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英作文チャレンジコーナー　”高卒求人に大学生流入”の記事

最近読んだ中で一番ショックを受けた新聞記事を英訳しました。　

中高生諸君、将来のため英語を勉強しようよ。ぐっと有利になるから・・・・

  
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
  
(北海道新聞　2010年12月23日）
 
　来春卒業予定の多くの高校生が、就職先を決めることが出来ないまま年を越そうとしている。今年は特に、大学生や専門学校生が高校生向けの就職戦線に流れ込んでくるケースが目立ち、少ない求人を、ともに苦境に立つ若者同士が奪い合っている構図だ。各高校は「大学生と比べられると高校生は不利」と頭を抱えている。
　
　一方で企業側は採用に有利な買い手市場を最大に活用している。札幌市内の卸会社の担当者は「景気が良いころ大学生があまり関心を持ってくれなかったが、今は優秀な人材が集まる。高校生には申し訳ないが、会社の将来を担う人材となると、大学生に目が行く」と語る。

 

Majority of job searching students of  senior high schools are facing a new year with no certain prospect of employment.
What is striking about this year  is that seniors of vocational schools, colleges and universities are moving into the job market of high school seniors, thus creating a situation where  impatient youngsters are fighting for a small number of job offers.  Senior high school authorities are tearing their hair out over having to fight an uphill battle with college grads.
On the other hand, employers are taking full advantage of the buyer oriented markets. Here’s a comment by the personnel of a wholesale company in Sapporo. “When  business was good,  not much interest was taken by college graduates. But now, excellent ones gather at our doors for an interview.   Feeling sorry for senior high students, I cannot stop prioritizing college graduates for the company’s future.”
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Wiiを使ってリハビリに。Wiihab is the new Rehab

高齢者のリハビリに任天堂wiiを使うところが増えているようです。アメリカではリハビリをもじってwiihabとよばれているとか。　どんな具合なのか見てみましょう。

動画は↓

No longer the stuff of child’s play, the Nintendo™ Wii  has become an exciting tool used by physical and occupational therapists in rehabilitation settings. This new treatment approach is often called “Wii-hab.”

  

At CareOne centers, both our therapists and patients say that one of the best things about Wii-hab is that it’s fun, which means people are more motivated and engaged during their rehab. This motivation is important from a therapy perspective, but there’s another benefit. The Wii enables patients to integrate skills while allowing therapists to see how the person is progressing in a more natural environment. For example, a traditional exercise routine might build muscle strength through a specific strengthening routine. An activity using the Wii not only uses that new strength but also integrates it with balance—it provides a way to practice using strength, balance and weight shifting all within a virtual environment.  For some of our older patients, learning to use the Wii as part of therapy has given them a new link to their children or grandchildren. Once patients return home, they’re motivated to practice newly learned skills with the Wii because it’s something they can do with the entire family.   

Improving function is an important goal for our therapists, and the Wii aids in achieving this goal by helping our patients get moving again.

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英作文チャレンジコーナー（はいはい道新） Hokkaido Newspaper “Readers’ voice column”

可燃ごみ収集日に革ブーツとズック靴、プラスチック製踏み台を他のゴミと一緒に袋に入れてステーションにだしました。１時間ほど後に見たら、ブーツとズック靴、踏み台の三つだけが袋から出され、ステーション脇に並べられていました。不燃ごみと思った誰かが袋を開けて出したのでしょうか。市の収集車が来たので聞いたらいずれも可燃ごみでいいとのこと。ごみ袋を勝手に開けて仕分けするなんて不愉快です。おせっかいはやめてください。
 
 (12月１４日）
 
 
On the flammable garbage collection day, I  put a bag of trash out in the garbage station.
In the bag were my leather boots, canvas shoes, plastic stool and other trashes. 
 
I got there again about an hour later. Unbelievably enough, the boots, shoes and stool were out there, lined up next to the garbage station.
Somebody had opened the bag and taken them out, thinking they are not combustible.!
 
Then the municipal garbage collection vehicle arrived and I asked the men if those articles belong to the flammable category or not.  They answered “flammable”.
 
I want to have a word or two with the person who meddled with my bag.
 
“It’s quite annoying. Mind your own business.”
 
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知らなかったあ～。　走行距離では測れないタイヤの安全性

６年前製造の未使用タイヤと今年製造で１万キロ走ったタイヤ、どっちが安全でしょう？　

この記事を読むまでは、私は前者だと思っていました・・・（汗）

たとえ未使用でも製造から６年以上経っているタイヤは要注意、激安ものを買う際は製造年をチェックしましょう。

方法はカンタン！　左写真の白線で囲んだ４けた数字を見ればいいのです。

最初の２ケタは製造週、後ろの２ケタが製造年を表します。　したがって２６１０ならば２０１０年の第２６週目につくられたもの、となるわけです。　　動画は下記をクリック。

 

 

We are going to turn tonight the world news investigation involving something most of us take for granted. The safety of the tires of cars. It was two years ago our Brian Ross first reported that the tires being sold as new were not and then could put your families at risk. So we wanted to know if anything changed.　Here’s Becky Worley.

