ニュースで学ぶ「現代英語」
ニュースで学ぶ「現代英語」 バイデン大統領に撤退要求
7月15日(月)
Today, we will answer a question from one of our listners as well as learn about one outcome from the U.S presidential debate.
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POLL: 72% OF REGISTERED VOTERS SAY BIDEN SHOULD DROP OUT
A new poll shows a growing majority of registered voters in the U.S. say President Joe Biden should not seek reelection. It comes after his debate performance last week that many analysts have labeled a disaster.
Biden struggled in his first face-to-face match against his predecessor, Donald Trump, in this year's presidential race. The Democratic Party's presumptive nominee stumbled and appeared to lose focus multiple times.
CBS News and YouGov surveyed more than 1,100 registered voters over two days after the debate. Seventy-two percent said Biden should not be running for president. That's a 9 percentage-point jump compared to February. Meantime, a 10-point jump among Democratic registered voters. Forty-six percent responded saying Biden should not run.
Leading U.S. newspaper The New York Times echoed the same sentiment in an editorial Friday.
（2024年7月1日のニュース）
- sentimentは「感想、意見、思い」
public sentimentなら「世論」、
anti-war sentimentなら「反戦感情」、
consumer sentimentなら「消費者心理」
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Biden struggled in his first face-to-face match against his predecessor in this year's presidential race.
Biden struggled
in his first face-to-face match against his predecessor
in this year's presidential race.
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★physicist J. Robert Oppenheimerにtheが付いていないのはなぜ？
<- the grandson of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer
<< physicistに冠詞がないのは何故でしょうか？-> 現代ではtheを付けないほうが一般的
●theがあると、「有名な」などのニュアンスが出ることも
the physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer
●theがないと、あっさりしたニュアンス
physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer
-> 形容詞として機能していると考えることができます。
例えばPresident Joe Biden「ジョー・バイデン大統領」という場合、Presidentは正式なタイトル（肩書）です。一方、physicistは肩書ではありませんが、まるで肩書であるかのように人名の前に付けられている
-> false title「にせのタイトル（肩書）」と呼ばれることがあり
(1) 「上から目線」を避けたい theを付けることで「あの有名な」というニュアンスが出ることがあるため、the grandson of the (famous) physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer
(2) 強調したくない
「定」冠詞theは、特定のことをはっきりと指し示します。そのため、スポットライトを当てるように強調する感じが出ます。
the grandson of the physicist J. Robert Oppenheimerは、この人が「物理学者」であることを強調
the physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer 「あの物理学者（としての）Ｊ・ロバート・オッペンハイマー」 theを付けると物理学者であることにスポットライト
(3) theを省略しただけ 定冠詞theは、本来はあるべきであっても省略されることがあります。あまりにtheが多くなると、繰り返しを避けたい、という気持ちになるためです。 the grandson of the physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer 最初のtheが、すぐ近くにあるphysicistにもかかるように聞こえるから、theはなくてもいいや、なくても十分通じるでしょ、という感じで
I feel like the new about the presidentioan election will continue to increse in the coming months. It's a great time to gather information in both English and Japanese on the subject and improve your listening stills.
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ニュースで学ぶ「現代英語」 宇治の“平等院蓮”が見頃
7月16日(火)
In today's lesson, let's learn about a beautiful piece of history and what some temples are called in English.
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LOTUS FOUND IN 200-YEAR-OLD SOIL IN BLOOM IN KYOTO
Next, a unique type of lotus flower is in bloom at a Buddhist temple in western Japan. It comes from a seed dating back 200 years.
Byodoin Temple in Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture, dates back to the 11th century. It's listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.
The temple puts pots of lotus flowers on display every year. The variety is called the Byodoin Temple Lotus. It was grown from a seed found during excavation work at the temple 25 years ago.
(Kamii Monsho / Byodoin Temple)
“The lotus has a very transparent, clean feel to it. The transparent whiteness helps clear the mind.”
The flowers will remain in bloom until mid-July.
（2024年6月26日のニュース）
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Have you ever been to Byodoin Temple before?
-No. I haven never been there, but I would love to go there someday.
Oh? That's a ten Yen coin. I see the building on the back is the Byodoin Temple. How interesting! I learned something new today.
