イーマック emac english and preschool

英検/TOEFLスタディグループ 課題026

メンバーは課題を金曜までに読んで、ノートにも写してきて下さい。

今週は現地校小学5年生の、5パラグラフエッセイから。

Five Paragraph Essayとは、自分の意見を読み手に伝える文章を、Introduction（序論)＞Main Body（本論さらに3段落に分ける）＞Conclusion（結論）からなる「5段落エッセイ」のことです。

---

Student Model Print

Fifth-grader Melissa clearly states her opinion in the first paragraph. She shares supporting ideas, with details, in the middle paragraphs. In her conclusion, she restates her opinion in a fresh way.

---

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

I’m writing to you about the Teacher-Who-Made-a-Difference contest. Ms. Wells made a difference to me! I think she should be the winner of your contest. Ms. Wells has done so much for me and for all of her students; this is the least I can do for her.

First of all, Ms. Wells is helpful. She’s willing to help anyone in the classroom who needs help. My teacher always helps us with worksheets. On Friday, she showed me how to do something in math. If you ask her for help, she’ll help you.

In addition, Ms. Wells is a kind person. She always lets her students stay in from recess. On February 26, she let our class have a Colonial Day. We got to dress up like colonists; it was a blast! Not only is she kind to kids, but she’s also kind to other teachers and parents. She is always thoughtful and considerate.

Lastly, Ms. Wells donates her time to kids. She donates her lunch recess for Student Council, which meets in her room. Last fall, Ms. Wells promised me that she would come to one of my soccer games. Guess what? She did, even though she had a lot of school stuff to correct and had to leave for Chicago.

In conclusion, I think Ms. Wells should be the winner of your contest. She is helpful and kind and gives her free time to students. I know you will agree with me that Ms. Wells is a Teacher Who Made a Difference. She’s the best!

Sincerely,

Melissa

（引用：K１２.thoughtfullearning.com）

 

英検/TOEFLスタディグループ 課題025

メンバーは課題を金曜までに読んで、ノートにも写して「質問を１つ」考えてきて下さい。

今週は映画「Hidden Figures（隠された立役者）」（邦題：ドリーム）からセリフをご紹介します。

（日本語全訳が欲しい方は [email protected]、Kazueまで）

ケネディ政権下、バスの座席やトイレが白人と有色人種に分けられていた時代に、NASAの研究所で優秀な頭脳を持つ黒人女性たちが計算手として働いていた。アメリカ宇宙開発の知られざるヒロインたちを初めて世に紹介したのが本作。

Scene

ある朝、NASAに通勤中のキャサリンたちは、乗っていた車のトラブルで道路の真ん中で立ち往生していました。そこへ白人警官がパトカーで通りかかります。

White Cop: Not a great place for three of y’all be having car trouble.
Mary Jackson: We didn’t pick the place, Officer. It picked us.
White Cop: Are you being disrespectful?
Mary Jackson: No, sir.
White Cop: You have identification on you?
Mary Jackson: Yes, sir.
Katherine Johnson: Yes, sir. We’re just on our way to work at Langley. NASA, sir.
[all three show him their ID’s]
Dorothy Vaughan: We do a great deal of the calculating, getting our rockets into space.
White Cop: All three of you?
Katherine Johnson: Yes, sir.
Mary Jackson: Yes, Officer.
[he takes Mary’s ID and looks at it]
White Cop: NASA, now that’s something. I had no idea they hired…
Dorothy Vaughan: There are quite a few women working in the space program.

英検/TOEFLスタディグループ 課題024

メンバーは課題を金曜までに読んで、ノートにも写して「質問を１つ」考えてきて下さい。

今週は「NIKE 勝利」から。

（日本語全訳が欲しい方は [email protected]、Kazueまで）

excavate 発掘する

goddess of victory 勝利の女神

capricious 移り気

whimsical 気まぐれな

draw a bow 弓をひく

cross oneself 十字切り（する）

Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, has magnificent wings. You may have seen the “Nike of Samothrace” statue, excavated on the Greek island of Samothrace, at the Louvre Museum in Paris. Even without its head, the statue suggests Nike’s beauty as a goddess.
Nike is said to have had two tough-looking sisters: Bia (force) and Kratos (strength). But they have no match for Nike in popularity. Besides a global sports brand, Nike has left her mark on names such as Nicholas and Nicole.

Speaking of the goddess of victory, such characters are commonly known to be capricious, whimsical and mischievous. This calls to mind a man who has been loved for an unusually long time.

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, 30, has retired from competition. He has won eight Olympic gold medals and 11 medals of the same color at the world championships. Clocking 9.58 seconds in the 100 meters, Bolt must continue to shine as “the fastest man on the planet” in people’s memories, along with his signature pose of drawing a bow toward the sky.

Sometime just after the Rio de Janeiro Games ended, I clipped a verse published in The Yomiuri Shimbun’s weekly column of poetry sent by readers.

When Usain Bolt crosses himself

and looks up to the sky,

I feel a god exists in this world

(created by Yoshiko Yamashita of Tateyama, Chiba Prefecture)

That could just be Nike.

(The Yomiuri Shimbun)

 

英検準１級/TOEFLスタディグループ 課題023

メンバーは課題を金曜までに読んで、ノートにも写して「質問を１つ」考えてきて下さい。

今週は「東京五輪まで３年」から。

（日本語全訳が欲しい方は [email protected]、Kazueまで）

３年なんて、あっという間に来て、あっという間に過ぎ去ってしまいそう。特に子育て中の今はそう感じます。小学生になりたての時はあと６年も通うのか〜なんて思っていたらもう卒業式、そして中学生の制服を見て感動したのもつかの間、あっという間にまた卒業を。。子供達が巣立った後のことなんて考えただけで涙ぐんでしまうのは年のせいでしょうか。。あ、これを読んでいるのは子供達でしたね。親の気持ちを語ってみました。笑

 

With 3 years to go, overcome hurdles to make 2020 Tokyo Games a success

連携を密にする facilitate closer collaboration

最新技術state-of-the-art technology

最優先で with the highest priority

分散化している be decentralized

〜に影を落とす cast a shadow on ...

