2 min. Speech: Talk about the public transportation system in your town

The town I live in, Sasebo, is located in the countryside. People often use their own cars to get around. Alternatively, trains and buses can be used. Since Nagasaki Prefecture has remote islands, ships and planes are utilized.
There are JR and MR trains available, but the number of trains is quite small. Sometimes, JR trains only run once an hour, with a maximum of three trains. MR is a single-can train that operates in the area surrounding Matsuura city and is limited to a part of Sasebo. Buses in Sasebo are operated by companies and the city, but their numbers have been decreasing year by year. Interestingly, in ultra-rural areas, you may occasionally encounter a bus that stops at a location other than a bus stop to pick up elderly people.
Sasebo City has numerous islands and these are called "Kujukushima," although there are actually 208 islands. To reach inhabited islands such as Kuroshima and Takashima, the only option is to take a ferry.
If you expand your horizons to Nagasaki Prefecture, ferries to Goto depart from Sasebo Port and Nagasaki Port, while Shimogoto can also be accessed by plane. The airport in Omura City offers domestic flights to Tokyo and Kansai area, as well as international flights to Shanghai and Hong Kong. The shinkansen has recently opened, but there is a problem and the possibility of extending the track is quite low. Additionally, there is a ferry connecting Shimabara City in Nagasaki with Amakusa City in Kumamoto Prefecture.
The list might make it feel like we have a lot of different modes of transportation, but the reality is that is most of the time we have a car to go everywhere.


Reading: New York City sinking four millimetres a year
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2305/230529-new-york-is-sinking-m.pdf

Extra work: Reported Speech
http://www.english-practice.at/b1/grammar/reported-speech/rs013-reported-speech.pdf

Listening: Unit 2 City Transportation Listening 2

2 min. Speech: What do you enjoy spending money on?

I enjoy spending money on books. I have made the decision for myself that I can buy as many books as I want, focusing on those that interest me. However, space is limited, there is no space and shelves in my room to accommodate a large number of books. Also, carrying multiple books makes my luggage heavier, leaving me with no choice but to purchase e-books. E-books are sometimes cheaper compared to physical cories. They offer convenience by allowing me to enlarge the text size for easy-to-read and look up the meanings immediately with the look up function. I still have a preference for paper books as the creators pay great attention to aspects such as binding, fonts and letter sizes, which add to the overall enjoyment.
I also like to buy stationery items. I buy cards in particular. I buy items with designs that I like, resulting in a growing collection that I hardly use. But the quantity of these items is increasing and I am having trouble storing them. Please let me know if you have any suggestions or a good way to store them.

Reading: Self-checkout machines asking customers to tip
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2305/230518-self-checkout-machines-m.pdf

Listening: Unit 2 City Transportation Listening 1

2 min. Speech: Do you think it's a good idea to host casino resorts in Japan?

I failed to comprehend why the Japanese government is interested n constructing casino resorts in Japan. After reading various articles and interviews with (industry)Nexports online, and I have come to understand that casino resorts can generate significant economic benefits such as increased sales and employment opportunities.
If we only focus on the benefits, hosting casino resorts appears to be a positive endeavour. For example, Nagasaki is one of the potential sites currently and still being undergoing investigation about financial resources planning, if Nagasaki were to be approved for hosting an Integrated Resort, the economic benefits could be immeasurable.
Sasebo city, where Huis Ten Bosch is located, is quite rural. The availability of trains and busses is decreasing, and each person must have a car. Reaching HTB is time-consuming no matter where you come from, often accompanied by traffic congestion. If a casino resort were to be built at HTB, it would be imperative to enhance the transportation system, which would also greatly the local the local population. Additionally, Integrated Resorts will not be constructed a casino area but also large hotels, conference rooms, restaurants, and another facilities. If these facilities will be built, it is coming up with employment opportunities.
However, the spreading of gambling addiction has become a notable and escalating problem. Even though the gambling law is in here, people can easily access foreign gambling websites, including young generation. Even familiar and legally permitted forms of gambling, such as pachinko or horse reacting, have resulted in addiction for some people, so the presence of casinos may exacerbate the issue.
I believe that gambling addiction can't be my problem, so I can only see the good things that casino resorts do, but many people are worried about the negative sides. Osaka was approved this plan last month, but it has still some issues like the uncertain forecast of the government or weak ground in Yumeshima Island. Whether in Osaka or another place, I think it would be good if a (casino) resort would be built without any concerns.


Reading: Animal testing for cosmetics to restart in U.K.
eakingnewsenglish.com/2305/230511-cosmetics-testing-on-animals-m.pdf

Listening: Unit 1 The Weekend Listening 3

2 min. Speech: Is a mobile phone changing too quickly for people to keep up with?

Over the past thirty years, mobile phones have undergone rapid changes. Nowadays, a mobile phone offers a wide range of functions, enabling us to accomplish various tasks in a single device. If we have a mobile phone in our hand, we can access a wealth of information and communicate with other people, not only through phone calls but also through text messages and various internet applications. Applications installed on a mobile phone allow us to play games, study, listen to music, and watch videos. Additionally, we can also manage our finances using mobile banking applications on our phones. This is the most important thing, we can listen to "Rika's podcast" and check the funny phrases on Twitter through a mobile phone.

As technology continues to develop, mobile phones also undergo regular updates to make our lives easier and more comfortable. However, these rapid changes and updates can sometimes overwhelm us and make it difficult to keep up with evolving technology. Some people spend a significant amount of time on their mobile phones, constantly seeking new information and trends. However, does that truly make us happy?

Some people may feel that older mobile phones with simpler functions are easier to use. My mother often says, 'I don't know how to use a mobile phone,' and I believe that even if a mobile phone has useful functions, it is meaningless if the users don't know how to utilize them. "For me, I also need more time to relax and reflect on my everyday life, so I don't want to waste time searching for information about the latest technology or dealing with incomprehensible mobile phone functions. Unfortunately, I need to do it because I cannot live in a world without a mobile phone.


Reading: South Korea pays lonely people to leave the house
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2304/230420-reclusiveness-m.pdf

Listening: Unit 1 The Weekend Listening 2

2 min. Speech: Talk about myself
Reading: Traditional English tea losing popularity in Uk
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2304/230427-breakfast-tea-m.pdf
Listening: Unit 1 The Weekend Listening 1