BR:2-15 レキシントンの幽霊 -Lexington Ghosts-

“でも僕が本当に怖いと思うのは、青木のような人間の言い分を無批判に受け入れて、そのまま信じてしまう連中です。”

"But, I think the most dreadful thing is people who accept words from person like Aoki without thinking and uncritically."

This is a story of about one person's something of an interview or near-monologue. At a restaurant in an airport, the story begins with a person saying to Osawa, "Have you ever hit someone while you were arguing?" Oosawa is a quiet and courteous person. Nobody has ever heard he speaks ill of others, so it was unexpected for the person that Osawa goes to boxing gym for years. Boxing was far removed from his image. Therefore, the person asked him that question in a casual way.

A short while later, Osawa answered "To tell the truth, I have hit someone only once." When he was a second-year junior high school student, he hit a classmate, Aoki. The man was really smart, popular, and respected by all, including teachers. However, Osawa only knew that he is an empty person. Aoki had no opinion of his own. He was fascinated with his own talent, and satisfied with being applauded.

When a final exam, Osawa got a first prize on an English test in order to get something he wanted at that time. Because of the result, Aoki was jealous of him, and spread bad rumor about him that Osawa cheated on the test. Then Osawa asked to him why you did do that, but Aoki refused to permit what he did, and tried to go away. At the moment, Osawa hit his face with anger.

Since then, they never talked until they graduated junior high school, and kept not having conversation at all after they got entered the same high school. When Osawa was a third-year high school student, in the summer vacation, one student committed suicide. A short after the beginning of the third term, he noticed that the atmosphere in the classroom had changed. Everybody avoided him. After that, he called by his classroom teacher, and police for suspecting that he had been bullied that suicided student.

Osawa tried to prove his innocence, but nobody believed him. Aoki put a drop of poison into the school. Since he hit by Osawa, he had been waited for the opportunity to revenge him. Smooth-talking and respected man told the truth to everybody that Osawa learns boxing and he hit me when they were in junior high school. The combination of the facts and the bad atmosphere created a innocent person. Aoki's plot was succeeded.

As a result, Osawa was hit by a mental crisis. Nobody tried to get involved with him. Everybody ignored his presence. Even teacher, who has to support and protect students from those actions, avoided him. He was on the brink of mental destruction. One month after the event, he met Aoki on a train full of people by accident. At first, he was looking at Osawa with triumphant eyes, and Osawa was glaring at him as well. However, while they were glaring at one another, Osawa started to feel a strange emotion. It was neither an anger nor grudge. It was rather close to pity or sorrow. Osawa understood that the man will never understand a real joy or genuine pride which existing in the back of one's mind. He isn't capable of understand those kinds of feelings.

Since then, he escaped from his mental crisis, and spent the latter half of the third term. He learned that what is more fearful thing than person like Aoki is people who believes without thinking and accepts uncritically what clever people in authority said.

"Lexington Ghosts" is an anthology of short stories of Haruki Murakami. There are 7 short stories containing in it. And, this is the review of 「沈黙」-The Silence-. The reason why I chose to write a review of "The Silence" is that it gives me a brave. I met this short story when I was in Faculty of Commerce, I already had the patience to unreasonable people or things. The trait was born when I was in junior high school and throughout 3 years, which was tempered by some bullies.

I was a silent and philosophical student, just like Osawa. I had some friends, I don't know what and where they are doing now, anyway, most of them were members of tennis club that I belonged to. I used to play tennis with them in our spare time, but I liked reading book or thinking something better than playing tennis or going out. I wanted to being alone.

However, some students must have been hate me. To tell the truth, I don't exactly remember what they did to me. One thing is for sure, when I try to remember them, I feel funny. You know what they say, "When people face hardship event, they try to forget all about that in order to protect themselves.", I think it fits me. I put up with their long-standing intervening. I didn't ask teacher or parents for help because I understood that if I asked them for help, the situation would turned into worse.

When I read "The Silence" for the first time, I felt...how should I express? Hm...maybe I felt I was somewhat relieved by the story. It succeeded in verbalizing what I experienced. Therefore, I chose this one. If I knew the story at that time, I would have spent cozy school days. If I become a teacher, I would introduce this book.

