説得する

Speechの授業でPersuative Speechの課題が与えられました。私は前回のThe Tips for Saving Moneyでも触れた「節電」をテーマにしました。

アメリカは電気代が安いためか防犯のためか、朝から夜までどころか１日中エアコンも部屋の電灯もつけっ放しの家庭があります。また、夜にロサンゼルスを上空から眺めると公共の建物や会社、道路など街全体が電灯によって明々と煌めいています。これらの電気は州内の発電所によって供給されています。
カリフォルニア州内の発電所を調べました。１番多いのは化石燃料発電、次は水力発電でした。数は少ないけれど発電量が多い原子力発電所もあります。
カリフォルニア州は地下鉄、鉄道の通うところが少ないアメリカの典型的な車社会でもあります。州で登録されている車の数と発電所の個数を日本と比べるとカリフォルニア州は一人当たりの二酸化炭素排出量が格段に多いのがわかりました。
そこで地球温暖化を防ぐ目的の節電をテーマとしたのです。

Electricity and Our Life

We, human beings, breathe. We breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. Not only human beings but also animals, birds, fish, and all living things breathe and produce carbon dioxide.
Carbon dioxide normally exists in the air. We are surrounded by carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide has two problems. One of them is carbon dioxide levels in the air. If carbon dioxide levels rise three percentage, we faint away and our brains have damaged. Furthermore, no one can survive in the seven percentage of carbon dioxide. The other problem is global warming.
I like reading books. When I went to a public library, I found a children book drawn by an elementary school girl. The book showed me several environmental problems that we face today. I am interested in the environmental problems since then.
First, I will explain the global warming. Second, I will show an example which causes the global warming through power stations. At last, I will indicate several solutions.

Back to carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is heavier than the air. It builds up higher and higher, then wraps around surface of the earth. On the other hand, the sun gives us light and heat. The heat from the sun reaches surface of the earth and reflects in the air. Carbon dioxide in the air keeps the heat reflected on the ground. This is so called the greenhouse effects. The earth is covered by warm blanket and the temperature gradually goes up by the greenhouse effect. This is the global warming.
The global warming causes severe damage to the earth. First, the warm temperature melts glaciers and icebergs in Antarctica or North Pole. The water came from glaciers and icebergs goes up sea level. If one inch raised sea level, several cities in the world go under water. Moreover, the global warming promotes to expand desert areas. If the temperature went up, cold areas would become warm areas, warm areas would become hot areas. Human beings get accustomed to changing temperature, however, most animal and plants can't. For this reason, animals and plants on the earth are endangered. Global warming is caused by carbon dioxide. Our breath doesn't harm as much as power stations.
Our modern life is based on electricity. We can't live without electricity. Imaging that electricity went out in your home, you couldn't watch Super Bowl on TV, take a shower, and do assignments. You use home electric, for example: an air conditioner, a fridge, a coffee maker, and so on. Not only using home electrics but also supplying water and gases to each house, work place, and school is necessary. To supply electricity, power stations work in 24 hours, 7 days.

Our life depends on electricity from power stations which produce a great quantity of carbon dioxide. I will mention the types of power stations, then advantage and disadvantage of them.
We have three types of power stations, such as: Fossil Fueled power stations, Nuclear power stations, and Renewable Energy power stations.
Fossil Fueled power stations are operated by oil, coal, and natural gas. As Fossil Fueled power stations produce the largest amount of carbon dioxide of all power stations, the usage of this type of power stations harm the environment and endanger lives of people and wildlife.
Nuclear power stations are operated by uranium. Although Nuclear power stations are the cleanest and the most powerful of all power stations, this type of power stations are much more expensive to build and operate than Fossil Fueled power stations. In addition, Nuclear power stations create dangerous radioactive waste from used uranium.
Renewable Energy power stations are operated by water, wind, geothermal, and the sun. As those resources can use again and again, we don't have to worry about the shortage of resources. On the other hand, dams change the landscape, flood farmland, and destroy wildlife habitat.
Carbon dioxide damages people directly and indirectly, even so we don't want to give up our developed convenient life. We have to admit to having three barrier which are ignorance, money, and underdevelopment. First, many people who use home electronics are not interested in electricity and power stations. Second, large companies chase benefit but don't concern about social benefit. Third, a few researchers have looked for the solution of energy problems. I would like to share several solutions.

Education is the first key of solution. In many European countries and Asian countries, for example: Germany, Denmark, Japan, school children have studied the environmental problems since they were in the first grade. As they learned it, when they grow up, the people in those countries naturally join some programs to solve the problems.
Researching is the second key of solution. Every power station has disadvantage. The government and companies have to put money into researches which can improve power stations and find new Eco-friendly energy.
Saving energy is the third key of solution. Once I went to an old luxury hotel in New York where decorated antique furniture and large chandeliers on the ceilings in the lobby. However, saving energy light bulbs and saving water faucets are used in the guest rooms. Using saving energy products in official buildings and public places reduce carbon dioxide. Furthermore, electricity generated by roof-top solar panels is cheaper than energy generated at central power stations. Improved photovoltaic panels will lower costs in the future.

Education, researching, and saving energy are key of solutions. The global warming related our daily consumption of electricity. Let's start to reduce carbon dioxide.

