ビジネス英語ディクテーション

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2015年08月

 
Welcometo business communication in simple English.
 
Yes. Our theme is business communication around the world.
 
Hi, everyone. I'm Hanna Grace.
 
This month's theme is getting ready for questions about Japan.
 
Let's listen to today's business scene first.
 
Okay, let's practice.
 
Great job, everyone.
 
Yes. Let's discuss some tips for interacting in a business environment.
 
I think there is a difference.
For instance, when I worked in the Japanese restaurant in America.
For the American customers, I was much more careful to show friendliness 
and have a bit of personal connection.
For example, I would introduce myself by name and make small talk with 
the customers.
But with the Japanese customers, I focused more on respect and good service.
 
Oh. That's a big difference, isn't it?
 
Yes.
 
 
We hope you find the chance to use these phrases useful soon.
 
And we'll see you next time. Bye.

 
 
Business Communication in Action  実践ビジネス英語 
Hello everyone.   こんにちは。みなさん。
 
Hello and welcome to the show.
This is Heather Howard.
Let'stake a look at conversation at work.
 
Recovering Job Market (6)
 
Talk the talk
 
S: Now our current vignette talks about the recovering job market 
and how conditions are much better now for people looking for work.
Tell us about your job history over the years, Heather?
 
H: My adult job history has been all been in Japan, actually. 
I came here right after graduation on a government program that dispatches 
foreigners to wok in Japanese schools teaching English, or to government 
offices to assist with various English-related tasks. 
I was in the latter group; I was assigned to a city hall. 
I worked there for about eight months, helping communicate with
their many sister cities, among other things. 
After that, I worked at an investor relations company as a translator, 
again for about eight or nine months. 
Then I joined my newspaper, where I've been ever since.
 
S: So both your first jobs only lasted about three quarters of a year?
Why was that?
 
H: Well, with the first job, I had decided to stay just a year.
I wanted to get a job in the business world.
However the program I was in required you to decide well in advance 
whether or not you were gonna stay another year.
I don't remember exactly. But it was several months in advance at least.
The problem was, companies are not going to wait at least several months 
for a new hire to start working. They want you within a month, tops. 
So when I was offered my second job as a translator, I asked my supervisors 
at the city hall if I could be released early from the program. 
I will always be grateful for their generosity and understanding - 
they said yes right away and never made a single complaint.
 
S: That was good of them. So what happened with the second job?
 
H: I think it was a bit of youthful impetuosity there.
Other employees had told me that it was customary to get a raise 
after working through one's first busy season at the company.
For whatever reason, I wasn't offered one.
So I got miffed and started looking through the want ads.
I found an add there from the current company, went in for an interview 
and the rest was history.
I wouldn't make such an impulsive decision these days.
But when you're in your early 20s, you know, footloose and fancy free.
 
S: And you've been at your current company  for 21 years now. Wow!
 
H: Yes. It's hard to believe sometimes.
Though I feel like I've worked at several different companies 
while I've been there.
I've worked at the English paper, in the company's online section, 
and on television.
So it hasn't been all the same thing for 21 years.
 
S: The vignette also talks about the qualities managers are looking 
for when they hire people.
What would you look for if you were taking on new staff, Heather?
 
H: I'd focus on whether the person is a team player. 
That may sound cliché, but it's so important to t he overall atmosphere 
of an office. 
I've had to deal with people in the past who were so convinced they were right, 
they just barreled over everybody. 
They didn't discuss, they pronounced. 
And if you dared to disagree with them or contradict them, 
oh, you were just the biggest idiot they'd ever met. 
Even if you are right, you can't behave that way. 
You have to be considerate of other people's feelings, 
you have to find a way to literally work together.
 
 
That'sall for today.
 
See younext time. Bye, bye.

 
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'stake a look at conversation at work.
 
Recovering Job Market (5)
 
Breakstone says job hopping used to be frowned on. 
But employers now focus on employees' skills instead of the number of 
places they've worked.
Pearson agrees saying companies realize the economic downturn forced 
people to relocate and readjust.
Lyons says more people put themselves ahead of the company these days.
And Umemura recommends staying in a job for at least three years.
 
 
Job hopping: Moving quickly and casually from job to job.  
Changing jobs quickly and casually.
We also say, "bar hopping" which is going around to lots of different bars 
in one night.
Me, personally, I'm too old to go bar hopping anymore. 
Haven't got the strength from more than one.
 
Frown on:
 
Damaging to someone's career: If something is damaging, it will cause damage, 
it will hinder or harm something.
And this can be physical damage as well. 
Too much sun is damaging to our skin and hair.
Or, too much sugar is damaging to our health.
 
Stigma attached to: Stigma is a sense of public disgrace or shame associated 
with something.
As if someone or something has been marked with a badge of shame.
You hear about stigma often attached to poverty, for example.
Or, the stigma attached to mental illness.
Both of which are, of course, unfair or wrong.
 
Post-Great Recession economic climate:
 
Relocate and readjust because of the economic downturn:
Around the middle, Paul Pearson says, "Many workers had to relocate and 
readjust because of the economic downturn."
 
Be inclined to:
 
Black mark: This is a negative piece of information or something that counts 
against us.
A mark of criticism or failure.
For example, he's had a black mark next to his name ever since that huge 
argument with the boss.
 
Move from job to job:
 
Feel less compunction about:
 
Pull up stakes and move on: With "pull up stakes," the image is pulling tent
stakes out of the ground and going somewhere else.
So we use it about significant changes of environment like a new or going to 
a new location.
For example, he was tired of the East Coast so he pulled up stakes and moved 
to California.
 
Perseverance: "Perseverance" is to keep trying, keep working at something, 
not give up.
This is the noun. The verb is "persevere."
As in: Math was hard for him but he persevered and passed the class.
Or, she persevered and finally got her boss to accept her proposal.
 
Well aware: In the middle, Pearson says, "The people who do the hiring are 
well aware that people had to relocate and readjust."
So they know well, they're very familiar with it.
I'm well aware that I talk a lot, for example.
Or, she is well aware she needs to be more punctual.
 
Put one's interest ahead of the company's: Lyons says about two-thirds of 
the way down,"More people are putting their interests ahead of 
the company's lately."
They're giving their own concerns, priority over the company's. 
They're treating those concerns as more important.
You can also say things like: John puts his family ahead of everything else.
So, nothing is more important than his family. His family is his top priority.
 
More scope for career advancement: Lyons goes on to say, 
"people will move on if they feel there is more scope for career advancement 
somewhere else."
More opportunity, more room.
So you can say things like: he has more scope for his creativity here. 
We let him work more freely.
 
 
That's all for today.
 
See you next time. Bye, bye.

 
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'stake a look at conversation at work.
 
Recovering Job Market (4)
 
Lyons says he always emphasizes to his staff that style is important 
when making a presentation as even the best contest will be wasted 
if it is not conveyed effectively.
Breakstone adds that knowing when to speak up is important and 
that shy people will not do well.
Umemura says he doesn't have that kind of confidence.
But Collins says he has improved greatly since joining M & B.
 
 
Pitch:
 
Convey one's message effectively:
 
Name of the game: The most important element, the most important thing.
For example, Practice is the name of the game in learning a foreign language.
Or, brevity is the name of the game in good writing
 
When and how to speak up: To speak up is to express your opinion, 
opposition to make it heard.
As in: You've got to speak up if you want a raise.
Or, is everyone okay with the new marketing strategy?
If you have concerns, now is the time to speak up.
 
