2012年12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！
Difficulties lie ahead for DPJ after securing only 57 seats

After suffering a devastating loss in the Dec. 16 general election, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) was set to hold an executive meeting the following day to talk about the party’s next move, such as the election of a new leader. Although the DPJ aims to do everything it can to restore the party, many difficulties lie ahead after it won less than one-fourth of the seats it enjoyed before the election. "We have lost many politicians who are the founding fathers of the party," said a DPJ upper house politician expressing his concern.
The DPJ saw its 230 seats in the House of Representatives decline to 57 seats, including the loss of long-time DPJ members. The party will likely suffer a great loss in terms of its number of politicians and a shortage of experience. Upon arriving at his office on the morning of Dec. 17, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda didn’t say a word to reporters when he was asked to give a comment on the election result and how he was planning to restore the party.
Osamu Fujimura, the first chief Cabinet secretary to ever lose in an election, told the media that he failed to appeal to the public even though he had made efforts to put many policies forward in the Noda Cabinet."We will not give up just because we lost," Senior Vice Minister of Defense Akihisa Nagashima, who survived in Tokyo’s No. 21 constituency, expressed in a Fuji TV program. Meanwhile, the DPJ needs to shift its direction from Noda’s path in order to restore the party.

Some DPJ members who won their seats have different views from Noda’s on Japan’s participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade negotiations.

The DPJ made a statement on Dec. 17 saying that the party recognized voters’ judgment and it will have all party members work as one to return to government.
 

ディスカッションポイント！：

＜日本語訳＞

民主党は壊滅的敗北を喫した衆院選から一夜明けた１７日、幹部らが集まり、代表選の日程や今後の対応について協議する。党の立て直しに全力を挙げるが、公示前勢力の２３０議席から４分の１以下になり、党を支えてきた大物議員の落選も相次いだ。人材不足の中で、再建は難航必至とみられる。

　野田佳彦首相は１７日午前１０時過ぎ、首相公邸から官邸に徒歩で入った。記者団が「厳しい結果になったが、どう党再生を図るか」と問いかけたが、振り向かずに無言で通り過ぎた。

　藤村修官房長官は同日午前の記者会見で、民主党の敗因について「政権交代後、野田政権発足後、選挙戦に入ってからのこと、さまざま分析して次への教訓にすることになる」と指摘した。

　税と社会保障の一体改革に関する民主、自民、公明の３党合意への影響については「国民会議も発足してい る。３党協議で前に進むと期待する」と述べた。自民党政権の誕生で、２０３０年代に原発稼働ゼロを目指すとの政権の方針が転換される可能性があるが、「エ ネルギー政策は新政権で検討される。コメントは控える」と述べるにとどめた。

　歴史的な惨敗の衝撃は大きく、１７日朝の国会や党本部には主立った幹部は姿をみせず、支持者への謝罪の 電話などに追われた。東京２１区で勝ち残った長島昭久副防衛相はフジテレビの番組で、「このままでは終わらせない」と悔しさをにじませた。参院の中堅議員 は１７日朝、「いぶし銀のようなベテランが多く落選してしまった。党運営が人材不足になるのは仕方ない」と語り、今後の党運営に懸念を示した。

