On May 11th our school started again.  We are offering reduced classes in smaller groups for the safety of students.

Shelley, our assistant language teacher, revised her "English Message Board".  It is full of lovely cherry petals. 

The following is a letter written by a student as a citizen of a host town, which says about the attraction of the hometown. 

Ehime has "Dogo Onsen."  It is a famous hot spring in Japan.  Many tourists visit there every year.  It is so good!

The Legend of White Heron:
Long, long ago, a white heron which had injured its leg found the hot spring.  It came there to soak its leg in the spring water every day.  After that, its injury was cured.  People who heard about the story used the hot spring.  There, they could relax and became rejuvenated.  Also, sick people used the hot spring and they recovered from their illness!!

When you come to Japan, please take the time to visit this spring bath.

The following is a student's response to the topic: The person I admire the most.

The person I admire the most is Mr. Ito.  The person is a junior high school teacher and an advisor of the tennis club to which I belonged.  Without the person, I wouldn't have improved tennis skills as much as now.  He told me to relax when I was nervous at the tournament.  I like his words: "At the tournament, you can only show what you have done so far."  I learned from him that if I can only do what I have done in practice, I don't have to worry too much.  I took a while to get this meaning, but once I understood it, I enjoyed playing tennis very much.  I also received so much advice that I couldn't write here.  That is why I respect Mr. Ito.

The following is a student's response to the question: "What is the most memorable present you have ever received?"

The most memorable present I received is a book.  It is "The Little Prince" written by Saint-Exupery.  I received it from my mother for my firthday.  I think that he wrote about friendship; responsibility, love and so on.  I like this story.  This story is written both in Japanese and plain English.  Also, I can listen to the story because the book has a CD.  In addition, pictures of this book are beautirul.  So I like this book very much.  That's why this book is a favorite book to me.

The following is a student's response to the question: "What is the most memorable present you have ever received?"

The most memorable present I have ever received is the red lipstick which my mother gave me.  I received it when I was twelve years old.  It is unrelated to me at that time.  I still remember that time because I was so glad!  I have a special feeling for this lipstick.  So I make it a rule to use it at a special day such as my favorite artist's live, relative's wedding.  I'm sure that I continue to use it with care.  Moreover, I want to give a red lipstick to my daughter when I become a mother.

The following is a student's to the question: "What is the most memorable present you have ever received?"

Great-grandmother's letter is the most memorable present for me.  When I was a junior high school student, I got it from my great-grandmother.  She is very kind and quiet person.  However, she has sick in hospital.  This is the last present from my great-grandmother.  Her letter give me guts and energy.  Sometimes I read this letter.  I am missing the warmth of her skin.

The following is a student's response to the question: "What is the most memorable present you have ever received?"

I don't remember some presents which I received when I was a child and my feelings.  So, as far as I remember, the most memorable present is an album which is made to celebrate my graduation by my juniors at the junior high school.  Then, I was in the school brass club, and there are many members in the club, but few members of the same age as me.  We should not only improve our skill, but also teach the juniors hard.  I'm not good at that, so I thought I wasn't trusted by them.  I decided to tell them my apology, but before that, they said, "Thank you," and give me the handmade album.  I felt very happy and I thought my effort paid off.

The following is a student's answer to the question: "What are the good points and bad points of cell phones?"

An advantage of cell phones is that you can enjoy online shopping.  It is easy to do online shopping.  If you are busy, you can buy something online.  Moreover, you can comunicate with your family at the time of a disaster.  So, you can be relieved.  A disadvantage is that you may get involved in a crime.  Today, many people use SNS.  It's easy to connect with unknown people.  Also, using cell phones is bad for our health.  Their blue light is not good for our eyes.

The following is a student's answer to the question: "What are the good points and bad points of cell phones?"

It is convenient for me to know about international movement.  So I have come to understand long sentence of English better.  However, using cell phone inappropriately.  I receive inaccurate information.  So I should understand correctly.  For these reasons, it is convenient for us if we use properly, but it is dangerous for us if we use unsuitably.

The following is a student's response to the question: "What are the good poiints and bad points of cell phones?"

I think that the good point of cell phones is that they have touch panels which enable us to operate it easily.  If we want to play games, take photos, and search on the Internet, all we have to do is touching the screen.  It's very easy!!  On the other hand, we can connect with others easily by using cell phones, this is the bad and dangerous point of cell phones.  These days, many troubles tied to SNS happen.  There is some possibility of getting involved in such troubles.  So, we must be careful and keep the rules of using cell phones.

Ms Ishioka, who is studying in Germany now, sent us photos of the famous sites at Munich,Marienplatz and Asamkirche.

The following is a student's response to the question: "What are the good points and bad points of cell phones?"

Cell phones have a good point.  For example, you can contact with your family and get disaster information when you suffer a disaster.  There are many earthquakes in Japan due to lying on the circum-Pacific earthquake zone.  So, it is convenient for sufferers to do such things.

