Helpful Online Banking
Today, Internet technology is developing more and more and people depend on it greatly because they can do anything online such as communicate, search and find entertainment. On the Internet, they can finally manage or exchange money, called online banking. It’s a fresh system because money is very important and it should be paid or interchanged directly. Managing money online seems to be risky, but many people prefer to use it because online banking has some advantages. People can transfer money easily anytime. Also, thanks to the system, they can enjoy online shopping.
People can use online banking with fun, convenience and safety. Even if there are some risks, they don’t have to be afraid at all. Online banking has a lot of advantages for people.
First, one of reasons people prefer to use online banking is that it is very convenient. If there were not online banking, they whould have to go out to get something. They don’t feel like going outside because of weather or laziness. In “Is using a credit-card for online purchases safe?” (Ball, 2008), the author states online banking is an easy way for people to find what they are looking for and they don’t have to leave their house. This feature of online banking is also very helpful for people who don’t have time to go out to get something.
Second, people can do good shopping, because they can easily see around various online shops. In “Stay safe while shopping online” (Robertson, 2006), the author states online shop is like a huge marketplace so people can get whatever they want. Also, people can compare a price with another one in different sites. So they can get what they want at the cheapest price. It is a very important thing for shoppers.
Finally, people don’t have to be afraid of risks. Indeed, there are some risks to paying money online. The most important reason people feel that online banking is risky is that their credit-card number can be stolen. However, they can enjoy shopping online without the fear. “If someone has taken your card number and is using it, you will know within a day or two, and you can minimize the damage” (Epinions.com, 2008, para. 23). People never suffer heavy losses in online shopping.
In conclusion, people can get whatever they want by using online banking. It provides various benefits with people. If it seems to be risky, people enjoy online shopping without fears because they can minimize damages. So they never have big loss because of online banking. Online banking help people do shopping and it makes people’s shopping easier.
Reference
Ball, G. (2008, April 15). Is using a credit-card for online purchases safe? Education Redefined. Retrieved May 5, 2008, from http://www.bsu.edu/security/article/0,1384,86674-5031-17009,00.html
Epinions.com. (2008, October 20). Five tips for safe online shopping. Retrieved May 5, 2008, from http://www.epinions.com/finc-review-2A3E-12E6A23-39F00E0A-prod1
Robertson, C. (2006, January 3). Stay safe while shopping online. Majon International. Retrieved May 5, 2008, from http://www.majon.com/articles/Shopping_-_General/shopping_online_126.html
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Research Paper
Threatened Whooping Crane
In “Whooping crane makes dramatic come back,” Zaleski (2007) states that whooping crane is known as not only the tallest migratory bird in Northwest America but also one of the most endangered. In the late 1800s, there were about 1,500 birds in Western Canada and the U.S. The cranes numbered just over 20 in 1940. The main reason of their death is crashing with power lines during migration. In addition, the conversion of wetlands and grasslands to agriculture and the draining of wetlands are also important causes of extinction. Moreover, they can’t breed widely originally and also their nests are destroyed by human activities. By having these problems happen all at the same time, their lives are threatened more and more. Now, they can’t increase their population by themselves so they need our help. Also we have to take responsibility for this problem because human has surely destroyed their lives.
In “The end of the road; There is something truly magical about animal migration, Anne McIlroy reports, But human activity threatens to grind it to a halt”, McIlroy (2008) writes that Dr. Wilcove argues endangered animals deserve special attention and people should push to preserve forest from development. Since 1938, organizations such as International Crane Foundation, the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, and the Calgary Zoo discovered various solutions to help them. Therefore this resulted in a slow increase, but it’s not enough to get whooping crane off the endangered list yet. Also it’s unsure if the population is recovered or not. The reason the methods which we tried already can’t make it increase definitely is that we have never reconsidered what we do to their lives. Unless we admit our faults and try to improve, their complete recovery will be difficult. Then in making their recovery real, as Dr. Wilcove states, we should remove threats from their lives and keep them away from extinction.
First, we should stop invasion of their habitats. In “Habit Restoration,” the author states “One of the biggest threats to whooping cranes is the destruction of habitat. The cranes have a very sensitive ecosystem, and the smallest change can become deadly” (Whooping Crane Home Page, n.d, para.1). Over many years, we have destroyed whooping cranes’ habitats by deforestation or exploitation of wetlands and grasslands where they breed. In “The Cranes” the authors state, “Because few crane species depend heavily upon forested habitats, deforestation does not usually pose a serious direct threat to cranes, however, because deforestation has long-term and far-reaching impacts upon watershed hydrology, and hence on wetlands, deforestation can be considered a significant indirect threat” (Meine and Archibald, 1996, para. 9). Also, their stopovers are decreasing so they can’t rest during migration and get to the destination. The loss of habitats means they can’t get foods. In addition, on their routes for migration, power lines threaten whooping cranes. It’s the most serious threat for whooping cranes which migrate to different habitats. In “Wild Farms Threaten Endangered Whooping Crane” (Redorbit News, 2008), the author claims that the number of whooping cranes which die because of crashing into wind turbines is increasing. They did not use to die because of it. Now, crashing into power line and wind turbines is a common cause of death. These factors are enough to make them extinction. They are losing places to breed, live, migrate, and rest during migration because of our invasion even now. Organizations are trying to create new habitats for them, but habitat destruction is faster than habitat creation. So the only one way to save their habitats is stop excessive invasion and keep them safe.
Second, we should solve the problem of water pollution. In “Whooping crane” (International Crane Foundation, n.d.), the author states that polluted water from oil and chemicals affects their habitat and food supply. Also, much of the freight consists of petrochemical products that are conveyed near their habitats. Contaminants have been detected in the waters of the refugees, and small-scale spills have occurred in the past. In “The cranes, Threats: Habitat Loss and Degradation” the author states “For example, barges loaded with benzene, xylene, and other toxic substances traverse the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway near the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge on a daily basis; even one spill in this area could have a devastating impact on the Whooping Cranes and their habitat” (Meine and Archibald, 1996, para.13). Of course, fresh water is essential for them because they need to stay in water at night to feel safe from predators during migration. From polluted water, they will die or get diseases. Changes of their water quality influence their lives greatly. In addition, they can’t recover from pollution by themselves and it’s also difficult for us to remove the pollution. However, water pollution has been caused by human activities, not birds and nature. They can’t struggle against water pollution and they are just dying out. As soon as possible, we have to supply them with fresh water.
Finally, we should breed them and teach them how to live in wildlife. In “Removing egg from nest may help save endangered whooping crane” (Inventions report, 2005) the author states that they usually have only one chick because they have a habit that one chick eats another chick. So the rate of breeding is not high originally. In addition, there are a lot of predators. Some whooping cranes are killed regardless of whether they are adults or chicks. They have the risk of being killed by predators anytime. Next, the number of whooping cranes has to increase quickly. One reason is that they are still listed as an endangered bird. Another reason is that decrease is faster than increase. Now, the number of whooping crane is increasing but the speed is not enough. Moreover, in “After Long Struggle, Whooping Crane Population Hits Milestone,” Moreno (2006) says that some organizations succeeded in breeding whooping crane. They are usually taught how to migrate by parents so whooping crane which are bred by humans need to be taught it by humans. In fact, organizations lead them to their destination by gliders.
