2014年10月29日水曜日

Writing Topic: Consider the following statement. Dancing plays an important role in a culture. Do you agree or disagree with this idea? Support your response by including specific reasons and examples.

☆Let’s think

This statement is short and simple but has a few parts you can use to develop ideas. To begin with its subject dancing, you can brainstorm what you know about dancing. You could ask yourself questions like when people dance or whether you ever found dancing useful. Then you can note the article “a” in the expression “play an important role”. This means that there are some things that play an important role in a culture and dancing is one of them. Now the last word “a culture” shows that although dancing might not be important in the modern world, in an individual culture, it could be taken seriously.

☆Hints for points

Agree

1. Dancing is universal: It seems impossible to find a culture without its traditional dances along with its traditional singing, costumes, and ceremonies. Thus dancing must play a significant role in a culture.

2. Dancing appears in important moments in life: When important events are held, we often see dancing. Festivals, marriages, and funerals often involve dancing. Big shows on TV have dancers. Halftime dance in the American football might be another example that shows dancing is still in place in modern life.

3. Dancing informs people of the view of the universe and values in a culture and facilitates passing down tradition: For example, it is said that Balinese dancing is part of the system of the traditional Balinese culture. For thousands of years, people in Bali dedicated their dancing to their gods as part of their religious practices. Each of the dances represents a character and its story in the Balinese mythology. By watching or participating in the activity, people in Bali learn and live the fiction that their culture is based on. The same can be said more or less in the relationships between dancing and other cultures.

4. Dancing helps nonverbal-communication and socialization: Dancing can be the most basic art form. Like music, it does not basically require understanding of the language. Japanese Obon dances, or instance, consist of only a few simple steps and body movements, and this allows anyone to jump in the dancing crowd. Dancing is used to help people wind down at parties, and one of the most common and popular hangout spots for the young is the disco.

5. Dancing helps reduce stress and violence. Many people go dancing to release stress. Many traditional dances also function as catalyst for the release of stress of a community and prevent catastrophe in reality. Dance beats and repetitive movements make people feel good. A Balinese dance called kecak, pronounced kechak, is very emotional and some dancers of it often fall into trance. Lion dances, found in many places in Asia, feature the holy animal with scary appearances moving around vigorously and making people alert by posing to eat them. All of these examples show that dancing is related to releasing stress both on the individual and collective level.

Disagree or partly disagree

1. Traditional dances do not play an important part in a modern culture: Traditional dances work only in the realm of traditional cultures. For example, traditional views of the world and values are not made much of anymore although probably they should be. The power of dancing to teach community members values is weakening with globalization in progress, where traditional systems are being replaced by capitalism.

2. Dancing does not help keep society peaceful anymore: People do not go dancing to “blow off steam” anymore. Cases of traditional dances helping keep community cohesion are decreasing. There are many other activities to release stress now like driving or riding a roller coaster, and bonding is done through social networking services.

3. In capitalism, the type of dances popular among the public are commercial: Just like fashion, music and other culture-related commodities, dances that become popular today are focused on entertainment. They are sensual, light and easy to please the main target consumers, the young. Although commercially important, the most popular modern dances are not important in any cultures.

4. Dancing is not popular even as an entertainment in modern society: Compared to other activities for entertainment such as going to the movie or karaoke, dancing is not a common choice. There is no dancing place for families, nor is it one of the top choices of fun activities of a gathering. Once in a while, simple dances tied-up with a song or anime come and go, but just as a one-hit-wonder and no one would remember them five years later.

5. It has not survived the test of time: As it has been beaten by time and plays less part in modern societies, it cannot be no more important in a culture than other traditional activities which have been replaced by new activities and that are treated as curiosity now like Noh or haiku.

2014年10月9日木曜日

国際教養学部AO入試　（早稲田、上智、国際教養）　補助教材 The Environment and Economy - Naomi Klein -

Capitalism vs. the Climate: Naomi Klein on Need for New Economic Model to Address Ecological Crisis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W3scqbuJVQ

2014年10月7日火曜日

国際教養学部AO入試　（早稲田、上智、国際教養）　補助教材 War on Terror Creating Real Terror

Jeremy Scahill on Obama’s Orwellian War in Iraq: We Created the Very Threat We Claim to be Fighting

DeocracyNow October 3, 2014

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/10/3/jeremy_scahill_on_obamas_orwellian_war