As they say:
 
A wallflower and a shrinking violet: A wallflower originally referred to 
a woman sitting by a wall at a party because she had no one to dance with.
Now it means someone who doesn't join in the activity of an event 
who hangs on the sidelines.
Or a shy, reserved person in general.
You could say, Jenny is a bit of a wallflower. 
She hardly ever talks to anyone in the office.
A shrinking violet is a shy, timid person.
This uses the image of a violet which is a small purple flower.
 
Don't be too hard on yourself: Don't criticize yourself too severely. 
Judge yourself too harshly.

Things like: Don't be too hard on yourself. You just started this job.
And we say, "be too hard on others" as well.

For example, she's been too hard on Kevin. That mistake wasn't all his fault.
 
Self-assertive:
 
Agreed: At the end of the last vignette, Pearson said, 
"Good presentation skills were essential in business world."
And at the beginning of today's, Lyons says, "Agreed."
He means "I agree with your opinion."
So if you said, "We need to talk to him about being late so often."
I could answer, "Agreed. This is unacceptable behavior."
And agreed can also mean like "I agree with this arrangement."
So if a client said, "Right. So you'll design our logo by next month for$1000."
You could answer, "Agreed. I'll send you the data by the first of the month. "
 
Understood
 
Style counts: Lyons says, "One thing I always stress to the members of 
my team is that when you're making a presentation, style counts."
Style is important, it makes a difference, it affects the quality of something.
Such as: Confidence counts in a job interview.
Or, spelling and grammar really count in a report.
 
Your vote counts.
 
Be seen to: In the middle, Breakstone says, 
"If you bring something to the table,you should make sure that 
you are seen to do so."
Make sure your actions, your efforts are visible, noticed by others.
And this can be bad as well as good.
Like, she was seen to be taking office supplies.
 
Come naturally: Two-thirds of the way down, Umemura says, 
"That sense of confidence doesn't come naturally to me."
If something comes natural, it is natural, and easy for someone.
Like,negotiating comes naturally to Carl. 
Or making friends comes naturally to Cameron.
And we say the opposite, like math doesn't come naturally to me.
Or, writing doesn't come naturally to her.
It means difficult for her.
 
Get back to: Down at the bottom, Umemura says, 
"But getting back to the changing job market." 
And he means "return to some subject or task that was being dealt with earlier."
Like,getting back to the new product we talked about last week.
Or, let's get back that next week.
 
 
That's all for today.
 
See you next time. Bye, bye.

 
Welcome to business communication in simple English.
 
Yes. Our theme is business communication around the world.
 
Hi, everyone. I'm Hanna Grace.
 
This month, we're talking about building relationships in a cross cultural
workplace.
 
Let's listen to today's business scene first.
 
Okay,let's practice.
 
Good job,  everyone.
 
Yes. Let's discuss some tips for interacting in a business environment.
 
Well, actually in Kentucky where I am from, we expect the cashier 
at the supermarket, for instance,  to have a conversation with us.
They even share personal details about their lives and they ask us 
about ours as if knew each other.
And this feels friendly to most Americans, I think.
Um. I think it's quite different from the more formal politeness 
of the Japanese service.
 
 
We hope you learned a lot in today's program.
 
And we'll see you next time. Bye.

 
Welcome to business communication in simple English.
 
Yes. Our theme is business communication around the world.
 
Hi, everyone. I'm Hanna Grace.
 
This month, we're learning how to build relationships in a cross cultural workplace.
 
Let's listen to today's business scene first.
 
Okay,let's practice.
 
Great job, everyone.
 
Yes. Let's discuss some tips for interacting in a business environment.
 
Oh, I think that's really challenging because you have to put aside your ego 
and become humble. 
That really requires a special kind of personal strength. 
And if you feel upset by what you hear, just politely say, 
"Than you for your thoughts" rather than getting defensive 
and trying to defend your point.
 
Thank you for your thoughts. That's a way...good way.
 
 
Thank you so much for studying English with us.
 
And we'll see you next time. Bye.

 
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'stake a look at conversation at work.
 
Recovering Job Market (3)
 
 
The CEO Pearson read about defines learning agility as a candidate's curiosity:
readiness to grow and learn and their ability to think outside the norm.
The CEO said it was important to ascertain how a person thinks, 
their approach to leadership and how well they work under pressure.
Breakstone looks for how a candidate presents themselves 
and how effectively do they speak.
 
 
Innate:
 
Sense of curiosity:
 
Tall order: A goal that's difficult to fulfill, to achieve.
Things like: Finishing by next  week is quite a tall order.
Or, finding someone to do this much overtime is a tall order.
 
Not quite: It doesn't go that far, in other words.
Imagine someone asked, "Did Mary get fired?"
You might answer, "Not quite. But she's on probation for six months."
We also say things like: "This report is not quite good enough. 
The language needs to be polished."
 
Make a decision under pressure: Decide while experiencing pressure 
of some kind, while facing pressure.
You can also say things like: "We had an early deadline today. 
But everyone stayed calm under pressure."
 
Gauge:
 
Present oneself: "Present oneself" refers to "how we depict ourselves", 
"how we submit ourselves for consideration." 
This covers things like our clothes, our hair, our manner of speaking, 
what we say.
My first job in high school was at an ice cream parlor. 
So I wore a bright red dress to the interview 
to present myself as a cheerful, energetic person.
 
At the top of someone's list: This is number one. 
The top in some list of things that we want to do that we consider important 
that we like. 
So wide range of things it can apply to. 
We also say, "top someone's list." 
Like, the Colosseum tops my list of things to see in Rome.
 
Look professional and presentable:
 
Negative: Here "negative" is a noun, meaning a feature that isn't considered
positive, that's undesirable.
For example, the biggest negative about that job is the hours. 
There's so much overtime.
Or, the location is the biggest negative about that venue. It's hard to get to.
 
Inarticulate: Can't speak clearly or effectively. 
Doesn't express oneself well at all. 
And I think, for me, this word "inarticulate" feels very strong. 
So I often say, "not very articulate" in a lot of situations. 
Soften it a little bit. 
Things like: Her speech was not very articulate. 
People looked confused at times.
 
Polished:Here "polished" means "refined." The flaws have been removed. 
Things like: Her speech wasn't very polished. 
She kept looking through her notes and saying "um" a lot.
Or, to use the verb. I wanna polish the language in the sales pitch a little more.
 
Walk on water: Up at the top, Collins says, 
"Do these job candidates have to be able to walk on water too?"
And this is a reference to Jesus literally walking on top of water in the Bible.
And she means, "do they have to perform miracles too?"
We also say, "walk on air" which means a person is very happy, 
elated like they're floating in the air.
You could say, "Sarah has been walking on air since she got that promotion.
 
 
That's all for today.
 
See you next time. Bye, bye.

 
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'stake a look at conversation at work.
 
Recovering Job Market (2)
 
 
Breakstone describes passive candidates as people in stable jobs with 
good track records who are not actively looking to change companies.
According to a headhunter friend of hers, they're called the prize ponies 
of the job market.
Lyons asks what skills and qualities are most valued by potential employers.
And Pearson quotes an executive search company CEO as looking particularly 
for  learning agility.
 
 
Rack up:
 
Highly valued employee: Considered very valuable, regarded highly.
The verb"value" can also mean "assign a monetary value to."
So you could say, "Company X will acquire Company Z in a deal valued 
at $10 billion."
Or, that painting valued $10 million. 
 
That's for sure: Lyons says, "I imagine they present quite a challenge for
headhunters."
And Breakstone replies, "That's for sure."
 
