HINT! - Click on the images to make them larger!
Friday, July 15, 2011
Original Student Comics
Last week was our final Essay Writing class for the spring semester. We had finished our Opinion Essays, so we spent the last period making original comics at makebeliefscomix.com. You'll find the results below. We hope they bring a smile to your day! - Kevin
HINT! - Click on the images to make them larger!
HINT! - Click on the images to make them larger!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Original Comics
It's the last day of the Spring Semester! Hopefully, you have all finished your final draft of the Opinion Essay. If so, let's do something fun for the last class before summer holiday. How about making your own original comic at: MakeBeliefsComix.com
Kevin will give you instructions and if we have technical problems, he has a paper version, just in case!
Have a great summer, everybody! Please be careful and return to school safely in September!
Yours,
Kevin
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
More opinions to comment on
Most Essay Writing students will be revising their Opinion essays today. Those who are late turning in their essays should write a blog opinion comment on one of the topics below or on a different topic from recent Japan news. Here are some topics I found in the last few days ...
Divorce ceremonies increasing in Japan - We all know about wedding ceremonies, but have you ever heard of divorce ceremonies? The couple wear special clothes, attend a ceremony and smash their wedding rings, destroying them. What do you think? Read more here.
Burglaries occurring in Fukushima - Crimes have increased at the homes in Fukushima that have been closed up due to the disaster. Of course, this is bad news for the homeowners. Read the article and give us your comment.
Green tea industry in trouble - Green tea is famous in Japan, but what happens if the tea as far away as Shizuoka is contaminated from radiation? Read the article and give your comment.
China protests Japanese fishing boats at the Senkoku Islands - The Senkoku Islands dispute has been in the news off and on for the last few years. What is your opinion on this territorial dispute? Read the article and comment.
Other Japan news.
Divorce ceremonies increasing in Japan - We all know about wedding ceremonies, but have you ever heard of divorce ceremonies? The couple wear special clothes, attend a ceremony and smash their wedding rings, destroying them. What do you think? Read more here.
Burglaries occurring in Fukushima - Crimes have increased at the homes in Fukushima that have been closed up due to the disaster. Of course, this is bad news for the homeowners. Read the article and give us your comment.
Green tea industry in trouble - Green tea is famous in Japan, but what happens if the tea as far away as Shizuoka is contaminated from radiation? Read the article and give your comment.
China protests Japanese fishing boats at the Senkoku Islands - The Senkoku Islands dispute has been in the news off and on for the last few years. What is your opinion on this territorial dispute? Read the article and comment.
Other Japan news.
Monday, July 4, 2011
More sample student "How to ..." essays
How to Spend a Cool Summer Vacation
by S.K.
Summer vacation is just around the corner. Do you have any plans for this summer vacation? This summer will be hotter than last year. And you know, we must save electricity because of the recent disaster, so I think everywhere will be hot. But all of us want to go out and enjoy summer vacation. Natural places have cool areas like forests and rivers. So I'll tell you how to spend a cool summer vacation outside in the great outdoors!
First, go to a forest. There are shady places with minus ion air. And the air is clean. It doesn't have sulfur dioxide compared to the city, so you'll feel cool and refreshed. If you pitch your tent under a tree, the cool, clean wind will come into the tent and take away the stress of urban life.
Next, you should swim in a river. If you want to cool your body, you need natural water. You can enjoy the water's movement and feel cool. Just get into the river and enjoy playing in it. But please be careful because in the river there are some places that are deep. If you drown, your summer will be ruined!
Finally, summer at night is cooler than in the daytime, and the sky is so clear. Go outside and watch the beautiful sky and listen to the sound of chirping insects. If you are lucky, shooting stars will appear so you can make a wish!
To summarize, there are three steps on how to spend a cool summer vacation. Go into a forest and rest in the shade and minus ion air. Also swim in a river to cool your body, and go outside in summer at night. One final thought; before going to bed, take a shower and feel the air outside the house. You will surely enjoy this summer vacation by following these refreshing steps.
__________________________
How to Avoid Eating Snacks
by S.T.
We often each snacks inadvertently when we are hungry. But if snacks are eaten too much, it is unhealthy and we will grow fat. This is a serious problem. Now I'll tell you how to avoid eating snacks.
First, eat your meals completely and regularly. The person who eats snacks does not eat regular meals. I am sometimes guilty of this. If I eat my regular meals, then I don't crave snacks. Snacks are not a substitute for meals.
Next, don't buy snacks. We often eat snacks because they are in the house. But we won't eat snacks at home even if we're hungry if we don't buy snacks in the first place.
