Lesson 2
Book 1
Hiroshima — the “Liveliest” City
in Japan (Excerpts)
Jacques Danvoir
Contents
Ⅰ. Background Info
Ⅱ. Text Analysis
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
Ⅳ. Writing Devices
Ⅴ. Exercise
Ⅰ. Background Info
How much do you know about World War II?
Ⅰ. Background Info
World War II
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Ⅰ. Background Info
World War II
Time
1939-1945
1939
The exact date of start is not universally agreed upon. It is
generally considered that in Europe World War II started on 1
September 1939, when Nazi Germany, under Adolf Hitler,
invaded Poland. The dates for the beginning of the war in the
Pacific include the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War on 7
July 1937, or the earlier Japanese invasion of Manchuria, on
18 September 1931.
1945
The exact date of the war's end is also not universally agreed
upon. It was generally accepted at the time that the war ended
with the armistice of 14 August 1945 (V-J Day), rather than
with the formal surrender of Japan on 2 September 1945,
which officially ended the war in Asia. A peace treaty between
Japan and the Allies was signed in 1951.
Ⅰ. Background Info
Two opposing military alliances
The Allies (同盟国阵营)
The Soviet Union, officially the
Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics (USSR)
The Axis Powers (轴心国阵营)
Nazi Germany (1933-1943)
Nazi Party controlled the
country
The United States of
America (USA)
The United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern
Ireland, commonly known as
the United Kingdom (UK)
The Republic of China (ROC)
(1912 - 1949)
The Empire of Japan
(the Japanese Empire or
Imperial Japan)
Fascist Italy; The Kingdom of
Italy was governed by the
National Fascist Party from
1922 to 1943
Ⅰ. Background Info
Commanders & Leaders
The Allies (同盟国阵营)
The Axis Powers(轴心国阵营)
Joseph Stalin
Adolf Hitler
Franklin
D.Roosevelt
Hirohito
Winston Churchill
Benito Mussolini
Chiang Kai-shek
Ⅰ. Background Info
Major Events
30 Jan,
1933
Adolf Hitler becomes chancellor of Germany and his
Nazi Party takes power
25 Oct,
1936
Rome-Berlin Axis coalition formed (Italy & Germany).
Later it includes Japan
7 July,
1937
Japan invades China
12 Mar,
1938
Hitler indexes the country of Austria into Germany
(Angules)
1 Sep,
1939
Germany invaded Poland. World War 2 begins.
17 Sep,
1939
Soviet Union invades Poland.
Ⅰ. Background Info
Major Events
30 Sep, Treaty of Munich 慕尼黑阴谋
1938
Mar
Hitler invades Czechoslovakia
1939
Late Aug Russia and Germany sign pact 苏德互不侵犯条约
1939
Apr-May, Germany invaded Denmark and Norway
1940
May-Jun, Battle of Dunkirk (Operation Dynamo) 敦刻尔克战役;
1940
敦刻尔克大撤退
Jun 1940 Paris falls to Nazis. France signs armistice with
Germany 法国投降
Ⅰ. Background Info
Major Events
40 May,
1940
Winston Churchill becomes British Prime Minister
July-Oct, Battle of Britain 大不列颠之战 (Nazi Germany's
1940
planned invasion of Britain: Operation Sealion 海狮计
划)
22 Jun,
1941
Operation Barbarossa (invasion of USSA) 巴巴罗萨行
动
7 Dec,
1941
The Attact on Pearl Harbor 偷袭珍珠港 & U.S.
plunged into war
4 Jun,
1942
Battle of Midway 中途岛战役
23 Oct
1942
Battle of El Alamein 阿拉曼战役
Ⅰ. Background Info
Major Events
10 July,
1943
Allied invasion of Sicily 西西里岛战役
3 Sep,
1943
Italy surrendered
6 June,
1944
D-day in Normandy(Normandy landings); the Allied
invasion of Normandy 诺曼底登陆
16 Dec,
1944
Battle of the Bulge 突出部之役 / 阿登战役
19 Feb,
1945
Battle of Iwo Jima 硫磺岛战役
23 Mar,
1945
Operation Plunder
Ⅰ. Background Info
Major Events
28 Apr
1945
Mussolini captured and executed
30 Apr,
1945
Hitler committed suicide & On 7 May 1945 Germany
surrendered unconditionally
6 Aug,
1945
An atomic bomb dropped over hiroshima (little boy)
9 Aug,
1945
A second atom bomb is dropped at Nagasaki (fat man)
2 Sep,
1945
Japan formally surrendered, the end of WW2
Oct 1945 The UN was established
Ⅰ. Background Info
Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan.
Ⅰ. Background Info
On 6 and 9 August 1945,
respectively, the United
States dropped atomic bombs
on the Japanese cities of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Ⅰ. Background Info
Hiroshima
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Ⅰ. Background Info
Ⅰ. Background Info
On 6 August, a Little
Boy was dropped on
Hiroshima
A post-war Little Boy model
Ⅰ. Background Info
Three days later,
a Fat Man was
dropped on
Nagasaki.