巧妙化する become sophisticated

監視機関 watchdog organization

It is three years until the opening of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Relevant organizations should facilitate closer collaboration among themselves to accelerate preparations for the event, while making efforts to reduce costs.

Tokyo is going through a hot summer. Measures to deal with the scorching heat will also be an unavoidable challenge during the Olympics in three years. Various strategies are required to protect the health of athletes and spectators.

There are several available measures for that purpose — covering the walls and roofs of athletic facilities with greenery, installing mist shower devices that spray water, and improving the surface of roads for marathon and race walking courses to avoid a rise in temperature on their surfaces.

It is desirable to utilize Japan’s state-of-the-art technology to achieve these objectives and bring about more effective results.

Amid the terrorist attacks frequently occurring in various parts of the world, securing the safety of athletic facilities and other soft targets is an issue to be focused on with the highest priority.

The government decided on a basic security strategy in April. Based on the strategy, the National Police Agency is gathering information on terrorism, cyber-attacks and other threats, analyzing them and providing information to relevant organizations.

Compared with the initial plan, event venues are more decentralized. A flawless security system should be established.

Russia’s state-sponsored doping violations cast a shadow on the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Doping violations by medalists were also revealed during the event.

英検準１級/TOEFLスタディグループ 課題022

メンバーは課題を金曜までに読んで、ノートにも写して「質問を１つ」考えてきて下さい。

今週は「どう変わる？2020年度からの大学共通テスト」から。

（日本語全訳が欲しい方は [email protected]、Kazueまで）

2017年7月13日、文部科学省では高大接続改革の一環として「平成33年度大学入学者選抜実施要項の見直しに係る予告」を決定しました。

センター試験は2020年1月を最後に廃止され「大学入学共通テスト」がスタートします。今の中学３年生（2017年４月時点）から、この「共通テスト」（2021年1月実施）を受検することになります。大きな変更点は、記述式問題の導入と英語の４技能（読む・聞く・話す・書く）を評価するところ。

何と言っても「聞き取る力」は、取り組んだ時間数＋集中力が比例します。逆を言えば、日頃から取り組んでいれば、Pain-freeラクに身につけられます。英語を学習したからといって日本語を忘れるわけではありません。日本語はたくさん絵本の読み聞かせをしてあげたり、祖父母やご近所の方とお話しをさせてあげて下さい。英語、他の言語も欲張って大丈夫。学習した分だけ身につきますよ！

New unified entrance exams a chance to shift from knowledge-centric testing

より正確に more accurately

英検 Test in Practical English Proficiency

選択肢 option

小論文 short essay

実のある改革 substantive reform

国立大 national university

推薦入試 entrance exam by commendation

The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry has finally settled on a plan for implementing a unified university entrance examination system to replace the test by the National Center for University Entrance Examinations. The ministry must quickly put preparations in place to enable the smooth implementation of the plan.

One pillar of the new entrance exam, which will be introduced from the 2020 academic year, is the introduction of short-answer questions for Japanese language and mathematics. The standards for grading that will be entrusted to the private sector should be clearly stipulated, and the system should be examined through trial tests.

Multiple-choice tests will also be able to more accurately assess a student’s level of understanding through steps including questions in which several correct answers must be chosen.

Regarding English, the new system will use the results of tests administered by private-sector organizations, such as the Test in Practical English Proficiency (Eiken) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), which gauge a student’s practical ability.

The financial burden shouldered by test takers will increase. There also are concerns that opportunities to sit these exams could be limited in regional areas. In the first place, some private-sector exams were never intended to be used for entrance tests. The education ministry should carefully approve which tests will be acceptable for this purpose.

It can be called a realistic decision that the options were broadened by allowing the current English test format compiled by the national center to remain in place until the 2023 academic year. If a full switch is to happen in the future, many problems need to be settled.

Four years ago, the government’s Education Rebuilding Implementation Council suggested breaking away from scoring tests using single-point increments and holding a “one-off” exam on which everything hinged. It also proposed the new entrance tests be held several times a year.

英検準１級/TOEFLスタディグループ 課題021

メンバーは課題を金曜までに読んで、ノートにも写して「質問を１つ」考えてきて下さい。

今週は「九州北部豪雨」から。

（日本語全訳が欲しい方は [email protected]、Kazueまで）

 

〜お知らせ〜 各団体が支援を行っており、ネットでカードやTポイントでも募金ができますよ✨

私はセーブ・ザ・チルドレンで募金をしました。

Give top priority to minimizing damage caused by torrential rain in Kyushu

The government and local authorities are urged to swiftly grasp the full extent of the damage and do everything they can to rescue the victims and provide support to people affected by this disaster.

local authorities自治体、are urged to 要請される、swiftly素早く、grasp把握、the full extent 全容

Record-level torrential rain that has hammered northern Kyushu has caused rivers to flood and washed away or inundated many homes.

record-level torrential rain 記録的豪雨

hammerハンマーとんかち（打たれた）、inundated冠水

People have died or remain missing following landslides and other rain-triggered incidents. At one stage, evacuation instructions were issued for about 450,000 people in Fukuoka, Oita and Kumamoto prefectures.

at one stage 一時、 remain残った

“The situation is beyond imagination and very serious,” said Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso, who was filling in for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe while he is overseas, at a Cabinet meeting Thursday. Aso instructed that every resource available be directed to responding to the situation.

Deputy Prime Minister副首相

About 7,800 police officers, firefighters and Self-Defense Forces personnel have started rescue and search operations. A government survey team has also arrived in the affected region. They all should work closely with local governments to rescue people in areas that have been isolated due to severed roads and provide carefully tailored support to evacuated residents.

A government survey team政府の調査団、carefully tailoredきめ細やかな

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued special emergency warnings for heavy rain in Fukuoka and Oita prefectures. In Asakura, Fukuoka Prefecture, almost 130 millimeters of rain fell in one hour. Rainfall of more than 80 millimeters per hour can make a person feel like the rain is closing in on them.

