The Latest Mating Strategy
TOKYO-Mika Matsui finds out on the first date. First two hours, maximum. There’s no sense getting your hopes up if Mr Wonderful is the wrong blood type.
Her last boyfriend was type O. Never again. O’s are too needy. Type As are too boring. B’s are sweet, but they don’t like her. So it’s the AB man she’s looking for because “he’s interesting to talk to, very kind and very nice.”
“I don’t believe in horoscopes, but I think blood type describes character most accurately.” said Matsui, 29, a clerical worker for a large Tokyo company. “Check it out yourself.”
Japan has an obsession with blood types. The blood in your veins is supposed to determine how well you live and love, how well you manage money, whether you will succeed at marriage or sumo wrestling. Great marriages and lousy careers are both attributed to blood type.
Newspaper and magazine profiles of major political candidates always include their blood type. Job applications often ask for blood type. During World War II, Japans imperial army and navy are said to have formed battle groups by blood type. The manager of a Japanese major league baseball team studies his players’ blood types. Japanese television this year carried a sitcom about the life of a businessman called “I am Type O.”
“Telling a Japanese person you don’t know your blood type invites suspicion,” said Estelle Viskovish, a stylist at the Sin Den, a popular Tokyo beauty salon. She said: “It’s like you’re withholding information.”
There are key chains and chewing gum, calendars, magazines and books, all geared toward the blood-type phenomenon. Some of Japans biggest corporations have looked into increasing their productivity by creating single-type work groups.
Toshitaka Nomi, whose 30 books on blood types have sold more than 6 million copies in Japan, has been asked to give more than 1,000 speeches at some of Japans biggest corporations, including Hitachi, Toyota, Nissan and several major banks. Komi gave many of the speeches at training seminars where his theories were being studied as a potential management tool.
A person’s blood type is determined by what kind of antigen, a type of protein, he has on the surface of his red blood cells. If a person has an A antigen, his blood is type A; if he has a B antigen, he’s type B. People with both are type AD, and those with neither are type O. The most common type is O, followed by A, B and AB.
There is not one molecule of solid scientific evidence that blood type is related to character. Scientists say blood type is about as relevant to personality as hair color is to snorkeling ability.
Japanese psychologists and social scientists have been proposing and exploring blood- type theories since the 1920s. The Japanese public has always been receptive, but it wasn’t until Nomi’s father came along that blood types became a national obsession.
In 1971, Masahiko Nomi published a book on the subject based on 25 years of personal observations about blood type and character. When the book sold 1.2 million copies, the Nomi family got into the blood type business for good.
They started sending out questionnaires, asking blood type and a series of questions designed to reveal personality traits. Since 1971 they have sent seven major questionnaires and elicited responses from nearly 250,000 people; those responses are the bricks and mortar of Toshitaka Nomi’s writings. About 15 years ago, he said, he sent a questionnaire to every member of the Japanese diet, or parliament, and received responses from 98 per cent of them.
“I think the majority of the Japanese people take it seriously,” Nomi said, “I would say more than half the Japanese people are very interested in blood types, see some truth in it and are prepared to use it in their daily life.”
Following are selected supposed traits of the blood types:
Type A:
Positive traits: orderly, law-abiding, fastidious, soft-spoken, fashionable, calm.
Negative traits: picky, selfish, secretive, pessimistic, inflexible, reckless when drunk.
Suitable careers: accountant, librarian, economist, novelist, computer programmer, gossip columnist.
Type B:
Positive: independent, flexible, candid, sensitive, passionate, persuasive.
Negative: unpredictable, indiscreet, lazy, impatient, overbearing, can’t wake up.
Suitable careers: cook, hairdresser, military leader, talk show host, journalist, golfer.
Type AB:
Positive: rational calculating, honest, diplomatic, organized, strong ESP.
Negative: unforgiving, playboy, easily offended, too conservative, nitpicker, hard to know.
Words and Expressions
- latest (adj): newest ⇒ “The latest mating strategy”
- mating (n): choose a suitable person or something ⇒ “The latest mating strategy”
- strategy (n): a plan to improve something ⇒ “The latest mating strategy“
- date (n): a particular day of month ⇒ “TOKYO-Mika Matsui finds out on the first date.”
- maximum (n): as large, fast, as is possible or the most that is possible or allowed ⇒ “First two hours, maximum.”
