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ALC Newsletter No. 079 3/13/08
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By the International Marketing Team at ALC Press http://www.alc.co.jp/international

Contents:
1) The "Dear Readers" Column: Messages from the International
Marketing Team at ALC Press
2) Topics in Japan #30: Golf boom among young women
3) Quiz on Japan #18:"What is true about taxis in Japan?"
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Dear Readers,

Greetings from Tokyo!

The English section of ALC's website offers useful information and study tools to those wishing to improve their English skills. It is the most popular section of the twelve major sections of ALC's website and enjoys 2.5 million page views per month. The translation and interpretation category is one of the most visited subsections of the English section and receives about 7,000 page views per day.

Translator and interpreter are two of the most sought-after careers among Japanese people wishing to follow their careers using the English skills they have acquired or will acquire.

In mid-April 2008, we are going to launch a new corner called "The Guide to Translation/Interpretation Schools Overseas" in the translation and interpretation category. We will introduce graduate schools, colleges, universities, and specialized schools overseas offering translation/interpretation courses. There will be testimonials from students taking such courses overseas and graduates with translating/interpreting careers.

By offering such useful information, we are aiming to get our users to realize studying overseas is the most effective way to make their dreams come true.

Advertising space will also be available on this new corner. If you are interested in running your ad there, please contact us by e-mail at < intsales@alc.co.jp>.

Best wishes from the International Marketing Team at ALC Press.

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Topics in Japan #30: Golf boom among young women =================================================
Golf used to be considered a sport for "oyaji" ─ men over late 30's and over ─ and was not popular among the younger generation, especially among young women. But the situation has changed over the last few years. There has been a golf boom among women, mainly in their 30's, and we now see many women at　golf practice ranges and on golf links.

One of the reasons for the boom is that professional women golf players have been performing exceptionally well. Ai Miyazato and Sakura Yokomine both emerged as great players in their teens, and now become world's top players. Momoko Ueda and Miho Koga are also popular players in their 20's. All of these players have contributed a lot to give golf a better image among young women, with their good looks and great smiles.

Another reason is that, with more and more women enjoying careers and single lives, women in their late 20's and 30's tend to have a lot of time and money to spend on themselves. Unlike jogging or yoga, you need to have special tools(=golf clubs) to play golf. Also, it takes time to actually go out to golf courses and play. But they can now afford both the time and the money.

What follows from the combination of "women" and "golf" is ...
fashionable golf wear, of course. Makers are now trying to make golf wear that is fashionable enough to attract young women.
There's also a golf fashion magazine called "Regina," which contains articles like "Be serious about golf wear rather than golf" or "One round is more important than 10 dates." Anyway, if you want to make friends with Japanese women in your community, it may be a good idea to take them to a golf course!

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Quiz on Japan #18:"What is true about taxis in Japan?"
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How much do you know about Japan? We'll give you a quiz in each issue, so try to find the right answer!

［Answer to last week's quiz］
Last week's quiz question was "Which saying is true about Japan's Doll's Festival?" The answer is (d): You'd better put the dolls away soon after "Hinamatsuri" is over. Otherwise, your daughter(s) will have difficulty getting married. People used to consider "hina" dolls as things that could take away people's bad luck, and so they threw the dolls away into the river. We don't usually throw the dolls away anymore, but this old custom is still reflected in the saying above.

Quiz for this week: We see taxis in almost every city around the world, but the customs with taxis differ a little from place to place.
Which of the below is true about taxis in Japan?

(a) You need to raise both your arms to catch a taxi.
(b) You have to pay the exact fare, since most drivers don't have enough change.
(c) You're supposed to allow the back door to open automatically before getting out.
(d) People aged under 15 are not allowed to take a taxi by themselves.

Check out the correct answer in the next issue!

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Thank you for reading!

*Back issues of the ALC Newsletter are available at:
http://www.alc.co.jp/international/Newsletter.html

*If you wish to be removed from this newsletter or change the e-mail address to which it is sent, please let us know by e-mailing us at:
intl-mag@alc.co.jp

Publisher: ALC Press, Inc.
2-54-12 Eifuku, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 168-8611 Japan
Writers: The International Marketing Team at ALC Press / Ayako Ishimoto
Editor: The International Marketing Team at ALC Press

Copyright (c) 2008 ALC Press, Inc. All rights reserved.