[Article] [TED] Tokyo Olympics, hold or not?

 

Tokyo Olympics, hold or not.pdf

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Hi, everyone. I’m Yebin Song and today, I’m going to talk about, ‘Tokyo Olympics, Hold or not?’.

 

In this slide, I’m going to talk about what would be in my presentation. First, I will introduce two articles I chose, and add the reason I chose this topic. Second, I will give you two summaries of each articles, Korean and English. Third, I’ll tell you my opinion of each articles. Lastly, I’m going to tell you why you should have an interest to this topic.

 

Before we start, I’ll tell you the reason I chose this topic. First, the topic was interesting to me, and I thought you would also have some fun with it. Olympics is a very attention-drawing event all over the world, and I thought you guys would wonder how it would be, held or not in this COVID-19 pandemic. Second, I wondered how the situations are going of the other countries from COVID-19. We are majoring in English, or at least having some interest in English, I thought it would be good to have some insight of other countries also. So I hope with my presentation, you could have some curiosities about what other countries are doing to get over this situation.

 

I’ll start with introduction of two articles. First, I’ll introduce the Korean article in this slide. Its title is ‘Tokyo University said that if Tokyo Olympics is held, there would be triple number of corona virus patients as now.’. It was published in May 26th of 2021 in Joongang Ilbo.

 

Second, I’ll introduce the English article in this slide. Its title is, ‘Tokyo Olympics: Why doesn’t Japan cancel the Games?‘ It was published in May 15th of 2021 by Andreas Illmer in BBC News.

 

In this slide, I want to tell you the main concept I think. In a scientific point of view, two articles were mainly talking about how our life has changed after COVID-19 pandemic. Though Olympics is considered the most important sports game in the world, it can be canceled, isn’t it? There have been only twice that Olympics was canceled. And in regard of politics and economics, it is a matter of money or health. Of course it is taken for granted that health is very important, but money used for this Olympics is hard to be overlooked.

 

Next, I will make some summary of these two articles.

 

First, let’s look over Korean article here. America was about to participate in Tokyo Olympics with 600 athletes. But CDC, an organization to prevent the spread of corona virus, made a report that Japan is in very dangerous situation of COVID-19. Well, it was not that wrong because there are over 7,000 corona patients a day in Japan now! Of course, that alert made people feel some avoidance to Japan, which would lead to lower economic growth in Japan. Japan became embarrassed of this alert, so they extended some contingency plans, to show that they are coping well with this situation. However, Tokyo University warned that there would be triple number of corona patients than now if this Olympics is held. So over 60% of citizens are insisting this should be canceled.

 

After that, let’s see what the English article is talking about. It also says that Japan isn’t in good situation of corona virus also. But IOC, International Olympic Committee, insists that this situation can be overcame, just like a miracle. However, if there would be some problems in holding Olympics, it should be canceled, and this pandemic is now one of those problems. Then Japan can just cancel the scheduled Olympics, but think of all those money invested and prepared for this game. Also, if Olympics got canceled, they would lose the opportunity to earn lots of money from tourists. This event is a very good opportunity for them to revive their economy. However, there are objections of Tokyo citizens because they are in a straight danger of corona virus. They get much higher possibility to be exposed to virus! Japan is in a double bind between economic revival and health of its citizens.

 

I’ll talk about my opinions from now on.

 

First, in this slide, I will talk about my opinion to Korean article. It was very descriptive and rather objective about this situation. I think the reporter told this news very objectively, trying not to be in one’s side. And I think he or she emphasized Japan was very embarrassed after the U.S’s alert of emergency to Japan itself. I think the point was Japan’s embarrassment.

 

Second, I’m going to talk about my opinion in English article. It was very detailed in overall situation and relations to each other. I could understand why Japan had to take into consideration in this situation, not just regarding their citizens’ health the most important one. But I just felt that though the reporter described its reality well, he was thinking health is more important in his tone.

 

Therefore, to make up these articles in this slide, I’ll tell you what are similarities and differences between those two. The similarities are, both articles were in objective stance. They were trying to deliver this situation very objectively, not in one’s side. And both were more related to economic section than scientific section. Because both were more focusing on international relationship rather than what has been changed after this pandemic. Both can be topics for these two articles, but I think economic and political section was more emphasized.

 

Then let’s look at what were different between them. First, in Korean article, it was in MORE objective stance than English article was. And I think it was more focusing on how to deliver this situation. Korean article was trying not to give any bias to its readers. In English article, it was rather more detailed about this situation, of course, it was a little longer than Korean article, though. And it contains a bias, it was focusing on health. In the end of this article, the writer was talking in the mood than health is more important than the investment before.

 

Lastly, I’m going to make a conclusion.

 

In fact, I was not that interested in how other countries are serious of this virus, and how they are coping with this pandemic. But I think making some interest of other countries’ situations would be helpful for growing your insight, thinking on their sides. Also, we are all at least have some interest in English, this understanding of other countries’ relations is important in this globalization. In addition, Tokyo Olympic is actually giving some effect to us also, right? And lastly, thinking of what would change due to this corona virus can help us prepare for our future. Even so far, everything has changed! We can predict those changes and make ourselves prepared for them.

 

I hope you guys have learned something and enjoyed my presentation. Thank you for listening to my presentation!

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• Korean article :

https://www.pressreader.com/korea-republic/joongang-ilbo/20210526" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-href="http://. https://www.pressreader.com/korea-republic/joongang-ilbo/20210526">http://. https://www.pressreader.com/korea-republic/joongang-ilbo/20210526 

JoongAng Ilbo

• English article:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57097853

Tokyo Olympics: Why doesn't Japan cancel the Games?

 

영교, 정. (2021, 5월 26일) 도쿄대 “올림픽 열리면, 도쿄 하루 확진자 3배 늘어날 것“. 중앙일보. https://www.pressreader.com/korea-republic/joongang-ilbo/20210526

Illmer, A. (2021, May 15). Tokyo Olympics: Why doesn't Japan cancel the Games?. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57097853