- potは「鉢」
- have a … feel to it
「～のような感じを持っている、～のような雰囲気をまとっている」といったニュアンスの慣用表現
Yes, after watching the news footage, I was amazed at how white and clearn the flower petals look. They almost look like they are made of frosted glass.
*petal
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Byodoin Temple in Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture, dates back to the 11th century.
Byodoin Temple
in Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture,
dates back to the 11th century.
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★日本の寺の名前
- 「平等院」のことをByodoin Temple
- Kiyomizu-dera Temple
Actually, I've heard both used in English.
Personally, I would use Kiyomizu temple. But which one is correct?
Ryoan Templeと言うとどの寺のことか分かりにくいですが、
Ryoanji Templeと言えば有名な「龍安寺」のことだろうと分かります
Senso Templeは分かりにくいかもしれませんが、
Sensoji Temple => 東京の「浅草寺」であることが分かりやすくなります。
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Right, and it seems that this kind of naming is not only for temples, but for other things like Islands and rivers, too. For example:
Enoshima Island or Arakawa River.
<> Mt. Fuji
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I understand that both ways are correct at first. I was a bit confused. Now I feel like it's easier to say it the shorter way while in Japan, and the longer way, when I talk to people unfamiliar with Japan.
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We often mention the names of places. So it's a good idea to write them down. NHK news introduces places in a way that's easy to understand. Remembering that information may be useful when talking to foreigners like me!
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ASSANGE RETURNS HOME A FREE MAN
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has gone home a free man. He agreed to a plea deal with U.S. authorities for publishing military secrets and returned to Australia to a hero's welcome.
Supporters greeted Assange upon his arrival.
He had wanted to avoid going before a court in the continental U.S. So he appeared before a judge in the American territory, the Northern Mariana Islands. He pleaded guilty to violating U.S. espionage law.
Assange started WikiLeaks in 2006, publishing sensitive documents on U.S. elections and military activity in Iraq and Afghanistan. But he divided people. Some looked at him as a whistleblower, some as a threat to national security.
In 2019, a U.S. grand jury indicted him on 18 felony counts for leaking classified material. He had spent years fighting extradition, the last five in a British prison.
He has been sentenced to time already served and has been reunited with his family.
（2024年6月27日のニュース）
WEAK YEN LURES JAPANESE TO WORKING HOLIDAYS IN AUSTRALIA
The weak yen has prompted many young Japanese people to travel abroad in search of higher pay on working holidays. About half of them are choosing Australia, driving the number there to record highs.
The Australian government issued more than 14,000 working-holiday visas to Japanese citizens in the 12 months through June last year. That was an all-time high. But more than 12,000 have already been issued during the nine months since then to March.
Australia's minimum hourly wage will rise by 3.75 percent from July to just over 24 Australian dollars, or about 16 U.S. dollars. That's two-and-a-half times higher than Japan's nationwide average.
But Associate Professor Oishi Nana at the University of Melbourne says not everyone is making that much.
(Oishi Nana / Associate Professor, University of Melbourne)
“Many young people from different countries come to Australia to try and find jobs. But Japanese people don't negotiate, even if they get offered lower wages.”
Oishi says it's important to be well prepared, including acquiring good language skills.
（2024年6月24日のニュース）
ANA, JAL SET POLICIES TO COMBAT PASSENGER HARASSMENT
All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines have jointly released new guidelines to combat harassment and abuse by passengers. They've categorized nine types of unacceptable behavior in order to protect employees.
(Miyashita Yoshiko / All Nippon Airways)
“In some cases, employees face extreme stress and then take long medical leave or even quit.”
(Kamitsuji Rika / Japan Airlines)
“Some customers have demanded employees kneel down and apologize. In other cases, these passengers occupy staff for long periods.”
Japan's two biggest airlines released the guidelines on Friday. The nine categories of customer harassment include physical assault, verbal abuse, and unreasonable demands.
The carriers say such behavior violates the human rights of staff members and prevents them from doing their job. ANA and JAL officials said they will strictly respond to reports of harassment, including informing the police.
The companies together received around 600 reports of harassment by customers last fiscal year.
