Heisei 4 the second (1992)

（１）(a) My idea of happiness in life

I wrote and published a book written in English in 2001. It had 91 passages. I put a poem at the end of the book. The title was "Success". The first line said, "To establish an ideal home." My idea of happiness in life was expressed in this line.

Firstly, my ideal home must be located in my home town. I was born and was raised in my home town. I have several relatives and friends in my home town. They are very close to me. I'd like to get along with them forever. On top of that, my father owns two plots of land near my original home. I'd like to build my home there and to start my nuclear family including my children. This is both my dream and my parents' dream.

Secondly, I'd like to live a self-actualization-oriented life. I have a dream as I mentioned it in my previous passages. I think that it is possible to make the dream come true.

This is my idea of happiness in life. I think that this life leads me to keep fit to live long and to feel satisfied.

Since my father became seriously ill in last July, I had to give up a part of my idea of happiness in life. I wrote in my previous passages as follows; Living within a stone's throw of my parents' house is good for my children. Well, I will pursue my best dream as of now.

（１）(b) The decentralization of Tokyo

I once heard there was a plan to decentralize Japanese government. I mean that some parts of the government move to a rural area like Nagano prefecture. But the plan hasn't been realized, yet. So I think that it was historically impossible.

For example, when I tried to publish my book, I had a plan to publish a well-bound hardcover book. I asked the chief officer at the printing office called, "Thank You." He said, "It will cost a lot to publish a hardcover book, because there is no company to make a hardcover book in Shimane prefecture and we all ask several companies located in metropolitan area."

The publishing business concentrates in Tokyo. I think that most private TV broadcasting companies are located in Tokyo. Most TV programs are made in Tokyo, I guess. Most lucrative businesses seem to concentrate in Tokyo. And it seems to bring more lucrative businesses to Tokyo. So this may be why it is impossible to decentralize Tokyo, I guess.

（２）(a) The best book I have ever read

When I took the second interview tests of United Nations, I had to prepare for the titles of my favorite book. They were 'Unterm Rad (sharin no shita) written by a German novelist, a Nobel laureate called Hermann Hesse and Promenade in physics (butsuri no sanpomichi), a series of books written by a group of professors in Kansai area called Rogerugisuto.

I read the former when I was in Kita high school. It was impressed me very much. The contents are as follows: A hero, a boy was born in a rural area. He was very good at studying. He succeeded in passing a difficult examination and entered a prestigious school. He lived in a dormitory. He made a friend who liked poems. He had to leave the school because of bad academic results….

I read the latter after I became a math teacher. The series consist of five books. I bought all of them and read all of them. The contents are as follows: A book consists of several physics problems. And a professor gives the answer in detail. For example, how big tofu (bean curd) is it possible to make. As you know, tofu is always soaked in water. Tofu is broken without water. Tofu is fragile. The problem is how fragile tofu is. Is it possible to make tofu with 100 cent-meter long side?

These are the best books I read.

（２）(b) Global warming

It is said that it is for greenhouse effect. According to recent TV news, ice in Antarctic is going to melt down. The level of ocean will rise by several meters in a few decades. Several scientists warn it.

My prefecture Shimane used to have a lot of snow in winter. But it isn't any more in plain area. I feel that snow in winter is decreasing compared with a decade in my home town. I have a small eco-friendly, economical car. I make it a rule to change the normal tires into the winter tires in December and to prepare a set of chains for snowfall. But I haven't used the chains for several years. Judging from my experience like these, global warming seems to progress in Japan.

（３）(a) A movie I saw recently

I became a movie collector after I bought a sophisticated video cassette tape recorder several years ago. NHK (Japan broadcast association) broadcast many foreign movies especially through BS (satellite broadcast system). I videotaped more than 100 movies, mostly American. I try to improve my English through the movies, in which English language is spoken. I once made a list of them by using the software called 'Excel'. I discovered that the article, 'the' at the first part of many movie titles is always put at the end of the title in the list of the movies. I mentioned it in a passage of my book.

Last year, I bought a sophisticated DVD player called "Diga". I moved several favorite movies into the DVD. I can enjoy watching my favorite movies anytime. Recently a few American movies starred by Julia Robert were broadcast by BS. I enjoyed them very much and videotaped a movie call 'Pretty Woman' by using the DVD. The story is as follows: A heroine (Julia Robert) is a prostitute. One day she attracted a rich man. And they fell in love at last.