Murakami Haruki. (1996). レキシントンの幽霊-Lexington Ghosts-. Tokyo. Bungeishunju.

[900/11759]

BR:2-14 Taming Tessa

"“Why should I do?”"

Tessa is a moody and bad-tempered teenager. She doesn't care anybody in house. For example, she always plays music quite loudly, makes a huge pile of dirty laundry in front of her door, and if anybody warns her behavior, she replies "Why should I?"

Her younger brother Ben was sick of her bad attitude for family members. He tried to offer her to stop rude and bad attitude to us, and do it everything yourself, but she didn't care what he said. One day his grandmother advised him to taming her that is to find out what Tessa really likes. Then he finally found it. It's a guy she likes. She turned into a good girl in order to look good to him.

To tell the truth, I can relate to her, so I can't criticize her totally. I don't listen to music with loudly and yelling at my family members, but I often get a room messy full of cloths and garbages. In addition, I also clean up my room when I find someone I like. In order to look good to her, I smarten me up, walk with my back straight, and making smile when I talk to her. However, if she doesn't beside me, I begin to be myself. I think that not only love, but jealous or anger also keep your motivation high. The feeling of being praised or sense of revenge to someone are one of the good stimulus resources to do something.

Alexander Jenny. (2001). Taming Tessa.  Harlow : Pearson Education.

［255/10859］

BR:2-13 Dead Man's Island

"“I was drunk and-and I hit somebody.”"

17-year-old Carol Sanders was happy at school in England. She had lots of friends and enjoyed listening to English, especially pop music. One day, a sudden tragic accident happened to her family. During the business trip of her father, unfortunately, a plane crash took his life. That accident made them into mentally desperate situation. Then they decided to get a new job in order to mollify their broken heart. They found a job at a mysterious island. They got a job at a big house in the island, and the master of the house gave them room each. A couple of weeks went by, the girl found that locked room. Then she realized that someone uses the room frequently.

At first, in the first half of the book, I thought that the person is their father. It is because that the title of this book is "Dead Man's Island" and the lord of the house looks always sad, so I thought the man must be the one who knows something about her father's death. However, as it turns out, there are no relationships between them. As a matter of fact, the unknown person who uses the room was the master of the house.

His true identity was that one of the most famous and rich singer who was thought to have died due to a car accident. Carol was really surprised of that, and she requested him to spell the truth out in exchange for keeping secret of him. He confessed that he killed a girl with his car while he was in a state of stoned, and that's the reason why he hid in the remote island.

In the end of the story, he told her what he did for the girl, and Carol heard the truth and decided not to tell it anybody. However, I think nothing is solved. The man is a murderer and he didn't atone for his crime as well. I don't understand why the author came to the end of it. I can't  stand it.

Escott John. (2000). Dead Man's Island. Oxford : Oxford University Press.

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BR:2-12 Martin Luther King

"“I have a dream,” he said."

I have never read a book, even children know, which written about this world famous person. Since I entered this university, I have heard his name many times every English classes. A professor said, “He is one of the greatest orators in American history”, and another said, “He is the greatest person who fought against the segregation for African American for a long time.”

I had known him when I was a junior high school student because he appears in English and History text books as the leader of the civil rights movement. There were lots of opportunities to learn about him more closely so far, but I haven't. Perhaps I had no particular reason to know about him or just bothered to find out what he has done. However, "at last", I started to know about him to read this introductory book.

In those times, in the early 20th century, African American people living in America were exposed to harsher racial criticism than today. However, how many times racists tried to intervene him and his companies, they resisted such pressures. He had a belief. Belief that it is possible to change the unfair world, even if someone who has a difference in skin color, they have a right to be treated exactly the same was as "usual" American citizen.

About 50 years have passed from his death, it seems that racial discrimination for African American people has decreasing, but a couple of months ago, the incident that an African American boy was killed by a white policeman triggered a riot all over the country. Despite Martin Luther King insisted that making anti-racism campaign without violence, it seemed some part of participants didn't follow his lecture. Will people be able to solve this problem? I have a strong hunch that it never disappear. 

