ビジネス英語ディクテーション

ただ聞こえてきたままにタイプしてアップしてるだけの地味なブログです。

2011年03月

2011/3/31 Thurs.
 
 
 
Business Communication in Action 実践ビジネス英語

Hello, everybody.こんにちは。みなさん。
 
Hello and welcome to the show.
This is Heather Howard.
Let's take a look at conversation at work.

 
April Fools (2)
 
Hughes urges Kim to check the date and she realizes it's April Fool's Day.
Wakimoto, Goto and Kim admit they were taken in.
Goto says this was her first personal experience with the tradition of putting pranks
on April 1st and that was an interesting cross-cultural experience.
Hughes apologizes and says he chose people he knew would take the joke as well.
 
 
hold your horses:
Right. This means stop, slow down, be patient.
The image is not of someone actually touching the body of a horse which might
be dangerous, but of keeping the reins tight to stop the horse or keep it still. 
Hughes could also have said though, "Whoa! or Whoa there!" 
Those are commands originally used on horses, oxen, other draft animals.
We can use it towards people to mean stop, calm down, slow down
depending on the situation.
But given the animal connection, it's very informal.
So we should be careful who we say it to.
 
Whoa! Stop! Calm down!
 
Right. To see something coming means to anticipate it, to expect it.
And "hook, line and sinker" comes from fishing.
The idea is that the person believed something completely.
So they swallowed not just the hook with the bait on it but the fishing line and
the sinker too.
Wakimoto also could have said, "I swallowed it hook, line and sinker."
 
A practical joke is a specific kind of joke.
It's one that aims to trick people or embarrass them, not just make them laugh.
For example, a practical joke might be tying someone's shoe laces together
so they fall over when they get up.
 
Firsthand refers to personal: personal experience.
Second is often used to mean used: like we would say, a secondhand clothes shop.
 
hear it firsthand  直接に聞く
hear it secondhand 人づてに聞く
 
My apologies. 
Yes and if you'd like to apologize in a more formal manner, for example,
in a business letter, you can write things or say things like:
I would like to offer my apologies. Or I would like to extend my apologies.
 
This sentence has a couple of good expressions.
One is kick myself, kick oneself which you use when you're very angry,
you're frustrated with yourself over something, like:
"I could kick myself for missing that deadline."
 
And then there's "see through", which means to understand or realize the true nature
of something, you know, not to be fooled by an outward appearance,
like, for example, she saw through his elegance and realized he was actually insecure. 
 
"Handle" is used frequently to mean deal with or respond to.
Besides jokes, for example, it can be used with things like:
She doesn't handle criticism well. Or he can't handle earthquakes.
 
handle a client クライアントの扱い
 
 
 
That's all for today.
 
Thanks for listening. See you soon.

久々の 「TJ綴り方教室」 です。
 
以下の文章は、電気事業連合会(会長 清水正孝(東京電力社長) ~東京電力の勝俣恒久会長は2011/3月30日の記者会見で、清水正孝社長が29日夜、体調を崩して入院したことによる社内の意思決定への影響を認めた~)のホームページからの抜粋です。
http://www.fepc.or.jp/index.html
これを読んで、「自分の今考えていること」というテーマで書きなさい。      (~一五〇字)
  原子力発電所の地震対策
原子力発電所の安全を守る基本は、原子炉を「止める」、「冷やす」、および放射性物質を「閉じ込める」ことです。これらに関連する施設は、以下のような地震対策を講じています。
 徹底した調査
敷地の地質・地質構造はもとより、周辺部を含め活断層や過去に発生した地震等を詳細に調査
 極めてまれな地震動をも考慮した設計
極めてまれながら供用期間中に発生すると想定される水平方向と鉛直方向の2方向の地振動に対しても、安全上重要な機能は失われないような設計
 詳細な解析評価
信頼性の高いコードを用いて、想定した地振動が発生したときの重要な建物・機器等の複雑な揺れについて解析し、耐震安全性を詳細にチェック
 津波に対する安全性の確認
地震随伴事象として想定される津波について詳細な数値シミュレーション等を実施して施設の安全機能に重大な影響を与えないことを確認

2011/3/30 Wed.
 
 
 
Business Communication in Action 実践ビジネス英語

Hello, everybody.こんにちは。みなさん。
 
Hello and welcome to the show.
This is Heather Howard.
Let's take a look at conversation at work.

Thank you very much. It's a real pleasure to be here.
 
April Fools (1)
 
Goto asks Wakimoto about an e-mail from Hughes saying that in the future
their office will start work before sunrise.
Wakimoto and Kim object saying they can't work well that early in the day.
Goto says the memo also recommends napping in the afternoons if necessary.
Wakimoto is suspicious and says it's unlike Hughes to send such an e-mail. 
 
 
Yoko uses "make of".
This is a very common expression meaning "what' your opinion of something?"
You hear it all the time in police dramas. 
One detective will see a piece of evidence or clue and asks his partner,
"What do you make of this, Bob?"
 
Right. In-box is a folder that contains incoming received e-mails, or it can refer to
an actual tray or box on someone's desk where they put things they need to read
or respond to, like letters and paperwork.
We also say out-box. Again this can be a folder of sent e-mails.
Or it can be a tray or box that contains letters ready to be sent
or paperwork that's been processed,
and you're waiting for other person's response.
 
Goto uses "reflect" here which is a verb meaning to ponder,
to think about something carefully.
And we say "we reflect on something": like a person would reflect on their career,
or on their life
 
"Land of nod" is an interesting expression.
It originally comes from the Bible where it refers to an actual place. 
Cain went to the land of nod after he killed his brother Abel.
But we also say in English "nod off" which means to fall asleep from the motion
that a head makes when we do that.
And because they're pronounced the same way
"in the land of nod" came to mean being asleep
 
nod off 眠る
 
"Early bird". This means an early riser and someone who gets up early in the morning.
We also say "night owl" to mean someone who usually stays up late and who's most
active at those hours.
Kim also said I think 5 in the morning is stretching things a bit.
We use this phrase "stretching things" when someone is trying to go beyond
what's acceptable or reasonable.
For example, if an actress is just good, you might say, "calling her a great actress is
stretching things."
Or it's a stretch to call her a great actress.
A stretch can also mean something that will be very difficult for someone.
They'll have to try very hard or work very hard to do it:
like it will be a stretch to finish this by next work.
Or Sue could have said, "5 a.m. will be a stretch even for me."
 
Goto uses "carve out" here which is the image of a knife cutting out something
or shaping it. 
And we use this when we're creating or making something that requires some effort. 
So you'll hear about people carving out a career.
Or a company carving out market share.
 
Right. Fishy. Fishy of course comes fish, fish that we eat.
And if it's rotten, it smells bad.
So when something is suspicious, we say it's fishy or it smells fishy.
 
 
That's all for today.
 
Thank you very much and see you again soon.

2011/3/29 Tues.
 
 
Welcome to Business communication in simple English.
 
Hi! I'm Brandon Stowell. Great to have you with us.
 
Yes. This program will help you sound more professional in any situation.
 
Let's jump right in.
 
 
Hi! I'm Brandon Stowell. Welcome back.
 
Okay then. Let's get started.
 

So Brandon, could you tell us how you would use the word "commit"?
 
Well, first of all, this is not a word to be used lightly.
The most popular use of commitment is to talk about marriage.
It's your pledge to honor contract, a relationship, a plan or a list of responsibilities.  
Alternatively the word commitment can simply mean appointment as in this example.
I'm sorry I can't attend the party. I have prior commitments.
 
 
So Brandon, how would you define the phrase "be committed to"?
 
Well, often the many activities a company engages in can distract from their core values.
So by using the word "committed to",  one can simply and concisely remind others
of the purpose.
Commit to learning English every day and you'll be amazed at the results.
 
Exactly.
 
This word reminds me of the profession undertaker which is a funeral director
or one who prepares bodies to be buried.
The more relevant definition of undertake is to start or begin something.
Keeping in mind the nuance of the word is to start and take responsibility for something
 
Are you ready?
 
If an employee works on commission, they only get paid when they make a sale.
 
I work on commission.
 
Yes. You'll find the more English words you learn, the more connections you can draw to
other words simply by recognizing the spelling. 
It will enrich your understanding of the language.
 
 
Well, that's it for today.
 
It was great having you.
 
See you next time.

2011/3/28 Mon.
 
 
Welcome to Business communication in simple English.
 
Hi! I'm Brandon Stowell. Great to have you with us.
 
Yes. This program will help you sound more professional in any situation.
 
Let's jump right in.
 
 
Hi! I'm Brandon Stowell. Happy to have you with us.
 
Yes. We will assist you in acquiring words and phrases that will help you sound
more professional in the workplace.
 
 
 
Brandon, how would you use "aim"?
 
