be tried for illegal entry and "hostile acts", the country's state-run news agency says.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said (1) preparations were under way for (2) indictments and a trial.
Euna Lee and Laura Ling were detained on 17 March on North Korea's border with China.
The move comes amid (3) growing tension in the region ahead of North Korea's controversial satellite launch.
The North says the launch is part of its communications programme, but the US fears this is (4) cover for testing (5) long-range missile technology.
The United States says it is pursuing all diplomatic means available to secure the release of the two American women.
"The illegal entry of US reporters into the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) and their suspected hostile acts have been confirmed by (6) evidence and their statements," the KCNA said.
It said "(7) competent organ... is carrying on its investigation and, at the same time, making (8) preparation for indicting them at a trial on the basis of (9) already confirmed suspicions".
Euna Lee, a Korean-American, and Laura Ling, a Chinese-American, work for Current TV in California.
There is still some confusion as to exactly where the reporters were arrested.
South Korean television station YTN and (10) unnamed diplomatic sources said that North Korean guards crossed the Tumen river into Chinese territory to arrest the journalists.
Pyongyang says the reporters crossed its border illegally.
Answers:
1. ---
2. ---
3. ---
4. a
5. ---
6. ---
7. a
8. a
9. the
10. ---
Hi Cherry and friends,
Today is the last day of March. One-forth of this year has already passed. (Wow!)
Time flies so quickly.
Last night I enjoyed watching the final skating as a big event after the World Figure Skate Championship on TV. It was like a kind of fantastic skate show performed by the medalists who won the medals after severe competitions. Every medalist looked relaxed and happy, of cause, and they showed very entertaining performance for the audience that we could not see during the competitions. I liked the ice dancing the most in this show because each couple set up unique theme by which they skated in a fabulously and elegantly way. It was a lot of fun. I knew that each skater has overcome their own difficulties, such as injuries or surgical operations after the serious injuries. Their satisfying and confident expressions made me very happy.
Have a nice dream, my precious friends.
Hello, Cherry and my friends.
Every night before going to bed, I make it a rule to read a short daily current topic Plum kindly posts for us. I always tried to get 100 percent but my goal seems to be far out of my reach.
Of course I enjoy practicing this test because I can get to know varieties of global hot news.
By the way I went to Aichi Prefectural Library this afternoon to return six borrowed books exceeding the return date while I borrowed new six ones. They are about Uemura Shoen, whom I’d like to research for the 2009 essay.
There were a number of materials for her and moreover an English manuscript from the microfilm master was available. The title is "Changing Image of Women".
Looking over them, I said to my self that "keep‘critical perspective’in my mind and focus on what I really want to resarch about her."
Good-night,my diligent friends.
Hi, ladies!
It is a little bit windy today, but spring sunshine is bright.
Well, I feel ashamed to say this again, because all of you have started to prepare for the next essay, but please let me talk about Masako Ogawa once more.
To tell the truth, I didn’t have intention to praise Ogawa and justify her career straightforwardly. History teaches us that human and countries have repeatedly made mistakes which had been believed as absolute right things in the past. Now segregation laws which were once thought the best to eliminate Hansen disease from society, are now considered as worst inhumane ones. What I wanted to write was the reversed evaluation to her as time has changed. Especially I have a sense of mistrust of the media who always adapt the times. Now we have enough democratic ideas and good information about medical treatment. But please imagine people living in Japan prewar. The situation prevailing at the time was utterly different. Therefore I admit the Ogawa had done her best under the harsh circumstances. Bev-sensei, however, believes deeply whenever, wherever, any kinds of discrimination to be fundamental evil. I think her viewpoint is today’s one. Well, what I have to do is to convince her Ogawa’s goodwill.
Have a nice spring warm, my dear friends! See you again.
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