EY Y02 L31 Bloodlines

This week’s Questions

  1. How many cousins do you have? How many cousins do or did your parents have?
  2. How many of your extended family are you in regular contact with? Do you think this is higher or lower than the average person? If higher, why do your extended family have strong links? If lower, why did your extended family lose touch?
  3. Which of your parents or grandparents do you look like or take after?
  4. Do you have anyone in your family who married someone from abroad? If yes, tell me their story. If no, would it cause controversy in your family if a younger member of your extended family decided to do so?
  5. There are many famous brands and businesses in Japan that are controlled by family dynasties. Name one. How far back does this dynasty go (please google it if you have no idea!)?
  6. If you were born into a multi-generational family business and your future was determined very early on in your life, would you consider yourself lucky or unlucky? Why?

This week’s Responses

Sorry. You must be logged in to view this form.

Teacher’s Compositions


by Jon Hay

December 15, 2020

Read Now

Question 1

I have around 16 or so. I have not met 12 of them. I do not know how many cousins my parents have.

Question 2

I am not in any regular contact with any of them as they all live in England while I was raised in New Zealand. I think it is rare in Japan but for someone with my circumstances it is normal.

Question 3

I look exactly like my dad. Everyone from his family are more or less the same height too.

Question 4

Yes, I have married a Mexican and a Japanese. It has not caused any controversy.

Question 5

Mitsubishi was established by Iwasaki Yataro. It was forced to break up in 1946 into four smaller companies.

Question 6

I would consider myself to be very lucky, although I would not have a point of reference if I was born into that life.

Tough Vocabulary

- English - - Japanese -
circumstances 事情
break up 解散
point of reference 参照点

- 0 -

comments

See/Write Comments >


by Antonio Santosa

December 15, 2020

Read Now

Question 1

I have 11 cousins. Both my father and mother have more than 15 if I remember correctly.

Question 2

I'm not really in touch with my extended family. I believe that it is lower than the average person since I live very far away from them and we are not very close, to begin with.

Question 3

I have been told by some that I look like my mother. My sister looks very much like my father.

Question 4

I don't know anyone in my family that married someone from abroad. I think it would not cause any trouble or controversy as we all come from diverse backgrounds.

Question 5

The first company that comes to mind is Mitsubishi. This company goes back to 1870 when it was founded by Iwasaki Yataro.

Question 6

I would consider myself privileged, not lucky. Most of the people that I know have no idea what they should do with their lives. Some others try to break free from their family business. For me, having my future determined very early on is a positive thing.

Tough Vocabulary


- 0 -

comments

See/Write Comments >


by Jim Usher

November 25, 2020

Read Now

Question 1

1

Question 2

2

Question 3

3

Question 4

4

Question 5

5

Question 6

6

Tough Vocabulary


- 0 -

comments

See/Write Comments >

My Composition for this Conversation

@

Not recently active