Notes:
cautious　慎重な；
lead　先に立って行く；
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Next year is the year of the sheep. According to East Asian ideas, people who are born in this year are polite, clever and cautious. They look after their parents and enjoy a quiet lifestyle. Of course, they have their weak points. They tend to worry and cannot make decisions. In English-speaking cultures, we don’t have a good image of sheep. We see them as animals that cannot think or lead. All they can do is follow. Of course, we like their wool and their meat, but no one wants to be called a sheep. (by Prof. Douglas Jarrell)
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Notes:
disposable shopping bag　レジ袋;
petroleum　石油;
semitransparent　半透明；
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In Japan, about 30 billion disposable shopping bags are used in a year. When the amount is divided by the Japanese population, It means that one person uses about 300 bags a year. Most of these are thrown away as rubbish. If people keep using too many, it is a waste of petroleum. That’s why many stores are trying to reduce the amount of wasteful disposable shopping bags.
When I lived in my hometown, Ibara, many stores offered the bags for free, but if people bought something and refused the bag, they would get points. When they collected enough points, they could get coupons. It seemed that not so many people refused bags. After I came to Izumo, I realized that you have to pay for the bags. It is a more effective way of making me refuse them. Now, I have gotten into the habit of carrying my own shopping bag. I think it is more fashionable to carry my own shopping bag than the semitransparent store bag. In this way, rules can change habits. The shops’ attempts and rules may contribute to saving petroleum.   (written by student K, edited by Prof. Douglas Jarrell)
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