Dela Cruz English Club Christmas Party 2010 (All I Want for Christmas Is...

Last December 4, DCEC had its annual Christmas party with learners and guests. The theme for this year's party was "Christmas Around The World." Performances featuring different regions of the world were showcased by learners and DCEC staff alike. Check out how fun it was.

Be sure to check out our website for more information about Dela Cruz English Club.
Dela Cruz English Club
Call us at +81(048)-649-6588 or email us at info@delacruz-jp.com



Thank you joining this activity. We hope to see all of you soon at DCEC in 2011.



Thanks for clicking.

Bear in Mind

E: Euneece N: Nicole W: Willibee

E: Nicole, is it true that when a man gives his girlfriend
　　a handkerchief, it means he's calling it quits.
N: Haven't heard of such a thing.
E: Me, neither, until someone asked me the same question
earlier. The hankie is supposed to dry the tears of the
heartbroken lass.
N: (with sarcasm) How thoughtful of the man!

Willibee enters the office, overhearing Nicole's remark.

W: Who's the lucky girl to date a thoughtful man?
E: I wish it was the case, Willibee. Actually...
(telling Willibee what they were discussing)
W: Oh, that. I don't wanna be that girl either. But if it
were true, just imagine if one receives a towel.
N: Hahaha! (exaggerating) ...that would mean a river of
tears will be wasted.
W: What I know though is that it's a no-no for brides to
wear pearl accessories.
E: Right. Pearls are like tears, they say.
N: (protesting) But I think pearls go well with the white
wedding dress, so it's a shame one couldn't use them.
E: I agree. It's only a superstition, though.
W: Tell you what, a friend of mine accessorized her hair
with that jewel on her wedding day. Everyone admired
her one-of-a-kind coiffure.
N: I could only imagine.
W: (saying matter-of-factly) Recently, I learned that she
got divorced and is in depression.
N: Oh.
E: Was it mere coincidence or the result of defying the
superstition?
N: No matter. I'll bear it in mind never to use pearls on
my wedding day.
E: (teasing) Um... will I hear the wedding bells soon?
N: (turning a deaf ear) Talking to me?




●Vocabulary:

★call it quits‐（人との関係を）終わりにする
★lass‐少女
★sarcasm‐嫌み、皮肉
★exaggerate‐おおげさに言う
★no-no‐やってはいけないこと
★go well with‐似合う
★it's a shame‐不名誉、恥ずかしいこと
★superstition‐迷信
★accessorized‐アクセサリーを付けた
★coiffure‐<フランス語>髪型
★matter-of-factly‐事もなげに、感情を交えずに
★divorce‐離婚する
★coincidence‐偶然の一致
★defy‐反抗する、盾突く
★No matter‐どうでもいい
★bear in mind‐心に留めておく
★turn a deaf ear‐耳を貸さない




■「覚えておくわ」

登場人物：　　E: ユニース N: ニコル W: ウィリビー


E: ニコル、男の人が彼女にハンカチを渡すのは、サヨナラの意味
だって本当なの？
N: そんなの聞いたことないわ。
E: 私もさっき同じ事を質問されるまで知らなかったわ。傷ついた
　 女の子が涙を拭けるように渡すんだって。
N: (嫌味っぽく)ずいぶん気が利くこと！

ウィリビーがオフィスに入って来て、ニコルの言葉が耳に入る

W: 気が利く男とデートできるラッキーな娘って誰なの？
E: それならよかったんだけど、実は...（何の話か説明する）
W: そうなんだ。そんなの私もやだな。でももしそうなら、タオル
を渡されるところを想像してみてよ。
N: ははは！（大げさに）川のように涙を流してるんでしょうね。
W: でも、結婚式に真珠のアクセサリーを付けるのはだめなのよ。
E: そうよ。真珠は涙みたいだからだって。
N: (承知せずに)でも真珠はウエディングドレスに合うわ。そのた
　 めに使わないなんてひどいじゃない。
E: 本当ね。だけどただの迷信だけどね。
W: 私の友達は結婚式のとき、真珠で髪を飾っていたわ。みんな
またとないすばらしい髪型だって褒めてたわ。
N: 想像することしかできないわ。
W: (事務的な口調で)彼女は最近離婚して、落ち込んでるって聞い
たけど。
N: まあ。
E: ただの偶然か、それとも迷信に逆らったからなの？
N: どっちでもいいわ。自分の結婚式には真珠をぜったい付けない
って覚えておく。
E: (からかうように)じゃ、もうすぐ結婚するの？
N: (取り合わずに)なにか言った？




Thanks for clicking.

