YOUNG ADULT
– Natsume Soseki Botchan
READERS LIGHT
Eli Readers is a beautifully-illustrated series of timeless classics and specially-written stories for learners of English.
Botchan Botchan is from Tokyo in Japan. He becomes a teacher and moves from the big city to a small town on an island. He thinks teaching high school students is easy, but life in the country town is different. Teaching is difficult. His students are difficult. They play tricks on him. Botchan has many problems at school and many questions. He does not know who to believe. He does not know who his friends are. Follow Botchan as he learns good from bad and right from wrong.
Natsume Soseki Botchan
– Natsume Soseki
In this reader you will find: – - Information about Natsume Soseki - Focus on sections - Glossary of difficult words - Comprehension and extension activities
Tags Classic literature
Up to 600 headwords
Word count: 9450 Full text on CD www.elireaders.com
Classic
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YOUNG ADULT ELI READERS | LIGHT
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ELT A1
YOUNG ADULT
READERS LIGHT
YOUNG ADULT
READERS LIGHT
The ELI Readers collection is a complete range of books and plays for readers of all ages, ranging from captivating contemporary stories to timeless classics. There are three series, each catering for a different age group; Young ELI Readers, Teen ELI Readers and Young Adult ELI Readers. The books are carefully edited and beautifully illustrated to capture the essence of the stories and plots. The readers are supplemented with ‘Focus on’ texts packed with background cultural information about the writers and their lives and times. Young Adult ELI Readers Light: books especially designed for beginners and older readers.
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Natsume Soseki
Botchan Adaptation by Alastair Lamond Activities by Timothy Kiggell Illustrated by Toni Demuro
YOUNG ADULT
READERS LIGHT
Botchan by Natsume Soseki Adaptation by Alastair Lamond Activities by Timothy Kiggell Illustrated by Toni Demuro Founder and Series Editors Paola Accattoli, Grazia Ancillani, Daniele Garbuglia (Art Director) The author would like to thank Janet Borsbey and Ruth Swan for their precious contribution to this project. Graphic Design Airone Comunicazione - Sergio Elisei Layout Airone Comunicazione - Diletta Brutti Production Manager Francesco Capitano Photo credits ELI Archive Š 2013 ELI s.r.l. P.O. Box 6 62019 Recanati MC Italy T +39 071750701 F +39 071977851 info@elionline.com www.elionline.com Typeset in 11,5 / 15 pt Monotype Dante Printed in Italy by Tecnostampa Recanati – ERE002.01 ISBN 978-88-536-1588-6 First edition: September 2013 www.elireaders.com
Contents 6
Main Characters
8
Before you read
10
Chapter One
18
Activities
20 Chapter Two 30
Activities
32
Chapter Three
42
Activities
44 Chapter Four 55
Activities
57
Chapter Five
67
Activities
69 Chapter Six 80
Activities
82
Chapter Seven
92
Activities
94 Chapter Eight
Botchan leaves Tokyo for Shikoku Botchan meets Badger, Red Shirt, Clown, Porcupine and Squash Botchan makes many mistakes Botchan has problems with students, insects and some teachers Who or what is Madonna? Botchan now understands Porcupine and Red Shirt Kimonos and European-style suits Botchan and Porcupine against Red Shirt and Clown
104 Activities 106 Focus on...
Natsume Soseki
108 Focus on...
The Meiji Era
110
Focus on...
The London Years
112
Syllabus
These icons indicate the parts of the story that are recorded start stop
Main Characters
The principal (Badger)
6
The head teacher (Red Shirt)
The art teacher (Clown)
Botchan
Madonna (Ms. Toyama)
Mr. Hotta (Porcupine)
7
Kiyo
Mr. Koga (Squash)
Before you read
Word Groups 1 Look at the word groups. Choose the correct word. 1 teacher, principal, [student / table] 2 nose, mouth, [shoe / cheek] 3 suit, shirt, [kimono / noodles] 4 knock, break, [swim / hit] 5 agree with, believe, [trust / move] 6 friend, lover, [fiancée / fight] 7 street, road, [car / path] 8 hotel, bed & breakfast, [guest house / restaurant] 9 bed, pillow, [chair / blanket] 10 servant, waiter, [maid / bowl]
Japanese Words 2 Here are some Japanese words from Botchan. Complete the sentences below with a Japanese word from the box. Use the Internet if you need to. kimono • soba • rickshaw • sashimi • tatami • yen
8
1 I went home. I took off my suit, shirt and tie. I put on my __________ . 2 What is __________? It’s a kind of Japanese noodles. Often in a soup. 3 This __________ is very delicious. The slices of fish are very thin. 4 This sake is from Kyushu. It is expensive. A glass of sake is 20 __________ . 5 I took a train from Tokyo to Kobe. Then I took a __________ from the train station to the school. 6 The men sat on the __________ in the restaurant. They listened to the geisha girls singing.
Bath House 3 In the evening, Botchan usually went to a traditional bath house. Here’s how to take a Japanese bath. Put the last five sentences in the right order.
Enter the bath house and take off your shoes. Pay your money. Walk to the changing room and take off your clothes. Take a small towel and walk into the bath room. Sit down. Turn on the water. Wash yourself with warm water and soap. Wash off the soap carefully. Hang up your towel. Step into the large bath. The water is deep and hot. Sit in the bath quietly. Relax. Do not swim! Do not use any soap or shampoo in the bath! [ [ [ [ [
Dry yourself. Get dressed. Walk home. Step out of the bath. Go back to the changing room.
Writing 4 Read pages 106, 107 and 110, 111. Complete the – information about Natsume Soseki.
Kinnosuke was born in Tokyo, Japan. 1867: Natsume ____________ 1884: He studied at ____________. He learned how to write Japanese haiku poems. 1887: He started to write. He used the name Natsume Soseki. 1895: Natsume became an ____________ at Matsuyama Middle School. 1900-1903: He lived in ____________ and studied English literature and language. Natsume was not happy, but he learned how to ride a ____________. 1907: He became a ____________ . His stories were in the Asahi Shinbun every day. 9
Chapter One
Botchan leaves Tokyo for Shikoku 2
I was a very strange child. I did too many bad things. Perhaps it was something in my family history. Once I jumped from the second floor of my school. I do not know why I did it. I hurt my leg. I was in bed for a week. My father was angry with me. Someone gave me a small knife. I showed some friends. ‘Your knife is not dangerous,’ said one boy. Not dangerous? I cut my hand! I remember the pain. Another day some friends and I went to some
10
botchan
rice fields near our house. I put some rocks in the field to stop the water. Rice must have water. There was no water, so the rice died. The farmer was very angry. He came to our house. He told my mother and father about the rocks. They gave him some money. I was a bad son. My father did not like me very much. My father and mother always preferred my big brother. Mother often talked about my life after school. I did not like school. ‘You must study. You must work hard. A man must have a good job: a man needs money,’ she said. I was very young when she died. My brother studied English hard. He wanted to work in a company. He did not like me and I did not like him. We fought* every day. Once I cut his head. He told our father. Father was
fight (fought, fought) people hurt each other when they fight
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angry with me. Father was always angry with me. Father decided not to give me money after he died. I did not like that! Kiyo, our old servant*, wanted to help me. She cried. She said sorry to my father for me. She asked him to give me some money. She helped me. Kiyo’s father was rich, but he lost all his money when the Meiji Era* started. Kiyo was our servant for many years. Old Kiyo loved me very much. I did not know why. Perhaps she loved me too much. My mother and father did not love me. I was nothing to them. Our neighbours* did not like me as I was a bully*. My Kiyo was different. Sometimes, when my parents and brother were not in the house, we talked.
servant man or woman who cleans, cooks and helps in another family’s house Meiji Era from 1868 to 1912 in Japan
12
neighbours people living next door or very near bully a bad person who hurts others for no reason
botchan
‘You are a good boy, Botchan,’ said Kiyo. That was a surprise. Nobody said good things about me! After my mother died, Kiyo’s love for me was important to me. Sometimes she bought me nice things. When the night was cold, she made hot noodles* for me in secret. She gave me some things to use at school. Our servant! She gave me things when my father and brother were not in the house. I did not like that. ‘Why do you give those things to me and not to my brother, too?’ I once asked Kiyo. Her answer was a surprise. ‘Your father gives him everything!’ Father died six years after mother. In April that year, I left school. Two months later, my brother finished business school. He was lucky.
noodles Japanese food, like spaghetti
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He was quick to find a job, but it was in Kyushu*, far from Tokyo. He decided to move there. I decided to live in Tokyo to finish school. We had many old things in our house. They were my mother’s and father’s things and their families’ old things. Perhaps my brother got a lot of money for all those things, but I do not know. He never said anything to me. Kiyo was very sad when my brother decided to move to Kyushu. She liked our house. She wanted to be my servant. However, that was too expensive for me. I did not know what to say. Kiyo moved out of our house to live with her brother. We were both sad. It was time for my brother to go to Kyushu. He visited me in my new place. He gave me 600 yen*. I went to Shimbashi Station to say
Kyushu the third largest island of Japan
14
yen Japanese money
botchan
goodbye. I never saw him again after that. I decided to go to university for three years. I was a bad student. What did I want to study? And which university? One day, I saw a new school in Tokyo. They wanted more students. I decided to go there. For three years, I studied hard. I was never a very good student, but I finished. The head teacher of my school spoke to me. A high school in Shikoku* wanted a teacher of mathematics. It was only 40 yen a month! The head teacher asked me to go to Shikoku. I thought about it. I did not want to be a teacher. I did not want to move to an island far from Tokyo, but I did not have any work in Tokyo. I decided to move to Shikoku. Poor Kiyo! I could not take her to Shikoku with me.
