実践 4/2 (Wed.) 〜 4/4 (Fri.)

実践ビジネス英語　　　Wednesday, April 2

1) It's great to be back. I hope this can be a very informative year for all of us.

2) Collins talks about a summer camp for adults that her father has enrolled in. She says such camps are aimed at older people who want rest and relaxation that also stimulates them mentally and physically and reminisces about how much fun she had at the summer camp she attended as a child. McMillan asks for more details and Collins describes how her father used to attend the facility where he rode horses and roped cattle.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • -

Summer Camp for Adults (1)

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • -

2) cope: To deal with and try to overcome some problem, difficulty. Alyce's father would be dealing with things like his sadness, learning to live alone. You'll also hear things like, "The city is struggling to 'cope' with the heavy snowfall." Or "There's a seminar next week on 'coping' with work-related stress."

3) enroll oneself in: This is to put your name on the roll, the list of people who will participate in something or become members. It's very commonly used for classes, study of some kind, things like "Young people 'enroll' in college," for example. Or "I've
'enrolled in' a seminar about financial planning."

4) apt: In this situation, "apt" means well-suited, appropriate. Shiny would be an "apt" description of our new office, for example. All the furniture and equipment are brand new.

5) simile: A simile describes something by comparing it to something else and it uses the words "like" or "as." The wind was howling like a demon, for example. In contrast, a metaphor doesn't use "like" or "as," things like, "I'm drowning in work."

6) people of a certain age: This is an euphemism for people who, I'd say, have reached middle age or later.

7) I never: This is a slightly old-fashioned expression, but we still use it in a joking way. McMillan means, "I've never heard of something like that. How about that?" You could also use it to mean, "I'm insulted. How dare you?" Imagine someone teases me about how many DVDs I own, says I'm a movie freak, which is true. I could reply, "Well, I never. I read Shakespeare all day long. I'll have you know?"

8) You learn something every day. McMillan also could have said, "You learn something new every day." We often use this when we've learned some interesting or surprising fact. Just the other day, I heard that there were nine major orchestras in Tokyo. And I thought, "That many just in Tokyo? 'Learn something new every day.'"

9) sylvan: This is a poetic sounding word. It refers to things connected with forests or woods. An Internet search for this term brought up a lot of place names, 'Sylvan' Lake, 'Sylvan' Park, that sort of thing.

10) dear old pater: "Pater" is a Latin word meaning father. My dictionary tells me this is primarily a British usage.

11) live out one's childhood dream: In this case, "live out" means to act out, to practice something. And it's often used about realizing dreams or fantasies, such as, "She is 'living out her' dream of becoming a novelist."

===================================================

実践ビジネス英語　　　Thursday, April 3

1) Collins says her father has signed up for a bird-watching camp that offers many different activities to occupy its participants -- these include hiking, drawing, and photography classes and lectures by various experts. She thinks the change will do her father good and expresses hope that he'll meet a woman he likes. Nissen says he took his parents to an adult playground on Sunday.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • -

Summer Camp for Adults (2)

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • -

2) get back in the saddle: Collins is talking about literally getting back on a horse, but this can also mean return to some work, some task that we stopped for a while. I used to do TV work. If I start it again, I could say, Ah. I'm 'getting back in the saddle' after five years away."

3) sign oneself up for: This means to sign or register your name to join in an activity, or to do or get something. "Many people have been'signing up for' new healthcare plans in the United States recently." Or "You might 'sign up for 'a yoga class."

4) keen: In this case, "keen" means to like something a lot and pursue it actively. "She is a 'keen' swimmer, goes to the pool almost every day." Or "He is a 'keen' chess player. He's been playing since he was eight."

5) a full slate of activities: In this case, "slate" means a list of things on a schedule or a lineup of some kind, things like, "I have 'a very full slate' this week. Could we meet next week instead?" Or "There's a fascinating 'slate of' products scheduled for release this year."

6) Here, "slate" is a noun. It can also be a verb, meaning schedule or designate, such as, "The conference is 'slated' for June." Or "Jeff has been 'slated' to present our marketing proposal."

7) keep a tally of: Keep a count or a reckoning of some number that's reached. For example, "Our 'tally of' customer complaints has reached 55 this month."

8) flora and fauna: "Flora" is a Latin word taken from the name of the Roman goddess of flowers, and it refers to plant life especially plant life that is specific to some area or period of time. "Fauna" refers to animal life, again, specific to a certain time or place. According to my dictionary, "Fauna" refers to the sister of Faunus, who was the Roman god of animals.

9) be in one's element: This means be in a situation that we're very well-suited to, where we perform very well and enjoy ourselves greatly, such as, "She 'was in her element' in the contract talks. She loves negotiating."

10) crass pun: In this case, "crass" means lacking refinement, lacking delicacy, something rude and insensitive. For example, "He likes to make 'crass' jokes about people's weight."

11) don't get the wrong idea: Don't draw a conclusion that is inaccurate, Nissen means. Don't misinterpret something. Imagine someone gets transferred to another department. Their supervisor might say, "Please 'don't get the wrong idea.' We've been very happy with your work."