Lloyd Jones Rob. (2006). Martin Luther King. London : Usborne.

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BR:2-11 Changing Places

“Let's do it!”

This story is about two men who have almost the same face each other. A man, Hal tanner works at the zoo, and he was tired of spending humdrum life. At the same time, Tim Hawkins, who is a famous actor in the world, was sickened by being attacked by fans and people almost every day. One day, Tim went to the zoo where Hal working at in order to shooting a film, and the two men met there as it happens. Then they decided to changing their places.

This story is just like a something movie. After they changing their places, they went well showing their talent that they acquired many years of experience. However, their relationship had revealed in the end. I used to dream that changing places. If I were a famous actor, I would  date with many girls, but come to think of it, even if changed the role one another, personality haven't changed, so you should not put yourself into unfamiliar position.

Hines Alan. (2004). Changing Places. Oxford : Oxford University Press.

［168/7919］

BR:2-10 Let me out!

“I'm not just a robot. I can feel. I feel angry.”

30-year-old John is a scientist. He finally made an artificial-intelligence robot which name is "Nolan". John made the robot every chores instead of him, such as clean the kitchen, bathroom, wash his clothes, and everything he doesn't want to do. However, one day, Nolan thought John's attitude is unfair to him in comparison to his dog, Sam. Then Nolan began out of control.

This book is really scary. In the end, the robot killed John and Sam because the master didn't treat Nolan the same way as Sam. He just wanted to be loved by John. I think Nolan was perfectly incompletion. He didn't any feelings, such as sadness, happiness, and madness except for jealous. He was jealous of the dog's  situation. He thought "Why does John only take care of the dog? Why doesn't he take me outside? Why? Why?". 

The robot doesn't understand what the feelings are and what the human being is. However, his cold-bloodness, jealous for something, and thoughtlessness were as if real human being.

Moses Antoinette. (2006). Let Me Out! Cambridge : Cambridge University Press. 

［180/7751］

BR:2-09 The Garden Party and Sixpence

"“Isn't life,” she hesitated, “isn't life-” But she couldn't explain what life was."

Standing in front of the book shelves, I was wondering whether I should choose this book or other one because I had known about the books' author. I learned that Katherine Mansfield is one of the most famous short story writers in the world, also is known as a writer using stream-of-consciousness technique. 

Stream of consciousness makes me depressed. In spring semester, I had to watch a DVD-version of "Mrs Dalloway" in order to write a essay of it. It was a bit difficult to grasp what the meaning of the movie. Because of it, I hesitated to read this book, but after I finished reading it, I realized  it didn't make me confusing than I expected. 

The main character, Laura, is a pristine and warm-hearted girl. One day, when she was preparing a garden party, she heard an accident which killed a man who lives in near her home. She felt sorry for the man and his family, she asked her mother not to hold the garden party. However her mother refused to the request, and eventually, the party ended up as a great success. 

After the party, her mother came up with a good idea. That is to send leftovers of the party, such as sandwiches, cakes, and puffs to the poor family. Laura nodded her idea with doubtfully, and she headed to their home. At that home, she met a weary-looking the man's wife, and a family member of him had her meet the body. When she met him, she regret that her extravagant appearance. She was wearing beautiful nice hat and dress. When she saw the man's peaceful sleeping face, she felt beauty and happiness from him.

It is difficult to understand what the meaning of the story, but I want to try to express what I thought. I think this story is criticizing people's thoughtless. In this story, her mother doesn't care the man's death, and Laura was enjoying and showed off her gorgeous dress and hat as well. However, in front of him, she found that she is as mindless person as her mother or family members. Taking advantage of genuine girl's movement of mind, the author may tried to depict having respect for the indignity of one's death. What's more, the writer wanted readers to think about how they are going to live. 

Mansfield Katherine. (2007). The Garden Party and Sixpence. Helbling Languages. 

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BR:2-08 Buddy, the first seeing eye dog

“But you must learn to pay attention to Buddy at all times. Your life may depend on it.”