　１７日午後には幹部らが集まり、新代表選出のための両院議員総会を２５日にも開く準備を始めるとみられる。
 
 
Has the LDP changed in the past three years?
Q: What was the main reason for the LDP’s enormous victory?
  Answer: Simply put, voter disappointment with the governing Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). Voters saw the three years of DPJ government as a series of misjudgments and mishaps. When the LDP went from 300 lower house seats to 119 in the 2009 election, observers believed it would take at least 10 years for the party to rebuild. However, the DPJ government’s mishandling of national affairs caused voters to swing back to the LDP.
Q: Has the LDP changed since the previous election?
  A: LDP President Shinzo Abe repeatedly emphasized during campaigning that the party had changed in the past three years. Abe claims he will boost the economy by tackling deflation, yet the measures he has proposed — such as monetary easing and public works projects — are very similar to the party’s previous policies.
Q: How is the party going to address criticism of the "old LDP style of politics"?
  A: Even within the LDP, there is criticism of lack of party reform. Especially younger LDP politicians are unhappy with the continuation of faction-based politics, "zoku" politicians — those who work with particular ministries and industries to protect vested interests — and hereditary politics, all of which define the old LDP style of politics.The month following its defeat in August 2009, the LDP established a reform panel, which recommended that the party dismantle factions and weaken their influence over party management; reject official endorsements from former prime ministers to avoid gerontocracy; and appoint younger politicians to high posts such as Executive Acting Secretary-General. However, the party has not followed through on these recommendations.
Q: So there had been a push from within the LDP to reform itself.
  A. Yes, but some measures have weakened. The LDP was often attacked for its cozy ties with certain industry groups such as agricultural organizations and the construction industry. In order to eliminate zoku politics, the LDP reduced the number of party research commissions arranged by policy area. These commissions, however, have gradually been revived.

The LDP also failed to fulfill their 2009 election promise to end hereditary politics. However, many candidates who are family members of major political figures won seats on Dec. 16.
Q: Does this mean the LDP is struggling to enact party reform?
  A: The LDP missed an opportunity to reform itself when it won the July 2010 House of Councillors election plus other local elections. Masahiko Shibayama, the former Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, urges the LDP to pursue party reform to stabilize the government.

"The LDP lost a sense of crisis while the DPJ government was stumbling. All it had to do was criticize the DPJ to take the government back. The party lost its chance to be reborn," Shibayama says.

Ultimately, we cannot determine whether or not the LDP has truly changed until the new Abe government demonstrates that it is free of factions, zoku politicians and special interests.
 

ディスカッションポイント！：

＜日本語訳＞

Ｑ　自民党も批判を浴びて野党に転落したはずだけど、この３年間で変わったの？

　Ａ　自民党の安倍晋三（あべしんぞう）総裁は衆院選の期間中、「政権を失った３年前とは違う」と繰り返 し訴えてきました。その中心は、物価が継続的に下がって景気悪化を招く「デフレ経済」からの脱却を目指した経済対策ですが、その手段として金融緩和（きん ゆうかんわ）や公共事業を重視する主張は３年前からそう変わっていません。

　Ｑ　民主党や日本維新の会は「古い自民党の政治に戻すのか」と批判していたね。

　Ａ　実は自民党内でも「党改革が不十分だ」という不満の声は根強くあるのです。「古い自民党」を象徴す る「派閥（はばつ）政治」「族（ぞく）議員」「世襲（せしゅう）」が温存されたと反発している若手議員も少なくありません。０９年衆院選で大敗した反省か ら党再生会議を設置し、同年９月に（１）派閥の解消を進め党運営への影響力を排除する（２）長老支配を脱するため首相経験者は選挙で公認しない（３）幹事 長代理などのポストに若手を積極登用する−−といった改革案を提言しましたが、うやむやになっています。

　Ｑ　党を改革しようという意見はあったんだね。

　Ａ　はい。かつての自民党政権に対しては、農業団体や建設業界といった特定の業界団体から支援を受ける 代わりに予算の配分や政策で配慮する「癒着（ゆちゃく）」体質への批判がありました。特定の業界や省庁の利益のために動く「族議員」をなくそうと、政策分 野ごとに設けていた「調査会」の数をいったん大幅に減らしましたが、徐々に復活しています。

　大物政治家の地盤を親族が継ぐ世襲も「政治の私物化（しぶつか）」と批判され、自民党は０９年衆院選の公約で原則禁止を掲げましたが、今回の衆院選でも世襲候補の当選が目立ちます。

