I'm Yamamoto Mika, a 22-year old Japanese girl. I'd like to invite you to Aichi University so you can understand my life.
Our university has a close relationship with China and my department is the only one of its kind in Japan. My courses include the Chinese language, modem Chinese politics and economics. I love the Chinese culture and I have been to Tianjin as an exchange students.1
In Japan, our courses are divided into compulsory, optional and specialized courses.2 However, we have a flexible schedule. We can choose classes from a wide range of options.
Many students finish the compulsory courses in three years so that they can have one year without any classes. They often use this period of time to study abroad, conduct research and travel. Many students even suspend their study for additional study-abroad opportunities.
Japanese universities encourage students to choose their own ways of study, so it is quiet easy for us to apply for study suspension.
Japanese students participate in various kinds of extracurricular activities. They attend clubs from elementary schools, so many have already been accustomed to clubs when they enter university.
Our university now has 42 art clubs and 45 sports clubs. The annual University Festival is the grandest carnival of Japanese universities. In the festival, students promote their clubs and organize various activities. Our university's festival attracted about 150,000 people last year. I really like this festival.
In school, I participate in the journalism club. When we have the club promotion, we cook "tonnjiru", a kind of pork soup, and sell it to other students at the fair.
We also go to different places to interview celebrities who attend our festival as guests. It is a wonderful experience to talk to those stars face to face.
Japanese students like to hold parties. We have two kinds of parties. One is the Mochiyori party. If you want to attend this party you have to cook a course3 and take it to the party. The organizer buys drinks and snacks.
Another kind of party is the Nomikai, which mainly involves alcohol. We drink something called chu-hai, which is a combination of soda and wine. We also drink Japanese sake and beer. There are parties for many occasions, like welcoming new students, graduation, celebrating victories, birthday parties or just for promoting friendship.
词汇：
compulsory adj. 必修的
extracurricular adj. 课外的
carnival n. 狂欢节
celebrities n. 名人
sake n. （日本）清酒
注释：
1．I have been to Tianjin as an exchange student作为交换生我在天津学习过
2．compulsory, optional and specialized courses必修、选修、专修课
3．course是个多义词。本文出现两种意思：课程；(一道)菜
练习：
1. Which statement is NOT true of Yamamoto Mika?
A) She is a Japanese student.
B) She has never been to China.
C) She loves the Chinese culture.
D) She wants you to understand her life.
2. Many Japanese students finish the compulsory courses in three years because
A) they want to get married.
B) they want to stay at home.
C) they want to study abroad.
D) they want to make money.
3. Which of the following is NOT a feature of the University Festival?
A) Inviting government officials to dinner.
B) Organizing various activities.
C) Interviewing celebrities.
D) Promoting clubs.
4. When you attend a Mochiyori party, you need
A) interview celebrities.
B) buy drinks and snacks.
C) get permission from the organizer.
D) take to it a course you have cooked.
5. The word compulsory could be best replaced by
A) forced.
B) required.
C) requested.
D) demanded.
答案与题解：
1．B 问题问的是：下面的哪个有关Yamamoto Mika的命题是不对的? 第一段的最后一句话是这么说的：我酷爱中国文化，并且作为交换生在天津学习过。所以认为Yamamoto Mika从来没有去过中国是不对的。
2．C 问题问的是：为什么许多日本学生在三年里把所有的必修课都读完? 第四段是这么说的：许多日本学生在三年里把所有的必修课都读完是为了空出一年来，他们常常用这一段时间去国外学习、做研究和旅行。
3．A 问题问的是：下面的哪一种活动不是大学节的特色? A说的是：要求政府官员吃饭。文章没有提到过在大学节有请政府官员吃饭这种事。
4．D 问题问的是：当参加一种叫做Mochiyori的聚会时你需要做什么?倒数第二段的第三句话是这么说的：如果你想参加这种聚会的话，你要带一个你自己做的菜。
5．B “compulsory course”也可以说“required course”。
