3/20 (wed) 〜 3/22 (Fri.)

実践ビジネス英語　　　Wednesday, March 20

1) Collins announces that she has finally persuaded her elderly father to relinquish his car keys as it had become too dangerous for him to drive. Nissen says some of his friends have gone through the same difficult experience, and Umemura asks how Collins convinced her father. She says they discussed alternatives to driving, and that her father admitted his physical difficulties such as trouble moving and fatigue or interfering with his driving.

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Surrendering Car Keys (1)

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2) be over with: If something "is over with," it's finished, done. Like Collins, we often use this when we are glad something is done, as in "I was so nervous about giving that presentation. I'm glad 'it's over with.'"

3) surrender: Collins uses "surrender" in the sense of relinquish, give something up to someone because we are forced to, because someone demands it. A doctor convicted of malpractice might have to "surrender" his medical license.

4) be through: Nissen also could have used "go through" here. Some of my friends have "gone through" the same thing. They’ve experienced or endured something, in other words.

5) The company has "been through" a difficult year, or Fred has "gone through" a messy divorce.

6) for all concerned: Here "concerned" doesn't mean worried. Nissen means for everyone involved or affected by a certain situation or event. The merger was beneficial "for all concerned," for example.

To whom it may concern = 関係各位、関係当事者殿
手紙などで不特定の相手に対する宛名として使う。推薦状や証明書などの最初に書く文句

7) ultimatum: This is a final demand, a final statement of terms that threatens serious consequences if they are not accepted, as in "the union gave the company an 'ultimatum.' Raise our salaries five percent, or we strike."

8) pride: There are a number of idioms that use "pride," including "pride and joy." This refers to something that gives us great pride and satisfaction, as in "Her house is her 'pride and joy.' She's spent a lot of time decorating it." Or, "He just loves his new car. It's his 'pride and joy.'"

9) Dad, Mom ⇒ 自分の父、母のことを言う場合には大文字で始めるのが習慣
My dad の場合は小文字

10) have trouble: Collins' father was having problems walking, walking was difficult for him, she means. We use this with the "-ing" form of verbs. I "had trouble“ making reservations for Golden Week. Or, "I've had trouble" finding the right computer.

11) Collins also could have said, "He's been having difficulty walking," which would be more formal.

12) nod off: This means fall asleep often unintentionally, from the way our heads drop or nod when we do that. I've "nodded off" in a meeting or two, I admit it.

13) We also say "give the nod," which means to approve or choose something, and "get the nod," which is to get approval or be chosen, like, "John 'got the nod' to lead the new project." Or, "The board of directors 'gave the proposed merger the nod' at today's meeting."

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実践ビジネス英語　　Thursday, March 21

1) Collins says her father was involved in a minor car accident, which was the deciding factor in her decision to stop him from driving. Nissen says he's heard that it's more common for older drivers to stop gradually, agreeing, for example, to drive only during the day or not on freeways. Collins says it's difficult for parents to be told by their children that they have to change their driving practices.

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Surrendering Car Keys (2)

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2) get behind the wheel: Drive a car, in other words. Texting "behind the wheel" is very dangerous, for example, texting while driving.

3) We also have the expression "fifth wheel," which refers to a superfluous, unnecessary person in some situation. The image is a fifth wheel on a four-wheel vehicle.

4) Imagine you go to lunch and the other people all talk about a business project you are not involved in. All you can do is sit there and listen. You'd probably feel like a "fifth wheel."

5) There are a number of English words that rhyme like this including "big wig," which refers to an important, influential person. One meaning of "mumbo jumbo" is nonsensical or complex language we can't understand, sometimes deliberately used to be confusing, as in "Could you translate this legal 'mumbo jumbo' for me?"

6) deep down: This refers to something we know or feel in our hearts but often don't admit or show outwardly. For example, she pretended to like the proposal but "deep down" she thought it was a bad idea.

7) You could also use "in one's heart of hearts" the same way. "In her heart of hearts," she thought the proposal was a bad idea.

8) go along with: This is to acquiesce, cooperate with something as if you agree to travel along with it, you know, move in the same direction. The union decided to "go along with" the company's proposed pay cuts, for example.

9) wind down: Nissen uses this to mean end something gradually. It can also mean gradually come to an end. The reception "wound down" around 9 p.m.

10) "Wind down" can also mean relax, unwind. After a long day at work, I like to "wind down" with a book and a cup of coffee.

11) cut back on: Reduce, in other words, decrease. A company might strive to "cut back on" its spending. A person might "cut back on" carbohydrates. It's essentially the same meaning as "cut down on."

12) You said it: That's very true, I definitely agree, Collins is saying. Imagine you attend a reception with terrible food. A colleague says, "This is awful." And you reply, "You said it."

13) role reversal: This is exactly what it sounds like. The roles previously held by two parties are switched between them. Imagine someone at your company gets promoted, and he's now supervising a former boss. The former boss might be quite uncomfortable with that role reversal.

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実践ビジネス英語　　 Friday, March 22

1) Collins and Umemura agree that driving is a fundamental part of American life, especially in rural areas and the suburbs, with Collins adding that becoming unable to drive can contribute to depression among the elderly. Nissen describes how one of his friends had a very difficult time convincing his parents to limit their driving, but eventually succeeded with the help of their doctor and an occupational therapist.

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Surrendering Car Keys (3)

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2) no kidding: There are a number of ways to use this expression. Collins means that's absolutely true. That's absolutely right. "No kidding" can also mean "really." Such as, "'No kidding,' you've been transferred to Europe?" Or, "'No kidding,' she has a PhD in physics."

3) core: Being able to drive is at the heart of American self-image. It's at their basis of it, Collins means.

4) A common expression using "core" is to the core, which means thoroughly, through and through. So if I say, "Fred is honest to the core," then he is a thoroughly honest person.

rotten to the core = 芯まで腐っている、全く悪い

5) get grief: To be opposed or criticized, Nissen means. For example, he "got a lot of grief" for forgetting his wife's birthday. "Get grief" is often used in the sense of playful criticism as well, teasing, as in "Marty 'got a lot of grief' for the ugly necktie he wore to the office."

6) take something personally: This means interpret something as an insult, an affront to oneself. It's important to remember people's names, for example, because people often take it personally when we forget. They feel like they weren't important enough to remember.

7) get ugly: Acrimonious, unpleasant, hostile. We also have the expression "rear its ugly head," which refers to the appearance of something unpleasant, unwelcome. A newspaper article might say, inflation has "reared its ugly head" again. Or, the friction between John and Mary "reared its ugly head" at the meeting.

8) folks: "Folks" can be used to mean people, but here it refers to parents. My "folks" live in the United States.

9) in turn: In order, in sequence, Nissen means. You might hear something like, "Employment data improved last month, which 'in turn' pushed up stock market prices."

10) to make a long story short: We often use this when we summarize an account of something or briefly state the main point or outcome. You can also shorten this expression to just "long story short." Instead of detailing everything that happened with a prospective client, for example, you could say, "'Long story short,' we didn't get the account."