家族関係の変化（英検英作文1-5 p.32)

As society changes, people are spending less time with their families. More and more young people are moving to big cities for jobs. Also, even when they are at home, they can spend all of their time looking at their smartphones. Since they talk to their older family member less often, they have fewer opportunities to learn important moral lessons.

食糧問題の軽減（英検英作文1-4 p.30)

Countries with lower populations may have advantage in the future because they will need less food. Experts predict that there will be major worldwide food shortages only a few decades from now. This is especially frightening for countries like Japan that do not produce enough food to feed its citizens. Decreased population will alleviate this problem.

子どもの教育費（英検英作文1-3 p.30)

Taking care of children is expensive in developed countries because parents need to pay for education, healthcare, and bigger houses. Families with fewer children spend less money. As a result, they are more capable of purchasing goods and services, which improves their quality of life.

若者の負担（英検英作文1-2 p.30)

When the population of young workers is less than the elderly, this means the smallest group of people carries the heaviest economic responsibility. The younger working population must do all the work to support the older generation, who receive pensions and expensive medical care. The government cannot support the elderly without forcing young people to work unreasonable hours.

高齢者と医療費（英検英作文1-1 p.30)

A consequence of an aging population is that more people need medical care. However, countries like Japan with aging populations are not equipped to deal with an increased demand for costly healthcare. This is a huge problem because there are not enough medical staff and not enough funds to hire them.(51words)

Mr.Seki's 世界 Part2 例題

2020/06/03

1.    What does she do for living?

A)     She forgot to do it last night.

B)     She is moving a large apartment.

C)     She works as a consultant.                   

2020/06/04

2．　Ms. Wagner asked you about ordering a new projector already, didn’t she?

A)     Yes. We’ll be ready in a moment.

B)     I haven’t spoken with her yet.

C)     The project has already ended.

 

3.    The lobby is really crowded.

A)     No, it’s later, not now.

B)     It’ll be cloudy all day.

C)     A tour group arrived a few minutes ago.

 

4.    Why are you still here?

A)     No, she left already.

B)     That’s the schedule time.

C)     I have to complete this report.

 

 

5.    When’s the new supervisor start?

A)     At the head office.

B)     Ms. Pearson will.

C)    On March  4.

 

6.    Doesn’t he have to leave for the airport soon?

A)     His trip was postponed.

B)     Sorry, there aren’t anymore.

C)     The flight was pleasant.

 

7.    You sent him the parcel, didn’t you?

A)     No, he doesn’t.

B)     Yes, I did that this morning.

C)     I have a few stamps left.

Mr.Seki's 世界 Part1 例題

Track 62

1

A)   Boxes have been arranged on some tables.

B)   Some bookshelves have been fixed to the walls.

C)   Future is being taken out of a box.

D)   A man is selecting a book from a cabinet.

2

A)   One of the men is putting on a tie.

B)   The woman is facing away from the men.

C)   They’re passing the entrance of a building.

D)   One of the men is speaking into a microphone.

3

A)   Some buildings are located along the coastline.

B)   Some handbags are hanging from a fence.

C)   Some pictures of a ship are on sale.

D)   Some people are watching a movie.

4

A)   They’re examining a display case.

B)   Hats are stacked up on some tables.

C)   Some tablecloths have been hung up to dry.

D)   Some people are clearing branches.

5

A)   The man is looking for his sunglasses.

B)   The man is building a stone wall.

C)   The man is putting away a book.

D)   The man is sitting outdoors.

 

8a--31(Lane@Shijokawaramatchi/20190406)

*appropriate(adj):something that is appropriate is suitable or acceptable for a particular situation
*class:The students in a school or college who finish their course in a particular year are often referred to as the class of that year.
*truant:a truant is a student who stays away from school without permission.
*tardy:arriving or done late
*corporal punishment:punishment that involves hitting someone, especially in schools and persons

>>Language
Uniform these days are quite like the one we had at school (←British style）
Punishments are completely different from the kind of things we experienced.
The rules about make up are actually much the same as in my day.
The kind of things that kinds get in trouble for are pretty similar to what were doing.