On the other hand, some people feel that it’s impossible to save and improve crane’s life. Over many years, we have tried to look for solutions and solve the problem. However, the problem of animal’s extinction isn’t improved and continues to get worse and worse. Even if the problem is solved, it recurs soon because humans never stop developing their lives. New technologies are regarded as one of effective solutions, but they can cause other problems and the situation becomes more complicated. Indeed, it’s difficult not to affect the animal’s life at all because we need to exploit the natural world. However, if we continue to destroy it or invade it too much without thinking about animal’s life, endangered animals happen as well as whooping crane. It can get worse unlimitedly. Someday humans can be influenced by destruction of ecosystem. We have only way that we should restrain our development to save animal’s life. We have to leave some wild areas and keep them safe, instead of destroying them. As a result, they will cause other problems and the situation will become more complicated. We have to know that it’s impossible that we develop our lives and keep animals’ lives safe at the same time. If we don’t give up some development in our lives, we will never save animals’ lives.
In conclusion, we need to reconsider endangered birds’ lives. They are threatened by our activities and they can’t do anything about it. If humans have not disturbed their lives, they would not have to be threatened. Now they require our help and we have to save and keep them away from extinction forever. Indeed it’s hard and costly to solve and continue to take care of them, but it’s our responsibility. We can say that some opinions of our opponents are not wrong, because we can solve the problem of animal’s extinction more efficiently by stopping our harmful activities for animals. We can either plunge them into extinction or keep them safe, as whooping crane almost died out and they are increasing again slowly. It’s not a big result, but if we continue efforts, we can see humans and animals coexisting someday.
References
Inventions report (2005, November 23). Removing egg from nest may help save endangered whooping crane. Retrieved October 31, 2008, from http://www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/umwelt_naturschutz/bericht-52057.html
International Crane Foundation (n.d.). Whooping crane. Retrieved November 8, 2008, from http://www.savingcranes.org/whoopingcrane.html
McIlroy, A. (2008, March 29). The end of the road; There is something truly magical about animal migration, Anne McIlroy reports, But human activity threatens to grind it to a halt. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved November 8, 2008, from LexisNexis.
Meine, C. and Archibald, G. (1996) The Cranes. Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center USGS. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/cranes/habitat.html
Moreno, S. (2006, December 26). After Long Struggle, Whooping Crane Population Hits Milestone. The Washington Post. Retrieved October 31, 2008, from Lexis Nexis.
Redorbit News. (2008, February 29). Wind Farms Threaten Endangered Whooping Crane. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from http://www.redorbit.com/news/display/?id=1275521
Whooping Crane Home Page (n.d.). Habitat Restoration. Retrieved November 8, 2008, from http://library.thinkquest.org/07aug/01259/Site/Habitat%20Restoration.html
Zaleski, O. (2007, December 22). Whooping Crane Makes Dramatic Come Back. The Daily Green. Retrieved October 31, 2008, from http://thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/whooping-cranes-47122201?click=main_sr
In “Whooping crane makes dramatic come back,” Zaleski (2007) states that whooping crane is known as not only the tallest migratory bird in Northwest America but also one of the most endangered. In the late 1800s, there were about 1,500 birds in Western Canada and the U.S. The cranes numbered just over 20 in 1940. The main reason of their death is crashing with power lines during migration. In addition, the conversion of wetlands and grasslands to agriculture and the draining of wetlands are also important causes of extinction. Moreover, they can’t breed widely originally and also their nests are destroyed by human activities. By having these problems happen all at the same time, their lives are threatened more and more. Now, they can’t increase their population by themselves so they need our help. Also we have to take responsibility for this problem because human has surely destroyed their lives.
In “The end of the road; There is something truly magical about animal migration, Anne McIlroy reports, But human activity threatens to grind it to a halt”, McIlroy (2008) writes that Dr. Wilcove argues endangered animals deserve special attention and people should push to preserve forest from development. Since 1938, organizations such as International Crane Foundation, the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, and the Calgary Zoo discovered various solutions to help them. Therefore this resulted in a slow increase, but it’s not enough to get whooping crane off the endangered list yet. Also it’s unsure if the population is recovered or not. The reason the methods which we tried already can’t make it increase definitely is that we have never reconsidered what we do to their lives. Unless we admit our faults and try to improve, their complete recovery will be difficult. Then in making their recovery real, as Dr. Wilcove states, we should remove threats from their lives and keep them away from extinction.
First, we should stop invasion of their habitats. In “Habit Restoration,” the author states “One of the biggest threats to whooping cranes is the destruction of habitat. The cranes have a very sensitive ecosystem, and the smallest change can become deadly” (Whooping Crane Home Page, n.d, para.1). Over many years, we have destroyed whooping cranes’ habitats by deforestation or exploitation of wetlands and grasslands where they breed. In “The Cranes” the authors state, “Because few crane species depend heavily upon forested habitats, deforestation does not usually pose a serious direct threat to cranes, however, because deforestation has long-term and far-reaching impacts upon watershed hydrology, and hence on wetlands, deforestation can be considered a significant indirect threat” (Meine and Archibald, 1996, para. 9). Also, their stopovers are decreasing so they can’t rest during migration and get to the destination. The loss of habitats means they can’t get foods. In addition, on their routes for migration, power lines threaten whooping cranes. It’s the most serious threat for whooping cranes which migrate to different habitats. In “Wild Farms Threaten Endangered Whooping Crane” (Redorbit News, 2008), the author claims that the number of whooping cranes which die because of crashing into wind turbines is increasing. They did not use to die because of it. Now, crashing into power line and wind turbines is a common cause of death. These factors are enough to make them extinction. They are losing places to breed, live, migrate, and rest during migration because of our invasion even now. Organizations are trying to create new habitats for them, but habitat destruction is faster than habitat creation. So the only one way to save their habitats is stop excessive invasion and keep them safe.
Second, we should solve the problem of water pollution. In “Whooping crane” (International Crane Foundation, n.d.), the author states that polluted water from oil and chemicals affects their habitat and food supply. Also, much of the freight consists of petrochemical products that are conveyed near their habitats. Contaminants have been detected in the waters of the refugees, and small-scale spills have occurred in the past. In “The cranes, Threats: Habitat Loss and Degradation” the author states “For example, barges loaded with benzene, xylene, and other toxic substances traverse the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway near the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge on a daily basis; even one spill in this area could have a devastating impact on the Whooping Cranes and their habitat” (Meine and Archibald, 1996, para.13). Of course, fresh water is essential for them because they need to stay in water at night to feel safe from predators during migration. From polluted water, they will die or get diseases. Changes of their water quality influence their lives greatly. In addition, they can’t recover from pollution by themselves and it’s also difficult for us to remove the pollution. However, water pollution has been caused by human activities, not birds and nature. They can’t struggle against water pollution and they are just dying out. As soon as possible, we have to supply them with fresh water.