Meteorological Agency気象庁、special emergency warning 特別警報

In Asakura, rainfall recorded during a 24-hour period to Thursday morning reached about 540 millimeters, more than the city’s monthly rainfall for July during a normal year. This illustrates that torrential rain beyond all imagination fell for an extended period.

monthly rainfall 月間雨量、illustrates that〜が伺える（わかる）、beyond all imagination想像を絶する

Provide accurate information

Even after the rain eases up, the ground is unstable. Vigilance against further landslides must be maintained.

Vigilance警戒 be maintained維持される

A “line-shaped rain system” was the cause of this heavy rain. This system generates a steady stream of cumulonimbus clouds, which produce rain, within an area about 20 kilometers to 50 kilometers across and 50 kilometers to 300 kilometers long. In this case, a band of rain formed along the mountains of northern Kyushu and where the seasonal rain front was located, with the rain front moving southward.

“line-shaped rain system”線状降水量、generates生成する、cumulonimbus clouds積乱雲、seasonal rain front 梅雨前線

Such a rain system caused torrential rain that lashed northern Kyushu five years ago. It also unleashed torrential rain that triggered huge landslides in Hiroshima in 2014 and pounded Kanto and Tohoku in 2015. It is of crucial importance to conduct further research into the mechanism that generates this new phenomenon, which can cause weather disasters.

torrential rain豪雨、unleash繰り出す、of crucial importance 非常に重要な、phenomenon現象

Has not the rising trend in sea surface temperatures due to global warming and other factors been influencing these weather patterns? Some observers have pointed out that an increase in moisture in the atmosphere leads to an increase in torrential rain disasters.

The seasonal rain front hangs over the Japanese archipelago. The meteorological conditions needed for heavy rain to strike the nation are in place. Complacency must be avoided at all costs, even in regions outside Kyushu. People are urged to get in the habit of taking steps to protect themselves, such as by quickly evacuating, based on weather information.

archipelago日本列島、meteorological condition気象条件（状態）、Complacency油断

From Tuesday, the meteorological agency started issuing forecasts that use maps in which areas are color-coded to indicate the level of risk of heavy rain and other conditions. As the Kyushu rain struck shortly after the new system came into operation, it could not fully demonstrate its efficacy.

The provision of accurate information is useful for ensuring the safety of residents. It is essential to have this new system function effectively.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun)

英検準１級/TOEFLスタディグループ 課題020

メンバーは課題を金曜までに読んで「質問を２つ」考えてきて下さい。ノートにも写しましょう→出力の練習になります。今週は「都議選自民大敗」から。

LDP must reflect on arrogance, laxity caused by Abe dominance / Pro-Koike forces must fulfill duties

驕り（おごり）arrogance

失言inappropriate remark

先頭に立つspearhead

投票率voter turnout

〜の原動力 driving force for ...

〜と二人三脚でin tandem with...

〜を浮き彫りにする bring ... into relief

大幅に後退する suffer a major setback

政権党 party in power

挙党体制 whole-party approach

政治姿勢 political stance

苦戦bitterly fought battle

緊張関係 tension in relationship

一線を画すdraw a line

古い議会old-school assembly

根回し behind-the-scenes maneuvering

The latest election results seem to indicate voters’ expectations for Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike’s metropolitan government to work on reform. Even more importantly, they want the Liberal Democratic Party-led administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to reflect on its arrogance and lack of seriousness. This can be described as the popular will expressed by voters in this nation’s capital.

Tomin First no Kai (Tokyoites first group), a regional party led by Koike, made a great leap forward in its first campaign for the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election, a triumph that has enabled Tomin First to replace the LDP and secure the position of the dominant party in the metropolitan assembly.

The number of seats obtained by pro-Koike forces — Tomin First, Komeito and independents supporting her — was far greater than half of the assembly. She has succeeded in laying a stable base for the management of metropolitan politics.

Komeito ties work

The LDP suffered a historic defeat in the race. This was partly due to the adverse effects of its breakup with Komeito, despite many years of close cooperation between the two parties. The LDP was also harmed by factors such as the government’s inadequate explanations about the Kake Educational Institution issue, which should be primarily addressed in national politics, and inappropriate remarks by Defense Minister Tomomi Inada and others.

The electoral battle, in which the governor spearheaded her own regional party’s campaign, attracted a great deal of attention from Tokyo residents, as illustrated by the fact that voter turnout rose from the previous election to 51.27 percent.

The driving force for Tomin First is the high degree of personal popularity enjoyed by Koike. Backed by its successful electoral cooperation with Komeito, the regional party was the recipient of votes cast by people critical of the Abe administration. Tomin First won in a series of single-seat constituencies while also steadily gaining seats in plural-seat constituencies.

During its campaign, Komeito told voters it would work to stabilize metropolitan politics in tandem with Koike, and it fulfilled the goal of getting all its candidates elected for the seventh consecutive time.

Koike declared victory at a press conference, saying: “[The regional party’s electoral gains] were even greater than I had expected. I’ve been moved to know I’ve gained an understanding of residents in Tokyo, and at the same time, I keenly feel the weight of my responsibility.”

Since taking office in August last year, Koike has sought to ascertain the facts related to issues such as the omission of soil-laying work at the yet-to-be-opened Toyosu fish market. This has brought into relief the harmful effects caused by the lack of coordination among divisions within the metropolitan government, as well as the irresponsible nature of administrative operations there. Her avowed readiness to make metropolitan politics transparent through information disclosure was also favorably received.

Immediately before the start of official campaigning for the assembly election, Koike unveiled a plan to relocate the Tsukiji wholesale market to Toyosu while also redeveloping the former site, thereby deflecting the LDP’s accusation of Koike as “a governor who cannot make decisions.”

However, she has not yet explained the details of her plan about how to continue using the market functions of both locations. She needs to show the specifics of her plan and prospects for earnings and expenditures at an early date.

