Self study 28/08/08

Today, I wrote a draft of globalisation essay. And I reread p24 of booklet read in today's class. It's interesting and I think this article is a fact of Japanes.

I also read a article"The Secret of UNIQLO's Success" in a website I found yesterday.

http://www.japanecho.com/jeu/arch/000715.html#t3:
UNIQLO has monopoly on Japan's casual wear market. 40% of businesspeople purchase their products. There are some secret that their products are appealing. They can do a cost reduction by mass production. Moreover, their products are not only low price but high quality. Therefore they could achieve success.

New words:
*reportedly: according to what some people say
*monopoly: (business)the complete control of trade in particular goods or the supply of a particular service
*revenue: the money that a goverment receives from taxes or that an organization, etc.
*streamline: to give sth a smooth even shape so that it can move quickly and easily through air or water
*eliminate: to remove or get rid of sth
*middleman: a person or company that buy goods from the company that makes them and sells them to sb else
*garment: a piece of clothing
*dispatch: to send sb/sth somewhere, especially for a special purpose

That's all for today!

Self study 27/08/08

Yesterday, I found some website for my globalisation essay.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/31/business/AS-FEA-FIN-Japan-Hello-Uniqlo.php?page=1
http://www.japanecho.com/jeu/arch/000715.html#t3
http://www.rieti.go.jp/en/miyakodayori/019.html
http://www.japanjournal.jp/tjje/show_art.php?INDyear=07&INDmon=04&artid=70b3ef983885d943978375646bea9ef1

There are only positive things for Japanese enterprise. I want to find negative one...

Self study 26/08/08

We learned how to take some notes today and last week. It's very useful for me because I 'm taking an interpretation course in my home university. Tough it's a little different way of taking from that of interpretation, it's will be good training for it.

Today, I read an article about Japanese globalized company, TOYOTA.

http://blogs.iht.com/tribtalk/business/globalization/?p=659:
TOYOTA is a globally expanding company. Until now, they have advanced slowly but steadily. But some rival, such as China making rapid progress, have appeared in overseas markets. They need to improve thier techniques more and more in order to disctiminate a lead on an imitation of thier techniques or thier rival.

New Words:
*full-fledged: completely developed
*inculcate: to cause sb tolearn and remember ideas, moral principles, etc.
*fast-moving: growing, developing or changing quickly
*imperative: (n)a thing that is very important and needs immediate attention or action
*epoch: a period of time in history, especially one during which important events or changes happen
*outpace: to go, rise, improve, etc.
*inject: to add particular quality to sth
*admiration: a feeling of respect and liking for sb/sth
*ultimately: in the end, finally

Self study 25/08/08

Yesterdey, I went to Camden Town with my friend. There were so many people and markets. I was so excited!! I couldn't decide what I wanted easily because everything was my favorite things! Finally, I bought a jacket and a skirt. There were also some people with punk fashion!! It was very interesting and I could enjoyed spending weekend there.

Self study 23/08/08

Yesterday, there was Notting Hill Carnival!!! Although I wanted to go, I was very tired...so I couldn't go:( But I could see the fireworks from my room! It's soooo beautiful!!!!

By the way, I tried to write an introduction of essay. I felt the lack of my vocaburaly. If I have some idea, it's not easy to write it down in English without a dictionary. So I need to read more books or articles to increase my vocabulary.

Today, I am going to go to Camden Town. I'll find many new words walking around the market.

Self study 22/08/08

Yesterday, I went to buy a mobile phone with my friend. Many new words are on the user's guide. I looked up these words in a dictionary and added to my vocabulary list. In UK life, there are many beneficial words here and there. Shopping, talking with others, walking around the street, etc...everything in UK helps me to study English;)

For today's Self study....
First, I'll write down my answer of the task given in the class yesterday.

1.'The police should take a tougher stance on dealing with youth crime.'
Some people consider that the police is too soft toward juvenile delinquency.
2.'Fast food should be banned in all school cateens.'
It is generally agreed that school should provide students with healthier food.
3.'University edecation should be free for all.'
A common view point is that the right of higher education should be given for everyone.
4.'Politicians are not doing enough to tackle global warming.'
It is widely believed that a goverment should be more serious about global warming.
5.'It is harder for women to succeed in business than it is for men.'
Recent research has suggested that women should have more opportunity of business.
6.'The danger of the Internet are greater than the benefit it brings.
It is often argued that the Internet has more disadvantages than advantages.

