Bonus post - a prediction post or free choice

The “bonus” assignment for this course is either to write about (a) anything you want or (b) to write a prediction post.

You do not have to do this assignment, but if you have time left during our course then this bonus assignment may help to push your score for this course higher.

Choice (a): Free Post

For the free post, you can use any style you want, but it should be well planned, well written and interesting.

Choice (b): Prediction

Predicting what will happen in the future is a very popular style of blog posts. It is also something we do a lot in life. We predict if it will rain today (so do the weather reports on TV); if Carp will win tonight’s game; if our salary will go up or down; along with many other predictions about our lives.

For the bonus prediction post, your post should have an introduction, body, and conclusion (as always). You need to decide how you will write the body. You could write traditional-style paragraphs for each prediction in the body, or perhaps even better would be to write a list of points (following the style of our list post).

The theme of your prediction post is completely up to you. Some possibilities include:
Personal themes
1. My life 2. My career 3. How your neighborhood will change during your lifetime etc.

Japan-based themes
1. The main news events in Japan for the next year 2. The career path of a famous Japanese person 3. Predictions for Hiroshima for the next 50 years etc

World-based themes
1. Main news events for a year 2. How the power of countries of the world will change in the next 100 years 3. How the environment will change the planet in the future etc

McDonald's vs MosBurger - comparison/contrast post

Juicy succulent beef, fresh green lettuce, and bright red tomato packed between hamburger buns. Sounds delicious? Of course it does. Everybody loves a hamburger, especially when it has just been cooked for you. In Japan, two of the major hamburger brands are the ubiquitous American-born McDonald's and Japan's very own MosBurger. Both products have their fans and are helping to change the eating habits of Japanese people. Which is better? Well, this is a matter of personal opinion. By looking at three of the most important aspects of fast food - namely, convenience, price, and quality - I will assess which is the superior hamburger experience, McDonald's or MosBurger.

If it is convenience that you want then fast food cannot be beaten. When we compare McDonald's and MosBurger for convenience, then quite clearly McDonald's is the winner. Not only does McDonald's have many more stores (more than 30,000 worldwide) than MosBurger (less than 1,500), but it also serves customers much more quickly. Last time I was in MosBurger I had to wait nearly 10 minutes for my food. That is not fast food!

If money is a little tight, then the price of your hamburger is the most important factor. Once again, when we compare McDonald's and MosBurger then McDonald's comes out on top. An average meal in the American chain store costs about 500 ~ 600 yen, whereas in MosBurger you can add at least an extra 200 yen. So for convenience and cost, McDonald's is without doubt the winner.

However, how about the quality of the food? Well, for quality MosBurger wins hands down! Customers can feel safe about the produce. In these days of insecurity about where food is produced, it is great to know just where Mos's vegetables are grown. The food is fresh, and it tastes like true quality. In life, you pay for what you get. For the extra 200 yen, you get quality "fast" food at Mos. At McDonald's you just get fast "food"! If you want to see what too many Macs can do for your health, then watch the movie Supersize Me(to watch 4 very interesting minutes of the opening of this movie click here).

So, which is better McDonald's or MosBurger? Well it depends what your priorities are. But if you ask me, in spite of the extra cost and time, MosBurger is miles better than its American cousin.

Writing Exercise

Here are some links to English exercises that will help improve your writing style and ability.

1. Articles: Having trouble with articles? Try this exercise about using a, an, the , or nothing.

2. Verb tense: Present perfect or past tense? Struggling to decide if you wrote it or you have written it? Try this exercise.

3. Idioms: Using idioms and phrasal verbs well will push your English ability to the next level. Try any of the medium-level or more difficult exercises on this page.

4. Connectors: Connectors are important parts of stylish writing (and speaking). Try this rather challenging exercise about using stylish connectors.

5 Great Ways to Relax (a list post)

Tense? Nervous? Headache? Feeling stressed out? Life can seem tough from time to time. A boss at work that just won't leave you in peace. Too many college assignments to complete and not enough time. Too much noise and not enough peace in your life. Maybe it is time to slow down a little, before you tackle all those tasks you have to do in your life. Taking the time to relax is vital if you want to live a balanced life. Here are five ways to spend a relaxing time that will surely help to recharge your batteries.


1. Climb a mountain and surround yourself with peace
Mitaki is the place for you. You climb a gentle path through the temple grounds. Stop and ring the bell. Listen to the echo and feel some of the stress of daily life wash away. Sit and look at the faces of the Buddha statues - make your face as peaceful as theirs! Go and sit by the glorious waterfall. Then sit a bit more. Listen to the soothing sound of the water on rock. Finally, go and look at the bamboo forest, the trees swaying gently in the breeze with shafts of sunlight bathing your face.