Shikoku the fourth largest island of Japan
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My new school was on an island very far from Tokyo. Shikoku is a big island, but it looked very small on the map. I knew nothing about it. Perhaps that was because it was very far from Tokyo. I went to see Kiyo in her brother’s house to say goodbye to her. She was in bed because she was not well. She got up when she knew it was me. ‘Kiyo, there is a job in Shikoku for a mathematics teacher,’ I said. ‘It is far from Tokyo and it does not pay much. However, I took it. I leave tomorrow.’ Kiyo was very sad. She wanted to be my servant in my new house. She came with me to Shimbashi station. We went there in rickshaws*. I looked at Kiyo from the train. She looked at me. ‘Goodbye,’ she said.
rickshaw Japanese two-wheel taxi for 1-2 people
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botchan
Her eyes were sad, but she did not cry. I wanted to cry because I was sad, too. After the train left the station, I put my head out of the window. Kiyo was there. She watched my train for a long time.
17
AFTER-READING ACTIVITIES
Stop & Check 1 Match each question with an answer. 1 [ Where did Botchan jump from? 2 [ How did he cut his hand? 3 [ Why did the rice die? 4 [ Did Botchan like his brother? 5 [ Who helped Botchan? 6 [ Where did his brother find work? 7 [ Why did his brother sell their mother’s things? a Kiyo, his servant. b In Kyushu, far from Tokyo. c He moved and closed the family house. d With a knife. e No, they fought every day. f Botchan stopped the water. g The second floor of the school.
Words 2 Match each word with a definition. The words are all in chapter 1. word
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definition
c 1 [
strange
a
worker, helper in your house
2[
rice
b
long, thin food
3[
job
c
odd
4[
neighbour
d
work
5[
noodles
e
someone who lives near your house
6[
servant
f
we eat this plant
Grammar 3 Write the answers. Use the past tense. 1 2
Where did Botchan jump from? (jump / second floor) e.g. He jumped from the second floor of the school. _____________________________________________ What did his mother and father give the farmer? (give / money) ______________________________________________ 3 What did his mother talk about? (talk / life after school) ______________________________________________ 4 What did his brother study? (study / English) ______________________________________________ 5 Why didn’t the neighbours like Botchan? (be / bully) ______________________________________________ 6 What did Kiyo make for Botchan? (make / noodles) ______________________________________________ 7 What did the brother do with their mother’s things? (sell them) ______________________________________________ 8 Where did Kiyo say goodbye to Botchan? (say / Shimbashi Station) ______________________________________________
Summary 4 Complete the summary of chapter 1. Choose the correct words. 1 Botchan was young when his mother [died / moved]. His [sister / father] did not love him. 2 Kiyo gave [nice / bad] things to Botchan because his father gave everything to the [servant / brother]. 3 His brother [found / ate] work far from Tokyo. He closed the house. 4 Kiyo [cleaned / moved] out of the house because Botchan did not have [noodles / money] for her. 5 Botchan [finished / studied] school. He took a [job / book] in a school on a big island. 19
Chapter Two
Botchan meets Badger, Red Shirt, Clown, Porcupine and Squash 3
I took the train to Kobe, then the boat from Kobe to Shikoku. Our boat was very big. It stopped in the sea. A man came in a small boat to the big boat. We all got in. I was first. The man did not have his shirt. It was hot! The sun was very strong. The water was like a mirror*. I found the train station and bought my ticket. It was very cheap. The train was very small. I got off after five minutes. That is why the ticket was cheap, I thought. I did not want to walk from the station to the high school. I took a rickshaw. The rickshaw
like a mirror the water behaved in a way a mirror behaves
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botchan
driver found the school quickly. No one was there. The classrooms were empty. The students were not in school. The caretaker* was there, but no teachers. Every night a different teacher slept in the school with the boarding students*. I asked the caretaker about the teacher. The teacher for today was out of school. The caretaker did not know where. That was a surprise! I wanted to see the principal*, but I was tired. I decided to meet him later. The rickshaw driver took me to a hotel called Yamashiro-ya. A hotel maid* took me to a small room with no windows. It was very hot in the room! The girl said all the other hotel rooms were full. She put my bags on the floor and left. I took a bath in the evening. When I returned
caretaker the person who cleans and looks after a school boarding students students who live and sleep at school
principal head teacher of a school maid woman working at a hotel
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natsume soseki
to my room, I saw many empty rooms. All of them were better and bigger than my room! I was not happy! Perhaps the hotel gave me a small room because I did not tip* anyone. My room was hot. It was difficult to sleep. When I went to sleep, I dreamed of Kiyo. In my dream, she ate rice dumplings in bamboo leaves*. I laughed. I woke up happy. In the morning, the same hotel maid came to my room with my breakfast. I tipped her with a 5-yen note*. She was surprised! Five yen was a lot of money for a tip! After breakfast, I left for school. My hotel was near the school, so I walked. On the walk to school, I saw a lot of students in their heavy school uniforms*. Some of them were taller than me, and looked stronger too!
tip give money to say thank you rice dumplings in bamboo leaves Japanese food
22
note paper money school uniform special clothes only for school
botchan
I arrived at the school. Someone took me to the principal’s room. The principal had a big moustache* and big eyes. He looked like a badger*! He was a very important man. He knew it! ‘This is your certificate of appointment*,’ said Badger. ‘You can now teach here. Please show it to the teachers when you meet them. Work hard and do your best. That is all you can do!’ The principal wanted me to show it to all the teachers. That was too much work. I wanted to put the certificate on the wall in the teachers’ room for a day or two. They could read it any time. The principal looked at his watch. ‘I have time to tell you about the school and your work here. The other teachers are teaching now,’ he said. The principal spoke to me about teaching. ‘A teacher’s work is very important,’ he said.
moustache hair under a man’s nose badger black and white animal that sleeps in the day and eats at night
certificate of appointment (here) a piece of paper that says you can teach
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natsume soseki
I listened to him, but I wanted to run away. It was a big mistake to come to this school. I could not do it. He did not understand me or my character. I was not a teacher, I thought. Badger talked about the students. ‘Students love good teachers and they follow good teachers. They learn from good teachers!’ That was not easy for me! This was my first job. Was I a good teacher? I did not know. It was not possible to find a good teacher in Tokyo for only 40 yen a month. Shikoku was very far from Tokyo. The school needed to offer more money to get a great man and great teacher! This was a mistake. I wanted to leave this school. ‘I cannot do this job. I cannot accept this job,’ I told the principal. Badger looked at me with his badger’s eyes.
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botchan
He said, ‘Do what you can. I know that you cannot do all I want. Please do your best.’ Then he started laughing. What a strange man! The school played the bugle* at the end of the first class of the day. The school was full of noisy students. I followed the principal to the teachers’ room. When I entered the room, the teachers all looked at me. Was I the new school clown*? I said hello. I showed my certificate to each teacher. Some teachers stood up to say hello to me. Some teachers took the certificate, read it, and gave it back to me. I did not understand why they wanted to read my boring certificate! The head teacher was a very important man because he had a certificate from Imperial University. He wore a red shirt. He had a high voice
bugle short musical instrument clown man with funny clothes and hair and a red nose to make people laugh
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natsume soseki
like a girl. Someone told me that his red shirts were special. After that I called him Red Shirt! Mr. Koga, a teacher of English, had a very white face. People with white faces are often thin. This man was big. My old servant Kiyo told me a long time ago that people with white faces ate a lot of squash*. I think Mr. Koga ate too much squash. I decided that was his new name – Squash. Mr. Hotta was a mathematics teacher. He was also a big man. His hair was strange. He was like a porcupine*. I showed him my certificate, but he did not look at it. ‘Are you the new teacher? Come to see me soon,’ said Porcupine. Then he laughed, ‘Ha, ha, ha!’ He was a strange man, too. One teacher was a very serious man, but he
squash a big, green vegetable, hard outside, soft inside porcupine a big animal with long, sharp things all over its body
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botchan
liked to talk. He talked a lot! He asked many questions. ‘Did you arrive yesterday? Aren’t you tired? Are you teaching today? You are working hard!’ he said. He did not wait for me to answer. The art teacher wore a thin western coat over his kimono*. I did not like that. Western is western and Japanese is Japanese. He asked me, ‘Where are you from? Tokyo? I am also from Tokyo.’ He was from Tokyo! My beautiful city. I knew immediately that I did not like this man. ‘What a clown,’ I thought. That was my new name for him – Clown. After I said hello to all the teachers, I met Badger again. ‘Please talk to Mr. Hotta at the end of the day,’ Badger said. ‘He is your boss.’
kimono traditional Japanese clothes
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natsume soseki
Mr. Hotta? He meant Porcupine. Porcupine was my boss? What a surprise! I was not happy. I walked back to the hotel. When I arrived at the hotel, they were very happy to see me. The maid took me to a new room. It was bigger than my first room. They liked 5-yen tip! I took off my European suit and put on my Japanese summer coat. After lunch, I wrote a letter to Kiyo. I wrote about the new people I worked with and my new names for them. Porcupine visited me later. He wanted me to move to a cheaper place. He took me to see the guest house. I liked it. I decided to move there the next day. When I first met Porcupine, I did not like him. He often got angry, but he was a good man.