Well, in my experience, your boss says,
"The aim for this meeting is to review sales reports."
 
Um. That was good.
 
 
Yes. The word "aim" describes intent or what you're planning to do.
So when you use the word "aim", it gives you a plan or strategy direction.
The boss bosses will love it!
 
Really?
 
 
Are you ready?
 
 
Wow! That's a very difficult way to learn a word.
But when I hear the word "aim" I'm reminded of Star Wars and Master Yoda,
who says, "There is no try. There is only do or do not. 
And I think this is very telling the way the word "aim" is used in business.
You do something or you don't.
 
We hope you enjoyed the show.
And remember, Aim high!
See you next time.

Monday, March 28, 2011
 
Hi, listeners! Welcome to 5 minute English.
 
I'm David Neale.
It's time to focus on your English.
 
And I'm Vicki Glass. 
Thanks for tuning in.
 
It's time to build up your English muscles.
Are you ready?
Here we go.
 
Let's read out loud.
One. Now listen.
 
It's perseverance that counts.
Once you start you can't quit halfway.
Stick to it no matter what.
 
It's about time.
I have to turn on the radio.
My favorite program is just about to start.

Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
You will improve as much as you practice. 練習した分だけ上達します。
See you tomorrow.
Bye.
 
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Let's read out loud.
One. Now listen.
 
I think I can handle this job.
Let me give it a try.
You might be surprised.
 
I could take up a new hobby.
Maybe I'll try gardening.
My friends seem to enjoy it.
 
I used to do 100 sit-ups a day.
Can you believe that?
I probably couldn't do 20 now.
 
Here's a message for you today.
Quit idling away your time. だらだら時間を過ごすのはやめましょう。
See you tomorrow. Bye.
 
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Let's read out loud.
One. Now listen.
 
Breakfast is ready.
Everybody, come eat.
Why isn't the toast ready?
It should have popped up by now.
Oh, I forgot to plug in the toaster.
 
Calm down, Frank.
There's no need to panic.
Cool your jets for a minute.
I'm sure we can solve this problem.
We just have to use our heads.
 
cf. cool your jets : calm down, wait.
Cool your jets! You can watch Speed Racer when Zoom is over!
 
Let's check. Let's try.
 
Here's a message for you.
There's no sense doing things halfway. 中途半端にやっても意味がありません。
See you tomorrow.
Bye.
 
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Let's role play.
One. Now listen.
 
A: Can you believe this electric bill?
B: The way you use electricity? Yes.
A: You think I waste power?
B: Look at all the lights you left on.
 
A: You seem to be hard at work.
B: Uh, hum.
A: No, you're not. You're watching a movie. 
B: I can do both at the same time. 
 
A: Hi! Julia. Where are you going?
B: I'm walking to my gym downtown.
A: Walking? Hop in and I'll give you a ride.
B: I'm walking because it's good exercise.
 
Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
Don't complain. Take action. 文句を言わずに行動しましょう。
See you tomorrow. Bye.
 
Friday, April 1, 2011
Let's listen and answer.
One. Now listen.

I'm going to throw these all papers away.
No. Don't. There's a recipe in there.
But it's a huge bundle of papers.
Don't worry. I'll find it and throw the rest away.
 Q: What will the woman do? - Throw the newspapers away.
They seem to be having trouble maintaining the lawn at this golf course.
There's a golfer whole over there. And this area has been invaded by weeds.
 Q: What is the man complaining about?  - Grass.
I usually don't like dental visits.
But I got a toothache. It started hurting at night.
The pain wouldn't let me sleep.
I couldn't get relief until morning.
So I was counting the hours.
This time I couldn't wait to see my dentist.
 Q: When did the woman see the dentist? - In the morning.
 
Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
English can be learned at any age. いくつになっても英語は学べます。
See you tomorrow.
Bye.

Saturday, April 2, 2011
Let's listen and answer.
Now listen.
 
It's time to form teams for the baseball game.
I want you all to line up against the fence.
I'll give you a number.
Remember whether it's odd or even.
Even numbers take positions in the field.
I don't care who plays what.
You can choose positions yourselves.
But only one person can pitch at a time.
Remember last time?
Everybody wanted to be on the pitcher's mound.
If you can't choose one on your own, I will. 
Now, you're the home team.
Odd numbers. Hit the dugout. You're visitors.
 Q1: What are they doing? - Forming teams.
 Q2: Who is the man? - A coach. 
 Q3: What happened last time? - Everyone wanted to be a pitcher.
 
Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
Keep a never-give-up attitude. 決して諦めない姿勢を持ちつづけましょう。
See you tomorrow.

Sunday, April 3, 2011
Let's listen and write.
One. Now listen.
 
I think teaching is his calling.
That was a bolt from the blue.
This is an allergy, not a cold.
That's putting it mildly.
Do you get stage fright?
 
Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
Don't lose heart no matter what. 何があってもへこたれるな。
You can do it.

 

「モルフェウスの領域」 海堂尊
 
「陽気なギャングの日常と襲撃」 伊坂幸太郎
 
「恋愛寫眞」 市川拓司
 
「遠い国のアリス」 今野敏
 
-------------------------------------
 
「モルフェウスの領域」 海堂尊
 
p116 
「こうしたことは僕の周りではよくあることなんです。僕は見聞きしたものすべてを保存してしまう。目の前を通過する、すべてのものごとが忘れられない。なので入試だって会社業務だって成績は常にトップ。すべての領域を楽々とクリアしてきました。だけどこの『忘れない』という能力の威力はそんな程度には留まらないんです」
 西野の言葉は刃のようだ。
「すべての情報を忘れないということは、相手を丸ごと取り込むことにもなる。それは時には、相手の実態すら凌駕してしまう。人は、自分で思っているほど優れた存在ではなくて、すごい勢いでいろいろなことを忘れている。そんな時、赤の他人から自分がかつて口にした言葉を聞かされると、幸せな気持ちになれる。自分でさえ忘れてしまった些細な言葉を相手が保存しているということは、自分が大切にされているという誤解を生むから。もっともそれは、僕にとっては目の前にあるメモ帳を読み上げる程度のことにすぎないんですけど、ね」
 
p232
「坊やは坊やなりに、この世の真理ってヤツは掴んでいるらしいな。だけど世の中には、他人のストリップさせて自分は何一つ傷つかず、ぬくぬく毛皮にくるまって安全地帯から見下ろしているヤツらもいる。そんな連中に、やがて君は徹底的に搾取されてしまうだろう。それは、勇者にとって屈辱以外の何ものでもない」
 
p261
「そうだ、涼子さんにもうひとつ謝らなければならないことがあったんだ。クライアントの君の判断、リバース・ヒポカンパスのデリート、実はあれ、実行しなかったんだ。それだけじゃなくてね、坊やの目覚め前にちょっとだけ使ってみたんだ。ママの記憶領域の一部を削除し、小さな空白の記憶空間を作ってそこにひとひとらの情報を刷り込んだ。それが何だか、わかるかな」
 西野の問いかけに、もはや涼子の答えはない。西野はひとり喋り続ける。
「僕の芸術的傑作、(略)」
 
 
「陽気なギャングの日常と襲撃」 伊坂幸太郎
 
これ…とてもよかった。
 
「恋愛寫眞」 市川拓司
 
これも。「いま、会いにゆきます」よりよかった。
 
「遠い国のアリス」 今野敏
 
これも、すごくよいと思った。

Monday, March 21, 2011
Hello, everybody. You're listening to 5 minute English.
Hi! I'm David Neale.
Let's practice English together.
And I'm Vicki Glass. 
Welcome to our program.
Let's build up your English muscles.
Are you ready? Here we go.
Let's read out loud.
One. Now listen.
 
Do you want a diet soda? 
Sorry if you like the regular kind.
All we have is diet.
 
The mail box is full.
But it's all junk mail.
Can I just throw it all way?
 
The refrigerator isn't working.
We'd better get it fixed soon.
I don't want anything to spoil.

Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
Idleness leads to nothing. 怠けていたらどうにもなりません。
 
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Let's read out loud.
One. Now listen.
 
I should exercise more.
Maybe I'll turn over a new leaf today.
Nah! I'll watch TV instead.
 
This discussion is going nowhere.
I have a suggestion.
Let's take a 10 minute break.
 
Look at the kids.
They're doing somersaults.
If I try that, I'll get hurt.
 
Here's a message for you today.
Keep practicing for better English skills.
英語力アップのために練習を続けましょう。
 
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Let's read out loud.
One. Now listen.
 
That's a nice suit.
And I love your tie.
There's just one problem.
Those bright yellow socks.
Didn't you have another pair?
 
This bicycle is rideable.
But the front tire is pretty low.
It's not punctured.
But it looks like a slow leak.
All we need to do is pump it up.
 
Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you.
Make it a habit to open your textbook every chance you get.
チャンスがあったらテキストを開くことを習慣にしましょう。
 
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Let's role play.
One. Now listen.
 
A: Can you read French?
B: A little. Why?
A: What do these instructions say? 
B: Turn it over. The English is on the other side.
 
A: Here's the departure lounge.
B: We've made our flight.
A: I want the window seat.
B: Me too. Let's flip a coin for it.
 
A: Here. Have some beer.
B: You know I don't drink?
A: This is non alcohol beer.
B: Oh! I guess I'll give it a try.
 
Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
Practice makes you a better speaker. 練習すればもっとうまく話せるようになります。
 
Friday, March 25, 2011
Let's listen and answer.
One. Now listen.

Are you done with your homework?
I'm just wrapping it up.
You said that an hour ago.
I found some things I forgot to do yesterday.
 Q: What is the boy doing? - Studying.
These shoes are very cushiony. 
I bought them from my sore knee.
They're easy on the joints.
But they're hard to walking.
It's like walking in loose sand.
 Q: What did the woman do? - Buy special shoes.
Remember the old brown stone office building?
I mean the one on 5th avenue downtown.
Some developers are going to tear it down.
They want to build a shopping mall.
The local historical society is against the plan.
 Q: Where is the old building? - Downtown.
 
Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
Why later? Do it now. なぜ後で? 今やりましょう。

Saturday, March 26, 2011
Let's listen and answer.
Now listen.
 
I like the main character of this movie.
He's such a cute little boy.
And the actor who plays him is very good.
I see him in lots of films lately.
He's a childhood star.
It's wonderful to see a young kid get successful.
It's like a dream come true.
But it can also be a little sad.
You know why?
Because very few make the transition into adult stardom.  
I wonder why their talent doesn't carry over into adulthood.
But I'm sure this one will make it as a great actor in the future.
 Q1:  What is the woman doing? - Watching a movie.
 Q2:  Who is the woman talking about? - A child star.
 Q3:  What does the woman think? - The boy will be successful as an actor.
 
Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
Diligence brings incredible results. 勤勉は信じられないような結果をもたらす。

Sunday, March 27, 2011
Let's listen and write.
One. Now listen.
 
She always has an expressionless face.
He's never on time.
These shoes are pinching my feet.
Thanks for bringing a smile to my face.
Don't lose heart till the last minute.
 
Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
Persistence wins out. 最後には根気強さが勝つ。

 
 
Business Communication in Action 実践ビジネス英語

Hello, everybody.こんにちは。みなさん。

Hello and welcome to the show. This is Chris Matsushita. Let's take a look at conversation at work.
こんにちは。番組にようこそ。クリス松下です。実践的な会話を見てみましょう。
 
As American as...  (3)
 
Kim asks Hughes if he expects a gold watch from Great Lakes when he retires.
He replies he doesn't know if he'll get one and adds that he recently found his father's
retirement watch which still works.
Hughes adds that he and his wife won a trip to Hawaii where they'll go before he retires.
 
 
Getting a gold watch when you retire is a very well-known tradition in the U.S.
Although I have to say I don't know anybody who got a gold watch when they retired.
 
Hughes uses the word "timepiece" to mean watch.
Timepiece is a little more formal or old-fashioned word for watch.
 
Ah huh. Yeah, a pocket watch.
And sometimes if you see advertisements for very expensive watches.
They might be called "timepieces" instead.
 
To pull up stakes is to move from one residence to another.
You could think of moving a tent.
You have to pull up the stakes that hold the walls up in order to move it.
 
The stake(nail) that sticks up gets hammered down.
 
This is probably not just in Hughes's case. I think this is the usual case.
Bingo tends to be a game people play in church halls.
 
In this case, Kim uses the word "stakes."
But she's talking another meaning of the word.
I think tent stakes and this kind of a stake are related to each other.
But the way of using it is quite different.
Kim is talking about a stake: the money or property that you risk in a bet.
So if you play bingo, you have to pay a little money usually that would be called your stake.
It kind of pins you to this event.
 
High rollers are big money gamblers.
 
Many people buy multiple cards and play them all at the same time.
 
Hughes talks about "we" retiring. He means himself of course.
But I guess because they live their lives together, you could say "we retire" like Hughes does.
 
 
Symbols of American Life
 
Yard sale is quite popular in the U.S. both for people selling things and for people who
need to buy something.
 
Yeah. Bingo is closely identified with churches.
Churches often use bingo games to raise money for the church like it said in the vignette.
When I was a kid also we played in school occasionally.
I don't remember exactly what the event was.
But probably the end of the school year, or maybe the last day of school
before Christmas vacation.
We had various little games and things. 
Also we play bingo in my Spanish class, I believe to practice learning the numbers.
 
Yeah, if you're going to some of the immigrant neighborhood, English is a little bit unusual.
 
Yeah. This is my final program.
It's been 10 or 12 years now altogether that I've been working
on these business English programs, I think. 
 
Hum. Yeah. I wanna say thank you so much for listening for all these years.
And welcome to the people who are newer to the program.
And I'd like to encourage everybody to please continue listening in the new season.
 
 
That's all for today.
 
Thanks and goodbye.

 
 
Business Communication in Action 実践ビジネス英語

Hello, everybody.こんにちは。みなさん。

Hello and welcome to the show. This is Chris Matsushita. Let's take a look at conversation at work.
こんにちは。番組にようこそ。クリス松下です。実践的な会話を見てみましょう。
 
As American as...  (2)
 
Goto asks about the tradition of birthday spanking which Kim explains. 
Wakimoto says he thought the custom had died out.
Kim mentions the making of a wish before blowing out candles on a birthday cake.
Goto adds that singing "Happy Birthday" is pretty common everywhere.
 
 
It might seem a little strange that Goto says my first birthday spanking.
She's not referring to being spanked herself but her first witnessing of that behavior.
 
Kim talks about inviting the kid back into the fold.
"Fold" is a very old word for an enclosure where you keep sheep.
You can also use it to mean a flock of sheep, the group of sheep.
So they're welcoming the child back into the group to be just like everybody else.
Kim also talks about the birthday honoree.
You can say that. That's no problem.
But I think it's much more common to talk about the birthday boy or the birthday girl.
Even after you've grown up and become an adult. 
 
"Quaint" is an adjective that's used usually when something is interesting or attractive
,because it's old-fashioned, not something of today.
 
There are a lot of jokes like this about making birthday wishes
and how many candles are around the cake.
Some people joke about how as they get older their cakes become fire hazards
,'cause they need so many candles.
And sometimes people switch and put one candle for each decade,
for example for safety sake, I guess. 
 
Symbols of American Life
 
The sound's very serious to me. My family used to do this.
I've mostly forgotten it. I'm the oldest of six kids.
So what I remember of it is spanking my youngest sister.
I'm 13 years older than she is. So helps me remember I guess.
I'm sure I was spanked also when I was a little kid.
And I think I remember the little kids spanking me when it was my birthday,
even though I was older, because for the little kids, it's kind of fun.
They don't normally get to spank anybody. 
Most of the time, birthday spanking so are only for the little less kids.
 
Yeah. People, kids especially, always remind each other don't tell
and don't forget to think what it is.
And then occasionally a brother, or sister blow the candles out first 
and the birthday kids gets all upset. 
One thing my family did. I don't know whole families do this.
But the birthday boy or girl could decide what everybody would have for dinner on the birthday.
And one of the reasons I remember so clearly is my younger sister again
decided we all had to eat: hot dogs and marshmallows roasted on stick in the fireplace.
 
I think originally it was a song called something like "Good Morning to All."
I think I learned that version when I was in kindergarten.
But I seem to remember saying good morning to you.
Maybe my memory's just got too mixed up ,because it's "Happy birthday to you."
 
That's a definitely when you're congratulating someone.
When everybody is really happy, because one of your group,
one of your friends had some excellent, good news.
 
Yeah. I think it's a little bit old-fashioned these days.
I connect it more with the movies from like the 30s and 40s.
Although I'm sure people still use it. Everybody knows the song.
Kids learn a different version of it.
It's the same music.
But they learn the bear went over the mountain to see what he could see. 
And all that he could see was the other side of the mountain. And then it finishes.
So it's very silly. And the kids enjoy it.
 
It became popular in the late 20s and early 30s in the U.S. as the sort of the closing out
of the old year and the beginning of the year.
In the U.S., it's very tightly connected to New Year's Eve.
 
Yeah. I haven't heard of that.The U.S. is a big place. Maybe somebody does it.
But it's not a major custom.
I was surprised when I came here to learn that department stores often play it
to signal it's just about closing time.
 
 
And on top of that all, they feel like they've done something good by having a diet soda.
 
 
That's all for today.
 
