English Recordings

Yesterday, May 5th, was a national holiday called Children's Day in Japan.

It was called "tango no sekku," or "boy's festival" until after World War 2. On "Boy's Day" people used to wish for the healthy growth of the young boys in their family. Now it's called "kodomo no hi," or Children's Day, and we celebrate and hope for health and happiness for both boys and girls.

At this season of the year, you can see lots of carp streamers flowing outside here and there. They are a symbol of strength and courage for children.

Yesterday was another special day for Japanese people. All the nuclear reactors were finally switched off, and thousands of people marched to celebrate it waving carp streamers. It is Japan's first time without electricity from nuclear power in four decades! We made it!

However, it's still controversial. It seems that the government has been eager to restart nuclear reactors. Some of the people living near nuclear reactors have been mixed reactions; some really argue against the idea, but some want to get them back because of their jobs and other benefits to the local economy.

I totally disagree with the idea of using nuclear reactors in Japan, because Japan is so small that an accident will have an effect on a vast area. We've already lost wide areas in Tohoku, where nobody can live anymore. How can we allow the same thing to happen again?

All the children in Japan must want to say that they want to live and play without any worries.

I don't think that it is just a coincidence that Japan shut off nuclear power on Children's Day. It means a lot.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

It's over 2:00 A.M. I didn't go to bed yet so as to keep a diary. This is the first time I'll do it in English. I'd like to write about a dream which I dreamt yesterday.

In my dream, I met my friend. He showed me his special present(I cannot remember what it was exactly.). When I awoke from my sleep, I wondered what it meant. So, I searched on the internet. To conclude, it was a lucky dream. Seeing something good belongs to others predicted I would invent excellent and produce them. Furthermore, I would get a great job in a special department and perhaps fall with a group. At last, I would embark on the new chapter.

After understanding the dream meaning, I was filled with wonder and self-confidence. For some time past, I've studied English enthusiastically in order to enter the graduate school of UT accounting (UT MPA course). This interpretation of the dream gave me hope that I could manage to have it or get something wonderful finally in the future.

collusion
He found no evidence of collusion between record companies and retailers.

lurched
Joe lurched drunkely into the room.

assay
The chief engineer wanted a laboratory to assay the steel.

bourgeois
A house in the suburbs, two children, two cars and three TVs are key indicators of a bourgeois lifestyle.

venal
The venal judge was removed and disbarred.

decimate
An extended period of neglect would eventually decimate much of the housing in the inner cities.

The presence of two security guards fettered the teenagers' plans to get backstage.

The senator was prone to fulminate when other legislators questioned her ideology.