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AFTER-READING ACTIVITIES
Stop & Check 1 Are the sentences correct (C) or incorrect (I)? C I [ [ 1 Botchan walked to the school from the boat. ✓ 2 The first time he went to the school he met some students. [ [ 3 He didn’t tip the hotel maid and she showed him a small room. [ [ 4 The principal gave Botchan an important piece of paper. [ [ 5 Botchan said he wanted to work in the school. [ [ 6 Botchan met the teachers in the teachers’ room. [ [ 7 Botchan did not like the art teacher because he was from Tokyo. [ [ 8 Botchan stayed in the hotel for a month. [ [
Words 2 Match each word with a definition. The words are all in chapter 2. c caretaker a students who live at school 1 [ 2 [ principal b funny person at a circus 3 [ note c someone who cleans and looks after a school 4 [ uniform d piece of paper money 5 [ clown e short musical instrument 6 [ bugle f school clothes 7 [ boarding g hair on a man’s face, under his students nose 8 [ moustache h most important person at a school
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3 Complete each sentence. Use the words in the box. cycle • foot • jumped • Kobe • sailed school • Shikoku • station • walked • travelled Kobe travelled 1 Botchan went to ....................... by train. He ........................... there on a train. 2 He went to ....................... by boat. He ....................... there on a boat. 3 He went from the sea to the ....................... by train. He travelled there on a train. 4 He went by rickshaw to the ....................... . He ....................... in a rickshaw at the station. 5 On his second visit, he went to the school on ....................... . He ....................... to the school. 6 Botchan didn’t ....................... to the school by bicycle.
Summary 4 Complete the summary of chapter 2. Choose the correct words. 1 Botchan traveled from Tokyo to his new job by train and ✓ long / [ short journey. boat. It was a [ 2 The hotel maid showed him a small, [ dirty / [ hot room because he did not [ speak to / [ tip her. 3 Botchan said he did not want the job. The principal [ laughed / [ cried. 4 Botchan showed the other teachers his [ certificate / [ book. He felt like a clown. 5 Botchan wrote a [ postcard / [ letter to his old maid in Tokyo. 6 Mr. Hotta was kind. He took Botchan to a different [ restaurant / [ hotel.
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Chapter Three
Botchan makes many mistakes 4
My classes started. Was I now a teacher? I did not know. When I entered the classroom and saw the students for the first time, I was surprised. The students were not very kind. I wanted them to listen, but they did not always listen to me. They said ‘Sir!’ many times. There was a lot of noise. ‘Sir’? To hear that word was interesting for me. The students called the teacher ‘Sir’. For people to call me ‘Sir’ was strange. The students did not ask me anything difficult in my first class. After the class, I went to the teachers’ room. Porcupine was there.
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botchan
‘How was your first class?’ Porcupine asked. ‘Fine,’ I answered. Porcupine accepted my answer. That was lucky! I went to my second class. The students sat at their desks. They were all big. I was a teacher from Tokyo in a class of forty students. No, I was a small teacher from Tokyo in a class of forty big students. How lucky I am, I thought to myself! I wanted to show these students I was strong. My Tokyo Japanese was difficult for them. I spoke fast. The students listened. Their mouths were open. ‘I win!’ I thought. I was happy. One student at the front of the class was the strongest boy. He stood up. He was very near me, but he shouted. ‘Sir! You’re speaking too fast. We can’t follow you.’
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‘You cannot follow me? Boys, I am from Tokyo. Can you not understand me? I am sorry. You must learn how to speak my Japanese. It is the Japanese we use in Tokyo!’ The second class went well. I wanted to finish. Then a student asked me about some very difficult things. ‘I have to finish the class now. What a pity!’ I said. ‘Talk to me in our next class.’ I walked out of the class to go to the teachers’ room. I heard my students inside, ‘Sir doesn’t know the answer!’ How kind my students are! Teachers do not know everything. They cannot always give answers immediately. I was angry. I entered the teachers’ room. ‘How was that class?’ asked Porcupine. I
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again said ‘fine’. This time he did not accept my answer. He asked me again. I joked* that the students in this school were not very clever. He looked at me. Was he angry? Perhaps he did not think it was funny! In all my classes, I made a mistake, perhaps more than one mistake. I thought teaching was easy. Now I knew it was not! I finished my teaching for the day, but I could not leave the school building. Teachers wait for the end of school and take the students’ names. Every day! How boring! I was angry again. I had nothing to do. I sat at my desk and waited for school to finish. After school, I walked home with Porcupine. ‘Mr. Hotta, the teachers stay in school after they finish classes to write students’ names in
joke say something funny to make people laugh
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botchan
a book. Why do we do that?’ I asked. ‘That is strange!’ At first he laughed. He always laughs when I talk. ‘Talk to me any time you want. Please remember that some people do not tell the truth*! Do not listen to them. They are bad!’ At the next street, he went left. I went right. I did not know why some people in school were bad. I wanted to know. I wanted to ask him. After that day, I went to school every day. I met the students. I did my classes. After one week, I understood how to work in the school. I was different from the other teachers. I knew that. Perhaps some students did not like me. That was not important to me. Sometimes I made mistakes in my classes, but that was not a big problem, I thought.
tell the truth say something that is true
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natsume soseki
Sometimes I walked around town after school. One evening, I saw ‘Tokyo Noodles here’ on a shop window. I went in. Outside was much cleaner than inside. Inside the shop, only the menu was new. It was dark inside. The walls were black. The tatami* was old. At the top of the menu was tempura soba*. I liked both tempura and soba. I often ate them in Tokyo. ‘Tempura soba,’ I shouted to the man in the kitchen. Three young men were at the back of the shop, but it was dark so I could not see them. They looked at me. I knew them. They were all students from my school. They said hello. They continued eating. My noodles came. They were great. I enjoyed four bowls of noodles that evening.
tatami special things to cover the floor (long ago Japan did not use carpets) tempura soba vegetables and fish on top of Japanese noodles in soup
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botchan
The next day, I entered the classroom. Immediately I saw ‘Tempura Teacher’ on the wall. The boys all laughed when they saw my face. In my next class, I saw ‘Four bowls of tempura noodles’ on the wall. Sometimes I did not like my students! A few days later, I took the small train to a bath house. I love having a long, hot bath. I had some dango* after my bath. Dango was famous in this town. I did not meet anyone from school. I was happy. The next day, I went to school. In my second class, someone wrote on the wall, ‘Teacher loves dango’. How did they know? Why were my students so bad to me? Every evening, I went to have a bath. I always carried a large European bath towel in my hand.
dango Japanese food, often sweet, made from rice flour
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The bath water was very hot and strong. The water changed the colour of the towel. After that, some students called me Red Towel. I had a new name! Sometimes I swam in the bath when I was alone. The bath house did not accept swimming. When I was alone, I swam. It was not a problem. However, one day, at school, I saw ‘No swimming in the bath’ on the wall. Why did I move from Tokyo to this terrible* town? I soon got bored of that school and its bad students. There were many problems between the teachers, too. Some teachers wanted rules*, some teachers wanted power*! Each night, one teacher slept in the school with the boarding students who did not go
terrible very bad, not nice rules things you must or mustn’t do e.g. ‘No swimming’ is a rule. power control over people for different reasons
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botchan
home. A different teacher stayed each night. The teachers did not like sleeping in the school. They slept there because it was a school rule. Badger and Red Shirt, however, never slept in the school. They always went home because they were important. I did not understand that. I got angry. They got more money. They did not teach many classes, and they did not have to follow the rules. Oh, please! Why them and not me? Porcupine knew I was angry about this. He told me to calm down. ‘Don’t be angry. Stronger people always have more power,’ he said. I understood what he said, but I did not understand why Badger and Red Shirt had more power.
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AFTER-READING ACTIVITIES
Stop & Check 1 Match each question with an answer. c 1[
Did Botchan’s students always listen to him?
a
Yes, it was.
2[
Was Botchan bigger than his students?
b
Yes, they did.
3[
Did he speak faster than his students?
c
No, they didn’t.
4[
Did Mr. Hotta say that all people in the school were bad?
d
No, it wasn’t.
5[
Was the noodle shop very clean? e
6[
Did the students see Botchan in the shop?
f
Yes, he did.
7[
Was the bath in the bath house very big?
g
No, he didn’t.
No, he wasn’t.
Words 2 Complete each sentence with an adjective from the box. angry • bad • big • clean • clever • different • fast • strong 42
fast 1 My Japanese was __________ , but my students’ Japanese was slow. 2 The student in the front of the class wasn’t weak. He was very __________ . 3 I joked that my students were stupid, but really they were __________ . 4 Some people in the school were __________ , but some were good. 5 I was __________ . I was not the same as the other teachers. 6 Sometimes I made mistakes, but that was a small problem not a __________ problem.
7 8
The outside of the shop was __________ , but the inside was very dirty. ‘Don’t be __________ ,’ said Porcupine. ‘Be calm. Badger and Red Shirt are strong and they have power.’