Finally, if you can't endure not eating snacks, then chew gum instead. There is a limit to our endurance because we are only human. In such cases, chewing gum will help you endure not eating. Sugarless gum has no calories, so it's better than eating snacks.
To summarize, there are three simple ways to avoid eating snacks. Eat regular meals, don't buy snacks, and chew gum. If you follow these three rules, you will not want to eat snacks.
__________________________
How to Learn to Speak English
by C.S.
I love English. I entered Tsurumi University's English Literature Course because I wanted to learn English. By learning English, I will gain English skills to use in my future job. I want to exert the greatest possible effort now. I'll tell you how to become a good English speaker.
First, always try to discover interesting new English things. For example, find new English or American singers, listen to English music, read an English book, or watch English movies or TV. I think that studying English should mainly be enjoying interesting things in English. You can feel close to English and you will love it more and more.
Next, make many friends who are native speakers at every possible moment. It's the best way. If you have questions about English, you can ask them, and you may resolve your questions soon. The native speaker will help you understand about the English-speaking world. Native speakers can give you a better understanding of their culture, history, literature and various lifestyle situations.
Finally, the actual experience of going abroad is essential. I suggest that you live abroad with a local family. I have been to England for two weeks and I lived with a family there. It was a valuable experience for me. Whatever difficulty you may meet, the experience will increase your knowledge.
To summarize, you can make definite progress in your English if you follow the above mentioned points. You should look for interesting English things, make many native speaker friends, and go abroad. If you love English, you will make progress for sure. I study English with confidence because I believe in my potential.
__________________________
A student Opinion Essay from 2010 - TV is Good for Children
by S.K.
Summer vacation is just around the corner. Do you have any plans for this summer vacation? This summer will be hotter than last year. And you know, we must save electricity because of the recent disaster, so I think everywhere will be hot. But all of us want to go out and enjoy summer vacation. Natural places have cool areas like forests and rivers. So I'll tell you how to spend a cool summer vacation outside in the great outdoors!
First, go to a forest. There are shady places with minus ion air. And the air is clean. It doesn't have sulfur dioxide compared to the city, so you'll feel cool and refreshed. If you pitch your tent under a tree, the cool, clean wind will come into the tent and take away the stress of urban life.
Next, you should swim in a river. If you want to cool your body, you need natural water. You can enjoy the water's movement and feel cool. Just get into the river and enjoy playing in it. But please be careful because in the river there are some places that are deep. If you drown, your summer will be ruined!
Finally, summer at night is cooler than in the daytime, and the sky is so clear. Go outside and watch the beautiful sky and listen to the sound of chirping insects. If you are lucky, shooting stars will appear so you can make a wish!
To summarize, there are three steps on how to spend a cool summer vacation. Go into a forest and rest in the shade and minus ion air. Also swim in a river to cool your body, and go outside in summer at night. One final thought; before going to bed, take a shower and feel the air outside the house. You will surely enjoy this summer vacation by following these refreshing steps.
__________________________
How to Avoid Eating Snacks
by S.T.
We often each snacks inadvertently when we are hungry. But if snacks are eaten too much, it is unhealthy and we will grow fat. This is a serious problem. Now I'll tell you how to avoid eating snacks.
First, eat your meals completely and regularly. The person who eats snacks does not eat regular meals. I am sometimes guilty of this. If I eat my regular meals, then I don't crave snacks. Snacks are not a substitute for meals.
Next, don't buy snacks. We often eat snacks because they are in the house. But we won't eat snacks at home even if we're hungry if we don't buy snacks in the first place.
Finally, if you can't endure not eating snacks, then chew gum instead. There is a limit to our endurance because we are only human. In such cases, chewing gum will help you endure not eating. Sugarless gum has no calories, so it's better than eating snacks.
To summarize, there are three simple ways to avoid eating snacks. Eat regular meals, don't buy snacks, and chew gum. If you follow these three rules, you will not want to eat snacks.
__________________________
How to Learn to Speak English
by C.S.
I love English. I entered Tsurumi University's English Literature Course because I wanted to learn English. By learning English, I will gain English skills to use in my future job. I want to exert the greatest possible effort now. I'll tell you how to become a good English speaker.
First, always try to discover interesting new English things. For example, find new English or American singers, listen to English music, read an English book, or watch English movies or TV. I think that studying English should mainly be enjoying interesting things in English. You can feel close to English and you will love it more and more.