2014年10月4日土曜日

国際教養学部AO入試　（早稲田、上智、国際教養）　補助教材 TPP

Read the following excerpts from a website and answer the following questions.

http://www.exposethetpp.org/TPPimpacts_Democracy.html

http://www.exposethetpp.org/TPPImpacts_InternetFreedom.html

http://www.exposethetpp.org/TPPImpacts_Public-Services.html

http://www.exposethetpp.org/TPPImpacts_FoodSafety.html

http://www.exposethetpp.org/TPPImpacts_Public-Health.html

http://www.exposethetpp.org/TPPImpacts_TheEnvironment.html

http://www.exposethetpp.org/TPPImpacts_FinRegulation.html

Question: What are the problems of the Trans Pacific Partnership?

Sample Answer

The TPP favors the corporation at the expense of public welfare and environment of the Pacific region. It is an agreement between the United States and 11 other countries around the Pacific Ocean. Most of it would set rules on non-trade matters that affect our daily lives. Our domestic policies would be required to comply with the TPP rules. The national treasury would be reduced by the law suits filed by corporations, and avoidance of it would lead to more cases of weaker public protections by the government.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership Would Undermine Democracy

The TPP has not been made open to public even though it is directly and extensively related to our daily lives. It has been negotiated by corporations, is strongly binding, and technically irreversible. Under TPP, corporations can sue the country claiming the loss caused by the law of the country in investor-state disputes (ISD) and get the tax money as compensation.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership Would Undermine Internet Freedom

Copy right rules on the Internet would be so strict that downloading contents for personal use can be illegal and subject to a fine or ban on internet use. Copyright protection period will be extended to 120 years or more. These changes would hamper innovation.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership Would Undermine Public Services

Regulations on public services with charges would be changed following the TPP so that corporations providing the same services can compete with them. This could cause less access to the services that the public has enjoyed for low fees. Water bills can double. The utilities would be put before citizens. Any attempts of the government to protect its citizens from corporations could end up its forking out compensation to the company in ISD.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership Would Undermine Food Safety

Regulations on both domestic and imported foods would be loosened and undermine the food safety. Inspections on the imports and regulations on labels would be made as low as those of the countries the exporters belong to.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership and Public Health

Medicine prices would be raised and generic drugs would be less available, which would be lethal to the poor both in the developing and developed countries. The TPP tribunal court could enable a pharmaceutical company to sue the government on patent laws and those to protect public health.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership Would Threaten the Environment

Natural gas production would be accelerated and pollute the air and water. The TPP would weaken domestic laws protecting the environment through ISD.

TPP Would Roll Back the Financial Regulations Needed to Avoid Another Crisis

The TPP would empower banks to lift bans on dangerous financial practices and could cause another world financial meltdown. Deregulation and reform prevention through the TPP would make possible the sales of bad commodities such as derivatives and make it difficult to prevent the spread of risk, both of which were the factors of the latest economic depression. Capital control, which is a key tool to block or soften financial crises, would be banned. Speculation tax elimination would make the market volatile and reduce the money for public welfare.

2014年10月3日金曜日

国際教養学部AO入試　（早稲田、上智、国際教養）　補助教材 War on Terror and Collective Self-defense

Read the following interview transcript and answer the following questions.

After U.S. Sanctions & Wars Tore Iraq Apart, Can American-Led Strikes Be Expected to Save It?

DemocracyNow October 2, 2014 Interview with Sinan Antoon, an Iraqi poet, novelist and translator who works as a professor at New York University who teaches Arabic literature

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/10/2/after_us_sanctions_wars_tore_iraq

Questions:

1. Summarize professor Sinan Antoon’s opinion about war on terror.

Sample Answer:

Sinan Antoon argues that so-called war on terror only creates more terrorism. What US and its allies have been doing is attacking or sanctioning the country whose resource is of their interest, oil in the case of Iraq, until part of the oppressed people resort to violence, call them terrorists, and give them air strikes. This strategy disintegrates the country, killing countless innocent citizens, and makes the area the hotbed of so-called terrorists.

2. Discuss Japanese participation in collective self-defense missions, which would be possible in the future considering the war on terror described above.

