2014年4月号-　エイゴパス英会話レッスン 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
 

To Whale or not to Whale?

Three whale vessels that had been in the South Pole for the purpose of scientific whaling for the past three months entered the port of Shimonoseki. This is after the International Court of Justice ruled that Japan’s current whaling practices “aren’t for scientific purposes,” and ordered its suspension on March 31.

Dissatisfaction and anxiety against the verdict swirled among the crew and their families. Three of the vessels including the research mother ship, “Nisshin Maru” and monitoring ships like “Yushin Maru” are all registered in Tokyo Bay, but the city of Shimonoseki seeking economical boost from the unloading of the whale meat has lured their entry to port for two years in a row.
“I feel sorry that it ended up like this,” said the chief of the fisheries agency Kazuyoshi Honkawa at the welcoming back ceremony that was held at the wharf, “We’d like to analyze the verdict and quickly decide on a response. Also, to be able to dispel the anxiety (of those involved), we would want to handle it by taking budgetary measures if necessary.”
The crew members, who landed on Japanese soil for the first time in four months were uniformly mum about the subject, but one male crew expressed his frustration saying, “The decision itself isn’t scientific. I can’t agree with the fact that we can’t conduct scientific whaling any longer, and I feel anger.”
A 45-year-old wife of one of the crew members was happy about her husband’s safe return but while tearing up she said, “I have pride in my husband’s work. He’s putting his life working for the country.” Another local woman whose 34-year-old son has been participating in the research for 16 years said, “Isn’t the verdict a matter of difference in culture? The job in which my son endures a harsh life on the ship and has taken pride in may be gone.”
The research fleet consisted of four ships including the three that stopped in Shimonoseki. It also had set sail from the port of Shimonoseki last December. It was a victim of sabotage four different times including an incident involving the Australian anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd throwing ropes onto the vessel. There were no injuries among the crew.
   
Purpose of 〔望む〕目的、目標、狙い
Ruled (rule v.) 裁定する、判決する
Dissatisfaction 不満、不平、不満の種
Verdict 判断、意見、決定、裁定
Lured 〔ものの持つ〕魅力、誘因力
To dispel 〔霧や暗闇などを〕晴らす、消散させる
(to be) mum (about ～について口外しない、～についておくびにも出さない
Frustration 〔人の望みなどを〕挫折させる［妨げる］もの［こと］
consist of ～から成る、～で構成される
 

　南極海で今年１〜３月、調査捕鯨にあたった捕鯨船３隻が５日、山口県下関市の下関港に入港した。国際司法裁判所が３月３１日、南極海での現在の日本の調査捕鯨を「科学目的ではない」として中止を命じ、捕鯨存続が揺らぐ中での日本への帰港。乗組員や出迎えの家族からは判決への不満や不安が渦巻いた。
調査母船「日新丸」と目視採集船「勇新丸」など３隻。いずれも船籍は東京港だが、下関市は鯨肉の水揚げによる経済効果を見込んで入港を誘致しており、下関への入港は２年連続４回目。
岸壁であった入港式で、水産庁の本川一善長官は国際司法裁判所の判断について「このような結果になり申し訳なく思う」と述べた。今後については「判決を分析し、早急に対応方法を決めたい。（関係者の）不安を払拭（ふっしょく）できるよう、必要なら予算措置を講じながら対応したい」と語った。
４カ月ぶりに日本に上陸した乗組員らの口は一様に重く、男性乗組員の一人は「科学的でないのは判決の方だ。調査捕鯨ができなくなるなんて納得がいかず、怒りさえ覚える」と不満をあらわにした。
乗組員の夫を出迎えに訪れた熊本県の女性（４５）は、無事の帰国を喜びながらも「夫はこの仕事に誇りを持っている。国のために命をかけて働いているのに……」と涙を浮かべた。次男（３４）が１６年間、調査に参加しているという山口県美祢市の女性（６０）も「判決は文化の違いなのでしょう。厳しい船上生活に耐え、誇りにしてきた息子の仕事がなくなるかもしれない」と不安そうに話した。
今回の調査船団は下関に寄港した３隻を含む４隻で構成し、昨年１２月に下関港などを出港した。反捕鯨団体、シー・シェパードからロープを投げ込まれるなど４回にわたり妨害行為を受けたという。乗組員にけがはなかった。
 
 
Japan News:

Children’s academic performance linked to parents’ income, education in gov’t study

Performance in national scholastic ability tests conducted in 2013 rose in proportion to the students’ family’s income and education level, education ministry figures have shown.