Second, I found so many useful website on globalization.

http://www.sociology.emory.edu/globalization/
http://fora.tv/section/world
http://www.ifg.org/index.htm
http://www.cgdev.org/content/publications/detail/2834/
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/hi/index.html
http://www.iie.com/fischer/pdf/fischer011903.pdf
http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/globalization/
http://www.theglobalist.com/DBWeb/Community.aspx?FeatureId=3

Globalization and Business:
http://www.witiger.com/internationalbusiness/globalization.htm
http://www.allbusiness.com/management-companies-enterprises/3958028-1.html

You can get some information about Globalization and you own subject from following website:
http://www.questia.com/search

I try to search these website this weekend!

My first week at the university

I'll reflect on my first week in the Academic English course. I came here on 15th August. I get lost on the way from Holloway Road station to my accomodation. When I arrived there, it was over 10 o'clock!!! I was so anxious about my UK life... After 3 days, I was in the class "Canterbury". This class is a kind of difficult for me and students is very active and positive. So I worried whether I can follow this class. But it's very usefull to improve my English skills and take the class from mid September. It began to be natural that I sit down in front of my desk and study in my room. And somehow, time goes by. It's so great change for me. It's thanks to Self study!!! Because my English skills are not so good and I'm too shy, it's not easy to get used to this class. But I won't give up studying in anticipation of speaking English fluently and making many friends;) I try to write introduction of an essay this weekend. Next week, I'll go to the library to look for the book on Globalization and business.

Self study 21/08/08

Today I watched the video from p21 of the booklet for today's Self study.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7932485454526581006

This video was so shocking. In the background of Globalization, I saw the disadvantages of poorer countries which the media had not reported. It's a little difficult for me to listen this. But I could grasp the essence of the matter.

I also read three parts(Introduction, "Globalization-good or bad?" and "Defining globalization") of the article from the same page of the booklet.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6279679.stm

Compared with the first video I watched, this article says more positive idea about Globalization. But it's important to see the situation of Globalization from different(positive and negative) points of view!
I'll write down the words I didn't know;

*launch: to start an activity, especially an organized one
*unprecedented: that has never happened, been done or been known before
*stressed-out: too worried and tired to be able to relax
*lay off: to make people unemployed because there is no more work left for them to do
*profound: very great, felt or experienced very strongly
*bust: a thing that is not good ⇔*boom
*vice versa: used to say that opposite of what you have just said is also true
*migrant: a person who moves from one place to another, especially in order to find work
*integration: the act or process of combining two or more things so that they work together
*implication: the fact of being involved, or of involving sb

Self study 20/08/08

Today I visit the website from p21 of the booklet.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/reith1999/lecture1.shtml

I listen the lecture and read the printable version. I remembered some words which I didn't know.

*reveal: to make sth known to sb
*trivial: not important or serious, not worth considering
*transformation: a complete change
*aspect: a particular part or feature of a situation, an idea, a problem
*prospect: the possibility that sth will happen
*intellectual: connected with or using a person's abilityto think in a logical way and understand
*thesis: a long piece of writing completed by a student aspart of a university degree, base on their own research
*valid: that is legally or officially acceptable

Self study 19/08/08

Today, I found an academic vocabulary website in the past student's blog.

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~alzsh3/acvocab/wordlists.htm

I looked up in a dictionary and make a vocabulary list.

I also read two articles about business; one is about a private catering, another is about advertising costs. I'll post and summerize it below.

"Private Catering - Brief Business Techniques"
http://www.suggestarticle.com/business/customer-service/private-catering-brief-business-techniques.html ;
The Catering Business is becoming entensive because itcosts a low price. The Catering is devided into the event catering and the mobile catering. There are threeimportant things to start the Catering Business. It's to find clients, be modest to our customer and prepare factors. There are some profitable types in the Catering so a future of the Catering Business is bright.

"How to stop your advertising costs from gettin too high"
http://www.suggestarticle.com/business/customer-service/private-catering-brief-business-techniques.html ;
Advertising is essential to scale up the business. But the highcost maketing worry a small business owner. So major manufucturers encourage retailers to promote their products. In this way, retailers hold down their advertising costs.

Introduction

Introduction:
Hi, my name is Sae. I'm 19 and came from Japan. I'm interested in foreign literature so I'm majoring in English and American culture in my home university. As I came into contact with these cultures, I began to be iterested in English literature.Especially, I'm interested in the Bronte sisters. During last semester in Japan, I took the class about "Wuthering Heirhts" written by Emily Bronte. "Jane Eyre" by charlotte Bronte is also one of my favorite books.
I'm going to the other university in Liverpool after this course. Acutually, I will study English literature and business matters.

Self study aims:
My weak points are Reading and Listening. It's because of the lack of my vocabulary. So I'm going to borrow an academic vocabulary book and make the vocabuary list. I'll write example sentences, too. I'm also going to read an article in the news website and write a summary of the article. And I'll listen to academic lectures on the Internet to improve my Listening skills. I'll do my best!