Finally, we should breed them and teach them how to live in wildlife. In “Removing egg from nest may help save endangered whooping crane” (Inventions report, 2005) the author states that they usually have only one chick because they have a habit that one chick eats another chick. So the rate of breeding is not high originally. In addition, there are a lot of predators. Some whooping cranes are killed regardless of whether they are adults or chicks. They have the risk of being killed by predators anytime. Next, the number of whooping cranes has to increase quickly. One reason is that they are still listed as an endangered bird. Another reason is that decrease is faster than increase. Now, the number of whooping crane is increasing but the speed is not enough. Moreover, in “After Long Struggle, Whooping Crane Population Hits Milestone,” Moreno (2006) says that some organizations succeeded in breeding whooping crane. They are usually taught how to migrate by parents so whooping crane which are bred by humans need to be taught it by humans. In fact, organizations lead them to their destination by gliders.
On the other hand, some people feel that it’s impossible to save and improve crane’s life. Over many years, we have tried to look for solutions and solve the problem. However, the problem of animal’s extinction isn’t improved and continues to get worse and worse. Even if the problem is solved, it recurs soon because humans never stop developing their lives. New technologies are regarded as one of effective solutions, but they can cause other problems and the situation becomes more complicated. Indeed, it’s difficult not to affect the animal’s life at all because we need to exploit the natural world. However, if we continue to destroy it or invade it too much without thinking about animal’s life, endangered animals happen as well as whooping crane. It can get worse unlimitedly. Someday humans can be influenced by destruction of ecosystem. We have only way that we should restrain our development to save animal’s life. We have to leave some wild areas and keep them safe, instead of destroying them. As a result, they will cause other problems and the situation will become more complicated. We have to know that it’s impossible that we develop our lives and keep animals’ lives safe at the same time. If we don’t give up some development in our lives, we will never save animals’ lives.
In conclusion, we need to reconsider endangered birds’ lives. They are threatened by our activities and they can’t do anything about it. If humans have not disturbed their lives, they would not have to be threatened. Now they require our help and we have to save and keep them away from extinction forever. Indeed it’s hard and costly to solve and continue to take care of them, but it’s our responsibility. We can say that some opinions of our opponents are not wrong, because we can solve the problem of animal’s extinction more efficiently by stopping our harmful activities for animals. We can either plunge them into extinction or keep them safe, as whooping crane almost died out and they are increasing again slowly. It’s not a big result, but if we continue efforts, we can see humans and animals coexisting someday.
References
Inventions report (2005, November 23). Removing egg from nest may help save endangered whooping crane. Retrieved October 31, 2008, from http://www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/umwelt_naturschutz/bericht-52057.html
International Crane Foundation (n.d.). Whooping crane. Retrieved November 8, 2008, from http://www.savingcranes.org/whoopingcrane.html
McIlroy, A. (2008, March 29). The end of the road; There is something truly magical about animal migration, Anne McIlroy reports, But human activity threatens to grind it to a halt. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved November 8, 2008, from LexisNexis.
Meine, C. and Archibald, G. (1996) The Cranes. Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center USGS. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/cranes/habitat.html
Moreno, S. (2006, December 26). After Long Struggle, Whooping Crane Population Hits Milestone. The Washington Post. Retrieved October 31, 2008, from Lexis Nexis.
Redorbit News. (2008, February 29). Wind Farms Threaten Endangered Whooping Crane. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from http://www.redorbit.com/news/display/?id=1275521
Whooping Crane Home Page (n.d.). Habitat Restoration. Retrieved November 8, 2008, from http://library.thinkquest.org/07aug/01259/Site/Habitat%20Restoration.html
Zaleski, O. (2007, December 22). Whooping Crane Makes Dramatic Come Back. The Daily Green. Retrieved October 31, 2008, from http://thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/whooping-cranes-47122201?click=main_sr
Monday, December 1, 2008
Music reminds me of memories
In my life, music is very important for me. My hobby is listening to music so I listen to music almost everyday. Also, I like to check the newest songs and I listen to them so many times if I like them. So there are various songs which I often listened to every season. When I listen to each song, I can remember what happen when l frequently listened to. I want to talk about these songs and memories today. First, "All I want for Christmas is you" by Mariah Carey reminds me of memories of winter. Every time winter comes, I can listen to this song everywhere. I have various memories in winter. When I listen to the song, I always remember the memories and I feel romantic and sentiment. Also the song makes me notice winter comes and Christmas is coming. Second, all songs of Radwimps, Japanese singer reminds me of memories with my boyfriend. Radwimps is not really famous. I also didn’t know it before I met him, but he likes it and he told me them. Then I liked all songs soon. We listened to them whenever we were together. So I can remember memories with him vividly still now if I listen to them. Finally, “I will follow him” is also favorite song because the song relates to memories of high school greatly. In my high school, we have chorus competition every year. When I was in the third grade, my class sang the song. It was so hard to practice every day during summer vacation but we enjoyed singing the song because we like it. Thanks to hard practice, we finally won! The song is the most memorable thing all of memories of high school. Thus, music is a part of my memories. It helps me remember important memories so sometimes I listen to memorable songs and I remember various things. From now, memorable songs will increase more and they are essential for my memories forever.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Fluency #7
The best place for trip
I know a place where you should go at least once in your life. It’s my hometown, Osaka. Osaka is the second capital of Japan and it’s not huge but there are a lot of things you can enjoy. First, you can eat popular and famous foods there. Especially, I want to recommend Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki to you, because I have never heard there are people who don’t like them. They are very famous and of course people who are from Osaka like them. So you can find stores or restaurants which offer them wherever you go in Osaka. Second, there are traditional structures in Osaka. The most famous traditional structure is Osaka castle. In spring, many people visit there because there are a lot of cherry trees around the castle. Also it is popular among foreign tourists and they favorably visit there. Finally, you can enjoy shopping a lot. Osaka has some of the best places for shopping, Numba, Umeda and Tennoji. There are various kinds of stores and young people often go there and enjoy shopping. If you go there, you can find everything you want. I have traveled a lot of places in Japan and I enjoyed them very much, but I can say that the best place for a trip in Japan is Osaka. If you go there, you can experience many things there and I’m sure you will like Osaka.
I know a place where you should go at least once in your life. It’s my hometown, Osaka. Osaka is the second capital of Japan and it’s not huge but there are a lot of things you can enjoy. First, you can eat popular and famous foods there. Especially, I want to recommend Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki to you, because I have never heard there are people who don’t like them. They are very famous and of course people who are from Osaka like them. So you can find stores or restaurants which offer them wherever you go in Osaka. Second, there are traditional structures in Osaka. The most famous traditional structure is Osaka castle. In spring, many people visit there because there are a lot of cherry trees around the castle. Also it is popular among foreign tourists and they favorably visit there. Finally, you can enjoy shopping a lot. Osaka has some of the best places for shopping, Numba, Umeda and Tennoji. There are various kinds of stores and young people often go there and enjoy shopping. If you go there, you can find everything you want. I have traveled a lot of places in Japan and I enjoyed them very much, but I can say that the best place for a trip in Japan is Osaka. If you go there, you can experience many things there and I’m sure you will like Osaka.