Mockup of the original weapon: Fat Man
Ⅱ. Text Analysis
Introduction
• “Hiroshima — the ‘Liveliest’ City in Japan (Excerpts)” is a
piece of feature story or simply a feature, a type of
journalistic writing. It is a piece of writing about a subject
in a newspaper or a magazine, or a special report on
television or on the radio. The one we are studying was
presented on an American radio program.
Ⅱ. Text Analysis
• Feature stories are usually compared with (hard) news
stories, which must be objective and timely. Generally,
they differ in four aspects:
Ⅱ. Text Analysis
The Lede /liːd/ (beginning)
A feature lede doesn’t have to include who, what, where,
when and why in the very first paragraph, the way a hardnews lede does. Instead, a feature lede can use
description or an anecdote to set up the story. And a
feature lede can run for several paragraphs instead of
just one.
Ⅱ. Text Analysis
Pace
Feature stories often employ a more leisurely pace than
news stories. Features take time to tell a story, instead
of rushing through it the way news stories often seem to
do.
Length
Taking more time to tell a story means using more space,
which is why features are usually, though not always,
longer than hard news articles.
Ⅱ. Text Analysis
A Focus on the Human Element
If news stories tend to focus on events, then features
tend to focus more on people. Features are designed
to bring the human element into the picture, which is
why many editors call features “people stories”.
Ⅱ. Text Analysis
• “Hiroshima — the ‘Liveliest’ City in Japan” is about a
place — Hiroshima. The writer’s arrival by shinkansen at
the railway station constitutes the lede.
• To get to the City Hall, the writer took a cab and enjoyed
his leisurely pace in depicting the process of reaching his
destination.
• The mayor’s reception and the writer’s visit to the
atomic ward in the hospital highlight the human element
of this feature story.
Ⅱ. Text Analysis
Theme
The feature records the writer’s (an American) personal
experience in Hiroshima, the first city bombed by A-bomb,
trying to reveal the dual character of Hiroshima:
• the coexistence of liveliness and
• hidden pain, the result of the bomb.
Ⅱ. Text Analysis
Text Organization
• Part 1 (Paras. 1-27):
The writer’s arrival at Hiroshima and his attendance at
the city mayor’s reception.
• Part 2 (Paras. 28-39):
The writer’s short visit to the atomic section of a
hospital in Hiroshima and what he has seen, heard
and understood on this trip.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
1. Hiroshima-the“Liveliest”City in Japan (Title)
• The word “liveliest” is put in quotation marks to show
that this is what the city is said to be and the writer
perhaps considers it ironic to use the word “liveliest” to
describe a city that had been destroyed by an atomic
bomb. The article is about the dual character of
Hiroshima, the coexistence of liveliness and hidden pain
the result of the bomb.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
2. “Hiroshima! Everybody off!” (Para. 1)
• 1) Everybody off: Everybody should now get off the
train.
• 2) These words were shouted by the stationmaster to
inform the passengers that the train had arrived at its
terminal destination and all passengers were to detrain.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
3. That must be...slipped to a stop in Hiroshima Station.
(Para. 1)
• 1) “Must" here expresses strong probability as the
author did not understand Japanese and could not have
been sure.
• 2) in the Japanese stationmaster's uniform:
• in: (of dress) wearing something
• e.g. in white; in mourning; in rags; in silk
• stationmaster: the official in charge of a railway station
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
3. That must be...slipped to a stop in Hiroshima Station.
(Para. 1)
• 3) slip to a stop: to come to a stop smoothly and
effortlessly in a gliding manner.
• 4) slide, slip, glide:
• Slide implies accelerated motion without losing contact with the
slippery surface.
• Slip often suggests the action is involuntary rather than voluntary
sometimes even definitely implying a loss of footing and a fall.
• Glide, rather close to slide, means to move smoothly, quietly and
continuously as is characteristic of dances.
• e.g. A plane glided down to the airfield.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
4. And secondly, because I had a lump in my throat and a
lot of sad thoughts...might say. (Para.1)
• 1) I had a lump in my throat: I was choked with emotion;
I was so overcome with emotion that I could not speak
or think clearly.
• 2) a lump in one’s throat: a feeling of pressure in one's
throat caused by repressed emotion.
• 3) a lot of sad thoughts on my mind: I was troubled
about some sad events; I was occupied with some sad
thoughts.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
4. And secondly, because I had a lump in my throat and a
lot of sad thoughts...might say. (Para.1)
• 4) on one's mind: occupying one's thoughts, especially as
a source of worry.
• 5) have to do with: to be a concern of; to be about; to be
connected with.
• 6) My sad thoughts had no connection with what the
stationmaster might say.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
5. The very act of stepping on this soil…any reportorial
assignment..taken. (Para.1)
• 1) stepping on this soil: putting my feet down on this soil;
landing in Hiroshima
• 2) far greater: adverbial modifiers of adjective or
adverb in the comparative degree
• e.g. far more; even more; still more; a lot more; much
more; two years older; a head taller
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
5. The very act of stepping on this soil…any reportorial
assignment..taken. (Para.1)
• 4) adventure: an unusual journey or an exciting or
remarkable experience.
• 5) reportorial assignment; reporting work for a
newspaper.
• The fact that I was now in Hiroshima was in itself a
much more exciting experience for me than any trip I
had taken or any reporting work I had done in the past.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
6. Was I not at the scene of the crime? (Para.1)
• 1) scene: place of an actual event.
