1 金 Lesson20 Be Prepared (6)
Our current vignette talks about preparing for disasters as Ueda says. Most Japanese households have an emergency kit. I hope your family has supplies ready too, Heather?
We do. There are still a few more things I’d like to add, but overall I think we have a good basic set of useful items.
We’ve got a combination radio, flashlight, phone charger, for example, that can be powered by solar energy or a hand crank. There’s also a large collapsible water jug made of a tear-resistant plastic and several days’ worth of food pouches that we just need to add water to. We’ve got those really thin shiny blankets that hold in body heat
and a multifunction tool that’s got a knife, scissors, pliers, etc. all in one. There’s a first-aid kit too. Though the vignette reminded me that I should take a course on emergency care for burns and broken bones and such. Or, perhaps I could find some online tutorials. My current knowledge is limited to putting bandages on cuts.
What kind of things do you want to add?
At some point, I would like to get a tent. I’ve seen some in camping stores that are pretty spacious when they’re set up, but can be stored very compactly. We also need a couple of large, sturdy backpacks for my husband and me, so we can move around as necessary with a bunch of supplies but still have our hands free.
And I must admit, I hadn’t even thought about water filtration until I read about it in the vignette.
I must get some supplies in that regard. We’ve got our big water jug like I said, but it might be a long while
before there’s clean water to put in it. The vignette also talks about the skills that so-called preppers learn, to get ready for possible disaster situations. Do you have any of those skills, Mr. Sugita?
Actually, I was a Boy Scout in my middle school days. So the motto, “Be prepared” is still close to my heart. Once a Scout, always a Scout, you know. I camped outdoors and learned to use flag signals to send a message. I know how to build a fire even on a rainy day.
Are there any prepper skills you’d like to learn?
Certainly building a fire in various circumstances, that would be very useful. Maybe you could show me after our next recording? I’m just kidding. I know how to fish, basically, but I would like to learn how to gut a fish and prepare it for eating. And orienteering. I don’t think I’ve ever used a compass at all, actually. And I really should start strength training again, lifting the dumbbells I’ve got at home. If a disaster comes, there will be a whole lot of physical exertion that I’m not used it. Much more walking, and carrying and moving heavy things, including my daughter.
You know, in my professional career as a communications consultant, I’ve counseled many clients on crisis preparedness. A company must be ready for three questions that will always be asked:
What happened? Why did it happen? And what are you doing to make sure it never happens again?
No one is immune to crisis, and how an organization responds has more impact on the ultimate damage than the crisis itself.
Yes. Like the famous case in the United States in the 1980s, where multiple people died after taking over-the-counter medicine that had been poisoned. The company involved handled the crisis so well. It had nearly the same market share for that type of medicine just one year later.
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crank エンジンを手動でスタートさせる時の道具
collapsible 折り畳める
tear-resistant, tear-resistance 引き裂き抵抗
pouches (pouch) 小物入れ
sturdy 丈夫な
gut 内臓を取る
名詞の gut, guts 日本語のガッツ
immune 影響を受けない、〔病気・毒などに対して〕免疫(性)の、免疫になっている
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明日の百より今日の五十
Fifty today is better than one hundred tomorrow.
明日の事は当てにならないから、たとえ少なくても現実に手に入るものの方がいい。
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
手中の1羽はやぶの中の2羽に値する
実践ビジネス英語 2019/1/31 L20 (5) be prepared 31 木 Lesson20 Be Prepared (5)
Alvareztalks about the skills that preppers learn including fishing and recognizing edible plants. She says some of them make it a fun weekend activity for the whole family. Salmans recalls a crucial tool he was told to have as a Boy Scout. And Alvarez says a fire can be used in many ways in an emergency.
orienteering オリエンテーション、地図と磁石を用いてゴールまでの到達時間を競うスポーツ。
Alvarez is talking, about a competitive activity, done in the woods and elsewhere. You use a map, apparently and a compass to navigate between the checkpoints along an unfamiliar root.