I don't like to watch, read and listen to animal's death story, especially dogs. That makes me cry all the time. This book is written about the first seeing eye dog, "Buddy". The dog is a female German shepherd, and she is really friendly and smart. She understands many commands, such as Sit, Come, Forward, and so on. Also, she avoids her master from any kinds of dangerous.

Fortunately, most people can see everything. We can enjoy beautiful sights, we can choose many informations from surrounding media, and we can escape from menaces through our eyes. On the contrary, for blind people, reality is full of dangers. Seeing dogs are eyes for them.

Few months ago, I heard awful news that someone stabbed a seeing dog with sort of fork. The dog's master had never noticed until his colleagues told him about the injury. The reason why he didn't notice was the dog had never reacted someone's attack. I don't understand why the culprit did that base action, and I really felt sorry for the dog as well.

For blind people, lots of seeing dogs deserve their lives. I don't mean to blame the system of this guide dog, but are they really happy with spending their lives for people? I understand that I should not say such things...It is so sad. I hope that more high-tech devices, which help blind people will appear in the future.

by Moore Eva ; illustrated by Bolognese Don. (2003). Buddy, the first seeing eye dog. New York : Scholastic.

［246/5354］

BR:2-07 Lost in New York

“‘Be quiet !’ Jake said. ‘We'll take you back later.’”

Around 15-year-old English boy, Nicky, visited New York for the first time without his parents. Through the trip, he had some unexpected experiences including very bad thing. 

I don't like this book, actually, the boy. He came to New York to see his Aunt Carrie. She was supposed to wait him at JFK airport, but there she wasn't. Instead, her friend was there to pick him up. The friend got him on a taxi, and went to the center of New York.

On the way her place, Nicky had to got out of the taxi because of the friend of aunt's personal business. While he is waiting on a street, he found a bike gang then they came over to him interestingly. They demanded for him to ride in their sidecar. He refused to get it in, but they pushed him inside the car and went away in the end.

The bad boys dragged him round, and they made him steel some goods around the city. There were a lot of chances to escape from them as he was kidnapping. However, strangely, he didn't leave from them for fear of being lost, despite he's already lost. As a result, he was about to catch by the police.

In general, if people plan to go to foreign countries, they must be prepare for the trip, which means money, knowledge, and sort of wariness. Nevertheless, he had a minimum of budget and lack of security himself. I think he should start to visit to his own country.

By the way, the name of the title "Lost" reminds me of an experience when I went to Gold Coast, Australia. That was the next day I had arrived the country, my host mother showed me around the city near our home. During the short trip, I tried to remember all the location, and I felt sure I succeeded to memorize where I live. But reality doesn't work out well. As I went back to the home from a language school, I completely lost. The sun was going to set soon, and the temperature was getting lower and lower. I was about to start crying and screaming with alone. 

Finally, I got into a convenience store, and I said to a salesperson "I'm lost. Please help me." It was one of the most miserable moments I've ever experienced before.

Escott John. (2000). Lost in New York. Harlow : Pearson Education

［404/4843］

BR:2-06 Frida Kahlo : Mexican painter

“Her leg had to be removed. But through it all, she continued to paint.”

Frida Kahlo is known as a famous Mexican woman painter. She left behind over 200 paintings for her life. Most of the theme of her works were her self-portrait, and those portraits were painted minutely and intensively.

I picked up this book at randomly, therefore I didn't know about her until I read it. Surprisingly, I like to see paintings or paints, such as Vincent Willem van Gogh, Gustave Caillebotte, Hasui Kawase, and so on.

Great paintings draw people into their world. People can see, feel, smell, hear something as if they were actually be there. Frida Kahlo's paintings were draw my attention into her world as well. According to this book, since she was a child, she usually gets sick, and also she had a car accident when she was young. Because of the injuries, she had been suffered from severe pain. 

I think that her paintings reflect the effect of her pains, sufferings, and anguishes. Exactly, her paintings are very good, but if someone asks me that "Do you like her paintings?" I would reply "No." Her works have a big impact on everyone who sees her paintings, but have a bad feeling on them as well. Abnormality is hard to understand. 

Woronoff, Kristen. (2002). Frida Kahlo: Mexican Painter. Boston : Thomson Heinle.