Sample Answer:

Collective self-defense is not always related to dire crisis such as imminent danger of a large number of lives. Its application involves the general interest of the country such as transportation of resources. On the other hand, the areas where this kind of operation would be necessary are the most devastated areas on this planet. Although it should never be justified, terror can be interpreted as the cry of a part of society which gets the pressure of the system, in today’s world it is the scream of those extremely oppressed in the expansion of the West. Suppressing it won’t stop it. What is called war on terror is like punishing a defiant person who has long been abused by bullies. Joining the war on terror is joining the mob activities of countries whose systems are working in capitalism and globalization only to create more terror activities. Even when the direct purpose of the operation is to save Japanese nationals who became victims of terrorism, the gravity of the action will not change. Though Japan has already been indirectly in this activity by supporting its economic allies mainly through PKO, allowing the use of the Self Defense Force for this purpose will confirm its stance of avoiding the fundamental solution and trying to make the underprivileged and angry quiet by terrorizing them and wiping them out.　　　　

2014年10月1日水曜日

国際教養学部AO入試　（早稲田、上智、国際教養）　補助教材 Global Warming - the IPCC latest report

Read the following material and answer the question.

UN climate change report marks risks of a warm future

31 Mar 2014 | 18:01 BST | Posted by David Cyranoski | Category: Earth, environment & ecology, Policy

http://blogs.nature.com/news/2014/03/un-climate-change-report-marks-risks-of-a-warm-future.html

Question:

What impacts of global warming the IPCC report predicts and what are the obstacles to the climate change mitigation?

Sample Answer:

The latest IPCC report predicts the harsh reality of the impact of the global warming. It says climate change will affect future food security, human well-being and wealth.

Higher temperature and dry weather will cause water and food shortage and biodiversity decline. Warmer sea water has been changing distribution of sea lives in the ocean and fishery yield will be less than halved. Yields of staples such as corn and wheat will drop significantly and keep on raising the grain prices. Poor countries in low land areas, already suffering from food shortages and being unable to store food, would have serious problems when hit by extreme weather. Ocean acidification combined with warming and related impacts will endanger dozens of sea lives such as corals, shellfish, and shrimps.

There are many obstacles to climate change mitigation. First of all, in addition to the fact that even if we stop using oil right now it is difficult to stop the climate change, fossil fuel production is slated to continue over the next ten years. The industry just moves on to help increase CO2 emissions. Also, the wealthier, who have the power to save lives, have no will to give it a go on climate change policies mainly as the impact is felt less by them than it is felt by the poor. Last not but least, driven by competition and expansion, corporations and countries keep wasting time and resources that would be effectively used to save future lives if used cooperatively.

As the quote in this passage goes, no one on this planet will be untouched by the climate change. Everyone lives in the air, water, and biodiversity which are linked together. It seems that the situation has reached to the point where even the most ruthless cannot afford to keep making little of the climate change predictions and abusing life and resources while the system stays unchanged.

TOEFL iBT, Independent Writing, The Most Important Room in a House - rewrite -

Writing Topic

What room of a house do you consider the most important? Why does this room have such importance? Include specific reasons and details to support your choice.

☆Let’s think

The question uses the verb “consider,” not “prefer.” It is asking about the room of a house you regard as the most important. Therefore, you are supposed to tell your view, not your preference. Here are good and bad examples of expressing your view about this topic: I consider the living room the most important room of a house. (good) I like the living room best in my house. (bad)

☆Functions of each room

the living room – communication, socializing, family events, ceremonies, memories with family

the bedroom – relaxation, concentration, creation, reflection, purification of mind, solitude/privacy

the kitchen / dining room – cooking/eating, food preservation, communication

the bathroom – hygiene, relaxation, self-check

☆Hints for points

♦ the living room: Man is a social animal. / This room is located in the best area in a house. / It is used for important purposes. / Most important things of the family are in the living room. / The simplest house designs like those of pit houses or houses of nomads are similar to a living room. This shows that it is the essence of a house. (The second, third, and fourth ideas are of a former student of mine, K.)

♦ the bedroom: Everyone needs to be alone sometimes. / Personal things are in the bedroom. / The main function of a house in society is rest and relaxation. / Bedroom is often the only place where you can be involved in deep mental activities such as reflection or creation.

☆Ideas and expressions

♦Living Room (Ideas taken from http://www.findscore.com/twe/essays/397.html)

1. In my recollection, the living room reminds me of a lot of rosy memory. In the past, our living room was always a center of family gathering. All family members sit together here. Sometimes, we watched TV. Other times, we played chess. Our living room was always full of happiness and pleasure.