So long for now.

 
 
Business Communication in Action 実践ビジネス英語

Hello, everybody.こんにちは。みなさん。

Hello and welcome to the show. This is Chris Matsushita. Let's take a look at conversation at work.
こんにちは。番組にようこそ。クリス松下です。実践的な会話を見てみましょう。
 
As American as...  (1)
 
Goto tells Hughes that the smell of popcorn in movie theaters strikes her
as typically American.
Hughes explains that Native Americans were the first to popcorn.
Wakimoto finds eating a hot dog at a baseball stadium quintessentially American.
Kim chooses backyard barbecues.
Goto wonders what's so American about apple pie.
 
 
Hughes asks Goto for her take.
Using take here as a noun comes from a verb phrase actually.
How did he take it? How did he receive that information?
What kind of a reaction did he have?
So asking Goto for her take is asking her what she thinks, what her reaction is.
 
The word "nut" in English is used for people who are very very enthusiastic about something.
You could call him a fan, but a nut goes even further than a fan.
 
In the U.S., nowadays, it's proper to call the original people living in North America
Native Americans.
In the past, and even now sometimes, they're referred to as Indians.
That's really a false name because when Columbus went from Europe, he was trying to discover
a route to India, and that area to bring spices back to Europe.
So when he ran into North America, the people that were there originally
ended up being called Indians.
 
Popcorn's quite popular snack all over the U.S. outside of movie theaters also.
When I was growing up, we often had popcorn in the evening.
Especially for we ate a very early dinner, because sometimes you get a little hungry later on.
Sunday would be a good day for having popcorn 'cause we did a main meal around 2 o'clock
in the afternoon.
And then before you went to bed, having a little something was very nice.
 
Quintessential is a great, big, long word to say the most typical.
It's usually used with that meaning.
The core of the word means a thing in its purist, most concentrated form.
 
 
Symbols of American Life
 
It's the first line in a baseball song.
I think almost everybody can sing it in the U.S.
What was interesting to me though is that it was originally written to promote a snack food.
It's a kind of popcorn covered with caramel and including a few peanuts.
Kids love it.
 
You can also go to bat for somebody or go to bat for someone. 
That means you're going to help them, you're gonna take up their cause and fight for them.
 
You can also touch base with someone.
In that case, it means go back and talk to them, or confirm that you have the right information,
or bring back a little bit of information that they were waiting for.
It means you're gonna communicate with them.
 
It's probably because apples are very easy to get and they stay good for a long time,
and they're all over the U.S.
And apple pie is relatively easy to make.
 
They were also known as lunch counters. And usually they were counters.
Although I have seen some that also had small tables.
Apple pie, hot dogs and baseball are considered such traditional symbols of the U.S. that  
a car maker used the three of them in their jingle a few years ago.
They said baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and brand name.
 
 
That's all for today.
 
Thanks for tuning in.

Monday, March 14, 2011
Hello, everybody. You're listening to 5 minute English.
Hi! I'm David Neale.
Let's practice English together.
And I'm Vicki Glass. 
Welcome to our program.
Let's build up your English muscles.
Are you ready? Here we go.
Let's read out loud.
One. Now listen.
 
This coffee has gone lukewarm.
I'll have to warm it over.
Better yet, I'll brew a fresh pot.
 
This screen door is torn.
Should I try to mend it?
Or should we buy a new one?
 
Your nose is red.
Do you have an allergy?
They say this is the season for it.

Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
Don't get discouraged halfway through. 途中でくじけるな。
 
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Let's read out loud.
One. Now listen.
 
This movie is too complicated.
The main plot is interesting enough.
But there are too many side stories.
 
Look at Mary's ring.
I didn't know she was married.
Oh. It's not on her ring finger.
 
You should keep a journal.
It helps you think about life.
And it's fun to look at old entries.
 
Here's a message for you today.
There is no shortcut to becoming fluent in English.
英語を流暢に話すのに近道などありません。
 
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Let's read out loud.
One. Now listen.
 
Here's dinner.
I hope you like it.
Watch the plate.
It's hot.
This dish is baked in the plate.
 
This is my friend John's bar.
See that dollar bill on the wall?
That's the first dollar he earned here.
He had it specially framed.
That was about 30 years ago.
 
Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you.
Don't let it get you down if you fail.
失敗しても落ち込むな。
 
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Let's role play.
One. Now listen.
 
A: It's about time to have the car tuned up.
B: Already? Didn't we just do that?
A: It's been over a year.
B: It seems to be running fine.
 
A: What are those plastic bottles of water for?
B: Exercise.
A: Why don't you buy dumbbells?
B: These are just as good. See?
 
A: Hello. Do you have a reservation?
B: No. Will there be a wait?
A: Just for a few minutes.
B: That's fine. We'll wait.
 
Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
Stay focused on your goal. 目標から目を離すな。
 
Friday, March 18, 2011
Let's listen and answer.
One. Now listen.

Oh, no. I forgot to bring my map.
Your map?  A map printed on paper?
Yes. How are we going to find Bill's house?
No sweat. I have GPS at my cellphone.
 Q: What did the woman forget? - Printed matter.
As a child, I had a dream.
I wanted to be an astronaut.
And I wanted to have my own garden.
Half of my dream came true.
You can guess which half.
 Q: What does the man mean? - He never became an astronaut.
My uncle is always travelling to one mountain or another.
But he's not a mountain climber.
He works for a specialized construction company.
They build advanced telescope facilities.
And telescopes are often placed at high elevations.
 Q: Who is the woman talking about? - Her uncle.
 
Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
Climb the ladder to success step by step. 成功への梯子を一段ずつ登っていきましょう。

Saturday, March 19, 2011
Let's listen and answer.
Now listen.
 
These over here may look like ordinary bicycles.
But they're not your garden variety bike. 普通の/ありふれた
They fold up into small brief cases.
You can carry them around when you travel.
And they're light too.
Older foldup bikes were heavy.
But these aren't your run-of-the-mill foldup.  普通の/月並みの
They are made of state of the art carbon fiber composite materials and titanium. 合成の
Those materials aren't cheap.
You can tell from the price.
Brace yourself before you look at the price tag.
 Q1: Where is the man most likely talking? - In a bike shop.
 Q2: What's special about the bikes? - They can fit in small portable cases.
 Q3: What does the man imply? - The listener will be surprised at the price.
 
Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
Practice after this program or not. It's up to you.
この番組の後で練習するかしないか。それはあなた次第です。

Sunday, March 20, 2011
Let's listen and write.
One. Now listen.
 
He doesn't know when to quit.
Don't expect much from me.
I'm sweating just standing here.
He has way too much pride.
She said the opposite of what she meant.
 
Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
Better English comes with practice. 練習すれば英語は上手くなります。

 
岩本 Susan: Business Communication in Action 実践ビジネス英語

杉田敏: Hello, everybody.こんにちは。みなさん。

I: Hello and welcome to the show. This is Susan Iwamoto.
Let's put our communication skills to work.
こんにちは。そして番組にようこそ。スーザン・岩本です。コミュニケーションの技術を応用しましょう。

Gen Y's Grim Reality (6)
 
Talk the Talk
 
S: In our current vignette, the team at Great Lakes discusses the effect of the recession
on members of Generation Y.
Many are returning home to live with their parents in order to save money
or because they've been laid off from their jobs.
 
I: Yes. And it's not unusual during economic downturns to see an increase
in this kind of living arrangement. 
I can think of several examples from my own extended family over the years.
My great-grandmother, who lived until the age of 103, had a spacious row house in Philadelphia
for over 50 years, if memory serves.
Over the years, there have been as many as four generations under the same roof.
Two of my great-aunts lived there for years, in fact one still does,
and their children and grandchildren have stayed there for months or even a few years at a time
when they were getting back on their feet after losing jobs or getting divorced.
They had seem to work out well for everyone involved.
As Goto Yoko mentioned, it can be a wonderful experience for kids to live with their grandparents. 
And in this case, great-grandparents.
I used to love visiting my great-grandmother in that lively old house always bustling with activity.
 
S: Sue Kim mentioned that some members of Generation Y have a tough time getting used to
living with their parents again after having a taste of freedom.
 
I: That is certainly understandable.
It can be humbling to move back in with one's parents, as Americans often see moving out
on one's own as a sign of adulthood and independence.
In some cases, it's smooth sailing, but after living on one's own, it can be tough to adjust
to someone else's ideas about how to run a household,
even if it is a member of your own family.
 
S: Sue also mentioned that tough competition Millennials face on the job market.
 
I: That's right.
One of my friends in that generation recently finish graduate school and is struggling
to find full time employment.
She has found part time work in her field and is hoping it will turn into a full time position soon. 
In the meantime, she has moved back in with her parents to save money on rent.
Though she and her parents have a wonderful relationship,
she's eager to live on her own again soon.
 