Language 3 Sometimes Botchan makes a joke. For example, he jokes, ‘How lucky I am!’ But he thinks ‘I am not lucky.’ Complete the sentences below. 1 Mr. White jokes ‘How kind my students are.’ But he thinks ‘___________________.’ 2 Miss Blue jokes ‘Why did I move to this clean, friendly town?’ But she thinks ‘___________________.’ 3 Teacher Green jokes ‘I like to sleep at the school.’ But she thinks ‘___________________.’ 4 Customer Black jokes ‘I never eat soba noodles. I hate them.’ But he thinks ‘___________________.’
Summary 4 Complete the summary of chapter 3. Choose the correct words.
1 Botchan was surprised. The students were [quiet / noisy]. They did not [listen / learn] to him. They talked about him. 2 Botchan [wrote / talked] very fast. The students could not [understood / follow] him. He was happy. 3 Botchan had nothing to do. He [waited / wanted] for school to finish. Then he wrote down the students’ [numbers / names]. 4 Some students did not like Botchan. They wrote [kind / bad] words about him on the [bedroom / classroom] wall. 5 Each night a different [caretaker / teacher] slept in the school. But Badger and Red Shirt [never / always] did this. They were special. 43
Chapter Four
Botchan has problems with students, insects and some teachers 5
One day, soon after I entered the school, I slept in the school to look after the boarding students. I did not want to do it, but it was the school rule. It was difficult for me to sleep well in a strange bed, so I was not happy. The bedroom for teachers was at the back of the school building. It was hot. In the evening, I ate in the room. I had the same as the students. I did not like the food. It must be difficult to eat terrible food every day! Our students must be strong boys, I thought. I wanted a bath before bed because it was hot. I remembered the first time I visited the
44
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school. The teacher was not in school then. ‘I am going out,’ I told the caretaker. ‘On business?’ he asked me. ‘No, to the bath house,’ I replied. I was at the bath house for a long time. I returned to school after dark. On the way back to the school, I met the principal and Porcupine. It was a surprise for them to see me. I returned to school. The caretaker and I talked. After two hours, I decided to go to bed. I put on my night shirt. I went under the mosquito net* and went under the red blanket*. Suddenly*, I got a big surprise. Something was in my bed. I moved my legs and feet under the blanket, but the things moved more. The things were on my legs. I got up immediately and looked under the
mosquito net there are insects on the mosquito net in the picture on page 49 blanket something you put on your bed to get warm suddenly quickly, like a surprise
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natsume soseki
blanket. Fifty to sixty grasshoppers* flew onto the mosquito net. After I saw what they were, I got very angry. I wanted to hit* them with my pillow*, but that was difficult because they were very small. I hit them hard with the pillow against the tatami. They flew everywhere in the room. Some were on my face and in my hair. I got them all! I was tired. I did not want to see the grasshoppers anymore. I put them out of the room. The caretaker came to see what the problem was. He knew nothing about the grasshoppers in my bed. ‘Sorry! Do you think I believe that? I do not!’ I said. ‘Someone put them in my bed!’ Immediately I asked three of the students to
grasshoppers the insects in the picture on page 49 are grasshoppers hit Botchan is hitting the insects in the picture on page 49 pillow Botchan is holding a pillow in the picture on page 49
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botchan
come to my room. Six students came. ‘Why did you put grasshoppers in my bed?’ I asked. ‘Er, what’s a grasshopper?’ asked one boy who was standing near me. I showed him a dead one. One boy said, ‘That’s not a grasshopper. It’s a locust*.’ I was very angry. ‘Listen! Locusts are grasshoppers - they are the same thing! That is not important. Why did you put them in my bed?’ I asked. ‘Perhaps they flew into your bed,’ the student replied. ‘That is not possible! Who did this?’ I said. ‘We understand why you are asking us. We did not do it. We do not know what to say!’ another student said.
locust dangerous insect from Asia and Africa - farmers do not like them
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natsume soseki
‘You have nothing to say? That is bad. Today is a sad day for me. You are high school students. You must understand what is good and what is bad. Return to your rooms,’ I said. ‘You did not say sorry to me!’ I did not like these boys. Why did they come to this school? They sometimes did not tell the truth, I thought. They did not study. They had too much fun. When they leave this school, they think they can easily get a job. I am not always a good man, but I want to be. I tell the truth. When I went back to bed, the mosquito net was open. It was full of little mosquitoes. I took my pillow and hit them. Before I slept, I thought about old Kiyo. I now understood her better. She did not go to high school, but she was a good person. She was a
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natsume soseki
very kind person. It was easy to trust* her. In the morning, I met all the students. I wanted to ask them about the grasshoppers. Badger came into the room. What a surprise! How did he know about this problem? He listened to me, then he listened to the students. After listening to everyone, Badger said, ‘Boys, go to class immediately.’ Badger did not tell the boys they were bad students. Why not? School principals must be strong. Our principal was weak. He was wrong: our students were bad and they did not know. Badger looked at me. He said, ‘Yesterday was difficult. You are tired. Go home and sleep!!’ My face was very red from the mosquitoes. ‘Principal, I can teach my classes today,’ I said. ‘I did not sleep well yesterday, but I can
trust believe
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botchan
teach,’ I told him. ‘I am a teacher. It is my work. I must do my work.’ Badger smiled, but it was not a kind smile. I did not know why. One day, Red Shirt came to my desk. He invited me to go fishing with him and Clown. Fishing was not very interesting to me, but I accepted. Clown and Red Shirt were like father and son. They were not like two teachers working together. Clown was always at Red Shirt’s house. Clown followed Red Shirt everywhere. On the day to go fishing, we walked to the beach together. There was only one man and one boat. The boat was long and narrow. We did not have those boats in Tokyo. ‘How do we catch the fish?’ I asked.
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natsume soseki
Clown looked at me. ‘Are you joking?’ he asked. ‘We use fishing lines.’ I did not like how Clown talked to me. The sea was beautiful. We went in the boat to Aoshima, a small island with some very tall, green trees. The trees were beautiful. Red Shirt said, ‘When I see this island, the trees and the sea, I think of a Turner* painting.’ I said nothing because I did not understand. ‘Yes,’ said Clown. ‘And how about Madonna by Raphael? That is also a beautiful painting.’ ‘Do not talk about Madonna, ho, ho, ho,’ laughed Red Shirt. ‘It is not a problem. We are all friends here,’ said Clown. He looked at me. He smiled. I did not like his smile. I did not like him. I did not understand. Who was Madonna?
Turner a famous British artist (1775-1851)
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What was Madonna? Did Red Shirt like Madonna? At school, Red Shirt sometimes read things in English. He read English to understand about life in foreign countries. Perhaps Madonna was from a foreign country. It was late. The boat returned to the beach. On the way, Red Shirt talked to me. ‘Your students are happy with your classes. Please follow the school rules,’ he said. ‘Remember, some friends are not always true good friends. One friend is kind to you now, but do not trust him.’ What did he mean? Who did he mean? Did he mean Porcupine?
54
AFTER-READING ACTIVITIES
Stop & Check 1 Are the sentences correct (C) or incorrect (I)? 1 Botchan slept in the room with the students. 2 The students’ food was not good. Botchan did not like it. 3 Botchan met the principal at the bath house. 4 There were many locusts under the blanket. 5 Some of the locusts flew out of the window. 6 The boys said they put the locusts in the bed. 7 Botchan went fishing with two other teachers. 8 Red Shirt reads in English to learn about other countries.
C I [ [ ✓
[ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [ [
Words 2 Match each word with a definition. The words are all in chapter 4. word
definition
c 1 [
comfortable a
something to put your head on
2[
blanket
b
small insect that bites
3[
pillow
c
good to sleep on
4[
hit
d
insect with wings and big back legs
5[
mosquito
e
you use this to catch fish
net
f
Botchan is hitting the insects in the picture on page 49
7 [ fishing line
g
something to protect your bed from insects
8[
h
cover on a bed
6[
locust
55
Grammar 3 Complete each sentence with a verb from the box. come • go • hit • go fishing • learn • say
go 1 It was hot. She decided to ________ to the bath house. 2 Mary wanted to ________ the locusts with a book. 3 The principal asked the boys to ________ to the classroom. 4 We did not know what to ________ about the painting. 5 They invited their friend to ___________ at the river. 6 Peter read French to ________ about life in Paris.
Summary 4 Complete the summary of chapter 4. Choose the correct words.
56
1 One day, Botchan looked [for / after] the boarding [students / house]. 2 He [cooked / slept] at the school in a bed that was not [comfortable / narrow]. 3 There were many locusts under his [tatami / blanket]. He hit them with a [pillow / night shirt]. 4 Badger listened to the [music / students]. He did not tell them that they [must work / were bad]. 5 Botchan went in the boat to a [sandy / rocky] island with beautiful [trees / flowers].
