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The other day, we had a sports festival at my son's elementary school. The photograph shows the group gymnastics performance that was created by the 5th and 6th graders. This entails a group expressing various forms, for example, waves and a tower and a pyramid. This event is often performed at sports days in kindergartens and elementary schools in Japan.
Friends climb on top of each other, or have others climb on top of them. It can be a painful experience and if someone falls they could get hurt. I wonder if there are many kids who enjoy this painful exercise.
But everyone pulls together and when they manage to complete a wonderful group technique, they feel a sense of achievement and understand the importance of teamwork. The audience give a big applause and praise the children for their bravery.
When I watched the kids gritting their teeth this year, tears welled up in my eyes.
Comments in English or Japanese below.
今週の語彙 This week’s vocabulary
■～による (made, created, invented, written) by ■思いをする 経験する to experience something ■心が一つになる 同じ気持ちになる to have a feeling of unity in a group ■健闘を称える がんばったことを誉める to praise someone for their bravery or good effort ■歯を食いしばる 歯を強くかみ合わせる・我慢する to grit one's teeth ■目頭が熱くなる 感動して涙が出そうになる tears well up in one's eyes
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