S: It's not just kids who are moving back in with their parents.
Tony Hughes mentioned that some retirees have been moving in with their kids
due to tough economic times.
 
I: Yes. And he also mentioned the role of foreclosures on this. 
I know a couple who are severely affected by this.
They're well on their way to a comfortable retirement but were hit hard by the recession.
They lost their house foreclosure and have moved in with one of their kids 
for the time being.   
In these cases, even though their kids may be happy to help,
the parents often feel as though they're a burden on them.
Often they discover their many benefits to the situation
especially if their grandchildren involved. 
As Tony Hughes noted living with younger generations can make for a healthy
and stimulating environment.
 
 
That's all for today.では今日はここまでにしましょう。

Thanks for joining us. 参加していただいてありがとうございます。

 
 
Business Communication in Action 実践ビジネス英語

Hello, everybody.こんにちは。みなさん。

Hello and welcome to the show. This is Chris Matsushita. Let's take a look at conversation at work.
こんにちは。番組にようこそ。クリス松下です。実践的な会話を見てみましょう。
 
Gen Y's Grim Reality  (5)
 
Goto wonders what can be done to equip youngsters with tools for success.
Wakimoto says that everyone in the community has to pull together.
Kim adds that employers should stop griping and take a chance on youngsters who want to learn.
Hughes grumbles that it takes more than faith to instill a work ethic.
 
 
To pull together is to cooperate.
Or even more strongly it means make a joint effort, not just cooperate.
It probably comes from rowing.
You pull the oars together so that your boat goes more quickly.
 
Kim talks about employers throwing up their hands.
When you throw up your hands, you make a gesture meaning, "I give up", "I can't do it",
"I'm not interested any more."
 
moan and groan
 
She also describes young people as not being up to scratch.
To be up to scratch is an idiom that means be good enough, be adequate, meet the standards.
Scratch in this case, probably refers to sports and the starting line.
Maybe informally you take a stick and make a line on the ground.
It was often used for fighting for pugilists.
They would line up at the line scratched in the ground to start their bout.
 
Put your money where your mouth is... is a ... I guess you could say it's an idiom that means
"do what you say."
Put something on the line. It's easy to say words. But prove you believe what you say.
 
To go out on a limb is to take a chance.
Put yourself in a risky situation.
If you think of a tree with limbs, the further out you go on a limb, the higher your chances of
falling off or of the limb breaking.
 
Kim also talks about acting on faith.
This means you take your action because of belief.
You probably don't have facts or strong reasons for doing what you think is right.
 
Hughes uses the phrase "faith can move mountains."
People often use this phrase to say that if your belief is strong enough, if your confidence
is strong enough, you can achieve anything.
If you really believe in what you're doing, you can overcome any obstacle.
Of course, only faith probably can't actually move a mountain.
Something else has to happen.
But if you believe the mountain can be moved, you'll find a way.
 
Wakimoto used all kinds of phrases here that you often hear when people are talking about
someone they're fond of who's a little bit difficult.
"Your heart's in the place" means "you had good intentions", "you mean well",
"you're a good person deep inside."
 
He also talks about having a crusty exterior.
Something that's crusty is hard and rough and tough.
Depending on what it is, it can be a good thing. Crusty bread is really nice.
But a crusty person is a little bit hard to get along with.
 
Then finally Wakimoto says that Hughes is really just an old softy.
An old softy or a softy is a kind and gentle person. 
 
 
That's all for today.
 
Please tune in for part 6.

http://www.nhk.or.jp/gogaku/english/business2/index.html


Business Communication in Action 実践ビジネス英語

Hello, everybody.こんにちは。みなさん。

Hello and welcome to the show. This is Chris Matsushita. Let's take a look at conversation at work.
こんにちは。番組にようこそ。クリス松下です。実践的な会話を見てみましょう。

Gen Y's Grim Reality (4)

Wakimoto says he'd like to see more older people passing their skills on to younger people.
Kim says she's surprised that the number of young people without the basic skills needed for work.
Hughes says that although many young people are present, he's heart broken that they
lack basic skills.


Wakimoto added the word "literally" to this sentence, because he uses the phrase that's often
used more as a metaphor, not actual situation.
He says literally at my father's knee.
At my father's knee or at my mother's knee is a phrase that usually means something you learn
at a very young age.
It includes the idea of very young.
If you think of a little kid standing in front of the mother or father while the mother or father
is sitting in a chair, you can get a really good idea of what this metaphor means.

Goto uses the phrase "in the person of" to refer to Wakimoto's father.
She could have said, "embodied in."
So Wakimoto's father is also a mentor.

Goto talks about firsthand knowledge.
Firsthand knowledge is knowledge that you get directly.
It doesn't come through another person.
It's similar to hands-on. There's no intermediary.

The phrase "it never ceases to amaze me" if often used for emphasis.
Something that's surprising and continually surprising: it never ceases to amaze me.
People tend to use it when they have strong feelings about what it is that amazes them.

Hughes talks about reading, writing, counting or spelling.
"Spell" I think you could kind of put together with "write."
And the last three, you could sum up, is being reading, writing and arithmetic.
In English, those are called the 3-R's.
They are the fundamentals or the basics of learning.
And they're called the 3-R's first because reading and writing.
Both start with an R sound even though writing is spelled with the [w].
And arithmetic of course begins with an [a] when you write it.
But it's a schwa. The pronunciation is not strong.
So it's easy to sort of jump over the [a].
And in that way, they became called the 3R's.


This is a great controversial topic in the U.S. these days.
Over the last few decades, schools have started focusing more on self-esteem
so that children grow up feeling good about themselves so they can take chances
and move forward in the world.
And they've been focusing somewhat less on making sure these skills are properly learned
and instilled into the children.
Some people think it's good because psychologically the children are not afraid to go ahead
and try things because they're sure of themselves, they have self-esteem.
But on the other hand, many people criticize it.
One of the examples of what's bad about it is talking about games for example where
everyone wins, everyone gets a trophy, because if you wanna give the winners a trophy,
the other kids feel bad.
It does sound kind to give all the kids a trophy. Kids always wanna win things.
But on the other hand, it's doing nothing to prepare them for the world outside of school.
So I think nowadays the pendulum is swinging back the other way towards being
a little more strict with children and making sure they have a good solid basic skill set.



That's all for today.

Talk to you soon.

Monday, March 7, 2011
Hello, everybody. You're listening to 5 minute English.
Hi! I'm David Neale.
Let's practice English together.
And I'm Vicki Glass. 
Welcome to our program.
Let's build up your English muscles.
Are you ready? Here we go.
Let's read out loud.
One. Now listen.
 
All the apple pie is gone.
I didn't even get a piece.
I guess it's first come first served.
 
I'd like to book a flight to L.A.
This afternoon will be best.
Otherwise tomorrow is okay.
 
This letter was returned.
They stamped it addressee unknown.
Did you write the address incorrectly?

Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
Persistent efforts will never let you down.
たゆまぬ努力は決してあなたを裏切りません。
 
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Let's read out loud.
One. Now listen.
 
Hi! Jack.
How are things going?
Hmmm. You look quite busy.
Maybe I should come back later.
 
Hi! I'm calling about your flier.
The one about a lost gray kitten.
I think we may have found her.
 
Let me tell you my address.
You'll need a pen.
It's too long to remember.
 
Here's a message for you today.
Don't hesitate. Take action right now.
躊躇わずに、今すぐ行動しましょう。
 
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Let's read out loud.
One. Now listen.
 
I never miss this radio show.
It's an advice show.
People call in with their problems.
And the panel gives them advice.
The story can be quite interesting.
 
Where's my cash?
I put some money here on the table.
Now it's gone.
Who would have taken it?
Oops! Here it is.
In my pocket.
 
Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you.
This is no time to slack off. サボっている場合ではありません。
 
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Let's role play.
One. Now listen.
 
A: Can I have a glass of water?
B: Not coffee or tea or something?
A: No. It's time to take my medicine.
B: Then I guess water is best.
 
A: You'd better brush your teeth.
B: I did this morning.
A: But you just drank soda pop.
B: I drink soda pop all the time.
 
A: Where's my favorite umbrella?
B: I took it to the shoe repair shop.
A: What are you talking about?
B: It was broken. They fix umbrellas too.
 
Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
You'll get nowhere if you procrastinate. 先に延ばしていたらどうにもなりません。
 
Friday, March 11, 2011
Let's listen and answer.
One. Now listen.

