Tokyo and The Blue Lights

Dear Students,

Please answer the following questions in the comment section:

1. Do you think the Blue Light plan is a good one? Will it be effective in deterring suicides at train stations in Tokyo?

2. How does color affect YOUR mood?

Deadline: November 24, 2009 -- 10 a.m.

Smoking

Dear Students,
This week, we read an article about smoking. Please answer the following questions in the comment section.

1. The article we read was written in the 1990s. Is this information true in 2009? Have things changed?

2. U.S. cigarette makers would like their brands to be very popular in Asia. What about Korea? Are American brands popular here?

3. For many years, we've known that smoking is unhealthy. Why do people smoke?

4. Does South Korea have an anti-smoking campaign? Is this campaign working?

5. What are some other unhealthy habits that people have?

The Best Way To Study English

Dear Students,

In our last class, we read about President Kim Dae-Jung and his struggle and success in learning English when he was more than 40 years old.


President Kim wrote that there is no easy way to learn English. He mentioned some of the ways that he studied, like learning grammar from Trinity English and watching TV 2 hours a day when he was in England. He also had a private teacher for a while.


What is your preferred way of learning English? Reading a book? Watching a movie or a TV show? Talking to foreigners? Writing a diary in English? Listening to a pop song? There are so many methods -- which one works best for you?

Leave your answers in the comment section. Your deadline is Tuesday, November 10th at 10:00 a.m.

Susan

Global Reporting

Dear Students,

In class, you have done a great job of reporting the top news in Korea. Yesterday was some of your best work.

Are you ready for this week's homework challenge?

Choose another country (anything but South Korea) and find out what the top news stories are there. Choose ONE topic from this country and post it in the comment section here.

Have a wonderful holiday. See you next week!

Susan

Too Hot or Too Cold?

In class on Tuesday, we listened to a news story about how office buildings in Hong Kong keep the air-conditioning turned up too high (about 16 C). People also complained about feeling cold on the subways and buses during the summer months.

1. How is this bad for the environment in Hong Kong?

2. How is this bad for the people who live and work in Hong Kong?

3. Which do you dislike more, feeling too hot, or feeling too cold? Write about a time you felt either too hot or too cold.

DEADLINE: Tuesday, September 29 at 10 a.m.

A Foreigner's View

Intro:
This song goes out to all the waygooks lookin’ for the place to be

Chorus:
Kickin’ it in Geumchon, Oh, Oh
Komsomnida, Annyong Haseyo
Kickin’ it in Geumchon, Oh, Oh,
Komsomnida, Annyong Haseyo
Kickin’ It, Where? In Geumchon Where?
In Geumchon. Where? In Geumchon Where?
Kickin’ it in Geumchon, Oh, Oh

Verse 1:
South Korea’s got Jeju, South Korea’s got Seoul
Busan and Ilsan if that’s how you roll
But when you work at EV, and live in Paju
Then the town to get down is 15 minutes from you, How do I get there?
Hop on the 900 bus
I use my T-money card so there’s never no fuss
Jump off at the station, or shall I say “yuk”
Are you fluent in Korean? No I got a phrasebook
Pang Pang, now we’re off to the races
To the backstreet market checkin’ out pig faces
Octupus on sale, squid 2 for 1
Let’s hit the waterpark for fun in the sun, I got my swimcap!
Baskin Robbins and Pizza Hut
Knock Domino’s down then slam Dunkin’ Donuts
Geumchon rocks, then it rocks some more
The street meat is sweet and corndogs galore

Chorus:
Kickin’ it in Gumcheon, Oh, Oh
Komsomnida, Annyong Haseyo
Kickin’ it in Gumcheon, Oh, Oh,
Komsomnida, Annyong Haseyo
Kickin’ It, Where? In Gumcheon Where?
In Gumcheon. Where? In Gumcheon Where?
Kickin’ it in Gumcheon, Oh, Oh

Verse 2:
Sometimes it’s spelled with a G, I’ve seen it spelled with a K
Sometimes it’s spelled with an E, I’ve seen the E go away
But regardless of spelling, pronunciation’s the same
The town’s so explosive, Boomchon could be it’s name
The movie theater keeps it real with no subtitles
But we never go cuz there’s no subtitles
But birthday party time it’s so simple to rally
We alls grab our balls at the bowling alley
Then to the Sky Golf hittin’ nothin’ but net
The locals wanna wager but it’s illegal to bet
If your mouth is dry, or if your throat’s got a tickle
Part for the Family Mart, to lick a popsicle
Hungry for bibim bop? The choices never stop
The spice is so nice could make a tear drop
We dedicate the bridge, but not in haste
To the cabbage that we ravage with the chili paste taste

Bridge:
Kimchi, Kimchi, it is good for you and me
Kimchi, Kimchi, it is good for you and me
Kimchi, Kimchi, it is good for you and me
Kimchi, Kimchi, it is good for you and me

Pre-Verse 3:
Kickin’ it
In Boomchon
Kickin’ it
in Boomchon

Verse 3:
When I go to Geumchon, I look at all the hotties
Those ahgashis, they got the hottest bodies
The padded bras, the high heeled shoes
Hey ladies? Can I buy you some brews?
Drinkin’ Cass-uh, drinkin’ Hite-uh
Feelin’ alright-uh, drinkin’ all night-uh
La festa’s no longer the best
Ride your scooter to Guemchon and head over to Zest
The barman’s got flair, flippin’ bottles in the air
Tom Cruise in Cocktail can’t even compare
Upstairs at Posse yogurt soju’s flowin’
Plus Froot Loop balls and the roofdeck’s blowin’
Nature videos while I’m singin’ my song
Number six one three seven at the local Noraebong
Want a night on the town? Wanna spend some won?
Come kick it with us, come kick it in Gumcheon

Chorus:
Kickin’ it in Gumcheon, Oh, Oh
Komsomnida, Annyong Haseyo
Kickin’ it in Gumcheon, Oh, Oh,
Komsomnida, Annyong Haseyo
Kickin’ It, Where? In Gumcheon Where?
In Gumcheon. Where? In Gumcheon Where?
Kickin’ it in Gumcheon, Oh, Oh

(Written by Christian Zonts. The EV Boyz are Christian Zonts, Mike Nance, and Brian Peterson)

Questions:
1. What is your opinion of this song and video?
2. What did you like or dislike?
3. Many of the things seen and mentioned in this video are seen every day in Korea. If you were writing a song or making a video about modern Korea, what would you include?

Deadline: September 21, 2009

Families In Upheaval

In response to the Families In Upheaval article we read in class, choose ONE of the 3 topics below and write 2-4 sentences. Leave your response in the "Comment" section.

• Which is better -- that women never have to work and are always taken care of, or that they are independent, in spite of financial troubles they might encounter? Why?
  
• Should students only study until they graduate from high school, or would it be better if they had a small job and earned a little money? Why?
  
• Should the government be responsible for helping 1-parent families? Why or why not? How?

Deadline: September 15