2011年12月号-　December Study Newsletter

| 月間ニュースレター |
 
 
 
英語ニュース Current Internet NEWS!!　＜新着ネットニュース＞
英語のビデオ Video News (Domestic and World Events／国内＆世界の動画ニュース)
American Idioms & Slang＜アメリカのイディオム＆スラング表現＞
Grammar Study＜今月の文法学習＞
TOEICクイズ TOEIC Study Quiz＜ＴＯＥＩＣテスト＞
Monthly Column – A Foreigner’s Life＜今月のコラム：外国人の生活＞
 
 
—You can read the article below and use it in your lessons to discuss with your teacher. — この記事を読んで先生とレッスンで話し合おう！
US News:

"A travel nightmare: Man stands throughout 7-hour flight"

Air travelers usually are prepared for the occasional hectic and jam packed flight but all are hoping they would at least be able to sit down during the flight.

Unfortunately, for Arthur Berkowitz, 57, this was not the case as he stood for the entire duration of his flight because of

an obese passenger sitting in the next seat occupying more than the standard seat width."His size required both armrests to be raised up and allowed for his body to cover half of my seat," Berkowitz said. The non-stop flight lasted seven hours. "I didn’t fly," Berkowitz said, "I stood."
 

＜ディスカッションポイント！＞

If you were him, what would you do?　もしあなたがBerkowitzさんの状況だったらどうしますか？　

＜日本語訳＞

旅行者は通常慌しさや満席のフライトを予想しているものですが、皆飛行中は最低でも座れると思っています。残念ながら、57歳のArthur Berkowitzのケースは予想外となり、飛行中ずっと立つはめになった。なぜならば彼の隣に座り標準の座席幅以上を占領するほどの太りすぎの乗客が座ったからだ。「彼は（座席の）肘置きを両方上げて、私の座席の半分まで侵入してきた。」とBerkowitz氏は言った。7時間の直行便。「僕は飛んでいたのではなく、立っていたのだ。」
 
Japan News Stories:

"Record 61% of unmarried Japanese men 18-34 have no girlfriend: survey"

A record-high 61.4 percent of unmarried Japanese men aged between 18 and 34 have no girlfriend, up 9.2 percentage points from 2005, a survey by a research body showed Friday.

The percentage of unmarried women with no boyfriend in the same age group also hit a record high of 49.5 percent,

up 4.8percentage points, while nearly half the respondents of both genders said they do not want to date anyone, the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research said.Asked why they remain unmarried, 13.5 percent of men and 11.6 percent of women aged between 25 and 34 said they do not know how to be in a relationship, and 11.9 percent of men and 7.0 percent of women aged between 18 and 24 gave the same answer, the institute said.

 

＜ディスカッションポイント！＞

What do you think about this artcle?　　この記事についてどう思いましたか？先生と意見交換をしよう！

＜日本語訳＞

彼女がいない18歳～34歳の未婚の日本人男性が61.4％と高い記録となり、2005年から9.2％上昇した。一方女性の同年代グループでの未婚率も49.5％と高く、4.8％上昇した。その中の男女合わせたほぼ半数以上の回答が「デートをこれ以上したいと思わない。」とのこと。25歳～34歳の未婚の男子13.5％と女子11.6％に「なぜ未婚のままでいるのか？」を尋ねたところ、彼らはどのように関係を築くかわからない。と答えた。　同様に18歳～24歳の男子11.9％、女子7％も同じ回答だった。
 
 
World News:

"Man’s shock when prostitute turns out to be his daughter "

A Man who claimed having marriage "difficulties" decided to employ the services of a sex worker to alleviate the distress he felt on the homefront. He got more than he bargained for when the prostitute he ordered to his hotel room turned out to be his daughter.

The Huffington Post reports that Zimbabwean Titus Ncube collapsed in shock when his daughter, 20, turned up.

She fled after seeing her father collapsed, and is reportedly no longer working in the industry but planning to go back to school. On hearing the news, Titus’s wife said: “If it were not for my children, I would have divorced him a long time ago,” according to the Huffington Post.
 