- blood type (n): blood group ⇒ “There’s no sense getting your hopes up if Mr Wonderful is the wrong blood type.”
- needy (adj): not confident and needing a lot of love and emotional support form other people ⇒ “O’s are too needy.”
- boring (adj): feeling uncomfortable or sad ⇒ “Type As are too boring.”
- horoscope (n): a description of what is going to happen to somebody in the future, based on the position of the stars and the planets when the person was born ⇒ “I don’t believe in horoscopes, but I think blood type describes character most accurately.”
- describe (v): to say what somebody or something is like ⇒ “I don’t believe in horoscopes, but I think blood type describes character most accurately.”
- character (n): all the qualities and features that make a person, groups of people and places different from others ⇒ “I don’t believe in horoscopes, but I think blood type describes character most accurately.”
- accurately (adv): in a way that is correct and true in every detail ⇒ “I don’t believe in horoscopes, but I think blood type describes character most accurately.”
- clerical (adj): connected with office work ⇒ “I don’t believe in horoscopes, but I think blood type describes character most accurately.” said Matsui, 29, a clerical worker for a large Tokyo company. “Check it out yourself.”
- check out (v): to be found to be true or acceptable after being examined ⇒ “I don’t believe in horoscopes, but I think blood type describes character most accurately.” said Matsui, 29, a clerical worker for a large Tokyo company. “Check it out yourself.”
- obsession (n): a person or thing that somebody thinks about too much ⇒ “Japan has an obsession with blood types.”
- vein (n): any of the tubes that carry blood from all parts of the body towards the heart ⇒ “The blood in your veins is supposed to determine how well you live and love, how well you manage money, whether you will succeed at marriage or sumo wrestling.”
- be suppose to: to think or believe that something is true or possible (based on the knowledge that you have) ⇒ “The blood in your veins is supposed to determine how well you live and love, how well you manage money, whether you will succeed at marriage or sumo wrestling.”
- sumo wrestling: a special game which is happened in Japan ⇒ “The blood in your veins is supposed to determine how well you live and love, how well you manage money, whether you will succeed at marriage or sumo wrestling.”
- career (n): the series of jobs that a person has in a particular area of work, usually involving more responsibility as time passes ⇒ “Great marriages and lousy careers are both attributed to blood type.”
- be attributed to: to say or believe that something is the result of a particular thing ⇒ “Great marriages and lousy careers are both attributed to blood type.”
- profile (n): a description of somebody or something that gives useful information ⇒ “Newspaper and magazine profiles of major political candidates always include their blood type.”
- candidate (n): a person who is trying to be elected or is applying for a job ⇒ “Newspaper and magazine profiles of major political candidates always include their blood type.”
- application (n): a formal (often written) request for something such as a job, permission to do something or a place at a college or university ⇒ “Job applications often ask for blood type.”
- imperial (adj): connected with an empire ⇒ “During World War II, Japans imperial army and navy are said to have formed battle groups by blood type.”
- form (v): shape something ⇒ “During World War II, Japans imperial army and navy are said to have formed battle groups by blood type.”
- sitcom (n): a regular program on television that shows the same characters in different amusing situations ⇒ “Japanese television this year carried a sitcom about the life of a businessman called “I am Type O.”
- invite (v): send an invitation to someone ⇒ “Telling a Japanese person you don’t know your blood type invites suspicion,” said Estelle Viskovish, a stylist at the Sin Den, a popular Tokyo beauty salon. She said: “It’s like you’re withholding information.”
- suspicion (n): a feeling that somebody has done something wrong, illegal or dishonest even though you have no proof ⇒ “Telling a Japanese person you don’t know your blood type invites suspicion,” said Estelle Viskovish, a stylist at the Sin Den, a popular Tokyo beauty salon. She said: “It’s like you’re withholding information.”
- stylist (n): a person who has experiences about fashionable clothes and accessories ⇒ “Telling a Japanese person you don’t know your blood type invites suspicion,” said Estelle Viskovish, a stylist at the Sin Den, a popular Tokyo beauty salon. She said: “It’s like you’re withholding information.”
- beauty salon (n): a place where people can change their appearance ⇒ “Telling a Japanese person you don’t know your blood type invites suspicion,” said Estelle Viskovish, a stylist at the Sin Den, a popular Tokyo beauty salon. She said: “It’s like you’re withholding information.”