Do we need this old encyclopedia?
I don't know. Maybe it'll come in handy.
A lot of information is available on the Internet.
But we've had it so long it's part of the decor.
 Q: What does the woman mean? - Books are part of the decoration.
Have you been playing in the vacant lot?
You know you're supposed to come straight home.
Finish your homework first. Then you can go out and play. 
 Q: Who is the woman talking to? - A child.
I forgot my cellphone. But I have to call Roy.
I think I know his number. But I'm not sure about the last digit.
Should I risk it? What if I get the wrong number?
That'll be pretty embarrassing. Oh, well. Here goes nothing.
 Q: What will the man do next? - Dial a number.
 
Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
Keep at it and there will be results. 頑張れば結果が出ます。

Saturday, March 12, 2011
Let's listen and answer.
Now listen.
 
This office building was once the tallest in the city.
The elevator goes up to the 64th floor.
I work on the 12th floor.
And here's an interesting fact about the building.
In the elevator the button above 12 is 14.
There's no button for a 13th floor.
Maybe the elevator skips over it.
No. That's not likely.
I guess there is no 13th floor.
Somebody were superstitious.
Either that or they were afraid that other people would be superstitious.
Maybe nobody would want to rent space on the 13th floor.
 Q1: What is the woman talking about? - The building she works in.
 Q2: What is missing? - A button for the 13th floor.
 Q3: What explanation does the woman suggest? - Superstition.
 
Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
Set an achievable goal and go for it. 実現可能な目標を設定してそれに向けて頑張りましょう。

Sunday, March 13, 2011
Let's listen and write.
One. Now listen.
 
He eats enough for three.
I don't see much of her these days.
I'm indebted to you for this.
The water's not flowing well.
Don't judge people by their looks.
 
Let's check. Let's try.
Here's a message for you today.
Be persistent in your efforts. ねばり強く努力を続けましょう。

「錨を上げよ 上」 百田尚樹
 
-------------------------------------
 
「錨を上げよ 上」 百田尚樹
 
  上巻
 
p20
 そんなわけだったから、ぼくに理解を示したくれた教師は一人もいなかった。一、二年を受け持ったヒステリックな中年の女教師は、最後の家庭訪問の時に「十五年教師をやってきましたが、こんな憎らしい子は初めてでした」と怨みのこもった捨てぜりふを残して帰って行った。入学早々、彼女が大便をきばっている時に、トイレの戸を開けて「ウンコたれババァ!」と大声で叫んだのをずっと根に持っていたのだ。ぼくにしてみれば、その前の授業中に、モスラの落書きをしていたノートをいきなり取り上げ破り捨てられた復讐のつもりだった。
 
p107
 (一家心中した)林田さんの死は、ぼくの中の何かを激しく揺さぶった。彼の死は、ぼくに人間というものの中に潜む謎を教えたのだ。この日の朝の林田さんのいつもと変わらぬ自然な態度がぼくの心に強い衝撃として残ったのもそれだった。つまり人間というやつは、いかに明るく振る舞っていようと、その心の奥にどれほどの苦悩と狂気が潜んでいるか、しょせん他人には計り知ることなどできないものだということを教えられたのだ。 
 
p158-159
それからうなぎの寝床のようなベッドに横になり、目が覚めたのは昼近くになってからだった。周りにはもう誰も居なかった。ベッドから出て服を入れてあったロッカーに行くと、鍵穴に鍵がささったままになっていた。寝る前には、しっかり鍵を掛けた後、付いていたゴムを手首に巻いた記憶があった。慌ててロッカーを開け、ジーパンを取り出してポケットを調べると、果たして金がなくなっていた。ベッドに戻ると枕元には鍵のゴムの切れっ端が落ちていた。それを見た途端、ぼくはその場にへなへなと座り込んだ。
 しかしいつまでもへたりこんでいるわけにはいかなかった。ぼくはカウント8で起きると、すぐ服を着てサウナを出た。
 
p161
 それにしても東京の初日に全財産をかっぱらわれるなど油断もいいところだった。どこかに東京を舐めているところがあったのかもしれなかった。しかし過ぎたことをぐずぐず悔やんでも仕方がないので、ベンチにごろりと横になった。するとすぐ眠くなってきた。旅に出て以来、気が向けばどこにでも寝るくせがついてしまっていたが、これは考えようによっては便利なものだった。それにぼくの場合、どんな面倒に巻き込まれていようと、目先にどんな厄介事が待っていようと、いざ眠ると決めたらどんなものにも邪魔されることはない。
 
p216
「お前みたいなロクデナシは学校辞めて働け!」
 父は本気で怒鳴った。もっともこの言葉にはそれほどショックを受けなかった。なぜならぼくにしても、あと二年も高校生活を続けることには心底うんざりしていたからだ。高校中退者にろくな職場が待っていないことはわかっていながら、それでも構わないと思った。どうせまともに卒業したところで、たいしたところには就職できないのだ。
 
p223
おそらく真に社会や人のために生きるといった人間になるには、恐ろしいまでに過酷な経験を積み、大いなる人間変革を試みて成功した人物でなければ無理だろう。ぬくぬくと何不自由ない暮らしをしてきた大学生や高校生などがそんな境地に達するはずもない。そんなものは大いなる錯覚かとんでもない偽物だ。
 
p301-302
 ともあれ、ぼくの人生は半ば決まりかけていた。こんなにも早く人生の芽を摘み取られていくような社会に対して怒りをぶつけた。しかしこれは理不尽な八つ当たりともいうべきもので、本来怒りをぶつけるべき相手は自分自身だったのだ。真面目にこつこつと努力することの大切さは、多くの教師や大人たちがずっとこのことを叫んでいたではないか。それらの言葉は何度もダ・カーポし、時には重唱で、また時には合唱で、そして時にはフーガやカノンで、反復し、拡大され、ぼくの耳元で鳴り響いていたはずのものだった。しかし愚かなぼくはそれをきちんと聞く能力がなかったのだ。ぼくだけではない、南方商業にやってきた多くの馬鹿たちも皆同じだ。
英語の構文、動詞の活用、関係代名詞、数学の二次方程式、三角関数、微分積分、世界四大文明の発祥の地、ヘレニズム文化、芸術と政治におけるルネサンスの影響、産業革命と社会変化、平安時代の王朝文学、封建社会の成立、引力と加速の法則、メンデレエフの元素周期律表、地殻とマグマの関係…その他数え切れないほどの多岐に渡る知識そのものにはたいした意味はなく、本当に大事なことは、ただそれらを真面目にやることにあったのだ。
 
p351
 ともあれ、こんな具合にぼくは新しい臨時職業(家庭教師)を手に入れた。夫人からはついに、学生証の提示も求められなければ、授業や教授などについても一切聞かれなかった。ただ、何科に進む予定かと訊かれたから、肛門科と答えておいた。夫人は少し眉を顰めて、思った通り肛門についての質問は一切してこなかった。大学に照会されることも心配していなかった。ばれたら馘になるだけと思っていたが、結局、彼女は問い合わせることはしなかったようだ。
 
p394-395
 二月の終わりに一通の合格通知が届いた。同志社大学の法学部からだった。立命館大学からはついに届かなかった。結局、滑り止めを四校受けて、一つしか通らなかったことになる。しかも皮肉なことに合格したのは最も授業料の高い大学だった。封筒の中には、入学金と前期授業料の払い込み用紙が入っていた。何日か以内に入学金を振り込まないと合格を無効にするということが脅しのように書かれてあったが、驚いたことにその日付けは、国立大学の発表直前になっていた。国立大学の発表が済んだ後では一部の者に逃げられてしまうことを怖れての処置であるのは明らかだった。何という汚い商売だと思った。私立の大学ではこういうことがあるとは聞いていたが、浅薄にもそんなことをする大学は三流四流のカス大学だけだろうと思っていたのだ。同志社大学といえば、新島襄が創設したというミッション系の大学で、同じミッション系の関学大とならんで関西在住の多くの財界人をOBに持つ名門大学として知られている…いうなれば関西財界人のアイビーリーグのようなものだ。それが手付金泥棒のような真似をするなどとは信じられなかった。それとも生命保険のシステムでも真似ているつもりなのか。金なら受験料でたっぷり稼いだはずではないのか。こんな悪どいやり口をどうして文部省が許しているのか不思議でならなかった。
 