===================================================

実践ビジネス英語　　　Friday, April 4

1) Nissen says there are a few dozen adult playgrounds in New York, and that a growing number of civic officials and health experts believe playgrounds for adults are more likely to curb the rise in obesity than gyms. Collins and Nissen agree that such playgrounds will be good for people who dislike going to the gym. And Nissen says people around the world are seeking more enjoyable, less expensive means of exercise.

Summer Camp for Adults (3)

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • -

2) get on the swings: We also have the expression "get into the swing of things." This means get familiar with an activity or situation so we can start doing it well or enjoying it. Imagine a new employee who does very well right from the start. You could say, "He 'got right into the swing' of things."

3) be banned from: Be barred, prohibited from going somewhere or doing something, such as "He's 'been banned from' dealing with new clients." Or "She's been banned from the office until the investigation is complete."

4) stand a better chance of: Have a better chance, in other words. For example, "You 'stand a better chance of' reaching him if you call in the morning."

5) stem the rise in: Check the rise in something, to hold it back. You could say, "The government is trying to 'stem the fall in' consumer prices," or "'stem the flow of' manufacturers overseas."

6) gym-averse: People who don’t like going to gyms, in other words, who avoid it. You'll also hear things like a "risk-averse" investor.

7) It's also common to say "not averse to something," meaning we don't have a problem with it, it doesn't bother us, things like, "I'm 'not averse to' living in the country." Or "He is 'not averse to' working from home."

8) with about the same enthusiasm as going to the dentist
= 歯科医に行くのとほぼ同じくらいの情熱をもって （あまりやりたくない）

as as glamorous as taking the bus
= バスに乗るのと同じくらい魅力的な （あまり魅力的ではない）

needs something like a hole in the head
= 頭にあいた穴と同じくらい〜を必要とする （〜をまったく必要としない）

9) dread: Nissen uses the verb "dread," which is to fear something greatly or anticipate it with distaste or reluctance, something like, "I 'dread' having to tell Vera she didn't get the promotion. She will be so upset." It can also be a noun. "He has a real 'dread' of snakes," for example.

10) prospect: In this case, I define "prospect" as an envisioned future endeavor, the thought of some future endeavor. For example, "The 'prospect' of speaking in public really makes him nervous."

11) people are asking whether: They are questioning something, he means. They are wondering if there's a better option, such as, "'People are asking whether' their taxes are being spent effectively."

12) the best route to: The best approach, course, method to achieve something. Nissen also could have said "the best path to" fitness, so things like, "He believes economic stimulus is 'the best route to' recovery." Or "What's 'the best path to' a writing career?"

==================================================

実践ビジネス英語　　　　Wednesday, April 9

1) Nissen says adult playgrounds are a practical application of "nudge theory," which posits that people are basically lazy and need to be nudged in the right direction. He adds that adult playgrounds combat isolation and that regular exercises have been shown to benefit one's health. Nissen says some such playgrounds have the kind of equipment you'd find in children's playgrounds, but most have outdoor versions of gym equipment.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • -

Summer Camp for Adults (4)

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • -

2) do not have a problem with: We often use this expression to mean we are okay with something. We don't object to it. "He 'doesn't have a problem' working for a female boss," for example. There's also the opposite "have a problem with," which can mean object to something, be disturbed by it, such as "She 'has a problem working with' Randy. She thinks he is unreliable and lazy."

3) be keen to: This usage of "keen" means be eager to do something, be very interested in it. This appears to be a primarily British usage, but Americans would certainly understand it. "'I'm very keen to' see our new office," for example.

4) check out: Examine, take a look at, Collins is saying. Collins is using this expression in the sense of seriously examine, evaluate something. For example, "I think I'll 'check out' that new restaurant tomorrow, see if I like their food." But you could also use it in the sense of "Wow! Isn't this something?" For example, I could say to a friend, "'Check out' this new computer. It's got amazing features."

5) spread the word: Distribute information, notice about something. You could say, "'Spread the word' everybody, Terry's good-bye party is Friday night at the corner bar." So tell everybody who needs to know about the party.

6) nudge theory: To "nudge" is to gently push something. So we often use this metaphorically to mean urge someone to do something, prod them to action. For example, "Her husband has been 'nudging' her to ask for a raise." And it can also be a noun. "He asked for a raise after a 'nudge' from his wife."

7) inherently lazy: "Inherently" means a basic part of something's nature. And we can use it about people and things, such as, "She is 'inherently' suspicious." Or "Opening a restaurant is 'inherently' risky."

8) antidote to isolation: An "antidote" can be something that counteracts a poison, but Nissen is using metaphorically to mean something that relieves or prevents a harmful thing, such as, "A time clock is a good 'antidote to' lateness in the office." Or "I find cleaning house is a great 'antidote to' stress.

9) work out: "Work out" has a number of meanings. Here, it means exercise. Something that exercises the body is a "workout." And it doesn't have to be formal, typical exercise. I got a great "workout" cleaning my kitchen the other day. I scrubbed the floor and rearranged all the shelves.

10) find: In this case, "find" means encounter, come across in a certain place, such as, "You'll 'find' a lot of coffee shops in Seattle." Or "You won't 'find' a lot of people doing overtime in this company."

【原稿チェック： Cecile, Hiromi, Sei Shimura】
【ディクテーション： Sanae】