The attached file is an audio version of a self-introduction that I completed in the first few weeks of learning Japanese. As such, I give extremely basic information about myself.
I would have liked to think that I would sound more natural than I did speaking Japanese myself, since before starting to take classes I was relatively familiar with how the language sounded - I listen to a lot of Japanese music, and I watch some Japanese television, so I definitely have exposure to the combinations of sounds that are used and the rhythm of speech. It was difficult putting it into practice, however. I had to go over many drafts before I came up with one that I was happy with, and listening to it now, it still sounds unnatural.
I do think this sample sounds more natural than my first one did, however, and perhaps this is because I wrote the text off of which this sample is based, while in the first sample, I was merely repeating sounds. I find it's much, much easier for me to process things when I can visualize them, which made the first sample a bit of a problem - I wasn't familiar with the words I was saying, so I couldn't "write" them in my head as a script to read. It just felt awkward spewing sounds without really having any control over it.
I think I'm improving, however, or I would like to think so. I've learned a lot more vocabulary since the time of this sample, which makes it so I can get more out of listening to Noriko-san every day in class. Repeating her is helpful in and of itself, but now that I can understand most of what she's saying, it gives me a leg up of sorts as far as inferring the meanings of things I don't know and understanding why things are the way they are. Since I've found building vocabulary to be so essential in my usage and comprehension of Japanese, I've been using flashcards and repeating words and phrases to myself whenever I'm in appropriate situations. I just need more practice in order to sound more natural, I suppose.