○Resources
be noting[quite/just] like
be a bit[quite/completely] different (from...)
be a bit[fairly/kind of] similar (to...)
be much[just/exactly] the same (as)
   

8a-06 It's heartbreaking to think about...

Expressing emotional reaction to news items

It's horrifying to see people living in such poor conditions.

It's horrifying to see children starving while other countries have more than enough to eat.

It's awful to hear about people living without access to safe drinking water.

It's heartbreaking to read about people losing absolutely everything and having start all over with nothing.


*hór･ri･fy･ing　
[形]
❶ 〈光景などが〉恐ろしい, ぞっとするような（horrific）.
❷ 不愉快な, 不親切な.
=extremely bad, especially in a way that is frightening or upsetting;

*aw･ful　
 / ɔ´ːfl, ((米＋))ɑ´ːfl /
（変化形の発音　awfuller ，awfullest ）
《◆[形] ❹では  / -fUl / 》
【原義：畏(おそ)れ（awe）がいっぱい（ful）】
━━[形] （more ［most］ ～；－・ful・ler［lest］）
❶ ((略式))不快な, 気分が悪い；〈天気・傷などが〉ひどい, たいへん悪い；後悔して, 気がとがめて（terrible）
=very bad or unpleasant

*trag･ic　
 / trǽdʒIk /
【［派］←tragedy（名）】
━━[形] （more ［most］ ～）
❶ 悲惨な, 痛ましい

=a tragic event or situation makes you feel very sad, especially because it involves death or suffering

*ap･pall，　

((英では主に))ap･pal / əpɔ´ːl, ((米＋))-pɑ´ːl / 

（変化形の発音　appalls ，appalled ，appalling ，appals ，appaled ，appaling ）

[動] (他) …をぞっと［ぎょっと］させる（horrify）；［be ～ed］ 〈人が〉〔…に/…ということに/…して〕ぞっと［ぎょっと］する〔at, by / that節 / to do〕.

=to make someone feel very shocked and upset:

*dév･as･tàt･ing　

 / -tèItIŋ / 

[形] 

❶ ［通例限定］〈物・事が〉破壊的な, 壊滅的な（disastrous）

=badly damaging or destroying something:

*dread･ful　

 / drédfl / 

[形] 

❶ ひどく不快な, ひどく悪い（terrible）

=extremely unpleasant; [=]terrible:

Chris@吹田校 20170205

*secede[sIsíːd]:（同盟などから）脱退[分離独立]する
*tariff:関税
Mr. Trump would impose a high tariff.
*We are in the age of globalization.
*a large population
*even if～
*be afraid of losing their rights
  afraid for～:<物・事の>成り行きを気遣う
*accept their request
*there is a problem in Okinawa with the US military base
*benefitを「～の利益になる」と他動詞で扱う
  That doesn't benefit rice farmers.

7d-01 There weren't as many safety regulations.(Lane@四条河原町 2017/02/05)

[Language]～ここでは名詞を比べる～

-similar amount in the past-
There was just as much crime when I was young.
There were just as many terrible TV shows.

-lesser amount in the past-
There wasn't as much pressure to fit in. *fit in:適合する，馴染む
There weren't as many career paths for women.

[vocabulary]
back then = in the past = in those days = in my day = when I was young

awareness:知ること，自覚すること

nuclear family , extended family

household : （１つの住居にともに暮らす）家族，世帯
*familyは一緒に住んでいなくても「家族」

[Point]
nearly(ほとんど)はnot as much/manyの強意語として。veryは使えない。
There weren't nearly as many traffic accidents back then.
There wasn't nearly as much trouble at music festivals.

Endangered Barns 2014-2(32-34)

Barns have long been a symbol of the American rural landscape. In years past, every farm had at least one wooden barn to house animals and store equipment and feed. But over the last century, as agriculture became industrialized, farms became larger and fewer. Many small, family-operated farms tore down their barns and sold their land. The family farms that remain have replaced working animals such as horses, which were once kept in barns, with machinery that can be stored in metal sheds. Livestock such as dairy cows and pigs are now kept in long, low buildings that can house far more animals.