2. Spend an hour in the bath
The key to this is preparation. Find your favorite music and get it ready in the bathroom. Make yourself a drink - some like green tea, others something icy cold. Don't use the bathroom lights - prepare some candles. Run the bath. Watch (and listen to) the water fill the tub. Enjoy the expectation of a relaxing time. Then when the water is ready, add some bath salts. Then just sit in the bath for an hour, enjoying the warmth and the flicker of light from the candles. Perfect!

3. Ice cold drinks overlooking the city
Everybody enjoys looking at the neon lights of a city, and there's no better way to do it than looking down on them from on high. Get a group of close friends together, find a cafe or restaurant with a view of the city, and sip your ice cold drinks while having a relaxing chat. You can relax while everyone in the city below you is rushing around like mad. Heaven!

4. Massage
Have your strains and tension squeezed out of your body with a wonderful massage. Japan is a great country for many kinds of massage. Treat yourself by spending some money on being pampered. A foot massage (reflexology) is one of the best ways to relax and refresh your body, making you feel like a new person for the next day.

5. At a cafe - spend a lazy Sunday morning
Picture the scene. You are sitting in a wonderfully comfortable chair. You have a great book in your hands, unbeatable coffee on your table. The decor is chic. The other customers are chatting happily. You look up from your book from time to time, just to watch the people walking past the cafe. You guess what kind of people they are, what kind of lives they lead. The answers don't matter. For this kind of relaxation you need a great book, a great cafe, some time, and nothing else.


One of these ways to relax should be perfect for you. Some require money, but others don't. Some require friends, others don't. For some you need a little exercise, for others none at all. However, all of them require a little time, and a little time that you spend on yourself. Take some time to relax!

Writing exercise - adjectives

Do you get confused between adjectives and adverbs?

If so, try this quiz.

Now try this one.

A lot of people make mistakes when using interesting or interested (or similar words). Try this quiz to see if you are confused!

Midnight Run - a review post

Friends or foes? This is the question that faces both an ex-cop and a criminal as they make their troubled way across America. Midnight Run is one of those movies that makes you feel good about life. It's a fun film that mixes the genres of comedy and action. It was made in 1988 and directed by Martin Brest, and the cast is full of famous names - Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin, Dennis Farina to name a few. I really recommend this movie because despite one or two weak points, it's a great movie due to the acting, the story, and the music.

Perhaps the strongest point of this movie is the acting. Everybody knows the name of Robert De Niro and he doesn't disappoint in this movie. He is perfect for the part of the ex-cop with his mixture of cool good looks and inner strength, and he combines wonderful action and comedy acting. Charles Grodin, as the lovable criminal, is superb. His facial expressions and the way he delivers his lines is a lesson for all young actors. The other minor characters in the movie such as Marvin, the police captain, and the Mafia boss all add to a wonderful cast, and wonderful acting performances.

The story is a typical good guy/bad guy story. However, in this movie the traditional "good guys" are not always the good guys. Midnight Run can be called a feel-good movie as it has a wonderful ending, after an action-packed journey across the USA. The story of this journey allows us to see just how varied and beautiful the United States is - the scenery is spectacular!

In addition to the acting and the story, another strong point of this movie is the music. The use of a soundtrack in movies has become extremely important and the wonderful music here adds to the tension in each scene. Each musical piece has been carefully picked to match the part of the USA in which the scene takes place. This greatly adds to the mood of the movie.

Midnight Run is not one of De Niro's most famous movies and there are a few weak points in this movie. The plot is not very complex and some people may dislike the bad language in the movie. However, the combination of wonderful acting, feel-good story and excellent soundtrack makes Midnight Run one of De Niro's most watchable movies. Watching this movie is time well-spent, and I guarantee you'll end up feeling good about life.

Making comments on others' blogs

I want you to read other students' blogs and make comments on the posts they make. This is an important part of the course. To write a good comment you should:

1. be polite
2. say something worth reading (e.g: give an opinion with reasons)
3. add a question (to create some dialogue with the blog writer)


To make a comment on another student's blog you must take the following steps:

1. read the student's post on their blog (see the list of blog addresses on the teacher's blog).

2. click on the COMMENT button at the bottom of the post

3. write your comment in the box where it says, "leave your comment"

4. type the characters in the WORD VERIFICATION box

5. choose your blogger identity so that I know who is making the comment (your handle name)

6. preview your comment

7. publish your comment