Next, make many friends who are native speakers at every possible moment. It's the best way. If you have questions about English, you can ask them, and you may resolve your questions soon. The native speaker will help you understand about the English-speaking world. Native speakers can give you a better understanding of their culture, history, literature and various lifestyle situations.
Finally, the actual experience of going abroad is essential. I suggest that you live abroad with a local family. I have been to England for two weeks and I lived with a family there. It was a valuable experience for me. Whatever difficulty you may meet, the experience will increase your knowledge.
To summarize, you can make definite progress in your English if you follow the above mentioned points. You should look for interesting English things, make many native speaker friends, and go abroad. If you love English, you will make progress for sure. I study English with confidence because I believe in my potential.
__________________________
A student Opinion Essay from 2010 - TV is Good for Children
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
It's just my opinion, but ...
We've been working on opinion essays, so this seems like a good opportunity to say my opinion about a few things.
Because of the expected energy shortage this summer, many businesses, including our university, are trying to conserve electricity. One of the ideas being considered in Japan is to go to daylight savings time. Many countries already do this, as it apparently saves energy by utilizing the natural sunlight more efficiently. Personally, I doubt it would be worth the trouble in Japan. Schedules would have to be re-written, and it's kind of troublesome to have to go forward or back an hour. Check out this article and give your opinion about it:
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110628i1.html
On a totally unrelated topic, we all know that the number of elderly people in Japan is increasing. Did you know that because there are more old people, there are more old people committing crimes? Police have noticed a surge in the number of elderly people arrested for shoplifting. Some writers describe it as an epidemic. I believe that if the number of elderly increases, it's normal to expect the number of crimes committed by the elderly to increase proportionately. Check out this article and tell me what you think:
http://blog.japantimes.co.jp/yen-for-living/reported-epidemic-of-elder-shoplifting-may-not-be-what-it-seems/
Finally, what do you think of the new AKB48 member that was created by computer graphics? I think that in the near future, young people will not need "real" idols. They will be satisfied with computer generated idols that sing computer generated songs. What do you think about it?
http://www.japanprobe.com/2011/06/26/aimi-eguchi-cg-idol/
Write your opinion on one of the topics above in the comment box below.
Because of the expected energy shortage this summer, many businesses, including our university, are trying to conserve electricity. One of the ideas being considered in Japan is to go to daylight savings time. Many countries already do this, as it apparently saves energy by utilizing the natural sunlight more efficiently. Personally, I doubt it would be worth the trouble in Japan. Schedules would have to be re-written, and it's kind of troublesome to have to go forward or back an hour. Check out this article and give your opinion about it:
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110628i1.html
On a totally unrelated topic, we all know that the number of elderly people in Japan is increasing. Did you know that because there are more old people, there are more old people committing crimes? Police have noticed a surge in the number of elderly people arrested for shoplifting. Some writers describe it as an epidemic. I believe that if the number of elderly increases, it's normal to expect the number of crimes committed by the elderly to increase proportionately. Check out this article and tell me what you think:
http://blog.japantimes.co.jp/yen-for-living/reported-epidemic-of-elder-shoplifting-may-not-be-what-it-seems/
Finally, what do you think of the new AKB48 member that was created by computer graphics? I think that in the near future, young people will not need "real" idols. They will be satisfied with computer generated idols that sing computer generated songs. What do you think about it?
http://www.japanprobe.com/2011/06/26/aimi-eguchi-cg-idol/
Write your opinion on one of the topics above in the comment box below.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Sample student "How to ..." essay
How to Travel in Kyoto
by S.Y.
Summer vacation is drawing near. You can do a lot of things in the summer. What do you want to do? Where do you want to travel? There are many famous places in Japan. I think one of the best places is Kyoto. Now I will tell you how to travel in Kyoto.
First, before going to Kyoto, buy an easy map of Kyoto. Kyoto is a very complex place, so you may lose your way, especially if it's your first visit. Books about travel in Kyoto are sold at any bookstore. There will surely be a map inside. Glance at the books at the bookstore and choose one that fits you and you'll get the best map. Of course, I already have one.
Next, check the places you want to visit. If you don't check them, they may be closed. It is too unlucky. Also, in Kyoto, there are festivals anytime and anywhere. The festivals are historic and traditional. You don't want to miss them. And don't forget to take pictures!
Finally, prepare well. If it rains or you get injured and you're not prepared, your mood will be low. It is important for you to prepare an umbrella and a first-aid kit. If you have to share them with your friends, they will be pleased. Forewarned is forearmed!
To summarize, you must prepare in advance. Before going to Kyoto, buy an easy map, check the places and prepare well, including an umbrella and a first-aid kit. Then I have no doubt you will enjoy traveling. But the best way to enjoy Kyoto is by going with a friend.
by S.Y.