• 2) the crime: the dropping of the A-bomb on Hiroshima.
• 3) Rhetorical questions are usually asked only for effect,
as to emphasize a point, no answer being expected.
• I was now at the place where the first A-bomb was
dropped
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
7. Information provided in the first paragraph?
• 1) The author was here on a reportorial mission.
• 2) Hiroshima was not the author's first assignment.
• 3) He was preoccupied with some sad thoughts-the crime
of the A-bomb. He was tortured by a guilty conscience.
• 4) He didn't understand Japanese.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
8. The Japanese crowd...that I had. (Para. 2)
• 1) did not appear to have: did not seem to have.
• 2) The author could not have been absolutely sure that
the Japanese crowd did not have the same
preoccupations.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
8. The Japanese crowd...that I had. (Para. 2)
• 3) seem, look, appear:
• Seem suggests a personal opinion based on evidence that
satisfies the judgment.
• Look implies that the opinion is based on a visual
impression.
• Appear may convey the same implication as look, but it
sometimes suggests a distorted impression produced by
an optical illusion, a restricted point of view, etc.
• e.g. The setting sun made the spires appear ablaze.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
9. From the sidewalk...things seemed much the same as in
other Japanese cities. (Para. 2)
• 1) sidewalk chiefly used in the U.S.; (British) pavement;
(New Zealand) footpath.
• 2) much the same: about the same; “much” here tones
down rather than emphasizes the word “same.”
• 3) Seem is used to indicate that things are actually not
so.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
10. Little girls...in Western dress. (Para.2)
• This sentence gives the impression that in Japan
traditional style and Western style exist side by side.
• 1) elderly: approaching old age, past middle age.
• 2) rub shoulders with: (informal) to meet and mix with
(people)
• e.g. The foreign visitors said that they would like to rub shoulders
with ordinary Chinese people.
• During those two terms at the boarding school, she rubbed
shoulders with the rich.
• 3) teenager: boy or girl from 13 to 19
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
11. Serious looking men...“Tomo aligato gozayimas.” (Para.2)
• 1) be oblivious of/to: to be unaware of.
• She seemed completely oblivious to the noise around her
• 2) bob up and down repeatedly in little bows: to bow
repeatedly
• bob up and down: to move up and down automatically
(humorous description of the bows)
• 3) ritual: all the rites or forms connected with a ceremony;
particular form of any procedure regularly followed; here
used as an adjective meaning “done as a rite”
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
11. Serious looking men...“Tomo aligato gozayimas.” (Para.2)
• 4) formula of gratitude and respect: form of words used
regularly such as “Thank you,” “Excuse me”.
• They were so absorbed in their conversation that they
seemed not to pay any attention to the crowds about them.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
12. Others were using little red telephones that hung
on...shops. (Para.2)
• 1) facade: front or face of building toward a street or
open place.
• 2) grocery store: a store where tea, butter, sugar,
tinned food and such household requirements as soap and
soap powder are sold
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
13. cab driver (Para.3)
• (mainly American English) taxi driver.
• We might infer from the use of such words as “sidewalk,”
“store” and “cab driver” that the author is most likely an
American.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
14. ...whose door popped open at the very sight of a
traveler. (Para.3)
• 1) pop open: to burst open with a short, sharp, slightly
explosive sound.
• 2) at the sight of: on seeing
• As soon as the taxi driver saw a traveler, he immediately
opened the door
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
15. City Hall (Para.3)
• a building which houses the offices of a municipal
government.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
16. He grinned at me in the rearview mirror….(Para.3)
• 1) grin: to smile broadly as to show teeth, originally
expressing amusement, foolish satisfaction or contempt,
etc, but in current English, tending to imply naive
cheerfulness.
• 2) rearview mirror: driving-mirror inside a motor-vehicle
for seeing out of the rear window
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
17. We set off at top speed... (Para.3)
• set off: to start a journey race, etc.
• The taxi-driver drove very fast.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
18. The tall building of the martyred city.….in response
to...the wheel. (Para.3)
• 1) martyred city: the city that has been made to suffer.
• 2) flash by: to pass swiftly
• 3) lurch: to roll or sway suddenly forward or to one side
• 4) in response to: as a response to
• 5) sharp twist: abrupt change of direction
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
18. The tall building of the martyred city.….in response
to...the wheel. (Para.3)
• The high buildings passed swiftly and when the driver
made abrupt changes of direction, we sometimes swung
to one side, sometimes to the other side in response to
the swaying motion of the car.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
19. Just as I was beginning to find the ride long….went over
to a policeman to ask the way. (Para.4)
• 1) ride: a period of travel, especially a journey by horse,
car, bicycle, bus, etc.
• 2) the taxi screeched to a halt: The taxi stopped with a
harsh piercing sound as when the brakes were suddenly
applied.
• screech: to make a harsh, piercing sound (cf.slip to a
stop; come to a stop; grind to a stop)
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
20. ...but to avoid loss of face...how long it may take them
to find it. (Para.4)
• 1) loss of face: inability to keep up dignity, self-respect,
prestige; loss of reputation; humiliation. Saving face is
considered as a common trait of Eastern cultures.