Prize: This adjective refers to things that we consider especially valuable. 
That we're especially proud of their very high quality.
It's extremely common to hear the expression, "prized possession."
That car is his prized possession. He just considers it very valuable. 
He loves it etc.
 
Pony: Prize ponies uses the image of race horses who win a lot. 
So they're very valuable. Everybody wants then.
 
Executive search company: This is a headhunting company that finds candidates 
for executive-level positions.
And "executive" can be shorten to "exec" too.
Such as: We're meeting with their marketing exec today over lunch.
 
Criterion: plural criteria
 
In someone's book: In someone's opinion, in other words.
But there's a nuance here of according to their beliefs, their personal principles.
Like, for me, I could say, "Staying at a luxury hotel is a waste of money 
in my book. All you do is sleep there."
 
Learning agility: Here, "agility" is talking about the ability to think quickly, 
to think in an intelligent way.
But "agility" and "agile" can also refer to physical movement.
Such as: he's the top player on the team because he's so agile.
 
Performance record: At the beginning, Breakstone says, "passive candidates 
are people with solid, stable positions who have racked up an impressive 
performance record."
Their performance record is the history of how they've done, 
what they have or haven't achieved.
Things like: Her performance record is especially strong in acquiring new clients.
Or,Company X has a terrible performance record with laser printers.
 
Present quite a challenge: About a third of the way down, Lyons says, 
"I imagine they present quite a challenge for headhunters."
You could also say, "they pose quite a challenge." 
They give someone a challenge. For someone it's difficult to get or achieve.
Such as: The client's demands present quite a challenge. 
I don't think we can finish in time.
Or, the company's order to cut expenses poses a real challenge. 
We're already operating on a shoestring.
 
All the more: Breakstone says, "the fact that these employees love their work 
makes them all the more attractive as candidates for recruitment."
We use"all the more" when X makes Y greater in some way.
You could also say, "that much more."
Such as: Jane's experience makes her all the more attractive to recruiters.
Or, Jane's experience makes her that much more to recruiters.
 
 
That's all for today.
 
See you next time. Bye, bye.

 
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 isH eather Howard.
Let'stake a look at conversation at work.
 
Recovering Job Market (1)
 
Umemura mentions recent reports that job market is improving.
And Breakstone confirms that H & B is hiring again.
She says companies are competing more actively to secure talented employees 
in a seller's market and that H & B is going all-out to track good staff
including using headhunters and offering sign-on bonuses.
Companies particularly want the people known as passive candidates, 
she says.
 
 
Things are looking up: The situation is getting better, improving.
Such as: Things are looking up for the manufacturing industry thanks to 
the lower prices for raw materials.
Or,things are looking up for Sarah. She finally found a new job.
 
What do you make of…?: What is your opinion of something?
In the sense of "What do you think it means? How do you interpret it?"
Things like: What do you make of this sales drop? 
Are customers getting tired of our products?
Or, Tom's been very quiet lately. What do you make of that?
Is he upset about something?
 
Talented: Up towards the top, Kay Breakstone says, 
"Competition among companies to attract talented people has become 
much more intense."
 
Cut payrolls to save money: "Payroll" can refer to two things.
The total amount of money a company pays to its employees 
or the number of paid employees it has.
And sometimes these two things overlap. Other times it's one or the other. 
It depends on the situation.
You hear things like: Company X couldn't make payroll last month.
That means it couldn't secure enough money to fully pay all its employees' 
salaries.
 
Seller's market: Around the middle, Kay Breakstone says, 
"It's a seller's market for people with the right skill sets."
There's more demand than supply in a seller's market.
So you get higher prices and better  terms for sellers.
If it's a seller's market in a housing industry, right, then more people want 
to buy houses than are available, so the sellers can ask high prices and such.
 
Buyer's market 買い手市場
 
Skill set:
 
Back on a growth track: About two-thirds of the way down, 
Breakstone says, "Now that the economy is back on a growth track, 
we're making an all-out effort to attract top-notch talent."
So they're back on the course, the path that leads to growth.
You can also say, "Back on a recovery track."
Our sales are back on a recovering track thank goodness.
 
Make an a all-out effort to: 
 
Top-notch:A notch is a small cut or indentation often made as a record 
or a mark of something.
So top-notch means excellent, very high quality.
For example, she is a top-notch public speaker.
Her presentations are always fascinating.
 
Headhunter:
 
Entice:
 
High performer: A high performer is someone or something that performs 
very well,produces excellent results.
The opposite expression would be low performer.
Such as:Tablet computers and printers were our low performers last year. 
Their sales were down 10 percent.
 
Focus on:
 
Talent: About two-thirds of the way down, Breakstone says, 
"we're making an all-out effort to attract top-notch talent."
That she means talented people, skilled people.
Earlier on, she used the word "talented" the adjective. This is the noun.

And just as a usage note,
We don't say, "talent" in English to mean someone 

who appears on TV and such.
In that case, we'd say, "A TV personality or radio personality."
 
 
That's all for today.
 
See you next time. Bye, bye.

 
Welcome to business communication in simple English.
 
Yes. Our theme is business communication around the world.
 
Hi, everyone. I'm Hanna Grace.
 
This month, we're talking about building relationships 
in a cross cultural workplace.
 
Let's listen to today's business scene first.
 
Okay, let's practice.
 
Yes. Let's discuss some tips for interacting in a business environment.
 
Hmm. Well, when I'm offering a solution to a problem, I often say,
"Well, here's a choice, or here's an option."
When presenting an idea as a choice or an option, you can acknowledge 
that there are maybe many ways to do something. And this is just one of them.
So when looking for a solution, no choices are bad. Just not always useful 
at this time.
So when you present advice this way, you give the choice in charge freedom 
to choose the best idea without pressure to follow your idea specifically.
 
 
We hope you learned a lot with us today.
 
And we'll see you next time. Bye.

「生きさせろ!」雨宮処凛
 
「ウェブはバカと暇人のもの」中川淳一郎 
 
*******************************
 
「生きさせろ!」雨宮処凛…すごい。
 
P7 はじめに
 我々は反撃を開始する。
 若者を低賃金で使い捨て、それによって利益を上げながら若者をバッシングするすべての者に対して。
 我々は反撃を開始する。
「自己責任」の名のもとに人々を追いつめる言説に対して。
 我々は反撃を開始する。
 経済至上主義、市場原理主義のもと、自己に投資し、能力開発し、熾烈な生存競争に勝ち抜いて勝ち抜いて勝ち抜いて、やっと「生き残る」程度の自由しか与えられていないことに対して。
 
P11 …働くことと直接関係ない形でも、この国を覆う空気は若者をつねに追いつめている。巷にあふれる「自己責任」という言葉が蝕む若者の心。自らの能力を高め、人を極限まで蹴落とし、競争の果てに大金を得るのも自己責任。競争に負けて困窮し、ホームレスに転落して餓死するのも自己責任。社会を覆いつくすそんな空気を若者たちは言語化できないまま、肌で日々感じとっている。
 だからこそ、私のもとには中高生からも悲鳴のような声がよせられる。「どうしてかわからないけど生きづらくて仕方ない」「こんな世の中で生きていたくない」。圧力というよりも、それはもはや暴力だ。彼らはその言葉を内面化し、「能力のない」自らを責める。怒りの刃を自分に向ける。そこにお茶の間レベルの自己責任論が拍車をかける。
 
P21 弟の枕元にあった五個の目覚まし時計を思い出すたびに、なぜ、ただ「普通に働いて生きていく」ことがこんなにも困難になってしまったのか、背筋がぞっとする思いがする。何か分不相応な夢でも見ているとか、ものすごい高給だったりするならまだわかる。だけどただ、弟は「普通に就職すること」を望んだだけだ。
 