 

Imagine driving down the highway having your tire disintegrate. In these test videos , even skilled drivers couldn’t keep control. “I think I’m OK. I think I’m OK”

Many experts agree that tires have a short life, even when they are not driven a single mile, air separates the treads. Robert Moore bought  what he thought were new tires for his son’s car. And just five years later, “***** called me to say that Policeman just came to the house and told me Andy had a car accident  And it was so cracked and he told me he died.”

I got my vehicle made ***** together, and I discovered that the tires that I got were new but actually three years old when I bought them.”

 

Crash investigators said the tread had peeled right off one of the then nine -year-old tires.

I would not drive on tires older than six years. And the problem is tires degrade over time.

Tires have a date code, the DOT stamp followed by a four digit number. The first two letters indicate the week it was made, the second two the year. So our goal: Check the date stamp on tires being sold as new.

 

We took our cameras to tire shops outside New York and San Francisco. Of the five New York tire shops, two had old tires – a couple from 2006 and another with a tire dated 1995.  In California, we went to four tire shops and the last one had a entire set made in 2005 and one tire from 2000. Just days ago, a major rubber supplier urged the US government to beef up labeling standards. And five major car companies recommended replacing six year old tires.

 

But the rubber manufacturers association disagrees. “There’s no scientific information that can point to when a tire should be removed because of age” After ABC news investigation in 2008, The National Highway Traffic Safety Association issued a consumer advisory about tire age. But since then, “Unfortunately there have been actually no changes in legislation, and no changes by the tire manufacturers.”  Becky Worley, ABC News, San Francisco.

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第3回クッキングセミナー開催

テレビ番組「笑点大喜利」のベンベン流に言えば、「和食のようで和食でない。洋食のようで洋食でない。それはなにかとたずねたら」ってな具合になるのでしょうか。　

今回取り上げた料理は「カリフォルニアロール」、海外の日本料理屋ならどこでも定番の手巻き寿司です。

日本と共通してるのは酢飯と海苔だけ、といっていいでしょう。

だって具材がハンパじゃない。　アボカドにエビ天、ゴボウにキュウリ、スモークサーモンにクリームチーズ、オニオンスライスにカイワレ大根などなど・・・

正直な話、美味しくないだろうと思っていました。　こんな材料でつくる手巻き寿司、日本人の口に合わないだろうと思っていました。

ところがところが、食べてみたら意外にうまい。　「そんなばかな」、と思わせるようなふくよかな味わいを堪能させてくれました。

巻くときに海苔を上側にして、ご飯が外側に来るようになっているのも面白い。　むかし誰かが洋風にアレンジしようとして考え出したのでしょうね、きっと。

いやあ、食べた食べた。　メタボおじさんは食事制限をわすれ、ひたすら食べまくってベルトの穴が一つ分ずれました。（反省）

　

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英作文チャレンジコーナー（はいはい道新） Hokkaido Newspaper “Readers’ voice column”

雪が遅いせいか、今年はやけに枯れ葉が目立ちます。　風の吹き具合によるのでしょうか。　わが家にはそこかしこから枯れ葉が集まってくるのです。先日の強風のときは大変でした。塀や玄関は言うに及ばす、奥まった所にある車庫の前には、多くの枯れ葉に交じって発泡スチロールや空のペットボトルが吹き寄せられていました。枯れ葉は数袋に分け、ゴミ収集にだしましたが、これも有料です。風が相手じゃ、文句も言えませんもんね。
 
  
There are an awful lot of dead leaves seen this winter,  probably because we have less snowfall than usual.
 Many of them , blown from here and there, gather  around my house.  I wonder if this is done by wind-related factos.
 The recent heavy storm was so terrible that it left me drifts of such leaves, styrene foam particles, and empty PET bottles  –  in front of my garage far from the road, as well as my fence and my entrance.
I had to put those leaves in a several bags and place them out for collection service.
Of course it costs me money. But there’s no point in blaming the wind.
 
