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UEC
Academic Skills 2B Course
Online Stories for Fall 2013
The following stories are the most recent ones which have been
submitted during the Fall 2013 semester.
Note: An
asterisk (*) next to the student's name indicates they have set their
email notifications. Without an email notification, they may not ever
read your comments! :-(
South
Africa
Remembering
Mandela
(by Leon) *
Recently,
a familiar name but bad news came to our ears. Former South African
President Nelson Mandela has died at the age of 95. People around the
world...
The
Diamonds of South Africa
(by David) *
What
represents forever? Diamonds. In China, by the flooding of advertising,
the South African diamond means the best diamond now. But in fact, the
average...
The
Jabulani
(by Oscar) *
It
was June 11th, 2010 when the FIFA World Cup in South Africa started its
first match: South
Africa vs. Mexico! I remember it very well. I
was...
South
African Greats
(by Nao) *
Nelson
Mandela is South Africa's greatest leader. He was the first black
president after apartheid. I think his greatest point is that he did
not take...
The
famous president in South Africa
(by Daniel) *
I
think the famous president in South Africa is Nelson Mandela. He won
the Nobel peace prize in 1993. He attended a lot of revolutionary
activities, and...
City
life of Cape Town, South Africa
(by Boom)
If
I have a chance one time, I'd love to visit Africa and definitely Cape
Town, South Africa. This country is located at the same temperature of
my country...
Rhino
poaching in South Africa
(by Mike) *
We
have all probably heard about the hunting safaris being sold in South
Africa where rich foreigners pay poachers to take them around and hunt
illegal ...
The
World Cup 2010
(by Uhur) *
When
somebody says South Africa, I immediately think about the FIFA World
Cup that took place four years ago. It was the first time it took place
on African...
The
cradle of humankind
(by Hendrik) *
Many
scientists believe, due to the results of genetic tests, that the
native South African folk known as the "Khoisan" are the oldest still
living human...
Sharks
and South Africa
(by Yuki)
One
of the things I want to do in South Africa for sightseeing is "Shark
Diving," a tour which you can see sharks face-to-face and you have to
go into ...
Rooibos
Tea
(by Jerry) *
In
Taiwan, I often drink one kind of tea, which comes from South Africa
called Rooibos Tea. My parents' friends recommended it and they often
shared it...
The
Aboriginal People in South Africa
(by Qilin)
If
South Africa is being referred to, the first picture coming into my
brain will be a group of the Aboriginal People who wear colorful
clothes, dancing...
Russia
The
Great Moscow Circus
(by Leon) *
Russia
is famous for its circus all over the world and Russian Circus
traditions include clowning, juggling, acrobatics, contortion, and
animal acts (especially...
Soviet
Era
(by Nao) *
Today's
Russia started from the end of the Soviet era. In the Soviet era, it
had strong power and technology. Actually, Soviets made a lot of great
spacecraft:...
Russian
literature
(by Uhur) *
One
of the first things that comes to mind regarding Russia is its
literature. Throughout the ages, Russia has produced great names like
Tolstoy, Dostoevsky,...
The
president Putin
(by David) *
Everyone
has to admit it that Putin is a very impressive person. He is
successful in making his own "tough man" impression on the public. As
the picture...
Coldest
Country
(by Daniel) *
The
impression of Russia for me is very cold. It is the biggest country in
the world, but even in summer there, still a lot places feel very cold
and a...
The
Russian Territory
(by Oscar) *
Everybody
can locate Russia on a map because of one reason: Russia
is the biggest country in the world! Have you ever wondered why?
One day,...
Space
Race
(by Hendrik) *
At
the time of the "Cold War" and arms race between the USSR (the today's
Russia) and the USA between 1957 and 1975, there also had been a
remarkable run...
What
I know about Russia
(by Yuki) *
One
of the first things I knew about Russia when I was a kid is that it is
a huge country located in the north of Asia. I didn't know that it was
also...
1st
Russian export from the last century
(by Boom)
The
last century was a century of war. Russia was one of the powerful
countries in the world. Since in a war the most necessary thing...