Chapter Five
Who or what is Madonna? 6
I did not know what to believe or who to trust. I did not like Red Shirt, but he was kind to me. I liked Porcupine, but was he really my friend? Red Shirt did not say Porcupine’s name in the boat, but I thought it was Porcupine. Did Porcupine say bad things about me so the students don’t like me? I remembered talking with Red Shirt the day after the fishing trip. He came to my desk in the teachers’ room. ‘Please do not tell anyone about our conversation yesterday!’ he said to me. I did not understand why not, but I did not tell anyone. There was a meeting in the afternoon. It was
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about the bad students from the other night. This was my first teachers’ meeting. I did not know what to do. Why did the teachers need a meeting? I did not understand. It was very clear that the students were bad. Everyone knew that! What did teachers do in a teachers’ meeting? I did not know, but I wanted to know. Perhaps the teachers said what they thought and the principal listened. Perhaps after that, the principal decided what to do. Perhaps that was it! The meeting was in a long, narrow room. It was next to the principal’s office. The principal sat at one end of the room. Red Shirt sat next to him. The situation was new to me. I sat between the teachers of natural history and Chinese classics. Across the table sat Clown and Porcupine. This time Porcupine looked at me with angry eyes. I
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looked at Porcupine in the same way. Squash arrived a few minutes late, then Badger started the meeting. He wanted to talk about the bad students, school life and some other problems. At the beginning of the meeting, Badger spoke. He was not a good principal. ‘Our school has many problems. I am not strong. I am weak. Please help me. What can we do, teachers?’ He was weak? Was that true? Then the answer was easy. Badger must leave this school. The school principal is always the strongest teacher in a school! No one said anything. Not one word. The natural history teacher looked outside at a big black bird. The classics teacher played with his pencil. Porcupine watched me with angry eyes! What a strange situation!
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Why did no one say anything to the principal? I got more and more angry. Well, I needed to say something. I was almost out of my chair when Red Shirt began to speak. I sat down again. He dried his face with a silk handkerchief. His handkerchief was silk! ‘The students are still young, so we must be kind. We must not be hard,’ said Red Shirt. Next, Clown stood up to speak. No one understood what he said. I remember one thing. He said, ‘I agree* with the principal and head teacher.’ Some other teachers spoke. They all agreed with Red Shirt. I was so angry! I stood up to say something. I did not have time to think. That was a bad idea! ‘I do not agree,’ I said. No more words came. ‘We cannot decide this way,’ I said, then I stopped. Everyone started laughing. agree think/say the same thing
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‘The students did something very bad. We must be strong so they do not think we teachers are weak. They must say sorry... .’ I sat down again. I was sad and angry because I did not speak well. Porcupine moved his chair back noisily. He stood up. His face was serious*. I thought he wanted to agree with Badger and Red Shirt. However, he supported me. What a surprise! Porcupine was very brave. Now I liked him again. Then I went from happy to sad. Porcupine said, ‘I want to say something about this teacher. He went to the bath house last week. He didn’t follow the rules. It was his job to look after the students.’ He was right to tell everyone, but I was angry. I stood up again and said, ‘Yes, it is true. I went to the bath house when it was my job to look after serious not laughing or joking
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the students. I am sorry. I was wrong.’ Then they all laughed again. Whatever I said, everyone laughed. I did not understand why. The teachers agreed with me. I won! The bad boarding students said sorry to me and did not leave our school for one week. I was happy about that! At the end of the very long meeting, Badger said, ‘Remember, teachers must always be good. They must not go alone to cheap bars and restaurants. I am talking about noodle and dango shops.’ Once again, all the other teachers laughed. Suddenly Red Shirt said, ‘High school teachers must always remember they are teachers. They must be strong. They must not think of their happiness only. However, I know it is difficult to live in a small town like this without nice
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things. We all need to go fishing, see art and read literature.’ ‘Don’t forget Madonna,’ I said. No one laughed this time. Red Shirt put his head down. His face was red. I looked at Squash. His white face got whiter. I did not know why. One day, Porcupine visited me in my guest house. ‘I am sorry. They want you to leave,’ said Porcupine. I took my bags and moved out of their house the same evening. I walked for a long time. I looked up. I was near Squash’s house. Perhaps he knew a good place for me to live. I knocked on the door. An old woman answered. Perhaps his mother. She had a kind face. I thought of Kiyo. Why is Kiyo not writing me any letters? I hoped she was well. I went in the house. I told Squash my story.
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He had an idea. He took me to meet the Hagino family, who lived behind them. They wanted a man to stay in their house. I moved in to the Hagino house that evening! Mrs. Hagino was a lovely old lady. She was like a mother. She asked too many questions. ‘You are 24 years old and not married. I am very surprised! You must be careful with girls. Take time to choose a nice one,’ Mrs. Hagino said. ‘Not all girls are nice, you know!’ I did not understand. She told me a story about Porcupine, Squash, Red Shirt and a young lady called Toyama. Some people called her Madonna because she was very beautiful. Her face was like a picture. Now I understood! Squash loved Madonna. He wanted to marry her. Madonna promised to marry Squash. Then
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Squash had money problems after his father died. There was no money for a wedding. They decided to wait for a year. In that year, Red Shirt met Madonna. He loved her, too. He wanted to marry her. He knew that was wrong. Everyone knew Madonna and Squash were together. However, Red Shirt asked Madonna to marry him! Porcupine and Squash were good friends. Porcupine spoke with Red Shirt about Madonna. ‘She promised to marry Squash. Do not ask her to marry you. That is not possible.’ ‘I did not ask her to marry me. We are good friends. That is all,’ said Red Shirt. Porcupine did not believe Red Shirt. The two men stopped speaking to each other after that.
66
AFTER-READING ACTIVITIES
Stop & Check 1 Match each question with an answer. e When was the meeting? a 1 [
The meeting was about the bad students. b He said, ‘We must be 2 [ What was the meeting about? kind to the students because they are young.’ c Where did Botchan sit? Because he was 3[ wrong to go to the bath house. d He didn’t marry her 4 [ What did the head because he had teacher say at the money problems. meeting? e Who supported Botchan The meeting was in 5[ in the meeting? the afternoon. f Porcupine agreed 6 [ Why did Botchan say sorry in the meeting? with Botchan in the meeting. g Why didn’t Squash He sat between two 7 [ marry Madonna? teachers.
Grammar 2 Make each sentence negative. e.g. Squash arrived a few minutes late. Squash did not arrive a few minutes late. 1 I liked Red Shirt. He was kind to me. ______________________________________________ 2 Red Shirt said Porcupine’s name in the boat. ______________________________________________ 3 The man wanted me to stay in the small hotel. ______________________________________________ 4 Squash married Madonna. He had money for the wedding. ______________________________________________ 67
Crossword 3 Complete the crossword. The answers are words from chapters 1 to 5. Across 1 2 2 Before you go into the room, 5 please k _ _ _ _ on 7 8 the door. (5) 6 He tipped the hotel maid with a 5-yen n_ _ _. (4) 7 The bed was very 11 c _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . I slept well. (11) 10 Did you c _ _ _ _ the fish with a fishing line? (5) 11 He bought a t _ _ _ _ _ at the train station. (6) 13 The man ate four b _ _ _ _ of noodles. (5) 15 No swimming, please! It’s a r_ _ _ . (4) 15
3
4 6
9
10
12
13
14
Down 1 She looked at her face in the m _ _ _ _ _. (6) 3 There was a mosquito n _ _ over the bed. (3) 4 The cook cut his hand with the k _ _ _ _ . (5) 5 Kiyo was the s _ _ _ _ _ _ . She worked in the house. (7) 8 I could not f _ _ _ _ _ the man. He spoke too fast. (6) 9 I slept under the heavy b_ _ _ _ _ _. (7) 12 The woman carried a t _ _ _ _ to the bath house. (5) 13 The boy was a b_ _ _ _ . He hit the other children. (5) 14 The teacher had a s _ _ _ handkerchief. (4)
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Chapter Six
Botchan now understands Porcupine and Red Shirt 7
Two or three days after my conversation with Mrs. Hagino, I got a long letter from Kiyo. It was over a metre long. I spent a long time reading and thinking about Kiyo’s letter. She was ill again. I wanted her to live with me, but money was a problem. I was late for my bath that evening. I missed the train by two or three minutes. I sat on the bench* in the station to wait for the next train. Squash walked into the station. I called his name. He sat on the bench with me. I felt so sorry for him after hearing that story from Mrs. Hagino. We talked about school. I heard a young woman
bench long seat for 2 or more people
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laugh. I looked around. She was beautiful! She was tall with white skin. Her hair was in a European style. She was in front of the ticket window with an older woman, perhaps her mother. Squash got up and walked to the ticket window. He bowed* to them. They bowed to him. They had a polite conversation. I could not hear them. That must be Madonna! Suddenly, Red Shirt ran into the station. He wore a thin kimono with a silk belt. He stopped, looked around and bowed politely to Squash and the women. They said hello to each other, then he walked over to me. ‘Are you going to the bath house, too? I did not want to miss the train so I ran here. That clock is right, isn’t it?’
bow Squash is bowing to the 2 women in the picture on page 71
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He sat down next to me. Then he just looked straight ahead. The older woman looked at Red Shirt now and then, but the younger one did not look at him. She must be the famous Madonna! We all got on the train together. Red Shirt and the women entered the first-class car. It was very cheap for the short trip. I also had a firstclass ticket. Squash got into the second-class car, so I followed him. We sat together. It was late when I left the bath house. The moon helped me see the way. I did not want to go home immediately. I walked home slowly. I walked past the dango shop where some students saw me. I wanted some dango, but I did not go in. Teachers must not enter such shops alone. I remembered Red Shirt’s words.