（2024年6月28日のニュース）
ニュースで学ぶ「現代英語」 愛媛 八幡浜でマーマレードの大会
7月12日(金)
ニュースで学ぶ「現代英語」 愛媛 八幡浜でマーマレードの大会
5月31日(金)
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lemon
One that is unsatisfactory or defective:
patissier
パティシエ（pâtissier）は男性形
パティシエール（pâtissière）は女性形
amateur
[ˈæməˌtɜr]
toast
[toʊst]
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愛媛 八幡浜でマーマレードの大会
JAPANESE CITRUS REGION HOSTS MARMALADE CONTEST
And finally, when life gives you lemons or other citrus fruit, have a marmalade competition. One of Japan's leading citrus production areas, Ehime Prefecture in the west of the country, is doing just that.
This is the sixth annual competition held in Yawatahama City to determine the best marmalades. A record 2,110 submissions were received from Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the United States.
Thirteen judges, including chefs and patissiers from Japan and abroad — though not Paddington Bear — are tasting the entries. They'll be rated on their appearance, texture, aroma, and flavor.
There are two categories in the contest: professional and amateur. The winners of the professional division will be entitled to market their products with the contest logo. The winner of the amateur grand prize will have their marmalade sold in a top store in London.
Competitors have to wait until May 14 to find out if they won or are toast.
(2024年5月8日のニュース）
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- A record 2,110 submissions were received from
- are tasting the entries
tasteは「試食する、味わう」
entryは「（コンテストの）応募作品、エントリー作品」= submission - Paddington Bear
And Paddington always carries one emergency mamalade sandwich under his hat. - They'll be rated on their appearance, texture, aroma, and flavor.
rate A on B「ＡをＢに基づいて評価する、ランク付け（格付け）する」 - The winners of the professional division will be entitled to market their products with the contest logo.
be entitled to …「～する資格・権利がある」 - The winner of the amateur grand prize will have their marmalade sold in a top store in London.
-> their :この時点では最優秀賞の受賞者の性別が分からないので、性別や単数・複数を問わずに使うtheyの所有格theirを仮の代名詞として使っています。theyは複数形ですが、ここで指しているのは単数のwinnerです。 - find out if
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citrus fruit 「かんきつ類の果物」
marmalade 「マーマレード」
be toast 「負ける、駄目になる」
fruit preserve 「果物の保存食」
peel 「（果物や野菜の）皮」
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And finally, when life gives you lemons or other citrus fruit, have a marmalade competition.
when life gives you lemons or other citrus fruit,
は、When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
「人生が（酸っぱい）レモンを与えたら（甘い）レモネードを作りなさい」をもじったものです
It actually comes from a famous saying,
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
But it doesn't really have any special meaing in today's news story. I think the writer was just having fun with a familiar phrase.
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toast
名詞のtoastは「（パンの）トースト」
動詞 toast「（パンなどの食べ物が）こんがり焼ける」->「焼かれた、焦げた、全滅した」
You're toast.「（あなたは）終わってるね、もう駄目だね」
be had on toast「だまされる、食い物にされる」
have … on toastで「（人を）思うままに扱う」
There are several different theories on where the phrase comes from, but it essentially has to do with “toasting bread” — heating it so that it's done, or finished, or, in some cases, burned badly so that it's unusable.
You might hear people say “You're toast,” which basically means “It’s hopeless for you — you're finished.”
おわった。 Well, Toast is the same way at least in my opinion.
“Toast” has other meanings, too: as a noun, it refers to the short speech someone gives at a gathering before saying “Cheers!”
aroma
Remember when the story talked about how the marmalades are rated? One of the items was “aroma,” which means a strong, pleasant smell that usually comes from food or drink.
And in addition to “aroma,” there are so many other words for different types of smells. Here are three more: “fragrance,” “scent,” and “odor.”
So Naomi, Which one of these words do you think would be the most popular word for the smell of grass?
-Then I would say scent of grass.
-Correct.
“fragrance” 香水など作られた
“scent” natural な
“odor” いやなにおい
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marmalade
Where I grew up, there was not much marmalade on breakfast tables. We normally had toast with jam or jelly, which doesn't have pieces of fruit in it. And you know, all this talk about bread and jelly is making me think of my favorite food … peanut butter.
-Do you have peanut butter at breakfast too?
-No, no. Peanut butter is for lunchtime and snacktime — and it makes an awesome pairing with jelly. You've probably heard of an American classic called the “peanut butter and jelly sandwich.”
Marmalade, jam, jelly, toast, peanut butter … they all make the world more delicious, and I'm all for that. Every time I spread some peanut butter on a piece of bread, I'll remind myself to keep spreading my love for my smooth, salty, sweet, favorite food wherever I can.