Thousands of barns collapse or are destroyed every year. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, an organization that works to save historic places in the United States, says this represents a significant loss to the nation's rural heritage. Alongside other groups, they are working to raise awareness of the number of endangered barns and how they can be protected. A few states offer financial incentives in the form of tax breaks and small state grants for preservation efforts. Federal officials have also agreed to provide grants for barn preservation, but funding has been slow to materialize, with critics saying such funds should rather be used to assist farmers facing low crop yields.

Some people have been renovating barns for residential living rather than maintaining them as historic structures. Their huge beams and spacious interiors make for an attractive living space. Such conversions are costly, however, as old barns need significant structural work. Even if the framework is solid, installing electricity and plumbing can be difficult. And once converted to a home, a barn's large size and poor insulation make it difficult to heat in winter. Furthermore, although barn-to-home conversions do preserve the buildings, purists argue they do little to conserve their historical character or the agricultural tradition they represent.

(312words)

The Other Side of Germs 2014-2(29-31)

The term "microbiome" refers to the millions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live in and on our bodies. Until recently, scientists focused mainly on how these organisms cause disease and how they can be destroyed. For example, the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which is linked to certain diseases of the stomach, has been nearly eliminated by antibiotics in developed countries. Martin Blaser, a microbiologist at New York University, says this approach should be questioned. He notes that, from an evolutionary standpoint, H. pylori's long association with humans makes no sense if its only function is to harm us.

Indeed, recent findings suggest H. pylori also has a positive role. Studies of mice show that eliminating H. pylori from the stomach causes hormonal changes that lead to severe weight gain. In nations where antibiotics have reduced the presence of H. pylori, obesity may therefore be one consequence. Further studies indicate that humans without H. pylori are more likely to develop diseases such as asthma, which has become widespread throughout developed countries.

Dr. David Relman, a professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine, is convinced that the medical establishment's focus on killing germs needs to change. The increasing number of allergies in developed countries, he says, is related to the destruction of the microbiome by antibiotics. Relman compares the microbiome to a complex forest ecosystem. He says we should manage it the way we manage wilderness preserves: with the understanding that diversity is key to the overall health of the system.

(250words)

Chaco Canyon 2014-2(26-28)

The Ancient Pueblo people were active in an area of the southwestern United States known as Chaco Canyon until about AD 1130. They left behind a number of large buildings, as well as wide, straight roadways that extend into the surrounding region. Archaeologists initially believed the roadways were used for transport. Items that originated thousands of kilometers away from the canyon, such as cacao, pottery, and marine shells, have been uncovered there. Moreover, chemical analysis has shown that trees used to build the structures came from mountains at least 75 kilometers away.

Chaco Canyon researcher Anna Sofaer, however, believes both the buildings and the roads served only as spiritual symbols. She found evidence that the orientation and architecture of the structures were developed in relation to the cycles of the sun and moon. Sofaer notes that, even today, these cycles play an important spiritual role in the culture of people native to the area. What is more, analysis of Chaco Canyon's geography reveals the roadways would not have connected communities in the region in an efficient manner, and so they were unlikely to have served a practical, physical purpose.

Most scholars now accept that Chaco Canyon was reserved for holding religious ceremonies. Indeed, the region would have been an unlikely choice for a permanent settlement. Surrounded by mountains, the canyon is isolated, with short growing seasons and limited rainfall. Additionally, analysis of the buildings shows they were not used for long-term housing. Rather, the Ancient Pueblo people likely made use of them during seasonal journeys to the area to participate in spiritual events.

(263words)

‘Kumitaiso’ accidents show need for safety rules at school events

There has been a rash of accidents in which children have been injured while performing kumitaiso, coordinated gymnastic formations, on school sports days.

These accidents cannot be ignored, because some cases involved life-threatening injuries, such as brain contusions and injuries to internal organs.