Merry Christmas

I just would like to shout...

Merry Christmas World!
Enjoy this special day.
Hopefully, we don't forget the true meaning of this day.

With that, I am sharing a Christmas video which got more than 8 million hits.
Check out how the usual Christmas lights have gone wild.





Thanks for clicking.

Shoo cold... Don't bother me

It's been a week and my darn cold is still not showing signs of abating.
Argh! The repainting of my building is also not helping my recovery.
During my rest days, I have to choose between staying at home and inhaling the fumes or going out and braving the cold.
Hmm... Which is the lesser of the two evils?

Here are some facts I came across about colds:

1. It takes about 48 hours to infect you and make you sick
My throat became scratchy Friday. That means... I got the bug Wednesday. I was in Tokyo in the afternoon until evening. Eureka!




2. Sweat out your cold
I guess my laziness to walk in the biting cold is now taking its toll.
I need to motivate myself to get out and sweat, and to not give in do the beckoning of my warm bed and the funny TV programs.




3. Late nights are the culprit
Too much watching of the "Sex and the City" reruns make me lose the much needed snooze .





4. 200 colds on average before we die
Usually, I catch a cold once or twice a year only.
So, with this estimate I might live until I'm a hundred?!?




5. Gaining weight? Blame it on the bug.
Some studies suggest that getting a cold may actually cause you to gain weight because the viruses seem to increase the number of cells that develop into fat .
So, the expression "as healthy as a cow" is no longer true.


Sources:

http://health.yahoo.net/articles/healthcare/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-colds
http://www.nursingdegreeguide.org/2008/50-surprising-causes-of-weight-gain/
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=070820190918.uugdj3g0&show_article=1






Thanks for clicking.

Bust a Move

Characters: F: Felicity; M: Miki; K: Ken

A week after the Christmas party...

F: Guys, I'd like to thank you for attending DCEC's
Christmas party this year.
M: Don't mention it, Felicity. We had a blast!
K: You can say that again. Honestly, I was first
hesitant about joining but Miki talked me into it.
I must say, I came home with no regrets.
F: That's good to know but tell me, which part did
you enjoy best?
M: Hmm... That's a tough one.
K: I guess, it would have to be the games for me. The
first game was a bit challenging but I'm glad my
team bagged the first prize.
M: Oh yeah, congratulations! What was that game called
again?
F: The first game was "Letter to Santa." It was about
a little girl's wish list for
Christmas. Hats off to your team, Ken, you were
able to remember 12 items on the list.
M: I liked that game too, but I had a lot of fun with
my teammates during the "Hip Hip Hooray" game.
F: Oh, Miki, too bad your team lost. Don't worry, you
can try again next year. (winks)
M: Going back to your question, Felicity, did I tell
you that I enjoyed the presentations the most?
K: You don't say! I thought you were too embarrassed
to Hula dance.
M: I must admit, I had butterflies in my stomach all
throughout our performance but it was hella fun.
F: Kudos to your group for a job well done. I think
you had your dance steps memorized to a T.
K: But wait, Felicity, your performance was not bad
either. What is that dance called again?
M: It's the cha-cha-cha. It's a Latin dance, right,
Felicity?
F: You got that right, Miki. Don't worry, if you're up
for it, I'll teach you a step or two when we get a
chance.
K and M: Really?!
F: Certainly!
M: Would you mind teaching us during our Free Style
lesson?
F: Whaaaat? (surprised) You mean, t-t-t-oday? (sounds
nervous)
M: Oh, c'mon, Felicity, show us some moves.
K: Please???
F: OK guys, you win. Come on, up on your toes!
(asking Miki and Ken to stand up)
(facing the board)
The first step is your left foot forward. Then,
replace weight to right foot. Step left, right, left.
Then, right foot back. Got it?

Both learners were speechless.

F: What's the matter guys? Is everything OK?
K: Sorry, Felicity. I think I sprained my ankle doing
　 the first step.
F and M: Uh-oh.


