1 UNIT 1 I am frequently asked the question ,”Can you use chopsticks” I have lived in Korea ,Japan and China .In each country , I have ,more often than not and without having requested one ,been given a fork when one was available .I have politely refused and said that I would be fine with chopsticks .Sometime, I have to make further explanation. Chopsticks are the least of my worries when I am eating in an Asian home or restaurant .In fact ,learning how to use chopsticks takes me nothing but a few weeks .This is not to say I was skillful, though .Learning how to use chopsticks is easy for me ,whereas learning the rituals and how to conduct myself at the table is quite difficult .Just how many times do I have to say ”no ,thank you” when I really mean” no ,thank you ,I truly am full ”?How do I get away with refusing more food without offending someone ?If I insist and I still get more ,is it appropriate just not to eat it ?This would be impolite where I come from. I have enjoyed many great meals and my interactions with the people have been great .I am increasingly aware that I will never be able to give back as much as I have received. I don’t know how I can ever thank all of the people who introduced me to eating in Asia. UNIT 2 This was what all of the training and pain was about-winning .I watched TV to see the young runner who had been under my coaching for the last 2 few years .I would have been there on the spot had it not been for the traffic problem .I couldn’t make it even on my bicycle. While I watched the young runner enter to the cheers of thousands of people ,I could not help thinking of the pains that he had gone through in...