［207/4439］

BR:2-05 Audrey Hepburn

“The director loved her happy face. He said, “A little sun is shining in her eyes.””

Judging someone's personality from their appearance from the first without knowing them specifically is my bad habit. As for her, I assume that she is a conventional and selfish woman until I read the book. I only knew the name of two famous movies that she played in it, Breakfast at Tiffany's and Roman Holiday. 

Because of that well-known movies, I considered myself that she succeeded to become a star easily in Hollywood. However, that wasn't a true. In the first place, she isn't an american. She was born in Belgium, in 1929. By the age of 10, she went through her parents divorce and move to avoid WWⅡ. In addition, when she was 18, she learned ballet dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer in London, but due to her high height, she had to abandon her dream. 

In order to survive, she had small parts in some movies. During the tough time, she smiles every time, and some big names in a movie industry noticed her talent. After that, she got a lot of main roles in many movies. Since she became an actress, she went through a lot of difficulties. She had lost babies, and had divorces. 

When she got older, around 1980, she decided to devote her life to poor people. The memories of her poor and hungry experiences during the war made her to do that. I often heard that movie stars, such as Angelina Jolie and George Clooney, goes to poor countries, and they donate money or sometimes insist the situation of those countries. Perhaps I thought she is the beginning of such  great activities. 

By the way, while I was watching some her gifs, I thought that sunglasses really suit her, but on the contrary, 90 percent Japanese don't look in sunglasses, especially women who are wearing them in a room. They MUST take them off unless they stay outside. 

Rice Chris. (2000). Audrey Hepburn. Harlow : Pearson Education. 

[319/4232]

BR:2-04 YOTSUBA＆

“That's girl's able to enjoy anything and everything. Yotsuba is invincible.”

Yotsuba is a five-year old little girl. She is so powerful, cheerful, energetic, and a little bit different. She loves to doing activities, mindless chatting with her daddy or neighbors. (Correctly speaking, it seems meaningless, but also that conversation might has a meaning.) The cute girl interested in everything, and who noses into looks interests around her circumstances.

The book contains 7 chapters in it, and the chapter 3 was really funny story for me. The title is “Yotsuba & Global Warming”, in this chapter, Yotsuba knows the existence of A/C at her neighbor's house, and the machine is one of the causes of Global Warming as well. Then she went back home, and noticed the A/C is also attached her house. She accused her dad of the enemy of the earth! In the minor quarrel between them, she can't say Global Warming correctly. She says “Global Wanging” or something. 

Eventually, she understands the advantages of A/C, and forgives her daddy. This story made me laugh because about a week ago, I met a 6 year-old nephew at a funeral of my paternal grandmother. He was vigorous and fast speaker, and he also made an almost the same mistake like Yotsuba. When I had supper with my cousin's family, the nephew, Yudai spoke to me about a drama. The name of the drama was “Nube”. It started about 2 weeks ago, and in the drama, the leading male character has a strange left hand which can beat a ghost. The left hand calls “Oni no Te”（which means hand of Japanese devil）. The kid said to us that “Hey guys! look at my 'Oni no Se!”（which means the back of Japanese devil）. He repeated over and over, and we tried to revise his slip of the tongue, and he managed to understand what we say finally.

Azuma Kiyohiko ; translation, Forsyth Amy  ; lettering, Delgado Terri. (2009). YOTSUBA＆.New York, NY : Yen Press.

[317/3113]

BR:2-03 X-Men

“'Soon,' he thought, 'the world is going to be ours!'”

Humans have been concerned about people who have a special power, they called “Mutants”. Most of them have almost the same looks as usual people, but a man who can change his body to flame, and a woman who can control weather as she likes. Governments in the world frightened the presence of them. Large number of senators claimed that mutants must be controlled by authorities while some mutants want to coexistence with human being. In the groups of mutants, there are two big groups. One side aim to find a way to live normal people together, and the other side purpose is to become a ruler instead of old-fashioned humans. Confrontation between them have been continuing involving with all around the world. 