●Vocabulary

★bust a move‐ダンスする
★blast‐最高
★you can say that again‐大賛成、同感
★talk into‐説得する
★bag‐手に入れる
★hats off‐敬意を表す
(かぶっていた帽子を取り、深く頭を下げる動作を表す）
★hella‐hell of a ～の省略で「めっちゃ」や「超」の意味
★kudos‐称賛、栄光
★to a T‐正確に、正しく
★cha-cha-cha‐チャチャチャ（ラテン系ダンス）
★up for ～－～に乗り気で、～を必要として、～したい
★move‐ダンスの動き
★on one's toes‐いつでも動けるように準備する
★what's the matter‐どうしたの？、どこか具合が悪いの？
　　　　　　　など、様子の原因をたずねるときに言う



■「踊りましょう」

登場人物: 　F: フェリシティ;　　 M: ミキ; K: ケン

クリスマスパーティーの１週間後…

F: みんな、今年のDCECクリスマスパーティに参加してくれて
　 ありがとう。
M: お礼なんていらないよ、フェリシティ。最高に楽しかった!
K: その通り。正直、最初は参加するのちゅうちょしてたんだ
　 けど、ミキがぼくを説得してくれたんだ。本当に、家に帰
った時、まったく後悔してなかったよ。
F: そう聞いてうれしいけど、どこが一番よかったか話して。
M: ん…それは難しいな。
K: たぶん、ぼくはゲームかな。最初のゲームはちょっと挑戦
　 だったけど、ぼくのチームが最初の賞品を手に入れたとき
嬉しかったよ。
M: あ、そうね、おめでとう！何ていうゲームだっけ？
F: 最初のゲームは「サンタへの手紙」。小さい女の子のクリ
スマスに欲しい物リストのゲームよ。あなたのチームに敬
意を表すわ。ケン、あなたはリストの中の12個の物を覚え
ていることができたわよね。
M: あのゲームも楽しかったけど、私は「万歳」ゲームのとき
　 チームメートととても盛り上がったわ。
F: ああ、ミキ、あなたのチームが負けて残念だったわね。大
丈夫、また来年チャレンジすればいいわ。（ウィンクする）
M: さっきの質問に戻るけど、フェリシティ、私はあなたたち
のプレゼンが一番楽しかったって言ったかしら？
K: まさか！フラダンスするの恥ずかしいって言ってたと思う
けど。
M: それは認める、パフォーマンスの間ずっとドキドキしっぱ
なしだったけど、超おもしろかった。
F: よくやったあなたのグループを称えるわ。ダンスのステッ
プは正確に覚えていたしね。
K: でも待って、フェリシティ、あなたのパフォーマンスも悪
くなかったよ。何ていうダンスだったかな？
M: チャチャチャよ。あれはラテンダンスよね、フェリシティ？
F: そうあってるわ、ミキ。 大丈夫、やってみたいなら、機会
　 があればステップの一つや二つは教えてあげるわ。
K and M: 本当？！
F: もちろん！
M: フリースタイル レッスンのときに教えてもらえる？
F: えー？(驚く) ていうのは、きょ　きょ　今日の話？
　 (心配そうな声)
M: いいじゃない、フェリシティ、いくつか動きを見せてよ。
K: お願いできる？
F: わかったわ、あなたたちの勝ちね。いくわよ、準備して。
(ミキとケンに立ち上がるように言う)
(ホワイトボードに向かって立つ)
　 最初のステップは左の足を前に出して。そして、右に重心
を移すの。左にステップ、右にステップ、左、右、左。そ
れから右の足を後ろに。わかった？

２人のラーナーとも無口になった。

F: どうかした、２人とも。大丈夫？
K: ごめん、フェリシティー。最初のステップのときに足首を
ひねったみたい。
F and M: あら、いけない。




Thanks for clicking.

Meltin' Waffles

Chocolates always perk me up. Even just the sight of it makes me smile and think that tomorrow is gonna be a better day.

I am not alone. A lot of women across the globe find themselves reaching for those brown or white goodies when they are feeling down. Yes, the endorphins or the so-called happy chemicals in the chocolate make us believe that life will eventually become good again.

So, after a tough week, I can't think of a better way to reward myself by having one of those decadent truffles. But wait, something else catches my eyes and tastebuds.

