Winter 3 Writing Topic
There
will be an exhibition in which every country in the world is represented by one
single object. What would you choose to send in order to represent your country
in the exhibition? Why would you choose that object to send to the exhibition?
☆Let’s Think
1. Give a few examples of objects that you can find in an
exhibition.
e.g. You see paintings or sculptures at an art
exhibition. Baskets, clothing, or old coins are exhibited in an anthropological
exhibition.
2. Give a few examples of objects that represent the United States
of America.
e.g. the Statue of
Liberty, the Constitution, the Wall Street Bull, etc.
3. How does a Walkman represent Japan?
e.g. its rise and fall in the high-tech
industry, tendency to make things compact
4. Draw lines to connect the items on the left and the words on the
right.
compact car the
industry
game machine craftsmanship
karaoke machine neat/well-organized
flag of the Empire of
Japan distinct
pop culture
face mask group-oriented
mindset
kotatsu foot-warmer sensitive to
hygiene
☆Hints for Points
Tea ceremony
is not an object but a cultural activity while a huge teacup for tea ceremonies
is an object, which may represent our collectivism. Sushi or cup-noodles may be
regarded as food rather than an object, but it allows discussion of the
traditional Japanese culture and its interaction with other cultures. A Toyota
car or a Nintendo game machine is a single object that can symbolize Japan
because they are used by people around the world including those who do not
know much about us. A copy of The Tale of
Genji could be the answer because the content is a famous Japanese story
that is considered to be the first novel in the world. Manga and anime derive
from our love of stories.
A copy of
manga could be an object that represents Japan. Its essence is the content,
which is intangible and so is not an object, but it is loved in many countries.
Also, its physical characteristics and its existence itself reflect the Japanese
culture. The neat appearance of manga, the glossy cover and elaborate print, and
its drawings, originating from Ukiyo-e woodprint, which often depicts nuances
of feelings, are the feature of our culture. The contents are not simple
superhero stories but those about life, people, or small things that count in daily
life. Also, manga is full of word play, trivia, and other devices coming from the
Japanese culture and value. Moreover, putting so much energy into producing
just a comic book shows our tendency to be meticulous about rather nonessential
or transient things for daily use, as seen in our traditional culture like Japanese
dry gardens, which features patterns on the sand. Last but not least, the fact
that the word manga has become an English word and that it cannot be replaced
with the word comic shows that it is a distinctive part of our culture.
☆Essay for Ideas and Expressions
The underground dwarf world in the Scandinavian
mythology always reminds me of my country Japan. It is the realm of small,
cunning creatures that make magic items. If I were to choose one single object
that symbolizes my country, I would choose a katana, Japanese sword. I think it
represents well-known characteristics of Japan: craftsmanship, the samurai
culture, and the history of battles.
Katana is said to be the sharpest and
strongest sword in the world, and collectors find
aesthetic
pleasure in it. This indicates our intense devotion to craftsmanship and
beauty. Many people find perfectionism and love of details in things we
make, ranging from our traditional handicrafts to cutting-edge industrial products to
handmade daily lunch, whose delicately-shaped colorful ingredients are neatly
arranged in a little lunch box. Our punctual transportation systems and very attentive
store clerks also owe their origin to this tendency.
Katana is the item representing our samurai
culture, which is known to the world through our old movies. Although carrying
katana was made illegal long ago, the samurai culture is still
dominant in Japan. Samurai dramas are popular. Business magazines often feature
famous Japanese warlords and warriors to learn lessons from their deeds or
tactics. Also, many katana-related expressions are alive in our language. To
describe a sharp person, we use a direct expression, “kireru,” cuts well. Crisp
beer is “kire ga ii,” or cuts in a nice way. Shin-ken means serious, but it also
means real, not wooden, katana. Lay-off is “kubi-kiri,” cutting heads off and taking
a drastic measure is “itto-ryodan,” cutting in half with a long sword. These
and many other katana-related expressions are used in our everyday life. It
seems that we are always metaphorically wielding katana.