'Pretty Woman' is a movie I saw recently.

（３）(b) The best way for Japan to contribute to world peace

I think that Japan is a kind of education-oriented country, particularly because of technology-oriented country. Without a good education system, Japan will not be able to survive in the 21st century, I guess many people think so.

I worked as a math teacher for a long time. I resigned my post as a math teacher in order to pursue my dream. My dream is to teach math in English. I'm going to write a paper on how to teach math both in English and in Japanese. I've collected some information about it. This may be the best way for Japan to contribute to world peace.

I don't think that donating a lot of money to the developing countries is always the best way for Japan to contribute to world peace. Japan should promote as many human resources who work internationally as possible. This seems to be the best way for Japan to contribute to world peace.

（４）(a) My favorite day of the week

Now I don't have my favorite day of the week. I've rarely watched TV recently.

Last year I made it a rule to watch a long-running, epic TV drama called 'koumyo gatsuji' on Sunday. I was looking forward to it, so my favorite day of the week was Sunday last year. But this year I don't watch the new long-running, epic TV drama called 'furin kazan'. So Sunday is not my favorite day.

I watch both a Japanese history program and a world history program on both Monday and Tuesday. But they are not sometimes interesting. So Monday and Tuesday are not my favorite day of the week.

I like TV documentary programs very much, especially the documentary related to music. They are irregularly broadcast. So I don't have my particular favorite day of the week. But they tend to be broadcast on weekends. So my favorite day is included in weekends.

I study English hard so I watch several programs related to English language. I sometimes omit some of them, but I usually watch PBS (public broadcast satellite), which are broadcast in the afternoon on weekdays. So I can't tell my favorite day of the week, either.

The other English programs I watch now are 'News Watch', CNN headline news, ABC news, and the three kinds of NHK English programs and so on. Now I like studying English, but I don't love it. I study English hard in order to make my dream come true. I regard it as my job. I usually videotape them and re-watch them.

My favorite days of the week are now on weekends, because sometimes my favorite programs are broadcast. The recent one is 'kuradashi entertainment Fujiyama ichiro'. I videotaped it by using DVD called 'Diga'. Now I say, "My favorite day of the week concentrates in weekends.

Well, I haven't recently watched PBS, News Watch and so on. I have even skipped some NHK radio English programs recently, because I have to do anything that my father did and something that my mother did in the past. My house is being remodeled now. I have to serve tea for carpenters. I asked a civil engineer to level the land in order to make a parking lot. The work has been completed. I intend to ask a local lawyer to manage the land so that I won't have any trouble with the leasers. So I'm very busy. I wish I could find a compatible partner soon. I will be able to pursue my dream more with the partner.

（４）(b) Sexual equality in the workplace

I worked as a math teacher for a long time. I moved to a few schools. We, senior high school teachers are compulsorily supposed to work at a senior high school located in a rural area at least once.

I had many female colleagues in my career as a senior high school math teacher. One of my colleagues once said, "Teaching workplace is said to have the most equality." I agree with him even if I don't have any experience to work in the other fields. For example, both a male teacher and a female teacher have the same salary in accordance with the age. Teaching workplace adopts the seniority wage system in Japan. I once heard from an old female teacher that she would have resigned if her husband had become a head teacher a decade before. This may be only one example of sexual discrimination in teaching workplace.

By the way, the number of female principals is increasing in my prefecture, Shimane recently. I think that this tends to continue. It is hoped that sexual equality in the workplace is completely attained in Japan in the near future.

（５）(a) Things people do that offend me

I worked as a senior high school math teacher for a long time. I discovered there are many students who behave like a bad student. For example, I saw some students throwing away things in the mountain. Some of them don't care it at all, but some do it on purpose. This made me angry. Students tend to behave in accordance with their atmosphere. They are weak of peer pressure. A group of students once shoplifted. And one of them was very good at math. I wondered why such a good student academically committed a crime. I sometimes got angry with my students, but I haven't used corporal punishment, at all. Well, I think that there are many guilty consciences un-written in laws. They vary from a person to a person. I haven't done anything on purpose which makes the others feel bad. This is my guilty consciences. So there are some things people do that offend me. On top of that, only human beings can do anything on purpose.

