2014年10月号 – エイゴパス 月刊ニュースレター

| 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)
Business English ＜ビジネス英語フレーズ＞
Grammar Study＜今月の文法学習＞
TOEICクイズ TOEIC Study Quiz＜ＴＯＥＩＣテスト＞
Monthly Column – ＜今月のコラム＞
 
   
—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！
World News
 

Malaysia Airlines to shed workers following disasters

Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia Airlines will cut 6,000 workers as part of an overhaul announced Aug. 29 to revive its damaged brand after being hit by two disasters.

The staff reduction represents about 30 percent of its current workforce of 20,000.
Khazanah Nasional, the state investment company that owns 69 percent of the airline, said it will acquire all shares of the streamlined airline. The overhaul will cost about 6 billion ringgit (199 billion yen).

In a span of just five months the airline was hit by the disappearance of a flight carrying 239 people en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, and the shooting down of another jet carrying 298 people over eastern Ukraine.
shed 〜を解雇する
follow(ing) 〜を受けて
as…of 〜の一環として
overhaul 徹底的な見直し
revive 〜を回復させる、よみがえらせる
staff reduction 人員消滅
represent(s) 〜に相当する
workforce 全従業員
state…company 政府系投資会社
share(s) æ ª
streamlined 合理化された、簡素化された
ringgit （マレーシアの貨弊単位）
span 期間
en…from 〜からの途中で
 

マレーシア航空　従業員6000人を消滅へ
マレーシア航空は、二つの惨事に見舞われたことにより傷ついたブランドイメージを回復させるため、徹底的な見直しを行うことを8月29日に発表した。その一環として、従業員6000人を消滅する見込みだ。
この人員消滅は、現在の全従業員2万人の約30パーセントに相当する。
マレーシア航空の株式の69パーセントを保有する政府系投資会社カザナ•ナショナルは、整理後のマレーシア航空の全株式を取得すると発表。見直しには約60億リンギ（1990億円）かかる見通しだ。
マレーシア航空ではたった5カ月の間に、クアラルンプールから北京に向かっていた239人を乗せた航空機が行方不明になったほか、298人を乗せた航空機もウクライナ東部上空で撃墜されるという惨事に見舞われた。
 
 
Japan News:

One-eighth of Japan’s population now 75 or older

The number of Japanese 75 or older reached a record 15.9 million, comprising one in eight people, figures show.

The internal affairs ministry calculated figures on the nation’s graying population to coincide with Respect-for-the-Aged Day on Sept. 15.

It said those 75 or older account for 12.5 percent of the population and that one in four people is now 65 or older.

Those in the latter category make up 25.9 percent of the population for a total of 32.96 million people, also a record.

Of baby boomers, born between 1947 and 1949, those turning 65 this year contributed to the record percentage figures.
record 記録的な、これまでで最高の。第4段落のrecordは「(これまでで最高の)記録」
comprise(-ing) 〜を構成する
figures （通例複数形で）数値、統計、データ
The…ministry 総務省
graying population 高齢者人口
to…with 〜と同時に、〜に合わせて
Respect-for-the-Aged Day 敬老の日
account for 〜を占める
latter 後者の。ここでは65歳以上の高齢者のこと
make up 〜構成する
turn(ing) （〜歳に）なる
contribute(d) to 〜の一因となった
 

人口の8人に1人は75歳以上　総務省推計

推計によると、75歳以上の日本人の数は、過去最高の1590万人に達した。つまり75歳以上は8人のうち1人、ということになる。

総務省は9月15日の「敬老の日」に合わせ、日本の高齢者人口の推計を算出した。

同省によると、75歳以上の人は総人口の12.5パーセントを占め、さらに4人に1人が65歳以上だという。
後者のカテゴリー（65歳以上）に属する人は計3296万人、総人口の25.9パーセントに達し、こちらも今までで最も高い数字となった。
1947年から1949年に生まれた「団塊世代」の一部が、今年65歳になった。それが、最も高い割合を記録した一因となった。
 
 
 
   
  New! Learning through News Videos
 
 
 
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！
説明してもらう
Could you explain…?
  There’s something I don’t quite undersatnd. COuld you explain how you’re going to increase customer satisfaction?
  よくわからないことがあります。どうやって顧客満足度を高めるのですか？
 
Why is that?
  Is this policy really going to make our colients more satisfied? Why is that?
  このやり方で、本当に顧客がより満足するようになるのですか？どうしてそう言えるのですか？
   
詳しい説明を求める
  I’d like to ask for a more detailed explanation about…
  I’d like to ask for amore detailed explanation about the reason for this new policy.
  この新しい方針に関して、もっと詳しく説明していただきたいのですが。
 
Could you explain that a little further?
  You mentioned that the policy needs to be inplemented now. Could you explain that a litttle further?
  その方針は今すぐ実行に移すべきだとおっしゃいっましたが、もう少し説明してもらえますか？
 
わかりやすい説明を求める
Could you spell it out for me?
  I don’t know why we ned this new policy. Could you spell it out for me?
  このような新しい方針が必要な理由が理解できません。わかりやすく説明していただけますか？
   