「錨を上げよ 下」 百田尚樹
 
-------------------------------------
 
「錨を上げよ 下」 百田尚樹
 
  下巻
 
p64-65
地球上には四十億もの人間がいるが、そのうちの半分はいつも飢えていて、大勢の子供が大人にもなれずに死んでいく。また多くの人間は絶えず疫病と戦争の危機に脅かされている。翻って見るにこの国はどうだ。豊かで、平和で、安全と生活が約束されている。身体障害者には手厚い保障があるし、仕事のない者には生活保護がある。少なくともこの国においては喰うことへの闘争は終わりを告げたんだ。これはつまり、生き方の選択の自由を与えられているということだ。人間の長い歴史の中で、ごくわずかな人にのみ許された最高の特権を、現代の日本に生きるほとんどすべての人間が享受している。
 
p135-136
現代は…あくまで一九七八年の日本においては…「喰うことへの闘争が終わった」時代だ。さらに付け加えれば、戦争や徴兵による生命の危険も、思想やイデオロギーに対する弾圧も、また狂気の独裁者の圧政も、民族的迫害もない社会だ。今なお世界のいたるところにそうした不幸に苦しむ人々がいるなかで、この砂糖のように甘い幸福な社会のありようはどうだ…それがいつまで続くものかは別にして。 
 
p137
ただ、人が人生を渡るに、恋愛より優れた目的や動機としてどんなものを挙げうるというのか。もちろん人生において偉大な目的や動機というものはある。たとえば政治や科学や宗教といったものにすべてを捧げて生きる人たちがいる。また、天賦の才能を持ってが故に、スポーツや芸術の世界で大いなる使命を負わされた、戦いの人生を送る人たちがいる。あるいは才能や技術とは関わりなくとも、社会や人々の平和のために高い理想を掲げて生きている人たちがいる。これらは疑いもなく素晴らしい生き方だ。だがこうした生き方が、果たして普遍的なものと言えようか。そんな人たちは、ごく一部の、敢えて言うならば、選ばれた人たちだ。大多数の平凡な人々にとっては、人生とは日々のささやかな喜びと満足に支えられたものに過ぎない。
 
p267
「…そらあ現代の社会も甘くない。しかし俺に言わせたら、ちょっと事情が違うな。たとえば日本を例にとれば、こんな暮らし易い国はない。地球には四十億からの人間がおるが、半分以上は絶えず飢えと貧困に苦しめられている。それから戦争で死の恐怖に脅かされている人や、政治的弾圧で基本的な自由さえ奪われている人は幾らでもおる。一九八〇年代の今でもちょっと世界に目を向けたらこの調子や。少し前に遡ったら、それこそ不幸と災害と恐怖のオンパレードや。この国でも大東亜戦争で何百万も死んだし、ヨーロッパは今世紀に二回も滅茶苦茶にかき回されたし、アジアやアフリカのほとんどは植民地として蹂躙された。人類は、その誕生からずっと飢えと戦争と疫病と奴隷制で何千年も苦しめられてきたんや。そして今でも世界の半分はその恐怖の支配を受け取る。俺がこの国は住み易いと言うのは、こんなことを全部ひっくるめての話や」
 
p418
 しかしそういう連中の多くもコネ入社(テレビ局)だった。営業部なんかには一般企業の会社の社長や重役の息子がごろごろいた。なんでテレビ局はこんなにコネが多いのか、というぼくの疑問に柿本は明快に答えた。
「テレビCM一本が何十万もするんやで。ゴールデンの番組なんか一時間で一千万以上もする。大きな会社は一社で年間何億円ものCM料を局に払ってるんや。重役の息子を局に入れて給料一千万円払うくらい安いもんや」
 柿本は、東京のテレビ局や広告代理店だともっと顕著だと言った。「そんなところは、びっくりするくらいの有名企業のバカ息子が腐るほどおるわ」
 なるほどなと思った。世の中はうまいことできている。
 
p421-422
 何度も言うようにテレビ局というところくらい上流とエリートの匂いをぷんぷんさせているところはない。もしかしたらそれはそこで働く人間関係の構造が余計にそう思わせているのかもしれない。テレビ局には沢山の下請け業者が働いていた。大道具や小道具係、役者のメイク係、音声やカメラを受け持つ係、それに様々な制作会社やプロダクション関係の人間だ。制作会社にも大きいのもあれば弱小の孫請け業者的なものもあった。それらが二重三重の複雑な縦型構造を形作っていたのだ。
 
p447
「しかし現代ではまったく別なものが文化を内側から喰いつくそうとしている。それはテレビだ。それと下らない出版物の洪水。これこそ戦後の目覚ましい機械文明とマンモス的経済主義の繁栄が生んだ、文化と芸術の新しい敵だ。特にテレビは今やあらゆるものを喰いつくす怪物になってしまった。思想、教養、宗教、言語、伝統、家族、その他ありとあらゆる概念を呑み込もうとしている。手に負えないのはいっぱしの衣裳と仮面を着けていることだ。しかしそれは真っ赤なニセ物だ。そこには知性もなければ教養もない。あるのはただ貧弱な精神と、低級な娯楽性と、単純なマンネリズムだ。そして俺はその仕事を手伝っているのだ!」
 
p448
「今、この国では、文化は死に絶えようとしている。映画はすでに死んだ。もう女と子供相手にしか作られない。そして文学もほとんど瀕死の状態だ。それらを死へと追いやっているすべての元凶はテレビだ。これらが文化の住む神聖な領域に割り込み、今やその世界を支配してしまった」
 
p449-450
「たとえば現代の日本の教育制度を見てみよう。子供たちの九十五パーセントは高校へ行く。そこでのカリキュラムは本当に凄いものだ。メンデレエフの周期律、ニュートン物理学、ファラデーの法則、細胞分裂、遺伝の法則、光合成、微分積分、確率論、三角関数、ヘレニズム文明の辿った道、ゲルマン民族の大移動のヨーロッパにおける影響、ルネサンスの歴史的意義、産業革命後の世界の経済、中国王朝の興隆と農民反乱との関係、中央アジアの民族の歴史、日本の江戸時代における政治体制と封建主義、まだあるぞ、英文法に和文英訳、日本文学史、古文法四段活用、漢文の五言絶句七言律詩…こんなものはほんの一部だ。どうだ、まさに呆れるほどの幅広い知識じゃないか。これは一つの驚異だ。十九世紀のパリ大学や、ケンブリッジ大学やベルリン大学でも、およそこうしたオールマイティなインテリを生み出す教育としては、今日の日本の高校教育の足元にも及ばないだろう。これらのカリキュラムをこなした学生はファウスト博士とも対等以上に渡り合えるほどだ。しかし今日の社会を見てどうだ。街に、通りに、天才が溢れているか。人々は重い書物を抱えて唸っているか。喫茶店で話している若者たちの話題は、人生の深い心理についてのものか」
 
p545-546
今もぼくの脳裏に鮮明に残っているものの一つにこういう光景がある。それは二人の幼い兄妹が人通りの多い市場の前で乞食をしている光景だった。兄の方は両手がなく、妹の方は盲目だった。そして通行人が投げてよこした小銭を兄が舌で拾っていた。

 
 
Business Communication in Action 実践ビジネス英語

Hello, everybody.こんにちは。みなさん。

Hello and welcome to the show. This is Chris Matsushita. Let's take a look at conversation at work.
こんにちは。番組にようこそ。クリス松下です。実践的な会話を見てみましょう。
 
Gen Y's Grim Reality  (3)
 
Goto wonders if moving back in with one's parents is necessarily a bad thing. 
Kim says it depends on the attitude of the person.
Goto says she thinks it can be good for different generations to live together.
She loved her grandmother's stories.
Hughes agrees as long as everyone involved is happy.
 
 
Hughes uses the word "slump" to talk about the condition of the economy.
A slump is a sudden falling off, a kind of a decline.
It's a word used in baseball when one of the players is not performing up to his usual standard. 
Originally the word meant fall or sink into a muddy place.
So she can kind of keep that image in your mind.
A muddy place is unpleasant and hard to get out of.
 
Hughes talks about the slump having blown a big hole in retirees' retirement plans.
When you blow a big hole in something you mar it or damage it.
You could say you've made it weaker.
You probably haven't completely destroyed it.
But it does need to be reworked and rethought.
 
Goto talks about swallowing one's pride.
When you swallow your pride, you back off from something that you are proud of
,because it's either not true or you can't handle it.
You can't do what you thought you were good at.
 
A couple of somewhat similar phrases are eat crow.
When you've been proved wrong, you might have to eat crow.
It's similar to swallowing your pride.
I think you eat crow, because apparently crows taste really really bad.
Another one is to eat your own words, which means you said something that turns out not
to be true or correct or good. 
So you have to take back or eat your own words.
 
Goto uses the phrase silver lining which refers back to a proverb:
Every cloud has a silver lining.
I think probably most English speakers know this proverb.
It means that even bad things hide or have something good within them.
The idea seems to have come from a poem in the 17th century by John Milton.
 
When you return to the nest, you go home.
Birds and nests are often used as sort of a metaphor for your home.
It's warm. It's close. It's filled with people you like.
 
empty nest /  empty nester / empty nest syndrome
 
When you fall back on someone or something in English, you have recourse
to that personal thing, when you need help and support.
The kind of thing you fall back on is usually something familiar.
You can say you fall back on the familiar thing when all of your other plans fail. 
 