情報を伝える

Speechの授業で Informative Speechの課題が与えられました。テーマは自由で、自分の経験を元に図書館にある資料を使って内容を掘り下げて整理して伝えることが最低限のルールでした。私は「節約」をテーマにしました。

Some Tips for Saving Money

The world faces a severe recession. We see several articles including the terms: recession, lay off, or fall, on newspapers everyday. Here is some examples, a newspaper in US told that California hospitals feel ill effects of recession and US Holiday consumer Tech Sales Fall 5.7%. Moreover, US department of labor said 7.3 millions of people were employed part time for economic reasons in November 2008. Not only U.S. but European and Asian countries tend to have similar situations. A Japanese newspaper said new car sales dropped 22.3% in December. The news can makes us gloomy, however, we would like to get through recession without giving up our happy lives.

One day, while I was watching a TV show presented by Living Network, I got some tips for a "smart living". I would like to share with some tips for saving money.
First, I will introduce a smart shopping, then inform saving energy costs, and at last suggest to find cooperators.

You have bought something that you didn't need, after you strolled in the mall, haven't you? To avoid spending useless money, I will tell you a smart shopping. The tips are to organize your items, to think before you buy, and to bring a list when you go shopping.
To organize your closet, you prepare three bags and put your clothes into them. The first bag uses the clothes you want to keep, the second bag uses the clothes you throw away or donate, and the third bag uses the clothes you maybe wear. After organized, you should keep a low number of your items in each one of closet. If you buy one new clothes, you should throw away one old clothes. If you buy one new shoes, you should put old shoes into thrash can. As long as you keep the rule, you consider to buy new items.
Now that you control items, you may go shopping, but remember it that before you leave home, determine you needs and put them down on paper. Ant then don't buy anything that's not on the list, no matter how wonderful or how cheep it is. Even the discount item isn't a bargain if you don't need it.
Organizing the closets, deciding what you needs, and bringing a shopping list are makes you control buying on impulse. You become a smart shopper and don't spend useless money.

Next, saving budget. We also reduce our electricity, gas, water.
Replace light bulbs. If you replace nine standard bulbs with an energy-efficient compact fluorescent-bulbs, you will reduce your electricity bills by more than $100 over the lives of those bulbs.
A simple way to cut your heating and cooling costs is to turn your thermostat down one degree in winter and up one degree in summer. One degree can save up to $100 a year on your heating and cooling bills.
Use water-saving shower-heads and faucets. If the average family uses water-saving faucets and shower-heads, the family can save nearly 8,000 gallons of water a year. The family saves more than $100.
As a result of replacing light bulbs, turn thermostat one degree up or down, and use water-saving shower-heads and faucets, you can save more than $300.

At last, I suggest to find cooperator. Los Angeles is a cosmopolitan city. People gather here from all over the world. You have your own custom, culture, and wisdom. Shall we exchange the idea of saving money. We get important information and support each other.

In conclusion, I introduced a smart shopping, saving energy cost, and find cooperators. A small change in our life become a large amount of saving money. Let's start from today.

朗読

Speechクラスでの初めての発表は朗読でした。好きな詩か絵本を選んで読み聞かせるのです。成績は声の大きさ、抑揚、強弱で判定されます。
私は「三匹の熊」を選びました。この話を読むときに工夫したのは大熊、中熊、小熊と女の子のそれぞれの声とナレーションを分けたところです。

Three Bears by Byron Barton

Once upon a time, there were three bears.
There was a Papa Bear and a Mama Bear and a Baby bear.
One day Mama Bear made some hot porridge. She made a big bowl for Papa Bear. A medium-size bowl for Mama Bear. And a small bowl for Baby Bear.
The porridge was very hot. So the three bears went for a walk until it got cool.
Just then, a long came a little girl named Goldilocks. Goldilocks looked inside the house. There she saw the three bowls of porridge.
Goldilocks was hungry, so she tasted Papa Bear's porridge. But it was too hot. Then she tried Mama Bear's porridge. But it was too cold. Then she tried Baby Bear's porridge. It was just right. So she ate and ate until she ate it all.
Then Goldilocks wanted to sit down. First she sat in Papa Bear's rocker. But it rocked too fast. Then she sat in Mama Bear's rocker. It rocked too slow. Then she sat in Baby Bear's rocker. It rocked just right. So Goldilocks rocked and rocked. She rocked so much the little rocker broke.
Then Goldilocks wanted to lie down. First she tried Papa Bear's bed. It was too hard. Then she tried Mama Bear's bed. It was too soft. Then she tried Baby Bear's bed. It was just right. So Goldilocks fell asleep in Baby Bear's bed.
A little while later, the three bears came home.
The bears looked at their porridge, and Papa Bear said, "Someone has been eating my porridge." Then Mama Bear said, "Someone has been eating my porridge." And Baby Bear said, "Someone has been eating my porridge, too, and now it is all gone."
Then the bears looked at their chairs, and Papa Bear said, "Someone has been sitting in my chair." Then Mama Bear said, "Someone has been sitting in my chair." And Baby Bear said," Someone has been sitting in my chair, too, and now it is broken in pieces."
Then the bears looked at their beds, and Papa Bear said, "Someone has been sleeping in my bed." And Mama Bear said, "Someone has been sleeping in my bed." Then Baby Bear cried out, "Someone has been sleeping in my bed, too. Look there she is now."
When Goldilocks saw the three bears, she jumped out of Baby Bear's bed and ran.
She ran and ran as fast as she could, away from the three bear's house.
And the three bears never saw little Goldilocks again.