 

アカデミークラスはアメリカ現地校の教材で学習しています。

＜アカデミー１クラスへ（小６〜中２＋新大学生）＞

文章の組み立て、段落も考えながら読みましょう。まずそのまま写した後に、文章をあちこち変えて書き直してみましょう。記者になったつもりでイメージして書いて下さい。

＜アカデミー１クラス以外の皆さんへ（小４〜中１）＞

まず書き写しましょう！一行でも二行でもいいので量を決めて取り組みましょう。続けて慣れることが大切です。単語は興味があれば調べてみて下さい。但し時間は10〜20分で。それ以上かかる場合は日を改めましょう。続ける事が何よりも重要なポイントです。欲張ってやりすぎると楽しくなくなります。興味がわかないと学習効果は上がりません。おうちの方は、記事について日本語でいいので（新しく知る単語のとこだけは英語に差し替えて）、子供達とディスカッションしてください。（特にお父さんと）使うと血肉になります。 

英検準１級/TOEFLスタディグループ 課題019

メンバーは課題を金曜までに読んで「質問を２つ」考えてきて下さい。ノートにも写しましょう→出力の練習になります。今週は「がん基本計画」から。まだまだ喫煙率や、がん検診の受診率はよくならないそうです😢身体を大切にして下さいね💖

子供達にもがんを理解してほしいと作られた漫画、
漫画「がんのひみつ」学研キッズのサイトで電子ブックを無料で読むことができます！

２人に１人はがんになる時代。国立がん研究センター保健政策研究部の山本精一郎さん、溝田友里さんらが、がん患者や子どもたちの意見を聞きながら、３年がかりで学習漫画「がんのひみつ」を作った。子どもの時から理解を深め、「わからないことへの不安」を取り除くのが狙いという。

学研キッズネットには、他にもたくさんの無料電子ブックが掲載されています。ぜひご活用下さい！

 

Thorough prevention, early detection vital in new basic plan for cancer

早期発見 early detection

死亡率 mortality rate

5年生存率 five-year survival rate

〜に届かない fall short of ...

発症後 after the onset

〜の観点から in terms of ..

初期の段階で at an early stage

人生の節目 turning point in one's life

〜に影響を及ぼす have an impact on ...

To reduce the number of people who die of cancer, prevention and early detection are effective. Measures for that purpose should be accelerated.

A council of the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has compiled a draft of a new “Basic Plan to Promote Cancer Control Programs” over the next six years. The draft is set to be approved at a Cabinet meeting as early as July.

The current basic plan had set a goal of decreasing the mortality rate of the disease by 20 percent among those under 75 over a 10-year period that started in 2005. Based on the plan, efforts have been promoted to enhance medical services, including preparing core hospitals for cancer treatment.

Results have been steadily produced, such as a decline in the mortality rate and an improvement in the five-year survival rate. However, the about 16 percent drop in the mortality rate fell short of the goal. It is said that this is mainly due to the fact that the rate of smoking and the consultation rate for cancer screening have not improved as expected.

Based on the lessons learned from the current basic plan, the emphasis of the measures in the draft plan was shifted to prevention and early detection from measures taken mainly after the onset of the disease.

In particular, measures against tobacco put emphasis on prevention. The anti-tobacco measures seek to promote efforts for lowering the rate of smoking and preventing passive smoking.

A goal to “curb passive smoking to zero” at restaurants and other locations, which was agreed to at the ministry council, was not included in the anti-tobacco measures. It was influenced by the fact that a consensus has not been reached on a bill to strengthen measures against passive smoking due to opposition within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. In terms of cancer prevention, it is necessary to quickly introduce legislation to promote measures against passive smoking.

Enhance patient support

For early detection of cancer, it is indispensable to improve the consultation rate for cancer screening. Currently the rate for men is in the 40 percent range, while that for women is in the 30 percent range. Neither meet the 50 percent goal.

It is also a problem that when people are suspected of abnormalities, only 65 percent to 85 percent of them go on to get a thorough examination. The draft plan sets a new goal to raise that rate to 90 percent.

Local governments and workplaces, which conduct physical checkups, should put effort into devising more effective measures, such as encouraging, in a careful manner, those people to get a thorough examination and improving a system to make it easy to get such an examination. In order to better detect cancer at an early stage, it is also important to improve the accuracy of examinations.

The draft plan is characterized by its call to extend support for patients based on age.

Notably, it took up measures for juveniles and young adults for the first time. There are cases when they receive treatment at turning points in their lives, such as advancing to higher education, getting a job, marriage and childbirth. It is possible that disruptions such as suspension of their academic work could have a serious impact on their future.

It is indispensable to provide support according to various stages of their lives, such as educational support while undergoing medical treatment and support for their return to school.

With the increase in the number of those in working generations who develop cancer, job assistance is another important challenge in the current basic plan. At the end of last year, the revised Cancer Control Law, which urges companies to make efforts to consider the continued employment of cancer patients, came into force. Effective efforts should be promoted as part of the government’s work style reform.

(Yomiuri Shimbun)

アカデミークラスはアメリカ現地校の教材で学習しています。

＜アカデミー１クラスへ（小６〜中２、新大学生）＞

文章の組み立て、段落も考えながら読みましょう。まずそのまま写した後に、文章をあちこち変えて書き直してみましょう。記者になったつもりでイメージして書いて下さい。

今夏からアメリカの大学へ、バスケ進学する生徒さんも参加しています✨頑張っていますよ！

＜アカデミー１クラス以外の皆さんへ（小４〜中１）＞

アカデミー２（金6:10）、３（火5:30)クラスにも配信しています。

まず書き写しましょう！一行でも二行でもいいので量を決めて取り組みましょう。

続けると慣れていずれ簡単になります！

単語は興味があれば調べてみて下さい。

但し時間は10〜20分で。それ以上かかる場合は日を改めましょう。

続ける事が何よりも重要なポイントです。欲張ってやりすぎると楽しくなくなります。興味がわかないと学習効果は上がりません。

おうちの方は、記事について日本語でいいので（新しく知る単語のとこだけは英語に差し替えて）、子供達とディスカッションしてください。（特にお父さんと）使うと血肉になります💖のでここ、重要です！

