Do you agree that a photo can give you as much information as a description of something that is 1,000 words long? Well, this week's proverb says this is the case. Be it the cruelty of war or the bliss of mothers who have just given birth, a single look at a picture can tell you so much.
As I make a living out of words, I don't want to agree with this completely, but it can be true. You will see many examples right here in ST, too. Perhaps a photo of survivors of a bomb blast in Iraq or an athlete after winning a competition. The photos instantly convey the emotions of the people in them.
The other day, something happened that reminded me of this proverb. My former professor, Dr. Miller, took a group of young students to Japan from New York. It was their first trip to Japan and they were full of curiosity.
Dr. Miller invited me to go to a museum with them. There were only two Japanese people in the group, myself and an interpreter, so the students asked me questions about Japan.
When we entered a room with exhibits of traditional tea ceremony utensils, one of the youngest boys asked me how much a decent teacup set costs in Japan.
"Oh, there are expensive ones and cheap ones ..." I said.
"I'm talking about a set of regular teacups and a pot. How much do you think they would cost?" he continued.
The boy had bought a set of teacups and a teapot at a department store and wanted to know if it was a good deal or not.
So I asked about size of the teacups, their thickness, their color and how they were decorated.
"Well, they're pretty thick, and they're kind of small. Not as small as sake cups, though. I guess you'd call their color 'light blue,' but they have flower prints on the surface. Also when you look into them, you can see another flower in the bottom," etc., etc.
He went on and on. "Hey, you don't happen to have the picture of them?" I interrupted. "As a matter of fact I do," he said. The boy took out his fancy digital camera. I said, "Gee, why didn't you show me that in the first place?"
After seeing the photo of the teacups, I knew exactly what he was talking about. I told him it was a great deal. You'd agree, I'm sure, if you saw them ... but of course, I haven't got that photo. I could describe them to you, but then there isn't enough room in this column for the 1,000-plus words to do them justice.
Q1 "A picture is worth a thousand words," but Kana mentions she doesn't want to agree with this completely because:
A1) Some pictures are only worth a hundred words.
A2) She is a writer and her job is to communicate using words.
A3) Some photos are disturbing to look at and therefore it is better for them to be described in words.
正解： A2) She is a writer and her job is to communicate using words.
Q2 Why did Kana ask the boy if he had a photo of his set of teacups and teapot?
A1) Because she wanted to change the subject of the conversation.
A2) Because she knew it would be quicker to take a look at a photo rather than have him explain the details.
A3) Because she wanted to take photos inside the museum.
正解： A2) Because she knew it would be quicker to take a look at a photo rather than have him explain the details.
●英字新聞社ジャパンタイムズによる英語学習サイト。英語のニュース、よみもの、リスニングなどのコンテンツを無料で提供。無料見本紙はこちら