Stone Cold Creamery's "Meltin' Waffle" caught my fancy while I was window shopping. The image of the raspberry ice-cream melting on top of a warm chocolate waffle made my mouth water.

Have you tried it yet? Better try it soon. The sweetness of the waffle was balanced by the tartness of the raspberry, plus the contrast of the cold and warm made it a great

Now, I have to roam around the mall again to burn those calories.





Thanks for clicking.

TIME's Person of the Year: Mark Zuckerberg

Time magazine just recently named Mark Zuckerberg its "Person of the Year." With Facebook's population growing at a rate of 700,000 people a day, I think it is just a fair award for this young man's accomplishment.



A gazillion of blogs and websites have written about this amazing social networking site since their membership grew exponentially. But what really makes people go gaga over this SNS is its ability to connect people and bridge gaps.

For someone whose family members are scattered across the globe , the birth of Facebook makes it very easy to be updated with each other's lives. Gone are the days that we have to pay steep overseas phone call bills just to know what is going on. Now, all we have to do is log in to our Facebook account and connect with loved ones. How easy is that?

Yes, I spend some time checking the status updates of family members and friends. I also enjoy looking at pictures of events I have missed since I am so far away. A mere phone call cannot satisfy that hunger but Facebook can.

It's just 8 days before Christmas . A lot of parties are being planned on this happiest of times but I won't be able
to be a part of them. Still, with the help of Mark Zuckerberg's miracle, I would be able to connect with them in a way.




Thanks for clicking.

Christmas Around The World

When you have a group of people who enjoy the company of each other and you throw in some games, food, drinks and presentations, you are sure to have one cool and enjoyable party.  This is what we had during DCEC's Christmas Party... Christmas Around The World.

 Two governesses started the ball rolling by introducing the DCEC staff.   One by one, the DCEC staff members greeted their guests "Merry Christmas" in different languages.  As soon as everyone was introduced, our learner emcees took over and made sure everyone was having a great time.  Good work, guys!

The guests were welcomed by DCEC's president with a very humorous speech and this was followed by a persuasive speech by a Saitama professor who graced the activity.  The party was in full swing after the learners gave their presentations; one group showcased their dancing abilities by doing the hula and another bunch regaled everyone by singing "Feliz Navidad".

Of course, a DCEC party would not be complete if we don't play games.  Two exciting games were prepared to make sure that the learners practice their English skills and presence of mind.  The games were hilarious!

Moreover, everyone enjoyed the food and drinks.  But I think they enjoyed the DCEC staff members' dance numbers more than the snacks they were munching on.

To have a brief idea how fun it was on that day, click on the link.
The smile on each face says it all.

This scrapbooking design created with Smilebox

Thanks for clicking.

Reality TV

Do you know who Big Brother is?
ビック・ブラザーが誰か知っていますか？
How about the winners of the Amazing Race?
アメージング・レース(アメリカのゲーム大戦番組）の優勝者はどうですか？
Did you know that Kelly Clarkson and David Cook became popular after joining the American Idol show?
ケリー・クラークソンとデイヴィッド・クックが有名になったのは
番組アメリカン・アイドルに出てからだということは知っていましたか？


All these shows fall into one genre - Reality TV.
これらは全て同じジャンルのテレビ番組です‐リアリティ・テレビ[現実直視]番組（作られたストーリーなどではなく、主に一般の人の現実の様子を捕えた内容
の番組）と言います。
Reality TV is defined in Wikipedia as " a genre of television programming that presents a purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situation, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded."
Wikipediaではリアリティ・テレビについてこう説明されている。「意図的に台本はなく、演技や、やらせが存在しない本物の番組で、出演者はたいていプロの役者ではなく、一般の人である。時々、番組の内容によっては賞が渡される」。
These shows are doing very well because the general public seems to have an appetite for this genre, even choosing these shows over other prime time shows.
このジャンルの番組は視聴者のニーズに応えているのか、大変好評です。
他のゴールデンアワー番組を抑えて人気のようです。
This phenomenon has added another kind to the usual Hollywood recipes for success (the "rags to riches" story or the "boy meets girl").
この現象によってハリウッドが新たに生まれ変わり、更なる成功へとつながりました（「ラグズ・トゥ・リッチズ」のストーリーか、「ボーイ・ミーツ・ガール」がそれです）。

