essay 2-03b: My story of learning languages

I’m going to write about my learning languages story. I’m going to write about English and French. I have learned English about for 10 years. Last year, I attended French classes.

When I was an elementary school student, I heard English the first time. I played game on the English music about once a week or once a month. It is called ALT. When I was a junior high school student and high school student, I learned English at the class. It was not games such as elementary school. Now, I also learn English at KGU. In the future, I would like to talk with foreigner smoothly and I want to watch films in English without subtitles.

First, however, I’d like to tell about my future. I have had dreams for a long time. If I marry, I would like to go abroad for honeymoon with my husband. At there, I want to talk with foreigner in languages other them smoothly and want to understand them. One of my dreams is to watch foreign films without subtitle. I like films from other countries very much, so I want to hear themselves voice. I think, almost everyone thought “foreign films have subtitles, so you can hear themselves voice!” It is exactly, but when I read subtitles, I can’t watch pictures. Don’t you think so? That why I want to watch films from other countries without subtitles.

Next, I’m going to write about when I how I first studied English. When I was an elementary school student, I heard English the first time. I played game on the English music about once a week or once a month. It is called “ALT” I don’t remember that days clearly.

When I was a junior high school student and high school student, I learned English at the classes. It was not games such as elementary school. The more I studied English, I like it the more. When I was 15 years old, I visited Australia for two weeks with my friend as a delegate of my junior school. There, I had experienced home stay only myself, take a train only myself, went to shopping with my host family, met an Australian ex-president, and so on. Back Kumamoto, I always remember these special days. That experience made me like English more than before.

I’m going to write about now. Of course I study English almost everyday at KGU. I was surprised at first last year, because teacher is foreigner. I was worried about whether I can understand what they say. However, I think, I could make progress more than before. At eibeigakka KGU, I attend listening class, speaking class, writing class, and reading class. Especially, I’m doing my best for listening and speaking. I can’t listen and speak well, so I would like to listen and speak English better. At the writing class, we have a lot of homework, but it made me better to write English.

When I was freshman, I studied French, but I was not interested in French. However, in addition to English, we must take another foreign language class. French was too difficult for me. I studied hard, but I couldn’t understand French. Now, I think it was good experience for me, because If I hadn’t taken a French class, I didn’t study another foreign language.

All in all, I’m a lucky girl, because If I had not visited Australia, I might not study English now. I think I have a lot of things to do now. I’m going to do my best, and I don’t want to forget my original intention. Then, I believe dreams come true in the future!

(610 words) Total: 9717

Essay 2-02b: American music and culture

This time, I watched a lot of websites about America. I spent long time to find good website. I am very interested in America. Especially, I'm interested in Hollywood, music, and culture. I think, America has unique culture. I found website about them. I was so happy when I could find it, because the websites are easy to understand for me. First, I am going to write about Hollywood. Next, I'm going to write about Rock and Roll of American music. Third, I am going to write about Yellow Ribbon of American culture.

I have been interested in Hollywood since I was junior high school student. At first, I thought just "Actress and actor are so cool and beautiful!" but I watched I lot of movies, and then, I'm interested in Hollywood more than before. I have known that Hollywood is the movie capital of the world. However, after I read this website, I realized that I had a lot of things I have not known about Hollywood. Foe example, "Hollywood films are shown in colleges and in treatment centers as they depict people with mental illness and substance abuse." and so on. If I have not watched this website, I can't know a lot of things. I'm glad to find it and I can know about Hollywood more than before.

http://www.lifeintheusa.com/culture/hollywood.htm

I want to know more about Rock and Roll. Do you know this type of music? I have heard this name, but I don’t answer if someone asks me “What kind of music?” so, I want to know about this music. Rock and roll was the great synthesis of black and white American musical traditions. It began 1950’s. It is easy to read for us. I recommend you watch this website.

http://www.lifeintheusa.com/culture/rockroll.htm

I have known it Yellow Ribbon a little, but I want to know more, so I watched website about it. Display of a Yellow Ribbon is a sign of loyalty to family, friends or loved ones who are welcome home. Have you known it? I have never known it. This website has back ground of Yellow Ribbon. I was surprised a little, because it is related to 19th Century Civil War Song. I have never known it. There are not culture like that in Japan as far as I know. I think, America has great culture. It gave me a chance to learn. I think this is great website, because we can know what we want to know, and we can learn back ground too! I recommend you it.

http://www.americanfamilytraditions.com/yellow_ribbon.htm

After I read them, I feel happy, because I can get information what I want to know. I like America more than before. I want to know American unique culture more like Yellow Ribbon.

(458 words) Total: 7468

Draft essay: My 5 favorite places (Revision)

I have 5 favorite places in Kumamoto. Today, I am going to write abut my 5 favorite places

At first, one of my favorite places is Hanaoka mountain. Have you been there everyone? I have been there many times. At there, we can see so beautiful night view, stars, and moon if it is not cloudy. I like them very much. I think, some people like lively night and some people like quiet night. I like both, but I like quiet night more than lively night. Hanaoka mountain is just right for me. I go there one day for two weeks. I don’t know its address, but it is near the Kumamoto station.

Next, I have loved my grad father’s house since I was a child. His house is in Ueki. There are a lot of trees, beautiful stream and blue sky. It is just a country, of course there are no stores, but it made me become composed. I like nature so much.

However, I like down town too. At Christmas, there are many shiny illuminations, and it is glitter street. It made me feel “Today is Christmas!!” I like winter down town more than other seasons.

Next, I like festivals. We have a lot of festivals every summer, and we can see beautiful fireworks. I am always impressed by fire works. Do you eat kakigori at festivals? I always eat it at festivals, because I like eating it while walking around festivals. I don't like bustling, but it is no problem just festivals.

At last, I'm going to write about my special favorite place. At New Year Day, I always go to see sunrise with my boy friend. We can't sleep a lot, because we must go there early morning. If we don't go there early, we can't see sunrise. Sunrise is so beautiful and romantic! Our favorite place where we always go to see sunrise is in Kikuka. It is local and local people only know there! I think, it is the best place to see sunset in Kumamoto.

This is my 5 favorite places. I am glad if everyone who read my essay visit my favorite places.

(361 words) Total:3957

Essay 1-01b: Dear my host family (Rewrite)

Dear　my host family

Hello. My name is Yurina. I’m a KGU student. I have six people in my family, my father, my mother, my grandmother, my sister, my brother and me. My family is fun. I love my family.

My favorite sport is basketball. I have played it for six years. Do you like playing basketball? I want to play it with you. I like watching baseball but, I can’t play it well. If I were a boy, I want to play baseball.

My hobby is shopping. I’m interested in fashion, cosmetics and accessories. Do you like shopping? I want to know what types of fashion do you like. I’m interested in Australian fashion. Would you go shopping with me?

Perhaps I shouldn’t ask, but do you eat boiled rice? I like boiled rice very much. I eat it every day. I also like spaghetti, bread, meat and so on. I like eating very much. So, I’m looking forward to eating Australian foods.

By the way, have you held a koala? I want to hold a koala because it is so cute. I like animals very much. If I can’t hold it, I would like to look closer and take pictures.

I have a dream. It is to talk with a foreigner smoothly, and I want to watch a foreign film without subtitles It is for that purpose that I want study English. Do you have a dream? I want to know your dreams. Shall we talk each other about our dreams in English? I’m looking forward to see you.

Sincerely,

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