Katana reminds people of our warlike past.
Most of our history is warlords' history. Also, it is a historical fact that
Japanese attacked or invaded other countries, torturing and killing their
civilians. Nanjin Massacre, the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, and other
atrocities are huge stains in our history that we have to bear forever as a
people. Those who brutally killed women and children in other countries with
military katana as well as with guns were not abnormal individuals but average
Japanese, who later went home and spent the rest of their lives as ordinary
citizens, many of them family-lovers. This fact shows that we can become
ice-cold like a katana in certain situations. Although we are not the only
people that have committed atrocities, it is more significant that we are one
of them.
I do not think all the main features of Japan
can be represented by a katana, which is a weapon and therefore has few
elements to represent virtues of a people. However, I think our major
characteristics, “both militaristic and aesthetic” (Ruth Benedict, The
Chrysanthemum and the Sword: patterns of Japanese culture), are symbolized
by a Kanata, which is a top-class artwork and is relentlessly sharp.
☆The structure of the
introduction
Note: Perhaps
writing a good introduction is the most difficult part of writing an essay, and
the least energy should be spent on it during the 30-minute Independent Writing
in TOEFL iBT. An essay with the introduction consisting of only the thesis and
the brief reasoning can get a high score if the body development is done well.
However, in case you have extra time to spend on the first paragraph, here is the
basic structure of the introduction:
Hook: The first sentence to make the
reader interested in your essay.
Background:
The explanation of the background of the hook.
Thesis:
The sentence which introduces what you want to say in
the essay.
Reason(s):
The reason(s) of the thesis. In other words, the outline of the body
paragraphs.
Samples
a.
≪joke≫
Hook: An English man once told me that
he had thought Toyota was a British company for a long time.
Background:
It is true that you see Toyota cars not only in England but everywhere in the
world.
Thesis:
I would send a Toyota car to an exhibition as an object to represent my country
Japan.
Reasons:
It is the pronoun of the Japanese products and its production process is
typically Japanese.
b.
≪satire≫
Hook:
No one would remember anymore that there was a best seller the title of which
was “Japan as Number One” only a generation ago.
Background:
By then, not only had we made a rapid recovery from the defeat of WWII but also
we had become the second biggest economy in the world, but now we are in
decline.
Thesis:
To represent the past and present of my country, I would send a SONY Walkman
to an exhibition where every country in the world is represented by one single
object.
Reasons:
It symbolizes our once thriving industry and society. It also shows how we
failed to create our version of an iPod or iPhone before they were created in
the United States of America.
c.
≪simile or
metaphor≫
Hook: The
impact of the computer is like that of electricity.
Background: The supply
of electricity to society has totally changed our lives, from dark to light,
from tiresome to easy, or from unthinkable to possible, and opened a new era.
Thesis & Reasons:
Computers also have transformed the world dramatically
into one where we can no longer live without them, different lifestyles and new
things are created, and more democratic society is possible.
d.
≪quote≫
Hook: Mark
Twain once said, “It’s easy to quit smoking. I’ve done it hundreds of times.”
Background: This
shows that it is almost impossible for smokers to quit smoking.
Thesis: Therefore, I
am opposed to making smoking illegal.
Reason: The
ban on smoking will make smokers criminals and this affect negatively not only
their living but also the whole society.
e.
≪Zen≫
Hook: The family of a heavy smoker
lose him twice.
Background:
Long
before he dies of a disease related to this unhealthy habit, when they realize
that they are helpless in making him quit smoking, they start a silent but desperate
mourning of his early death. It is the same sadness as families of victims of
other kinds of addiction experience, the sadness to witness their loved ones die
day by day. Still, this is actually a minor aspect of the tragedy of tobacco.
Theis
& Reasons: Even though it might be difficult to put in practice because of
smokers’ feelings and economic circumstances, cigarettes should be made illegal
to protect younger generations and to solve the problem of second-hand smoke.
Your
introduction:
Hook:
Background:
Thesis:
Reason(s):
