Essay pref. My favorite places

I want to tell you about my favorite places. I have three places I like. These are my house, my car and my grandparents’ house. I can be relaxed when I stay these places.

My house is in home town, Kikuchi. The reason why I like being my house is having items I can be relaxed in my house. These items are TV, sofa, my bed and bathroom. The TV that I am using is Panasonic. I usually watch dramas, comedy or news, and sometimes I watch DVDs. My favorite news program is Houdou station. We can it every day. The announcer appearing Houdou station is very beautiful, so I like it. My favorite DVD is American TV drama. The name of it is Veronica Mars. It has third series. I had been watching it during this summer vacation. The bathroom is the best place for me in my house. I usually take a bath for one hour in winter. Sometimes, I use a bath aroma. I can feel happy when I use it because it is good smell and it has good effect for our body.

I go to KGU by my car every day, so my car is a good place for me. I usually listen to music in my car. I listen to JUJU or Amuro Namie’s song driving a car. It is a very good time for me.

I like my grandparents’ house. The reason why I like it is being my grandparents. I’m not living with my grandparents I my house, so I seldom meet them. When I meet them, I am happy and they may be also happy. Their TV is Panasonic, too. They usually watch news or period play. I like cooking that my grandmother made. My grandmother is good at cooking. Especially ichigo daihuku that she cooked is very delicious. My grandparents are very kind, so I can be relaxed when I go to their house.

[324 words]

BR 2-13: The knife Markets of Sanaa

"They want people to see how big...."  (p.10)

This book tells us about the culture of Sanaa. Do you know where Sanaa is? Sanaa is the capital of Yemen. Yemen is in the Middle East. According to this book, Sanaa is an ancient and beautiful city, and there are traditions there. The people of Sanaa’s traditional activity are bargain. They sell spices, jewelry and other products. It looks very fun. When you walk around these markets, you find a interesting item for Yemeni men. It is kind of knife. It is called jambiya. Its shape is strange. Yemeni men carry it. I think that it is very dangerous for other people. However, it is not weapon. It is a status symbol of Yemeni men.

I think that the culture of Sanaa is very interesting. If you carry a knife as if a Yemeni man in japan, you must be arrested by the policeman. However, in Sanaa, everyone knows that the knife carried by Yemeni men is not dangerous, so they can carry it at the public place, I think. This book is very interesting because you can learn interesting culture of foreign country. If you interested in it, please try it.

Waring, Rob. (2008). The knife Markets of Sanaa. Boston, MA: Footprint Reading Library

[193 words]

BR 2-12: Life on the Orinoco

"It's clear that there have been...."  (p. 18)

Do know the Orinoco River in South America? It has good nature, plants and animals. For example, it has the highest waterfall, the longest crocodiles, the biggest snakes and the biggest rodent in the world. The people living near the Orinoco River can’t live without this river because this river brings them clean water and foods. This river is very important for them to continue their traditional culture. This book tells us about the Orinoco River.

Recently, the area around the Orinoco River has changed. The new industrial came there to have dams or find valuable products like gold, diamonds, and oil. Do you think about it? Is it good for nature or people living there? According to this book, the condition of the river and nature are almost not changed. However, I think that we have to protect the nature, forests and green because beautiful plants or animals can’t live there if we don’t do that. There are a lot of kinds of endangered species all over the world now. Someday, they may go extinct. It is very sad for me to see them forever. So, we have to protect it. If you interested in nature, please try it.

Waring, Rob. (2008). Life on the Orinoco. Boston, MA: Footprint Reading Library

[200 words]

My favorite class

My favorite class is cultural anthropology. I had taken it last semester. I learned about Buddhism or which hunting at the time. It was so interesting for me because I like studying about religion or culture in the world. I took the introduction of Christianity last year. I watched a movie about Jesus at that class. That movie was very good, so I was interested in religion. Now, I am studying about the ritual in Vietnam at the cultural anthropology class. It is not easy for me to understand their culture because their culture and our culture are different. However, I am happy to get new information about other country's culture. Another favorite point of this class is easy exam. This class is very interesting, but we have a lot of things to memory. So, I was afraid of the final, but unexpectedly, the final was easy last semester. So, I like this class.

[155 words]

BR 2-11: Farley the Red Panda

"Although we'll be very sad....."  (p.15)

Do you like the red panda? We call it lesser panda in Japan. This book tells us a story about a red panda in San Diego. I have heard animal stories that the mother doesn’t take care of her child. According to this book, a red panda didn’t take care of her child, so zookeepers took care of child red panda instead of his mother. The child of the red panda named Farley. Farley had some problems, for example, poor nutrition, low body temperature, bad infection and sick. I think that Farley’s life is so hard.

I think that taking care of some animals is very difficult because they can’t speak. That can just cry. So, we have to think and feel what they want and what the best is for them. Taking care of the human baby is also difficult and hard, but there are difference between taking care of animal’s baby and human baby. We can take care of our baby be own. It is natural. However, animal’s baby may want to back their mother or forest. So, I think that it’s very difficult to take care of animals. I learned some important thinks from this book. If you interested in animals, I recommend it.

