Monthly Archive: March 2017
Pancake Tuesday before Lent
For a considerable length of time, Britons have observed Pancake Day, which is otherwise called Shrove Tuesday. Pancake Day is the day before Ash Wednesday. Shrove Tuesday got its name from the Christian custom to be “shriven”, to acquire pardon for one’s wrongdoings through confession and atonement before the begin of Lent. The making of pancakes or flapjacks is often associated with Shrove Tuesday as it is a method of spending indulgent foods just before the Lent season. Eggs, milk and sugar aren’t generally consumed during fasting season, thus, consumed the day before. Besides making and eating flapjacks, there is an annual pancake race being held. The idea is…
Read more
Abe ‘builds trust’ with Trump
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid an unofficial visit to Donald Trump, the president of the United States of America, in order to maintain a relationship of trust with the latter. Noting that the Japan-US alliance is the axis of Japan’s diplomacy and security, Prime Minister Abe said that he aims to ‘build trust’ with the new US President. Moreover, Prime Minister Abe wants to further bolster the coalition between Japan and the US. It has been reported that the US President has mentioned in one of his interviews that, “Japan is better if it protects itself against this maniac of North Korea,” leaving the officials of Japanese government concerned. Abe…
Read more
Pancake Tuesday before Lent
Pre-reading questions: Do you prefer sweet or savory pancakes? Why or why not? How often do you eat pancakes? Pancake Day falls 47 days before Easter so the date is not fixed, but it will always be between February 3 and March 9. British people has celebrated Pancake Tuesday for centuries. It is also called Shrove Tuesday, from the word “shrive”, which means to obtain forgiveness through confession of sins. Shrove Tuesday was based on a Christian tradition to be shriven before Lent season begins. Aside from making and eating pancakes during Pancake Day, Britons love to have pancake races where participants run while flipping pancakes in a…
Read more
Pancake Tuesday before Lent
Pre-reading questions: Do you like eating pancakes for breakfast? Why or why not? What is your favorite topping for your pancake? Explain your answer. Britons celebrate Pancake Day every year. It is held on a Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Pancake Day is a way of using up rich foods like eggs, milk, and sugar before the 40-day fasting season of Lent. Making pancakes is an all-in-one way of using fatty foods before Lent. Vocabulary: pancake [noun] – a thin, flat cake of batter, usually fried and turned in a pan Britons [noun] – a native citizen of Great Britain all-in-one [adjective] – combining two or more items fatty [adjective] –…
Read more
Abe ‘builds trust’ with Trump
Pre-reading questions: Why do you think the US and Japan should have a good relationship? What do you think are the qualities of a good leader? Name some of the best accomplishments of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid a visit to newly elected US President Donald Trump right after his victory in the 2016 presidential race. The Prime Minister was the first world leader to visit Trump since the elections. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Abe said that the two leaders are off to a good start. Abe and Trump’s meeting lasted for almost 90 minutes. Both leaders have both been mum about what they discussed….
Read more
Traditional approach of Tokyo hotels
When Tokyo hosted its first summer Olympic Games in 1964, many Western-style hotels opened one after another to accommodate the increasing number of foreign visitors. Nowadays, some hotels recently unveiled renovated Japanese-style rooms. As a preparation for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, hotels started to offer Japanese-style accommodation and hospitality. Foreign guests can now experience traditional ryokan without even leaving the city. Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa used tatami, paper screens, shiraki furniture, and lantern-like lighting for their rooms. A kimono-clad cadre also welcomes guests upon their arrival. The hotel recently opened their club lounge Oh-sai and spa salon Tayuta for guests staying in Japanese-style rooms. The lounge offers culinary…
Read more
Traditional approach of Tokyo hotels
Pre-reading questions: What is the most difficult Olympic sport? How do countries get chosen to hold the games? If we hold the Olympics in this class, in which sport would you win the gold? As a preparation for 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, hotels have started to offer Japanese-style accommodation and hospitality. Hotels like the Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa, Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo, and the Park Hotel Tokyo recently unveiled an updated Japanese-style accommodation for their guests. Newly renovated hotels used tatami, paper screens, shiraki furniture and lantern-like lighting for their rooms. A kimono-clad staff welcomes guests upon their arrival and leads them through an incense-fumed Japanese garden to a…
Read more