Vocabulary:
- occupation [ok-yuh-PEY-shuhn]
- bring about [bring uh-bout]
- curriculum [kuh-RIK-yuh-luhm]
- culinary [KUHL-uh-ner-ee]
- pastry [PEY-stree]
(noun) a person’s job
The applicant’s listed occupation is “writer”.
(phrasal verb) to cause something to happen
The new academic curriculum aims to bring about positive changes in the future.
(noun) the regular or a particular course of study in a school, college, etc.
I chose this university because it has the best curriculum.
(adjective) connected with cooking, esp. as a developed skill or art
My cousin takes culinary classes on the weekends.
(noun) a sweet, baked food made of a mixture of flour, fat, and water
I’m gaining a lot of weight recently because of eating too many pastries.
For the first time in 15 years, scientist and expert became the most popular dream occupations among Japanese boys. This is according to a survey by Dai-ichi Life Insurance Co., which has been conducting the survey since 1989. Careers in baseball and soccer come in second and third of the list, respectively. The sudden shift may have been brought about by the revision of Japan’s school curriculum to one that pushes science to students. The recent awarding of the Nobel Prize to several Japanese scientists may also be a factor.
As for Japanese girls, culinary jobs continue to dominate the list. Jobs as pastry chefs and bakers have been on top for 21 consecutive years. Careers in the medical field came next, with nurse grabbing the second spot and medical doctor the fourth spot of the list. The survey also shows that education-related jobs are also attractive for young girls in the country.
True or False:
- The most popular dream job for Japanese boys are in the following order: scholar, baseball player, and soccer player.
- The revised curriculum affected students’ choice of dream jobs.
- It has been a long time since a Japanese scientist won a Nobel Prize.
- Nursing topped the list for most popular dream jobs for Japanese girls.
- Sports-related careers are popular among boys, while education-related jobs are popular among men.
Discussion Questions:
- What do you think should a person consider when deciding on what career path to take?
- In your opinion, what subject should schools focus on? Please explain your answer.
- Do you think the choice of toys that children play with also affect their career choices? Why or why not?
- In your opinion, what are the things that influence a child’s dream job?
- What jobs do you think are necessary to keep the society functional? Discuss.
Express Your Opinion:
- “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” – Colin Powell
- Children should learn determination and struggle at a young age.
- “Help others achieve their dreams and you will achieve yours.” – Les Brown