＜ディスカッションポイント！＞

What do you think about this article?　　この記事についてどう思いましたか？先生と意見交換をしよう！

＜日本語訳＞

結婚の”むずかしさ”という問題を抱えた男が、ストレスを緩和する為にエスコートサービスを利用した。売春婦がホテルを訪れ、彼は予想外の人を呼んでしまった。それは実の娘だであった。ジンバブエ人のTitusは20歳の我娘が売春婦だったということにショックで膝からふし落ちた。父が崩れ落ちるのを見た娘はすぐさま逃げ、その業界からは身を引き、学業に戻ったことが報じられた。Titusの妻は「もし子供のためでなかったら、もっと前から離婚してたわ。」と語った。
 
hectic 〔仕事｛しごと｝などが〕非常｛ひじょう｝に忙しい
  Ex: My work is very hectic. : 仕事がめちゃくちゃ忙しい。
 
英語ポイント jampacked 一杯詰まって、満杯で、ぎっしり満員の、満席で
  Ex: Jam packed schedule : 過密｛かみつ｝］スケジュール
 
英語ポイント obese 太り過ぎの、でっぷり肥えた
  Ex: Severly obese: 《be ～》重度｛じゅうど｝（の）肥満｛ひまん｝である
 
英語ポイント duration 持続｛じぞく｝［継続｛けいぞく｝・存続｛そんぞく｝］（時間｛じかん｝［期間｛きかん｝］）
  Ex: Duration of a phone call: 通話時間｛つうわ じかん｝、課金時間
 
英語ポイント respondent 応答者｛おうとう しゃ｝、回答者｛かいとうしゃ｝、答弁者｛とうべん しゃ｝
  Ex: Of the respondents, 80% have visited Tokyo Disney Resort: 回答者の85％が、東京ディズニーリゾートに行ったことがあります。
 
英語ポイント relationship 関係｛かんけい｝、結び付き｛むすびつき｝、かかわり合い、関連｛かんれん｝
  Ex: Relationship based on cooperation: 協調｛きょうちょう｝に基づいた関係｛かんけい｝
 
英語ポイント to employ 〔手段｛しゅだん｝を〕用いる、採用｛さいよう｝する、使用｛しよう｝する
  Ex: Employ a broad range of: 幅広い～を用いる
 
英語ポイント to alleviate 〔痛み・苦労などを〕軽減｛けいげん｝［緩和｛かんわ｝］する、和らげる
  Ex: Alleviate a burden on: ～への負担｛ふたん｝を緩和｛かんわ｝［軽く］する
 
英語ポイント flee (fled) 逃げる、逃れる、逃走｛とうそう｝する
  Ex: Flee from jail: 脱走｛だっそう｝する
 
英語ポイント reportedly 伝えられるところによれば、報道｛ほうどう｝によれば
  Ex: Reportedly intend to: 伝えられるところでは～する意図｛いと｝を持っている
 
英語ポイント divorce 離婚｛りこん｝
  Ex: They got a divorce. : 彼らは離婚しました。
 
 
   
  New! CNN Student News　リスニング力を試そう！
 
 
 
 
 
Business English Expression and Phrases　＜ビジネス英会話フレーズ＞
-Learn expressions such as idioms and slang that is unique to culture, age, and business!
新しい英語表現：　文化・時代・ビジネスで使う特有なイディオム表現や俗語を覚えよう！

–Sam and Hiroko are having a conversation regarding their company’s need for more office space–
Sam: Have you heard that the head honchos at headquarters are thinking about relocating us to Yokohama?
本社の重役たちが我々を横浜に移動させようとしているって聞いたか？
 
Hiroko: Yes, I caught wind of it from someone in HR. Supposedly, due to cost cutting measures, we may have to slim down office space.
はい、人事部の誰かから情報を聞きました。恐らく経費削減のため、オフィスの規模を縮小させなければならないらしい。
 
Sam: Are you kidding? We are packed like sardines as it is! I sure miss the cubicles I had in the U.S. where getting my own breathing room was a non issue.
それは本当かい？今でさえすし詰め状態なのに！アメリカの自分だけの仕切られた机が懐かしい。
 
