Daydreaming about a desert island

As I am writing this, I am on holiday.  No work, no students.  I should be lying by the swimming pool with a pina colada in hand.  But instead here I am sitting in front of my laptop writing my blog.  That’s dedication for you.

But since I am not supposed to be working, I will choose a topic which is fun to write about.  I hope you will indulge me. 

There is a radio show in Britain which has been running on the BBC since 1942 called “Desert Island Discs”.  A desert island is a tropical island which is uninhabited.  On this show, an interviewer talks to a famous person and they imagine that they will be sent to live on this desert island alone. 

The famous person then gets to pick eight songs to take with them, as well as one book of their choice and one luxury item.  The luxury item cannot be anything useful in helping them escape or contact the outside world.  It is just something that is fun and can be used to pass the time.  Guests often pick a piano or a comfortable bed, for example. 

I can’t remember who said it but I heard someone say that Americans often fantasise about winning an Oscar.  They imagine that they were famous and are giving a speech thanking everyone for winning the award.  In Britain people fantasise about being on Desert Island Discs. 

So, I am going to have a go too.  I don’t want to bore you with a long list of songs, so I will pick just four; two Western and two Japanese.  When I get back to work next week, I would be interested to hear my students’ selections too.

 

Western Songs:

Paul McCartney – Rinse the raindrops

George Gerschwin – Rhapsody in blue

 

Japanese songs:

Imawano Kiyoshiro – Morning call wo yoroshiku

R.C. Succession – ii koto bakari ha arya shine

 

Book:

Henri Charriere – Papillon

 

Luxury item:

A lifetime’s supply of sho-chu with ice.

 

Now, where did I put that pina colada?

 

 

Vocabulary:

Dedication – Commitment; effort put in to do something you think is important.

To indulge someone – To allow someone to continue without complaining even though they are perhaps doing something wrong.  For example, my daughter shouldn’t eat so many sweets but I indulged her because it was her birthday.

Uninhabited – Nobody lives there.

To fantasise – To imagine that something is true.  For example, many people fantasise about winning the lottery and imagine spending the money they would win.

An Oscar – An Academy Award, an award given to actors and actresses and others connected to successful films.