Waring, Rob. (2008). Farley the Red Panda. Boston,MA: Footprint Reading Library

[207 words] 

My favorite places -MindMap

BR 2-10: Peruvian Weavers

"Weaving has also become more..."  (p.17)

This book tells us about the history about weaving textiles in Peru and the importance of women. Do you know the traditional weaving in Peru? It made by sheep’s wool. When you want to do it, you need just one knife. It is the traditional method to get sheep’s wool in Peru.

Now in Peru, weaving is important industry because it can make a lot of money. Most of women in Peru are weaving as a work to help their family. If the women of Peru sell their works in Japan, I think that they can sell it at a good price because these are handmade. If traditional cultures or products for us disappear, what do you think? I’m so sad. In Peru, traditional products, cultures or methods continue because these became a main industry. I think that it is good for Peruvian. I could learn important things from this book. If you interested in it, please try it.

Waring, Rob. (2008). Peruvian Weavers. Boston, MA: Footprint Reading Library

[159 words]

The animal I hate

The animal I hate is snakes. I think that a lot of people don't like snakes. When I was a child, I could touch it. There are paddy fields near my house, so I could find snakes easily. I often found it with my brother and his friends. I liked snakes at that time. However, I can't touch it now. My mother also hates snakes. She can't eat broiled eel because it looks like snake. When I went to Oita with my family during this summer vacation, we went to a park, and we found a snake then. It was not big and it ran away soon. However, my mother and I shouted, so my father, brother and sister were so surprised. It was a bad memory of this trip for me. I hate snakes the best all of animals.

[143 words]

BR 2-09: Wild Animal Trackers

"This is where new ideas and new technology can help."  (p. 8)

This book tells us about the way to get the information about wild animals. Do you know the conservationist? They are people who protect wildlife and nature. There are a lot of animals in Africa, but they are in danger because of deforestation by people. So, conservationists try to get information about wild animals. They use the machine to correct information about wild animals. It looks like smart phone or iphone, and that machine has icons. Do you know why they use that machine? I thought that it is useful to correct information when I read this book for the first time. However, it was wrong. They use machine to communicate with other conservationists because they speak different language each other. I was so surprised. I think that machine is important thing for our life after I read this book. This book is very interesting for me, so if you interested in such a thing, I recommend this book.

Waring, Rob. (2008). Wild Animal Trackers. Boston,MA: Footprint Reading Library

[159 words]

BR 2-08: Taiko Master

"Your self and the drum..."  (p. 11)

I think that taiko is a traditional culture in Japan. This book tells us about the relationship between Japan and North America through taiko. According to this book, Japanese warriors had used drums to make their enemies fear them two thousand years ago. Now, that drums is called taiko.

I think that playing taiko is very hard. It is a kind of sports. When I was 5 years old, I played taiko at the kindergarten. The taiko that I played at the kindergarten was very small and light, so I could play it easily. On the other hand, my friend had played taiko at the taiko team. She had used real taiko, so it was not easy, but she enjoyed it. If you read this book, you may find the pleasure of playing taiko, so please try it.

Waring, Rob. (2008). Taiko Master. Boston, MA: Footprint Reading Library

[138 words]

BR 2-07: Living with a Volcano

"Mount Etna is always changing....."  (p. 22)

 Do you know the Mount Etna? It is in Italy on the island of Sicily, and it is a volcano. This book tells us about the Mount Etna and people living with it. According to this book, there is a very close relationship between man and volcano. We can’t know the volcano will do next. If the volcano erupts, it is very dangerous for the people living around the volcano. However, the people living with the volcano can make money because many tourists visit there to see the volcano.

There are famous volcano in Japan. For example, those are Mount Fuji or Mount Aso. Mount Fuji is the biggest mountain in Japan. Mount Aso has the biggest caldera all of the world and Mount Aso is a symbol of Aso City. Many tourists visit Mount Fuji and Mount Aso like the Mount Etna. Volcano gives us benefit like that. So, I think that the volcano plays an important role in our life.

If you interested in the volcano, please read it and look at pictures about Mount Etna. I think that it looks like Mount Fuji. You can enjoy it.

Waring, Rob. (2008). Living with a Volcano. Boston, MA: Footprint Reading Library

[190 words]

My favorite dessert

My favorite dessert is chocolate. Especially, I like a chocolate ice cream. I eat it not only summer but also winter. My favorite chocolate ice cream is Parm. Do you know it? I think that Parm is the best all of the chocolate ice cream because the chocolate covering vanilla ice cream is soft and melt. So, it is very good. Another favorite chocolate dessert is éclair. It is a French dessert. It looks like the cream puff. However, I like éclair better than cream puff because chocolate is on the éclair. I recommend éclair of convenience stores. I think that convenience store's dessert is very good, so please try it. The chocolate dessert that the owner of my part time job gave me was very good. It looked like chocolate cookies. I eat chocolate dessert almost every day. Chocolate is high calorie, so I have to take care.