Hiroko: It is not the space I am concerned about but rather the extra commute. I am going to have to leave my home 30 minutes earlier than usual just to get to work on time.
スペースは私にとって問題じゃないわ。むしろ通勤時間の方が問題よ。いつもより30分以上早く家を出ないと間に合わなくなるわ。
 
Sam: Why don’t you move closer to the office Hiroko? Is that doable?
会社の近くに引越せばいいじゃないか？それはできないの？
 
Hiroko: That is simply out of the question. My husband would never go for it.
それは単純にないわね。旦那が許可しない。
 
Sam: You could always find a new hubby, you know… In this economy, it is probably easier to find a new husband than a new job.
新しい旦那さんを見つければいいじゃないか。この景気で新しい仕事を見つけるより新しい旦那を見るけるほうが簡単だよ。
 
Hiroko: I guess these are the sacrifices working women like me have to put up with.
私のように仕事している女性にとって我慢しなければならない犠牲があるのよ。
 
Sam: I wish I could say we were in the same boat regarding the commute but I can actually cut 10 minutes off mine since I live in Shibuya.
通勤について同じ状況であればよかったけど、僕の場合渋谷に住んでるから10分近くなるんだよね。
 
Hiroko: I hate you! Don’t rub my nose in it!
嫌いよ！これ以上恥ずかしい思いをさせないでよ。

 
上記の会話の日本語訳はこちらをクリック’（印刷可）: JAPANESE VERSION
"head honcho" 社長、会社のトップ・重役、意思決定者
"caught wind of s.t." 《catch （the） wind of》～の気配｛けはい｝を察する
"to slim down" 規模｛きぼ｝の縮小を行う、経費節減｛けいひ せつげん｝を行う
"commute" 【名詞】通学、通勤　【動詞】　通勤する、通学する
"doable" 【形容詞】～することのできる
"go for s.t." （積極的に）行動する、〔人やものに〕適用｛てきよう｝される、当てはまる
"hubby" 旦那、主人　（husbandの略）
"sacrifice" 【名詞】〔自分以外のために貴重なものを〕犠牲｛ぎせい｝にすること
"I hate you" 私はあなたが嫌いです。
※s.t = something  
   
 
This Month’s "Janglish" : 今回はExpect とlook forward to の違いの使い方を解説します。
 
 

 
–This section will cover a broad range of different grammar rules and explanations to help you understand sentence structure and improve awareness of English grammar.
このコーナーでは文法の規則や英文の構成についてわかりやすく学べます。
English Comprehensive Grammar Review 2011
Phrasal Verbs Review :　復習テスト
Read each of the following of sentences/questions and determine which option is correct.
 
1 Could you (go back/go over) this report with me? It needs to be perfect for my meeting.
2 I heard your printer (broke in/ broke down) yesterday. Are you going to get a new one?
3 If you are not doing anything during Christmas, let’s (get through/ get together) for dinner.
4 The professor always (calls on/ calls off) on me when he feels I don’t know the answer.
5 Let’s (go out/ go in) for dinner for a change. I do not feel like cooking.
6 I waited at the station for over an hour but John didn’t (come in/ show up).
7 To get to Shinjuku, you should (get in/ get on) the Chuo line.
8 I think we had better (call out/ call off) the picnic due to inclimate weather.
9 Hiroko was offered the job but she (turned it off, turned it down) as the salary was low.
10 While John was driving, he was so fatigued that he (dozed off, drove off) and hit a tree.
   
For the following 10 sentences, select which of the following is the best choice.
up over off on into
down about of back out of
 
1 I think we we are going in the wrong direction. Should we go _______ ?
2 Anthony was sick last week but I think he has gotten _______ his sickness already.
3 John, do you know who she is? I know I have met her already but can’t think _______her name.
4 I hate the managers I work with! They are always gettting _______ fights at work for no reason whatsoever.
5 Airplanes always make me nervous. Especially during take _______.
6 I asked Samantha to go with me to the prom but she turned me _______ as someone had already asked her.
7 Yuko, I know you said you didn’t want to invite the managers to our year end party but it might be good to involve them for promotion purposes. Could you think it _______ and let me know if you will reconsider?
8 The police are on a massive manhunt for the inmate who broke _______ jail last night.
9 Jennifer, would you mind contacting Suzuki san to see if he can put _______ our meeting to a later time?
10 I am really surprised the members of accounting team like the new supervisor. They all seemed to have gotten _______ to a very good start.
   