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Not eating dango when you want to is difficult. However, it must be much more difficult to lose your fiancĂŠe to another man! Poor Squash. Madonna was beautiful, but she had a cold heart. It is difficult to trust people. I wanted to tell Kiyo about many things, but it was not possible. Kiyo was too nice. My news was too bad. After only one month here, I felt five or six years older! I reached the bridge that crossed the River Nozeri. It was actually a very small river two metres wide. The name was big, but the river was not. I looked behind me. I saw the bath house town and heard some music. As I walked along the river, I could see two people in front of me. The moon was out, but I could not see them clearly. It was probably
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some boys from town walking home from the bath house. I continued walking. I was faster than them. The two shadows became larger. It was a man and a woman. When I got nearer, about 20 metres away, the man heard me. He looked behind him. The moon was behind me, so the man could not see my face. But I could see him. I thought I knew the man. They continued walking. I started walking much faster. Suddenly I could hear their conversation clearly. The path* along the river was quite narrow, about two metres wide. My sleeve* touched the man’s kimono sleeve as I passed him. I turned round and looked straight at the man’s face. The moon showed my face. I know he saw me.
path long, narrow road, often along a river or through a forest sleeve part of clothes you put your arm through
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The man was very surprised. He turned to the woman and said, ‘Let’s go back.’ It was Red Shirt. And the woman was Madonna. They then walked back toward the bath house town. Madonna! Our head teacher was out with another teacher’s woman! He was out with Squash’s Madonna. I knew, and he knew that I knew. The next day, Red Shirt came to my desk before class. ‘Let’s go fishing again together,’ he said. He thought we were great friends. I did not think so. ‘I saw you last night,’ I said, ‘two times!’ He answered, ‘Yes, at the station. Do you go there so late every evening?’ he asked. I said, ‘I also met you on the River Nozeri path, didn’t I?’
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‘No,’ he said, ‘I didn’t walk along the river path. I went home immediately after the bath house.’ That was not true! After the fishing trip with Red Shirt and Clown, I was not sure Porcupine and I were really friends. Then, Mrs. Hagino told me about Porcupine and Squash. Porcupine supported Squash against Red Shirt about Madonna. Also, Porcupine supported me in the teachers’ meeting. After that, I thought Porcupine was my friend. Could Red Shirt be the bad man? He often gave me the wrong information. I saw Red Shirt taking a walk with Madonna along the river path, but he said it was not him. After that, I knew I could not trust him. Red Shirt and I met face to face at the river. Why did he say he did not walk along the river
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with Madonna? He saw me and I saw him. I could never believe Red Shirt again. I still talked with him, but I did not trust him. I did not speak with Porcupine, but I thought we were friends. What a strange world! One day Red Shirt came to my desk in school. ‘Please come to my house this evening. I have something to tell you,’ he said. Usually I went to the bath house every day. That day, for the first time, I did not go. I arrived at Red Shirt’s house. He was single, not married, but he lived in a very nice house. I wanted to show Kiyo that house! Red Shirt’s young brother answered the door. I did not know why, but I did not like that boy. I walked into the guest room. Red Shirt was in a big chair.
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‘Please sit down. Listen, you are doing good work at school. I plan to speak with the principal about a new job with more money for you. Mr. Koga is moving to a school in Nobeoka in Kyushu.’ said Red Shirt. ‘Our school can use that money for you.’ This was Squash’s home town! Nobeoka was so far from here. Did Squash really want to leave his home town? Something was not right about this. Also, why did Red Shirt want to give me a higher position and more money? I was a very new teacher. Was I good enough to get more money? What about Porcupine, my boss? He was so popular and he had no plans to leave our school. In the evening, I talked with Mrs. Hagino about Squash. ‘I am surprised Mr. Koga chose to
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go to Nobeoka. It probably has more monkeys than people,’ I said. ‘No,’ she said, ‘Mr. Koga did not choose to go. The school principal had a meeting with Mr. Koga. The school knew Mr. Koga needed more money to marry Ms. Toyama. However, the school did not have enough money to give Mr. Koga more money. The Nobeoka job offered 5 more yen a month. Mr. Koga did not want to accept the new job, but the principal decided for him,’ said Mrs. Hagino. I did not know what to say!
79
AFTER-READING ACTIVITIES
Stop & Check 1 Are the sentences correct (C) or incorrect (I)? C I ✓ [ 1 Botchan was late because he wrote a letter to Kiyo. [ 2 He met two other teachers at the train station. [ [ 3 Red Shirt travelled with Botchan in the 2nd-class car. [ [ 4 Botchan took a train to the bath house but walked home. [ [ 5 On his way home, Botchan passed two people. [ [ 6 There was no moon, and Botchan could not see the man’s face. [ [ 7 Red Shirt told Botchan that Squash had a new job. [ [ 8 Squash left because he wanted more money. [ [
Words 2 Match each word with a definition. The words are all in Chapter 6.
80
word
definition
1 [ h
conversation a
well-known
2[
bench
b
not married
3[
famous
c
small road to walk along
4[
sleeve
d
long piece of wood to sit on
5[
path
e
side of a river
6[
bank
f
animal that can climb trees
7 [
single
g
part of a jacket
8[
monkey
h
talk
Grammar 3 Change each sentence into a question.
e.g. That clock is right. ➝ That clock is right, isn’t it?
1 The bath house is very big. ➝ ____________________________________________
2 You’re going to the bath house. ➝ ____________________________________________
3 They have a first-class ticket. ➝ ____________________________________________
4 He lives in a very nice house. ➝ ____________________________________________
5 She went into a dango shop. ➝ ____________________________________________
6 Yesterday evening, I met you on the river bank. ➝ ____________________________________________
Summary 4 Complete the summary of chapter 4. Choose the correct words.
1 2 3 4 5
Botchan was [early / late] for the train to the bath house. He [waited / watched] for the next train. Squash got into a [first-class / second-class] car. Perhaps he didn’t have much [money / time]. Botchan left the [dango shop / bath house]. He walked home [along the river / through the park]. The next day, Red Shirt said he was not on the river [boat / bank] with [students / Madonna]. Botchan knew he could not believe Red Shirt. Squash did not choose to work in [Kobe / Nobeoka]. [Red Shirt / The principal] decided for him. 81
Chapter Seven
Kimonos and European-style suits 8
At last, I understood. This was all part of Red Shirt’s plan to marry Madonna. Red Shirt was too clever for Squash. What a bad man Red Shirt was. At his house, Red Shirt explained about Squash and why it was good for me. ‘After Mr. Koga goes to the Nobeoka school, we can give you more money,’ he said. I said no at first. Then I said yes to Red Shirt because I needed more money. I wanted Kiyo to come to Shikoku. After I went home, I could not sleep. I was so angry. I decided to say no to Red Shirt. I returned to Red Shirt’s house. I did not want to
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go into the house. Red Shirt came to the front door. We talked there. His face was red from drinking sake*. I explained why I did not want the new job and more money. Red Shirt was not happy. ‘You already said yes. It is too late to say no. Please think about your job in our school. Do you want to stay here?’ he asked. I was strong! I said no again! I went home. But Red Shirt won. Squash took the new job in Nobeoka. The day of Squash’s sayonara party* soon arrived. All the teachers wanted to say goodbye to Squash. In the morning, Porcupine came to my desk to speak to me. ‘Do you remember the guest house you stayed at? Well, the man and his wife were bad people, but I believed their stories sake Japanese alcohol made from rice
sayonara party goodbye party
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about you. I am sorry. Why didn’t I believe you?’ I thanked him for his kind words. In the evening, Porcupine and I talked more before the party. I said, ‘I saw Red Shirt with Madonna at the River Nozeri. The next day, he wanted to give me a new job and more money.’ ‘What! That’s my job! Why is he giving you my job?’ said Porcupine. ‘Why does Red Shirt want me out of the school? Does he want me to go? Okay, he goes too!’ ‘I did not take the job or the money,’ I told Porcupine. He was very happy to hear that. ‘You are a good man. I spoke with Badger twice and Red Shirt once. I wanted to stop Squash’s move to Nobeoka, but it was too late,’ said Porcupine. Porcupine was angry with Squash because
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Squash was always too nice. ‘Why didn’t he say no?’ Porcupine asked me. We both agreed about Red Shirt. He needed Squash to move because he wanted to marry Madonna. ‘Everyone thinks Red Shirt is a good man, but you cannot believe what he says. He is not a nice person. You must understand that.’ To be funny, I said, ‘Hey, why don’t you fight Red Shirt and Clown at Squash’s party tonight?’ Porcupine did not laugh. He said, ‘No, not tonight. This party is important for Mr. Koga. We must find another way. Everyone must know that Red Shirt and Clown are bad people.’ ‘At the party, please speak well of Mr. Koga,’ I said to Porcupine. ‘You know from the teachers’ meeting that it is difficult for me to speak in front of people.’ ‘I remember. It’s strange, you know, that you
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can’t speak in front of people. Isn’t that difficult for you? You are a teacher!’ he said. I said nothing. Squash’s party was at Kashin-tei because it was the best restaurant in town. It probably was, but it was not so good for someone from Tokyo. We were the last people to arrive. The party room was very big. It was bigger than the three big rooms at the Yamashiroya, my first hotel here. The alcove* in the room was also very big, like my room in the Yamashiroya. The writing on the scroll* in the alcove was very poor. In Tokyo, the writing on scrolls was always good. I hoped the food was better! Everyone waited for the party to start. Badger sat in front of the scroll. He wore an expensive kimono. Red Shirt sat to his left. He was also in Japanese dress. On Badger’s right sat alcove (here) a part of a room where you put special things
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scroll roll of paper
botchan
Squash, the special guest, in his beautiful kimono. I wore a European-style suit. I was not comfortable. It was difficult to sit down on tatami in European clothes. I sat against a wall. The physical education teacher also wore a European-style suit, but he sat Japanese-style on the tatami. First Badger spoke, then Red Shirt stood to speak. ‘We all agree that Mr. Koga is a great man and teacher. He is a good friend to us all. But Mr. Koga really wanted to move to Nobeoka, so this evening we are all saying goodbye. Good luck, Mr. Koga.’ Porcupine and I looked at each other. How could Badger and Red Shirt say these words so easily at Squash’s sayonara party? Those men were very good actors! When Red Shirt sat down, Porcupine quickly
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stood up. He started talking. ‘The principal and the head teacher are sorry that Mr. Koga is leaving our school,’ said Porcupine. ‘I am not sorry. I am happy that Mr. Koga is going to Nobeoka. It is true that Nobeoka is far from here. But I am sure that Nobeoka people are honest and kind. I am also sure that the students can learn a lot from Mr. Koga. ‘To finish, I hope that after some time there, Mr. Koga finds a kind woman in Nobeoka to be his wife. Mr. Koga, please enjoy your new life in Nobeoka!’ said Porcupine. Silence! Squash stood up. He bowed to Porcupine to thank him. ‘Principal and teachers, I am very happy now. I thank you all, my good friends, for this wonderful dinner. I want to remember your kind words until I die.’
