Let’s Have a Picnic!
What can you do on a sunny day? How about having a picnic/and taking a breath in nature? Would you buy takeout food/or prefer to cook something? The day should be enjoyable.
The word “picnic” is originally pique-nique in French. The first definition of pique-nique was/“each individual would bring food/and people would eat together.” It appeared for the first time/in a French book in the 17th century. That time was a golden age/at the Palace of Versailles. The nobility enjoyed hunting and outdoor meals. You can see the early style of picnics/in old paintings.
Picnics are loved/in many countries. In England,/they have been popular/since the 18th century. Though picnics had their origins in France,/the English also had the ritual of eating a meal outside/on a hunting day. They preferred a formal eating style/with a set table,/even outside. For convenience,/they used a basket/to carry tableware for a picnic. Now,/a picnic basket has become a symbol of picnics worldwide.
What do you like to pack/in a picnic basket? Sandwiches? Berries? A smoothie? It’s fun to grab a bite/in the shade. Sports equipment is also worth bringing. People throw flying disks/or play badminton. That helps to refresh us.
Having a picnic is common/in Japan, too. Many people enjoy a meal/in parks or by the riverside,/especially during cherry blossom season.
In 18th century Edo,/hanami became popular/among the common people. In those days,/a lacquered box/to pack various sorts of food/was an essential item for hanami. Another lacquered box with a handle,/called sageju,/was also used for hanami. Sageju can hold/not only the lacquered boxes of food,/but also a bottle/containing a beverage. It is used to help people/bring everything to hanami. This shows/Japanese people have enjoyed “picnics”/and used “picnic baskets”/since the 18th century!
Being outside has a great effect/on your body,/both physically and mentally. According to some studies,/exposure to sunlight increases the release of serotonin,/a chemical produced/in the brain. It’s associated with lifting your mood. Since it also helps a person feel calm and happy,/it’s called “the happy hormone.” Without enough exposure to sunlight,/your serotonin level can decrease. A lack of serotonin causes chronic fatigue,/loss of motivation and sleeplessness.
There are other ways/to produce serotonin/besides sunlight. One is by exercising. Another is by chatting with your family or friends. Picnics have all of them!
What can you do on a sunny day? How about having a picnic/and taking a breath in nature? Would you buy takeout food/or prefer to cook something? The day should be enjoyable.
The word “picnic” is originally pique-nique in French. The first definition of pique-nique was/“each individual would bring food/and people would eat together.” It appeared for the first time/in a French book in the 17th century. That time was a golden age/at the Palace of Versailles. The nobility enjoyed hunting and outdoor meals. You can see the early style of picnics/in old paintings.
Picnics are loved/in many countries. In England,/they have been popular/since the 18th century. Though picnics had their origins in France,/the English also had the ritual of eating a meal outside/on a hunting day. They preferred a formal eating style/with a set table,/even outside. For convenience,/they used a basket/to carry tableware for a picnic. Now,/a picnic basket has become a symbol of picnics worldwide.
What do you like to pack/in a picnic basket? Sandwiches? Berries? A smoothie? It’s fun to grab a bite/in the shade. Sports equipment is also worth bringing. People throw flying disks/or play badminton. That helps to refresh us.
Having a picnic is common/in Japan, too. Many people enjoy a meal/in parks or by the riverside,/especially during cherry blossom season.
In 18th century Edo,/hanami became popular/among the common people. In those days,/a lacquered box/to pack various sorts of food/was an essential item for hanami. Another lacquered box with a handle,/called sageju,/was also used for hanami. Sageju can hold/not only the lacquered boxes of food,/but also a bottle/containing a beverage. It is used to help people/bring everything to hanami. This shows/Japanese people have enjoyed “picnics”/and used “picnic baskets”/since the 18th century!
Being outside has a great effect/on your body,/both physically and mentally. According to some studies,/exposure to sunlight increases the release of serotonin,/a chemical produced/in the brain. It’s associated with lifting your mood. Since it also helps a person feel calm and happy,/it’s called “the happy hormone.” Without enough exposure to sunlight,/your serotonin level can decrease. A lack of serotonin causes chronic fatigue,/loss of motivation and sleeplessness.
There are other ways/to produce serotonin/besides sunlight. One is by exercising. Another is by chatting with your family or friends. Picnics have all of them!