Review of usage between "by" vs "until":
For the following sentences, select whether "by" or "until" is appropriate.
   
1 Mr. Edwards is out of town at the moment. He’ll be back _______ Monday.
2 I’m going out for lunch. Please take all my calls _______ I get back.
3 If anyone calls while I am out, let them know I’ll return _______ 2pm at the latest.
4 Oh my god! It is already 11pm. I promised my father I would be back home _______ 11:15.
5 I’m sorry I can not go tonight. I have to stay home _______ my mother returns.
6 All applicants wishing to take the TOEIC test must submit their application _______ the 15th.
7 We would love for you to work at our firm so we will hold off offering the position to anyone else _______ we receive your decision.
8 Haven’t you gotten your visa yet? You should have received it _______ now.
9 I should be done with my work _______ the time you arrive so don’t worry.
10 _______ we leave for the airport, I am going to continue watching this awesome soccer match.
   
 
 
TOEIC対策（読解＆リスニング問題編）Eメールとﾕｰｻﾞﾈｰﾑの入力でテストの結果がメールで受け取れます。
 
[kml_flashembed publishmethod=”static” fversion=”8.0.0″ movie=”https://www.members.eigopass.com/flashquiz/toeicsentence/Quiz 11/quiz.swf” width=”616″ height=”480″ targetclass=”flashmovie”] [/kml_flashembed]
 
[kml_flashembed publishmethod=”static” fversion=”8.0.0″ movie=”https://www.members.eigopass.com/flashquiz/TOEIC200/Responses Part 2/quiz.swf” width=”616″ height=”480″ targetclass=”flashmovie”] [/kml_flashembed]
 
 
 
NEW! – How do you feel about Christmas in Japan?

(Corey 24y.o. male US): This will be my very first Christmas in Japan so honestly speaking, I do not have much to base my opinion upon. However, I was a little bit surprised when I was with my girlfriend at the beginning of December.

As we were hanging out together in Harajuku together, I was looking at a jacket and mentioned that I was going to buy it. Upon hearing that I liked it, she said she would buy it for me as my Christmas present! I do love her effort and gesture but for some reason or another, I felt it was strange in that allowing her to buy it for me would take away the "surprise" part of gift giving. I like the idea of exchanging presents and not knowing what it is until Christmas day. Call me old fashioned but I think it keeps the "romance" alive in a relationship.

 

【日本語訳】

今年が日本での初めてのクリスマスなので、正直なところ特に意見がないけど、12月初め頃彼女と一緒に原宿を歩いていたら驚くことがあった。　僕はジャケットを見ていて購入しようとしたら、彼女がクリスマスプレゼントとして買ってくれると言うのだ。彼女の優しさはとても嬉しいが、どういう訳か僕はそれは変だと感じた。クリスマスプレゼントというワクワク感と驚きがなくなってしまうからだ。古い考えかもしれないが、その方が「愛」を持続できると僕は思います。
 
 

(Sarah 24y.o. female U.K.): Christmas in Japan is quite unique, I will admit that! It is very understandable for this "holiday" to be celebrated in different ways depending on various aspects such as age, nationality, religious beliefts, etc…

Just my two cents, I think Christmas in Japan is more for couples like Valentine’s day rather than a family affair. A case in point for me was last year when my parents came to Japan to spend Christmas with me because I had to work and couldn’t return home for the holidays. When I asked my boyfriend(Japanese) at the time if he would mind spending it with my parents, he didn’t seem to mind but asked me "Can we be alone afterwards"?

I told him that I could not really guarantee that since I had no idea how long my parents would stay since I was preparing dinner with my mum at my apartment. I really do not want to throw my parents out of my apartment and send them back to the hotel especially since they had come all the way to Japan to visit me. Needless to say, he seemed irritated and it gave me other reasons to understand how cultural differences could be a strain on interracial couples. I just wished he could have understood my feelings of what Christmas meant to me and not focus on what is the "usual" custom of Christmas for him.

