Listening

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Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. take effect
    • ex. The new rules on recycling plastic bottles will take effect next month.
  2. lock out
    • ex. The park has a gate to lock out people and prevent them from coming in at night.
  3. a reservation
    • ex. I have dinner reservations at a five-star restaurant tonight.
  4. mandatory
    • ex. All visitors must pay the mandatory fees before they can enter the amusement park.
  5. a pilgrimage
    • ex. Many tourists visit ancient temples as part of their pilgrimages.

Article

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A gate was installed in the middle part of Mt. Fuji in Yamanashi. Its purpose is to manage crowds during this year’s climbing season. The gate is part of the new rules in Yamanashi to address the safety, environmental, and overcrowding problems on the mountain. Yamanashi Gov. Kotaro Nagasaki said the new rules will take effect this year.

Under the new rules, the gate will be closed between 4:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. to lock out climbers without overnight reservations on the mountain. This aims to prevent “bullet climbing,” or rushing to climb to the top without enough rest, which is a major health concern. Only 4,000 climbers per day can use the trail, and there is a mandatory hiking fee of ¥2,000.

Mt. Fuji, a symbol of Japan, used to be a place for pilgrimages. Today, it’s a popular place to watch the sunrise. However, the trash that climbers leave, such as plastic bottles and food, has become a big problem in Japan. Gov. Nagasaki believes the new rules will help manage tourists. He promised to further control overcrowding by introducing more restrictions.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Managing Crowds in Mt. Fuji

  • Yamanashi’s new rules include installing a gate in Mt. Fuji and limiting the number of hikers to 4,000. Do you believe these rules are necessary? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Yamanashi is also implementing a mandatory hiking fee of ¥2,000. What do you think is the purpose of the hiking fee? Discuss.
  • Mt. Fuji used to be a place for pilgrimages. Now, it’s a popular place to watch the sunrise. What do you think is the importance of managing the crowds on the mountain? Discuss.

Pilgrimage

  • Mt. Fuji used to be a place for pilgrimages. But now, it’s popular among thousands of tourists as a hiking spot. What do you think about this change (ex. I think it’s bad, I think it’s just normal)? Discuss.
  • Imagine that you are going on a pilgrimage. What place would you visit? Why? Discuss.
  • Why do you think people go on pilgrimages (ex. because it makes them feel peaceful, because it’s their tradition)? Discuss.