P23 そんな状況に憤るデモ隊を、機動隊が囲み、暴力的に排除しようとする。もちろん、申請をし、許可をとっているデモだ。しかし、機動隊と警察官がぎっしりとデモ隊の両側を埋め、参加者に突然体当たりしては、わざとデモ隊を混乱に陥れる。混乱のなか、三人が逮捕された。もちろんデモ隊の人たちが暴れていたわけでも暴力を振るったわけでもない。ただ当たり前の生存権を主張しただけでいまの日本では逮捕される。
 
…イラクでは当たり前に生きさせろと叫ぶことで最悪射殺され、日本では同じ要求をすると逮捕される。そんな日本は「平和」なはずで、しかし、今日も多くの人がホームレスに転落し、どれほど働いても貧困から抜け出すことのできない若者がため息をついている。いまの日本では「経済・生活問題」で自殺する人は全自殺者の二四パーセント。〇五年度ど七八一二人にのぼり、単純計算でも一日に二一人が生活苦により自殺している。
 おかしいのは若者のほうでなく、明らかに社会のほうだ。
 
P35 日本経団連の調査では、フリーターを積極的に採用したい企業は一・六パーセント。ということは、ほとんどの企業がフリーターなど雇いたくないということだ。フリーターなどの非正規雇用を安く使って利益を得ながらなんという勝手な言い分だろう。しかし、現実はこうなのだ。
 
 
P44 景気が回復すれば派遣などの正社員でない働き方は減ると国は見ていた。ところがこの間、企業は非正規の旨味を知ってしまった。安いうえにいつでもクビを切れる労働力。これほど企業に都合のいい働き手をみすみす見放すはずがない。
 結果、何が起こったか。この一〇年間に社会に出た人々の多くはマトモな職にありつけず、どれだけ働いても低賃金で正社員になれる見込みのかけらもない、という状況に追いやられてしまった。
 
P60 本当にこうして書いてみると不安定な立場で働く若者たちは、企業にとってはあまりにもおいしすぎる存在ではないか。低賃金で社会保険料までむしりとられるうえ、県から助成金をひっぱる道具にもなるのだ。
 
P62 偽装請負の立場で事故などで亡くなると、請負会社も企業側もどちらも「うちには責任がない」といい、たった数十万円の慰謝料で終わり、という話もある。
 
P74 …では、なぜ企業は三ヵ月、半年などの短期でしか人を雇わないのか。理由は、生産調整によって必要なときだけ雇い、人件費のムダを省きたいからだ。日本の多くの大企業が「史上最高の利益」などといっているが、背景にはこういった人たちの多大な犠牲があるのだ。自動車、電機など空前の利益を上げている企業で働く人たちから、生活費にすら事欠くような人たちが大量に産み出されている現実。これが矛盾でなくてなんなのか。
 
P101-102 …そんな片山さつき氏をはじめ、「再チャレンジ」などといっている側の人たちは、もちろん一度も工場で働いたことなどない。というか、安倍なんて、生まれからして日本で一番といってもいいほどの特権階級ではないか。
 
P122 レストボックスや敷金・礼金不要物件などを「貧困ビジネス」と指摘し、「生そのものがターゲットにされている」ことに警笛を鳴らすのは湯浅誠氏だ。
 
P132-133 「…だけど安定して生きていけちゃう人は自分には欠陥がないと思っていて、生きていけない奴は自分の欠陥のせいだと思いたがる。しかも、日本のように自己責任論が浸透している社会では、生きていけなくなった本人たち自身が、生きていけなくなったのは自分のせいだと思ってしまっている。やっかいですね」
 
P198-199 「…この手の請負会社や派遣会社が日本中に増えても、労働者にとって何の力にもなりません。このやり方で人件費を減らして大企業は『史上最高益』といっている。違法行為がバレても、それで儲けた総額を返却するわけでもない。やった者勝ちの無法地帯です。何ひとつ納得できません」
 
P220-221 「…私はパートだったんですけど、派遣社会の方に聞いてみると、正社員はけっこう死んでるらしくて、会社が三〇〇〇万円くらい出して解決しているのを「そんなの当たり前なんだから口にしちゃダメよ」っていうんです。上司に『おかしい』っていったら、『会社辞めたいの?』って呼び出されて、だから内部にいたら何もできないんですね。じゃあ外から何ができるかというと、ビラまいたり裁判したりくらいしか私はできない。ほんとに忙しい人って社会から切り離されちゃって、テレビも見られないし新聞も読めないんです。そういう状態にわざと会社がしてるのかもしれないですね。…」
 
P259 「…やっぱり、仕事の愚痴をいいにくる人もいっぱいいますからね。俺はそんな人には『辞めたほうがいい』って二言目にはいうんですけど。『見せ、開いたほうがいいよ』とか。向き不向きありますけど、もっと自由な生き方したほうがいいって。フリーターで辛かったり、過労死しそうだったりするならすぐ辞めたほうがいい。もう一瞬で辞めたわうがいい。なんとかなる。俺は就職したこともないしする気も全然ないけど、その気になってなんかやればなんとかなりますからね。うまくいかなくても死にはしない。世の中の変なしがらみを捨てちゃうことが一番とってり早いですよね。なんか真っ当に生きなきゃいけないってのがあるけど、それって全部幻想ですからね。自分の家持ってなきゃいけないとか、オッサン連中も車持ってなきゃとかあるけど、でもいらないじゃないですか、そんなの」
 
P271-272 「…でも小泉内閣でどうなったか。銀行が立ち直ってるじゃないですか。あれだけバブル期メチャクチャやった銀行が、ですよ。この間不良債権処理で、銀行に政府が公的資金注入して救済し、ようするにベラボウな金使って、いまでは戦後最大の収益を上げてるんですね。一方でホームレスが路上で凍死とか餓死していて、貧困家庭でも生活保護打ち切りとか、そんな話ばかりでしょう。でも消費者金融を傘下につけるなどしながら、最終的には暴力を使ってでも金を巻き上げたりしてるわけです。賃金も下がり雇用も破壊されているのに、借金させてまで金使わせて骨までしゃぶろうということじゃないですか。ネオリベの核心のひとつは、だから金融による支配であり、大企業に有利な状態をつくりだすことです。それらを思いっきり優遇することで」
 
P273 「…いまのアメリカの状況だと、そういう場所から脱出したい貧しい若者が、大学に行きたいから奨学金をもらうため軍隊に入らざるをえず、イラク戦争に兵隊として狩り出されたりしている、ということですね。あざといですね。戦争に行ってまず死ぬのは貧乏人だと」
 
P278 「…自己責任で内臓売ってもいい、なんてことになったらどうしますか? 借金に困っている人は売ってしまうかもしれないし、実際第三世界の人などは、先進国の人間に売る事態が起きているわけです。あと、あいだに入って儲けてる者もいと、ビジネスがそこに成立していたりするわけですね。労災も失業も自己責任、臓器を売るのも自己責任、戦争で死ぬのも自己責任、奴隷労働に従事するのも自己責任。そんなわけないでしょう。そしていっぽうでは、たいしたこともせず、ロクでもないことしかしていないのに、のうのうと責任をとらずにいる人間もいるんですね。ふつう誰だって責任くらいとってますよ」
 
