Thursday, December 4, 2008

Research Paper

In “Oil harms otters 10 years on,” A. Kirby, writes “Sea otters have experienced significant long-term negative effects from the spill”(2000 para.4). Sea otters have been suffering from the pollution of the ocean since the Exxon Valdez oil spilled in Alaska. The population has not recovered completely. What is worse, researchers found that the population decreased to about half of the number that existed before the event (Kingston, 2002). Furthermore, the population of the sea otters had already decreased because people hunted them to get fur in the 18th and 19th centuries (Roach, 2006). Finally, infections from cats and parasites like Toxoplasma gondii make their immune system get worse, create brain disease, and increase the death of the sea otters(Rincon, 2006).

Human can mention three big dangers and solutions to protect them. First of all, an oil tanker spill caused them away to the ocean and it caused pollution of oceans. Second, many hunters get to make products with their fur. Third, parasites by cats caused the infection in sea otters. It broke down their immune system of them. There are many proposals to improve their population and habits by our efforts. First one is that we should clean the oceans by taking garbage away from them. Second one is that experts should do research and get much data about sea otters. Finally, we should change our daily life as much as we can by decreasing domestic discharge into the sea from each family.

When it comes to the population of sea otters, as it is described in the article, “By 1993 Alaska’s otters population was down by half"(Lienhard,H. 1988-1999). However, in the article “California Sea Otters: Population Recovery Continues at Slower Rate” writes, “USGS scientists say the latest 3-year average (2,826 sea otters) was 0.3 percent higher than last year’s 3-year average, representing a slower rate of increase than they have seen in recent averages.” (Tinker, Hatfield, Maender. 2008). In this way, we can see that their population are increasing at slower rate but they are still ranked as an endangered species.

First, humans should clean the oceans as much as possible, because pollution of oceans is the main reason that collapses their environment. Although it isn’t easy for us to remove oils from oceans completely, we have ways to clean oceans easily and without cost. One way is that we can gather many people to take them away as a volunteer from each city. Also, we can take garbage away from the oceans without spending a lot of money to collect it. Moreover, humans can regulate the law about pollution more strictly, because the companies that caused the tanker spills were not punished, in proportion to the number of the loss of animals. Before these incidents occur accidentally in the future, government should review the strategies to deal with accidents and ways of rescuing them. Besides this, if we regulate the law that we should use when the accidents occur, it is better for us to cope with the solution about the accident quickly.

Second, experts should research the state of sea otters and the environment around them. According to researchers, “the chronic effects of the Exxon Valdez spill and similar environmental accidents have been difficult to prove, because of a lack of reliable data on the density and distribution of animal populations before the accidents”. (Kirby, 2000 para.6). If they have much data, they can find strategies to protect them. Moreover, they have to investigate the second cause of the death of sea otters, infection, and what to do to prevent it. In “Cat parasite ‘is killing otters’ the author writes, “The most likely source of infection for sea otters is the parasite’s tough egg-like stage, which is passed in the faeces of cats”(Rincon, 2006, para.4). As this it is entioned in this article, what we can do to prevent them from infecting to sea otters easily is that we should clean our cats and keep the cats indoors. Whatever the causes are, they need to get much information to avoid the loss of otter’s population and recover them.

Third, humans should change our lives for them as much as possible. The causes of loss of their population come from human activity such as garbage or discharge from each house. We should regulate the amount of domestic discharge to less and less. Moreover, we have to pay attention to how big this problem is and have a chance to learn and catch information through schools and experts. Besides these, humans should think of it as a serious problem and as a symptom of danger of the earth. Realizing and carrying out solutions are related to protection that is not for sea otters but also for the future of human and earth.

It seems difficult for everyone all over the world to pay attention to them and recover their population completely, because some of them want to get benefit by themselves without caring about whether they pollute oceans and affect sea otters or not. Moreover, if the caution doesn’t came from human activity like the parasite from cats, we can’t avoid infecting completely as it is mentioned in this article, ”What appears to be happening is that cats deposit their faeces – with the parasite – on land. When rainfall comes, it washes that into waterways and fresh water takes it into the ocean” (Rincon, P.2006). In this way, if the cause of decreasing are related to the natural process, we can’t predict what will occur in the future. However, if a few people can pay attention to them and try to consider what they can do at least like decreasing domestic discharge or banning throwing garbage away to the oceans completely not to pollute them, their environment can improve more than now. What we can say is that we can’t think that it is impossible for humans to solve the problem.