　Ｑ　党改革がうまくいっていないということ？

Ａ　自民党が１０年７月の参院選や全国の地方選挙で勝利を重ねるうちに、改革の機運は後退しました。柴山昌彦（しばやままさひこ）元外務政務官は 「民主党政権の失態が続いて、自民党は民主党を批判すればよくなり、危機感が薄れてしまった。党が生まれ変わるチャンスを逃した」と振り返り、奪還した政 権を安定させるためにも党改革が必要だと主張しています。

　自民党が変わったかどうかは、安倍政権が派閥や族議員、業界団体などの「既得権（きとくけん）」に縛られず、時代に合った政治のあり方を示せるかにかかっているのだと思います。
 
 
 
   
  New! Learning through Speeches
 
 
 
 
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！

Shinichiro Tanaka and Keiko Sato are meeting with Christopher Banes in a coffee shop to get pointers on how to give a presentation to foreigners. Read the following dialogue to learn useful expressions and techniques to use in your next presentation.

 
Shinichiro: Hi Chris, first off Keiko and I really appreciate you taking the time to prep us before we jump into the shark tank.
 
Christopher: Don’t sweat it! You’ll do fine as long as you stick to the key points.
 
Keiko: I’m a little worried. What if I come off as a boring presenter?
 
Christopher: Keep in mind that presentations do not merely pass on information. They are also decision making tools so you have got to wow them!
 
Shinichiro: What are you getting at?
   
Christopher: You have to put excitement and action into the show. It must really be dynamic and convincing as well.
   
Keiko: So you’re saying the audience will only buy into our proposal if we entertain them?
   
Christopher: Entertaining them is a stretch Keiko, but I think you get the point. You need to connect with them by showing both confidence in yourself and what you are presenting. If you are passionate about it, so will they!
   
Shinichiro: How do you suppose we go about doing that?
   
Christopher: Make eye contact and vary your tone of voice. Most importantly, move around and do not just read off the screen or from a script.
 

 
To Prep to prepare or get ready for
Don’t sweat it to don’t worry or to not think so much about something
To come off to give the impression of
Keep in mind to remember or consider
To "wow" s.b. to greatly impress s.b.
dynamic elaborate or impressive
"To buy into" to believe in or have confidence in
"to be a stretch" to overexaggerate or imply something too much
"go about doing" to start to do or to do
*s.b.=somebody
This Month’s "Janglish" :　Catch you と catch what you said の違い　
 

 
–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。
Distinguishing the difference between "when" and "if":
Check your understanding by selecting the correct answer below:　
Read each of the following of sentences and select the best answer. Print out this lesson plan and ask your teacher to assist you in understanding the grammar rules.

 
1 Don’t worry (when/if) I am late tonight. You all should start eating without me.
2 Samantha will come for dinner tonight. (When/If) she comes, could you call me?
3 I’m going to France next week. (When/If) I’m there, I will visit my college friend.
4 I am absolutely confident Shinichi will get the job. I will be very surprised (when/if) he doesn’t.
5 I’m going to the store so (when/if) you need anything let me know.
6 I’m going away for the weekend but (when/if) you need to contact me, I left my contact information with my assistant.
7 I would like for you to come to the party, but (when/if) you prefer not to go, I would understand.
8 (When/If) you rather stay in for dinner tonight, I can whip up something really quick.
9 What do you do (when/if) you are upset about something?
10 (When/If) Stacey mentioned that she had a stomache ache, everyone thought she was faking it to avoid attending the meeting.
   
Moderate level exercises:
Read each of the following of sentences and write the correct form of the word in (parenthesis) using the present or past form using if/when. Print out this lesson plan and ask your teacher to assist you in understanding the grammar rules.

