LEARNING to learn - The Legend of the Top Student - Kikuchi Dairoku

                    -  The Legend of the Top Student  -

JAPAN news

Kikuchi Dairoku (1855-1917) 

The country began to open up after the visits of the Black Ships of the American commodore Matthew Perry in 1853 and 1854, and the first students went overseas to study about a decade later.  

This new process accelerated after the proclamation at the start of the Meiji (‘enlightened rule’) era of the five-article Charter Oath (Gokajō no Seimon) on March 14, 1868, signed by 15-year-old boy Emperor, the last article of which read:  

"Knowledge shall be sought throughout the world so as to strengthen the foundation of Imperial Rule." 

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TASK: Find 5 expressions in the text where there are expressions related to being at the top of your group

It is not necessarily rare for teachers and students to stare in wonder at the genius of a Japanese student overseas. 

The pioneer was Kikuchi Dairoku, who after sufficient preparation entered Cambridge University and majored in mathematics, in no time at all surpassing his fellow students, coming top in all the examinations and never once conceding pole position to anyone.

His patriotic British classmates found this a regrettable affront to their John Bull pride, and plotted to recapture this honour from him.
Second in the class was a student called Brown, also a young man of prodigious academic ability. All the other British students encouraged him, saying ‘We are unable to contain our anger at that Asian student. But you are the only one who can beat him. So do your best, and put him in his place.’ Brown tried his hardest, but still he could not outshine Kikuchi. Then a heaven-sent opportunity came one winter: Kikuchi caught a cold, was hospitalised and could not attend classes. 

His classmates, seeing this as an excellent opportunity to install Brown at the top of the class if only once, agreed between them that none of them would lend his lecture notes to Kikuchi while he was absent.
In due course Kikuchi left hospital and the term examinations were held. The British students were secretly preparing their song of victory as they awaited the results, but amazingly Kikuchi had not budged an inch from the top of the class. At this the British students admitted defeat. ‘That Japanese student is too much!’ they said. 

In fact while Kikuchi had been in hospital Brown had visited him frequently and lent him a clean copy of his notes so that he would not fall behind in his studies, and had thus secretly assisted him.

                                                KEY:

• surpassing his fellow students,
• coming top in all the examinations
• never once conceding pole position to anyone.  

• to recapture this honour from him.
• a young man of prodigious academic ability.
• the only one who can beat him.  

• So do your best, and put him in his place.’
• still he could not outshine the other one
•  
• install him at the top of the class
• amazingly Kikuchi had not  budged an inch from the top of the class.

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New voices from Nigeria -Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Chimamanda Adichie

she  tells the story of how she found 

her authentic cultural voice  --2009

https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?language=en

a1) Note taking:      Listen to 7 min of her story (08:23 ---->  15:25)

a2) Production: Write a 200-word Summary

b) listen to the full piece

step  1 

2019  VOGUE  - UK edition  

• September issue:  15  fellow Forces for Change. 

• Photograph: Peter Lindbergh/Vogue   - here

step  2 

2016 - honorary degree - J Hopkins University

she was conferred an honorary degree – Doctor of Humane letters, honoris causa, by Johns Hopkins University  here

Eight to receive Johns Hopkins honorary degrees at commencement ceremony

step  3 

2014 - Africa39 - writers to represent the continent

•   -article .... here

Longevity herstory___ long, long live Nancy Stewart

 Age and levity is all that matters

 longevity ahead

Ireland’s oldest citizen, Nancy Stewart, 

has written an amazing letter to encourage  

everyone in these difficult and anxious times

.......................

 

  A 107-year-old Co Meath woman has sent a message of hope, belief and resilience to the people of Ireland. Nancy Stewart has lived through both the Spanish Flu and the coronavirus pandemics.   

click here to hear her on FB

To Anyone Who Needs a Reason to Keep Going:

            Recorded (04:56) voice over  here

My name is Nancy Stewart and I was born on the 16th of October 1913. This weekend I turn 107 years of age. 

Imagine turning 107 in a world pandemic. This definitely is something very unusual even for me and all I have been through. I live in Clonard in County Meath and have lived in my home for over 83 years.

 

I lost my husband in a car crash in 1989, and lost my twin daughters Margaret in 2007 to motor neurone and Anne in 2010 to utter heartbreak of losing her sister. I’ve lost all my friends throughout the years which comes with living so long on this earth.

I’m very lucky to still have three daughters Kathleen, Mary and Olive and one son Finian and I have 84 grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.