Meteor In Russia (by
Sotaro)
Last year on February 15, 2013, Russia got a big meteor. It was named
the Chelyabinsk meteorite. That is the first time people got hurt from
a meteor...
The
Famous Game ---Tetris From Russia
(by Qilin)
There
are a few games that will be named plus some prefix such as the name of
a country, but the game named Tetris is an exception!------In Chinese,
it...
Scary
drugs in Russia
(by Mike) *
When
I think about living in Russia, I always get this mental image of this
war-torn country with rundown buildings without electricity and other
things...
Russian
Clothing
(by Jerry)
Most
Russians pay attention to clothing. In Russia, married women must wear
headscarves with the color of white. Unmarried girls are not wearing a
headscarf,...
Singapore
Rich
Singapore
(by Uhur) *
After
gaining independence, Singapore has become one of the most wealthiest
and developed countries in the world. During the British rule, Britain
used...
Singapore
and China
(by David) *
As
a Chinese, I have to admit that I have a complex feeling about
Singapore. In its history, most people in Singapore have a Chinese
ancestor. They arrived ...
Merlion
and Singapore English
(by Nao) *
My
image of Singapore is Merlion. Its head is a lion and its body is a
fish, and it jets water from its mouth. I have thought Singapore has
only one Merlion,...
Chewing
gum in Singapore
(by Mike) *
Since
it's not fun to learn useful information, most of what I know regarding
other countries are usually funny and/or weird things and this goes
especially...
The
World's Richest Country
(by Leon) *
Lately,
I have read a wealth report which put tiny Singapore on the top of the
charts this time, as the wealthiest nation in the world by GDP per
capita,...
Strict
laws in Singapore
(by Daniel) *
20
years ago, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Korea were called
the Four Asian Tigers, because these four countries presented a
powerful economic...
Singapore,
the Lion City...?
(by Oscar) *
Singapore
means Lion
City in Sanskrit, named this by
its founder Sang Nila Utama. Everybody would think that this city-state
would have pretty lions,...
Singapore
from Thai History
(by Boom)
Singapore
was known first in the 3rd century by the Chinese. At that time, they
called Singapore "Pulau Chung" (Island of the Cape), but...
Singapore
is a fine city
(by Hendrik) *
"Singapore
is a fine city" is a British saying whose double meaning implies the
horrendous penalties for even the smallest offence. Vandalism,
buying/selling/eating...
Why
Singaporeans Pay Little Attention to Their Dress
(by Qilin)
Singaporeans
pay little attention to their dress. The pedestrians you see on the
street always dress in a simple and plain way. Colorful or chic style...
Two
things I know about Singapore
(by Yuki) *
What
I know about Singapore is that it is a South East Asian country and
that its economy has grown very fast in the late 20th century. And
about the...
The
Singapore island resort of Sentosa
(by Jerry) *
Singapore
is the city-state country which is surrounded by all types of
skyscrapers. Wherever you go, you cannot be separated from the cement
buildings...
Switzerland
The
little I have heard about Switzerland
(by Uhur)
To
put it frankly, I don't know much about Switzerland. In this following
text are some facts that I can associate with Switzerland. They are
always...
Small,
but powerful
(by Hendrik) *
Switzerland
is a direct neighbor of Germany, and German is also the main spoken
language there. Unfortunately, people there have a very unique
accent,...
Switzerland
is different from the EU
(by Nao) *
Switzerland
is different from other European countries. It doesn't have any allies,
so it was independent during WWII and is not a member of the EU.
Switzerland...
The
Swiss Army Knife
(by Oscar) *
Many
of us have heard about Switzerland because of an instrument that many
people have been using for a long time, the Swiss
Army Knife.
The...
The
people in Switzerland
(by David) *
I
saw a lecture by a Chinese history professor of Tsinghua a few days
ago. The lecture was about whether we are able to learn from history to
predict the ...
The
Story of the Swiss Watch
(by Leon) *
Switzerland
is famous for its watches. However, this country didn't invent the
watch. It was the British who did it. Here is a story of how the watch
was...