Researchers at Ochanomizu University in Tokyo — commissioned by the Ministry of Education, Culture,

Sports, Science and Technology to analyze the test results — made the connection after comparing those results to answers from a questionnaire sent to some 40,000 parents and guardians of the students tested. The test was administered in April 2013 on sixth grade and third-year junior high school students at selected schools across Japan. The analysis also suggested that children who read books and newspapers regularly also perform better academically.

According to the study, sixth graders from households with an annual income of less than 2 million yen scored an average of 45.7 percent on the arithmetic section of the test. Sixth graders from households bringing in more than 15 million yen a year, meanwhile, had an average score of 71.5 percent.

The analysis also found a directly proportional relationship between the amount households spent on study outside school such as cram schools and their children’s test performance.

Looking at parental participation in and awareness of their children’s education, the study found that students whose parents recommended that they read books and newspapers, asked their children about life at school, and maintained a stable daily routine, all had better test results.

The study also found, however, that the 25 percent of top-ranked performers who came from disadvantageous home situations all had parents who were passionate about education. Even in households with economic troubles, students who spent a long time studying had high academic performance.

When the researchers examined seven schools where the academic differences associated with household conditions was relatively small, they found that home study, good leadership from school principals or other authority figures, small group instruction and small class sizes all helped narrow the gap.

"To erase the academic ability gap entirely, it is important to tackle the problem in the educational institutions themselves. However, this is also a larger social issue," said study lead and Ochanomizu University Vice President Hiroaki Mimizuka. "It’s very important that we take measures to lessen inequality, including in employment."

 
conducted 行われた、実施された
in proportion to 比例している
income 年収
guardians 保護者
administered 委託された
analysis 分析
regularly 習慣、通常
households 家庭
arithmetic ç®—æ•°
proportional 正比例
cram schools 塾
test performance テストの成績
participation 参加
awareness 意識、認知、自覚
stable 安定した、しっかりした
disadvantageous 不利な、不都合な
school principals 学校の校長先生
authority figures 権威を持つ大人
narrow the gap 差を縮める
tackle the problem 対策を取る
social issue 社会的な問題
inequality 不平等
 

子どもの学力と家庭所得の相関性

2013年に行われた全国学力テストの結果によると、子どもの同テストの成績は家庭の収入と教育レベルに比例していると示されている。

文部科学省により本調査の分析を委託されたお茶の水女子大学の研究員は、その関連性は 生徒のテストの点数と同生徒の約4万人の保護者のアンケートへの回答を比べた結果から結論づけている。全国で選ばれた学校の小学6年生と中学3年生により去年の4月にテストは行われた。 また、分析によると通常、本や新聞を読む習慣を持っている生徒ほど学力が高かった。

調査によると家庭の年収が200万円以下である小学6年生の同テストの算数での平均点数は45.7%であった。それに比べ、家庭の年収が1千5百万円以上の生徒の平均点数は71.5%と明らかに高かった。

家庭が塾など学校以外で費やしている教育費と生徒の学力テストの成績には、正比例の関係があることを分析により分かった。

子供の教育に対しての親の関わりや意識を見たところ、本や新聞を読むよう親から勧められていたり、親が学校での出来事などを聞いたり、しっかり日々の習慣を持つ子供ほど良好な試験結果を示した。

トップの点数を獲得した25%の中で不利な家庭状況を持つ生徒は全員、同時に教育に情熱をかける親を持っていた。また、家庭が経済的に裕福でなくても勉強にたくさん時間を費やした生徒は高い点数を獲得できていた。

研究員が家庭の状況による学力の差が少ない七校を見たところ、家での学習、学校の校長先生や他の権威を持つ大人からの指導やグループ教育また少人数のクラスが学力の差を縮めることに効果的であったことが分かった。

「学力の差を一切無くすには、教育機関そのものでの問題に取り組むことが重要である。だが、社会的な問題であり、雇用に関しても不平等を軽減する為の対策を取る必要がある」とお茶の水女子大学耳塚寛明教育機構長は述べる。
 
 
 
   
  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！
Useful Expressions used in — Arranging A Meeting —
I’d like to suggest that we hold a meeting
  Ex: I’d like to suggest that we hold a meeting. If I may, I’d like to find out more about what you think.
 