 

I have faced many heart-breaking moments and also have seen many hard times in our country witnessing world wars, division in our people and numerous sad times for our nation.

I write to you today to send you my love and to offer you my prayers. We are in a very difficult time at the moment in our country, in our lives and in our world. But I reach out to you in this letter to offer you hope, faith and belief that everything will be ok in the end.

We are in another stage of this battle against the virus but we will get through this. Like everything I’ve been through since the day I was born in 1913, no matter how bad things have got, I’m the living proof that we can survive and in years to come, this will just be a distant memory.

I have a great faith and it has helped me keep positive throughout the struggles I’ve met. I thank you for keeping your faith and for keeping your resilience strong, through this hard time. Sadly for the moment, we can no longer stretch out to a friend and embrace them nor can we call to each other's houses.

 

But I’m here to share my story. I have been in lockdown in my house since March, alongside my granddaughter Louise and even though it has been a tough time, we have got through it together.

We drink tea. We say prayers. We bake. We laugh. We make phone calls. I can even video call lots of my family and friends and am making new friends everyday that God gives me on this earth.

And that’s a very important thing to say. If you are feeling low, make sure to try call someone or even go for a walk. I also ask God to help me if I’m feeling low. This is a hard time for everyone but please make sure you keep yourself well and wear your mask. If you keep healthy, your mind will stay healthy too.

Keep talking to one another. All my life I have always believed in chatting and drinking tea and saying a prayer or a decade of the rosary and it has got me through. This is our moment to keep our faith and to keep believing that everything will turn out ok.

We must try to make sure we leave nobody behind and also that we don’t lose sight of each other. This is a moment for humanity to step forward to take care of the other. We must mind ourselves but we must also mind all those around us. Look up and smile even if you have your mask on.

Your eyes will smile and that might be all someone needs to keep going. No good deed ever goes unnoticed so try your best to keep being good. We are not here to live for ourselves but to live for each other.

 

I can’t believe I’ve made it to this age, I only feel like I’m 50 but now that I’m here, all I can say is please God I’ll be here for my next birthday. We must always look forward. I can’t believe I’m the oldest person in Ireland living in my own home, I don’t feel that old.

When God wants me, he will come take me but for now I will keep enjoying my life, I’ll keep loving my family and I’ll keep saying my prayers day by day…..oh and not to forget eating lots of good wholesome food is my tip. Good food and lots of tea is my secret to a long life as well as keeping positive as best we can. We must always look forward and hope for the best.

Thank you for thinking of me in your prayers and your thoughts and I promise I will think of you in my many rosaries I say everyday.

Thank you so much for reading my letter also and I hope I have, in even a little way, helped you feel less alone in this moment. There is always hope and once we keep talking to one another, no day will seem empty and we can get through this together. It only takes a small candle to take away the dark and in each of us, we can be that light in the world.

 

This hard time will indeed pass like all the rest and all that matters is that we helped each other through.

 

Many blessings and much love,

Granny Nancy x

Clonard

======

CODA:  Visitors to her home are now severely restricted to carers, medics and some family members, all of whom have to sanitize stringently and wear masks at all times.

 

Co Meath.

 

The journey along  BASIC  English Grammar

            in 25 sentences (4  sets)

Say all the sentences aloud,  

and slow first, later normal, later quick!! 

TO DO OR NOT TO DO THE WORDS.

 No mistakes! (go back to the initial place)

Set 1 (5 sentences)

            TO DO OR NOT TO DO   ...  The  pronouns . 

You do it         (change the subject: plural)

You all do it     (change the subject:  with  I)

 I do it        (change the subject: plural)

  They do it     (change the subject:  with we)

  We  do it     (....)

Set   2 (6 sentences)

            TO BE OR NOT TO BE   ...  The  NEGATIVE . 

You ARE MY FRIEND         (change the subject: plural)

You ( all)  are my friends     (change the subject:  with  she)

 She is  my friend        (change to the negative)

  She is not   my friend      (change the subject:  with they)

 they are  not my friends   (change to the positive and with he)

                     he is  my friend     (......)

Set  3 (5 sentences)

            TO DO OR NOT TO DO   ...  The  pronouns . 

You do it         (change the subject: plural)

You all do it     (change the subject:  with  I)

 She do it        (change the subject: plural)

  They do it     (change the subject:  with we)

  We  do it 

Set  4 (5 sentences)

            TO DO OR NOT TO DO   ...  The  pronouns . 