This is using the term, “orient.” On the other side, we have “disoriented.”
And a disoriented person is confused about where they are, ah, where they’re going, ah, what they’re doing.
For example, if I was hit on the head, I would probably become disoriented. I also got very, ah, disoriented on my first day of college. All the buildings looked the same at night and I couldn’t figure where I was or how to get to my dorm.
feel disorientated 頭が混乱する
edible 食べられる
The opposite expression would be “inedible.” Like “Oh oh, good heavens. I left that in the refrigerator, too long.
And now it is absolutely inedible.”
The list is endless. そのリストに限りがない。例を挙げるとキリがない。
Obviously this expression involves some hyperbole. 誇張
But it’s a very common way to say there’s an enormous number of something. If we made a list, it would go on and on and on and on.
You could tell a visitor to Japan, “There’s so many things to do here. There are sports and cultural activities, fine food and shopping. The list is endless.”
= The list goes on and on.
weekend hobby activity 週末の趣味活動
Alvarez says, “Some of the preppers get the whole family involved and make it a kind of weekend hobby activity.”
We also have the term “hobbyist.” This is a person who pursues some particular hobby.
Lately there are drone hobbyists. Model plane hobbyists have been around for a very long time.
weekend athlete 週末しか運動しない人
weekend artist 日曜画家
designated 指定された
disaster evacuation area 災害時の避難場所
fire starter kid 火起こしキット
Salmans says, “when I was a Boy Scout, I was taught that a fire starter kit tops the list of items in a survival kit.”
A kit, containing materials to easily start a fire, like a flint and such. flint 火打ち石
We use “starter” in a lot of situations to mean “beginning, ah, initial basic.”
A starter in baseball of course is a pitcher who starts games, pitches from the first inning.
There are starter classes in various subjects, cooking, whatever. And we also say “a starter.”
A starter to mean an appetizer.
This meal includes a starter and dessert.
appetizer アペタイザー
conversation starter 会話のきっかけとなるのようなテーマ 会話の糸口
top the list リストのトップに位置する。第一位である。
This is the number one ranking thing. For example, my personal opinion and no offense to any other places, anywhere in Japan. But for me, Kyoto tops the list of places to see in Japan. You’ve gotta see that town.
no offense 悪意はない
rub two sticks together 2本の棒切を擦り合わせる
Obviously this is rubbing literally two sticks together, to spark a flame.
Personally never done this in my entire life. I have to give it a try some time.
We also have the expression, not have two nickels to rub together. Meaning a person has almost no money at all. A nickelis a 5 cent coin. You might say, when he first came to this country, his great grandfather didn’t have two nickels to rub together.
be stranded in the wilderness 荒野に取り残されている。荒野で立ち往生する
Salmans is talking literally about an undeveloped area. You know not significantly affected by human activity.
It can also refer to a very crowded or dangerous place that we sort of metaphorically feel lost in, we feel adrift.
At first, my university to me was a wilderness of unfamiliar buildings. It took awhile to find my way around.
stranded in the middle of nowhere どこだかわからないような所で立ち往生する
work in a pinch いざという時に役立つ
If you don’t other options, if this is all you have or all you can do at the time, well, this will be all right. You can manage. I might say, “If you don’t have a formal party outfit, well, an all-black ensemble with some jewelry will do in a pinch.
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on foot 徒歩で
Ueda recommends traveling each evacuation route on foot at least once a year. By walking as oppose to some form of transportation.
The apartment is 10 minutes from the station on foot, for example.
get the job done 何かをすることが出来る。望まれている結果を出すことが出来る
McMillan says down at the bottom, “a fire starter kit gets the job done faster and more easily.”
It achieves the desired result. Performs the required task.
You could say, “Paul always gets the job done. He’s a very skilled translator.”
Or, this vacuum cleaner will get the job done and it doesn’t cost a fortune.