Fluency #6
The Way to Enjoy Japanese Vacation
I like vacation because I have a lot of events. In Japan, we have three big vacations, spring, summer and winter, in a year. We can enjoy various things with each season. First of all, in spring vacation, people are likely to do Ohanami. In Japan, we can see a lot of cherry trees everywhere. The original purpose is enjoying seeing cherry trees, but we can also enjoy talking, eating food, drinking alcohol and singing songs under cherry trees in parks. Next, in summer vacation, we have a lot of kinds of Matsuri, Japanese festival. We usually have them at night. There are many booths and we can buy foods and play games there. Some Matsuri includes fireworks. Most people enjoy them while wearing Yukata and Jinbe, which are Japanese traditional clothes. Finally, winter vacation is not long but it includes an important event. It’s seeing the old year out and the New Year in. We have a custom to go to shrines on New Year’s Day. So many people gather there to make a wish for the new year and, draw fortune slips every year. New Year’s Day is only once in a year so people regard it as an important event and they enjoy it. Thus, there are many traditional events in each Japanese vacation. I wish all vacations were longer or I could enjoy them more.
I like vacation because I have a lot of events. In Japan, we have three big vacations, spring, summer and winter, in a year. We can enjoy various things with each season. First of all, in spring vacation, people are likely to do Ohanami. In Japan, we can see a lot of cherry trees everywhere. The original purpose is enjoying seeing cherry trees, but we can also enjoy talking, eating food, drinking alcohol and singing songs under cherry trees in parks. Next, in summer vacation, we have a lot of kinds of Matsuri, Japanese festival. We usually have them at night. There are many booths and we can buy foods and play games there. Some Matsuri includes fireworks. Most people enjoy them while wearing Yukata and Jinbe, which are Japanese traditional clothes. Finally, winter vacation is not long but it includes an important event. It’s seeing the old year out and the New Year in. We have a custom to go to shrines on New Year’s Day. So many people gather there to make a wish for the new year and, draw fortune slips every year. New Year’s Day is only once in a year so people regard it as an important event and they enjoy it. Thus, there are many traditional events in each Japanese vacation. I wish all vacations were longer or I could enjoy them more.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Importance of Alone Time
I can say that if I don't have time to spend alone, I can' live. Of course, I like to spend time with friends, family or go to places where are crowded with many people. There are a lot of fun and it's essential time for me. But I need time to spend alone as well as time with someone. There are some reasons I think it's important for my life. First, being always with someone makes me tired. Even if I like the person the most, I need to take care of him/her whenever we are together. If the sisuation continues for a long time without alone time, I will feel uncomfortable finally. By spending time alone sometimes, I can also enjoy time with others. Second, I can enjoy some hobbies in alone time. My hobbies are going shopping and seeing movies. I can enjoy them with friends and I do sometimes. But actually, I like do them alone the most because in shopping case, I don't have to care about others' pase of shopping. In movie case, I can consentrare on story more. Finally, making time to spend time alone is good for health. When I'm alone, I can relax and release stress. If I don't make own time, I can't rest mentally and physically. By spending time alone, I can have chances to do what I want to do. It helps me release stress and I can feel better. As I can't be with someones for a long time, it's also impossible to be alone for a long time. Balance between them is difficult and important. I want to enjoy spending both of them equally.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Fluency #5
American Election
Yesterday, a new American President was elected, Barack Obama. In the world, people had paid attention to the election, because America is a big country which has power and can control the world. So we can say that yesterday’s Presidential election not only affects America’s future but also the world’s one. Actually, I had not been interested in politics, but now I’m interested in the election and its background for some reasons. First, I had many chances to learn about American politics. For example, in class, the teacher talked about it and I sometimes discussed it with classmates because the election was approaching. Second, we could see news or TV shows about the election whenever I turned on the TV and Computer. In the news and TV show, people argued or made ironic statements for Obama or McCain. Finally, young people had a campaign to support Obama or McCain at school. In my country, Japan, most of the young people are not interested in politics so they rarely participate in campaign or vote, though they can. So I was surprised that young people were excited about the election. Also, I was surprised that young people made a lot of noise to celebrate the victory of Obama outside of my dormitory after the election was over. Thanks to the election, I could learn about American politics and I came to want to know about it more. Now Obama is the President of America, and I’m looking forward to how America and the world will change.
Yesterday, a new American President was elected, Barack Obama. In the world, people had paid attention to the election, because America is a big country which has power and can control the world. So we can say that yesterday’s Presidential election not only affects America’s future but also the world’s one. Actually, I had not been interested in politics, but now I’m interested in the election and its background for some reasons. First, I had many chances to learn about American politics. For example, in class, the teacher talked about it and I sometimes discussed it with classmates because the election was approaching. Second, we could see news or TV shows about the election whenever I turned on the TV and Computer. In the news and TV show, people argued or made ironic statements for Obama or McCain. Finally, young people had a campaign to support Obama or McCain at school. In my country, Japan, most of the young people are not interested in politics so they rarely participate in campaign or vote, though they can. So I was surprised that young people were excited about the election. Also, I was surprised that young people made a lot of noise to celebrate the victory of Obama outside of my dormitory after the election was over. Thanks to the election, I could learn about American politics and I came to want to know about it more. Now Obama is the President of America, and I’m looking forward to how America and the world will change.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Being a bride is hard
I want to talk about my dream and problems for it. I have a lot of dreams and the most important dream for me is being a bride. I have to take over many things in making the dream real. First of all, I'm not sure if I can find my destiny or not. The possibility which I can find a good man is not high and it's difficult to continue relationship forever. If I particular about characteristic or appearance too much, it's more difficult to get married. Second, I don't have confidence in housework, because I'm not good at cooking, cleaning and so on. In additon, they are very hard and stressful. But I must do housework every day no matter how I have a job or not for my future husband and children. Finally, the most important fear is that I will get divorced. Nowaday, in Japan, the rate of divorce is increasing more and more. There are various reasons. The number one reason is difference of sense of value. Many people notice that characteristic they haven't known after marriage although they have dated for long time. So I need to see congeniality very carefully. Also, I have to choose a man who suits a marriage partner not just a lover. Moreover, sometimes visions of matrimony aren't realized and some people are disappointed at marriage or partners. It's rare to be able to make them real faithfully. Thus, there are some things I'm afraid of in being a bride. Some are things I can take over by effort, and others depend on my fortune. Anyway, I hope that I will find a perfect man for me, and have a happy life with him forever.
Monday, November 3, 2008
My First Halloween!
