Unit 7- Cities & Places To Live
For Unit 7, we learned about cities and places to live. It is important to understand the differences between living in the city and the countryside, as they can affect your lifestyle and daily routine. Living in the city gives you more opportunities, like better jobs, education, transportation, and health care. However, it can also be crowded, noisy, and stressful. On the other hand, living in the countryside gives you a peaceful environment with fresh air and less pollution, but it has fewer opportunities than living in the city.
One Minute speech(Tokyo)
For my one-minute speech, I talked about my favorite city, Tokyo. The speech was simply a chance to say something I like, and I chose Tokyo because I have been there many times and I really enjoy it. I talked about some of my favorite places, like Shibuya Sky, where the view from the top is amazing. I also mentioned arcades like GIGO, Namco, and Taito Station, where I had a really fun time playing claw machines and winning lots of figurines. In the speech, I shared my experiences and explained why Tokyo is special to me. I also talked about how the city is exciting and never gets boring, even though I have visited Tokyo many times. While preparing, I learned how to organize my ideas better and use some high-level diction of words to make the speech seem more professional. I also practiced speaking more naturally, which helped me feel more confident while speaking.
Brochure & Presentation( Shanghai)
For my brochure and presentation, I made a digital brochure to promote a place. I chose Shanghai because I think Shanghai is a really interesting city with both modern and traditional cultures. In my brochure, I included things like famous places, festivals, food, and history. To make it interesting, I included pictures and descriptions instead of writing. During the process of making the brochure, I spent lots of time thinking about which city is the best option. I also had to decide what to include and how to organize everything. I also changed the layout a few times to make it look better. In the end, I think my brochure turned out pretty well, but my presentation wasn’t really good. I think I need to improve on speaking more clearly and have a better conclusion next time.
Interesting City Paragraph
Interesting city paragraph. Basically, this paragraph is to write about an interesting city that I have been to, and I decided to choose Tokyo because I have been to Tokyo many times and I really like it. I wrote about some of my favorite places, like Shibuya Sky, where the view from the top is fascinating, and arcades like GIGO, Namco, and Taito Station, where I had fun playing claw machines. While writing this paragraph, I Learned how to organize my ideas clearly, and I worked on my vocabulary to describe the places that I have been to. I also worked on making my sentences smoother and easier to read. In addition, this paragraph helped me prepare my one-minute speech, since I have similar ideas. Even though there might be some small mistakes, I learned to make my writing more natural and interesting by adding my own experiences. This activity helped improve my writing, and felt more confident expressing my ideas.
SDG 4 - Quality Education
In this unit, I connected my learning to SDG 4: Quality Education, which aims to give everyone equal opportunities to learn. Through all the activities in this unit, I improved my reading, writing, and speaking abilities, and also learned how to express my ideas more clearly.
In my one-minute speech about Tokyo, I practiced speaking clearly and confidently in front of others. I learned that communication is an important part of a good education because it helps us share ideas and build strong connections.
In my interesting city paragraph, I worked on organizing my ideas and adding details to make my writing more interesting. This helped me improve my writing skills and made it easier to prepare for my speech.
For my brochure and presentation, I practiced organizing information clearly and making it interesting. Even though my brochure was good, my presentation wasn’t, so I need to work on speaking more clearly and having a better ending next time.
Overall, Unit 7 helped me understand that quality education is not just about learning information, but also about improving skills like speaking, writing, and organizing ideas. I also learned that practice is important, especially for things like presentations. Even though I didn’t do perfectly, I have learned what I need to improve, and it will make me better in the future.
What I learned in Unit 7:
I learned about cities and different places to live. I learned the differences between living in the city and the countryside, and how each has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, cities offer more opportunities and greater convenience, while the countryside is more relaxing. Through the activities, like my one-minute speech about Tokyo, the interesting city paragraph, and the brochure, I improved my speaking and writing skills. I also learned how to organize my ideas better and use some high-level diction of words to make my work more professional and interesting. This unit helped me to be confident about expressing myself.
My goals for future classes are:
In future classes, I want to continue improving my English, especially my speaking skills. I want to be more confident while presenting and speak more clearly. I also want to spend more time checking my work, instead of rushing, so I can avoid small mistakes. Another goal is to use better vocabulary and make my sentences more natural. I will learn from my mistakes and improve.
Unit 8 - Similarities and Differences
For Unit 8, we learned about the similarities and the differences between siblings, cousins, and friends. It is important to understand these relationships because they all play different roles in our lives. For example, siblings usually grow up together and spend a lot of time with each other, so they know each other very well. Cousins are also family, but we may not see them as often, so the relationships can be different. Friends are people we choose to spend time with, and they often share the same interests and hobbies. Understanding these similarities and differences helps us build better relationships and communicate with others more effectively. It also helps us understand how people can be similar in some ways but still have different personalities and experiences.
Essay: Compare yourself to your sibling or cousin
Basically, this essay compares me to my cousin, and I decided to write about him because we share both similarities and differences. I wrote about things like personalities, interests, and attitudes, and I also included an example of us playing badminton to show how competitive we are. While writing this essay, I learned to organize my ideas clearly and to make my sentences smoother and easier to read. Even though there might be some small mistakes, I learned how to make my writing more natural by adding personal examples. This activity helped improve my writing and made me more confident in expressing my ideas.