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He bowed once more and sat down. At last the food came. First was some sashimi, but the slices of fish were too thick. I did not like the sashimi. Was this really the best restaurant in town? I did not want any Tokyo people to come to this restaurant! Bottles of hot sake came from the kitchen. Clown gave Badger some sake to say kanpai*. Why Badger? This was Squash’s party! At parties, everyone gives wine to the most important guest first. Squash said kanpai to many teachers in the room. He thanked everyone. I was surprised when three or four young geisha girls arrived. I was surprised again when Red Shirt quickly got up and walked to the door. The youngest, prettiest geisha girl smiled and bowed as they passed each other. I think she said ‘Good evening,’ but Red Shirt say kanpai to have a drink to give someone your good wishes
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did not say anything. He left the room and never came back. Clown said to the young geisha, ‘What a pity! Your boyfriend went home.’ The geisha girl hit Clown’s leg to stop him talking. Clown laughed. The party continued. People ate a lot of food. Some people drank too much sake. Squash and I left the party together before it finished. It was after 11 o’clock when I got home.
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AFTER-READING ACTIVITIES
Stop & Check 1 Are the sentences correct (C) or incorrect (I)? C I 1 At first Botchan accepted Red Shirt’s offer because ✓ [ [ he needed money to bring Kiyo to Shikoku. 2 The man and his wife were bad people. Porcupine believed them. [ [ 3 Red Shirt planned Squash’s move because he wanted to marry Madonna. [ [ 4 The restaurant was better than restaurants in Tokyo. [ [ 5 Badger and Red Shirt both spoke about Squash at the party. [ [ 6 The food came before Badger spoke about Squash. [ [ 7 Red Shirt talked to the geisha girls at the party. [ [ 8 Botchan left the party at the same time as Squash. [ [
Words 2 Match each word with a definition. The words are all in chapter 7. word c 1 [
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expensive
definition a
wool 2 [ sashimi
b
Japanese woman who looks after customers in a restaurant iron visitor, customer
3[
scroll
c
not cheap
4[
guest
d
part of a room where you put special things
5[
geisha girl
e
slices of fish, not cooked
6[
alcove
f
roll of paper
7 [ honest
g
good, does not lie
Grammar 3 Match the exclamation in column A with its reply in column B. A
B
c 1 [
What a bad head teacher!
a
Yes, they are. I believed their stories about you.
2[
What a pity!
b
I know. The writing is very poor.
3[
What kind words!
c
I agree! He said teachers cannot eat in noodle shops, but he drinks with geisha girls.
4[
What bad people!
d
Yes, isn’t she? And she sings very well.
5[
What a great party!
e
Yes, I don’t want Squash to move.
6[
What a bad scroll!
f
Yes, Porcupine said some good things about Squash.
7 [
What a rainy day!
g
Thank you. I am glad that you came today.
8[
What a beautiful h geisha!
It’s very wet, isn’t it? We need a coat.
Summary 4 Complete the summary of chapter 7. Choose the correct words.
1 2 3 4 5
Badger and Red Shirt made Squash [move / walk] to another [classroom / school]. This was part of Red Shirt’s [plan / place] to [met / marry] Madonna. Red Shirt [gave / told] Botchan a new job with more [money / students]. It was Porcupine’s position. Botchan said no. Porcupine said [bad / good] things about [Squash / Badger] at the goodbye party. The guests [cut / drank] sake and ate [slices / bottles] of sashimi. Red Shirt left when the geisha girls arrived. 93
Chapter Eight
Botchan and Porcupine against Red Shirt and Clown 9
One week after Squash’s sayonara party, there was a special holiday. There was no school that day. The streets had flags everywhere. I sat in my garden, looking at the orange tree. It was beautiful. Porcupine came in. ‘Hey, because today is a holiday, let’s have some good beef.’ After lunch, we talked about Red Shirt’s favourite geisha girl, the one from Squash’s sayonara party. ‘Red Shirt always says people must be good, but he likes geisha girls,’ said Porcupine. ‘He thinks that being friends with a geisha girl is not bad. So why did he leave the party quickly
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when the geisha girl arrived?’ I said. ‘He says one thing, but he does another.’ Porcupine and I talked in my room. We knew that Red Shirt met his geisha girl at the Kadoya Hotel. ‘Somehow we must find him there with his geisha,’ said Porcupine. Mrs. Hagino came to my room. She said that a student wanted to talk to Mr. Hotta. It was Red Shirt’s younger brother. How strange! How did he know that Porcupine was at my house? The student invited Porcupine to a special dance later in the day. ‘Did you hear that? Please come with me,’ said Porcupine. In the afternoon, we walked into town. The streets were full of people. We watched the special dance. Suddenly, we heard some noise. It was not far away. We saw people running. Then, Red Shirt’s younger brother ran over to us. He
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said, ‘Mr. Hotta! Mr. Hotta, there’s a fight! Our boys are fighting with boys from another school. Come quickly!’ Porcupine ran to stop the fight. I went with him. There were about 50 or 60 students from the other school and about 90 of our students. The fighting was bad. We did not know what to do. Porcupine said, ‘Let’s stop this. I don’t want the police to see our boys fighting!’ Suddenly, someone hit me and I fell down. I heard some students shout, ‘Teachers! Knock them down!’ Then another boy, ‘Two of them; a big one and a short one. Throw stones!’ I wanted to stop them. I started hitting the student nearest to me. Then we heard, ‘Police! Police! Run!’ All of the students ran away. Porcupine was hurt. I had a cut on my cheek. Sixteen policemen arrived. They did not catch any
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boys: they caught Porcupine and me! Three days later, I talked with Porcupine. ‘I have a problem. There is a story in the newspaper: it says that you and I started the fight. The principal believes the newspaper, not me! I have to leave this school.’ Later that day, Red Shirt came to my desk. ‘What a shame about Mr. Hotta! I want to help you. I know some people at the newspaper.’ Then I remembered Red Shirt’s brother and the invitation to the dance! This was Red Shirt’s plan. He wanted to make Porcupine look bad. He wanted Badger to ask Porcupine to leave his job. On his last day, Porcupine went down to the beach to get the ship to Kobe. But he did not get on the ship. Instead, he went to the bath house town and rented a room in a small guest house
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opposite the Kadoya Hotel. He wanted to catch Red Shirt with his geisha girl. For one week, we watched the hotel, but no Red Shirt or Clown. Then, on the eighth night, at about half past seven, we saw Kosuzu go into the hotel. Kosuzu was Red Shirt’s geisha friend. We got excited. Tonight is the night, we thought. Three hours later, we heard two men in the street. ‘Everything is all right now.’ It was Clown. ‘No more Koga. No more Hotta. Soon no more Botchan! Botchan. What a terrible name!’ Next was Red Shirt’s voice, ‘You know what Botchan says “I don’t want a new job and more money” or “I want to leave here”. What a strange man he is.’ The two laughed and walked into the hotel. We waited and waited. At last, Clown and
98
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Red Shirt left the hotel. It was five o’clock in the morning. We let them walk ahead and then we followed them. Outside the town, we walked up to them and stood in front of them. Clown was so afraid, he tried to run away. I stopped him. ‘Why is the head teacher leaving a hotel at 5 a.m.?’ Porcupine asked Red Shirt. ‘Is there any reason a head teacher cannot stay in a hotel?’ Red Shirt asked Porcupine. He was a little white. ‘Well! Listen to the head teacher. He doesn’t like teachers who go to noodle or dango shops. They are a bad example to the students. And he just stayed in a hotel with a geisha girl called Kosuzu!’ said Porcupine. Clown wanted to run. I stopped him. ‘Who is afraid of Botchan now, huh?’ I asked. I remembered there were some eggs in my
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pocket. They were for my breakfast. I broke the eggs on his head. Suddenly Clown’s face was all yellow. Porcupine said to Red Shirt, ‘I saw your favourite geisha go into the hotel early in the evening. I know you were together!’ Porcupine was angry and hit him. Red Shirt almost fell. ‘This is terrible! You can’t hit people for no reason!’ said Red Shirt. ‘You are terrible!’ said Porcupine and hit him again. ‘I have many reasons to hit you. Then Porcupine looked at the two men. ‘You are both terrible people. Be nicer to everyone!’ The two men said nothing. They were too afraid to speak. ‘I know it was wrong to hit you. I am staying at the Minatoya Hotel at the beach. Tell the police,’ said Porcupine. ‘Me, too!’ I said.