 
1 Would they be offended _________________ (we/ not/ go) to their party.
2 _________________ (I/ know) his number, don’t you think I would call him.
3 He will get back to me with the specifics of the time/day of the meeting. _________________, (I / know) you will be the first one I inform..
4 There is abolutely no chance that Sarah and John will get married. I would be totally surprised ________________ . (they/ do)
5 Do you believe alot of people will show up to the party _________________ (it / hold) next week?
6 My wife gave me a beautiful watch for my birthday. She would be very pissed off _________________ (I/ lose) it.
7 Many people would be out of work _________________. (factory/close down).
8 Would Stephen mind _________________ (I/borrow) his
9 Tom’s flight is arriving tomorrow. What are you going to do _________________ (he / come) here tomorrow?
10 _________________ (you/have) only one wish, what would you wish for?
   
Difficult level exercises:
Read each of the following sentences and rewrite the sentence using the past conditional form:
 
1 I woke up late this morning because my alarm didn’t go off.
But if ___________________________________________________________.
 
2 I am going to take a vacation next week because my work is not busy.
But if ___________________________________________________________.
 
3 My boss gave me a promotion so my salary will increase from next month.
But if ___________________________________________________________.
 
4 I need to buy a new TV this week because my TV stopped working this morning.
But if ___________________________________________________________.
 
5 I was not able to attend the conference because my wife was sick.
But if ___________________________________________________________.
 
Check your answers!
 
 
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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NEW Perspectives! – Is Christmas a joyous or frightful holiday?

While some people might be delighted about Christmas and the approaching end of the year, I suspect that there are many people who do not share their joy.

I hardly meet people who are looking forward to Christmas or end-of-year parties, especially when I’m at my clinic. Many people would rather not have a month like December, like the woman who sheds tears of loneliness when she hears a Christmas song; a company employee who is troubled because he has to go to parties with customers though he’s very shy around people; a young man who wears a sarcastic smile worried about what he should write in his new year cards though still unemployed; and a housewife who claims that even the thought of visiting her husband’s family over the break gives her a headache.

When I meet people like them, people who are depressed and down about the end of the year, I always say, "Well, it’s December, that means we’ve survived this year somehow." I say this because I mean it. As you get older, hitting my age, you see close friends and relatives who get sick or even pass away. Although we may feel like "it’s just another Christmas" and can’t really enjoy the season, if we have survived the year somehow, even that mediocre feeling about Christmas isn’t so bad.

We need to feel we are carrying out a "life worth living" that many may not even call "happiness." Although we hear many stories about the upcoming election that talks about "hundreds of lower house seats" or about "a strong coalition government after the election," we can’t relate to such comments.

 
 

【日本語訳】

クリスマスや年末が近くなり、楽しい気分の人もいるかもしれないが、そうではないという人も多いだろう。

　とくに診察室にいると、「忘年会にパーティーでウキウキします」などという人に会うことはまずない。ク リスマスソングを耳にすると孤独が身にしみると涙ぐむシングルの女性、人前に出ると緊張するのに取引先の忘年会に出なければならずにつらいと訴える会社 員、年賀状に「今年も無職です」と書くのかと苦笑する青年、夫の実家への帰省を考えるだけで頭痛がしてくると顔をしかめる主婦。みんな「１２月なんてなけ ればいいのに」とため息をつく。

　実は私も１２月は好きではない。「今年もできないことのほうが多かった」と自己嫌悪に陥るからだ。しか し、診察室で肩を落とす人たちには、必ずこんな話をすることにしている。「この季節、きらいですか。でも１２月になったということは、今年もなんとか乗り きったということじゃないですか」

　これは慰めで口にしているわけではない。私のような年齢になると、毎年、身のまわりでたくさんの知人や 親族が病気になったりこの世を去ったりする。「いよいよ仕事が立ち回らなくなったので、実家に帰ってひっそり暮らす。もう連絡することはないと思う」など と言って、突然メールアドレスを変える友人もいる。とにかくなんとか無事に１年を乗りきり、この季節までたどり着き、「今年もクリスマスか。あまり楽しく ないな」などとつぶやけるのは、実はとても幸せなことなのではないだろうか。
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

【日本語訳】

 
 
 

 

 

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