簡潔な説明を求める
Could you give me a brief explanation of…?
  Could you give me a brief explanation of why this policy is so urgent?
  なぜこの方針の実行が急を要するのか、簡潔に説明してもらえませんか？
 

 
–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。
Select whether to use "So" or "Because" for the following sentences:
 
  1. It was cold outside ______ I shut the window.
  2. The door was open ______ I closed it.
  3. She doesn’t like him ______ he isn’t honest.
  4. It was raining ______ I took a taxi
  5. The water wasn’t clean ______ we didn’t swim.
  6. We didn’t swim ______ the water wasn’t clean.
  7. I’ll be home late tonight ______ I have to work late.
  8. I’m tired today ______ I couldn’t sleep last night.
  9. She quit her job ______ she is looking for a new one now.
  10. We walked home ______ there were no more buses.
  11. I closed the window ______ it was cold.
 
  Answers: 1. so 2. so 3. because 4. so 5. so 6. because 7. because 8. because 9. so 10. because 11. because
Select whether to use "So", "Because", "Despite", or "Although" for the following sentences:
 
  1. ___________ it was raining, we didn’t go to the beach.
  2. The young college student got the job __________  her poor skills.
  3. ___________ he had to work the next day, he still went out drinking.
  4. She had to work very late ____________ she became very tired.
  5. ____________ the train was late this morning, I didn’t arrive at work on time.
  6. I am trying to save my money ___________ I can go to America.
  7. ____________ there were many people at the party, I didn’t talk to anyone.
  8. Samantha didn’t get the job ____________ her excellent credentials.
  9. ____________ John had extensive experience and skills, he was not offered the job.
  10. The interviewee was offered a better job than the one he had orginally applied for ____________ he was extremely over qualified.
 
  Answer: 1.Although 2. despite 3. Although 4. so 5. Because 6. so 7. Although 8. despite 9. Although 10. because
 
 
 
 
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=”636″ height=”480″ targetclass=”flashmovie”] [/kml_flashembed]
[kml_flashembed publishmethod=”static” fversion=”8.0.0″ movie=”https://www.members.eigopass.com/flashquiz/TOEIC850/quiz16audio/quiz.swf” width=”636″ height=”480″ targetclass=”flashmovie”] [/kml_flashembed]
 
 
NEW! – Advice Column from a Foreigner’s Point of View (Relationship, Life, Work, and Everything Under the Sun)

(Saori : mid 30’s Japanese): English Version translated from Japanese

"I thought westerners were more open and didn’t control their girlfriends or spouses so much but I am really frustrated in my current relationship. Getting to the point, my boyfriend of 9 months is getting irritated and even angry on some occasions when I attend an office "social" function.

For example, my office occasionally holds "welcome parties", "farewell parties", "year-end parties", and etc… These semi-work obligations are events that I have to take part in from time to time but he feels that I should not be attending them at all. According to him, once every half year should be enough. He does not like it when I come home after 11pm.

There was one time when I came home on the last train that he got so angry and told me he wanted to break up since I showed more interest in hanging out with my coworkers than with him. I am not sure whether it is me coming home late or if there were men at the event.

I love my boyfriend but is this his immature behavior or is it a cultural thing? (My bf is younger than me… much younger)

(Jenny: early 30’s Japanese-American):

"Hey Saori, thanks for writing in and sharing your story. Honestly, I was in no position to voice my opinion on your specific situation since both my partner and I do not work for a typical Japanese "establishment" that has the social events you mentioned so I went to my fellow coworkers to get their feedback.

Interestingly enough, quite a few of my male colleagues told me they felt the same way as your boyfriend! I had no idea it bothered "Western" men so much actually. From their invaluable insight into the matter, I think I can at least try to bring some helpful advice.

From British to American to Canadian colleagues I have sought opinions from, the one thing that rang through from all their answers was that they felt when their girlfriends went out often, they seemed to have been left "out" of their girlfriends’ lives.

In other countries, there is a sense of "inclusiveness" in each partners lives. Meaning that boyfriends and girlfriends tend to get to know their partner’s coworkers/friends/classmates. This at least gives them a sense of trust with their partner while also being given the chance to decide whether to attend social gatherings or not. Japan is a society of circles meaning one circle of local friends, another for college friends, another for ex coworkers, and the list goes on and on. Never (or almost never) do the circles overlap.

One coworker told me that he was not invited to his wife’s coworker’s wedding ceremony but was asked to have dinner with the newlyweds on a separate evening as they wanted to hang out with other married people. In this particular situation, my coworker declined the invitation since he felt that if he were not "good enough" to be invited to the wedding that he wanted nothing to do with them. Extreme? Yes… Unreasonable? No…

As I see it, I think you should ask him directly what is it about you going to these work events that irk him so much. I will assume that if you have already asked him and he has not spoken his true feelings. Try to ask him to get his non Japanese friends who also date Japanese women to get their input on how they feel about their partners going out to work obligated parties. Hopefully, he will listen or understand more about Japan’s work culture that these events (though they seem non work related) are actually a part of work. Also that not including partners in these events as in weddings is not part of any insult or gesture of "excluding" someone but rather a part of the current culture and society of making circles.

I wish you luck and report back to me if there are new developments. All the best!

By the way, great job on the "younger" catch! " 🙂
 

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