I think a meeting is in order.
  Ex: I think a meeting is in order so it’ll be possible to hear what everyone has to say.
   
I think we need to hold a meeting
  Ex: I think we need to hold a meeting to get everyone on the same page.
   
We’re not going to get anywhere without holding a video conference.
  Ex: We’re not going to get anywhere without holding a video conference. We need everyone in the same room to get all the opinions.
   
Why don’t we talk about it…?
  Ex: Why don’t we talk about this over coffee? I would like to get your input.
   
Do you have any suggestions….?
 

Ex: Do you have any suggestions about who shouild be at the meeting? It’s probably not wise to invite everyone.
   
I think we need an outside advisor.
  Ex: I think we need an outside advisor. The right person could really help move things ahead.
   
Could you make all the arrangements?
  Ex: Could you make all the arrangements? I want everything to be prepared.
   
If you’d like me to, I can go ahead and book a meeting room.
  Ex: If you’d like me to, I can go ahead and book a meeting room. If we decide we don’t need it, we can cancel it later.
   
I’m just calling to….
 

Ex: I’m just caｌｌing to remind you about the meeting on August 16. Do you think you’ll be able to make it?
 
上記の会話の日本語訳はこちらをクリック’（印刷可）: JAPANESE VERSION
 

 
–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。
Learning to use: some, any, no

Today we are going to learn how to use "some", "any" and "no". Each word/phrase can have a similar meaning with one another, so make sure you learn how to use them.
1.　some = いくつかの、いくらかの
  いくつかの、いくらかのという意味で使われます。
   
Ex. 1. We bought some flowers.（私たちはいくつかの花を購入した）
Ex. 2 He’s busy. He’s got some work to do.（彼は忙しい。やらなくてはならない仕事があるみたいだ。）
Ex. 3 I don’t have any money today. Can I borrow some?（今日はお金を持ち合わせていないんだ。いくらか借りていいかな？）
Ex. 4 There’s somebody at the door （入り口に誰かがいる）
   
"some"はいくつかの、もしくはいくらかの、の意味で使われます。また、somebodyやsomething（誰か、何か）のような形で使われることもあります。
2.　any（否定の場合） = まったくない
 

don’t ——(å‹•è©ž) anyのように何かがまったくない時に使われます。*anyの前に否定形の表現がある場合のみ
   
Ex. 1.

We didn’t buy any flowers.（私たちは花を全く購入していない）
Ex. 2 He’s very lazy. He doesn’t do any work.（彼は怠け者だ。彼は一切仕事をしない）
Ex. 3 I’m not hungry at all. I don’t want anything to eat.（私は全くお腹が空いていない。何も食べたくない）
Ex. 4 They are very tired today. They don’t want to talk to anybody.（彼らは今日非常に疲れている。誰とも話したくない。
   

"any"は否定形の後(notやno)に使われた場合、「まったくない」という意味になります。また、anythingやanybody（何もない、誰もいない）のように使われることもあります。
3.　no = まったくない
  I have no ——（名詞）のように何かが全くない時に使われます。
   
Ex. 1. We bought no flowers.(私たちは花を全く購入していない)
Ex. 2 He’s very lazy. He does no work. （彼は怠け者だ。彼は一切仕事をしない）
Ex. 3 I’m not hungry at all. I want nothing to eat.（私は全くお腹が空いていない。何も食べたくない）
Ex. 4 John is very short. Nobody at the party noticed him walking in.（ジョンはとても背が低い。パーティでは彼が入ってきたことに誰も気づかなかった）
   
"no ——"はany —–　と同じく、「まったくない」という意味を持ちます。また、none、nothingã‚„noody（何もない、誰もいない）のように使われることもあります。
 
Vocabulary Exercise：　ボキャブラリー練習問題
Read each of the following of sentences/questions and determine which option is correct.
 