P280 「平等という概念がこの間蔑ろにされてきました。平等であることがさも悪いことになってる雰囲気がありますね。平等だと皆同じで個性がなくて画一的で良くないというようなイメージでしょう。でもなんで平等だと悪いのか。それぞれ個性に応じて働き方には多様性があるみたいな、やたらと多様性を強調する話は警戒したほうがいいでしょう。賃金の格差があっていいし、餓死するホームレスがいていいし、南の島でクルージングして貧乏人を足蹴にする大金持ちがいていいし、世の中多様性が大事だという話になりがちです…」
 
P283 「…米軍に三兆円やるんだったらこっちによこせともいいたい。たいして働いてもいないのに高級官舎に安い家賃で住んでる高級官僚とかいて、でなければ、なんとかファンドとかクリックひとつで何千億とかそういう世界があって、でも無収入で路上死する人がいっぽうでいて、そういうことはあきらかにおかしいわけで、だから、ベーシックインカムのような主張はもっと考えられても全然いいはずです」
 
P285 「…たとえばこういうことです。『おまえの置かれた状況などは、ほかのもっと貧しい人や大変な人に比べたら何でもない。たとえば第三世界を見てみろ。日本は先進国で豊かだ』みたいないい方ですね。こういう物言いによって問題から目をそらせ、現在その人が置かれている困難を呑ませようとする。そういうやり口や雰囲気を『犠牲の累進性』と呼ぼうじゃないかと。…」
 
P285-286 「…ネオリベのやり口というのは、この『犠牲の累進性』を最大限活用しているんじゃないかということですね。正社員の長時間労働よりも非正規の低賃金が、非正規の悲惨な労働よりもホームレスの苛酷な生活環境のほうが、日本のホームレスよりも第三世界の貧民のほうが……というかたちでひたすら我慢を強いる。そうやって追い込まれたり、自分を追い込んだりする。でも日本だろうがアメリカだろうが、餓死したり、死ぬほど働かされて賃金もらえなかったり、奴隷のように扱われたりしていれば、それで死んじゃったりすれば、そこはもう『第三世界』と同じなわけでしょ。なんでもそうなんですが、そのようにいうことで得するのは誰か、それを強調するのは誰なのか、そのようにいう動機は何にもとづいているのか、ということを認識すべきですよね」
 
P286 「賃金が安いも、能力がないなどといわれてるのもあなたのせいじゃない。あなたのせいでは全然ないし、能力がないのでもない。だって別に能力に一〇〇倍の差があるわけじゃないのに、収入に一〇〇倍の差がついて、そういうことがまず変ですから…」
 
P288 …フリーターが自己責任であるとか、だらけている、なんて言葉は、自らのまったくの無知を露呈させるだけの言葉になったということがわかっただろう。これほどの策略があってこそのこの状況である。明らかに政策の失敗であり、自己責任という言葉は国の責任逃れ以外の何物でもないではないか。
 
P290-290 <あなたはどう感じる?
 行政や資本が、いや奴等(敵対者)が、自分たちがよりうまく儲け、富を効率よく一極集中させるために、大量のフリーター的労働者をあえて生み出し、使い捨てに-とくにその「未来」を!-したあげく、その「責任」を当事者の側に「自己責任」として押し付け、世代エゴイズムに守られ安穏と人生を終えようとし、あまつさえ「今ごろの若者は労働意欲がない」「働く根性がない」「徴兵制を敷け(自分が兵役についたこともないのに!)」などと世を憂い、醜悪なオヤジ的お説教を吐き散らすこの光景について、どう感じる?>
 
P301 「『自己決定』『自己責任』って本当に恐ろしい言葉です。自己決定なら自殺もいい、それも自分の責任でしょ、ってことで終ってしまう。周囲の放置も正当化されてしまう。アウシュビッツのユダヤ人虐殺について『忘却の穴』という言葉があるんですけど、たんに殺されるだけではなく、殺された事実自体がなかったことにされる」
 
P309 …社会から必要とされたから増えたのに、なってみると説教される立場なんて、フリーター以外に存在するだろうか? 日本経済を底辺で支える彼らにお世話になっていない人など誰もいない。
 
P310-311 生まれながらに特権階級の安倍に「再チャレンジ」などといわれる筋合いははじめからない。そもそもあいつ、時給八〇〇円とかで働いたことあるのか?
 
P321 そして、グッドウィルユニオン、フルキャストユニオン、エム・クルーユニオンなどが結成された。これらのユニオンは日雇い派遣の劣悪な労働環境や違法だらけの無法地帯ぶりを社会に告発。更にはグッドウィルが一回働くごとに「データ装備費」の名目で天引きしていることを世に知らしめた。派遣会社が貧乏人を危険な現場でこき使ったあげく、ただでさえ安い給料から二〇〇円、二五〇円といった小銭を騙しとっている実態を暴露したのだ。たかが二〇〇円、二五〇円と言っても、長く働いていた人の中には天引き分が数十万円に上る人もいる。
 
P323 今まで、フリーターは違法な労働現場でそれが「違法」とも知らずに危険な目に遭い、労災をもみ消されたり給料から意味不明な天引きをされたりしてきた。そんな中、誰も声を上げないでいうるうちに、いつの間にかそれが「当たり前」のことになってしまっていた。しかし、違法行為をしているのは、誰の目から見ても企業側なのだ。こっちは最初から思い切り有利で、声を上げれば「勝てて当たり前」なのだ。
 
P323 派遣切りの嵐が吹き荒れた頃、「失業した若者は仕事を選ばず介護で働け」というような、なんだか介護で働く人に微妙に失礼なことがよく言われていたが、現在、介護の職業訓練の倍率は高く、二五人枠に一〇〇人以上が殺到しているのだという。時代は明らかに変わったのだと、そんな状況からも見えてくる。
 
P326 そうして今も、私は「生きさせろ!」というテーマで取材、執筆、運動中だ。
 どーだすごいだろ。
 
P330-331 生きるか死ぬか。自殺するか、犯罪に走るか、それともホームレスになるか。プレカリアートは、絶えずそんな極限的な選択を強いられている人々なのだ。それは誇張でもなんでもない。十年以上にわたって、毎年三万人を越す人々が自らの命を断っているのだから。しかも未遂者やその「予備軍」も数え上げれば、どれだけ多くの人々が死と隣り合わせにいることか。
 
 
「ウェブはバカと暇人のもの」中川淳一郎…面白い。
 
P64 ここで、パケット数の多さを自慢するということは、いかにその人が暇人であるかを白日の下に晒しているわけで、コメント欄のこの「暇人自慢コンテスト」とも言うべき予想外の展開はあまりにもおもしろすぎた。
 
P117 今となっては、ネットの声に頼るとバカな声ばかり集まることに多くの人が気づいている。
『「みんなの意見」は案外正しい』(ジェームズ・スロウィッキー著/角川書店)というアメリカのベストセラー本が翻訳されたが、日本のネット界ではこれは必ずしも当てはまるわけではないようだ。
 なんせ、暇人が悪ふざけできる材料を日々探していて、「みんなの意見」を真面目に聞こうとする人々を愚弄する行為を行うのだから、正しい意見などをそこに求めないほうが賢明だろう。
 結局、自分のところにいる従業員を信じ、彼らの発想やひらめきにこそ期待をすべきできないだろうか。
 
P149 だが、テレビ局側からのネットに対する拒否反応はすさまじい。いくらネットとテレビの相性が良いと説いても、そこはまったく理解してもらえない。あくまでもネットはテレビの視聴時間を減らす悪と考えられており、その鬱憤を晴らすかのごとく、ネット関連の犯罪が起きると「ネット社会の闇」をことのほか強調し、ネットを悪者にしようとする。
 