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海老蔵関連ニュースを英語で！

いま一番ホットな話題と言えばこれですね。　ヒアリングの練習に使っちゃいましょう。
動画は下記をクリックしてください。
本文
Japan’s Kabuki prince apologized Tuesday for embarrassing the country’s most viewed theater. Ebizo Ichikawa faced the
swarm of reporters.
His eyes still blood shot  from a drunken brawl a few weeks ago. Ichikawa said “I thought I was going to die.” when the man was beating me. The incident in  Tokyo rich neighborhood came on the same day Ichikawa skipped his media events, citing health reasons. The actor admits  drinking heavily that night but maintains that he was a victim. That sounded a little to quite the media frenzy.
Ichikawa comes from one of the Japan’s most famous Kabuki families. He’s considered the future of the traditional all male theater.
This woman says it’s an embarrassment for a actor considered a face of Kabuki.  Theater operator, Shochiku has already suspended
Ichikawa and cancelled the New Year’s program starring the actor. At least three major companies have halt TV ads featuring the actor. The cancelled shows could cost organizers up to two million dollars .
Akiko Fujita, ABC news Tokyo.
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英作文チャレンジコーナー（はいはい道新） Hokkaido Newspaper “Readers’ voice column”

昼食のために会社近くの地下飲食街に行きました。どの店も混んでいましたが、たまたますいている店が目につき飛びこみました。見渡すと店内が煙草の煙で煙っています。店前に「全面禁煙」の掲示があったはず、と思って再度見たらなんと「全席喫煙」。　煙草は好きではないのですが、他の店を探す時間もなかったので食事しました。　禁煙の店は年々増えていますが、逆に全面的に喫煙を打ち出した店を見るのは初めてです。驚きました。（１２月７日）
 
 
 
I was looking for somewhere to take a lunch in the underground food court  near my office.
Every restaurant I walked by seemed crowded, but I happened to find one that was less crowded so I dashed  in there.
 
Looking around, I saw a lot of cigarette smoke wafting throughout the room.
 
I took a second look at the signboard at the entrance, thinking to myself that it said “ALL NON SMOKING SEATS”.
 
Actually it was opposite – “ALL SMOKING SEATS”!  My jaw almost dropped,
 
 
 I didn’t want to inhale  smoke while eating my lunch,  but I  took the table because I didn’t have enough time to find another restaurant.
 
Non smoking places are on the increase year by year.  And it was my first time to see a restaurant where smoking is totally allowed.
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宿題出します！

熱心な生徒さんの中から、英作文に自分でチャレンジしてみたいので宿題を出してほしいというリクエストがありました。（感心！）

それでは遠慮なくいきますよー。　

先日遠出をして、人気の飲食店に出かけました。日曜の昼過ぎで超満員でした。4歳ぐらいのお子さんを連れた若いご夫婦にあぜんとしました。子どもが店内で騒いでもまったく注意しようとしないのです。（北海道新聞　2010/11/11）

がんばってみてください。

 

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英作文チャレンジコーナー（はいはい道新） Hokkaido Newspaper “Readers’ voice column”

 

 
朝の通勤電車での出来事です。優先席の前で、つり革につかまっていたら、そこにいたおばあさんが「だんなさん、すわればいいしょ」と言って席を詰めてくれるのです。　優先席にはすでに３人いて余裕は無し。無理をして２０センチほど空けてくれたのですが、大柄な私にはとても座れるスペースではありません。「ご厚意は感謝します」と丁重にお断りしました。　よほどくたびれた顔をしていたのでしょうね。お年寄りに気を使わせてしまって、反省です。（１２月３日）
 
 
 
This is what happened one morning when I was on my  way to work by train.
I was clutching my strap in front of the seats marked for the elderly and/or disabled.
A senior lady sitting there spoke to me “Sir, why not sit down with us?” and tried to make extra room for me.
 
There were already three people sitting there including her, so apparently no seat was available for me to sit in.
She managed to squeeze me in by positioning herself on the seat. But the space thus made was only twenty centimeters wide – not enough for my big body to get in. So I declined politely.  I must have looked very tired.
I regret that I let her worry about me so much.
 
札幌の娘宅を訪ねた帰途、地下鉄駅のホームで手袋をはめるためベンチに置いたショルダーバッグを忘れたまま電車に乗ってしまいました。財布や保険証など貴重品が入っており、車内で気づいた時は頭の中が真っ白。慌てて次の駅で降り、事務室で乗車駅に問い合わせてもらうと、届いているとのこと。　引き返して無事受け取った時は、安ど感から座り込むほどでした。どなたかわかりませんが届けていただきありがとうございました。(12月６日）
 
 
 I was on my way home after visiting my daughter’s in Sapporo.
While in the subway station, I put on my gloves with my shoulder bag on the bench.
It was not until I got on the train that I realized I left the bag behind.
I was stupefied because it contained some precious items such as my wallet, my health insurance card, and so on.
I soon got off at the next station, dashed to the office and asked for their lost and found service.
The staff  contacted my starting station and told me that the bag had been recovered!
When I had it back in my hands, I felt so relieved that I nearly fell on the floor.
Whoever it was that found it, I want to say thank you.