In my country, we don't have a holiday like Halloween, so I want to talk about my first Halloween in the U.S. I hadn't known about Halloween well and celebrated it before I came here. However, I have heard that so many people celebrate Halloween every year in the U.S. I was very excited and I looked forward to some things. At first, I wanted to try to wear costumes! It is a main reason why I was interested in Halloween. In Japan, we have customs to wear yukata or kimono on special day, however we don't have occasions to wear costumes or masks. If I wear some costumes in Japan, everybody regards me as a strange person. It was very hard to choose one from so many kinds of costumes. Finally I chose a costume like a magician. I liked it very much, so I was happy to wear my favorite costume. Second, I wanted to curve pumpkins and also I had never seen real pumpkin curved. On Halloween, we had a party in Faner Hall and I tried to curve a pumpkin. First, I drew the picture of face of pumpkin. After that, I curved it with friends. It was not hard, but it's difficult for me. At last, we had a contest of curving pumpkins. Our pumpkin wasn't selected but it became a good memory. Finally, I wanted to join Halloween party. I have heard that people who wear various kinds of costumes gather at bar, so I wanted to see them. On Halloween, I went to a bar with friends with wearing costumes. Then, there were a lot of people and almost all of them wear costumes! It was so funny and I took many pictures. Also, I talked with many people and danced with friends there. Thus, I could enjoyed Halloween than I had predicted. This year, I have experienced Halloween in the U.S. for the first time and it was an amazing event. I wish the event like Halloween in Japan.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Fluency #4
Halloween in Carbondale
In Carbondale, many people enjoy Halloween. I look forward to it very much, because we don’t have Halloween in my country, Japan, so this year Halloween is the first experience for me. I don’t know what happens on Halloween. Then, last Friday, I enjoyed Halloween early in the bar, and I was surprised at one thing. It was costumes. It was one of the most important things for me, and I also bought one. And I thought I bought a colorful one. However, there were a lot of people with more colorful costumes in the bar. Everyone wore various kinds of costumes and all of them were very unique. It was still a week before of Halloween, but I didn’t feel it at all. I plan to go to Halloween party on this weekend with my costume. I want to try to be more unique and enjoy Halloween!
In Carbondale, many people enjoy Halloween. I look forward to it very much, because we don’t have Halloween in my country, Japan, so this year Halloween is the first experience for me. I don’t know what happens on Halloween. Then, last Friday, I enjoyed Halloween early in the bar, and I was surprised at one thing. It was costumes. It was one of the most important things for me, and I also bought one. And I thought I bought a colorful one. However, there were a lot of people with more colorful costumes in the bar. Everyone wore various kinds of costumes and all of them were very unique. It was still a week before of Halloween, but I didn’t feel it at all. I plan to go to Halloween party on this weekend with my costume. I want to try to be more unique and enjoy Halloween!
Summary Response #2
A Threat to Whooping Crane
In the REDORBIT NEWS (2008) article, “Wind Farms Threaten Endangered Whooping Crane,” the author states that wind farms are the new causes that bring about death or injury of North American whooping crane. First, there are a lot of wind farms around their routes of migration. They create large wind turbines and cranes can crash into them when they land or take off during migration. The main cause of death for the whooping cranes is crashing into power lines. If cranes are safe, their migration stopover habitats can be lost. Second, now wind farms are growing, and many employees of the companies don’t want to see injured crane anymore. However wind farms are required for clean and renewable electricity in the U.S now. Therefore they are supposed to increase more in the route of migration. Finally, whooping crane is an endangered species. Increasing the number of wind farms can cause extinction, so it should be stopped. Today how to protect whooping crane from wind farms’ impact is discussed.
In the world, there are endangered birds for various reasons, for example air pollution, climate changes and loss of habitat. Now we have a new reason for extinction of birds like whooping crane that is threatened by wind farms. Our activities which affect wild lives are increasing more and more, and the activities are important for our lives. So it’s difficult to solve this problem. We have to know reasons for extinction and compare the importance of birds’ lives with that of our high quality lives in solving the problem.
First of all, we should know what we do to birds’ lives. Today all we know is that increasing human activities threaten them greatly and some species of birds have died out already. We usually don’t notice that birds are threatened until the problem is serious, because we don’t kill them directly. A wind farm wouldn’t seem to be dangerous to birds, but in fact, it takes their habitat away and extinction results from it. They rarely die out in nature without our activities, so it should be thought that we kill them. By thinking like that, our thoughts for birds' extinction should change.
Second, we have to consider whether high quality lives are more important than birds’ lives. We cause factors which bring about threat of extinction of birds one after another to have high quality lives. In fact, they make our lives developed and we are accustomed to using them, so it’s difficult to live without them now. And we still now try to create more convenient lives. However, on the other hand, birds fall victim to our greed. It’s a big problem for wildlife because the extinction of a kind of animal can collapse another animal’s ecosystem. We need to consider what happens and precede safety of their lives before we think about developing our lives.
Finally, protecting birds and helping them recover from crisis of extinction are our responsibilities. We live with wild animals in this world, so it’s impossible for us not to be concerned with them. In addition, only humans can collapse their ecosystems contrary to nature, so we need to care about them. However we have threatened them already. Now we have to try to help birds as soon as possible and pay attention to others. They are all things we can do to make up for their sacrifice.
In conclusion, human activities which make our lives convenient can threaten birds’ lives. This problem has already been serious, and it’s very hard to solve it because the cause of the problem is our activities. However we have only one choice which is to prevent factors from threatening them even if the factors make our lives useful. It’s difficult to precede bird’s lives, but birds can live freely by our effort to care about them.
Reference
REDORBIT NEWS. (2008, February 29). Wind Farms Threaten Endangered Whooping Crane. Retrieved October 28, 2008, from http://www.redorbit.com/news/display/?id=1275521
In the REDORBIT NEWS (2008) article, “Wind Farms Threaten Endangered Whooping Crane,” the author states that wind farms are the new causes that bring about death or injury of North American whooping crane. First, there are a lot of wind farms around their routes of migration. They create large wind turbines and cranes can crash into them when they land or take off during migration. The main cause of death for the whooping cranes is crashing into power lines. If cranes are safe, their migration stopover habitats can be lost. Second, now wind farms are growing, and many employees of the companies don’t want to see injured crane anymore. However wind farms are required for clean and renewable electricity in the U.S now. Therefore they are supposed to increase more in the route of migration. Finally, whooping crane is an endangered species. Increasing the number of wind farms can cause extinction, so it should be stopped. Today how to protect whooping crane from wind farms’ impact is discussed.
In the world, there are endangered birds for various reasons, for example air pollution, climate changes and loss of habitat. Now we have a new reason for extinction of birds like whooping crane that is threatened by wind farms. Our activities which affect wild lives are increasing more and more, and the activities are important for our lives. So it’s difficult to solve this problem. We have to know reasons for extinction and compare the importance of birds’ lives with that of our high quality lives in solving the problem.
First of all, we should know what we do to birds’ lives. Today all we know is that increasing human activities threaten them greatly and some species of birds have died out already. We usually don’t notice that birds are threatened until the problem is serious, because we don’t kill them directly. A wind farm wouldn’t seem to be dangerous to birds, but in fact, it takes their habitat away and extinction results from it. They rarely die out in nature without our activities, so it should be thought that we kill them. By thinking like that, our thoughts for birds' extinction should change.
Second, we have to consider whether high quality lives are more important than birds’ lives. We cause factors which bring about threat of extinction of birds one after another to have high quality lives. In fact, they make our lives developed and we are accustomed to using them, so it’s difficult to live without them now. And we still now try to create more convenient lives. However, on the other hand, birds fall victim to our greed. It’s a big problem for wildlife because the extinction of a kind of animal can collapse another animal’s ecosystem. We need to consider what happens and precede safety of their lives before we think about developing our lives.
Finally, protecting birds and helping them recover from crisis of extinction are our responsibilities. We live with wild animals in this world, so it’s impossible for us not to be concerned with them. In addition, only humans can collapse their ecosystems contrary to nature, so we need to care about them. However we have threatened them already. Now we have to try to help birds as soon as possible and pay attention to others. They are all things we can do to make up for their sacrifice.