I like X-men series since I watched the first episode of the movie, it had released about a decade ago. In this book, I like Magneto the best. Through the series, he is standing on the bad side, and acting bad man as a boss of its. However, I love his special power. He can manipulate iron, even its huge bridge, and streaming in a blood in a human body. During the book, Jean Grey, telepathetic woman says that Wolverline has a above-averge regenerate power, but he also has a sharp long metal claws on his hands. Does he have a two special powers doesn't he? That's book reminds me to outline of the story, but I forgot the details of it. If I have time, I'll watch the movie again.

based on the novelization by Bergen Lara; based on the screenplay by Hayter David. (2009, c2007). X-Men. London : Scholastic.

［260/2796］ 

BR:2-02 Oliver Twist

“I don’t want you to suffer like me.”

Oliver Twist had been in miserable circumstance since he was born. When he grew up, his mother had already passed away, and he obligated to work for his master of a workhouse in order to get an awful meal, and place to rest. However, one day, he was sold for a man who runs a funeral company. After a while, he ran away from there could not be bullying from that man’s son. He fled to London aimlessly, and met a group of thieves mainly consist of children the same age as Oliver.

They taught him several skills to steel valuable things from wealthy people around on a street. After he had taken some training, a boy took Oliver to a market to have him steal something. During the mission, he got caught by civilians instead of other brat who actually stole valuables from gentleman. However, surprisingly, the rich man adopted him without blamed what he did. The boy spent a happy days for a while, but the head of the burglars found and caught him while he was on an errand, and the bad man tried to break into the gentleman's house took advantage of Oliver...

I already watched the story as a movie several years ago. Someone told me that the movie is one of the masterpieces. In that movie, characters are wearing old traditional British clothes, these are the parts of attractions in it. Besides, an old man appeared on the book as a role to teach stealing skills for Oliver and other kids. There's no spotlight on him in the short book, but on the contrary, in the movie, the funny old man plays important role. In order to fill the lack of the contents in this book, if you have a time, borrow the movie.

Dickens Charles; retold by Sebag-Montefiore Mary ; illustrated by Ablett Barry. (2007). Oliver Twist. London : Usborne.

［312/2222］ 

BR2-01: Of Mice of Men

“You know the story, so you tell it, George said.”

In 1930s, there were two men in California. One man was small with dark face and the other man was different. He was tall and wide. The small man, George and the tall man, Lennie were trying to find a job, and get it at a farm eventually. Both of men had the same big dream which was to have a farm, animals, and vegetables.

However, they had a problem, correctly speaking, Lennie had. He was a crazy man who makes some troubles so far because of his mental disability. He was an innocence in a sense, he loves animals and soft things, but he often hurts things, and it led to a catastrophic result.

A year ago, I watched the ending part of the story on a video in a class. Since then, I wanted to see or watch the story because it is well known to people for its masterpiece. This book was written in 1930s, at that time, America must be covered with a sense of stagnation because of the influence of great depression. Lennie was not only crazy and hopeless, but he was also genuine and innocent. I think the death of Lennie implies the end of futures in America in those days. It's very sad and helpless story.

Steinbeck John ; retold by Hinkle Kevin. (2001). Of Mice and men. Harlow : Pearson Education.

［213/1262］

BR1-14: Book Boy

“‘That's my world,’says Ella.”

David is a seventeen-year old boy, who lives in Hampstead, London, with his cat Socrates. His parents are already dead. There are lots of books in his house, he likes to read books, and he thinks about books all the time. And also he wants to write a book, but he had no story to write.

One day, he met a girl sleeping on the road on the way home from shopping. Her name was Ella, and she is sixteen years old. David invited her to eat pizza which he bought at a shop. Then they ate pizza, and talked about themselves. She was a homeless, so she was really thin, and feels cold every time. So, he invited her to his house, and she chose to live with him.

For couple of weeks, they got along with each other, she cooks sometimes and she sings. He likes to spend with her. However, days go by, she stopped singing and cooking, and she looked unhappy while she was speaking on her phone. Then while he went to swimming, she had gone with his laptop.

David searched around in London, but he couldn't find her easily. However, an old man in the street knew her. Then he found her in a big, dirty and dark house, and he picked her to his house. She was taken away by bad man, Steve. She had to sell drugs for him, but she didn't want to do anymore.