TV success all over the world = ordinary people + hefty prize + spontaneous drama


I am not a reality TV fanatic but I have watched some:
私はリアリティ・テレビの熱狂的ファンではありませんが、いくつか見ました：


American Idol アメリカン・アイドル（オーディション番組）

I have seen how sarcastic and charming Simon Cowell could be in American Idol.
審査員の一人であるサイモン・コウェルは結構辛口で、でも憎めないんです。




Big Brother ビッグ・ブラザー

Why some people would like to be stuck inside a house with other strangers for several months is beyond me but some do it in Big Brother.
Think science project of stimuli and reactions.
数か月間、見知らぬ人と一つ屋根の下で暮らす、これ私には有り得ないこと
ですが、ビッグ・ブラザーに出てくる人たちはその生活をするんです。




Amazing Race アメージング・レース

The Amazing Race is my favorite; I even dreamed of auditioning for it.
このアメージング・レースは私のお気に入り；オーディションを受けたいと
思ったくらいです。




America's Next Top Model アメリカズ・ネクスト・トップ・モデル

Whenever I think supermodels have the perfect life, I watch this.
スーパーモデルが完璧で文句なしの人生を送っていると思ったときは
この番組を見ます。




And a lot more...
他にもたくさん…
But wait... there is another reality TV that is causing a stir.
でもちょっと待って…センセーションを巻き起こしているリアリティ・テレビがもう一つあります。
Some people say it is promoting something very extreme and mind-boggling.
かなり極端で信じられないことが起こっていると言う人もいます。
See for yourself...
確認してみてください…


Would you want to watch this show?

The reality is that these shows are here to stay.
現実はこれらの番組は浸透しているということ。
The producers are making good money out of them (most are not costly shows) and the audience cannot get enough of them.
プロデューサーたちはこれらの番組で大金を稼いでいて（ほとんどが
お金のかからない番組ですからね）、視聴者はこのような番組をもっと
見たいと思っているのです。



reality - things that aactually happen or are true, not things that are imagined or thought about
genre - a particular type of art, writing, music, etc. which has certain features that all examples of this type share
define - describe something correctly and thoroughly
purportedly - to claim to be someone or something or to make people believe that something is true, even if it is not
appetite - a desire or liking for a particular activity
phenomenon - something that happens or exists in society, science or nature often something that people discuss
recipe - to be likely to cause a particulat result
fanatic - someone who likes a particular thing or activity very much



Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_television#Analysis
http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1842705,00.html
http://www.parentstv.org/ptc/publications/reports/realitytv/main.asp
http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/showbiz/2010/11/29/sbt.bridalplasty.hln
http://www.youtube.com



Thanks for clicking.

Christmas Party 2010

Back home, once the months start ending with "-ber" there is only one thing in our minds.
Christmas is just around the corner.
Some people say, "Time flies when you are having fun."
It is true; I didn't even realize that 2010 is nearing its end.

DCEC had its annual Christmas party last Saturday (December 4) from 2 to 4pm.
This year's theme was "Christmas Around The World."
As you may have guessed, we showcased different cultures in the entire program.
A group of learners danced the Hula while another group sang "Feliz Navidad".
The staff members danced "Cha cha cha" and the governesses presented a folk dance.

What's the significance of knowing other cultures?
As our guest professor from Saitama University said, travelling abroad and immersing one's self to other cultures help in studying English.
And at DCEC, that is our main goal.







Thanks for clicking.

役に立つ英会話表現がいっぱい。DCECメルマガダイアログ "We are in the same boat"

英語で外国人とスムーズに会話できるようになりたいと思っても、なかなか自然な英会話表現が見つからないと思っている方に！

このダイアログはDCECのガヴァネスたちが実際にクラスで話されている内容を元に作っているので、自然な表現がたくさんあります。

あなたの表現に加えてみませんか？



★let's get the ball rolling‐スムーズに始める
★dying to know‐とても(死ぬほど)知りたい
★friendly in the pocket‐安い、懐にやさしい
★selling like hot cakes‐飛ぶように売れている
★household name‐どこの家庭でもある、知られている
★be glued‐くぎ付けになる、夢中になる
★be engrossed‐はまる、夢中になる
★be in the same boat‐同じ境遇にある
★a myriad of‐無数の




"We are in the same boat"


E: Emery A: Akemi K: Kiyo

After the free chat, the learners were asked to present their homework.