[150 words]

BR 2-06: The Young Riders of Mongolia

" After some time, the first horses and... "  ( p. 14)

Do you know the traditional culture of Mongolia? It is riding on horseback. This book tells us about it. I think that many countries have a history about riding on horse. For example, people in Japan rode on horse to fight with enemy long time ago, or there is a famous picture that Napoleon is riding on the white horse. So, I had thought that a lot of people all over the world good at horseback riding. However, according to this book, people all over the world think that Mongolians are great horseman because they are good at riding horse.

There is a special festival in Mongolia. It is called the festival of Naadam. It has a special Naadam race. It likes a Mongolian sport. People ride on the horse and compete with other participants, and decide to the greatest horse and rider. However, man who can join it is less than 12 years old, so I can’t join it. I think that this race looks hard because children have to run the long way with their horse, but this race is a good chance for them to show their skill. This book has a lot of pictures about the Naadam race, so you can enjoy reading this book. Please try it.

Waring, Rob. (2008). The Young Riders of Mongolia. Boston, MA: Footprint Reading Library

[212 words]

Diary

Today, I got up at 9 o’clock and I ate breakfast. I went to my new part time job at 12 o’clock. I began to work at the shoes shop in Kikuchi three days ago, so today was the third day of my new part time job. I think that the shoes shop that I am working is very boring because customers seldom come there, so it is not busy. I often talk with other job mates or owner. All of them are female. They are very kind and friendly, so I enjoy talking with them. I finished my part time job at 6 o’clock. After that, I did my assignment of linguistics, and now I am writing my blog. Tomorrow, I have to go to part time job. Let’s do my best, tomorrow.

[134 words]

BR 2-05: The Adventure of the World

"Don't worry, he's not crazy...."  (p. 4)

Do you like adventure sports like a bungee jumping? This book tells us about adventure sports in New Zealand. New Zealand is near the Australia and very small land. The people of New Zealand have a lot of fantastic adventure sports. So, you can stay there for sixty days to do every type of activity. I think that it is so long.

Kumamon that is a famous character in Kumamoto did bungee jumping during summer vacation in the village of Itsuki. Thanks to Kumamon, many people came to the village of Itsuki and did bungee jumping. It was good for economy because people who came to there and did bungee jumping would eat lunch there or stayed there. Adventure sports also lead a good economy, according to this book. I have never done adventure sports, so I want to try.　If you interested in it, I recommend this book.

Waring, Rob. (2008). The Adventure Capital of the World. Boston, MA: Footprint Reading Library

[149 words]

Essay 2-01a: My Language Learning History

This is my recording. Please listen to it.
listen to ‘Intro ’ on Audioboo

This is my presentation.

My favorite flower

My favorite flower is sunflower because its color and the name of it are very cute. When I was an elementary school student, I grew it with my classmates. The sunflowers we grew were very beautiful color and big, so I was happy. My image of the sunflower is the summer flower, and my birthday is in August, so I have been thought that my lucky flower is the sunflower. The sunflower has a good point. It is seeds of the sunflower because we can eat it. My favorite snack uses it. Its taste is not bad. When I was child, I had two hamsters. They liked seeds of sunflower. I have some good memories about the sunflower, so I like it so much.

[124 words]

BR 2-04: Butler School

"It seems that one way to be sure is ...."  (p. 17)

Do you know the butler or the butler’s work? This book tells us about the butler. I think that this book is very interesting because this book tells us about the butler’s work or butler school that I have never known. The most surprised thing is ironing a newspaper to make it look good. This is the secret technique for the butlers.

I learned some important things for the butlers that they have to learn to be a good butler. For example, they have to learn how to introduce themselves, how to walk or how to carry trays of champagne. It looks so easy, but according to this book, it is very difficult because there are some rules. When I read this book, I thought that the butler is not only the good butler but also the good person because they take lessons to make themselves polite.

If you interested in the butlers, I recommend this book.

Waring, Rob. (2008). Butler School. Boston, MA: Footprint Reading Library

[157 words] 

BR 2-03: The Story of The Hula

"And hopefully, it's a tradition..."  (p. 18)

Do you know the hula? It is a traditional dance of Hawaii. This book tells us the history of the hula. The hula has long history. It started about three hundred years ago. I think that it is so long.

I had been thought that dancing the hula was not difficult, although I have never danced it. However, it was not true. According to this book, the hula is not easy dance because the hula is not only a physical dance but also a spiritual dance. So, there are many Hawaiian who want to dance the hula well. Today, there are hula competitions in Hawaii. The judges of it check not only dancing but also costume. It looks so fun! I think that the Hawaiians love the hula, so the hula has been continued now as a traditional dance of Hawaii. This book is very interesting, so please read it.

Waring, Rob. (2008). The Story of The Hula. Boston, MA: Footprint Reading Library

[150 words]