P169 かつて広告代理店で働いていたとき、自動車やマリンスポーツ関連の展示会の現場を担当したことがある。そのとき、メーカーの担当者が求めるのは来場者のアンケート回収だ。しかし、アンケートを無報酬で書いてもらうのは難しいため、お菓子、レトルト食品などのタイアップ商品を別のクライアントから割引価格で大量購入し、アンケートを書いてもらう代わりにそれらを配っていた。
 配る前に「今から15分後に配ります」と館内アナウンスで伝えるのだが、その瞬間、市価100円~150円の商品をタダで入手するべく、大行列ができるのである。そこから、ゴルフやボウリングなどで使用する使い捨て鉛筆を添付したアンケート用紙を行列の人に配布する。彼らは並んでいる間に記入し、15分後に用紙と引き換えにタイアップ商品を渡す。
 これらタイアップ商品はいくら用意してもすぐになくなる。何度も並ぶ人がいるし、なんせタダでモノがもらえるのであれば、時間を浪費することを厭わない人が多いのだ。
 
P219 1998年、私は企業のホームページを作る仕事をやったことがある。クライアントから写真やネタをもらい、それを元にラフスケッチを描き、制作会社に発注するのだが、当時はロゴを左に微妙に動かしてもらおうとすると、制作会社が「それを1センチ動かすと5万円、1・5センチだと7万円かかりますよ」などといい、それがまかり通っていた。営業も我々PR企画担当者も、HTLMの原理をよくわかっていなかったのである。
 
P221 「いや、マーケティングが効かないのは、単に商品が増えただけのこと。昔は『炭酸飲料』はコーラとスプライトとキリンレモンとファンタと三ツ矢サイダーしかなかったから、そりゃ炭酸欲しいヤツからはどれも売れただろうよ()」と思ってしまう。
 
P224 そして、「完全実力主義の時代が来る」と、「リストラの嵐が吹き荒れた」とされる90年代後半の金融不況のあとは言われたが、そんな時代を経ても相変わらず大企業(特にマスコミ系)の40代後半以降の出世街道から外れた社員は会社で暇そうにしている。
 
P226-227 「これからは完全実力主義の時代が来る」といった専門家の指摘はどこか他人事で現実に即していない。何しろ、実力のある人しか会社が雇用しないのであれば、それこそ5割の社員は首を切られてしまうだろう。「実力主義」ということばにはまったく現実味がないのである。
 
P238 インターネットを使うようになったからといって、飛躍的に能力が向上したわけでもないし、突然変異のごとく頭が良くなったわけでもない。
 相変わらず我々はご飯を食べ、トイレへ行き、恋愛をし、死んでいく。そして、人間には1日24時間しかない。睡眠を取らなければ体調は悪くなるし、ひとりぼっちだとときどき寂しくなる。
 インターネットがあろうがなかろうが、人間は何も変わってないのである。
 
P242 …本当に能力や根性のある人間は、インターネットがなくても必ず評価をされるし、「機会がないから私はこれまでダメだったんだ」「夢さえあればいつか叶うはず」などと言わない。そんなことを言う人には、インターネットはなにももたらさない。

「伝える極意」長井鞠子
 
「野村の流儀」野村克也
 
「わたし、男子校出身です。」椿姫彩菜 

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「伝える極意」長井鞠子…うん、いいよ。
 
P45 「その現場にいない」というのは通訳者が絶対にやってはいけないことなのです。
 
P49 一般に日本の政治家は、選挙演説はとても上手。
 
P145 わたしにも"聞き間違い"の経験は数多くあります。
 
P147 職業柄、早口の発言者に泣かされてきたせいかもしれませんが「自分の優秀さを誇示したい、自己満足のためのマシンガントークではないか?」と思うこともあります。いずれにしても、聞く人のことを考えていない、理解してもらうということを目的としていないのは明らかではないでしょうか。
 
P147 日本語同士の会話であっても、もし聞き取りづらい発言に接したならば、それは「自分の発言は聞き取りやすいだろうか?」と考える絶好の機会です。
 
P166 ただし、どんな言葉でも記憶に残るかといえば、そうではありません。これも書いた通りで、そもそもスピーチの現場でも、残念ながら聞く人の心に届かない言葉もあるのです。わたしは、こんな虚しいことはないと思います。何十年、何百年という時間を経ても生き続ける言葉もあるのに「何かを言った」ということすら記憶に残らない言葉があるなんて……時間とエネルギーの浪費というほかありません。
 
「野村の流儀」野村克也…素晴らしい。
 
まえがき
スポーツの世界には必ず、勝ちか負けが存在する。それは光と陰、栄光と挫折である。特にプロスポーツ選手は観客が見つめる中、その結果を受け入れなければならない。
 
仕事に悩む人、人間関係に気疲れしている人、一歩を踏み出せない人、何をしたいのか分からない人への励ましでもある。自分の惨めさや平凡さを、人や環境、状況のせいにするのはもう止めよう。失敗をしてもいい。遠回りをしてもいい。己と状況を見極めて、努力を続けることの偉大さに気づける。貧しかった男が、頭脳と努力でもがき苦しんだ末に掴み取った言葉には、真実がある。
 
P6 「お客さんに感動を与えて入場料を取っている。見ている人に、"さすが"と思わせないと」。
 
P21 この中で誰が一番偉いと思う? ワシ?
違う、君たちマスコミや。
君たちは、ペンで人も殺せる
 
P28 殴った方は忘れていても、殴られた方は、
その痛さ、悔しさを決して忘れてはいない。
それがプロの意地
 
P34 「敵に勝つより、もっと大事なことを
忘れてはいけない」と言い続けてきた。
それは「常に自分をレベルアップすることを
忘れるな」ということ
 
P51 人間の才能なんて、どこに隠されているか分からない。
相手の話を聴いてみる。それが第一歩。
そこから組織の活性化が始まる
 
P57 リーダーは、部下を好き嫌いで使うことは許されない
 
P60 褒めたり優しく接することだけが愛情ではない。
直言をしてやったり、厳しく接したり、
叱ったりということも立派な愛情である
 
P176 裏方さんとは仲良くするように心がけ、
感謝の気持ちを忘れないように接しろ
 
P198 人間は、どんなときにも手を抜いてはいけないんだ。
どこで誰が評価してくれているか分からないぞ
 
P223 人間、何の職業であろうと、
ごめんなさい、ありがとうを
口にするのにこだわりをもつべきではない。
「すみません」の効用は、
後に続きそうな言い訳を自動的に断ち切る点にある
 
P231 不器用な人間は苦労するけど、徹してやれば
器用な人間より不器用な方が、最後は勝つよ
 
P275 知恵を出せ、出なければ汗をかけ。
汗が出なければグラウンドを走れ
 
「わたし、男子校出身です。」椿姫彩菜…これもすごい。
 
P73 もうひとつ付け加えると、中学・高校という思春期に男子校にいたことは、私にとって幸いだったかもしれない。後に痛感することになるのだけれど、男子はさっぱりしていて陰険ないじめをしない。もし、共学だったら……? それは、大学入学後にたっぷり経験することになる。
 
P136 絶食をはじめて、一週間が経っていた。朦朧としたまま、最後の一食を口にした。
 ママの作ってくれた食事は、とてつもなくおいしかった……。おいしくて、おいしくて、涙が出てきて止まらなくなった。
 ご飯を食べる、何気なく今までやってきたことが、こんなに「幸せ」なことだったなんて。もしかしたら、生きてさえいれば「幸せ」はいっぱいあるのかもしれない。
 