Kumitaiso includes formations such as human pyramids, in which students crouch on all fours and form rows on the backs of other students, and human towers, in which students stand in a small circle while others climb up and stand on the shoulders of participants below. At many primary and middle schools, these events are considered the highlights of sports days because they give students a sense of accomplishment and nurture a spirit of teamwork.

The problem is that in recent years there has been strong tendency for schools to try to outdo others by building higher pyramids or towers, and some schools are noticeably attempting very elaborate performances. Some people have suggested it is the teachers, not the students, who get a sense of accomplishment from doing these exercises.

In September 2015, a 10-tier human pyramid formed by 157 male students collapsed at a public middle school in Yao, Osaka Prefecture. Six students suffered injuries including broken bones. In the past 10 years, 20 students at this middle school have suffered broken bones while performing these exercises. The school's safety measures can only be described as woefully inadequate.

Since the 2011 school year, when such statistics began to be kept, more than 8,000 students have been injured annually in kumitaiso accidents at primary, middle and high schools across Japan. Each year, more than 80 such accidents could have endangered the lives of students.

Moderation the key

A 10-tier pyramid can reach six or seven meters high. A five-tier tower can be up to four or five meters. These are heights equivalent to a two- or three-story building, so it is extremely dangerous if they collapse. It is natural for local governments to have begun taking action to limit the height of these formations and impose other restrictions.

The Osaka City Board of Education has drawn up strict rules for kumitaiso performances. In September, it limited the size of pyramids to five tiers and that of towers to three tiers. Accidents continued to happen despite these restrictions, so the board will ban both formations from the next school year.

We can understand having rules aimed at protecting the safety of children. However, opinion probably will be split over whether these formations should be banned.

First it is important to properly verify why accidents occurred even after the restrictions on tiers were set. Perhaps one method would be to allow children to take part in formations to reasonable heights after making doubly sure safety measures have been implemented.

Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Hiroshi Hase has indicated that guidelines for kumitaiso will be compiled by the end of March. We think these guidelines should detail methods for these exercises to be conducted safely, and what scope is acceptable, after thoroughly investigating the types of accident that occur and listening to advice from sports medicine specialists.

Compared with many years ago, school sports days have fewer physically rough events, such as botaoshi, in which one team tries to topple a vertical pole another team is defending, and kibasen, in which small groups of students attempt to remove the hats of their rivals. If these events are deemed dangerous, it should be possible to tweak the rules to help prevent injuries, rather than just doing away with them.

We want school sports days to be events children can enjoy and at which they can exercise with everything they have.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb. 19, 2016)

Talking about the Patriots.@nova(2015/01/28&25)

The Patriots are going to the Super Bowl with Seattle Seahawks.

It wasn't too exciting because the outcome of the game was too predictable.

He doesn't have as much as of a chance to win the game because of his age.

[He's less likely...]

He's at more of disadvantage because of his age.

------------

I almost gave up on the idea that the Patriots would win.
It's an exhilarating game.


rewarding game – rewarding feeling
exciting
suspenseful
thrilling
stunning outcome/results/play
remarkable(worth discussing)

----------------

They often come from behind.

It’s a nail biter.
It’s a must-win game.

facing elimination

 

ラジオ英会話(20130321)

H: It says here that Bill Steel bought the old Rajiay Hotel.

W: Really? That place is really run-down.
H: Apparently, it’s going to be refurbished. It’s reopen soon.
W: They’re going to have to move mountains to do that.
H: Here’s a picture of the new lobby. Take a look.
W: Well, what do you know! They’ve made headway!

7a-24(20130407)-Avoiding blaming someone directly:受動態を使うのだ！

The sweater was folded up with my clothes.
The batteries weren’t included.
I think wrong cable’s been put in by mistake.
I think the instruction book’s been left out by accident.

店で問題を指摘する時には、客側はI guessやI imagineといったフレーズを使うことで問題点の説明を和らげることができます。
I imagine it was dropped at the factory.
I imagine the box was mislabeled.
I guess the sweater was just put in by mistake.
I guess the instruction book was left out of the box.

