Speaking Part 2 Question 3

I would like to talk about my favorite subject to study, which is geography. In this field, people can learn about various kinds of activities of the Earth, such as wind patterns, ocean flows, precipitation, and mountains, to name a few.

When I was a high school student, I liked it and was absorbed in learning about many locations. I felt that it was like I was looking at the world from the space. Knowing why some regions have a lot of precipitation and how wind flows was fascinating to me because these factors are linked to the richness of harvests and even to the happiness of the people living there. Also, I realized that there are many kinds of climates and topographies, which made me interested in traveling abroad.

By learning this subject and visiting many countries, I recognized that each country had positive and negative aspects from the perspective of geography, and these differences had significant influences on people's lifestyles and shaped the culture of countries. These experiences definitely helped me broaden my horizons and deepen my understanding.

With extensive knowledge of geography, I came to realize an interest in Japan's topography, and I am now learning it again. Japan is long from north to south and surrounded by oceans, having over ten thousand small islands   and possessing very high mountains in the center of the main island. Because of these unique features, the climate is very different from place to place, which may lead to the rise of various interesting cultures.

I am still in the process of learning about the relationships between the topography and cultures of Japan, and I am strongly convinced that this learning will lead to an in-depth knowledge of my country.

There are high mountains in the center of    Japan's main island, and it is surrounded by two major oceans, the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean. Therefore, the climates of these two areas facing the oceans are totally different. For example, the Sea of Japan side has heavy snow during the winter. Because of the snow and the prevention from going outside, old people living in these areas had to make a living by crafting something at home, which resulted in the richness of culture. This is one example of the relationship between geography and culture.

Sure. There are four seasons in Japan, and some regions have unique soil quality and climate, for example, because they used to be    parts of volcanos and are surrounded by high mountains. Because of the peculiar geography, some areas abound in a variety of flowers and species, which has influenced greatly    people's minds. For instance, old people believed that their ancestors had transformed into various kinds of creatures and watched their lives. This belief leads to the appreciation of nature and indigenous cultural festivals.

Yes, as well as other countries, Japan is also experiencing global warming. These days, the temperature in Japan during the summer has continuously exceeded the highest record of previous years, and Japanese people face scorching summers every year. In terms of the relationships of geography, areas located in the southern part of the high mountains usually experience hot and humid air flowing from the mountains every summer. Therefore, combined with global warming, these areas often record the highest temperature in Japan, and people living there have to be careful not to take heat stroke and other serious symptoms triggered by high temperatures.

Yes, the weather is very different between the northern and southern areas. During the winter seasons, wind flowing from Russia becomes humid on the way to the Sea of Japan and the wind hits the high mountains, creating a bunch of thick clouds and leading to heavy snows in the northern part of the locations. In southern areas, on the other hand, dry and hot wind over the summit flows, making clear skies and turning these areas    dry and hot.