1 I’m going out tonight with (some/any) friends of mine.
2 I didn’t have (any/some) money, so I had to borrow (any/some) from my friend.
3 Can you give me (any/some) information about places of interest in this area?.
4 I was too surprised to say (anything/something)
5 When I have some trouble with my life, I like to talk to (anybody/somebody)
6 The doorbell rang, but there was (anybody/nobody) at the door.
7 I don’t have (no/any) friends. Please be my friend.
8 I took some pictures, but (some/none) of them were good.
9 She didn’t tell (nobody/anybody) about what happened yesterday.
10 The accident looked serious, but (nobody/anybody) was injured.
   
For the following 10 sentences, select which of the following is the best choice.
any some no anything anybody
something somebody nothing nobody  
 
1 I was very hungry, but there was __________ to eat in the house.
2 I don’t want _________ to drink. I’m just not thirsty.
3 There is _________ I want to tell you. Do you have a minute?
4 Please, I don’t want to do have _______ drinks. I’m just not thirtsy!
5 _______ wants to be poor. We all want to be rich, aren’t I correct?
6 I want ______ money. Can you give me ______?
7 He has no information. He can tell you _______.
8 Jennifer just heard an interesting story. She wants to tell _________.
9 They are such boring people. They have _______ energy.
10 I heard _____ noise, so I thought _______ was at the door. After I checked, however, I found out that ________ was there.
 
 
 
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。
 
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[kml_flashembed publishmethod=”static” fversion=”8.0.0″ movie=”https://www.members.eigopass.com/flashquiz/TOEIC850/quiz12audio/quiz.swf” width=”636″ height=”480″ targetclass=”flashmovie”] [/kml_flashembed]
 
 
NEW! – The ministry of education recently conducted a review of the textbooks, which would be used for the new academic year. In the process, it decided to edit the cover of a textbook, which had a boy climbing a tree because it believed short sleeves to be inappropriate clothing for such activity. Furthermore, it also changed the boy climbing a tree to instead reaching for the tree with his feet still on the ground.

(Alan : mid 30s Japanese American):

I can understand that the ministry wants to be cautious with the materials that they approve especially because they are going to be seen by children, but I feel that their extent of censorship is ridiculous. I do think that children are very impressionable, and are likely to copy what they see, but I don’t think that anyone should be preventing them from completely taking part in activities just because they may result in injuries. Of course, there are unfortunate cases in which a child may even fall to his or her death, but in that sense, tree climbing isn’t any different from riding a bicycle as many get into accidents resulting in injuries and sometimes even death every year.

Growing up in the suburb of Los Angeles, I remember climbing trees at schools and parks all the time when I was in elementary school. I always climbed them wearing a T-shirt (short sleeves) and shorts. By exposing more than half of my limbs, I may have gotten a few cuts here and there, but nothing serious enough that I remember a specific injury. I think that my attire actually allowed me to move and climb more freely. So, I don’t think that it was necessary for the ministry to change the boy’s shirt from a short-sleeved one to a long one.

Moreover, I don’t understand why it was necessary to change a boy climbing a tree to just reaching for it. Is it saying that no child should ever climb a tree? I’m not sure if the image from a textbook alone would’ve been enough to motivate me to climb a tree, but in my case I wanted to climb them because I saw it as a challenge and a boost to my ego. Also, through climbing, I felt an exhilarating thrill that compared to nothing else and a sense of pride for conquering my fear.

I think that children should be exposed and motivated to challenge themselves to strenuous physical activities – even if they are considered to be risky. Even if taking a certain action during that activity may lead to a dangerous outcome, I’d like to think that most kids would have the instinct to assess their capability in relation to the task at hand and actually be more precautious than necessary to avoid injuries. In other words, I think that most children would have brakes in their head that would prevent them from doing something that would inflict harm on themselves. Even when I climbed the trees, I was able to assess which branches can support my weight and avoid branches that I even considered to be remotely dangerous.

I think being a child is a process of becoming aware of one’s own limitations as well as learning to balance the risks and rewards of the actions that one undertakes. Therefore, children shouldn’t be discouraged or prevented from undertaking all activities that may be risky and adults consider to be dangerous.

 
 

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