E: Let's get the ball rolling, Akemi.

Akemi holds the product brochure at eye level.

A: This product is considered as a woman's best friend especially in winter for two reasons.
K: I am dying to know more about it.
A: Our lips, skin & cuticles lack moisture in winter and especially when we use heaters. This product acts as a skin moisturizer. On top of that, it gives off a certain fragrance which has a soothing effect.
E: It is one of the best ways to relax after a hard day's work. Is the price golden?
A: It might not be friendly in your pocket but it's worth it. That's all.
E: Thank you, Akemi. Kiyo, you are next.
K: I chose this product because I am in a real dilemma.
   To switch or not to switch is the question so your opinions will really matter.

Kiyo makes a drum roll to present her product.

E: It is selling like hot cakes and has become a household name.
K: My friends have persistently persuaded me to switch to this phone but I am a bit hesitant.
E: Most of my friends are glued to it most of the time.
K: I am worried about addiction. I often tell my friends to stop checking their phones when we are chatting. I am afraid I might be one of them.
E: It's natural for us to be engrossed with something new.
   You have to be in control somehow.

Suddenly, Kiyo and Emery noticed that Akemi paused for quite some time.

K: Akemi?
A: Actually, we are in the same boat. I am fifty-fifty on this.
E: Well, if you will ask me. This product has a myriad of benefits. If you are worried about addiction, always remember that this is just a tool and it should not overwhelm you. Very much like learning English.
A: Oh, Emery, your sales talk is effective. I am seventy five percent convinced to have it. Shall we go together, Kiyo?

Kiyo pouts and holds her hair as if pulling them.

E: Ha-ha. I think I have to practice the art of persuasion more. The class ends in laughter.    




●Vocabulary

★let's get the ball rolling‐スムーズに始める
★eye level‐目線の位置
★woman's best friend‐女性の味方
★dying to know‐とても(死ぬほど)知りたい
★nod‐うなづく
★cuticle‐キューティクル、角質
★give off‐出す
★soothing effect‐鎮静作用
★hard day's work‐仕事で多忙な１日
★golden‐高額
★friendly in the pocket‐安い、懐にやさしい
★dilemma‐ジレンマ、迷う、困難な状況にある
★switch‐変える、変更する
★selling like hot cakes‐飛ぶように売れている
★household name‐どこの家庭でもある、知られている
★persistently persuading－しつこく勧める
★hesitant‐ちゅうちょする
★be glued‐くぎ付けになる、夢中になる
★might be one of them‐その一人かもしれない
★it's natural to‐それが自然である
★be engrossed‐はまる、夢中になる
★be in the same boat‐同じ境遇にある
★fifty-fifty‐五分五分
★a myriad of‐無数の
★overwhelm‐圧倒する
★art of persuasion‐説得の技術




■「同じ境遇にある私たち」


登場人物：　E: エメリー 　　A: アケミ　　　K: キヨ

フリーチャットのあと、ラーナーは宿題を見せるように言われた。

E: じゃあ、さっそく始めましょうか、アケミ。

アケミが商品のパンフレットを目線の位置で見せる。

A: この商品は２つの理由によって、特に冬は女性の味方だと言えます。
K: それについて本当にもっと知りたいわ。
A: 冬、特にヒーターを使うと私たちの唇、皮膚やキューティクルに水分量が足りなくなるわよね。この商品は肌の保湿剤として使えるの。それに加えてこれはある香りを出してくれるから、鎮静作用があるのよ。
E: 一日中働いたあとにリラックスするには最適ね。これ高いの？
A: 安くはないけど、価値はあるわ。以上です。
E: ありがとう、アケミ。キヨ、次はあなたよ。
K: 私がこの商品を選んだのは本当に迷っているからなの。変えるべきか、変えないべきか、疑問だからあなたたちの率直な意見が必要よ。

キヨは彼女の製品発表にドラムを連打する音をさせる

E: これ飛ぶように売れていて、誰でも知っているのよね。
K: この携帯に変えるように友達がしつこく勧めるんだけど、ちょっとちゅうちょしているわ。
E: 私のほとんどの友達は長時間これにくぎ付けよ。
K: 中毒になりそうで心配。話しているときは携帯を見るの止めるように友達によく言うんだけど。私もそうなりそうで怖いの。
E: 新しい物にはまるのは自然なことよ。どうにか冷静にならないとね。