• 2) will accept any destination without concern for: will
agree to go where they are asked to without caring
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
21. At last this intermezzo came to an end, and I found
myself...City Hall. (Para.5)
• 1) intermezzo: a short, light dramatic, musical or ballet
entertainment between the acts of a play or opera; here
the word is used figuratively to refer to anything that
fills time between two events-the cab ride that took
place between his arrival at Hiroshima and his planned
meeting with the mayor.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
21. At last this intermezzo came to an end, and I found
myself...City Hall. (Para.5)
• 2) I found myself: This pattern gives the idea of
“suddenness” and “unexpectedness”; I suddenly
discovered that I was in front of the gigantic City Hall.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
22. The usher bowed deeply...in response to my request for
an interview (Para.5)
• 1) usher: someone who shows people to their seats at a
theater, cinema, a wedding etc.
• 2) heave a sigh: to utter a sigh.
• The usher uttered a sigh perhaps because many people
had gone there wrongly before the author and he had to
explain once again.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
23. sketch a map (Para.6)
• to draw roughly and quickly with outlines but little detail.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
24. Thanks to his map...with a roof like one on a Japanese
house was moored. (Para.7)
• 1) thanks to: on account of; because of.
• 2) embankment: a raised bank built to confine a river or
canal.
• 3) barge: a large flat-bottomed boat for carrying goods
or people on rivers or canals
• 4) a sort of: used to suggest that what is referred to
does not fully deserve the name; a kind of; something
like a...
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
24. Thanks to his map...with a roof like one on a Japanese
house was moored. (Para.7)
• 5) moor: to secure a boat with cables.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
25. The rather arresting spectacle…between the kimono
and the miniskirt. (Para.7)
• 1) arresting: striking; attracting and holding the
attention.
• 2) spectacle: sight, view or scene
• 3) the rather arresting spectacle of little old Japan: the
rather striking picture of traditional Japan.
• 4) adrift: afloat without control at the mercy of wind
and sea; floating freely without being steered
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
25. The rather arresting spectacle…between the kimono
and the miniskirt. (Para.7)
• 5) beige: brownish grey or grayish yellow (the color of
sandstone).
• 6) concrete: cement mixed with sand and gravel, etc
• 7) skyscraper: 摩天大楼; “scrape” means “to touch.”
• 8) struggle between the kimono and the miniskirt
“Kimono” and “miniskirt” here are used as symbols
representing the “old” and the “new” or the East and the
West.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
25. The rather arresting spectacle…between the kimono
and the miniskirt. (Para.7)
• The traditional floating houses among high modern
buildings are also used as symbols to represent the
constant struggle between old tradition (traditional
culture) and new development(Western style).
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
26. a stunning, porcelain-faced woman...my shoes. (Para.8)
• 1) stunning: very attractive; delightfully beautiful
• 2) porcelain-faced: using the traditional white make-up;
a face with a fair delicate complexion
• 3) remove: to take off
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
27. ...treading cautiously on the soft tatami matting...in my
socks. (Para.8)
• 1) tread: to move on foot; to walk.
• 2) cautious: careful to avoid danger, harm
• 3) a twinge of embarrassment: a sudden sharp feeling of
shame
• 4) at the prospect of: at the expectation of
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
27. ...treading cautiously on the soft tatami matting...in my
socks. (Para.8)
• 5) experiencing a twinge of embarrassment...in my socks:
suffering from a strong feeling of shame when I thought
of the prospect of meeting the mayor of Hiroshima in my
socks.
• I was not accustomed to walking in my socks so I walked
carefully, fearing that something unpleasant or
dangerous might happen.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
28. sad-eyed (Para.9)
• looking sad.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
29. the strange emotion which had overwhelmed me at the
station returned. (Para.9)
• I was again overcome by a guilty conscience as I had
been when I first arrived at the station.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
30. I was again crushed by the thought that.….(Para.9)
• The thought that...once again overwhelmed me.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
31. slay (Para.9)
• (literary) to kill or murder.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
32. ...lingered on to die in slow agony (Para.9)
• 1) linger: to be slow in dying; to be slow or reluctant to
leave.
• e.g.They lingered over dinner.
• 2) agony: great pain or suffering
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
33. ...just why we were gathered here. (Para. 10)
• the exact reason for our coming here.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
34. inhibited (Para.10)
• feeling restrained, having to suppress one's emotion.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
35. After three days in Japan….extraordinarily flexible.
(Para.12)
• 1) spinal column: the backbone.
• 2) flexible: easily bent; pliant
• 3) Notice the humorous effect achieved through the use
of the formal, learned and scientific terms.
• After three days in Japan one gets quite used to bowing
to people as a ritual in greeting and to show gratitude.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
36. the faces grew more and more serious each time the
name Hiroshima was repeated. (Para.14)
• The Mayor mentioned Hiroshima repeatedly and to the
author (who was suffering from a guilty conscience) the
repeated mention of the name created a suspense which
he found hard to bear. That was also perhaps why the
faces (of other foreigners) grew more and more serious..
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
37. familiar to (Para.15)
• well-known to (cf. familiar with: having a good knowledge
of).