（５）(b) The parking problem in Japan

I live in a small city near Matsue city, the capital of Shimane prefecture. My home town is a kind of bedroom town I guess, because many workers built in the suburb of my home town. As the result, the elementary school was moved from the center of town to the suburb of town. The population is a bit increasing in my town, I guess.

There is no one-way street, but many streets are regulated as No parking. Many people put their car in the No parking zone. But no one is got a ticket for illegal parking. So my home town doesn't have any parking problem.

There are a lot of parking problems in Matsue city. There are a lot of narrow streets. So many people drive small eco-cars with a 660 milliliter-engine. But the number of parking lots in the center of Matsue city is increasing. Saty offers us free parking lots now, where I usually park my car there in order to go to the English school, 'GEOS'. I don't think that Matsue city has a serious parking problem, after all.

（６）(a) A fond memory of my childhood

I can now swim very well. I had to make efforts to be a good swimmer (not a fast swimmer). My home town is located along 'nakaumi' lagoon. It is about 200 meters far away from my house. I enjoyed swimming in summer vacation in my childhood. I used to oversleep and change into my bathing suit at home and rush to the lagoon in the morning.

When I was a fifth grader, I was barely able to swim. It was an achievement. It made me very happy. I enjoyed swimming in the afternoon, too since then. I was a breaststroker. I couldn't do crawl. I couldn't do back stroke, either. I couldn't do butterfly, either. But this good happy memory will remain in my mind forever.

（６）(b) The advantages of office automation

According to the Japanese-Japanese dictionary called 'daijisen', office automation means a system with computers, word processor, fax machine and so on in order to downsize and make the office quickly available for information. I worked as a math teacher, so I hadn't experienced any office automation. I don't think that it is a good idea to downsize the teaching workplace. So probably school won't adopt office automation system.

I think that office automation system should be used to cut the red tape, like issuing a resident card. This is the advantage of office automation.

（７）(a) The person who has impressed me most

The person who has impressed me most is FUKUZAWA Yukichi. Because he mastered English without any good dictionaries more than 100 years ago. I wrote it in my previous passage. The title is 'A great historical personage in Japan.' I put it in my book.

So I write about the person who has impressed me second most. His name is NATSUME Soseki. Now you can see his portrait on the 1000-yen bill. He is a famous novelist. The most famous book is 'wagahai wa nekodearu' which means 'I'm a cat.' It is his maiden work. He wrote about educated people cynically at the viewpoint of being a cat. You know that dogs are tamer than cats. And cats sometimes behave in a cynical manner. He made the best use of this fact in order to make the story sarcastic.

I read the story when I was a junior high school student for the first time. The story was translated into easy Japanese. I read one.

By the way, his family name is his real family name and his first name is his pseudonym, which is named after an ancient Chinese story and which means a stubborn person and a bad loser. This impressed me very much.

（７）(b) Rising university costs

I surfed Japanese sites and got the information of tuition fee in universities. The results are as follows: Tuition fee of public university is 538,800 yen per year. You have to pay 73,2000 yen per year for the tuition fee of the humane department of the one of the most famous private university called Waseda. Addition to it, you have to pay 14,5000 yen per year for the fee in order to maintain the facilities. You have to pay totally 87,7000 yen per year. And you have to pay 130,4000 yen per year if you study at the science department. The results surprised me a bit. In additions, I understood the tuition fee is supposed to rise as prices go up. I think that it is very hard for working students to pay the fee.

By the way, I get information of something mainly through my book collections and the two electronics dictionaries. I have more than 1000 books. I arranged them so that I could get any information quickly. I'm a bit proud of being organized. Well, I had to surf sites in order to get the information of university's tuition fee this time.

（８）(a) My most embarrassing moment

I feel embarrassed most recently when I have trouble writing these English passages. Now I write six passages a day. But today I have trouble writing even though I plan to write eight passages. So I'm a bit nervous.

I made the New Year's resolution of finishing writing 1,400 passages by the end of this year. I announced it by using my New Year's cards. So some of my friends, who are good at English must be looking forward to these passages. It sometimes makes me nervous.

