Kana Kawakita

The Thing I Want to Change in My Life

                If I could change something in my life, I would like to be tall. If I were tall, I could do something that I can`t do actually, and my life would be happier. There are several reasons why I think so.

First of all, I could have less difficulty in doing something if I were tall. For example, I often have difficulty in taking something on a tall shelf. I always have someone take such things instead of me in this situation, so I can`t help troubling others. Also, when I worked at a restaurant and a drug store, my short height was very inconvenient. Although I didn`t have them help me, some co-workers often helped me. Every time others help me, I am filled with feeling sorry toward them.

Second, I could enjoy some hobbies and sports if I were taller. Actually I have wanted to learn volleyball since I was a child, but I gave up playing it because of my height. Some friends told me that it is difficult for me to play volleyball, so I played other sports unwillingly. However, playing other sports like softball and badminton is also hard. In addition, although fashion is one of my hobby, I can`t enjoy fashion satisfactorily with my short height. I want to enjoy wearing various clothes more, but some clothes can`t match for short people like me. If I were taller, I could wear every clothes I want to wear. Also, I can`t help wearing high heels every day because many people often make fun of my height. In order to hide my real height, I sometimes wear extremely high heels like 12 centimeters.

Third, if I were taller, I would like to be a cabin attendant in the future. I like to travel by airplane and talk with people. I actually wanted to study English for airline business, but it is hard for small women to be a cabin attendant. Then I gave up my dream in the future.

In short, being tall has more benefit and helpfulness for people to enjoy their life than being short, so I would like to be tall if I could change my life.

The important test to get a job

Kana Kawakita

10/22/14

The important test to get a job

                In my country, Japan, it is important for getting a job to take the TOEIC, which is very profitable and essential test to get a job. The TOEIC is a shortened form of “Test of English for International Communication“. This is a test common throughout the world that we are evaluated our communication skill in English extensively. This test includes listening and reading sections, and in about 150 countries, people have taken it. This is evaluated from 10 to 990 point, and the score we have to get in order to find a job is different each kind of the job. In general, we need to get at least 600 to 650 score in Japan. The higher company you get, the higher score you are required to get.

Then, I have taken is two times before, and I have some effective ways to get higher score.

First of all, doing shadowing, reproduction, and dictation is very effective to improve listening skill. The shadowing is a practice you repeat to read aloud by following English sentences while listening so that you get accustomed to listen English and pronounce fluently. In this practice, it is important to follow the native speaking rather than to attach importance to complete sentences grammatically. The reproduction is a practice you repeat to read aloud same sentences perfectly after you listen to English sentences. You need to make and read aloud sentences grammatically correctly in this practice. Then, the dictation is a practice you white down all of the sentences after you listen to English sentences. It is good way for me to follow these steps in this order when I listen to a news or lecture. By continuing these practices, you can improve not only listening skill, but also information-gathering capacity.

Second, you had better to reading as many books as possible to improve skills of reading and grammar. The more books you read, the more skills you can get, such as reading quickly and learning some new words and grammars. Also, it is necessary to see how long you read all articles because you might have difficulty in reading all articles within the limited time in TOEIC test.

Lastly, you have to make sure the form of TOEIC test and rehearse it by seeing time. For example, you should make sure how long you can use in each of section, and what kind of contents include in the test.

In short, it is not easy to get high score on TOEIC test, but you can improve if you follow these steps. Then why don`t you take TOEIC test to get a good job in the future?

The different ways to live between US and Japan

I'm from Japan, and I'm living in US, but there are especially three different ways to live between two countries. First of all, the way to use a bathroom is definitely different. In Japan, almost all bathrooms are separated from restrooms and rooms where I take off clothes, and we have bigger bathrooms. Then I can take clothes off in a big space, wash my body and hair by sitting a chair, and sit and stay in a bathtub to make my body hot and relax for a long time. However, all bathrooms in US are unit bath, and people do nothing but taking shower for instance. Some American think that they want to save time to take shower and save water. In contrast, some Japanese likely to spend about 1 hour staying bathroom to recover from fatigue, so I'm missing Japanese bathroom. Second, the way to wear my shoes is different. While I take my shoes off in my house in Japan, I never do so except for the time when I sleep on my bed in US. Japanese people consider that entering in a house with shoes is dirty and impolite. Then I think it is better for us to take shoes off in house so that we can clean our house easily. Third, traffic rules in US is different from those of Japan. Drivers have to sit on right side of seat in cars and drive left side on road in Japan, which are totally opposite in US. Also, it is very confusing for me to understand traffic lights in US. Traffic rights is Japan is very simple. For example, if a right turns into green, we can go, and if it turns in to red, we must stop. However, in US, I sometimes get confused with rules on traffic lights and mistake to go ahead, then some cars honk a horn. In addition, many people drive too fast despite there are limits of speed, so I am always scared while I driving with my friends or mothers here. In short, I have difficulty in getting accustomed to live in US because there are many differences from Japan, but it is good for me to learn different culture.

My Country

    Japan, where is my country, is wonderful place, so I will tell you. First of all, most Japanese are very kind, conscientious, and moderate. When you go to restaurants or hotels in Japan, you can see the employees always waiting on all customers with great hospitality. Also, some people are considerate to those who are elderly, physically handicapped, or pregnant. It is common for Japanese to give them seats in a train and help them carry their heavy baggage. I like such a personality of Japanese. Second, Japan has many beautiful nature and traditional buildings. For example, Shiga, I live in Japan, has the biggest lake and beautiful mountain, which has much snow on winter. Then we can see beautiful view, and relax and relieve my stress there by flesh air. In addition, Japan has some traditional buildings such as temple and shrine. Many tourists from foreign countries often visit Japan to go there. The last thing I proud of is food. There are lots of traditional and famous foods in Japan such as sushi, tempura, soba, and tofu, which are really flesh, tasty, and healthy. Then I like Japanese food the best. In short, I proud of Japanese people, nature, tourist spot, and food.

What I would do if I won a million dollars

If I won a million dollars, I would use them for 4 kinds of ways.
The first thing I would do is using about half the money to buy what I want. For example, I want a car, a new cell phone, bags, a wallet, a watch, clothes, shoes, and so on. I am usually patient to buy such expensive things even if I want. However, I often waste of money to use almost all money for foods and clothes. I earn about 80 dollars a month from my part-time job, but it s not enough to buy something and spent comfortable life. Then I would use much money whatever I want.
Second, I would use some money to pay what I have to pay by myself. To tell the truth, my parents usually pay big amounts of money such as tuition, cellphone charge, and health insurance instead of me. I actually have to pay for them by myself, but I always spend almost all money for my hobby. Then I must pay such money by myself in future.
Third, I would pay back much money that I borrowed by my parents, and I would repay my respectful person favor, and help people. Actually, I borrowed the tuition to study abroad to America, and the money for a driving school by my parents.Then my debt from my parents is totally 800 to 1000 dollars. I would pay back them all money if I won much money. Also, I would repay them and my grandmother favor because I have appreciated them for a long tome. They always help me every time I need a help. If they weren't close to me, I couldn't spend my life. Then I feel respectful for them very much, so it is a time to make them happy. In addition, I would help people who have a difficulty in living for giving money. There are many such poor people in the world, so I would contribute to them.
Lastly, I would save much money for the future. It's very important for us to save money because we need too much money in the future. For example, we need for a wedding, making a living by ourselves after I make my own family, and buying expensive things such as cars and a house. Then I must be patient to use money to save for the future.
In short, If I won a million dollars, I would use some money to buy what I want and to pay what I should pay by myself, and pay back and help, and save much money in the future.