 

【日本語訳】

日本のクリスマスはとても独特で、私は受け入れています。　この”ホリデー”は　様々な年齢、国籍や宗教により違った形でお祝いされるのは理解できます。私の意見としては日本では家族でお祝いするよりむしろ恋人同士のためのお祝い事であるように思う。

というのも、去年私が仕事で忙しく帰郷できなかったので、両親がクリスマスに日本に来てくれた際、彼（日本人）にクリスマスを私の両親と一緒に過ごしてくれないか？尋ねると、構わないようだったが「後で二人きりで過ごせる？」かと聞かれた。

アパートで母とクリスマスディナーの支度をするので、両親がどれくらい居るかわからないし約束はできないと言った。せっかく遠くから来てくれた両親を無理やり追い出したくはない。言うまでもなく、それを聞いて彼はイライラしていた。このようなことが異人種間のカップルに生じる試練でありどのように（お互いの）文化の違いを理解し受け入れるかは課題である。彼にとっての”通常”のクリスマスの習慣だけにとらわれるのではなく、私にとってのクリスマスの意味も理解してくれたら嬉しいのにな。
 

(Alex 29y.o. male US) I have celebrated Christmas in Japan 3 times in my last 5 years living here and realized the one evident truth: Christmas seems to be more tailored to couples than families. My students seem surprised when I tell them I have to buy presents for my brothers, sisters, mother, father, nephew, niece, etc… (I forgot, my girlfriend in that list but we all know she will tell me what to buy for her 🙂

I can see the surprise on their faces when they hear this as most of my students seem to buy only for their boyfriend/girlfriend. In some cases, parents will get something for their children but why is it that children don’t give presents to their parents. Do married couples buy gifts for one another or is giftgiving dead after marriage?

When asked what their perfect image of Christmas is, alot of them explain a scene in Home Alone with a big Christmas tree and many presents underneath. I tell them that there is no right or wrong way to celebrate this festive occasion and that if they like a certain image of Christmas that they should do it! I tell them go and get a tree! Buy presents for your brother, sister, and every member of your family and change Christmas to fit your ideal image!

Unfortunately to that, I hear the same response: " mendokusai "… sigh… Most things in life that we remember must be done with effort. I know it is mendokusai but it is the our effort that builds memories.

 
 

【日本語訳】

日本に5年住んでいる間に、日本でクリスマスをお祝いするのは3回目、そして気づいたことは：クリスマスが家族向けより恋人たち仕様に象られていること。　僕が家族全員分のプレゼントを買うと話すと僕の生徒はみんな驚いていました。

彼らは驚きを顔に出し、ほとんどの生徒は彼氏／彼女のためだけに買うとのこと。時折、両親が子供たちにプレゼントを買うこともあるようだが、子供たちが両親にプレゼントを贈るということはないのはなぜだろう。　結婚しているカップルは結婚後にお互いに贈りあっているのだろうか？

クリスマスのイメージについて尋ねると、多くの人が「（映画）ホーム・アローン」の大きなクリスマスツリーと木の下にいっぱいのプレゼントのシーンを言っている。クリスマスの特別な祭りごとに良いも悪いもない。自分のイメージどおりにクリスマスをお祝いすればいいはず。だから僕は彼らにツリーを買って！家族全員にプレゼントを買って！自分のイメージするクリスマスで祝おう！

でも、残念ながら返ってくる言葉は「面倒くさい」（ため息。。。）僕たちが記憶する人生のほとんどのことは努力によって作られている。面倒だということはわかるが、僕たちの努力によって素晴らしい記憶が残っていくのだと僕は思う。
 
 

 

Here are other posts you may like! :)

  1. 2011年12月号-　December Business Expressions & Idioms
  2. 2011年12月号-December Newsletter Video
  3. 2011å¹´4月号 – April’s Study Newsletter
  4. 2011年5月号-May Newsletter
  5. Q. In Japan why is it the women the ones who give men chocolates on Valentine’s Day?
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