But when I can write a passage in a certain speed, I feel happy. On top of that, when I am able to understand that I improve my English, I feel satisfied and happy. I wrote about my favorite Japanese proverb in my book. It is 'Nanakorobi yaoki', which means that 'If at first you don't succeed, try again and again.' Now I have to follow to this idea so that I could accomplish my achievement. I'm sure that I finish 1,400 passages by the end of April. (This is another resolution.)

Well, I finished the 1450 passages at the end of March. I started my new web page called "Elementary Math" in May. I began another new page called "Explanations of Japanese society" in June. Furthermore, I decided the new page called "What is happening to Japan now" at the end of August. I don't intend to add another anymore, but I will correct my passages forever. I will have my most embarrassing moment if I realize that I have to give up my dream.

（８）(b) The importance of recycling

The earth is a huge planet for human beings. Everything seems to be inexhaustible, but it has a limited capacity. As population is big and technology is developing rapidly, it is clear that human beings are going to deplete natural resources. So now it is said that three Rs (recycle, reduce and reuse) are important words to survive in the 21st century.

By the way, a law for recycling was enacted in 1991. We have to pay extra money in order to throw away waste like electric appliances and cars. Many companies started to market recycling-oriented goods. This kind of laws will be promoted more in the near future, I guess.

（９）(a) How to usually spend weekends

One of my interests is to hike in the mountains. So I used to spend my weekends in order to climb up Mt. Daisen which is the highest mountain in Chugoku district. It takes around six hours to reach the top and to come back home. I have experience in standing at the top of the mountain more than fifty times. But I haven't recently climbed up the mountain.

I resigned my post as a math teacher in order to pursue my dream, which is to teach children math in English. Now I study English hard. So I mostly spend my weekends in order to study English these days.

Well, I mostly spend my weekends in order to get along with my relatives these days. The number of drinking parties is increasing, but I don't have a strong stomach. So I drink carefully.

（９）(b) The influence of advertising

Our local newspaper called 'Sanin chuo shinpo' always has leaflets except Monday. I usually wake up around five o'clock even though I was awake until three o'clock. The first thing to do in the morning is to pick up the morning newspaper. And firstly I read the leaflets, particularly electric appliance stores' ones. I'm especially interested in electronic dictionaries, computers and DVD players these days. I make sure how out of date mines are by using the leaflets.

By the way, I bought a new computer the other day. I didn't buy the computer equipped with the new OS called Vista, but the new desktop computer equipped with Windows XP. I finished installing all software and settings today. My old student helped me. He majored in electronics at Matsue technical high school. He is one of sons of only one electric appliance store called 'arashima denki.' My new computer is equipped with BS & CS digital tuner. It can replay taped DVD programs more quickly than my old DVD player called 'Diga'. I'm going to make the best use it in order to improve my English skills much more than before.

The leaflet surely gave me a hint to decide to buy the new computer. This is my experience on the influence of advertisement.

Well, I bought a new computer equipped with Vista the other day. I presented the old one to my student.

（１０）(a) A TV personality I like

A TV personality I like is Shimada Shinske. He is very talkative. He started his career of a TV personality as a manzai-shi, a comic duo. He overwhelmed his partner in their performance. They disbanded and he became a maverick. He succeeded in getting the popularity. I think that his performance is the best. His dialogue includes laughing matters. On top of that, his performance is all improvisational. He must have been gifted.

（１０）(b) The advantages of package tour

One of my cousin's wife works for a local tourist office. She is good at organizing package tour. She sometimes works as a tour conductor. She is an expert on traveling. So she is very familiar with sightseeing spots. She can organize the best tour in a certain city. So tourists don't have to look into any sightseeing spots. This is one of advantages of package tour.

From the viewpoint of hotel, they have more guests to accommodate and make more money. So they can offer cheap accommodation. This is another advantage of package tour. Well, it's very cold. I wear very heavily today.

*（１１）(a) What money means to me

Money may mean the second most important thing to me. As I mentioned it in some previous passages, my goal is to live as long as possible. For this purpose, money is necessary, because I have to go on a costly, proper diet. So I can't live long without money. I have to earn as much money as possible. Now I study English hard. I believe that this brings money to me.

The most important thing to me is my live. I have to eat in order to keep on living. Eating some good food costs me a lot. So my live have something to do with money.　Both life and money are mutual independent.

By the way, I hope that love will connect life with money. Love can make me live as long as possible, because it makes me feel secure and leads me to keep fit. Love can create money, because love makes me work hard in order to make money. So love may be the most important to me.

