英語学習にも役立つ、札幌の外国人英語教師の英語日記 札幌 英会話 [ステップアップ]

Great books

2017年3月8日 (水)

Hi all, hope you’re well these days. It’s nearly that time of year when things get really busy: students graduate, employers hire new staff, and employees transfer to new departments or new offices. One of my own students was kind enough to give me a book as a parting gift – Kokoro, by Soseki Natsume.

This, of course, is a well-known story in Japan. Although written 100 years ago, it has themes that are very much relevant today. A young man graduates from university and finds himself having to care for his family, while also trying to find a satisfying path to begin his own life as an adult. I’m long past the age of Kokoro’s protagonist, and yet I can relate to his thoughts and feelings. Soseki’s use of first person perspective allows us, the reader, to peel away the layers of social and psychological complexity that the story addresses. The dynamics take place in subtle conversations, as opposed to big action. While I love a good SF story, it’s also nice to read about societal and familial relationships in a quiet setting.

So I’m grateful to my old student for giving the gift of a good story. I’ll be sure to pass it on to someone else so they can enjoy it as well.

Running for Health

2017年3月7日 (火)

I’m not the type of person who likes exercise.  For me, exercise is something I must force myself to do.  But I also know that it’s important for keeping healthy and staying fit.  So I try to do at least some exercise three times a week.  One of the things I do is jogging.  Jogging is the one kind of exercise that I don’t really mind doing.  This year I plan on jogging 200 km.  Last year I was unable to reach my goal, but I’m positive I can do it this year.  I will do my best and try to run as often as possible.

Poisoning

2017年3月6日 (月)

Did you know that the most common type of poisoning in Japan is carbon monoxide poisoning?

What is carbon monoxide?
Carbon monoxide, or CO, is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is released when people burn carbon-based fuels. Such fuels include wood, kerosene (灯油), and charcoal. Carbon monoxide is released in greater amounts when fuel is incompletely burned. If you see a bright yellow or green flame in your kerosene heater, there is a chance that CO is being released. Modern stoves should burn blue at the base of the flame when working properly.

What does carbon monoxide do?
Carbon monoxide bonds to hemoglobin in human blood, robbing your body of its ability to get enough oxygen. CO is so strongly affinitive to hemoglobin that even a small amount in the lungs can have a big effect. For example, a CO concentration of just 0.1% can reduce the oxygen level in your blood by 50%! Even a small amount of CO is quite dangerous. Extended exposure to CO can cause headaches, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, and even death.

What should I do if I think I have been poisoned?
First, go outside and get fresh air immediately. If you feel very sick, call an ambulance or go to a hospital as soon as you can. Doctors will be able to check your blood for signs of CO poisoning, and help you to recover. If you find a person who is unconscious and you suspect CO poisoning, call an ambulance immediately.

How can I prevent CO poisoning?
The best way to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning is to avoid using stoves etc. that burn carbon based fuel inside your home. You should always make sure to get fresh air into any room where you are using such a stove, and buy a carbon monoxide detector to place in your home, especially if you use a kerosene heater in a room where you sleep. These detectors are cheap and can be found online or at many home centers.

See this webpage for more information about carbon monoxide safety:
http://www.caa.go.jp/csic/action/pdf/160923_advice.pdf

I hope everyone can be safe and free from the dangers of carbon monoxide.

The Sound of Music

2017年3月2日 (木)

This weeks film is a classic  musical staring Julie Andrews, set just before the outbreak of World War 2 in Austria. A film shown every Easter in England, it has become something of tradition. It is loosely based on the story of the Von Trapp family and their escape from the Nazi advance into Austria. There is a sweetness and lightness throughout most of the film even though the subject matter is a little heavy. A young nun who becomes the Nanny of seven children slowly falls in love with their father. They eventually have to flee Austria into Switzerland, but not before doing an enormous amount of singing.  The film features some excellent music and classic songs and Julie Andrews gives the film  her unique lightness.

Another film I had avoided since childhood, this actually turned out to be surprisingly watchable, and nearly had me singing along.

Film Rating: 8/10

Information

2017年3月1日 (水)

Way back in 1992, a New York hip hop band called the Beastie Boys put out a song called “So What’cha Want?” I fell in love with it immediately as a 13-year-old boy. One of the song’s  lyrics in particular has echoed in my mind since I first heard it:

“So where’d you get your information from, huh?”

It’s not an especially profound line, but it does speak to a deep part of our understanding of what knowledge is. We’re living in an age of information, where the answers to our questions are readily available. As consumers of information, we need to be just as deliberate (or more so!) in evaluating the value of content as we are when we consume food. There’s high nutrition information, and there’s junk news. It’s up to us to look at news with a critical eye and a skeptical mind, especially when there are so many looking to deceive others with misinformation.

When you hear a piece of dubious information from a friend, coworker or family member, don’t be afraid to ask them where they got their information from.

The more we question what we think we know, the farther we’ll progress as a society.