P152 同じクラスの男の子に好意を持たれて、声をかけられた。私も心地よくて、気持ちも盛り上がった。……が、授業中に「男女で班分けをしましょう!」ということになり、私が「男」だということがバレると、彼は絶叫し、二度と私に近づかなかった。
「おかしな女男」として、誰も近寄ってくれなくなった。
 
P196 ただし、後に知ることになるのだが、その時の写メールが友達の間から親たちに流れ、私のママのところまで届いてしまったようだ。家を出てから一度も連絡していなかった長男の、半年ぶりに目にした姿が振袖姿だったなんて、いったいどんな気持ちだっただろう? 元気に生きているのを知って少しは安心してくれたらいいんだけど……。
 未だに、その時の感想はママに聞いていない。
 
P214 今思えば、よく引き受けてくれたと思う。だって、家出した長男の最初の連絡が「女の名前を考えて」なんだから。
 
P218 親への手紙、それはいわゆる「遺書のようなものだった」
<パパ、ママにこの手紙が届いているということは、私はもうこの世にはいない、ということですね。せっかく五体満足に産んでくれたのに、申し訳ない気持ちでいっぱいです。ママ、いつもたくさんの愛情をありがとうございました。いつも素直に受けとめられず、ごめんね。私は、タイで性転換手術を受けました。が、たぶん失敗してしまったんだと思います。でも、一切悔いはありません。性転換しない人生は考えられないからです。でも、一つ悔いがあるとするならママに「有里」って呼んでもらえなかったことかな。私の墓の名前も「有里」でお願いしてもいいですか? 先に待っています。先立つ不孝を許してください。天国からママを、みんなを見守っています。一度きりの人生、残りの人生、私の分まで楽しんで生きてください。さようなら>

 
Welcome to business communication in simple English.
 
Yes. Our theme is business communication around the world.
 
Hi,everyone. I'm Hanna Grace.
Thank you for joining us today.
 
This month's theme is building relationships in a cross cultural workplace.
 
Let's listen to today's business scene first.
 
 
Okay, let's practice.
 
Great job,  everyone.
 
Yes. Let's discuss some tips for interacting in a business environment.
 
smile /eye contact / posture
 
Active listening
 
Well, I think that directors have to really trust and respect their cast 
in creative team.
Now I've been situations in shows when the directors are not respectful of 
an actor's ideas.
And then the actor often does worse than they normally would do 
because they don't feel safe to be creative.
So I think it's the same in business or any environment 
where creativity is needed.
Showing respect really goes a long way.
 
So trust and respect are the keywords. Right?
 
 
Thank you for learning with us today, everyone.
 
And we'll see you next time. Bye.

もちろん、本人(オレ自身)のこと。

先日、ヤマダ電機に冷蔵庫を買いにいった。
もちろんファンシーなやつは20万円以上したんだけど、そういうものは必要なかったので、39800円くらいのものを買った。
そうしたら、pointが3980円分ついたので、その分お菓子やら何やら買った。機能面とか考えると、オレが子供の頃の物価を考慮すると、その当時だったら10万円くらいはしたと思う。
だから、当時の物価のままなら、20万円くらいになっているものが39800円で買えるということ。
つまり、電気製品とか特にファンシーなものを選ばない限り、ずっと安くなっているのだ。
だから、あまりに金儲けしている人っていうのは、一体何に使うのかな?って逆に疑問に思ってしまう。

あまり無駄なことは日常していないつもりだったが、先日キャビネットに何かの空き箱を発見したところ…
何と、まだまだ使える USBフラッシュメモリーが入っていた。しかも2GB。
20MBの外付けHDDが20万円したときのことを考えたらすごいことだ。
その頃のお金の価値にして、2000万円相当のものをまったく使用することなく、放置していたということになる。しかも2年近く。
お金の価値とは…についてほんとうに考えさせられる。

オレははつくづく安上がりな人間なのかも、って思う。
最近、普通の白ご飯にふりかけをかけて、上に梅干しを1つ載っけたご飯がとってもおいしいと思っているくらいだから。

とことんチープな人間なのか…あはは。5kg1000円くらいの米でも十分おいしい。あはは。

あ。上のは Lotusさんのブログ 

に書いたコメントコピー&ペーストして、少しいじっただけ。
またまたまたチープ。




 
 
Business Communication in Action  実践ビジネス英語 
Hello everyone.   こんにちは。みなさん。
 
Hello and welcome to the show.
This is Heather Howard.
Let'stake a look at conversation at work.
 
Farm-to-Table living (6)
 
Talk the talk
 
S: Our current vignette begins with Paul Pearson talking about his upcoming trip 
to a California town that's famous for its food and wine.
Have you ever taken a trip like that, Heather?
 
H: I've taken a few that were similar mostly in my college days.
For example, my university is located near the Finger Lakes in New York State.
They're called that because the lakes look like fingers, they're long and thin.
There are a lot of wineries in that area, so during my senior year, 
I took a wine tour with some friends.
We drove around to different wineries, sampled a great deal. 
We also bought a few cases and midway through, we stopped for a picnic 
with bread, cheese, fruit and of course some of the wine we'd bought. 
That was a great day - I can still remember sitting on the picnic blanket 
in the warm sun.
 
S: You said drove around. So I presume at least one of you wasn't drinking.
 
H:Absolutely.
My then boyfriend volunteered to be the designated driver, so he didn't drink 
anything until we got back to campus. 
That was very generous of him, but I think he may also have been motivated 
by the desire to safeguard his car. 
I don't think he wanted anyone else driving his baby.
 
S: What other food related trips have you taken?
 
H: Let's see.
Some weren't primarily centered on food. 
But they had memorable dining moments.
One I mentioned in July last year when we talked about menu less restaurants.
My boyfriend and I went to a prefixed restaurant in New York City.
Had seven courses all chosen by the chef, different wine with nearly 
every course.
A few years back, I also went to Vietnam where my husband and I took 
a cooking class.
Our guide took us to a local market to buy ingredients which we took back 
to the hotel kitchen and use to make local dishes.
All right. My husband use them to make local dishes while I sat and watched, 
I confess.
 
S: What about memorable food related experiences in Japan?
 
H: Oh,great many.
No one could deny that the food in Japan is one of the best parts of living here.
Let's see, there was the crab restaurant I went to in Hokkaido, 
where every single dish on the menu included crab in some way.
Now that I think of it, that place was probably a sea-to-table establishment.
And the Horsehair crab, especially the 毛ガニ, was divine.
I also went to an ウナギ eel restaurant in Kumamoto that was hundreds of 
years old. 
It felt like every single moment of that time had been spent 
perfecting their technique and the ウナギ just melted in your mouth.
And that's my favorite food so it was sheer heaven.
 
S: What do you think of the farm-to-table concept?
 
H: It sounds great especially for all the pollution we could eliminate by 
not shipping foods across long distances.
I read last year that food travels on average of 2000km from fields 
to the dinner table in the United States.
 
 
That's all for today.
 
See you next time. Bye, bye.

 
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'stake a look at conversation at work.
 
 
Farm-to-Table living (5)
 
Pearson says airport restaurants are also starting to serve fresh local produce.
And McMillan adds that one airline is thinking of growing potatoes and other 
crops at airports around the country.
He says the airline was inspired by O'Hare airport in Chicago which has an 
aeroponic garden that provides herbs and vegetables to its restaurants.
Pearson and Collins agree that travelers are tired of heavy and unhealthy food.
 