*（１１）(b) Organ transplants

Japan is conservative in organ transplants. There are many patients who suffer from heart trouble, kidney trouble and who need organ transplants. But most of them can't have the transplant operations in Japan because of the conservative law. The law of organ transplantation was enacted in Oct. in 1997. According to the law, the donor has to agree and to write down the agreement before his or her brain death. The family of the donor agrees it, too. Only under these conditions, it is possible for the doctor to carry out the transplant operation. There are only a few donors who meet the conditions. So the transplant operations are rarely carried out in Japan. As a result of this fact, many patients try to go abroad in order to have organ transplant operations. It is said that culturally Japan have been under influence of the Confucianism which came from China. This may be the reason why Japan is still conservative in organ transplantation.

（１２）(a) Things I would like people to know about me

I resigned my post as a senior high school math teacher in order to pursue my dream. My dream is about both math and English. There are some surroundings who don't understand this fact. When I tried to market a book published by me, I sent them the advertisement. Some of them seem not to read it. And when I see them, I say "dogenaka ne gakkoha?' which means "How have you been in your school?' in our local dialogue. They answer, "So so." I don't mention my dream in Japanese then. I would like them to understand my dream from my English passages. And I would like them to know that I'm looking for my compatible partner without saying it in Japanese.

（１２）(b) The communication gap between generations in Japan

There may be some communication gap between generations in Japan, but we have to make efforts to close up the gap, I guess, because new fashion pops up one after another. They are mostly brought by young people. Most elderly don't try them by themselves. There must be the communication gap between the elderly and the young people.

For example, cellular phones are very popular among young people recently. I bought one several years ago. Technology is developing rapidly. They have marketed new type of model every three months. The brand new one is always better-equipped. I bought new one a few times. I don't know much about how to use my cellular phone. I make it a rule to ask clerks of Yamada denki how to use it when I have a trouble. Actually I got a strange call the other day. I didn't know who called me even though I got the number. Today I got information of a brand new cellular phone. I may have to buy the new one in order to narrow the gap and try to communicate with young people, because I'm a would-be educator and have to make efforts to catch up with young people's trend. (10/02/05/0:59)

（１３）(a) Things I would most like to accomplish

Firstly, I'd like to pass the most difficult English examination, Special A U.N. test. This is one of things I would most like to accomplish. I wonder if this is possible.

Secondarily, I'd like to write a paper on math by using both English and Japan. This is possible, I guess.

Thirdly, I'd like to build my home near my original home. This is also possible.

Fourthly, I'd like to be a millionaire. This may be impossible, because I won't put up with it.

Fifthly, I'd like to build my ideal home with my partner. This will be never-ending creation, but I'd like to marry soon for the time being.

（１３）(b) Violence on children's TV program

I don't know how violent children's TV programs are, because I rarely watch children's TV program. I sometimes watch an English program for children called 'eigorian'. I don't think that it includes any violence.

All what I say from my experience, children don't know how dangerous the violence is. For example, if child has a gun, (s)he can kill others. This is an example that child doesn't know how sad the killing is. If child watch violence on children's TV program, (s)he tends to mimic it. This is also dangerous. The child may hurt others.

So I think that violence on children's TV programs should be strictly regulated by the government.

（１４）(a) My favorite place to go

The places to go recently are Imai bookstore, Yamada denki, 100manboruto, Saty, Geos and Nisseki hospital. My favorite place to go among them is Imai bookstore. I like browsing. There is another favorite place to go. One of my hobbies is to hike in the mountains. I used to climb up Mt. Daisen. I have experience of standing at the top of Mt. Daisen more than fifty times. It has the best view at the top of the mountain. I can even see Oki island if it's clear. The coastline of Yomiga hama beach has a geometrically perfect curve. You can enjoy the bird's-eye view of Yonago city. I hope I will be able to climb up Mt. Daisen next summer. Mt. Daisen is really my favorite place to go now. Well, Kyoto city is my favorite place to go now. (10/02/05)

（１４）(b) Foreign sumo wrestlers

The most famous and the oldest foreign sumo wrestler is Takamiyama, who is a Hawaiian and now a stable master.