2. The living room is also a place for parties and guests. When our family friends come to visit, we always entertain them in our living room. Sometimes, we even buy some ornaments such as flowers to decorate our living room. The purpose for all of these is to show our sincere welcome to our guests. We always make our living room spotless. If we take our friends to a messy living room, perhaps our friends will not visit us again. Therefore, a living room always plays a very important role in our social activities.

3. In a word, a living room always plays an important role in both our family life and our social activities.

♦Bedroom (Ideas taken from http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic17116.html)

1. Obviously, we spend the great amount of time in our bedrooms. I not only sleep but also study and work here. It’s very important for me to relax in my cozy room after a hard working day. I can simply read a book, see movies or enjoy the beautiful scenery from the window.

2. Everyone needs a room to keep his personal possessions. All necessary things, which I use in my daily life, are in my bedroom. I have a good bed to sleep in and see incredible dreams. I have a computer here, which helps me study and get information for many purposes. I also have a piano in my bedroom, despite the fact that it takes up much space, and I could improve my musical skills any time.

3. There are many memories of my childhood related to my bedroom. I remember the time when I put my first step in to the room and smiles on my parents’ faces at that time. I still recall how I played here with my first serious toy – plastic constructor. My first touch of the piano and computer keyboards in my bedroom also will never go away from my memory.

☆Paragraph development

A paragraph of the body of an essay often develops its main idea as follows:

【Main Idea】The main function of the living room is more important than those of other rooms.

【Explanation】 The living room is for activities that have significance for the family and the society.

【Detail / Example】 Family events and meetings with visitors are held in the living room.

【More Specific Detail / Example】When celebrations such as birthday parties and anniversaries are held, family members and guests gather in the living room. Also, visitors such as sales people and representatives of the community are invited into the living room.

【Follow-up / Counterargument-treatment】It is true that the importance of these events are rather superficial in a sense. More profound events in life such as emotional interactions or self-reflection happen in other rooms such as kitchen or bedroom. However, the living room always exist in their minds as a special place for official presentation of their attitude toward their family and society. The living room is almost always chosen as the place for a serious announcement or confession.

【Conclusion】 We see the living room as a sacred place for formal purposes and this makes it the most important room of a house.

Your test paragraph development

Now let’s practice paragraph development. Choose one of the reasons you have come up with, make it the main idea, and develop it using the following form. As this is a tentative part of your real essay, use simple words and sentences for supporting details and focus on the logic and ideas.

【Main Idea】

【Explanation】

【Detail / Example in general】

【More Specific Detail / Example】

【Counterargument & Counter-counterargument】

【Conclusion】

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Friends with Wings

2014年10月29日水曜日

国際教養学部AO入試　reference, 　surveillance states, human rights

Report Reveals Wider Tracking of Mail in U.S.

2014年10月26日日曜日

国際教養学部AO入試　reference, 　English education

2014年10月21日火曜日

国際教養学部AO入試　The Four Big Issues of the 21st Century, The Three Big Issues of the Year 2014

2014年10月15日水曜日

国際教養学部AO入試　reference, 　the gap between the rich and the poor

Closing the Racial Wealth Gap Isn’t Just the Right Thing to Do—It’s Good Economics

国際教養学部AO入試　reference, 　tolerance

At the Vatican, a Shift in Tone Toward Gays and Divorce

2014年10月13日月曜日

Rockefellers to switch investments to 'clean energy'

2014年10月12日日曜日

TOEFL iBT, Independent Writing, Dancing plays an important role in a culture.

2014年10月9日木曜日

国際教養学部AO入試　（早稲田、上智、国際教養）　補助教材 The Environment and Economy - Naomi Klein -

Capitalism vs. the Climate: Naomi Klein on Need for New Economic Model to Address Ecological Crisis

2014年10月7日火曜日

国際教養学部AO入試　（早稲田、上智、国際教養）　補助教材 War on Terror Creating Real Terror

Jeremy Scahill on Obama’s Orwellian War in Iraq: We Created the Very Threat We Claim to be Fighting

2014年10月4日土曜日

国際教養学部AO入試　（早稲田、上智、国際教養）　補助教材 TPP

2014年10月3日金曜日

国際教養学部AO入試　（早稲田、上智、国際教養）　補助教材 War on Terror and Collective Self-defense

2014年10月1日水曜日

国際教養学部AO入試　（早稲田、上智、国際教養）　補助教材 Global Warming - the IPCC latest report

TOEFL iBT, Independent Writing, The Most Important Room in a House - rewrite -

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