英検準１級/TOEFLスタディグループ 課題018

メンバーは課題を金曜までに読んで「質問を２つ」考えてきて下さい。ノートにも写しましょう→出力の練習になります。今週は「受動喫煙防止」から。知っていましたか？福岡市は全国で２番目に「路上喫煙禁止条例」（歩きたばこ禁止）を制定したんですよ❗️しかしながら罰則がまだないのです。。。💦

日本語訳を知りたい方はお申し付けください✨ [email protected]   Kazueまで

（写真：西宮市政ニュースより）

Passive smoking bill delay makes light of harmful health effects

飲食店 eating and drinking establishments

脳卒中 stroke

乳幼児突然死症候群 sudden infant death syndrome

世界的潮流 global trend

乏しい flimsy

猶予期間 grace period

一致点 common ground

調和させる harmonize

It is scientifically proven that passive smoking can trigger health problems. The delay in measures to prevent exposure to secondhand smoke is unacceptable.

The government has been forced to put off submitting to the current Diet session a bill to revise the Health Promotion Law that would strengthen measures against passive smoking. This was because fierce resistance within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to proposed regulations for eating and drinking establishments prevented both sides from reaching an agreement. The government now aims to enact the bill during the extraordinary Diet session this autumn.

According to a Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry white paper on tobacco and other sources, inhaling secondhand smoke increases the risk of developing lung cancer and of strokes 1.3-fold. The risk of sudden infant death syndrome jumps 4.7-fold. It is estimated that more than 15,000 people die each year due to health problems caused by exposure to other people’s cigarette smoke.

Postponing submission of the bill will unavoidably lead to criticism that this serious health issue is being treated too lightly.

The global trend is toward stronger steps to prevent passive smoking. Forty-nine nations have enacted laws that ban smoking inside public facilities, including restaurants and bars.

Japan, through the Health Promotion Law and other regulations, merely requires operators to make efforts to prevent exposure to secondhand smoke. The World Health Organization rated Japan’s measures to prevent passive smoking as one of the world’s worst.

The WHO and the International Olympic Committee are pushing for a smoke-free Olympic Games. Japan’s tardy response to dealing with this issue ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics could hurt the nation’s reputation.

(The Yomiuri Shimbun)

アカデミークラスはアメリカ現地校の教材で学習しています。

＜アカデミー１クラスへ（小６〜中２、新大学生）＞

文章の組み立て、段落も考えながら読みましょう。まずそのまま写した後に、文章をあちこち変えて書き直してみましょう。記者になったつもりでイメージして書いて下さい。

今夏からアメリカの大学へ、バスケ進学する生徒さんも参加しています✨頑張っていますよ！

＜アカデミー１クラス以外の皆さんへ（小４〜中１）＞

アカデミー２（金6:10）、３（火5:30)クラスにも配信しています。

まず書き写しましょう！一行でも二行でもいいので量を決めて取り組みましょう。

続けると慣れていずれ簡単になります！

単語は興味があれば調べてみて下さい。

但し時間は10〜20分で。それ以上かかる場合は日を改めましょう。

続ける事が何よりも重要なポイントです。欲張ってやりすぎると楽しくなくなります。興味がわかないと学習効果は上がりません。

おうちの方は、記事について日本語でいいので（新しく知る単語のとこだけは英語に差し替えて）、子供達とディスカッションしてください。（特にお父さんと）使うと血肉になります💖のでここ、重要です！

英検準１級/TOEFLスタディグループ 課題017

メンバーは課題を金曜までに読んで「質問を２つ」考えてきて下さい。ノートにも写しましょう→出力の練習になります。今週は「新天皇への代替わり」から。日本の天皇Emperorについて、あなたはどこまで話せますか？

日本語訳を知りたい方はお申し付けください✨ [email protected]   Kazueまで

Throne should be transferred smoothly after law enacted

thorough preparations 周到な準備

plenary session 本会議

lifetime tenure 終身在位

demise 崩御

regent 摂政

ascension to the throne 即位

succession to the Imperial throne 皇位継承

change the name of an ara 改元（する）

first in line to the throne　皇位継承順位が一位

female Imperial family branch　女性宮家

The Emperor’s abdication will become a reality. The government is urged to make thorough preparations to smoothly carry forward the succession of the crown prince.

A special measures bill to enable the Emperor to abdicate has been passed into law after the House of Councillors approved it at a plenary session. All parties except the Liberal Party, whose members walked out before the vote, supported the legislation. The law will be enforced within three years after its promulgation.

This will be the first abdication by an emperor in about 200 years — Emperor Kokaku stepped down in the latter part of the Edo period (1603-1867). It will be the first abdication not due to the demise of an emperor since the previous Imperial House Law, enacted in the Meiji era (1868-1912), made the position of emperor a lifetime tenure.

Govt handled well

Modern Imperial history has reached a major milestone. The fact the parties formed a broad consensus without politicizing the abdication issue can be applauded.

“When I consider that my fitness level is gradually declining, I am worried that it may become difficult for me to carry out my duties as the symbol of the State with my whole being as I have done until now.” Last summer, the Emperor said this in a video message to the public.

The public sincerely empathized with the Emperor’s feelings. In an opinion survey conducted shortly after the message, about 80 percent of respondents supported abdication.

The premise of the current Imperial House Law is also that the emperor stays on the throne until death. If the emperor is unable to fulfill his duties, the basic procedure involves appointing a regent.

Legalizing an abdication directly based on the Emperor’s “message” could have conflicted with Article 4 of the Constitution, which stipulates the emperor “shall not have powers related to government.” With this in mind, the handling of the abdication issue by the government and the Diet appears to be largely reasonable.

The government set up an expert panel to establish the pros and cons of various contentious points regarding the issue. Leaders and deputy leaders of both chambers of the Diet coordinated the opinions of each party and formed a Diet consensus. The government formed the bill based on this.