So it does sound like sort of a disappointment.
But at least there's something familiar you can rely on.
 
Fall back position あることがうまく行かなかったときに次に頼ることが出来る策
 
Paternal is an adjective that refers to your father or your father's family.
Maternal is the other one if you wanna talk about your mother or your mother's family.
 
Hughes talks about some of his friends spending their golden years:
cooped up with other old people.
Golden years usually refers to retirement in English if there's no other context.
Everyone would understand you're talking about retirement.
You can use the phrase in other contexts as long as it's very clear you don't mean
retirement years.
Sometimes golden years is used to mean the best years. 
 
He also talks about being cooped up with a bunch of other old people.
To be cooped up with someone means you're living in close proximity and maybe it's a little 
too close.
You're kind of stuck together in one place. 
A coop is a kind of bird house. And lots of bird houses are quite crowded.
 
 
 
That's all for today.
 
So long for now.

 
 
Business Communication in Action 実践ビジネス英語

Hello, everybody.こんにちは。みなさん。

Hello and welcome to the show. This is Chris Matsushita. Let's take a look at conversation at work.
こんにちは。番組にようこそ。クリス松下です。実践的な会話を見てみましょう。
 
Gen Y's Grim Reality  (2)
 
Wakimoto observes that times are hard for the Millennial generation.
Kim agrees saying they're the first generation whose prospects are not as good as they were
for the preceding generation.
Her friends are having trouble getting jobs and still have student loans to pay back.
 
 
Kim uses the phrase less rosy to talk about the prospects for her generation and people
around her age.
Rosy is an adjective that's often used to describe something as being optimistic or happy
or cheerful.
Rose or rosy is used in lots of phrases with similar meanings.
You could say someone sees the world through rose-colored glasses.
That means they don't see the bad parts. They only see the good parts.
They're maybe a little too optimistic.
But you can also talk about life or some situation being a bed or roses,
which means it's very nice and luxurious.
You can also talk about being in a rose garden.
It's another similar phrase that means everything is nice.
You can also talk about your plan's coming up roses,
which is yet another way to say everything is great.
 
Kim talks about going head-to-head with other generations.
When you go head-to-head, you're in direct competition.
There are similar phrases.
You could say you go toe-to-toe. Or one-on-one.
Or you could every say, "mano a mano."
 
Kim also talks about the economic pie getting smaller.
This is a way to think about the economy or economics.
There's one set finite amount.
And the way it get shared out is through conflict and competition 
among the people who want to share that finite pie.
 
And when you talk about economic pie, it really does focus on the idea that there's
a finite amount.
It's not growing or changing.
 
Yeah, this is a very common pattern.
It's referring to seniority usually when there's layoffs.
The more seniority you have, the more protection you have against being laid off.
You could say, "last in, first out."
 
Hughes uses the idiom: "the deck is stacked against somebody or something."
This refers to back to cards or playing cards.
And the fact that if you place the cards correctly in the deck, if you stack the deck in the way
that gives you an unfair advantage, it's easier to win.
So if the deck is stacked against you, somebody is taking advantage of you and you have a
harder time doing what you want or getting what you want.
 
A come-down is a loss of position especially but also wealth.
And wealth does give you some position. So you could sort of say it's the same thing.
 
Another phrase is climb-down. But a climb-down, a person does themselves.
A climb-down is a kind of retreat from an earlier or better position.
So in an argument perhaps you'd have to climb down from something you said that
maybe just wouldn't hold.
 
 
That's all for today.
 
Goodbye.

 
 
Business Communication in Action 実践ビジネス英語

Hello, everybody.こんにちは。みなさん。

Hello and welcome to the show. This is Chris Matsushita. Let's take a look at conversation at work.
こんにちは。番組にようこそ。クリス松下です。実践的な会話を見てみましょう。
 
Gen Y's Grim Reality  (1)
 
Kim says many of her former classmates are living in multigenerational households.
Wakimoto adds that he's noticed the trend too.
Hughes is surprised calling in to a fairly fundamental shift in social norms.  
Goto comments that it's probably not due only to economics.
 
 
"Under the safe room" is a phrase you can use to mean together
usually when people are living together.
 
I think it's interesting that Wakimoto describes the nuclear family as traditional.
I think it's only modern times that nuclear families have been the main trend. 
So I guess it's been enough now to call it a traditional way to live.
But a nuclear family is a family with parents and children.
And if you're comparing it to other forms of families, you might describe a family
with various generations living together as a traditional family, because I think in human history
generations living together was probably more common than nuclear families.
You can also call traditional or multigenerational families extended families.
 
The White House probably everybody knows is the house of the President in the United States.
The stress changes a little bit when you're talking about something specific like this.
The phrase is stressed on the first word, "the WHITE house"
,which means it's a specific house that everybody knows.
But the stress and the intonation is slightly different if you're just talking about a house
that happens to be white.
It's the white HOUSE.
 
Wakimoto also mentions the First Family.
This refers to the President and his family.
I think it's because the President is considered the first citizen of the United States.
His wife is usually called the First Lady. 
Sometimes the phrase is used a little bit humorously, for example.
You could call the President's dog the First Dog.
There's another way to refer to the President and the First Lady.
POTUS - [poutus] means President of the United States.
And FLOTUS is First Lady of the United States.
 
Wakimoto mentions 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
In the U.S., everyone knows that's the address of the White House
whether you've been to Washington D.C. or not.
 
Number 10 Downing Street.
 
cf.
10 Downing Street in London, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as “Number 10”,
is the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury of the United Kingdom. Situated on Downing Street in the City of Westminster,
it is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the residence of
the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister.
 
Also another address that many many people know although it's probably not quite as famous as
the political addresses is 221b Baker Street. 
And that's the address of Sherlock Holmes in the novels by Arthur Conan Doyle.
 
Something you describe as "here to stay" is permanent.
 
A foreclosure is an act where the bank takes over your property if you can't pay back your loan.
It looks like the prefix is FORE which usually means before.
But that's just sort of an historical accident.
Foreclosure is similar to exclude or close out.
So the person who had the loan is closed out from their home.
 
 
 
That's all for today.
 
Thanks for joining us.

何の法的問題も起こしてない息子を、わざわざ「補導」してくださった、曽於市警察署ですが、
考えてみれば、すぐ近くの志布志市で以下のような事件がありました。
こうゆうことは放っておくと、風化していくので、ここできちんと取りあげることにします。
そして、この記事を読んだ方も是非、覚えておいていただきたいです。
 
以下、南日本新聞のホームページより http://373news.com/_kikaku/shibushi/index.php 
 
 志布志・県議選事件 2003年の鹿児島県議選曽於郡区に立候補した中山信一さん(62)の選挙運動をめぐり、4回の買収会合で現金を授受したとして、中山さんら志布志市の住民13人が公選法違反罪で起訴された。捜査段階で6人が自白したが、公判で全員が否認。検察側の証拠は自白調書のみで物証はなく、弁護側は違法な取り調べが虚偽自白を招いたとして争い、取調官の尋問などに長期審理が費やされた。鹿児島地裁は07年2月23日、中山さんのアリバイ成立を認定し、「買収会合はなかった」として、公判中に亡くなった1人を除く12人全員に無罪を言い渡し、確定した。
 
 「踏み字」事件  志布志市のホテル経営川畑幸夫さん(62)が、2003年4月の県議選で中山信一さん(62)への投票依頼のため、対立候補派の建設業者にビールを配ったとして、浜田隆広被告(45)=当時鹿児島県警警部補=から、志布志署で任意の取り調べを受けた際、親族の名前を書いた紙を無理やり踏まされ、自白を強要された。川畑さんは同容疑で立件されなかったが、この取り調べは、中山さんをめぐる現金買収事件の発端となった。川畑さんは精神的苦痛を受けたとして、県を相手に鹿児島地裁に国家賠償請求訴訟を起こし、07年1月18日、勝訴した。

 
志布志事件国賠訴訟 鹿児島県は捜査記録提出に応じず
(2010-12-02)
 志布志・県議選事件で無罪が確定した志布志市民らが起こした国家賠償請求訴訟は1日、鹿児島地裁(牧賢二裁判長)で進行協議があった。地裁が国と県に捜査記録の任意提出を促した文書送付嘱託について、県は「捜査会議議事録は作っていない。備忘録、メモもない」として提出できないと回答した。
 弁護団によると、県は「指揮うかがいはプライバシーや捜査に重大な支障がある。備忘録、メモは取調官個人の物で保管していない」と答えた。国は来年2月4日の進行協議までに提出の有無を判断する見通し。
 同訴訟とは別に住民7人が県に損害賠償を求めた訴訟の進行協議もあり、県警の取調官8人と原告7人の尋問、関係者1人を証人尋問する方向で協議した。
 

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