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
38. “Yes, yes, of course,” murmured the company, more and
more agitated. (Para.16)
• 1) the company: the group of people present.
• 2) agitated: disturbed; upset
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
39. “Seldom has a city gained such world renown..” (Para. 17)
• Seldom has a city become so world-famous. .
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Common inverted forms:
Rarely have I seen such a good movie.
Never in my life have I heard such a stupid story.
Not only was he a great statesman, but he was also a great scientist.
Not until recently did I realize why I was lagging behind others.
Only in this way can we overcome this difficulty.
So loudly did he speak that even people in the next room could
hear him without difficulty.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
40. “…a town known throughout the world for its-oysters”
(Para.17)
• This is called anti-climax, a common literary device to
achieve humor, surprise, satire, etc. The mayor said this
because he did not want to embarrass the foreigners by
talking about the disaster and he wanted people to
forget the tragic past and because Hiroshima was
famous for its oysters.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
41. I was just about to make my little bow of assent...my
sad reverie. (Para.18)
• 1) about to: on the point of (doing something); just going
to (do something).
• 2) assent: an acceptance(of a statement) as true;
agreement
• 3) sink in: to be fully absorbed or understood; to
penetrate especially gradually
• 4) jolt: to shake up or jar, as with a bumpy ride or sharp
blow; to shock or surprisev
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
41. I was just about to make my little bow of assent...my
sad reverie. (Para.18)
• 5) reverie: dreamy thinking, especially of agreeable
things; the state of being absorbed in dreamlike
contemplation; daydreaming.
• I was on the point of showing my agreement by nodding
when I suddenly realized what he meant. His words
shocked me out of my sad dreamy thinking
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
42. humanity's most heinous crime (Para. 19)
• the most wicked crime mankind has ever committed.
• heinous: (literary) wicked in a high degree; atrocious
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
43. I cautiously backed away and headed toward the far
side of the room... (Para. 20)
• backed away: moved backwards away from the mayor;
moved toward the other end of the room.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
44. “You look puzzled...” (Para. 21)
• You look bewildered.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
45. “I must confess that I did not expect a speech about
oysters here” (Para.22)
• I must admit that it never occurred to me that I would
hear the mayor of Hiroshima talk about oysters..
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
46. “I thought that Hiroshima still felt the impact of the
atomic cataclysm.” (Para. 22)
• 1) impact: strong effect.
• 2) cataclysm: a violent and sudden upheaval, especially a
serious flood, an earthquake or a war; disaster
• I thought that people here had not forgotten the
disaster the city had suffered.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
47. live through (Para.23)
• to experience and survive.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
48. “I tell you this because I am almost an old man”
(Para.25)
• The implication is that it is because I do not care if
people should know I was here when the bomb was
dropped. Other people might try to hide the fact..
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
49. “There are two different schools of thought.….the
point of impact.” (Para.25)
• 1) school: group of people sharing the same thought.
• 2) trace: a visible mark or sign of the former presence
of thing or event; vestige
• 3) preserve traces of the bomb: to maintain and protect
the signs of destruction caused by the bomb
• 4) erect: to construct; to put up
• 5) at the point of impact: at the exact point over where
the bomb exploded
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
50. “They would also like to demolish the atomic museum.”
(Para. 25)
• 1) demolish: to pull down or tear down.
• 2) the atomic museum: the museum which houses the
relics of the holocaust
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
51. time marches on (Para. 27)
• Things are changing; history is advancing..
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
52. gay (Para.27)
• pleasure-loving (Note: Today it often refers to
homosexual.).
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
53. “...even if many of the town's people still bear hidden
wounds, and burns. (Para.27)
• 1) bear: to carry.
• 2) burn: an injury produced by fire, heat, or a heat-
producing agent
• 3) hidden wounds and burns: invisible scars
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
54. smell of (Para.28)
• to give out a smell of.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
55. Stretchers and wheelchairs lined the walls...any healthy
visitor. (Para.28)
• 1) stretchers and wheelchairs..corridors: stretchers and
wheelchairs are put against the walls in the corridors.
• 2) the very sight...any healthy visitor: even healthy
visitors would shiver when they see those surgical
instruments.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
56. by trade (Para.29)
• by occupation; by way of making a living.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
57. “I thought somehow I had been spared.” (Para. 31)
• I thought for some reason or other I had not been
affected; I thought for some reason or other no harm
had been done to me..
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
58. “...later my hair began to fall out, and my belly turned
to water.” (Para.31)
• 1) fall out: to become detached-hair, teeth, etc.
• 2) my belly turned to water: I had diarrhea-very loose
bowels.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
59. “I felt sick..” (Para. 31)
• I felt nauseous; I wanted to vomit..
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
60. “...they have been testing and treating me.” (Para. 31)
• “Testing” and “treating” are used here also to achieve
musical effect; this is called alliteration..
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
61. “It is humiliating to survive in this city.” (Para.34)
• humiliate: to hurt the pride or dignity of.
• It is a disgrace for an atomic victim to remain alive in
this city (or to continue to live in this city).
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
62. “...your children will encounter prejudice on the part of
those who do not.” (Para.34)
• 1) encounter: to meet with; to face.