 
Mark a clear boundary between: Clearly indicate where things are divided.
McMillan's talking about actual, physical boundaries.
But you could also say, "Jane marks a clear boundary between work and home. 
She never take projects home from the office."
 
Sweep the country: About a third of the way down, Pearson says, 
"you don't have to go all the way to California to see how 
the farm-to-table movement is sweeping the country."
 
Aeroponic: About two-thirds of the way down, McMillan says, 
"O'Hare Airport in Chicago has an aeroponic garden."
 
"Aeroponic" refers to "cultivating plants without soil. 
The plants are suspended in the air."
There's also "hydroponic," which is growing crops in water.
 
Go for: Prefer, like.
I go for dark-colored clothes, for example.
Or, consumers didn't go for that new tablet computer. It was too heavy.
"Go for" can also mean "choose."
But both of these meanings involve a sense of choice.
You could say, "I think I'll go for the fish today. I should eat more fish."
 
In a big way:
 
Have had it up to here with:
 
Stodgy: Stodgy food is very heavy and it makes you feel full in a bad way.
And "stodgy" can also mean "dull" or "very old-fashioned."
Like, his stodgy grandfather didn't want him to be a ballet dancer.
Or, the movie tried to be deep but it was just stodgy.
 
Health-conscious:
 
Road warrior: Someone who travels a lot usually on business.
There's also the term "wanderlust," which means the strong desire to travel.
 
Junk-food junkie:
 
Be sick and tired of:
 
See for oneself: Up at the top, Umemura says, 
"It sounds like a very serious project. I'd like to see it for myself sometime."
See or check something personally, Umemura means.
Not relying on other people's information or opinions.
For example, everyone says  Prague is beautiful. 
I  really want to see it for myself someday.
 
It's also common to say "judge for oneself, think for oneself."
 
Grapevine: Just a little bit down, McMillan says "the fences at Agridream are
tastefully covered by grapevines and blackberry bushes.
He means actual grapevines.
But this word can also refer to "gossip, information being passed from person 
to person."
Such as:Word on the grapevine is we're getting a new boss.
Or, I heard through the grapevine that Paul's leaving.
 
You don't have to go all the way to: About a third of the way down, 
Pearson says, "you don't have to go all the way to California to see how 
the farm-to-table movement is sweeping the country."
You could also say, "You don't have to go as far as."
Like, you don't have to go as far as Paris for great French food.
Tokyo has lots of goodFrench restaurants.
 
Get on the scales:  Down at the bottom, Collins says, 
"I am sick and tired of getting on the scales after yet another business trip."
You could also say, get on the scale, singular.
They both mean, "weigh oneself."
Some fitness experts say we should get on the scale or the scales every day.
If we're constantly aware of our weight, it can apparently help prevent 
overeating.
 
 
That's all for today.
 
See you next time. Bye, bye.

 
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'stake a look at conversation at work.
 
 
Farm-to-Table living (4)
 
McMillan says the agrihood movement combines the best elements of 
community gardens, urban agriculture and cooperative communities in 
a new setting and that agrihoods can be more inexpensive to live in than 
a traditional suburban neighborhood. 
He adds that agridream has survived the economic crisis in good shape 
and that it grows many different crops on organic farmland.
It also raises livestock.
 
 
Be intrigued by: About a third of the way down, Umemura says, 
"I'm intrigued by this concept."
 
To some extent:
 
On a solid commercial footing: Here, "footing" means a basis or foundation. 
How firmly something is standing, how stable is it.
Things like: You need to be on a solid financial footing if you're going to open 
a new business. Be able to operate at a loss for a while.
 
Collapse: When something breaks down suddenly or stops suddenly 
and stops functioning, collapses.
You can say, "the negotiations collapsed."
Or, the house collapsed due to poor construction.
Collapse can also mean "fold into a more compact shape."
Such as: This stroller collapses to fit neatly in the trunk.
 
Collapsible umbrella 折りたたみ傘
 
Be on the rise:
 
Glorified: We say something is glorified when it's presented as 
more impressive or lofty than it really is.
Collins means "Is agridream really just a hobby farm even though it's presented 
as something more valuable, more meaningful."
Also another example would be, imagine a football game where both teams 
are very listless. They don't play actively, they don't give it their all.
Someone could say, "This isn't a game. It's a glorified practice."
 
Cityslicker:
 
Ahem: We often use this to express slight embarrassment at something 
we've just said or we're going to say.
McMillan was using it for his word play, like, ha-ha, little joke there.
You could also say, "Vince got in trouble for using, ahem, salty language 
in front of the boss."
 
Undertaking: A job, a task, an enterprise.
There's also the verb, "undertake", which can mean "deliberately start
to do something some task, enterprise."
Like, we've decided to undertake a company-wide survey on job satisfaction.
 
undertaker
Mortician
 
 
Certified organic farmland: When something is certified, it's confirmed 
as genuine or meeting a certain standard.
She is a certified tax consultant, for example.
Or, he is a certified Judo instructor.
 
Livestock:
 
Plant the seeds:  Up at the top, McMillan says,"All of those trends planted 
the seeds of the agrihood movement."
When we plant the seeds, we do something that will develop in the future.
It will lead to a particular result.
Like, planting seeds that will grow into certain crops.
You could say, "Reading to little children will plant the seeds for their future
academic performance."
 
Take things to the next step: McMillan goes on to say that the agrihood 
trend has taken things to the next step.
This is technically go to the next stage in some progression. 
But it often overlaps with "to the next level," which is make it bigger, better, 
more advanced in some way.
For example, she's taking her consulting activities to the next level and
establishing her own company.
 
Come through:  Round the middle, McMillan says, 
"Agridream has come through the crisis, the economic crisis just fine."
And this means "pass through something." You know, in this case, experience.
You could say, "Company X didn't come through the recession very well. 
It had to sell off several divisions."
 
 
That's all for today.
 
See you next time. Bye, bye.

 
Welcome to business communication in simple English.
 
Yes. Our theme is business communication around the world.
 
Hi,everyone. I'm Hanna Grace.
Thank you for joining us today.
 
This month, we are learning about building relationships in a cross cultural
workplace.
 
Let's listen to today's business scene first.
 
Let's listen to today's business scene once more.
 
Okay, let's practice.
 
All right. Let's begin.
 
Great job,  everyone.
 
Yes. Let's discuss some tips for interacting in a business environment.
 
Actually I was working to publicize a play. And a publicity committee 
asked me to travel around Tokyo to drop off fliers. 
But my schedule's really full so I don't have time to do that. 
So instead I offered to create a special promotional mailing
and sending email to specific people instead that had the flier images. 
And so that's what I did in the end.
 
 
We'll be waiting to hear from you.
 
And we'll see you next time. Bye.

 
Welcome to business communication in simple English.
 
Yes. Our theme is business communication around the world.
 
Hi,everyone. I'm Hanna Grace.
Thank you for joining the program.
 
 
Thismonth's theme is building relationships in a cross cultural workplace.
  
Let's listen to today's business scene first.
 
Yes. Let's discuss some tips for interacting in a business environment.
 
I used to say, "Yes" all the time in high school and university to everything.
 
Really?
 
But I'm…I couldn't do everything. 
So finally I had to learn how to say, "I'm sorry I can't do that."
And now I'm very clear about what I can and can't do.
 
Well,when you want to refuse something, I think that in your explanation, 
it's better to focus on facts rather than just feelings. 
For instance, "I'm overwhelmed" is not as clear as 
"I'm sorry I've already committed to several projects."
 
Ah.That's a good point.
 
Listen to your inner voice. 心の声を聞け。
 
 
We'll see you next time. Bye.

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