A: Can I help you?
B: Yes, I bought this PC here last Friday, but the wrong cable was put in with it. I didn’t realize until I got home.
A: I’m terribly sorry. Which cable did you need?
B: I need a four-meter cable. This one’s only two meters.
A: I see. If you could show me the receipt, I’ll get you the right cable.
* I bought this PC here last Friday.

*I’ll get you Oのパターンは「人に物を手に入れて（買って）やる」辞書的にはbuyよりも口語的とのこと。

A: Excuse me. I bought this coffee table here yesterday, but the wrong legs have been put in.
B: I’m terribly sorry. Can I have a look?
A: Sure. You can see here that they don’t match the screw holes at all.
B: You’re right. Just a moment, and I’ll bring you the right ones.


A: Excuse me. I bought this suitcase here last week, but I have a problem with it.
B: What’s wrong?
A: Well, the instruction booklet hasn’t been included, so I can’t use the combination look.
B: I’m very sorry about that. I think we have some booklets in the back. I’ll go get you one and show you how to do it.

TOEIC presents English Upgrader Light 05

TOEIC presents English Upgrader Light 第5回 「ファーストフード店で注文する」 Ordering at a fast-food restaurant
BURGER SHOP STAFF: May I take your order, please?
CUSTOMER: Yes, I’d like two deluxe mushroom burgers, a large lemonade and a strawberry milk shake, please.
STAFF: For here or to go?
CUSTOMER: To go, please.
STAFF: That will be 13 dollars and 25 cents.
CUSTOMER: Here is 20 dollars.
STAFF: 6 dollars and 75 cents is your change. We’ll call your number when your order is ready.
STAFF: 56! Two deluxe mushroom burgers, a large lemonade and a strawberry milk shake. Have a nice day.
CUSTOMER: Thank you. You, too.
＜日本語訳＞
店員： ご注文をお伺いします。
客： はい、デラックス・マッシュルームバーガーを２つと、レモネードのLサイズ、ストロベリー・ミルクシェイクをください。
店員： 店内でお召し上がりですか、お持ち帰りですか。
客： 持ち帰りでお願いします。
店員： お会計は13ドル25セントになります。
客： では20ドルで。
店員： 6ドル75セントのお返しです。ご注文の品が用意できましたら、番号をお呼びします。
店員： 56番！ （間） デラックス・マッシュルームバーガーを２つと、レモネードのLサイズ、ストロベリー・ミルクシェイクです。良い一日を。
客： ありがとう。あなたも良い一日を。
＜What’s your answer?＞
「紅葉」：fall leaves, autumn leaves, autumn colors
「紅葉を見に行こう」：Let’s go and see the autumn colors, Let’s go to see the fall foliage.
※カジュアルな会話ではよく、Let’s go see～とandやtoを省略して話すことが多いです。

TOEIC presents English Upgrader Light 04

TOEIC presents English Upgrader Light
第4回 「電話で遅れると伝える」 Letting others know you will be late by phone
MIKI: Hi, Paul. It’s Miki. I’m afraid that I won’t make it in time for the seminar! PAUL: What happened?
MIKI: I was riding the bus and we were hit by a car!
PAUL: Are you alright?
MIKI: I’m alright. I saw a few people with minor injuries, but no one was badly hurt.
PAUL: I’m glad to hear that. I’ll take notes at the seminar so you won’t miss anything.
MIKI: Thank you, Paul. See you later.
＜日本語訳＞
ミキ： もしもし、ポール。ミキだけど、セミナーに間に合いそうにないの！
ポール： どうしたの？
ミキ： バスに乗ってたら、車に激突されたのよ！
ポール： 大丈夫なの？
ミキ： 私は大丈夫。何人か軽い怪我をした人もいるけど、重傷の人はいないわ。
ポール： それは良かった。セミナーでは君が聞き逃しがないように内容はノートを取っておくよ。
ミキ： ありがとう、ポール。また後でね。
＜What’s your answer?＞
「携帯電話」：cellular phone、mobile phone
アメリカではcellularを略してcell phoneと言うことが多いようです。