【英语趣味课堂】日本文化-Japanese Culture

 Reiko: Ikebana, it's an art of flowers. It's quite different from Western style flower arrangement because in Ikebana's theory you can decorate one flower, only with one flower.

 

Anili: Oh, really?

 

Reiko: The flower arrangement in Japan is not only decorating flowers but it's an art with flowers and space.

 

Anili: I see.

 

Reiko: The air between the flowers and also the room and everything, it shows the space or even the universe in it.

 

Anili: What's another Japanese art?

 

Reiko: Japanese art? Ikebana...tea ceremony!

 

Anili: Tea ceremony?

 

Reiko: Tea ceremony!

 

Anili: Tea ceremony. Tell me about tea ceremony.

 

Reiko: Tea ceremony. There's certain ways you have to make tea. Not only make tea, there's a certain way to for example wipe a bowl.

 

Anili: I see.

 

Reiko: Yes, with one piece of cloth and you need to learn how to fold the cloth so that you use each part of the cloth only once to wipe the bowl.

 

Anili: OK.

 

Reiko: Yeah, so it's a complicated¹ traditional procedure² in a sense but..

 

Anili: How do you learn that? Is that something that your mother would teach you? How do people learn that?

 

Reiko: There's some professionals³ for both flower arrangement and tea ceremony. So you need to go to a school, yes, and learn from your teacher and their heirarchy and the organization. You need to pass each test to go climb up the ladder in the heirarchy.

 

Anili: I see. Fantastic. Thank you.

 

Reiko: You're welcome.

 

学习内容：

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

flower arrangement

Ikebana is an art of flowers different from Western-style flower arrangement.

A 'flower arrangement' is a combination⁴ of cut flowers put together to make a house decoration.  Notice the following:

 

The flower arrangements for the wedding are beautiful.

She has always been talented in the art of flowers.

space

 

Ikebana is about the air between the flowers and the room, and the space.

In this case 'space' describes the free area in a room.  Notice the following:

 

Part of inner⁵ peace is being comfortable with the space around you.

They use the space in the house really well.

certain way

In the tea ceremony, there's a certain way you have to make tea.

A 'certain way' is a specific⁶ and particular way of doing something.  Notice the following:

 

Is there a certain way you want me to do this?

Bread must be made in a certain way or it won't turn out well.

complicated (procedure)

The tea ceremony seems to be a complicated traditional procedure.

If something is 'complicated' it is difficult and usually includes lot of details or specific actions.  Notice the following:

 

Is the surgery⁷ a complicated procedure?

I hate this phone because it is really complicated.

climb up the ladder

You need to pass each test to climb up the ladder in the hierarchy⁸.

To 'climb up the ladder' means⁹ to rise to a higher social position.  Notice the following:

 

You are really climbing up the ladder at your company.

She climbed up the ladder by marrying him.

 

1 complicated   

adj.错综复杂的，麻烦的，结构复杂的

参考例句：

• The poem is so complicated that I cannot make out its meaning.这首诗太复杂，我理解不了它的意思。
• This is the most complicated case I have ever handled.这是我所处理过的最为复杂的案子。

2 procedure   

n.程序，手续，步骤；常规的做法

参考例句：

• The results show clearly that this procedure is correct.事实充分说明这种做法是正确的。
• It has passed through an interesting procedure of evolution.它经过了一个有趣的进化过程。

3 professionals   

n.具有某专业资格的人( professional的名词复数 )；专业人士；内行；专门职业者

参考例句：

• The tournament is open to both amateurs and professionals. 这次锦标赛业余选手和职业选手均可参加。
• a book written for professionals and laymen alike 一本内行外行都可以读的书

4 combination   

n.组合，合并，联合；

参考例句：

• He carried on the business in combination with his friends.他与朋友们合伙做生意。
• The materials can be used singly or in combination.这些材料可以单独使用也可以混合用。

5 inner   

adj.内部的，里面的；内在的，内心的；精神的

参考例句：

• The label is on the inner side of the box.标签贴在盒子内侧。
• Other people seek the mountains for renewal of their inner lives.另一些人到深山中去，寻求新的精神生活。

6 specific   

adj.明确的；具体的；特定的

参考例句：

• The money is to be used for specific purposes.这笔钱有专门用途。
• We haven't fixed a specific date for our meeting.我们会议的具体日期还没有定下来。

7 surgery   

n.外科，外科手术；手术室

参考例句：

• What time does surgery finish?门诊什么时间结束？
• Your condition is serious and requires surgery.你的情况很严重，需要动外科手术。

8 hierarchy   

n.等级制度；统治集团，领导层

参考例句：

• There is a rigid hierarchy of power in that country.那个国家有一套严密的权力等级制度。
• She's high up in the management hierarchy.她在管理阶层中地位很高。

9 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。