In conclusion, human activities which make our lives convenient can threaten birds’ lives. This problem has already been serious, and it’s very hard to solve it because the cause of the problem is our activities. However we have only one choice which is to prevent factors from threatening them even if the factors make our lives useful. It’s difficult to precede bird’s lives, but birds can live freely by our effort to care about them.
Reference
REDORBIT NEWS. (2008, February 29). Wind Farms Threaten Endangered Whooping Crane. Retrieved October 28, 2008, from http://www.redorbit.com/news/display/?id=1275521
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Fluency #3
The best ways to learn languages
When you start to learn new languages, you should think about the ways to study before you start to study. If you choose a bad way, it takes a very long time to master languages, or it’s very hard for you to study for you. So you should know the following ways. First, you can study languages at cram school, especially a language school. There are foreign teachers in most language schools so you can meet native speakers regularly at school. The second way is watching movies and TV shows or listening to music in foreign languages you want to learn. If you like to watch them, it’s the best way for you. You don’t feel that you are studying languages because it’s like your hobby. By this way, you can come to listen to the languages easily. Finally, you should make friends who are native speakers. You can improve listening skill and speaking skill more quickly than other ways because you have to use languages whenever you are with them. It’s apparently hard, but they are your friends. So you can talk about various things, such as your interests, your trouble and your love. The more time you spend with them, the more fluently your can speak languages. Thus, you can learn languages in various ways, but these are the best ways for you. So you have to choose a way carefully, and then you can study languages while enjoying and mastering them quickly.
When you start to learn new languages, you should think about the ways to study before you start to study. If you choose a bad way, it takes a very long time to master languages, or it’s very hard for you to study for you. So you should know the following ways. First, you can study languages at cram school, especially a language school. There are foreign teachers in most language schools so you can meet native speakers regularly at school. The second way is watching movies and TV shows or listening to music in foreign languages you want to learn. If you like to watch them, it’s the best way for you. You don’t feel that you are studying languages because it’s like your hobby. By this way, you can come to listen to the languages easily. Finally, you should make friends who are native speakers. You can improve listening skill and speaking skill more quickly than other ways because you have to use languages whenever you are with them. It’s apparently hard, but they are your friends. So you can talk about various things, such as your interests, your trouble and your love. The more time you spend with them, the more fluently your can speak languages. Thus, you can learn languages in various ways, but these are the best ways for you. So you have to choose a way carefully, and then you can study languages while enjoying and mastering them quickly.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Summary Response #1
Birds are dying out now
In the Martin Mittelstaedt’s (2008) article entitled “Black clouds on the horizon for birds of the world; From field sparrows to boreal chickadees, 20 of the most common species in North America are being decimated, report warns” the author states many species of birds are in trouble around the world. In the past 40 years, more than half of the population of birds has decreased in the U.S. Also many migratory species have faced the decline of population. The well-known species of birds such as bald eagles, whooping cranes and peregrine falcons are recovering from the problem of extinction due to bans on toxic pesticides. However the reason they are decreasing is not known exactly. In Canada’s boreal forest, the breed such as the evening grosbeak and rusty blackbird are decreasing. We have to know about what causes extinction more. The problem is found around the world and it has gotten worse and worse quickly. Until now, 153 birds species have died out and the rate of extinction will be higher in the future. In the world, there are 10,000 places such as breeding areas and sites for migratory birds. In Canada, there are about 600 places for birds and the government protects them. Now many birds are facing extinction because of the loss of habitat. Now some species of birds barely live and they have to cope with humans to survive.
The extinction of birds is occurring around the world. Now the problem is more serious and some species have died out already. It is difficult that birds take over the problem and recover by themselves. We have to know about the problem, causes and solutions. However we don’t know the detail of causes. Also, we can’t notice even that species of birds, which we don’t know are endangered. By knowing them, we can solve the problem.
The problem is similar to the problems of other animals. We have many problems about animals now. Of these problems, the problems about birds are important because so many species have deteriorated already. At first, the species of birds which are not known well because their population was not large, faced the problem. We did not know it so we did not do anything. Now, the damaged species are increasing and we finally noticed the problem. It is too late for trying to solve it, but we must do every thing we can do to help birds.
Various kinds of birds have died out and the reasons for it are almost the same. The most reasons are the loss of habitat. Some kinds of birds have the habit of migrating between their habitats. However, their habitats are being lost because of exploitation of colonies and deforestation, so they don’t have places to go. As a result, these kinds of birds can’t find places to live and they are finally endangered.
Are there solutions for the problem? In nature, animals have the rules of nature. They live and some of them die out under rules. In this case, however, human activities such as exploitation of colonies and deforestation cause extinction, as I stated already. Thus, we have deprived them of habitats and destroyed the rules of nature. The purposes are for developing countries and getting resources and wealth. Therefore the kinds of birds in the article have fallen victim to our greed. We need to know the fact and think about it. Finally we have to find the solution to help them. It is the most effective solution that stopping destroying their habitats and creating the places where they can live freely.
In conclusion, the extinction of birds is accelerating quickly and they can’t adapt to the problem. We are to blame for the problem because our activities are the causes of it. It isn’t easy to solve it, but it’s our duty. We need to reconsider how our activities affect birds’ lives and try to limit our greed. That effort would prevent the problem from deteriorating and lead to a solution some day.
Reference
Mittelstaedt M. (2008, September 23). Black clouds on the horizon for birds of the world; From field sparrows to boreal chickadees, 20 of the most common species in North America are being decimated. The Globe and Mail (Canada). Retrieved October 20, 2008, from LexisNexis.
In the Martin Mittelstaedt’s (2008) article entitled “Black clouds on the horizon for birds of the world; From field sparrows to boreal chickadees, 20 of the most common species in North America are being decimated, report warns” the author states many species of birds are in trouble around the world. In the past 40 years, more than half of the population of birds has decreased in the U.S. Also many migratory species have faced the decline of population. The well-known species of birds such as bald eagles, whooping cranes and peregrine falcons are recovering from the problem of extinction due to bans on toxic pesticides. However the reason they are decreasing is not known exactly. In Canada’s boreal forest, the breed such as the evening grosbeak and rusty blackbird are decreasing. We have to know about what causes extinction more. The problem is found around the world and it has gotten worse and worse quickly. Until now, 153 birds species have died out and the rate of extinction will be higher in the future. In the world, there are 10,000 places such as breeding areas and sites for migratory birds. In Canada, there are about 600 places for birds and the government protects them. Now many birds are facing extinction because of the loss of habitat. Now some species of birds barely live and they have to cope with humans to survive.
The extinction of birds is occurring around the world. Now the problem is more serious and some species have died out already. It is difficult that birds take over the problem and recover by themselves. We have to know about the problem, causes and solutions. However we don’t know the detail of causes. Also, we can’t notice even that species of birds, which we don’t know are endangered. By knowing them, we can solve the problem.