The
neutral country Switzerland
(by Yuki) *
What
I know about Switzerland is that it is a neutral country and that there
is a lot of diversity, so many languages, cultures, etc. Though in
Switzerland...
Hornussen
(by Tomoko) *
What
I imagine about Switzerland is the beautiful scenery of mountains,
delicious cheese, the strict and trustful banks, and one of the famous
permanently...
The
Large Hadron Collider at CERN
(by Mike) *
I'm
not very knowledgeable regarding Switzerland, but what I first thought
about when I was thinking about it was the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
at CERN...
Something
I know about Switzerland
(by Daniel) *
I
don't know much about Switzerland. I just know about the watch industry
and fondue. The Swiss people are serious. They are very proud of their
watch ...
Enviable
Welfare System in Switzerland
(by Qilin)
If
one refers to the country which has the best welfare system,
Switzerland will always be the answer. People who travel to Switzerland
will not just...
Swiss-made
watches
(by Boom)
Swiss
watches are not only good for quality, but there are also a wide
variety of styles to choose from as well. Both in terms of advanced
manufacturing...
The
Cheese Hot Pot of Switzerland
(by Jerry)
Swiss
cheese to Switzerland dishes is like sauce to Chinese dishes. While
there will be varieties of flavors of cheese, guests will feel
tasteless even...
England
When
the zombie apocalypse strikes...
(by Hendrik)
...
it will hit England first, but the people will be prepared since by far
the most zombie films come from here. In fact, a lot of horror films of
all...
What
I found from the Harry Potter series
(by Tomoko)
One
of my goals for studying English was the "Harry Potter" series. When I
was an elementary school student, I began to read this series in
Japanese and ...
My
experience of going to England
(by Daniel)
I
went to England last year. But I didn't go there to travel. I
participated in a robot competition. I stayed there for about 8 days to
attend the robot...
The
Queen of England
(by Oscar)
Have
you ever noticed that, for every UK citizen in the world, The
Queen is an untouchable,
special, and very important person?
Each time...
What
time is it?
(by Jerry)
Ever
since I was born, I have often heard that people talk about Standard
Time. My teacher told me about Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Originally
referred...
England
Culture and Music
(by Nao)
Japanese
people call The United Kingdom "Igirisu," which means "English," and
regards the UK as one country. However, it consists of some countries,
and...
The
Angel Falling To The Earth -- Audrey Hepburn
(by Qilin)
Some
celebrities will help label their countries and the same conclusion can
be applied to Audrey Hepburn---an angel falling to the earth. Once
England...
Madame
Tussauds
(by Mike)
The
picture above is actually not the real Bruce Willis, but rather a wax
figure located at Madame Tussauds in London. I've never been to London
and...
English
People are not Unicorns
(by Nikki)
Despite
having spent a grand total of five hours in England (due to layovers),
I have quite an impression of England. In Oklahoma, at least, England...
The
Iron Lady
(by Leon)
When
someone talks about England, the first spark in my memory is one of the
film that I saw before — The Iron Lady. It is about Marguerite Hilda
Thatcher,...
London
2012 Olympic Games
(by Yuki)
Today,
when I think about England, what hits up in my mind first is music,
then "Harry Potter," and after that, The Olympic Games. I watched all
the...
King
or Queen of England
(by David)
To
be honest, I am kind of envious that the UK has a king/queen. When I
was small, I just thought that the king or queen was "useless," or just
a symbol...
Liverpool
vs. Manchester - why they are enemies
(by Boom)
The
game of soccer, the most popular sport in the world, was created by the
British. Also, the two best soccer teams ever in England are
Liverpool...
Premier
League
(by Uhur)
England
is famous for various reasons: language, history, buildings (Big Ben,
Buckingham Palace, etc.), etc. England is also famous for its
football...
Canada
Canadian
Ice Fishing
(by Nikki)
Only
a few weeks ago, I watched a short video on Youtube of a few Canadian
ice fishers. In the video, two women were dressed in full winter garb -
scarves,...
Ice
hockey!