- withhold (v): to refuse to give something to somebody ⇒ “Telling a Japanese person you don’t know your blood type invites suspicion,” said Estelle Viskovish, a stylist at the Sin Den, a popular Tokyo beauty salon. She said: “It’s like you’re withholding information.”
- chewing gum (n): a sweet candy that you chew but do not swallow ⇒ “There are key chains and chewing gum, calendars, magazines and books, all geared toward the blood-type phenomenon.”
- calendar (n): a page or series of pages showing days, weeks and months of a particular year, especially one that you hang on the wall ⇒ “There are key chains and chewing gum, calendars, magazines and books, all geared toward the blood-type phenomenon.”
- gear (v): move fast ⇒ “There are key chains and chewing gum, calendars, magazines and books, all geared toward the blood-type phenomenon.”
- phenomenon (n): a fact or an event in nature or society, especially one that is not fully understood ⇒ “There are key chains and chewing gum, calendars, magazines and books, all geared toward the blood-type phenomenon.”
- corporation (n): a large business company ⇒ “Some of Japans biggest corporations have looked into increasing their productivity by creating single-type work groups.”
- productivity (n): the rate at which a worker, a company or a country produces goods and the amount produced, compared with how much time, work and money is needed to produce them ⇒ “Some of Japans biggest corporations have looked into increasing their productivity by creating single-type work groups.”
- single-type (adj): being a single person ⇒ “Some of Japans biggest corporations have looked into increasing their productivity by creating single-type work groups.”
- Hitachi: a famous car manufacturer in Japan ⇒ “Toshitaka Nomi, whose 30 books on blood types have sold more than 6 million copies in Japan, has been asked to give more than 1,000 speeches at some of Japans biggest corporations, including Hitachi, Toyota, Nissan and several major banks.”
- Toyota: a famous car manufacturer in Japan ⇒ “Toshitaka Nomi, whose 30 books on blood types have sold more than 6 million copies in Japan, has been asked to give more than 1,000 speeches at some of Japans biggest corporations, including Hitachi, Toyota, Nissan and several major banks.”
- Nissan: a famous car manufacturer in Japan ⇒ “Toshitaka Nomi, whose 30 books on blood types have sold more than 6 million copies in Japan, has been asked to give more than 1,000 speeches at some of Japans biggest corporations, including Hitachi, Toyota, Nissan and several major banks.”
- seminar (n): a class at a university or college when a small group of students and a teacher discuss or study a particular topic ⇒ “Komi gave many of the speeches at training seminars where his theories were being studied as a potential management tool.”
- potential (adj): can develop into something or be developed in the future ⇒ “Komi gave many of the speeches at training seminars where his theories were being studied as a potential management tool.”
- antigen (n): a substance that enters the body and starts a process that can cause disease ⇒ “If a person has an A antigen, his blood is type A; if he has a B antigen, he’s type B.”
- protein (n): a substance which is found within all living things and forms the structure of ⇒ “A person’s blood type is determined by what kind of antigen, a type of protein, he has on the surface of his red blood cells.”
- blood cell (n): a structure of blood ⇒ “A person’s blood type is determined by what kind of antigen, a type of protein, he has on the surface of his red blood cells.”
- molecule (n): the simplest structural unit of an element or compound ⇒ “There is not one molecule of solid scientific evidence that blood type is related to character.”
- solid (adj): of definite shape and volume ⇒ “There is not one molecule of solid scientific evidence that blood type is related to character.”
- evidence (n): your basis for belief or disbelief, knowledge on which to base belief ⇒ “There is not one molecule of solid scientific evidence that blood type is related to character.”
- relevant (adj): having a bearing on or connection with the subject at issue ⇒ “Scientists say blood type is about as relevant to personality as hair color is to snorkeling ability.”
- personality (n): characteristic of a person ⇒ “Scientists say blood type is about as relevant to personality as hair color is to snorkeling ability.”
- snorkeling (n): the sport or activity of swimming underwater with a snorkel ⇒ “Scientists say blood type is about as relevant to personality as hair color is to snorkeling ability.”
- explore (v): find out something new ⇒ “Japanese psychologists and social scientists have been proposing and exploring blood- type theories since the 1920s.”
- receptive (adj): willing to listen to or to accept new ideas or suggestions ⇒ “The Japanese public has always been receptive, but it wasn’t until Nomi’s father came along that blood types became a national obsession.”