You can do it         (change the subject: plural)

You all can do it     (change the subject:  with she)

 She can do it        (change the subject: plural)

  They can do it     (change the subject:  with I)

  I  can do it 

Set 5     (  4 sentences)

TO DO OR NOT TO DO   ...  THE DO VERB. 

 No mistakes! (go back to square one)

Can you learn all ten in 12 minutes?  Give it your best!

1. I do it daily.          

           (change the verb: practise)

2. I practise  on Mondays .

                               (change the complement : one time  everyweek.) 

3. I practise it  one time  everyweek.

                                     (change the verb: write )

4. I write it  two times every week.

     (change the verb: xxxxxx)

Work in Progress Matthew Tree

   SNUG       (Adject.)               

 

           comfortable, warm, and cosy; well protected from the weather or cold.

SNUG project. Roadmap to work with our reader.

A.  The writer  interviewed  -    12/11/2014 

  Catalan connections with Marcela Topor ( 18 min )

Matthew Tree - avui.tv

      TASK.    TAKE notes  11:30 -> 17:30

                           Express the contents on a 100-word paragraph

  B. THE NOVEL -some videos

 1.-  The voices in the story

Matthew Tree explains the why and wherefore of

using different narrative voices in his new novel

 ... video 

   https://youtu.be/jYKnBDhb-f4

2. The SNUG book trailer  ..... video       trailer

     reading: opening sequence  -3min

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR-_Zlv6-JY&t=64s 

TASK1. Read the  I was twelve  chapter simultaneously as you listen to the author.

TASK2. Select 12 expressions you think interesting 

(pronunciation new to you/ the syntax/ striking you in some way...)

  c . SNUG -  Roadmap to work with our reader.

Take notes on the language and the content as you read every week.

You will prepare your report 4 pages] on the language you studied.

Day1. 19 October The writer. Matthew Tree  

Day2.  3 November  - Presentation of the novel. Follow the links to his presentation and trailer.

+ Reading the opening sequence  -3min    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR-_Zlv6-JY&t=64s 

TASK1. Read the  I was twelve  chapter (p.7-14)  simultaneously as you listen to the author.

TASK2. Select 12 expressions you think interesting (follow the models discussed in class)

(Pronunciation new to you/ the syntax/ striking you in some way...)

 (https://ma-serendipity.blogspot.com/2020/10/work-in-progress-matthew-tree.html )

Day3.   9 November   - Roadmap to our reader

       1.  Structure of the novel.  There are four part AND different narrators. (see  SNUG class files)

·         Timeline: They work along the period of two weeks in Oct 1974, plus an epilogue 9 years later.

 

·         Characters The Whitebone family: Dr, his wife, with Simon 20, + children Lucy (15), Roger (12), Eileen (9).

A friend of the family, main narrator. Local people. Group of Africans

·         Voices:  Different narrators interact and offer diverse angles to the plot.

  

       2.1. Read all first part, Coldwater bay, and keep taking notes. We will discuss it by Monday 16^th 

       2.2. Take notes on Pronunciation (file: snug ch3-Fri_12th __Log of progress_ pages 15-18__5min)

3. Post your ORGANISED LANGUAGE NOTES [20 items on our wiki page]

Day4.   16 Mon November  - discussion on  the content of the first chapter

   Homework. Read all second part, Safety first, and keep taking notes. We will discuss it by Monday 23^rd  

Day5.   23 Mon November  - discussion on  the second chapter

   Homework. Read all third part, Lucy, and keep taking notes on LANGUAGE and CONTENT.   

Day6.  30 Mon November  - discussion on  the content of the third chapter

   Homework. Organise your content notes.

             3. Post your ORGANISED syntax+ grammar NOTES [20 items on our wiki page]

Day7.   WED 2  December   -

a) ORAL Activity – Debate: Bilingual piece of news on newspaper COMMUNIQUÉ   (p. 259-67)

a1.  Read aloud 1 minute from the best passage you selected

a2. Present ONE topic (your choice) discussed in the book

   Homework . Read all Last part,   I was 21, and keep taking notes. We will discuss it by next Wed 9^th  

Day8.   WED 9  December  -Deadline POST your Learning project on the book

2. Read all Last part,   I was 21, and keep taking notes. We will discuss it by next Wed 9^th  

Day9.    14 Mon December 

Study the language from the news - Coldwater Bay Newspaper