The number of foreign sumo wrestlers is increasing, particularly Mongolian. Now there are seven Mongolian sumo wrestlers in maegashira, the fifth highest rank which consists of 32 members. There is one Mongolian sumo wrestler in Ohzeki, the second rank which consists of 5 members. And Asashouryu, a Mongolian wrestler, is only Yokozuna, the highest rank. There are 42 sumo wrestlers in from the highest rank to the fifth rank. Mongolian sumo wrestlers account for 16.7% and foreign sumo wrestlers account for 28.6% (more than a quarter). Even European sumo wrestlers appear.

Sumo tournaments are held in foreign countries. They are going to be internationalized. This trend will last forever as the world is shrinking.

（１５）(a) sports I like to watch

I like to watch sports. But I haven't watched them recently. I have no time to kill. But I have interest of their results. I even check the results for local sports athletes by the local newspaper. The local newspaper has the sports section which include both local sports and national, international sports.

Speaking of watching sports, I once enjoyed watching a live professional baseball game in Tokyo. The world famous homerun batter, Oh appeared but he was too small compared with the ballpark. I didn't enjoy his batting so much compared with it in TV program. Actually, he struck out then.

Judging from my experience, we can enjoy any sports on TV more than watching lively.

*（１５）(b) The destruction of the forests

It is called deforestation. According to Imidas2006 (Modern words dictionary), the total forests in the world is about 3.9 billion ha.(hectare), which accounts for 30 % of all land on earth. The 94 million hectare disappeared in 1990s, particularly tropical rainforest disappeared, which was equivalent to the two third of honshu, the main island of Japan per year. A half of wildlife exists in the rainforest. And there are many kinds of endangered animals. The forest in Far East Russia is rapidly disappearing. A huge amount of exhaust gas (CO2) remains as a result of the land disappearing. On top of that, the main cause of deforestation is fire especially caused by human beings. And the fire gives off gas. It can accelerate global warming. It's a vicious cycle. Now the destruction of the forests is one of the biggest issues at the Earth Summit.

（１６）(a) How I keep fit

I mostly keep a regular schedule. I don't use any elevators. I usually climb up the stairs. I don't overeat. I turn on the TV around five o'clock in the morning. The program, 'Solving a mystery of longevity' by Professor Yamori Yukio was being broadcast. It impressed me very much. It is the seventh installment of an eight-long the TV program called 'shiruhito wo tanoshimu'. I went to NHK Matsue center and bought the textbook. On top of that I bought two books written by him. He put up the six golden maxims. They are as follows: To have balanced meat and fish including internal organs, To eat soybean and the like, To eat a lot of vegetable, fruit and seaweed, To often eat dairy products, not to eat fat from animal too much, and To reduce intake of salt.

I like to get information about longevity. Collecting information about how to keep fit is one of the most important things for me.

（１６）(b) The homeless in Japan

I think that the number of the homeless is decreasing in Japan, because she has the good social security system. According to Modern word dictionary called 'gendaiyogo no kiso chishiki', the word, 'homeless' started to be used in 1990s after the collapse of the bubble economy and there were about 25 thousand homeless in Japan in 2003. I haven't seen any homeless around here in Shimane prefecture.

Homeless seems to live in big cities. According to TV news program recently, a group of young students assaulted homeless and some of them were killed. This accident reflects society. It's a shame. Well, the number of the homeless is increasing now because of depression.

（１７）(a) How I spend my time after school or work

I resigned my post as a senior high school math teacher in order to pursue my dream. Now I have flexible working hours. I study and work hard. I will never stop studying. When I get bored in it, I took a rest and try to read easy books written in both Japanese and English. I have rarely watched TV except for some English programs and some documentary films. I make it a rule to record the programs before watching, because I can pause it anytime in order to check the meanings.

If I am asked how I spend my time after work, I will say, 'Just take a rest.'

*（１７）(b) The European community: A good future?

I think that the European community will have a good future, because EU is developing and the borders are disappearing. European countries are going to be integrated, I guess. 'One nation is one world.' I like this idea like the lyrics in Imagine. This idea is future-oriented.

By the way, EU was established in November 1st, 1993. Euro, European money was introduced in 1999. But U.K. and Denmark refused to adopt the currency. I think that this is a temporary decision. They have still a lot to do. But I think that the dream, 'One nation is one world.' will come true in the future.

