Shrek Forever After

Today, I read Shrek Forever After, an adaptation for learners of English of the movie of the same name, the fourth in the Shrek series. As the story begins, Shrek and Fiona are married and have children. Because Fiona has received True Love's Kiss from Shrek, she has stopped changing between princess and ogre and is now an ogre all the time. But Rumpelstiltskin wants to cause mischief in order to get power in Far Far Away for himself.

Rumpelstiltskin realizes Shrek's vulnerability. Shrek has lost his old life in which he was free to do as he pleased. Rumpelstiltskin promises Shrek a day of his old life if Shrek will give Rumpelstiltskin another day in return. Shrek falls for the trick.

It soon turns out that the day Rumpelstiltskin takes from him is the day he was born. So Shrek doesn't really exist in this new reality. Donkey says that, if he gets True Love's Kiss from Fiona before 12 o'clock, he can bring back the old reality. Unfortunately, Fiona doesn't know him, so she cannot give him True Love's Kiss. Rumpelstiltskin enlists the help of the Pied Piper, and it seems that everything will soon fall into his grasp. Is this the end of Shrek and Fiona?

Shrek is a very interesting series, because several different fairy tales are incorporated into the stories in an interesting way. Rumpelstiltskin and the Pied Piper are two totally separate stories. The emphasis on 12 o'clock is reminiscent of Cinderella. Watching Shrek can be an interesting education or refresher on traditional stories.

This book I read today is in the Popcorn ELT Readers series from Scholastic. The series is designed for people in the early stages of learning English, so the vocabulary and grammar are easy, and the books are quite short. The present book is 1068 words long. It is a Level 3 book (the highest level in the series), and books at Level 1 and Level 2 are even shorter. All the books are based on movies, TV series, or classic children's literature, so they are easy to understand even if you don't understand some of the words. In total, I was able to find 52 different titles across the three levels (http://www.ricpublications.jp/cat/New_ELT_Readers_Catalogue_2015.pdf).

AWL Sublist 1 words in Brown Bears article

area area areas areas assessment availability constituted majority methods proceed research researchers significant similar specific varied varied varies

In areas with high concentrations of preferred plants, such as butterbur, bears can remain until they crop all the plants.

Feeding methods and habits of brown bear in Sikhote-Alin are varied and specific for each type of feeding behavior depending on the composition and condition of food, its availability and abundance, season, animal's sex, age, physical condition, personal preferences and experience, the presence of competitors and disturbance from other predators and humans. 

The study of traces of life activities of animals allows the researchers to determine the diet of the bear and the characteristics of its food-procuring behavior, which is important for the assessment of the predator population and development of scientific measures for its control.

Thus, cranberries constituted 97% of the diet of brown bears in the vicinity of the Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve in the second half of August–September 1999.

Soft fruits growing on trees (apple — Malus spp., Dahurian buckthorn — Rhamnus davurica, pear — Pyrus ussuriensis, bird cherry — Padus spp., hawthorn — Crataegus spp.) are almost inaccessible for brown bears due to the fact that the majority of adult animals are unable to climb trees.

When there are not many cones the animals consume each cone where they find it, and then proceed to another one.

The remains of cones eaten by brown bears are similar to those of Asiatic black bears and, to a lesser degree, of wild boar (Sus scrofa). 

Feeding methods and habits of brown bear in Sikhote-Alin are varied and specific for each type of feeding behavior depending on the composition and condition of food, its availability and abundance, season, animal's sex, age, physical condition, personal preferences and experience, the presence of competitors and disturbance from other predators and humans. 

Feeding methods and habits of brown bear in Sikhote-Alin are varied and specific for each type of feeding behavior depending on the composition and condition of food, its availability and abundance, season, animal's sex, age, physical condition, personal preferences and experience, the presence of competitors and disturbance from other predators and humans.　　>>

Feeding methods and habits of brown bear in Sikhote-Alin depend on the composition and condition of food, and its availability and abundance. >>

シホテアリン山脈のヒグマの食べ方および習慣が餌の構成と状態、そしてそれがどれだけ簡単に手に入るかとその豊富さによる。

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S207815201630027X

Behavior of Brown Bears During Feeding in the Sikhote-Alin

Ivan V. Seryodkin

Achievements in the Life Sciences

Volume 10, Issue 1, June 2016, Pages 38–47

Lesson Three - Coherence and Cohesion in Writing - IELTS Preparation Ser...

Higher education costs are rising!

The cost of higher education is escalating. This is causing many to question whether it is worthwhile to continue education beyond high school. Tuition costs are high, and choosing college over employment involves opportunity cost. In addition, students accumulate thousands of dollars of debt. Many wonder whether all these problems justify the investment. The risk is especially large for low-income families: they already have a difficult time making ends meet, and do not want the additional burden of college tuition and other fees.

Although pursuing a college degree costs a lot, there is evidence that the rate of return on investment is high enough to justify it. College graduates earn more than high school graduates. The differential varies over time, but it never disappears.

Shrek Forever After

Donkey was very sad about Shrek. He read the contract.
"Wait! We can stop the contract," Donkey shouted happily. "Kiss Fiona by twelve o'clock tonight. Then everything is the same as before."
"Donkey, you are a good friend!" said Shrek. "I must find Fiona quickly."

Rumpelstiltskin has tricked Shrek into giving up his present for his old life. He is now back in his past, and Fiona doesn't know him at all. Rumpelstiltskin will be able to take over the kingdom of Far Far Away for himself. But Donkey has a great idea. He suggests that Shrek can recreate the life that he had before if he meets Fiona and gives her True Love's Kiss. But Fiona doesn't know him at all. Will she want to kiss him?

Vocabulary

contract 契約

Reference

 Hughes, A. (2011). Shrek forever after (Popcorn ELT Readers, Level 3). London, UK: Scholastic.

Wordcount: 1068.

About the UK

I wrote this with Taishi.

Many things have happened until today to form today’s UK. It originated such a long time ago, -upper paleolithic, from 5 to 6 century, by one of the Germanic tribes. At that time, a first part of the UK, England, was formed. Hundreds of years later, England was attacked by France and lost large parts of its own land, mainly Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. And another centuries later, because of subsequent attacks by kings of England,  England recovered Wales and changed its name to Kingdom of England at 1536. England attacked Ireland also, but it failed this time.

Aesop's Fables (Usborne)

With one swoop of his net, the man trapped the dove. You're coming with me, my beauty," he cried.
"Not if I can help it," thought the ant. (p.

)

Aesop's fables are famous the world over. Today, I'm going to introduce the Usborne Young Reading edition of Aesop's Fables.

The eight fables included in this volume are:

• The tortoise and the hare
• The thirsty crow
• The ant ands the dove
• The fox and the stork
• The mouse's tale
• The dog and the bone
• The fox and the crow
• The lion and the mouse