• 2) on the part of someone: by someone
• Your children will be looked down upon by those who are
not atomic victims
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
63. “People are afraid of genetic damage from the
radiation.” (Para.34)
• genetic: of or relating to genes.
• People fear that the effect of the atomic radiation may
be hereditary (may pass on from parents to children).
People suffering from genetic damage may not be able to
produce offspring or may give birth to deformed or
otherwise unhealthy children.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
64. lucky birds (Para. 38)
• According to Japanese tradition, if one makes one
thousand little paper cranes, one's wishes will be
realized, hence the “lucky birds.”.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
65. “…each day of suffering that helps to free me from
earthly cares.” (Para.38)
• 1) earthly: worldly as opposed to spiritual (“earthly” is
applied to that which belongs to the earth or to the
present life and is chiefly contrasted with “heavenly” ).
• 2) care: concern, worry, anxiety.
• One more day of suffering would mean a day nearer my
death/would bring me closer to my death.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
66. “….I have the opportunity to improve my character.”
(Para.38)
• I have the chance to raise my moral standard/to purify
my soul.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
67. I could read the answer in every eye. (Para.39)
• read: to understand the nature, significance, or thinking
of as if by reading.
• The expression of the people told me what the answer
was.
Ⅲ. Sentence Analysis
68. xxx
• xxx.
Further Understanding
1. The theme of “Hiroshima — the ‘Liveliest’ City in Japan
(Excerpts)” is: _____.
A. An American’s regret for and apology to Hiroshima
B. Hiroshima has been reborn from the ruins of the Second
World War
C. Hiroshima is the liveliest city in Japan
D. The dual character of Hiroshima: lively and painful
2.This is the _____ time that the writer went to Hiroshima.
A. 1st
B. 2nd
C. 3rd
D. 4th
3. Why did the cab driver, who didn’t know the way to City
Hall, responded that he knew? _____
A. To earn more money
B. To demonstrate hospitality
C. To avoid losing face
D. To show friendliness
4. Which of the following is not the tone of “Hiroshima — the
‘Liveliest’ City in Japan (Excerpts)” ? _____.
A. Upset
B. Pessimistic
C. Ironic
D. Bitter
5. There are _____ schools of thought about the nuclear
bombing among the Hiroshima residents.
A. 2
B. 3
C. 4
D. 5
Determine whether the following statements are true or false. Put a “T”, if the statement
is true and put a “F”, if the statement is false.
1. The writer had not been to Japan before.
F
2. The cab driver took the writer first to City Hall and then to the
F restaurant boat.
3. The mayor probably would not like to preserve traces of the
T bomb.
4. No one in Hiroshima wanted to talk about the destructive
T atomic bombing any more.
5. According the small Japanese man, Hiroshima was the gayest
F city in Japan.
Determine whether the following statements are true or false. Put a “T”, if the statement
is true and put a “F”, if the statement is false.
6. The guests attending the mayor’s interview were mostly
F
Americans and Germans.
7. The writer inquired of the patient in a hospital with questions
F
prepared beforehand.
8. People in Hiroshima displayed no prejudice against those
F
bearing visible scars of atomic burns.
9. The little paper birds were made by the patient himself and
T
gave him hope and encouragement.
F The usher at the City Hall bowed deeply to show his respect
10.
for the visitors.
Ⅳ. Writing Devices
Language Style
1. First-person narrator
The narrators explicitly refer to themselves using words and
phrases involving “I” (referred to as the first-person singular)
and/or “we” (the first-person plural). This allows the reader or
audience to see the point of view (including opinions, thoughts,
and feelings) of the narrator.
I had a lump in my throat and a lot of sad thoughts on my mind.
Was I not at the scene of the crime?
Ⅳ. Writing Devices
2. Contrast
The description of his own emotion and the scenery of
Hiroshima.
Psychology: sorrowful and repentant. Hiroshima symbolizes
war crime, sin, death, terror, etc.
Scenery: lively, happy, vigorous, cheerful, etc.
Ⅳ. Writing Devices
3. Humors scattering over the text facilitate a pleasant
reading.
Ordinary people bobbing up and down, the cab driver’s
efforts to save face, the usher’s bow, the writer’s meeting
the mayor in his socks, spinal column flexible.
Ⅳ. Writing Devices
Rhetorical Devices: Metonymy
Definition: Metonymy is a figure of speech in which a thing
or concept is not called by its own name, but by the name
of something intimately associated with that thing or
concept. The word “metonymy” comes from Greek, “a
change of name”.
Ⅳ. Writing Devices
e.g.
1. Little old Japan adrift amid beige concrete
skyscrapers…struggle between the kimono and the
miniskirt.
2. The pen is mightier than the sword.
3. He is too fond of the bottles.
Ⅳ. Writing Devices
Rhetorical Devices: Irony
Definition: The word “irony” comes from Greek word “eirōnia”,
meaning dissimulation or feigned ignorance. An irony is a figure
of speech in actions.
Ⅳ. Writing Devices
Henry Watson Fowler, in The King's English, says “any
definition of irony — though hundreds might be given, and very
few of them would be accepted — must include this, that the
surface meaning and the underlying meaning of what is said are
not the same.”
Ⅳ. Writing Devices
e.g.