After procedures were carefully taken, the public’s empathy toward the Emperor’s feelings was cited as a reason for the legislation. The principle of a lifetime tenure as emperor has been kept in place, but the abdication will be allowed as an exception. Considering the public’s opinion, this was a realistic result.

(The Yomiuri Shimbun)

アカデミークラスはアメリカ現地校の教材で学習しています。

＜アカデミー１クラスへ（小６〜中２、新大学生）＞

文章の組み立て、段落も考えながら読みましょう。まずそのまま写した後に、文章をあちこち変えて書き直してみましょう。記者になったつもりでイメージして書いて下さい。

今夏からアメリカの大学へ、バスケ進学する生徒さんも参加しています✨頑張っていますよ！

＜アカデミー１クラス以外の皆さんへ（小４〜中１）＞

アカデミー２（金6:10）、３（火5:30)クラスにも配信しています。

まず書き写しましょう！一行でも二行でもいいので量を決めて取り組みましょう。

続けると慣れていずれ簡単になります！

単語は興味があれば調べてみて下さい。

但し時間は10〜20分で。それ以上かかる場合は日を改めましょう。

続ける事が何よりも重要なポイントです。欲張ってやりすぎると楽しくなくなります。興味がわかないと学習効果は上がりません。

おうちの方は、記事について日本語でいいので（新しく知る単語のとこだけは英語に差し替えて）、子供達とディスカッションしてください。（特にお父さんと）使うと血肉になります💖のでここ、重要です！

英検/TOEFLスタディグループ 課題016

メンバーは課題を金曜までに読んで「質問を２つ」考えてきて下さい。ノートにも写しましょう→出力の練習になります。今週は 映画の脚本、"A Monster Calls"（怪物はささやく）から。

原作は、パトリック・ネスによる傑作児童文学『A Monster Calls(邦題：怪物はささやく)』。癌のため47歳でこの世を去ったカーネギー賞作家シヴォーン・ダウドの遺したアイディアを、2011年にカーネギー賞を受賞した作家パトリック・ネスが引き継いで完成させた作品。

 

 

be listened to: 受動態にすると「耳を傾けるべき」というニュアンスが強くなります。

who is to say that: who's to say (that): 「一体誰が〜だと言える？（誰も言えない）」という反語表現です。

Slay : 「殺害する（やっつける）」ファンタジー小説に出る古風な言い方。過去形はslew。

flying in: fly in「飛行機に乗ってくる」

You're coming to : come to ... をbe coming to...と進行形にするとwillよりも予定が「すでに決まっている」というニュアンスになる。

 

<Scene 1>

The Monster: What took you so long? It is time for me to tell you the first tale.

Conor: I don't need a tale. I need a bus ticket for my grandma.

The Monster: It is time for me to tell you the --- Where do you think you're going? I will be listened to! I am as old as this land. (Omission) I know everything about you, Conor O'Malley. 

Conor: No, you don't! If you did, you'd know I don't have time to listen to stupid stories from a stupid tree that is just a dream.

The Monster: A dream? What is a dream, Connor O'Malley? And who is to say that it is not everything else that is a dream?

Conor: Never mind. I came to see you today because I thought ...

The Monster: You thought I might have come to topple your enemies. Slay your dragons.

Conor: Or at least help me with my grandmother. But all you want t do is tell me stories.

The Monster: Stories of how I topple my enemies.

 

<Scene 2>

Grandma: Good, you're home. Your mom's upstairs. She wants to talk to you. (Omission) Your father's flying in on Sunday.

Conor: Dad's coming? From America?

Grandma: Go on. She's waiting. And pack a bag. you're coming to stay with me for a few days. Go on!

Mom: That tree is amazing. It's been here for thousands of years. (Showing a wig) What do you think? I think grandma is trying to turn me into Tina Turner. She must be a fan.

Conor: Why am I going to stay with grandma? Are you going back to hospital?

Mom: Come here, Con. This latest treatment's not doing what it's supposed to. So they're going to adjust it, try something else.

 

アカデミークラスはアメリカ現地校の教材で学習しています。

＜アカデミー１クラスへ（小６〜中２、新大学生）＞

文章の組み立て、段落も考えながら読みましょう。まずそのまま写した後に、文章をあちこち変えて書き直してみましょう。記者になったつもりでイメージして書いて下さい。

今夏からアメリカの大学へ、バスケ進学する生徒さんも参加しています✨頑張っていますよ！

 

＜アカデミー１クラス以外の皆さんへ（小４〜中１）＞

アカデミー２（金6:10）、３（火5:30)クラスにも配信しています。

まず書き写しましょう！一行でも二行でもいいので量を決めて取り組みましょう。

続けると慣れていずれ簡単になります！

単語は興味があれば調べてみて下さい。

但し時間は10〜20分で。それ以上かかる場合は日を改めましょう。

続ける事が何よりも重要なポイントです。欲張ってやりすぎると楽しくなくなります。興味がわかないと学習効果は上がりません。

おうちの方は、記事について日本語でいいので（新しく知る単語のとこだけは英語に差し替えて）、子供達とディスカッションしてください。（特にお父さんと）使うと血肉になります💖のでここ、重要です！！！

英検準１級/TOEFLスタディグループ 課題015

メンバーは課題を金曜までに読んで、「質問を２つ」考えてきて下さい。ノートに写すと力💪になります。今週は 「労働力不足をロボットで」について。今後どのような職種が人口知能AIやロボットに代わっていくでしょうか？そしたら人間には何が残る？（生まれる？）

Desperately short of labor, mid-sized Japanese firms plan to buy robots

（Reuters file photo
Humanoid robots work side by side with employees in the assembly line at a factory of Glory Ltd., a manufacturer of automatic change dispensers, in Kazo, Saitama Prefecture, in July 2015.）

 

Desperate to overcome Japan's growing shortage of labor, mid-sized companies are planning to buy robots and other equipment to automate a wide range of tasks, including manufacturing, earthmoving and hotel room service.