On the other hand, they have a bad point.  Flick input may lead to forgetting kanji and using a keyboard slowly.  Because most people who use smart phone depend on predicted conversion system, and using flick input not using keyboard.  However, when it comes to getting a job, you have to use keyboard input.  Therefore, as is often the case with using technology, we should take advantage of cell phones skillfully.

The following is a student's response to the question: "What are the good points and bad points of cell phones?"

 Cell phones enable us to broaden our view.  That is because we can not only communicate with people all over the world anytime and anywhere but also store our memory easilu as pictures or text and share them by using cell phones.  On the other hand, the convenience of cell phones don't give us only advantages.  For example, in Japan, there is a custom that making sentence with consideration, but it has been lost.  That is bcause they don't need to write formal letter frequently.  The custom which is putting our heart into one letter may be going out of date. 

The following is a student's response to the question: "What can you do to solve the environmental issues?"

I think we should save electricity, gas and water.  I have two reasons for this.

First, it is essential to stop global warming.  Supplying electricity and using gas release much CO₂ into the atmosphere.  So, I always turn off TV and light when I don't use them.  Also, I use extra heat for cooking.  These action is effective to save energy, I think.

Second, we have torotect various creatures and beautiful scenery.  This is because they are being broken by people who build dams and dig natural gas.  People do these things because people need a lot of energy.  I have ever seen some pictures of animals which suffer from environmental destrution.

Because of these, I think it is proper for people to save energy.

The following is a student's response to the question; "What can you do to solve the environmental issues?"

I think that the activity to reduce plastic will make a good world.  I have two reasons why I think so.
Firstly, burning the plastic emits a lot of CO2.  And the process needs a lot of time.  Therefore, theplastic is not good for the environment.

Secondly, the plastics make ocean dirty.  Sometimes, people throwthe plastic waste to the ocean.  The waste can't melt quickly.  Therefore, the plastic waste flow in the oceanfor a long time.  And, some fishes and ocean animalseat the waste, and they are killed.  Sometimes we may eat the fish whicheat the waste.  It is dangerous for our health.  So, we need to reduce the plastic thrown into the ocean.

For the above reasons, I believe that we shouldreduce theplastic waste to solve our environmental problem.

The following is a student's response to the question: "What can we do to solve the environmental issues?"

I think that 3Rs can solve the environmental issues.  "3Rs" means Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.  I'll introdue two examples.
First, you can reduce trash by using eco-bags.  Eco-bags are thing that you can use when you go shopping to a supermarket.  Eco-bags can reduce trash that would be produced by using plastic bags.  My mother didn'T use an eco-bag before knowing 3R.  But since she knew 3R, she started using an eco-bag.  I also take an eco-bag when I go shopping.

Second, you can recycle things such as paper, plastic bottles and so on.  You can throw away such things into recycling boxes.  Then，by douing so, they can be recycled and used as another thing.

I believe that 3R works for the better environment like these two examples.  3R can give the world good influence.

The following is a student's essay about "What can we do to improve the environment?"

Global warming is now gaining attentionas one of the global issues.  I think it is good for each family to take part in activities.  For example, we should keep the air conditioner at a low degree.  We should not leave water running.  While my father is brushing his teeth, he always leave water running.  When I see him doing so, I stop the running water, saying, "Don't leave the water running!  Don't waste it."  Then, he came not to do so. It is important for each of us to be careful about everything in our life.

Also, the forests destroyed for the benifit and livelihood of people are increasing. I was sad to hear the news that a koala got a serious burn because of slash-and-burn farming in Australia.  I think it is threatening not only the environment but also animal life.  Tree planting is effective.  Animals and insects can get homes again and decreasethe amount of CO₂.

Therefore, we should continue to think about living with nature. 

The following is a student's response to the question, "What can we do to protect the environment?"

Japan is working on solving the environmental issues.  It's important to consider the way to solve them.  Then, I came up with the idea.  It is that people in the world grow up their own trees.  There are two reasons.

First, plants produce oxygen, but they are decreasing now.  It's because people don't plants after they cut and use them.  Then, all people grow trees, and then they can increase them.

Second, plants can be some creatures' homes.  It's necessary for us to preserve them.

For these reasons, I think the idea that dpeople all over the world own their trees will solve the environmental issues.

The following is a student's response to the question, "What can you do to improve the environment?"

I think that it is good for the environment to pick up a trash.  I have two reasons.

Firstly, if we do that, the places where we pick up trsh will be clean.  I joined a volunteer work on the last summer vacation. After the firwork festival, I went to the river bank and picked up trash.  It was very early morning, so I was sleepy.  I wanted to finish.  But when my teacher said to me, "There was no trash.  This place is clean.  It's thanks to you," I was happy.  I thought it is good to pick up trash.

Secondly, it is easy to pick up trash.  Even small children can do.  And even for a short time, we can do.  So we should pick up trash for the environment.

In this way, I think it is effective to pick uptrash.  So I want to join volunteer activities from now on.  And I want to pick up trash in many places such as schools and parks myself.  To pick up trash is easy and we feel good when the places are cleaned.  So it is effective.