The problem is similar to the problems of other animals. We have many problems about animals now. Of these problems, the problems about birds are important because so many species have deteriorated already. At first, the species of birds which are not known well because their population was not large, faced the problem. We did not know it so we did not do anything. Now, the damaged species are increasing and we finally noticed the problem. It is too late for trying to solve it, but we must do every thing we can do to help birds.
Various kinds of birds have died out and the reasons for it are almost the same. The most reasons are the loss of habitat. Some kinds of birds have the habit of migrating between their habitats. However, their habitats are being lost because of exploitation of colonies and deforestation, so they don’t have places to go. As a result, these kinds of birds can’t find places to live and they are finally endangered.
Are there solutions for the problem? In nature, animals have the rules of nature. They live and some of them die out under rules. In this case, however, human activities such as exploitation of colonies and deforestation cause extinction, as I stated already. Thus, we have deprived them of habitats and destroyed the rules of nature. The purposes are for developing countries and getting resources and wealth. Therefore the kinds of birds in the article have fallen victim to our greed. We need to know the fact and think about it. Finally we have to find the solution to help them. It is the most effective solution that stopping destroying their habitats and creating the places where they can live freely.
In conclusion, the extinction of birds is accelerating quickly and they can’t adapt to the problem. We are to blame for the problem because our activities are the causes of it. It isn’t easy to solve it, but it’s our duty. We need to reconsider how our activities affect birds’ lives and try to limit our greed. That effort would prevent the problem from deteriorating and lead to a solution some day.
Reference
Mittelstaedt M. (2008, September 23). Black clouds on the horizon for birds of the world; From field sparrows to boreal chickadees, 20 of the most common species in North America are being decimated. The Globe and Mail (Canada). Retrieved October 20, 2008, from LexisNexis.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Japanese Meeting Ways
We have various ways to meet lovers or marriage partners. Some ways are accident and others are made intentional. I don’t know about the ways in foreign countries well. In Japan, people meet their lovers or marriage partners by normal ways or unique ways. I want to introduce Japanese ways to meet lovers. First, almost people encountered their lovers at school or office. I think that this way has possibility to meet lovers the most. The reason is that they meet a lot of various people and they spend long time together at school or office. They have a lot of chances to meet and fall in love. I also met my boyfriend at university. I spent much time with him at school so I could know him very well and loved him. Next, we have a traditional way to meet marriage partners and we call it Omiai. Long time ago, almost all of people meet their marriage partners by Omiai. But now, only people who can’t find their marriage partners often use this way. At first, they exchange pictures of them and information. If they like the picture and information, they can meet directly. When they meet, their parents usually accompany with them. If both of them and their parents like each other, they can establish second meeting. Finally, some people find lovers by Goukon. It’s like a party and people who are strangers each other attend it. Even if they can’t find lovers, they can meet new friends there. The number of people depends on the party, but basically 8 people (4 boys and 4 girls) attend the party. They enjoy talking, drinking, playing the game and karaoke there. If they are interested in someone, they can ask his/her cell phone number or establish second meeting. Thus people have a lot of chances to meet lovers or marriage partners in Japan, and I think that there are countless ways in the world. The ways are essential for us because we can meet various people and fall in love by the ways.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Fluency #2
The way of communication
We can contact with friends anytime and anywhere by various ways. First, I think that the most popular ways are cell phone and e-mail to contact with friends. They are very convenient because we can get answers from friends quickly, so most people use them almost every day. Next, many people often contact with friends through the Internet. The famous websites that we can contact with friends are Facebook and Mixi. They are very interesting and new ways to contact with friends. We can share pictures and read everyone's diaries there. No matter than we don't contact with friends directly, we can see their faces on the pictures and know how they have been getting along through the Internet. Finally, some people sometimes write letters to friends. Of course, they can contact with them by cell phone and e-mail easily, but they prefer to write letters because their feelings communicate themselves to friends. Thus, we have many ways to contact with friends and the ways each have good points. We can communicate with each other whenever we want to make contact by the way that suits to the situation.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Summary Response Practice
Animal life is changing because of environmental change
In the article “Animals ‘hit by global warming,’” the author, Tim Hirsch, states that the climate change makes animals’ lives worse. Nowadays, there are many problems that are caused by global warming, for example, higher temperature, increasing storminess and spreading deserts. They have affected the migration routes of animals already. Some animals usually migrate when the season changes. However, the temperature is increasing now, so they aren’t where they should be. It can cause the problems of collapse of their life. Some species can adapt to new situation, but others can’t do so. Also sea temperature is important for animals. If sea temperature increases, the plankton organisms change. The plankton organism is the foundation of the food for chain animals in ocean, so the change of the plankton can have a big influence. These problems are advancing quickly still now. It’s so dangerous that they remain without solving. We have to make more options to solve these problems, and create the situation in which animals can live naturally as quickly as possible.
People need to know that many animals face problems of extinction and their lives are being destroyed by the climate change. They can’t escape from it, and they have no choice to live freely. We have to think about the reality of the problems.
People are not aware of global warming and its effect on the earth and the animals. These changes can lead to extinction for some animals. Some animals have been found in different areas because of global warming. I feel that these are important reasons why people should be aware of global warming. I think that the problems get better and better if people think about them.
The climate change influences animals’ lives greatly. They have their ways of life and they can live in their ways naturally. However, the climate change has made these changes and their habitats are changing now. I have heard that a kind of fish is dying because the sea temperature is too warm for them. A little change of temperature is very different for them, and it makes them live or die. If they can’t live, the species can be extinct. It is happening now around the world.
In addition, the collapse of ecosystem is the biggest problem because it also brings about the extinction of animals. For example, the turtles are influenced by a special way and now their ecosystem is falling down because of global warming. The temperature is a concern for the ratio of male to female turtles in the ocean. The rising temperature leads to more female turtles being born and living longer. If the tendency continues, there will be few male turtles and they will be able to have children. The male turtles will become extinct. I didn’t know it at all until I read this article. I think that almost nobody else knows it either. These problems should be known well, because people don’t know the problems exactly, so they don’t try to think about it seriously. They don’t think about it until they face the problems like animals.
In conclusion, global warming has been a big problem for us and animals since before. The problem is important and worth informing people of now. It should be solved quickly, but it’s so difficult to find the ways to solve the problem. It’s true that this problem was caused by human activities and animals suffer from it now. I think that we will also suffer from it like them some day. We have to solve it before this problem becomes more serious, and also we have to keep animals safe.
