Discussion
1. Which of the following three responses to the question above do you
think is the least proper? Why?
A)
I would sell it to buy whatever
I want.
B)
I would build an amusement park
on the land.
C)
I would make it a farm to help
the survival of the residents.
Note: Response
A) is not a way to develop land, nor does it consider the current needs of
society and the impact on it. Response B) is a way to develop land but may not
be among the most needed usage of society. C) meets the need of society for
obvious reasons. The heart of the question is thinking about a way to use a
huge area of land, which provides space, soil, ecological system, the
atmosphere above it, life and joy, and many other things that we can take
advantage of.
2. What are the current needs of society, and how can the land be
developed to make a difference to meet the needs of society?
☆Hints for Points
・a huge air purifier/water tank/vegetable
garden/nature park/factory of micropower generators
・a free cafeteria/ food bank/daycare center/evacuation
center/space without commercial facilities
・a shelter for refugees/the homeless/stray
animals ・an independent radio station/TV station
・a tuition-free college/hospital/school/library/museum/botanical
garden/ballpark/theater/concert hall
☆Presentation
1.
Make a presentation on your answer
to this question by answering the following questions.
1)
What is a current need of
society of your concern? What is its present situation?
e.g. It
is refugee crisis. They are suffering from discrimination by the immigration
offices and haters.
2)
How would you use the land to
change the situation?
e.g. I
would make it a facility for refugees to find a safe and happy life in my
community.
3)
What are the advantages of it?
e.g.
It would save many lives.
4)
What problem can you expect as
a result of your land-usage, and how would you address it?
e.g. Some
local residents might not be happy about accepting refugees, but ignorance, prejudice, and discrimination must not be
tolerated.
2.
Ask each other questions about
each other’s presentations. This will help (to) make your ideas more
interesting.
☆Sample Response
【Thesis】 I would use the land to help
escape so-called refugee crisis.
【Supporting Details】 There are 35.5
million refugees around the world now. They have fled or lost their homes due
to overwhelming events such as wars, conflicts, oppressions, and disasters. They
are in desperate situations, including threat of their lives. and need support.
Therefore, I would make the land a refugee camp and provide support to help
them (to) become independent so that they can live a safe and happy life. It
would save many lives. Also, it would facilitate economic and political actions
for early safe returns of refugees to their homes.
【Counterargument-treatment】 A possible problem would be that some local
residents might not be happy about accepting refugees, but ignorance, prejudice,
and discrimination must not be tolerated.
【Conclusion】 It is about time for
Japanese to realize what we are and learn to be nice to brothers and sisters
from other countries. (149 words)
For reference: An essay on the same kind of topic
There would be many wise or innovative uses of a large tract
of land, but I would make it a town which is a test case for peaceful
coexistence of people and jungle crows. No other birds are so stigmatized as
crows, particularly in Japan, where I live. They are regarded as filthy
garbage-eaters, spiteful punks, and the sign of death. Yet, if observed
carefully without prejudice, they will turn out to be as likable as pet animals.
In fact, they are sometimes called flying dogs. They could possibly be our best
friends in the sky.
Jungle crows are the big black birds often seen
scattering the contents of garbage bags collected on the sidewalks in Japanese
cities. This is the main reason why they are hated, yet if you learn their
history, you will see that they are not to blame. They used to live in forests
and feed on dead animals on the ground. Development replaced trees with
buildings, and animal bodies with garbage bags. They have been doing the same
to survive, eating waste on the ground and nesting on the power poles, but now
humans are offended by their routine. People also think crows are dirty and
dangerous, but they bathe a few times a day and attack people only when they feel
their nestlings are in danger, and the worst thing they could do is to swoop
and kick from behind, which they rarely actually do because they are afraid of
humans. It is true that they remember the face of the person who attacked or
threatened them and repeatedly retaliate, but considering their trauma, it is
understandable that they do it for self-defense. The biggest stigma that crows
bear is the image of death, which probably derives from their color. Surely,
they eat dead bodies, but so do many other creatures, from lions to bacteria.
The fear of the color black is our problem, not theirs. In the eyes of humans
on the ground, crows on power lines might be eerie dark spots in the sky, but
seen from high above, they are precious pieces of life shining in purple and
green.
Although loathed, crows are well known to be smart,
affectionate, and remarkable birds. They store their food in thousands of
places and remember the spots. They use their calls for their communication.
Moreover, they use tools, and one subspecies has evolved to make a tool.
Sometimes, their behavior cannot be explained by any other words but play.
There are reports of crows repeatedly sliding down the slide or snow slope or
hanging upside down from the power line, neither of which has adaptive
advantages. Also, jungle crows mimic many kinds of sounds, such as human words
or machine noises. They cherish their mates and babies. There are many reports
that crows grieve the death of other crows. I myself know a jungle crow which
missed its mate for at least three years. When its mate suddenly disappeared, it
made the saddest voice I had ever heard. A few months after the loss, the crow
once kept perching for hours in the rain on a powerline its mate used to be around.
One of the most striking things about crows is their eyes and ears. As they can
see ultraviolet like other birds and can fly very high, they can spot a piece
of bread from hundreds of meters high. They hear what humans cannot hear. Above
all, they play an important role as scavengers getting rid of things people do
not want to see lying on the ground like a dead mouse. Now some of you might
find this bird a little more interesting than before.
In my opinion, it is a shame that we do not have good
relationships with jungle crows, a charming and interesting species that happens
to live closest to us, and here comes my model town for the co-existence of jungle
crows and humans. This town would have several parks full of tall trees, to
which the garbage from the human community would be sent. Since jungle crows
are originally from forests and tend to live where food is abundant, they would
stay in the parks most of the time and would never bother littering the
streets. The system would also reduce the cost of waste incineration and CO2
emissions. Humans can enter the parks and enjoy nature anytime except for the
breeding season. My wildest dream is to have crows participate in rescue
operations. For their ability to fly a long distance and high cognitive level,
not to mention the great eyesight and hearing, they would make good rescue
crows. Of course, for animal rights, only those that are willing and having the
aptitude and characteristics should be given the missions. I actually know a
crow that is eligible for it. Like us, crows also have individuals willing to
take a risk for satisfaction and bonding.
I once saw a jungle crow perched on a power
line entertaining a dog down in a garage. The dog, wagging its tail and jumping
around in the small space, looked quite happy to see its friend with wings. The
scene reflected their positions in this world: one was confined and the other
free. Crows could have been domesticated long ago, since their cleverness must
have been noticed by our ancestors, but they have not. I feel, with no offense
to dogs, that crows know what dignity is and keep a distance from humans. They
are hated but live proudly. They are sensitive enough to feel the pain of life,
yet they will never give up on life and can do without such things as hope or
dream or religion. Perhaps we could learn something important from them by
living closer to them than now.
Note: Some of the
information about crows included in this essay are taken from Karasu no Kyokasho by Hajime Matsubara,
a crow researcher and observation reports of unknown bird-lovers.
Write your
response in 10 minutes. Show each other your responses. Write down questions or
suggestions to each other’s response.
DRAFT
