The 7 Steps March
1. CONTEXT
Mindmap
anything you
know about thetopic, including
vocabulary. Do
some research
online to help.

White Day
Listening Questions 1
1. What happens on Valentine’s Day in North America?
.

2. QUESTIONS
2. How is Valentine’s Day different in Japan?

.
3. When was White Day created?

Read the listening
questions tocheck yourunderstanding.
Look up any new
vocabulary.

.
4. Where was the company that created White Day located?
.
5. Other than Japan, where is White Day celebrated?
.
Listening Questions 2

3. LISTEN
Listen and answer
the questions
using fullsentences. Circle
the number oftimes and % you
understood.

1Listening 1
2 3 45%%%%

1Listening 2
2 3 45%%%%%%

1. What are two types of gifts related to Valentine’s Day and White Day calledin Japan?
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2. Which of the two gifts would a woman give her brother?
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3. In Japan, what do stores typically have in the weeks leading up toValentine’s Day and White Day?
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4. When is Black Day and where is it celebrated?
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5. By how much did White Day spending in Japan fall in 2018?
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Discussion Questions
1. What are some other unique and important dates in the Japanesecalendar?
2. Do you think these events are overly commercialized these days?

4. CHECK ANSWERS
TRANSCRIPT 1
Read through thetranscript andunderline theanswers. Checkthem against yourown answers.

In early February every year in North America, it is common to see men and women rushing tofind a Valentine’s Day gift for their significant other. February 14th is a popular occasion for gift
giving, particularly for romantic reasons, and it is also common for couples to go on a date thatnight.

5. CHECK VOCABULARY

One month later, on March 14th, men are expected to give a gift in return to any woman whogave them a gift on Valentine’s Day. That day is called White Day, and according to a Forbes
article, it was created by a confectionary company in Fukuoka Prefecture in the 1970s. Some of
the most common gifts on White Day include candy, cookies, and chocolate. Flowers, jewelry,and clothing are more special gifts for men who are returning a gift from romantic partners.
Another country that celebrates White Day is South Korea.

This is quite different from the Valentine’s Day custom in Japan, where women typically givemen gifts and not vice versa. Usually the gifts are some kind of chocolate treat and women
give them not only to their romantic partners, but also to male family members, co-workers, andclassmates.

Read thetranscript andcircle any new
vocabulary you
find. Look themup and add themto your list.

MATCH THE SYNONYMS BY DRAWING LINES BELOW:

6. READ ALOUD

Read thetranscript aloudat least 5 times,
focusing onintonation andpronunciation.

1122334455

7. SHADOWING

223344Compelled

Typically

Hurry

Vice versa

Especially

Particularly

Usually

Obligated

Partner / Wife / Husband

Rush

The other way around

TRANSCRIPT 2In Japan, the main types of gifts given on Valentine’s Day and White Day are “honmei-choco”
and “giri-choco”. Honmei-choco are gifts for romantic partners while giri-choco are gifts thatpeople feel obligated to give to people such as co-workers, classmates, and friends.
If you live in Japan, there is not much danger of forgetting about either day as stores typicallyhave large displays promoting products that would make good gifts in the weeks leading up toeach day.

Say the transcript
aloud at the sametime as the audio
without reading
it. Circle how
many times
below.

11Significant other

In South Korea, in addition to Valentine’s Day and White Day, there is a Black Day on April 14th,
which is a day for single people. On Black Day, it is common for singles to eat a Chinese-style
noodle dish served with a thick sauce made from black bean paste.
White Day has been an important date on the calendar for several decades now, but recent
reports suggest that perhaps it is becoming less popular. In a 2019 article, BBC reported thatWhite Day spending dropped 10% in Japan in 2018 compared to the previous year.

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