When they were talking, Steve came into the house. David about to stop him not to take her away again, and the man came over to him. At the moment, Socrates jumped on to his face angrily, and Ella picked up a big book and hit Steve on the head. Then he collapsed.

After that, the police came and they all went to police station. Steve was going to be in prison for a long time. And Ella was helped by an organization which helps young people who live on the street, and a year later, she became a staff of the organization. David started to write stories. He knew that he needs people in his life.

It is very difficult to tell a story, or speaking something without experience. For me, if there are some presentation activities in some classes. I can't help seeing cheat sheet despite I don't have to see it. I managed to translate words and phrases from Japanese to English for the last year. However, when I do presentation, I often use difficult expressions. As a result, because of it's not my words, I can't remember what I wrote. I need to be think about everything in English, or I may be not worried about speaking in English.

Moses Antoinette. (2010). Book Boy. Cambridge ; Tokyo : Cambridge University Press. 

[455/10095]

BR1-13: The Memory Man

“It's just a matter of exercise.”

Gianni Golfera is a man who has an extraordinary brain. This Italian man memorized more than 250 books, and he can remember every detail of every day of his life. What's more, he also 

remember these details from the time he was less than one year old.

Memory is very difficult to understand. Even scientists don't really know how it works, yet. Does the memory depend on heredity? or environment? According to researchers, great memory may not depend on the DNA only. It seems that everyone can remember if they try harder.

You may say, “No, I can't believe it, he is a special when he was born!” Exactly, genes are one of his great gifts, but since the age of 11, he has been training his brain to remember more and more. He practices continuously to improve the power of his memory.

To prove that anyone can have a great memory, he holds classes to teach people how to develop their memories. In the classes, he shows students how to organize their memories and how to 'remember to remember.' He believes that there is a lot of brain space, so there are no limits.

As he mentioned in the book, I think memory can improve by working hard. For instance, before examinations, we have to memorize so many words or phrases. When we see a wide range of text books we must tackle, we must be throw them away. However, we finally memorize a lot of things. So, it means, we can remember, but we simply try not to memorize. The final exams are approaching now, so I decided that I will face a large numbers of reports and tests.

Footprint reading library with video from National Geographic. (2008). The Memory Man. Boston : Thomson Heinle.

[288/9640]

BR1-12: Jane Eyre

“I am coming, Edward. I am coming！”

In the 1825, Jane Eyre was ten years old. She had no parents, so she lived in her aunt's house. When she was in the house, she had been bullied by aunt's son, John Reed, and also the aunt looked down on her. However, she never surrendered for their sarcastic comments.

Then she sent to Lowood school which is really strict, students had to keep a lot of rules. At the school, Jane made a friend, Helen. Their personalities were totally different. Helen believed God, but Jane had no religious. However, because of the school's bad sanitary conditions, Helen was dead. When she grew up, she decided to advertise for a situation, and she hired as a governess by Mr. Rochester who is a lord of large country, Thornfield.

Few weeks later since she hired, Jane heard a strange laughter in the night. When she opened the door, she saw smoke coming from Mr. Rochester’s room. Rushing into his room, she found him was sleeping, and curtains on fire. Jane pours water on the curtains and saved his life. Then Mr. Rochester scolded a servant, Grace poole, so Jane thought that she was the culprit of the fire.

After that, Mr. Rochester made a proposal to her, and at first, Jane had doubted about that because she thought that he is going to marry a woman who is a rich. However, she knew that he loves her, so she accepted it.

Jane was really happy, and they were about to become a married couple, but it wouldn't because Mr. Rochester already had a wife. According to him, his wife is insane, so he put her in a locked room. The culprit of the fire was her action. When she heard the news, she surprised and disappointed with him, then she left Thornfield. After that, she spent all her money, and she wandered from place to place. She was very hungry and tired. At that time, she saved her life by a kind clergyman.

He found her to place to live, and he also introduced her to a job. She worked at a school as a governess. Few weeks later, she was informed of her uncle’s death from the clergyman, and the man left a great wealth for her, she became a rich. Several months passed, one day, she was walking on a grass near her house. At that time, she heard Mr. Rochester's voice. He was calling her name over and over, and she replied it. Next day, she headed to Thornfield.