1. Beautiful weather, isn’t it? (when it is raining or nasty)
2. “Of course Michael won’t be late; you know how punctual
he always is.” (when the speaker in fact meant that
Michael was always late)
Ⅳ. Writing Devices
Rhetorical Devices: Anticlimax
Definition: A figure of speech in which an abrupt declension
(either deliberate or unintended) on the part of a speaker
or writer from the dignity of idea which he appeared to be
aiming at is represented. An anticlimax can be intentionally
employed only for a jocular or satiric purpose.
Ⅳ. Writing Devices
e.g.
A woman who could face the very devil…or a mouse — loses
her grip and goes all to pieces in front of a flash of lightning.
(Mark Twain)
Ⅲ. Sentence Paraphrase
1. The very act of stepping on this soil…any reportorial
assignment…taken. (Para. 1)
The fact that I was now in Hiroshima was in itself a much
more exciting experience for me than any trip I had taken
or any reporting work I had done in the past.
2. Serious looking men…“Tomo aligato gozayimas.” (Para. 2)
They were so absorbed in their conversation that they
seemed not to pay any attention to the crowds about
them.
Ⅲ. Sentence Paraphrase
3. The rather arresting spectacle...between the kimono
and the miniskirt. (Para. 7)
The traditional floating houses among high modern
buildings are also used as symbols to represent the
constant struggle between old tradition (traditional
culture) and new development (western style).
Ⅲ. Sentence Paraphrase
4. …treading cautiously on the soft tatami matting…in
my socks. (Para. 8)
I was not accustomed to walking in my socks so I
walked carefully, fearing that something unpleasant or
dangerous might happen.
Ⅲ. Sentence Paraphrase
5. …the faces grew more and more serious each time the
name Hiroshima was repeated. (Para. 14)
The Mayor mentioned Hiroshima repeatedly and to
the author (who was suffering from a guilty
conscience) the repeated mention of the name
created a suspense which he found hard to bear. That
was also, perhaps, why the faces (of other foreigners)
grew more and more serious.
Ⅲ. Sentence Paraphrase
6. I was just about to make my little bow of assent…my sad
reverie. (Para. 18)
I was on the point of showing my agreement by nodding when
I suddenly realized what he meant. His words shocked me
out of my sad dreamy thinking.
Ⅲ. Sentence Paraphrase
7. “I must confess that I did not expect a speech
about oysters here.” (Para. 22)
I must admit that it never occurred to me that I would
hear the mayor of Hiroshima talk about oysters.
Ⅲ. Sentence Paraphrase
8. “I thought that Hiroshima still felt the impact of the
atomic cataclysm.” (Para. 22)
I thought that people here had not forgotten the disaster
the city had suffered.
Ⅲ. Sentence Paraphrase
9. Stretchers and wheelchairs lined the walls…any healthy
visitor. (Para. 28)
Stretchers and wheelchairs are put against the walls
in the many corridors. Even healthy visitors would
shiver when they see those surgical instruments.
Ⅲ. Sentence Paraphrase
10. “It is humiliating to survive in this city.” (Para. 34)
It is a disgrace for an atomic victim to remain alive in this
city (or to continue to live in this city).
11. “…your children will encounter prejudice on the part
of those who do not.” (Para. 34)
Your children will be looked down upon by those who are not
atomic victims.
Ⅲ. Sentence Paraphrase
12. “…each day of suffering that helps to free me from
earthly cares…” (Para. 38)
One more day of suffering would mean a day nearer my
death/would bring me closer to my death.
13. “…I have the opportunity to improve my character.”
(Para. 38)
I have the chance to raise my moral standard/to purify
my soul.
Part Four—Language Study
 Ⅰ. Word Study
 Ⅱ. Phrases and Expressions
Ⅰ. Word Study
1. oblivious
9. stunning
2. ritual
10. twinge
3. martyr
11. inhabited
4. lurch
12. agitated
5. intermezzo
13. reverie
6. usher
14. heinous
7. embankment
15. cataclysm
8. arresting
16. earthly
Ⅰ. Word Study
1. oblivious
(adj.): be unaware of/unmindful of what is happening around
e.g. I am oblivious of my former failure.
2. ritual
(adj.): done as part of a rite
e.g. a ritual dance
Ⅰ. Word Study
3. martyr
(v.): if someone is martyred, they are killed because of
their religious beliefs.
e.g. Catherine was martyred for her faith.
4. lurch
(v.): to walk or move suddenly in an uncontrolled or
unsteady way
e.g. The car gave a start and then lurched forward.
Ⅰ. Word Study
5. intermezzo
(n.): short, light dramatic, musical or ballet entertainment
between the acts of a play or opera. Figuratively it refers to
anything that fills time between two events. 插曲，间奏曲
e.g. The concert was so boring that many people went out
during the intermezzo.
Ⅰ. Word Study
6. usher
(n.): one who is employed to escort people to their seats, as in
a theater, church, or stadium. 引座员，招待员，传达员
e.g. The usher asked him if he had reserved a seat.
Ⅰ. Word Study
7. embankment
(n.): a mound of earth or stone built to hold back water
or to support a roadway.
e.g. The van slipped down the embankment.