Reference
Hirsch,T. (2005, October 5) BBC NEWS. Retrieved October 15, 2008, from
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4313726.stm
Sunday, October 19, 2008
The great trip to Chicago
I want to talk about my break before this term began. I planed a trip to Chicago with 6 friends. All of us had never been there, so we were so excited before we left Carbondale. First, we took 7:00 am Armtrack and it took 5 hours and half to get to Chicago. It was so long trip but we enjoyed talking, eating snacks and seeing landscape in the Armtrack. And we finally arrived at Chicago! There were a lot of fashionable people and high buildings. We were excited more and more. We left our baggage in the station and went to the Chicago museum. There were many paintings and art of all over the world. After that, we went shopping in downtown. On the second day, we went to downtown again to ate Chicago pizza for lunch. It was the main event of this trip. The pizza was big, but we were hungry so we ordered 3 pizzas! They made us happy and full. On the third day, we went to Mitsuwa which is like Japanese supermarket. Many Japanese worked there and they sold Japanese stuff. We bought a lot of Japanese things which we can't get in Carbondale. After shopping, we ate ramen and Nattou at food court in Mitsuwa. They were so good!! I had missed Japanese food, so I was happy that I ate them. On the fourth day, we got up early to go to cheesecake factory. I love cheesecake, so I looked forward to it so much. There were many kinds of cheesecake, so each of us ordered different cheesecake. All of them were very good. After that, we went to China town. On that day, the Chicago marathon were held, so there were many people. We can't shop stores enough because of it. However It was lucky that we could see the Chicago marathon. At 4:00, we took to go back to Carbondale. The trip was long so we could go to various places and enjoy them, but Chicago is huge and there are a lot of places to where I haven't been yet. I have plan to go to Chicago in winter vacation. I want to enjoy Chicago again.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Fluency#1
There are various ways to travel, for example, boat, plane, bus and train, and I like to travel by car the best for some reasons. First, I can go anywhere by car quickly. There are a lot of parking areas anywhere recently, so I don't have to worry about the place to park the car. Second, I can relax in the car. Some ways to travel are public transportation, so of course, there are a lot of people who I don't know. They sometimes make noise and bother me. I also have to care about people around me. On the other hand, I can sleep, talk, listen to music, eat something and so on in the car. Finally, I can plan to travel suddenly if I travel by car. I have to make a reservation or buy tickets when I use other transportation to travel, and I must travel along the plan. However, I don't have to worry about the plan or time if I travel by car, so I can travel easily. The way of traveling is very important because we spend a long time there. If I travel somewhere, I choose to travel by car. Car makes travel comfortable, and I can enjoy travel more than when I travel by other kinds of transportation.
Monday, October 6, 2008
School in Japan and School in America
I think that there are a lot of differences between high school in Japan and that in America. They have many good points for students. I like both of Japanese system and American system. First, I want to talk about the good point of Japanese system. In Japan, students usually wear uniforms in almost all of high schools. There are various uniforms in Japan, and almost girls like the custom of wearing uniform. The girl high school students, especially, enjoy wearing their uniform, and they express their character by own way to wear it. The most popular uniform is sailor suit for girls. I also like it but I couldn't wear it when I was a high school student, because my uniform was blazer. Another reason why the uniform is popular in Japan is that we don't have to bother from what we wear each day. So Japanese students often wear uniform when they go out even on holiday. Second, I'll talk about the good point of American system. In America, students aren't binded by the school rules. They are so free as compared with Japanese students. In Japan, there are a lot of school rules in each school. The degree of severity of it depends on schools, but almost students aren't allowed to dye their hair, wear earings, painting their fingernails and making up. In America, however, students can do these things freely. So when I was a high school student, I envy the American students so much. Thus both of them have each good points, so I wonder if there is school which has both of good points. If the school exists, I want to go to the school again and enjoy school life freely with wearing sailor suit.
Monday, September 29, 2008
My favorite tea and coffee shop
I want to talk about Japanese tea and caffee shop. First, in Japan, there a lot of kinds of tea and they are so popular among even foreign people. I don't often drink any tea because it's bitter for me. However I like to eat sweets with a flavor of Maccha which is famous as taditonal tea. I love ice cream, cake and frapecino with a flavor of it. It is so famous and popular in Japan, so we can drink and eat it anywhere. I can't eat it here, so I miss it so much. Next I like enjoying coffee at coffee shops. I often go to Star Backs Coffee with friends and enjoy drinking coffee and talking for so long time because I can sit soft couch and relax there. I sometimes stay there for 4 hours. My favorite drink is caramel frapecino there. It's very sweet, so it's the best for me. A few weeks ago, Anna took me and Aimi to coffee shop. I had never been there, but I really liked it soon. We drank hot drink and spent relax time. I want to go to the coffee shop again.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
My way to enjoy movies
I want to talk about movie. First I like any kinds of movies except horror movies. So I have watched so many movies before. The best movie is "the Pirates of Caribbean" of all others. The movie has three series, and I watched them many times. The story is so exciting and fantastic. Also there are a lot of great actors and actresses in the movie, and they act interesting characters excellently. Next I like watching movies at the theater, so I often go to the theater with friends. I think that the difference between watching movie at the theater and watching movie at home is so great for me. If we go to the theater, we can feel power, for example, real sound and huge screen. Especially when we watch the action movies, we should go to the theater. Also there is no disturbance such as calling and visitors when we watch movies at the theater. So we can concentrate on the story. I knew that we can watch the movies at student center at 2 dollors. So I watched "Sex and the City" there on this weekend and it was so good. In the U.S, I want to enjoy the movies as well as I was in Japan.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
My favorite music and singers
I want to talk about my favorite music and singer. First my hobby is listening to music and I listen to music by iPod when I go to bed, I walk to school and even I do homework. Music makes me happy and cheerful anytime, so it's necessary for me. I like any kinds of music and I listen both Japanese music and foreign country music. I like Crystal Kay the best of all Japanese singers. She writes lyrics and composes music by herself. Almost all of the lyrics which she writes are about love and they are so touched. I love her voice too. Next I like Nelly the best of all foreign singers. He is a rapper and he often sings with famous other singers. I always check his songs every time he releases them. If I listen to his songs, I can be excited. Thus music makes me feel so good. I want to enjoy music from now too.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
My favorite food
I like eating, so I eat anything preferably. It may be improper expression, my favorite food is Japanese food. I didn't notice how I like Japanese food until I came to America. Now I miss it so much, because I can't eat it quit in America. I like especially mom-cooked Japanese food. My mom is the best cook for me. She can cook anything I want to eat. I like Okinawa dish of all others mom cooks. For example, Somen chample, So-ki soba, Fu itame and so on. They are famous Okinawa dishes. I want to eat them so much, and I decided that I cook Japanese food such as Okinawa dish with friends per a week. We'll entertain foreign people with Japanese food we cook. I look foward it very much.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The first reaction for the United States
I came to the United States first time to study abroad, and I stay at SIUC now. Before I came here, I had various prejudice toward the United States. For example, I thought that anywhere in the United States is very dangerous, because I often heard news about robber, terrorism, murder and so on in Japan. Also my friend who traveled the United States for 2 weeks said "There are crasy people there." Therefore I imaged the United States isn't a peace country. However, I found it's not truth and the prejudice was disappeared. Since I came to the United States, I have met a lot of great people. They're always so kind to me. Also I like here because this country is safer than I thought, and now I live in Neely Hall so comfortably. Then I went to various places in Illinois every weekends. The places are so nice and there is nature so much wherever I go. I have never been to anywhere in the United States except Illinois so I'd like to go to all states and love the United States more.
introduce :)
Hi.
My name is Yui.
I'm from Osaka, Japan.
My majoring is linguistics in Japan.
I'll stay SIUC until next May.
I like SIUC and I enjoy school life here.
Nice to meet you!
My name is Yui.
I'm from Osaka, Japan.
My majoring is linguistics in Japan.
I'll stay SIUC until next May.
I like SIUC and I enjoy school life here.
Nice to meet you!
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