In conclusion, it is a big problem for us to solve, but humans have some solutions. First, we should clean up the ocean easily and cheaply by collecting the garbage. Second, experts can help sea otters by investigating and getting more information about the condition of sea otters by experts. Third, we can avoid discharging garbage and domestic washes into the sea. Besides these, we can have opportunities to exchange the information through schools or lectures. Humans also have to think about this problem seriously because most of the danger comes from human activity. Moreover, this problem is related to everything of the earth such as environment, species and humans. Although we can say that it is not easy for us to solve this problem completely and immediately, it is important to pay attention to sea otters to rescue them. Also, we all should have responsibility for our activities because we can hurt sea otters if we don't. Furthermore, we have to realize that this can be the warning that shows danger for humans.

Reference
Johnson,C.S. (2002, December 2). Parasite in Cats Killing Sea Otters. Science Writer. Retrieved November 11, 2008 from Science Writer, California Sea Grant
Kingston,P. ( 2006, February 19). Cat parasite ‘is killing otters’. BBC NEWS. Retrieved November 11, 2008 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/science/nature/4729810.stm
Kirby, A. (2000, May 23). Oil harms otters 10 years on.BBC NEWS. Retrieved November 11, 2008 from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/759308.stm
Lienhard,H John.( 1988-1999) Vanishing Sea Otters. Retrieved November 4,
Roach, J. (2006, April 5). Sea Otters Recovery Threatened by Pollution, Researchers Say. Retrieved November 11, 2008 from NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC NEWS.COM/NEWS
Tinker, T.,Hatfield,B., Maender,G.(2008, June 24). California Sea Otters; Population Recovery Continues at Slower Rate. Retrieved November 11, 2008 from
http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1964.
Abstract topic of this paper is the problems and solutions of sea otters. It argues that human should learn what happens to sea otters and think of what they can to protect them. There are three reasons for this argument. The first is that human should clean up the oceans easily and economically by collecting the garbage. The second is that humans can get them better and get much more information by investigation. The third is that human should save the garbage and domestic discharge as much as possible.

Practice Final

Recently, many people have been using online banking as one of the most convenient ways to buy clothing or make reservation of hotels. In some cases, online banking seems safe, but in some case, it is sometimes suspicious. There is a good benefit for us to use it. According to Robertson,C. (2006 para.1), “The Internet is like a central shopping mall, where you can find just about everything you might need- from groceries and clothing to collectibles and hard-to-find replacement parts”. On the other hand, there are bad aspects to using it. According to Mulrean,J. (2008 para.5), “Consumers’ biggest fear about shopping online was the possibility of having their credit-card numbers stolen”. In this way, they have both good points and bad points about it.

However, compared to good points, there are more dangerous points in online banking. Although it is true that many people use online banking in recent years, we have to be concerned about using it. I can divide into three points about how we should care about online banking.

First, we must not believe all of the online sites, because it is risky to buy products there without getting much information about them. Moreover, these online marchants sometimes provide us different products between pictures and real ones. To avoid it, we have to catch rumors from others who have gotten them before. If we try to do this, we can judge more accurately.

Second, we have to check our accounts after we get products from online. According to Ball, G. (2008), it is possible for others to steal our data from records that we use from our accounts because we don’t make sure of it carefully. It is easy for criminals to steal data or deceive customers to get extra money. We should realize this ourselves and check our account balance more carefully to avoid it.

Third, the government should regulate the law of online banking. As Robertson ,C writes, in 2004 in the United States, many customers who got products on the Internet were deceived and paid more than they need. It is true that it affected not only customers but also credit companies. If they don’t stop criminals, such incidents can be escalating more and more. The companies should be approved by the government if they want to sell their products on the Internet. If they do it, we can think that it is more safe.