8. arresting
(adj.): striking; eye-catching
e.g. arresting figure/sight/sculpture
Ⅰ. Word Study
9. stunning
(adj.): of a strikingly attractive appearance
e.g. The actors gave a stunning performance.
10. twinge
(n.): a mental or emotional pain
e.g. Charles even felt a twinge of pity for Mrs. Sweet.
Ⅰ. Word Study
11. inhibited
(adj.): unable to act in a relaxed and natural way
because of self-consciousness or mental restraint
e.g. Having been laughed at because of his lameness,
the boy became shy and inhibited.
12. agitated
(adj.): emotionally disturbed and excited
e.g. He was agitated about his wife’s health.
Ⅰ. Word Study
13. reverie
(n.): a state of being pleasantly lost in one’s thoughts;
a daydream
e.g. A knock on the door broke her reverie.
Ⅰ. Word Study
14. heinous
(adj.): very shocking and immoral 十恶不赦的，不可饶恕的；
令人发指的
e.g. The Nanjing massacre was a heinous crime committed
by the Japanese.
Ⅰ. Word Study
15. cataclysm
(n.): a violent or sudden event or change, such as a
serious flood
e.g. People in that area still felt the impact of the atomic
cataclysm.
Ⅰ. Word Study
16. earthly
(adj.): connected with life on Earth rather than in heaven
e.g. Believers wanted to be detached in many ways from
earthly life and attached to heavenly life through a
process called salvation.
Ⅱ. Phrases and Expressions
1. a lump in the/sb.’s throat
6. sink in
2. on sb.’s mind
7. among yourselves/ourselves/
3. rub shoulders/elbows with
4. at the prospect of
5. linger on
themselves
8. send shivers down the spine
Ⅱ. Phrases and Expressions
1. a lump in the/sb.’s throat:
a feeling of tightness or dryness in the throat caused by
strong emotion, esp. sadness
e.g. For a moment she said nothing; she just swallowed as
if there were a lump in her throat.
Ⅱ. Phrases and Expressions
Similar expressions:
I was choked with emotion.
I was overcome with emotion that I could not speak or
think clearly.
Ⅱ. Phrases and Expressions
2. on sb.’s mind:
if sth. is on your mind, you keep thinking or worrying
about it
e.g. He looked as though he had something on his mind.
Cf. in sb.’s mind:
e.g. The event is still fresh in most people’s minds.
Ⅱ. Phrases and Expressions
3. rub shoulders/elbows with:
to associate or come into contact with another person;
to meet and mix with people
e.g. He rubbed shoulders with TV stars at the party.
Ⅱ. Phrases and Expressions
4. at the prospect of:
the possibility that something will happen
e.g. I was excited at the prospect of living in Seoul again
and writing about my native place full-time.
Ⅱ. Phrases and Expressions
5. linger on:
to continue to live although you are slowly dying
e.g. Uncle Gene lingered on a year longer than doctors
had expected.
Ⅱ. Phrases and Expressions
6. sink in:
if information, facts etc. sink in, you gradually understand
them or realize the full meaning
e.g. The news of the President’s assassination had only just
begun to sink in.
Ⅱ. Phrases and Expressions
7. among yourselves/ourselves/themselves:
with each other
e.g. If the political parties cannot reach agreement
among themselves, the President must become involved
in the negotiations.
Ⅱ. Phrases and Expressions
8. send shivers down the spine:
to make you feel very frightened or excited
e.g. Stephen King’s novels have sent shivers down the
readers’ spines for more than 20 years.
Part Five—Extension
Ⅰ. Useful Expressions
悄然停下
slipped to a stop
与……无关
have little to do with
采访任务
reportorial assignment
突然出现/消失
bob up/down
惯例
ritual formula
Ⅰ. Useful Expressions
遭受浩劫的城市
martyred city
前俯后仰
lurch from side to side
戛然而止
screech to a halt
作为回应
in response to
引人注目的场景
arresting spectacle
Ⅰ. Useful Expressions
蹑手蹑脚地踏在……
treading cautiously on…
一阵窘迫
a twinge of embarrassment
脊柱
spinal column
忧愁伤感
sad reverie
惨绝人寰的罪行
heinous crime
Ⅰ. Useful Expressions
思想流派
schools of thought
带着伤痕
bear wounds
遭遇歧视
encounter prejudice
修身养性
improve character
原子病区
atomic ward
Ⅱ. Discussion
1. Did the writer narrate the events in the order of their
occurrence ?
2. What was the writer’s major impression of the city?
What symbol did the writer use to describe his
impression?
Ⅱ. Discussion
3. What does the writer focus chiefly on —
developing character, action (plot), or idea (theme) ?
4. Paragraph 38 quotes the patient’s words to reveal
to the reader the inner world of the victims. What
kind of technique is employed there and what effect
is achieved?
5. Do you think the text is well-ended? Why?
Ⅲ. Quiz
Ⅳ. Writing
Write an essay titled Reflections on “Hiroshima — the
‘Liveliest’ City in Japan” with 300 words in English.
You can approach the essay with the following perspectives.
· War and the life of the civilians.
· Nuclear technological advance: blessing or disaster.
· Japan: a war victim or war beneficiary.
Marks will be awarded for content, organization, grammar and appropriateness.
End of Lesson 2
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