One-minute speech: A childhood memory
Basically, this speech is about a childhood memory, and I decided to talk about a time when I had a bike accident. I chose this memory because it was a scary experience, but also something I still remember clearly. I talked about how I was riding my bike with my friends in the park and got hit by a car, and how I felt during that moment. While preparing this speech, I learned how to organize my ideas and tell a story more clearly. I also practiced speaking more naturally and adding details to make the story more interesting. I learned how to share my experiences in a clearer and more engaging way. This activity helped improve my speaking skills and made me more confident when telling a story.
Video assignment: Comparing Educational Systems—Taiwan vs. USA
For the video assignment, we watched a YouTube video about the differences between the education system in Taiwan and the US. In the video, it explained things like school structure, teaching methods, classroom environment, and exams. For example, Taiwan focuses more on exams and discipline, while the US focuses more on participation and flexibility. It also talked about differences in college applications and cultural attitudes toward education.
Reflection: In Unit 8, we learned about similarities and differences between people, such as siblings, cousins, and friends. Through assignments like the comparison essay, one-minute speech, and video assignment, I practiced organizing my ideas and expressing them more clearly.
Improvement: One improvement I could make is checking my grammar more carefully and not rushing my work. This unit connects to other classes or assignments I have done because I used similar skills, such as writing and comparing ideas. It also connects to real life, especially in Taipei, because I can relate what I learned to my own experiences and education.
During this unit. I improved my ability to compare ideas and use examples. My strength in the essays was explaining similarities and differences clearly, but I still need to improve my grammar and explain some of my ideas more deeply. I also learned from my classmates’ feedback, which made my ideas clearer.
Overall, I learned how to compare ideas more effectively and express my thoughts more naturally. I found it interesting to learn how people can be similar but still have some differences.
SDG 4 - Quality Education
In this unit, I connected my learning to SDG 4: Quality Education, which focuses on giving everyone opportunities to learn. Through different assignments, such as the comparison essay, one-minute speech, and video assignment, I improved my listening, writing, and speaking skills.
In my comparison essay, I practiced organizing my ideas and explaining similarities and differences clearly. This helped me understand how to express my thoughts in a structured way. In my one-minute speech, I practiced speaking more naturally and confidently, which is an important part of my communication and education.
During the video assignment about education systems, I learned how students in different countries learn in different ways. This helped me understand that education is not always the same everywhere, and different systems can still be effective.
Overall, Unit 8 helped me understand that quality education is not just about learning information, but also about improving communication, thinking skills, and understanding different perspectives. It also encourages me to keep improving and learning in different ways to help me get better.
Unit 9 - Fast Food & Gerunds
For Unit 9, we learned about fast food and eating habits. We talked about different kinds of fast food, why people enjoy eating it, and how it can affect our health and daily life. Fast food is popular because it is quick, convenient, and easy to find, especially in busy cities. This unit helped me improve my vocabulary, speaking, and writing skills by discussing food and sharing my opinions. It also made me think more about healthy eating habits and how fast food is a common part of modern life.
Write a blog about your diet: Eat Better, Play Better: How My Diet Affects My Performance
For this blog assignment, I wrote about how my diet affects my basketball performance and daily life. I explained the kinds of food I usually eat, such as eggs, chicken breast, Greek yogurt, and protein shakes, and how eating healthier helps me feel more energetic and focused. I also talked about some unhealthy habits, like overeating sometimes, and how I want to improve my eating habits. While writing this blog, I practiced organizing my ideas and explaining my experiences more clearly. I also worked on making my writing more natural by adding more examples and opinions. This activity helped improve my writing and made me think more about healthy eating habits.
Video assginment: The risks of consuming too much junk food
For this video assignment, we watched a video about the risks of overconsuming fast food. The video talked about common fast foods like burgers, pizza, fried chicken, chips, and soda, and explained how they can affect people's health. It also explained how fast food, which contains large amounts of sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, can lead to problems like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. While doing this assginment, I learned how to listen for important information and summarize ideas more clearly. I also learned more about how advertising and convenience make fast food very popular, even when people know it is unhealthy. This activity improved my comprehension skills, and it also made me think more carefully about eating habits and health.
Speech: How has the rise of fast food changed our eating habits and health
For this speech assignment, I talked about how fast food has changed people’s eating habits and health in modern society. I explained how fast food became popular because it is cheap, quick, and convenient, especially for busy students and workers. I also discussed the negative effects of overconsuming fast food, including health problems and unhealthy habits. While preparing this speech, I practiced organizing my ideas and speaking more clearly. I also learned how to explain both the advantages and disadvantages of fast food, instead of just focusing on one side. Even though I was a little nervous during the presentation, this activity helped improve my speaking skills and made me more confident sharing my opinions in front of the class.
Reflection: In Unit 9, I learned more about fast food, healthy eating habits, and how diet affects our health and daily lives. Through the blog and speech assignments, I improved my ability to organize information, explain my ideas, and support them with examples. I also learned how to connect class topics to my own life, especially through writing about my diet and basketball training. In addition, I learned more about how fast food has changed people's eating habits and health in modern society. This topic is especially relevant in Taiwan, where fast food is very common and many students choose it because it is quick and convenient.
SDG 4 - Quality Education
In this unit, I connected my learning to SDG 4: Quality Education, which focuses on helping people gain knowledge and make informed decisions. Through the blog, speech, and video assignments, I improved my writing, speaking, and listening skills. In my blog, I reflected on how my diet affects my basketball performance and daily life. In my speech and video assignments, I learned more about the effects of fast food on health and how eating habits have changed in modern society. Overall, Unit 9 helped me understand the importance of health education and how learning can help people make better choices in their daily lives.