突然、キヨとエメリーはアケミの沈黙に気がつく。

K: アケミ？
A: そうね、私もおんなじ。私は五分五分ね。
E: そうね、私の意見を言うわね。この商品には無数の価値があるわね。もし中毒になるのが心配なら、これはただの道具だと思って圧倒されないことね。英語を習うようなものよ。
A: あら、エメリー、あなたのセールストークは効果的ね。75％くらい買う方向に説得されたわ。一緒にどう、キヨ？

キヨは膨れっ面で髪引っ張るかのように留める。

E: ハハ。どうやら私は説得の技術をもっと学ばないといけないみたいね。

クラスは笑いで終わる。  

ブログランキングに参加しています。

よろしかったら下記バナーをクリックしてください。このブログのランキングが上がって沢山の人に読んでいただけるようになります。

クリックありがとうございました。

A Busted Fly

"A Busted Fly"


T: Tre       U: Umi 

After office hours…

U: Tre, how was your holiday work?
T: Ummm…(answered hesitantly in a low voice)… it's OK.
U: Hmm…sorry Tre, but I have to go against the tide with 
   your answer.
T: Why do you say so?
U: Well…well…well… I am not a psychic but definitely, 
   you radiate an aura of sadness or perhaps you are 
   disappointed at something.    
T: Hmmm… I don't want to lock horns with you so I really 
   have to clear the air. 
U: I couldn't agree more!
T: You know…it was really embarrassing.
U: Come on... don't be shy to open up.
T: When I handled my classes, I couldn’t stand up with 
   confidence.
U: (concern showed up in her face)…Did you suffer a cramp 
   last night? I'm pretty sure it racked with pain in your 
   legs. 
T: Nope, I don't have any tinge of ache or discomfort in 
   my leg. 
U: Hmm..don't tell me you slipped again. You are becoming 
   clumsy these days. 
T: I'm not an accident magnet. That mishap happened few 
   weeks ago. My bruised knees were fully recovered. 
U: So, what’s the problem, dude?
T: A few minutes before the lesson…(deep sigh)…. I 
   busted my fly!
U: Poor Tre… 
T: I tried to mend it temporarily with safety pins but I
   couldn't. I panicked and pricked my left index finger 
   when someone knocked on the toilet's door. 
U: I'm sorry to hear that you had a puncture injury. So 
   that's explained why you have a Band-Aid R
T: Yes, siree Bob!
U: So, were you able to fix your zippers after your 
   classes?
T: Nope. I don't have the luxury of time to fix it. I'm 
   in a hurry to leave the office because I am expecting 
   a call from my fiancee.
U: (Teasing Tre)…I figured out now why your backpack is 
   in front of you…
T: Bingo! I need to run now to catch the train.
U: OK! Farewell! Be sure to fix your fly!
T: Thanks! I will.

 



●Vocabulary:

★hesitantly‐ためらいがちに
★go against the tide‐流れに逆らう
★psychic‐サイキック、霊能者
★radiate an aura of sadness‐悲しいオーラを放つ
★disappointed at something‐何かにがっかりする、落ち込む
★lock horns‐意見が対立する
★clear the air‐
　　　　　　　誤解を解く、その場の空気(雰囲気)をよくする
★I couldn't agree more‐大賛成する
★embarrassing‐気恥ずかしい、ばつの悪い
★open up‐気持ちをオープンにする
★cramp‐腹痛
★it racked with pain‐痛みに酷く苦しむ
★tinge of ache or discomfort‐ほんの少しの痛みと違和感
★clumsy‐注意力がない、不器用な、ぎこちない
★accident magnet‐問題や事故によく合う(人)
★mishap‐不幸なできごと
★dude‐おいおい、ちょっとおまえ、あいつ、やつ
　　　 （友達、同僚や年下の人を呼ぶときに使う砕けた言葉）
★busted my fly‐ズボンのチャックがぱっくり開く
　　　　　　　  (bust-破裂する；fly‐ズボンのジッパー）
★mend‐修復する
★safety pins‐安全ピン
★panicked‐パニックになる、気が動転する
★pricked‐(針などで）突き刺す
★puncture injury‐とがった物で刺してできた傷
★Band-Aid R‐バンドエイド
★Yes, siree Bob!‐まったくその通りだよ！
　　（sireeはYesやNoの後に付けて、YesやNoを強調させる。
　　　この場合Bobは相手の名前、性別など関係なく使われる)
★luxury of time‐時間の余裕（luxuryは贅沢の意味）
★Bingo!‐ビンゴ！、大当たり！
★Farewell－さようなら、ごきげんよう、気を付けてなど別れ
　　　　　のあいさつ）