- come along (v): come with ⇒ “The Japanese public has always been receptive, but it wasn’t until Nomi’s father came along that blood types became a national obsession.”
- publish (v): to produce a book, magazine,… and sell them to the public ⇒ “In 1971, Masahiko Nomi published a book on the subject based on 25 years of personal observations about blood type and character.”
- observation (n): the act of watching somebody or something carefully for a period of time, especially to learn something ⇒ “In 1971, Masahiko Nomi published a book on the subject based on 25 years of personal observations about blood type and character.”
- for good = for good and all: for something good in a positive way ⇒ “When the book sold 1.2 million copies, the Nomi family got into the blood type business for good.”
- send out (v): deliver something ⇒ “They started sending out questionnaires, asking blood type and a series of questions designed to reveal personality traits.”
- questionnaire (n): a written list of questions that are answered by a number of people so that information can be collected from the answers ⇒ “They started sending out questionnaires, asking blood type and a series of questions designed to reveal personality traits.”
- designed to (v): create to fit something ⇒ “They started sending out questionnaires, asking blood type and a series of questions designed to reveal personality traits.”
- reveal (v): express something out ⇒ “They started sending out questionnaires, asking blood type and a series of questions designed to reveal personality traits.”
- trait (n): a particular quality in your personality ⇒ “They started sending out questionnaires, asking blood type and a series of questions designed to reveal personality traits.”
- elicit (v): to get information or a reaction from somebody, often with difficulty ⇒ “Since 1971 they have sent seven major questionnaires and elicited responses from nearly 250,000 people; those responses are the bricks and mortar of Toshitaka Nomi’s writings.”
- brick and mortar (n): buildings, when you are thinking of them in connection with how much they cost to build or how much they are worth; housing, when it is considered as an investment ⇒ “Since 1971 they have sent seven major questionnaires and elicited responses from nearly 250,000 people; those responses are the bricks and mortar of Toshitaka Nomi’s writings.”
- diet (n): the food that you eat and drink regularly ⇒ “About 15 years ago, he said, he sent a questionnaire to every member of the Japanese diet, or parliament, and received responses from 98 per cent of them.”
- parliament (n): the group of people who are elected to make and change the laws of a country ⇒ “About 15 years ago, he said, he sent a questionnaire to every member of the Japanese diet, or parliament, and received responses from 98 per cent of them.”
- truth (n): fact of someone or something ⇒ “Nomi said, “I would say more than half the Japanese people are very interested in blood types, see some truth in it and are prepared to use it in their daily life.”
- supposed (adj): used to show that you think that a claim, statement or way of describing somebody/something is not true or correct, although it is generally believed to be ⇒ “Following are selected supposed traits of the blood types”
- fastidious (adj): being careful that every detail of something is correct ⇒ “Positive traits: orderly, law-abiding, fastidious, soft-spoken, fashionable, calm.”
- reckless (adj): showing a lack of care about danger and the possible results of your actions ⇒ “Negative traits: picky, selfish, secretive, pessimistic, inflexible, reckless when drunk.”
- columnist (n): a journalist who writes regular articles for a newspaper or magazine ⇒ “Suitable careers: accountant, librarian, economist, novelist, computer programmer, gossip columnist.”
- candid (adj): saying what you think openly and honestly; not hiding your thoughts ⇒ “Positive: independent, flexible, candid, sensitive, passionate, persuasive.”
- nitpicker (n): a person who often finds small mistakes in somebody’s work or pays too much attention to small details that are not important ⇒ “Negative: unforgiving, playboy, easily offended, too conservative, nitpicker, hard to know.”
Exercises
Fill in each blank with the appropriate word, making changes where necessary
maximum, obsession, latest, strategy, suspicion, withhold, profile, invite, phenomenon, solid
1. Her ………………… book is entitled Second Class Citizen.
2. What ………………….. do you use to teach a child to read?
3. The temperature reaches the ………………… at noon.
4. He had an ………………… for home.
5. The newspaper did a ………………….. on him.
6. Divisions at home would ……………………. dangers from abroad.
7. The behavior of the stranger aroused our …………………..
8. Families ………………… rent and were evicted.
9. The employment problem tends to be a city …………………….
10. His argument is based on good …………………… reasoning.