(by Mike)
I'm
not much for sports in general. I used to be really into both soccer
and ice hockey as a kid, though, and ice hockey is a shared passion
between Sweden...
Winter
sports
(by Uhur)
When
somebody talks about Canada, my first thoughts would be snow, ice
hockey, skiing, etc. Winter sports! :) Ice hockey is a very interesting
sport...
I
Have a Promise with You in Canada
(by Leon)
This
week, the topic is about Canada. I only know that “Canada is the second
largest country in the world. It is larger than the USA and reaches
nearly...
Canadian
Maple
(by Daniel)
The
national flag of Canada is a maple. I think a lot of people know it. I
love the maple tree and maple leaf, because it's hard to see the maple
leaf...
A
beautiful country
(by David)
Canada
is one of the few foreign countries that I am familiar with, because
one of my cousin's family is in it. They told me the reason why they
choose...
My
trip to Canada
(by Nao)
As
I said in our last class, I visited Saskatoon, which is a Canadian
city, and stayed there with a Canadian family for two weeks. Saskatoon
is called...
Canada
as a place for living
(by Oscar)
I've
been thinking about living in another country. I've searched about many
of them, and the most interesting, in my opinion, is Canada. The
official...
Leading
an easy life in Canada
(by Qilin)
I
have never been to Canada before and what I write is the feeling of my
friends who are studying there. I just want to share their feelings.
And if I...
Festivals
in Canada
(by Jerry)
Canadian
people take pride in their multicultural society which makes Canada
different from other immigrant countries. So many local traditional
festivals...
Endless
land of Canada
(by Hendrik)
Canada
is big....damn big - the second biggest country in the world to be
exact. In comparison, the population density is quite small, so the
thing Canada...
Geography
class in school
(by Sotaro)
I
think many Japanese students have a little information about Canada,
because when we hold an entrance examination for university, we need to
know about...
My
image of Canada
(by Yuki)
Since
I have never been there, I will write here my image of Canada. First, I
think it is a really good place to live, and is one of the countries
I...
Vancouver,
a City for Living
(by Boom)
Vancouver
is a relatively small city in British Columbia, and is the third
largest in Canada. The development and rapid growth of all of the city
makes...
Saudi
Arabia
Americans
vs. Saudi Arabia
(by Nikki)
As
a whole, I would say many of the American people I know have a highly
negative view of Saudi Arabia. It usually ranges from the oil crisis to
their...
Saudi
Arabia through the internet
(by Uhur)
Firstly,
I can tell you that I didn't know basically anything about Saudi
Arabia. So most of the information is from the internet and it may not
be very...
Omotenashi
in Saudi Arabia
(by Tomoko)
I
have never been to Saudi Arabia, but I have a friend from Saudi Arabia.
Before I met him, I did not have a clear image for there. I just had
the strict...
Saudi
Arabia and Arabic
(by Oscar)
Some
time ago I was searching on the internet about the most difficult
language in the world... I didn't remember that I already knew it...
Saudi
Arabia
(by Hendrik)
To
begin with, I don't know very much about this country. Sure, I've heard
about the richness certain people have made, by drilling for one of the
world's ...
Saudi
Arabia in my eyes
(by Daniel)
To
be honest, I don't know much about Saudi Arabia. When I'm thinking
about Saudi Arabia, in my head just comes out the oil, desert, rich
people, something...
How
I knew the country Saudi Arabia
(by Yuki)
In
my memory, the first time I knew Saudi Arabia was about 11 years ago,
in 2002, the year of one of the biggest soccer tournaments, the FIFA
World Cup ...
The
little I know about Saudi Arabia
(by Mike)
To
be honest, I know very little about Saudi Arabia. The western world
tends to lump all of the middle east together and judge them based on
the actions...
My
views about Saudi Arabia
(by David)
Saudi
Arabia is a very important country, but not a large country. My
impression about it is limited to oil and its special political system.
Everybody...
Saudi
Arabia
(by Qilin)
When
we are trying to comment on a country, preconceived notions always
exist. Sometimes the things we regard as strange..