According to a Bank of Japan survey, companies with share capital of 100 million yen to 1 billion yen plan to boost investment in the fiscal year that started in April by 17.5 percent, the highest level on record.

It is unclear how much of that is being spent on automation but companies selling such equipment say their order books are growing and the Japanese government says it sees a larger proportion of investment being dedicated to increasing efficiency. Revenue at many of Japan’s robot makers also rose in the January-March period for the first time in several quarters.

"The share of capital expenditure devoted to becoming more efficient is increasing because of the shortage of workers," said Seiichiro Inoue, a director in the industrial policy bureau of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, or METI.

If the investment ambitions are fulfilled it would show there is a silver lining as Japan tries to cope with a shrinking and rapidly aging population. It could help equipment-makers, lift the country's low productivity and boost economic growth.

The government predicts investment in labor-saving equipment will rise this fiscal year, Inoue said.

The way Japan copes with an aging population will provide critical lessons for other aging societies, including China and South Korea, that will have to grapple with similar challenges in coming years.

"More than 90 percent of Japan's companies are small- and medium-sized, but most of these companies are not using robots," said Yasuhiko Hashimoto, who works in Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd’s (7012.T) robot division. "We're coming up with a lot of applications and product packages to target these companies."

Among those products is a two-armed, 170-centimeter (5-foot-7) tall robot. Kawasaki says it is selling well because it can be adapted to a range of industrial uses by electronics makers, food processors and drug companies.

Hitachi Construction Machinery (6305.T) says it is getting a lot of enquiries for its computer-programmed digging machines that use a global positioning system to hew ditches that are accurate to within centimeters and can cut digging time by about half.

"We focus on rentals and expect business to pick up in the second half of the fiscal year, which is when most companies tend to order construction equipment for projects," said Yoshi Furuno, a company official. Hitachi Construction declined to provide figures.

Mid-sized companies are planning on increasing spending much more than large-caps, which are projecting just a 0.6 percent increase in the fiscal year, according to the Bank of Japan. Smaller companies tend to have less flexibility in overcoming labor shortages by paying workers more or by moving production overseas.

（ロイター Stanley White | TOKYO）

 

＜アカデミー１クラスへ＞

そろそろ文章の組み立ても見ながら読んでみましょう。同じような文章が書けるようになるようにイメージしてみて下さい。

アカデミー１には今秋からアメリカの大学へ進学する生徒さんも参加しています✨頑張っていますよ！

＜アカデミー１クラス以外の皆さんへ＞

アカデミー２（金6:10）、３（火5:30)クラスにも配信しています。

取り組みを続けると慣れていずれ簡単になります。まずは一段落だけでも読みましょう。

意味は分からなくても書き写しましょう。単語は興味があれば少しだけ調べてみて下さい。

但し時間は10〜20分で。それ以上かかる場合は日を改めましょう。

続ける事が何よりも重要なポイントです。欲張ってやりすぎると楽しくなくなります。興味がわかないと学習効果は上がりません。

おうちの方は、記事について日本語でいいので（新しく知る単語のとこだけは英語に差し替えて）、子供達とディスカッションしてください。（特にお父さんと）使うと血肉になります💖のでここ、重要です！！！

英検準１級/TOEFLスタディグループ 課題014

メンバーは課題を金曜までに読んで、「質問を２つ」考えてきて下さい。ノートに写すと力💪になります。今週は 「自動翻訳」について。人工知能の翻訳機があれば英語できなくてもよくなるでしょうか？

２つ目は「お弁当」日本のお弁当を英語でどれくらい説明できますか？

 

 

課題１ Use automatic translation cleverly to break down language barriers

(photo:geeky-gadgets.com)

音声認識 voice recognition

〜に遠く及ばない be far inferior to

Automatic translation should be used wisely to communicate with foreigners smoothly.

Automatic translation services that recognize the content of a conversation and instantly translate between Japanese and a foreign language are continuing to grow.

A system developed by the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency and the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology to better communicate with foreigners looks likely to be especially handy at scenes of emergencies. The system started being supplied to fire department headquarters nationwide in April.

When an emergency service worker says something such as, “Where does it hurt?” in Japanese into a smartphone, a translation is displayed on the screen. It also can provide audio output. The system can handle 15 languages including English, Chinese and Thai.

The system was introduced earlier in Sapporo. It is said that it enabled the swift treatment of foreign tourists during emergencies at locations including the Sapporo Snow Festival.

The spectacular development of artificial intelligence has brought great improvements in the performance of automatic translation services. Sophisticated calculation methods also used in Go software programs that have defeated top professional Go players have been applied to automatic translation, making accurate voice recognition and natural translations possible.

In April, Microsoft Japan Co. launched an automatic translation feature that can handle Japanese for its internet calling service. A smartphone app developed by U.S. company Google Inc. is also popular.

 

課題2  Nutritious, appetizing 5-color lunchbox

A  five-color combination of okazu, or main and side dishes, is key for a colorful and nutritionally balanced bento box, says Reiko Tsunabuchi, a teacher at the Ecole de Cuisine Egami.

The color of the main dish is usually brown, meaning salisbury steak, fried chicken or fish saute. These are best accentuated by red, green, yellow and black side dishes.

Red and green vegetables are usually high in vitamins. A fried or boiled egg, adding yellow to the bento box, boosts the nutrition of the entire lunch. Black can come from seaweed, including hijiki, or stir-fried mushrooms such as shimeji and maitake. These are rich in minerals and fiber.

The addition of white rice completes the nutritious bento. Cherry tomatoes and broccoli can readily represent the needed red and green, although using these go-to items too often can make the bento boring.

"Use other vegetables that can produce the same hues, and also change the seasoning," she said. "It will make the bento taste better."  Red bell peppers can be marinated, and purple cabbage works well, too. Vinegar keeps the food from going bad while helping to mix things up a bit. 

