Paper 1a13 Some words only have meaning in a text. 'This one', 'he' and 'over there' only have sense in a longer piece of speech or writing. It is important we understand what they are referring to if we are to get the correct message. Sometimes they refer to words that have just occurred or ones which are just about to come; at other times they refer to ideas rather than words. Read the following paragraph and look at the examples reference explained below Nobody Knows In a modern city we are so surrounded by people that we have to learn to ignore them. Thousands of faces we may never see again pass us by every day. This makes us uninterested in our neighbours. As long as they do not disturb us, we will not disturb them. Thus it is that one often reads of people lying dead in their homes for weeks without anyone realising or missing them. That situation is the background to this award-winning film. The irresponsible mother of four young children leaves them alone in their Tokyo flat for months. Only the eldest, twelve-year-old Akira, is used to going outside the home. For a long time they preserve their routine and cook, wash and play. But then their money runs out. Nobody seems to notice and they find ways to get by. It begins to seem as if this will just go on, but then a great sadness befalls the family. This is a very moving film, a masterpiece. 1. we - the readers, ordinary people 2. them - the surrounding people 3. this - the fact that we come across so many people every day 4. they - our neighbours 5. their - the dead people we read about 6. that situation - the urban lack of neighbourly interest 7. this award-winning film - Nobody Knows 8. them - the four children 9. their - the four children 10. this - the situation of the children surviving on their own Howl's Moving Castle Maybe one doesn't have to understand Hayao Miyizaki's films as they are just so beautiful to look at. Well, I personally find this to be the case because I love his animations, but am often quite confused when watching them. Perhaps if I introduce some of the characters, it will show you what I mean. Sophie is an ordinary girl who is turned into an old woman by the Wicked Witch of the Waste. She runs away and meets Howl, a travelling magician, Markl, his assistant, Calcifer, a fire demon who does the cooking for them, and Turniphead, a scarecrow. It has to be said though that the main character is their moving house [or castle]. This is a completely weird magical machine that seems to have its own personality. A lot happens and in the end, Howl is changed by Sophie's wisdom and love. What more could anyone want in a story? What do the following refer to? 1. this 2. them 3. it 4. she 5. his 6. them 7. this Go This film is about a Korean-Japanese teenager. As such, he meets a lot of prejudice and has a hard time at school. It's never easy to be 16 but especially not when you are torn between two cultures and identities. Sugihara was born in Japan; he attended a Korean junior school. While there he was frequently punished for speaking Japanese. He moves on to a Japanese high school where he has other problems. He is full of anger at life and expresses it through fighting and showing off. An example of the latter (the film has great fights and chases) is when Sugihara has to run ahead of a subway train as it runs into a station and slows down. The tough boys at school give him a hard time but he is a good boxer and by beating them wins their respect. Then he falls in love with Sakurai. She seems fond of him but what will happen when she realises he is Korean? Well, you will have to watch to find out! What do the following refer to? 1. such 2. there 3. other 4. it 5. the latter 6. their Answers: Page 8: Howl's Moving Castle: 1. the fact of the first sentence/ it's not necessary to understand the films as they are so beautiful anyway; 2. animations; 3. the introduction/information; 4. Sophie; 5. howl; 6. Howl and Markl: 7. the moving castle Go: 1. a Korean-Japanese person; 2. at the Korean junior school; 3. not speaking Japanese; 4. his anger; 5. showing off; 6. tough boys at school