Saudi
Arabia
(by Yuna)
First
of all, I don't know so much about Saudi Arabia. Then, I'm going to
tell you the matters I know now. First, Saudi Arabia is the petroleum
country...
What
I know about Saudi Arabia
(by Nao)
To
tell the truth, I have no idea about what country Saudi Arabia is. My
image of Saudi Arabia is oil money, soccer, and Muslims. It is an
unbelievable...
Saudi
Arabia
(by Jerry)
I
have not been to Saudi Arabia. As far as I know, that is a wealthy
country. They have a lot of oil and most of them are Islamic. It is the
only nation...
I
don’t know there very much
(by Sotaro)
I
don’t hear Saudi Arabia many times. I can hear this name when we have a
soccer game. Because Japan and Saudi Arabia sometimes have soccer
games, so I...
Child
Labor in Saudi Arabia
(by Leon)
Child
labor is one of the most serious human rights issues of our time.
Although child labor rates have been decreasing since 2006 at a much
slower rate...
Blue
diamond, the diamond of curse
(by Boom)
Stealing
the Diamond Dynasty Faisal of Saudi Arabia (Blue diamond) in 1989
(known as the case of the diamond jewelry theft of the Saudi royal
family) by...
America:
The
US in my eyes
(by David)
To
be honest, I am not sure about whether the impression in my mind is
real or distorted. My impression about the US comes from classes and
news. Movies...
America—Reflected
from US TV Series
(by Leon)
It
is a pity that I have not been to the United States of America so far.
Because when I was the age that I can remember things, I have been told
that...
My
holidays in the U.S.A.
(by Yuki)
America
is one of the countries I like. There are many theme parks such as
Disney World and Universal Studios, also known in Japan, and it has a
lot of...
USA,
the land of unlimited possibilities...
(by Hendrik)
This
is still a famous slogan that comes from a time of a golden age of
economy and wealth, where even the poorest man could build up an
industrial empire...
My
trip to Philadelphia
(by Nao)
When I was a baby, I was in Philadelphia for two years. I went there
last summer to see the place where I lived. Philadelphia was the first
capital...
America
(by Uhur)
The
first thing that comes to my mind when I think about America, is the
film and entertainment industry. American music is played on basically
every local...
Gospel
Music
(by Tomoko)
Do
you like listening to music? What kind of music do you like....pop,
rock, classic, or other? 2 weeks ago, I went to my friend's concert.
She is...
I
want to visit America
(by Sotaro)
I
have never visited America and I have met people who came from America
for the first time last month. So I don’t know about America very well.
All my...
American
music
(by Oscar)
When
I hear America... the first thing that comes into my mind is the Nu
Metal band Slipknot.
I remember how rock has developed so fast since the...
Chicken
Fried Steak
(by Nicole)
One
of my absolute favorite American southern dishes is chicken fried
steak. It is a wonderfully delicious meal usually consisting of beef,
which is then...
The
birthplace of jazz music
(by Yuna)
I
love jazz music. The city of New Orleans in America is the birthplace
of jazz music. Why was jazz music born in America? In the 19th century,
there...
America,
the land of stereotypes
(by Mike)
American
media is extremely popular all over the world and since I have not been
there yet, it is also what my mind goes to when I think about America...
Professional
Sports Leagues in America
(by Daniel)
I
think I am a sports guy. Even though I'm not doing sports stuff every
day, I am interested in the sports news every day, like baseball or
basketball...
Sports
entertainment
(by Boom)
I
love to play sports and my favorite is basketball. It's very famous in
America. This country makes sports to be an entertainment, for example
in the...
America
(by Toshiki)
I
hardly know America, but it's one of the biggest countries in some
points: size, population, influence, etc. Thanks to it, there are a lot
of people...
My
travel to Disneyland in the USA
(by Jerry)
USA
is the birthplace for fairy tales and Disneyland is one of them. I went
to Disneyland in the USA. It is an exaggerated big one. One day is not
enough...
My
impression of Americans
(by Qilin)
Americans
always follow the rules, but are warm-hearted at the same time. If you
are in a queue, but you have to leave for some reason, someone will
help...
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