■「ズボンのジッパー開いちゃった」

登場人物：　　　T: トレ       U: ウミ 

仕事のあと…

U: トレ、休日出勤はどうだった？
T: ん…(ためらいながら、低い声で答える)…まあ、なんとか。
U: あ…ごめんトレ、ちょっと違うんじゃない。
T: どういうこと？
U: ん…その…いや実は…私は霊能者じゃないけど、あなたが悲
　 しいオーラを出しているのははっきりわかるわ、というかも
   しかすると何か落ち込むことでもあった？  
T: ん…きみと意見が対立するのは嫌だから誤解を解きたいけど。 
U: 私もそれには大賛成よ！
T: わかるかな…ほんとに恥ずかしかったんだ。
U: 何よ…照れずにオープンに話してよ。
T: クラスを担当したとき、堂々と立っていられなかったんだよ。
U: (心配が顔に出る)…昨日の夜、腹痛に苦しんでたとか？酷い
　 脚の痛みに耐えかねるのはわかるわ。
T: 違うんだ、脚はちっとも痛くなかったし、違和感もなかった。 
U: まさか…また滑ってこけたとかじゃないでしょうね。最近な
　 んだか注意力がないから。
T: そんなに事故ってばかりじゃないよ。あの不運なできごとは
　 数週間前の話だよ。あざになった膝は完全に治ったよ。 
U: おいおい、じゃあ何が問題なのよ。
T: レッスンの数分前(深くため息をつく)…ズボンが前がぱっく
　 り開いてしまったんだ！
U: 気の毒なトレ… 
T: 度々、安全ピンで留めてたんだけど、だめだったみたい。誰
   かがトイレのドアを叩いたときパニくって、左手の人さし指
   を突き刺してしまったよ。
U: 刺し傷だなんて気の毒ね。それでバンドエイドを張っている
　 のね。
T: まったくその通り！
U: で、クラスの後ズボンのジッパーは直せたの？
T: いいや。直している時間の余裕なんてなかったよ。フィアンセ
　 から電話がかかってくる予定だったから急いでオフィスを出た
　 んだ。
U: (トレをからかう)…どうしてリュックを前に抱えているかやっ
　 と理由がわかったわ…
T: 大当たり！電車に乗るから急ぐよ！
U: うん！さようなら！ズボンのジッパー直すの忘れないようにね。
T: どうも！忘れないよ！

Thanks for clicking.

Orange and White, then add an Owl

Dining out is always an enjoyable experience. It's one of my favorite pastimes. For someone who is not a kitchen diva, eating out is an activity that makes my day a little easier.

Last Wednesday night was a good example of an interesting dining experience.  I met my friends who were staying near Akasakamitsuke station for dinner. They sent me the directions to the restaurant of their choice and when I got there I was greeted by bright orange colors and an owl. Yes, I found myself standing in front of the new Hooters bar and restaurant in Tokyo.

As expected, a lot of people were waiting in line. We had to wait for more than an hour (actually, I only waited for 30 minutes) to get a table. Once inside, I had a sudden flashback of Halloween because of the bright orange splashed all over the place. However, the moment I saw the girls running around taking orders, I knew this was not a Halloween party.

The Hooters ladies wore their very famous uniform (low cut white tank top and orange hot pants). These
scantily clad ladies took orders, delivered food and drinks, danced and chatted with patrons while stopping every now and then for picture  sessions with excited customers.



One would think what kind of training did they have to undergo in order to be able to do all those things for the entire night. Amazing!

I just don't know how the majority of people would accept this kind of establishment here in Japan. If this store would do well, I'm pretty sure another Hooters establishment would pop out somewhere.

I just have one word to describe it: interesting.




Thanks for clicking.