In conclusion, online merchants are sometimes dangerous for us to get products from because we don’t know about them directly. Also, we should care about what our accounts charged after online banking and must not discard the receipts easily to avoid having our personal information stolen by others. Finally, government should restrict the range of online banking more strictly. If they can carry this out , companies can get a great reputation and we can believe that it’s not risky.

Reference
Robertson,Chris. (2006, January 3). Stay safe while shopping online. Majon International.

Retrieved May 5, 2008 from http://www.majon.com/articles/Shopping_-
General/shopping_online_126.html
Mulrean,J. (2008, March 12). Protect Yourself. MSN Money. Retrieved May 5, 2008
http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/Savinganddebt/Finddealsonline/P36487.asp
Ball,G. (2008, April 15). Is using a credit-card for online purchases safe? Education
Redefined. Retrieved May 5, 2008 from
http://www.bsu.edu/security/article/0,1384,86674-5031-17009,00.html

Sunday, November 30, 2008

My precious things

My precious things are words what my friends said to me before I came here. One friend told me what she likes me.Another friends wants me to come back as soon as possible.Another said I was important presense for her.It encouraged me to come here.The reason is that I was afraid to leave from my family and friends and live differnt environment.However, I realized who I am and how much my family and friends need me after they told me.At the same time, I thought I should do many thing by myself in here.Also, I thought I have to adopt to a new environment. I think I can do my best here,thanks to these words from my friends. I may feel nervous about school or my English ability during studing abroad.However, I feel like I can do if I remember what they told me. I feel like they believe me.
Futhermore, I think any words that my family give me are precious for me.I can be happy if I can just get the sentence that they are fine.Such a sentence is enough for me to cheer me up.Because I cannot see how they are.If I can know that they are fine, I can encourage myself.In this way, any words that family and friends gave me are vital for me to do anything new because these words make me feel ease.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Fluency Exercise#7

In my country, food is quite healthier than American food. I think American food contains much more sugarand salt compared to Japanese food. Many Japanese dislike too sweet and salty food. At first, I was so surprised, because rice is differnt between Japan and America. In my country, poeple eta rice almost every day. On the other hand, rice that we can eat here is hard. Also, it is fried when I eat it in the cafeteria. The taste is different. When it comes to desert, we have traditional desert. We call it manzyu. We often use boiled and sweet beans and rice cake. Althiugh it comtains sugar, they are healthier than cakes. Moreover, Japanese food is not spicy. When we eat sushi, we use washabi with it. Some Japanese don't like it, because it sometimes makes us cry.This spice is totally differrnt from other species.In this way,I think we have differnce between Japan and America. But I think both of them have good points. But I like Japanese and America. BUt I think both of them have good .BUt I think they are healthier and contained a lot of vegitable.

them have go

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Fluency Exercise#6

like traveling during vacation. When I was in Japan, I went to different regions to go sightseeing or look for rare food. What I like the most is going to a hot spring. The reason is that I can make myself relax in there. Moreover, there are some kinds of spa and sauna in there. It makes me excited. At the same time it makes me warm and comfortable. In addition to this, I like going around the street and taking pictures of buildings and rare food. I also like going to amusement parks like Disney land in Tokyo because it looks like the world of dreams. It makes me happy and addictive a little bit. In this way, we can enjoy ourselves and have great experience through trips.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Time is important.

In my country, We like both of them.Some people like spendind alone.Others don't like doing it.If you say you like it, people don't think you are strange.My friends often say that she doesn't like being alone. So, she makes schedule as much as possible like job or shopping.On the other hand,in my case, I like spending much time with friends.Because I can make me cheerful when I'm chatting with my friends.But I sometimes need time that I can spend alone.For example, when I exhaust because of job or assignment, I want to stay at home and relax there.Moreover,when I don't have much time to go shopping with friends, I go there alone.Although I'm sometimes confused when I go there.Because I don't know which clothes i have to buy.But I like going shopping alone.The reason is that I can spend more time by myself without caring about anything except for time.Also, I like wathing DVD alone. Because I can concentrate on the story. Also, if I watch them with someone when the story is sad, I sometimes can't cry in front of others.I can say same thing when I read comics and novels.I totally like being with my friends when I don't have any plans.But I need time to spend by myself.