When she arrived the mansion, it was burnt down, and nobody was living there. She went to near the village, and asked about Mr. Rochester. According to a villager, after Jane left Thornfield, the mad woman set the house on fire, and because of the fire, he lost his sight, and right hand.

She learned the place he lives, and she went there. There was a servant she knows, and she brought Jane to his room. She entered the room, and met him after a long separation. Jane said to him that “I will never leave you again.” However, Rochester replied her that he will bother her due to his crippled, but she answered “I will take care of you, Edward.” Then they got married, and his eyes were better before. Finally, they lived happily.

This is the story of about love. Jane belongs to the lower class, so she can't date him normally, even get marry with him. However, Rochester doesn't care about her class, he placed importance on her character. And also, she doesn't care his class, and appearance. I learned again that the importance thing is what people think, and what people do.

Brontë Charlotte ; retold by Bell Florence. (2005). Jane Eyre. Oxford : Macmillan Heinemann ELT.

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BR1-11: Rich Man, Poor Man

“Go back to your village. Don't come here and fight. Keep out of Darpur.”

Adam lived a small village, Minta with his wife Martha. They had three daughter, and a son, Saul, but all of the daughters were married, and the son lives in London. One day, a postman brought him a letter from Saul. The letter said that Saul sent a 100 pounds to his parents as a money order. They were very excited. However, there was one problem.

In order to cash the check, he needs to go to a big city, Darpur. He took a bus early in the morning. Then he went to post office, and he got in a queue in front of the “MONEY ORDER”counter, but he couldn't get 100 pounds because he needed to get identity card.

After he walked to the Ministry of the Interior to get identity card, but an official there told him that he needs three photographs, so he had to go to a photographer. At the shop, he took a photo, and it takes 24 hour to accept them, so the old man went back his village once.

Next day, he went to Darpur again, and visited the photographer. However, surprisingly, the photographer said that “I don't know you”. The old man hit the man angrily, and because of the occurrence, he taken away from policemen.

Completely exhausted old man once back his village, and the teacher in the village introduced him to a rich man who lives in Darpur.He went to the rich man's house, and met him. At that time, he heard that the money order was already expired, it means that is worthless. After that, he received 10 pounds from the rich man.

This story made me sad because I think the old man is really poor. He coldly refused and deceived everywhere in the city. Maybe I think that the rich man was also spoofed the old man to take advantage of his ignorance.

Jupp. T.C. (2005). Rich Man, Poor Man. Oxford : Macmillan Heinemann ELT.

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BR1-10: William Tell

“Look, Father! I'm OK- I'm not dead.”

In the early 1300s, people in Switzerland were unhappy, because their country, Swiss, was ruled by Austrian emperor. They were burdened with heavy taxes, and Austrian soldiers supervised people in the country everywhere and everyday. People tried to ask governor who came from Austria, not to put taxes, and stop soldiers not to watching citizens so many times, but the governor didn't hear their messages at all. As a result, they started to find HERO to save their country.

After that, Tell ordered to hit an apple on his son's head with his crossbow. In spite of governor's request, Tell hit an apple on the head, but his threatening ability was frightened of governor. He decided to put Tell in prison. On the way there, the governor, Tell, and some soldiers were in a dangerous river. A boatman wanted to help to reach the destination, but no one can understand the boat without Tell, so he freed temporarily. Then he took advantage of the chance, he killed the governor on the boat, and he became a HERO of Switzerland.

I only knew the name, “William Tell”, but I didn't know where the story is set, Swiss. The country is known for its being a permanently neutral country. When I heard the word for the first time when I was in junior high school, I thought the country have no military, and no weapons. However, on the contrary, people living in Switzerland have to follow the military when they reach the conscription age.  Then I understand that to protect own country, people must take weapons, and be prepare for menace. This book reminds me again that if someone wants to real freedom, they need to get power and brave.


Von Schiller, Friedrich ; retold by Taylor Nancy. (2011). William Tell. Harlow : Pearson Education.

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