Question 1

I think Japan winning many gold medals at the olympics in 2016 was inspiring. Some of the wins were against the odds.

Question 2

I read a book from All Black captain, Richie McCaw. The book detailed his life from his rural upbringing to his modern day exploits.

Question 3

I have a friend who is a cancer survivor. He got cancer while at high school and he has not had a re-occurence for 20 years.

Question 4

I was always inspired by rugby players and I had many heroes. A modern day hero is Jonah Lomu who died in 2015 at the age of 40. He was inspirational as it has been revealed that he played with a severe kidney condition.

Question 5

I was inspired by Teotihuacan in Mexico. There are two massive pyramids that were man made and it is amazing how they were built without modern technology.

Question 6

When I was a kid I only got a small amount of pocket money every week. So, if I wanted to go to the movies I had to save up six weeks worth of pocket money. Saving up money to do something made me feel a sense of achievement when I achieved it.

Tough Vocabulary

- English -	- Japanese -
against the odds	負けず劣らず
rural upbringing	田舎育ち
modern day exploits	現代の悪事
severe	苛烈
kidney condition	腎臓病
pocket money	小遣い

Question 1

Correct question: We are often inspired by teams or individuals in sport or other endeavors. We especially like it when we see underdogs win against all odds. Tell us about an individual or team in Japan which has inspired you. The founder of my university, Niijima Jo (also known as Joseph Hardy Neesima), is a very inspiring person. He traveled to America during the Tokugawa period when it was illegal to do so. For the pursue of knowledge, he entered a Christian university and brought back to Japan invaluable things that he learned in America.

Question 2

Correct question: What is the most inspiring book you have read or movie you have seen? "Where the Red Fern Grows" would probably the most inspiring book that I've ever read. I truly appreciate dogs and respect them on another level after reading that book.

Question 3

Correct question: Tell us about someone you know personally who has overcome a terrible financial setback, ailment, disease or unfortunate event. My uncle who had a lot of trouble in school used to be bullied by his peers. He stutters a lot when talking to his peers. This condition destroyed his confidence and made him averse to attending school. He had a lot of support from his family and eventually managed to overcome his fears. Now he is a sucsessful lawyer.

Question 4

Correct question: Tell us about someone who has inspired you as a child or as a young adult. I've always looked up to Stefani Germanotta since when I was in junior high school. She's someone that I will always respect and admire. Her beliefs and mindset made me believe to have faith in myself. She once said, "Don’t you ever let a soul in the world tell you that you can’t be exactly who you are." I cried when she actually said this in one of her concerts that I went to. She will always be my hero no matter what happens.

Question 5

Correct question: Sometimes places we go and things we see - natural or man-made - can inspire us. What is the most inspiring or impressive place you have ever been? Freisburg im Bresigau, a small town in Germany, inspired me in so many ways. I stayed with my friend, Kerstin, when I visited the city. It was an extraordinary week as I was exposed to a culture that I have never experienced before.

Question 6

Correct question: Tell us about a time when you have had to overcome adversity to get something you want. I used to really hate studying mathematics. My father encourages competition in my family, so whoever gets a better grade in a particular subject gets the reward at the end of each semester. I really wanted a new macbook pro, so I decided to study for 4 hours everyday just to ace my math exams. I got a 95/100 on my final exam and as my dad promised, he bought me a brand new macbook pro.

Tough Vocabulary

Question 1

1

Question 2

2

Question 3

3

Question 4

4

Question 5

5

Question 6

6

Tough Vocabulary