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Himeji-jo

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Exercise 1

Vocabulary

resemble

Verb

rɪˈzɛmbəl

to look like something or someone else

The two sisters closely resemble each other.

How come his ideas always resemble mine?

She resembles neither her mother nor father.

This area resembles the streets of Paris.

It's all white, and it's said to resemble a bird that is about to fly.

comprise

Verb

kəmˈpraɪz

to include something; to have something as elements

This story is comprised of 30 chapters.

The cake comprised eggs, sugar, honey, butter, lemon and flour.

Our department comprises three teams that each have their own focus.

His new publication comprises an introduction, seven chapters and a conclusion.

This report comprises a history of our company's performance over the last five years.

defensive

Adjective

dɪˈfɛnsɪv

used for protecting someone or something

That attack was actually a defensive move.

undergo

Verb

ˌəndərˈgoʊ

to go through or experience, usually something difficult

The house is undergoing a huge renovation.

The patient is put to sleep before undergoing an operation.

China is undergoing rapid economic development.

She had to undergo a series of surgeries after the accident.

While the main library is undergoing renovation, patrons will have to borrow books from other branches.

Under the new president, the company has undergone a profound change.

The city has undergone many changes over the years.

All nuclear facilities undergo regular safety checks.

The building has to undergo a major renovation.

intact

Adjective

ɪnˈtækt

in one piece, undamaged

The mugs were still intact after the move.

My bike is old but still perfectly intact.

They are still struggling to keep their marriage intact by seeing a family counselor.

The artifacts had been very carefully packed and therefore were still intact when they arrived at the museum.

auction

Noun

ˈɔːkʃən

a public event where goods are sold to the person who offers the highest price

I bought some art at a recent auction.

The house needs to be inspected before the auction.

The rare violin was sold at auction for a million dollars.

The furniture from the estate will be available at auction within six weeks.

Also, at some point, the castle was included in an auction.

on the brink of

Phrase

ɑn ðə brɪŋk ʌv

close to a new and typically negative situation; almost

Unable to tackle the financial crisis, the government is on the brink of collapse.

World leaders are concerned that the country stands on the brink of a devastating civil war.

demolish

Verb

dɪˈmɑːlɪʃ

to destroy (usually buildings)

The writer's house was demolished in the '70s.

Exercise 2

Dialogue Practice

Read the dialogue aloud with your tutor.

Ayako is telling her friend, Emily, about Himeji-jo.
	Ayako My parents want to take me to Himeji-jo during the Golden Week holiday. It’s been undergoing restoration work for several years and soon it will finally be open to public!
	Emily I've heard about that place! It's a castle, right? The one that's all white and apparently resembles a bird that is about to fly!
	Ayako That's right! It's one of the few castles that have never been destroyed by earthquakes, wars or fire. It has survived many catastrophic events, and has remained intact. It is one of our national treasures and also a World Heritage site.
	Emily I didn't know that!
	Ayako I can’t wait to visit the whole complex! It is comprised of 83 buildings with a strong defensive system.
	Emily I had no idea it was that large. I have heard some legends about it, there’s even a ghost story related to it, if I remember correctly.
	Ayako Yes, I know all of that, but I don’t believe in any of them.
	Emily Yeah, me neither. Anyway, I think it is incredible how the castle has survived for so long.
	Ayako Yes. And all those events aside, it was also on the brink of being demolished a few times!
	Emily Really? What do you mean?
	Ayako Well, at one point, many castles in Japan were destroyed because they were unwelcome reminders of the past, and Himeji could have been one of them... Also, the castle was put up for auction once, and the buyer wanted to use the land for other purposes, but the cost of destroying the castle was too high. So it was spared.
	Emily Wow! That's one lucky castle!

Exercise 3

Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blanks to complete the sentences.

She her mother more and more as she gets older.

This shopping mall 50 stores.

He has to strict training in order to prepare for the competition.

You can say the immune system is our system, since it tries to protect us from diseases.

Not long ago, the Siberian tiger was extinction, but conservation efforts have led to its recovery.

The famous painting will be sold at an next month.

Answer Pool (Questions 1-6)

undergo
auction
resembles
on the brink of
comprises
defensive

Exercise 4

Discussion

What do you think of Himeji Castle? Would you like to visit it?

Why do you think the castle managed to stay intact during all those terrible events?

Are there any legends or ghost stories related to castles or other historic buildings in your country?

Are you interested in the history of the places you visit?