Summer vacation is drawing near. You can do a lot of things in the summer. What do you want to do? Where do you want to travel? There are many famous places in Japan. I think one of the best places is Kyoto. Now I will tell you how to travel in Kyoto.
First, before going to Kyoto, buy an easy map of Kyoto. Kyoto is a very complex place, so you may lose your way, especially if it's your first visit. Books about travel in Kyoto are sold at any bookstore. There will surely be a map inside. Glance at the books at the bookstore and choose one that fits you and you'll get the best map. Of course, I already have one.
Next, check the places you want to visit. If you don't check them, they may be closed. It is too unlucky. Also, in Kyoto, there are festivals anytime and anywhere. The festivals are historic and traditional. You don't want to miss them. And don't forget to take pictures!
Finally, prepare well. If it rains or you get injured and you're not prepared, your mood will be low. It is important for you to prepare an umbrella and a first-aid kit. If you have to share them with your friends, they will be pleased. Forewarned is forearmed!
To summarize, you must prepare in advance. Before going to Kyoto, buy an easy map, check the places and prepare well, including an umbrella and a first-aid kit. Then I have no doubt you will enjoy traveling. But the best way to enjoy Kyoto is by going with a friend.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Cars Should Be Abolished
Can you imagine your life without a car? At first, you would probably think that life without a car is impossible. Cars are convenient and we rely on them a lot in our daily lives. But if you really think about it, cars are not really necessary. Any of us can adapt to life without a car, and our lives would actually be better. The truth is, cars are not good for us, and we would be better off without them. Cars should be abolished.
First, our lives would be safer without cars. Young people often drive too fast and get in car accidents. If cars were abolished, all young people would grow up safely. Also, the number of people who drink and drive is increasing. If cars were abolished, all drunk people would have to take public transportation. There would no longer be any accidents due to drunk driving.
Next, we would use less energy and have less pollution. Cars in Japan and other developed countries are improving their gas mileage, but cars still cause more pollution than public transportation. Without any cars on the roads, our air would be so much cleaner, and the gases that cause global warming would be reduced. This is an important point for the future of everyone.
Finally, we would get more exercise by walking and riding bicycles. Now, we often rely on cars to go a short distance, but without cars, we would have to get around on our own power. Walking or riding a bicycle is good for our health. We will burn calories, exercise our heart, and improve our condition. The problem of people being overweight will be a thing of the past.
Many people think they cannot live without a car, but they would soon find many benefits to life without cars. Our lives would be safer, we would have less pollution, and we would get more exercise. People all over the world would soon appreciate a cleaner, safer, quieter world. We would all live longer, and one day our kids will say, “What were they thinking in those days? Why would anyone need their own car?”
__________________
What do you think?
Do you agree with the opinion above? Whether you agree or disagree, write your opinion in a short paragraph in the comment box. OR you can choose a topic from the list I gave you for the Opinion Essay (#4) and write a short paragraph. OR you can go to the Japan news sites, find a recent topic that interests you, and write a short paragraph about it.
First, our lives would be safer without cars. Young people often drive too fast and get in car accidents. If cars were abolished, all young people would grow up safely. Also, the number of people who drink and drive is increasing. If cars were abolished, all drunk people would have to take public transportation. There would no longer be any accidents due to drunk driving.
Next, we would use less energy and have less pollution. Cars in Japan and other developed countries are improving their gas mileage, but cars still cause more pollution than public transportation. Without any cars on the roads, our air would be so much cleaner, and the gases that cause global warming would be reduced. This is an important point for the future of everyone.
Finally, we would get more exercise by walking and riding bicycles. Now, we often rely on cars to go a short distance, but without cars, we would have to get around on our own power. Walking or riding a bicycle is good for our health. We will burn calories, exercise our heart, and improve our condition. The problem of people being overweight will be a thing of the past.
Many people think they cannot live without a car, but they would soon find many benefits to life without cars. Our lives would be safer, we would have less pollution, and we would get more exercise. People all over the world would soon appreciate a cleaner, safer, quieter world. We would all live longer, and one day our kids will say, “What were they thinking in those days? Why would anyone need their own car?”
__________________
What do you think?
Do you agree with the opinion above? Whether you agree or disagree, write your opinion in a short paragraph in the comment box. OR you can choose a topic from the list I gave you for the Opinion Essay (#4) and write a short paragraph. OR you can go to the Japan news sites, find a recent topic that interests you, and write a short paragraph about it.
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