Tsunabuchi suggested tossing spinach, asparagus or snap peas with peanut butter. "Peanut butter makes the food taste richer than if you use grated sesame," she said. "It will also delight men and children," Tsunabuchi said to boil spinach, squeeze any excess water out, drizzle it with soy sauce and then squeeze the sauce out to keep the vegetable from becoming soggy. "If you find it difficult to use five colors in your bento box every day, don't force it -- just do what you can," she said.

(The Yomiuri Shinbun)

 

 

英検準１級/TOEFLスタディグループ 課題013

メンバーは課題を金曜までに読んで、意見を考えてきて下さい。ノートに写すと力💪になります。今週は中学生にも話題になっている💕💕フランスのマクロン新大統領❗️「ＥＵ崩壊を防いだマクロン氏」より。

（写真：media-groove）

Macron’s win in French election saves EU, but challenges remain

It is safe to say that the worst-case scenario of a possible collapse of the European Union has been averted. Will France’s latest election result facilitate political stability in the country?

Former economy minister Emmanuel Macron, an independent centrist candidate who is pro-EU integration, won a runoff for the French presidency by a wide margin, defeating the leader of the far-right National Front, Marine Le Pen, who campaigned on a platform promoting French secession from the EU. Macron, 39, will be France’s youngest president in history.

In his victory speech, Macron vowed to “fight the division that undermines France” and to “guarantee the unity of the nation and ... defend Europe.”

The main reason for his win was the desire of French voters to preserve the status quo, as they appeared reluctant to rapidly turn away from the EU. Macron’s denouncement of Le Pen’s election pledge to withdraw France from the eurozone as dangerous appears to have been persuasive.

There is no doubt that Macron’s electoral bid was also boosted by a favorable tailwind supplied by established political parties — the center-right and center-left wings — when they swung over to him after their candidates had been defeated in the first round of votes.

Le Pen won a record number of votes for a National Front candidate, adding to her gains in the first-round ballot. She enjoyed broader support in regions where the manufacturing industry has suffered a decline. Serious divisions clearly exist in French society.

Solve mountain of problems

Voter turnout in the latest election dropped from that in the 2012 presidential race, and the number of blank and invalid votes reached a record high. This seems to indicate that a number of voters rejected both Macron, who hails from the elite, and Le Pen, who stresses a firm rejection of immigration.

After selecting a lineup of cabinet members for his new administration, Macron will attempt to lead his new political party to win seats in June’s National Assembly election. The assembly has the power to put forward a vote of no-confidence against the cabinet, and it is not easy to win a sufficient number of seats to avert such a move.

If Macron seeks to carry out such election promises as economic rejuvenation through deregulation and job creation, he will need to adopt a flexible approach, such as tie-ups and cooperation with the established political parties.

France, the second-largest economy in the eurozone, has served as a driving force for European integration. Macron’s endeavors are vital to reinforce the unity of EU members at a time when they are undergoing the difficult process of Britain’s exit from the bloc.

In many EU nations, populist parties seeking to protect the interests of their own countries have sought to reject refugees and immigrants. These parties have been attacking the EU’s austerity policy line and contesting established political parties in their countries.

Anti-EU forces did not fare too well in the recent Netherlands lower house election, and such forces in France were stopped from snatching power in the latest presidential poll. Top political leaders of EU countries, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, have welcomed the electoral results.

However, the EU cannot afford to feel satisfied with the current situation. There is a mountain of problems to be solved, such as devising effective refugee policies and reducing economic disparities between northern and southern Europe. Serious efforts must be made to implement reforms, while also stemming an increase in the strength of populist parties in various parts of the region.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 9, 2017)

英検準１級/TOEFLスタディグループ 課題012

メンバーは課題を金曜までに読んで、意見を考えてきて下さい。ノートに写すと力💪になります。今週は「将棋の最年少プロ✨藤井聡太四段（１４歳）」より。

（写真：朝日デジタル）

Shogi world brightened by rise of brilliant young star, 4th-dan Fujii

無限の可能性 infinite possibilities

プロ入り（する）turn professional

〜の）手ほどきを受ける be taught rudiments of

〜に昇格する be promoted to

希望の星 rising star

〜は無理もない it is no wonder that ...

下す defeat

磨く hone

力をつける improve one's skills

The winning streak achieved by an extraordinarily gifted professional shogi player who is only 14 years old makes people feel he has infinite possibilities ahead of him.

Since turning professional in October last year, fourth-dan Sota Fujii, a junior high school student, has continued to win, so far scoring 14 successive wins in officially sanctioned matches. He has easily broken the record for consecutive wins, which previously stood at 10. Fujii’s skills are said to already compare with those of a top-notch professional player.

Fujii encountered shogi when he was taught the rudiments of the game, at the age of 5, by his grandmother. The boy attended a shogi class, and when he was a fourth-grade elementary school student, he enrolled at Shoreikai, a professional shogi player training institution.

At the age of 14 years 2 months, Fujii was promoted to fourth-dan, thereby becoming a professional. He thus set a new record for turning pro at the youngest age, which had been unbroken for 62 years. The previous record was held by ninth-dan Hifumi Kato, who had been called “the greatest genius since the dawn of our nation’s history.”

Ninth-dan Kato, along with ninth-dan Koji Tanigawa, and Yoshiharu Habu, who holds three titles, as well as the Ryuo title holder Akira Watanabe, are all shogi players who turned pro during their junior high school days. They constitute the whole list of such players who achieved the elite status.

Shogi circles have seen a rise in the game’s popularity every time a new star emerges. In recent years, the shogi-playing population has remained nearly unchanged at about 10 million. It is no wonder that expectations are running high for fourth-dan Fujii as a rising star.

Fujii’s strength in the final phase of a match can be illustrated by the fact that he has so far achieved three consecutive wins in championships to determine Japan’s top “tsume shogi” problem solver. He is also increasingly sharp in deciding where to move in the initial and middle phases of a match, too. He has defeated triple titleholder Habu in an unsanctioned match, too.

We hope Fujii will further hone his playing style that is well-balanced in both attack and defense.

（The Yomiuri Shimbunより）