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beacon to call for help 助けを求めるための信号灯、合図
beacon かがり火
beacon of hope 希望の光
beacon in the night 精神的に迷っているときに導いてくれる人
実践ビジネス英語 2019/1/30 30 水 Lesson20 Be Prepared (4)
Alarez recommends having a list of emergency contact numbers including the fire department. And Ueda advises having a copy of one’s passport and other documents ready to go. Other staff members say that people should keep in good physical shape to be better able to survive a disaster.
be stocked with -, 〜が揃っている。蓄えられている。
Something contains these necessary items. It has these desired items.
My office, for example, is stocked with bedding and emergency food supplies incase of an earthquake.
At home, I like to bake, ah, cookies and cupcakes. So my kitchen is stocked with ingredients like powdered sugar and salt-free butter.
basic necessities 基本的な生活必需品
crucial 極めて重要な、欠くことのできない
“Vital” would also work in the situation. It’s vital to have an emergency contact list.
somewhere handy すぐに手が届く所に
Ueda says, “It’s a good idea to have copies of things like your driver’s license and keep them somewhere handy,” Close and ready for use when needed. She always has a calculator handy. Or, he keeps nail clippers handy in his desk.
“Handy” also means good at doing or making something, especially with your hands.
You could say, “She’s very handy with tools.” Or, he’s very handy with children.
come in handy 役に立つ、便利である
grab and go さっと持ち出す
Be able to immediately pick up something and head out.
Like, he gets his briefcase ready before bed so he can just grab and go in the morning.
Or, you might say to your family, “Okay, we have to leave for the airport at 5 a.m. So everybody, have your suitcases ready to grab and go.”
touch and go 飛行機が着陸点に接触した後、停止せずに再び推力を上げて離陸すること
着陸やり直し パイロットは訓練などでそれをすることがあります
a touch and go situation 危ない状況 危険な状況
physical effort 肉体的な努力、身体的な
Physical exhaustion as opposed to mental effort or strain. In contrast, you could say, “Solving this math problem requires a lot of mental effort.”
place a lot of emphasis on -, 〜に大いに重視する
stay in shape よい体調を維持する。体型をたもつ
build up one’s stamina and strength 持久力と体力をたかめる、きたえる
“Stamina” is “endurance.” how long we can last in certain circumstances.
A boxer needs stamina as well as strength. He or she has to keep fighting for many rounds.
exercise regularly 定期的に運動する、習慣的に
Down at the bottom, Alvarez says, an essential part of making sure you’re ready for a disaster is exercising regularly”
optimal physical condition 最適な体調
“Optimal” is “the best, the most advantageous.”, most appropriate.
The optimal amount of sleep for good health, for example. Or, the optimal intake of vitamins and minerals.
optimum 最適の 最善の
maximum 最大の
minimum 最小の
threatening environment 見の危険がある状況
An environment, a situation where you’re in danger, where there’s risk of harm. Likewise, a threatening letter, the writer says that they’re gonna harm someone, they’re gonna harm the recipient in some way. Or, a threatening phone call. I received a threatening phone call late last night.
life threatening ailment 致命的な病気 生命が危険に冒されるような病気
skillset スキルセット、技能の一揃え
You could say, her skill set includes translating and the ability to speak German.
Or, cooking is not part of my skill set.
back to normal 元の生活にもどる
Up at the top, Ueda says, All the basic necessities you need until things start to get back to normal.
Return to the regular state of affairs, the standard way of things.
Things like, the bank’s operations are finally back to normal after the cyber-attack.
Or, we were crazy busy for a few days but now things are back to normal.
back to basics 基本に返って
教育や政治などにおいて、基本的原則 fundamental principles に回帰することを求める運動、意気込みについて言われます
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cover all the bases 万全を期す、万全の手をうつ、あらゆるものを対象にする
besides making sure you’ve cover all the bases, when prepping you’re survival kits
touch all the bases
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Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings.” Samuel Johnson ”
― Samuel Johnson
自信を持つことが偉業を成し遂げるための第一の要件