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We walked away feeling better. The police never came! Porcupine and I left Shikoku for Kobe on the 6 o’clock ship. From Kobe we took a train to Tokyo. I said goodbye to Porcupine at Shimbashi Station. That was the last time I saw him. I hurried to Kiyo’s house. ‘Hello, Kiyo, I’m back!’ I said. ‘How good of you to come back so soon!’ she answered, and she started crying because she was happy. I decided to live in Tokyo with Kiyo as my servant. Life was good for a short time. Then Kiyo suddenly got ill. On the day before she died, she said, ‘Please when I die, put me with your family. I want to wait there for my Botchan.’ So Kiyo is with my family. She is waiting for me in Yogenji Temple in Tokyo.
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AFTER-READING ACTIVITIES
Stop & Check 1 Match each question with an answer. 1 [ f Why was there no school?
a
2 [ Where did Red Shirt meet his geisha girl?
b He wanted to catch Red Shirt with his geisha girl.
3 [ What bad thing happened during the special dance?
c
4[
d He put them on Clown’s head.
Who did the policemen catch?
5 [ What did Badger ask Porcupine?
He asked him to leave the school.
He hit Red Shirt.
e
They caught Botchan and Porcupine.
6 [ Why did Porcupine rent a f room near Kagoya Hotel?
It was a special holiday.
7 [ Where did Botchan put the eggs?
g Students from two schools fought each other.
8[
h
Who did Porcupine hit?
At the Kagoya Hotel.
Words 2 Match each word with a definition. The words are all in chapter 8. wool
iron
word
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definition
e 1 [
cheek
a
small rock
2[
dangerous
b
unusual
3[
crowd
c
not safe
4[
strange
d
walk quickly
5[
stone
e
side of face
6[
hurry
f
many people
Grammar 3 Match the two halves of the sentences. e 1 [
Because it was a special day
a
Kiyo cried a lot.
2[
Because he wanted to invite Porcupine to the dance
b
Badger asked Porcupine to leave.
3[
Because some students were fighting
c
there was blood on Botchan’s cheek.
4[
Because someone threw a stone
d
the student went to the Hagino’s house.
5[
Because the newspaper wrote some lies
e
there were many flags.
6[
Because Botchan came back to Tokyo
f
Red Shirt’s brother asked Porcupine to help.
Summary 4 Complete the summary of chapter 8. Choose the correct words.
1 Red Shirt’s [older / younger] brother asked Porcupine to stop the [cooking / fighting]. 2 The newspaper said that Botchan and Porcupine [ended / started] the fight. Badger asked Porcupine to leave the [school / club]. 3 Porcupine decided to [catch / meet] Red Shirt with a geisha girl. He [bought / rented] a room in the bath house town. 4 Porcupine hit Red Shirt [once / a few times ]. Botchan put [milk / eggs] on Clown’s head. 5 Botchan left [that day / the next week]. He went to Tokyo and lived there with Kiyo his old [cook / servant]. 105
FOCUS ON...
Natsume Soseki
Early Life Natsume Kinnosuke was born in 1867. His mother was 41 and his father was 53. His mother and father did not want him. They did not love him. He had a difficult time as a child. However, he studied hard, was good at English and entered Tokyo University in 1884. E. A. Poe
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Student Days
Botchan Background
At university, Kinnosuke met Masaoka Noboru from Matsuyama, Shikoku, who became famous as a haiku poet. He used the pen name Masaoka Shiki to write. He liked Kinnosuke and wanted him to become a writer. In 1887, Kinnosuke changed his name to Soseki, which means ‘stubborn’ in English, and became a writer.
In 1894, Natsume suddenly accepted a job as an English teacher at Matsuyama Middle School, arriving in 1895. His salary was higher than the principal’s, just like Botchan in the novel. He used a lot of his life experience to write Botchan. Kiyo in Botchan is really his wife, Kyoko. Her nickname was Kiyo.
Asahi Shinbun Natsume stopped teaching in 1907 and became a full-time writer for the Asahi Shinbun, a famous newspaper. He wrote for the Asahi Shinbun until he died. Natsume quickly became famous in Japan after his novels appeared in the newspaper every day. His opinions influenced life in the Meiji Era. Natsume Soseki walk near Waseda University
Then and Now Natsume died in December 1916, just before his 50th birthday. Although Natsume wrote over 100 years ago, his books and essays are still very important to Japanese culture and literature today. Most Japanese students still read Botchan at school. This statue of him can be found in Shinjuku-Ku, near the Waseda Station on the Tozai Subway Line
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The Meiji Era From Edo to Tokyo Kyoto was the capital of Japan from 794 to 1868. Another important city was Edo. In 1868, at the beginning of the Meiji Era, Edo got a new name, Tokyo, and became the new capital city of Japan. Tokyo means ‘eastern capital’. The Meiji Emperor moved to Tokyo from Kyoto to show his people that Tokyo was the new centre of power. The Meiji Emperor
A photograph representing the Meiji Era
Changing Times
- lived during the Meiji Natsume Soseki Era, which lasted from September 1868 to July 1912. Meiji means ‘enlightened government’. During the Meiji Era, Japan changed very much in a short time. Japan became a modern democratic society. Japan also changed its social structure, politics, economy, military, and foreign relations. 108
Keio University
The Fukuzawa Essay In 1868, Fukuzawa Yukichi established Keio University, Japan’s oldest institute of higher education. It was a private school for Western studies. In 1885, Fukuzawa wrote a very important essay. He wanted Japan to study and copy Western countries, not Asian ones. After this essay, economic and technological changes happened more quickly during the Meiji Era.
Major Changes From the beginning of the Meiji Era, the government sent a lot of experts, including Natsume, to Europe and America to study and bring back new knowledge to Japan. The government also employed more than 3,000 foreign experts to come to Japan. They taught English, medicine, science, engineering, military skills and other subjects. The influence of the Meiji Era helped Japan become the world’s third-largest economy with global business interests and world-famous brands.
Fukuzawa Yukichi
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FOCUS ON...
The London Years Voyage to London In the Meiji Era, the Japanese government sent many scholars and experts to several foreign countries. The government wanted them to return to Japan with new knowledge and information. They had a plan to make Japan become more equal and competitive with the West. Natsume - was a famous professor of Soseki English literature, so the government sent him to London in 1900 to study literature and the English language. 110
Tough Times Natsume’s time in London was not very happy. He had some serious health problems. English culture was very different from Japan’s. It was difficult for him to communicate with the people in his life. His government scholarship was too low to study at Cambridge University.
Soseki Museum in London
Good Times Natsume took a long train journey to visit Pitlochry in the north of Scotland. He enjoyed his time in Scotland. He also learned how to ride a bicycle in London. He wrote about his experience in his 1905 essay, Bicycle Diary. He bought hundreds of books and sent them all back to Tokyo. He used them for research and teaching his classes at Tokyo University. Now they are all in Tohoku University in Sendai.
The British Influence
Soseki Museum in London
Natsume learned about the English language, British culture and society. This influenced how he thought and wrote when he returned to Japan. His London years helped him become one of Japan’s greatest authors. He wrote novels, poetry, haiku, essays and short stories. They are still very popular in Japan. Today Natsume’s works continue to influence new writers. 111
Syllabus Verbs Affirmative, Negative, Interrogative, Infinitives, regular and common irregular verbs, Present Simple, Present Continuous with present meaning, Simple past, Imperative. Modal verbs can, have to, must.
Nouns Abstract, concrete, animate, inanimate, collective, common, proper nouns, countable, uncountable. Pronouns Interrogative who, what; Indefinite someone, something, everything, anything, nothing.
Adverbs Frequency, manner.
Quantifiers All, a lot of, some/any, more.
Type of clause Simple one-clause sentences; two clauses joined with and, but or or. Time clauses introduced by when, before, after.
Adjectives Demonstrative, possessive, qualifying. Prepositions Place (Position and Direction), Time.
YOUNG ADULT STAGE 1
Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles
STAGE 2
Charles Dickens, Great Expectations William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet Bram Stoker, Dracula William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream Robert Louis Stevenson, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
STAGE 3
Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray William Shakespeare, Macbeth Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility
READERS STAGE 4
James Joyce, Dubliners Mary Shelley, Frankenstein Henry James, The Turn of the Screw Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights Edgar Allan Poe, Stories of Mystery and Suspense Charles and Mary Lamb, Tales from Shakespeare Charles Dickens, A Tale of two Cities Anthony Hope, The Prisoner of Zenda
STAGE 5 Virginia Woolf, Mrs Dalloway Francis Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby STAGE 6 Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness J. Borsbey & R. Swan, Editors, A Collection of First World War Poetry Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest
LIGHT Edgar Allan Poe, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket – Botchan Natsume Soseki,