（１８）(a) My favorite food

I can eat any food. My favorite food is 'Omuraisu'. I put the picture of it in my book. I introduced it to some foreigners. But no one said that it tasted delicious. Westerners don't seem to like Omuraisu. Now I'm looking for Japanese dish which foreigners like. One of them is 'Oroshi tonkatsu.' I found a restaurant called 'Hogetsu', which is located near Japan Red Cross hospital. They put the small advertisement on the free book published by Matsue tourist office. They served Oroshi tonkatsu, which is a piece of fried pork cutlet topped with grated daikon horseradish.

By the way, I can cook Omuraisu by myself. Since my mother was in the hospital last month I improved my cooking skill very much. I can cook fish, vegetable, rice and so on. I invented a new dish called "Oroshi chicken Katsu." Actually I put grated daikon radish on a piece of fried chicken cutlet. It is easy. It is tasty. Why don't you try it?

（１８）(b) Are disposable products wasteful?

I think that disposable products are wasteful. For example, disposable diaper is available in any shop. I think that it is wasteful, because it can be replaced into old one easily. It is returnable. We should use returnable things in order to save natural resources.

For another example, most restaurants use disposable chopsticks. They are made of wood. So it brings to destruction of the forest. So we shouldn't use disposable chopsticks. And we should preserve the tropical rain forests. (10/02/06/12:13)

（１９）(a) My memories of a school excursion

I was born in Arashima town Yasugi city. My father and I graduated from the same elementary school. I had two excursions a year. As I grew old, I had long-distant excursion and I broadened my mind. I was always looking forward to them. My mother used to give me an extra allowance although the highest limit was regulated. She used to allowing me to buy sweet, particularly chocolate. On top of that she used to make me a special box lunch. I was so excited about it that I couldn't sleep well before the night. If my memory serves me correctly, I visited sightseeing spots around my home town on foot in the spring excursion and I enjoyed bus tour in the fall excursion. And I became familiar with sightseeing spots around here in my home town. I made a map of Shimane prefecture in the fourth grade and made a map of Japan in the fifth grade and a globe in the sixth grade. These are the parts of my memory in my elementary school. And I stayed over night at a hotel with my classmates in the sixth grade. It was the first experience.

（１９）(b) Sexual harassment

Sexual harassment is defined in the dictionary, 'Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English', as follows: Sexual remarks, looks, or touching done to someone who does not want it, especially from someone they work with. According to encyclopedia Britannica, as follows: --- especially from someone who has the right to make personnel decisions. The word became popular in the U.S. in 1960s and was introduced in Japan and Japanese now has the word.

I haven' t heard the word recently. I haven't found the word in the newspaper recently. The incident related to sexual harassment I remember is one of Yokoyama Nokku, the Ohsaka governor in 1999. He was re-elected as the governor of Ohsaka. On the election campaign, he did sexual harassment against a lady who he hired for his campaign. He had to resign his post as the governor later. Well, I enjoyed Real Stream this morning. It took about half an hour to go around half my town.

（２０）(a) The kind of car I would most like to own

It is said that the key word in the 21st century is environmental-friendly. I bought a car called Vitz in 1999. It is an eco-friendly, environmental-friendly car, because it can run the longest distance per liter at that time. It has a one-litter engine. On top of that, it can turn in the small circle of land. The width is short. So is the length. It can run on a narrow street. So I still like this car even though several cars like Vitz are marketed. My car is the kind of car I would most like to own.

I bought a new Vitz in last March. I believe that it is an eco-friendly, environmental-friendly car, but it can't run as long distance per liter as the old one. Maybe it is because it has automatic transmission.

（２０）(b) The role of Japan in the world

I think that Japan has the good educational system. Roughly speaking, it works well. The literacy rate is almost 100 percent. Far over 90 percent of the students enter senior high schools. A lot of young people graduate from colleges. Japan must be one of the developed countries. And people enjoy the high standard of living.

Japan is the only country where atomic bombs were dropped. Japan has the peaceful constitution. There will be no war among the developed countries any more. There are many conflicts in developing countries. They must be taking the serious lessons toward peace. Now Japan help the developing countries educate their children so that they can catch up with the developed countries.

By the way, Japan should own her strong army, but Japan should help the developing countries by minimizing the defense force. This idea may be dangerous, but taking the risk must work well.