今日はNew Year's Eveです。
wikipediaによると、
New Year's Eve or Old Year's Night is observed on
December 31, the final day of the Gregorian year,
the day before New Year's Day. New Year's Eve is a
separate observance from the observance of New Year's Day.
In modern practice, fireworks, music, alcoholic beverages
and other forms of noise making is part of the New Year's
Eve celebration. New Year's Eve is celebrated with
parties and social gatherings spanning the transition
of the year at midnight.
ということです。
国によっても、その過ごし方は異なるようです。
以下のwikipediaで各国の過ごし方がまとまっています。
明日から2011年を迎えるわけですが、
New Year's resolutionを立ててみてはいかがでしょうか。
New Year's resolutionはまたまたwikipediaによると、
A New Year's resolution is a commitment to a personal goal
that a individual makes to a project or the reforming of
a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally
interpreted as advantageous. The name comes from the fact
that these commitments normally go into effect on New Year's
Day. Some examples include resolutions to donate to the
poor more often, to become more assertive, or to become
more environmentally responsible.
私たちは、やはり英語学習に関するNew Year's resolutionを
立てるべきですね。
まずは目標を立てることから始めましょう。
■NHKラジオ 実践ビジネス英語 Staying Connected (4) 12/22 2010
番組はインターネットで聴くことができます。
http://www.nhk.or.jp/gogaku/english/business2/index.html
今回はほとんどのWords and Phrasesに赤線が引かれました。
■前回の復習です
stick up for
be in transit
hone
not miss a beat
bury oneself in
correspondent
That's not for me.
a fair bit
strategic thinking and reflection
colonize
I read you.
stay on top of things
road warrior
■意味を考えてみよう。今日取り上げる単語が含まれています。
If you don't mind me chiming in again, I think this obsession
with staying connected waers people out and makes them less
productive in the long run.
The high-tech companies they work for don't actually come
out and say they have to be connected all the time, but it
is an unspoken rule.
We all need some downtime to recharge our batteries.
──────────────────────────────
chime in, 話に加わる、口を挟む
──────────────────────────────
If someone chimes in, they say something just after someone
else has spoken.
ex) 'Yes,' he chimed in, 'there's where the future of this
wretched country lies.'
──────────────────────────────
obsession with, ...に取りつかれていること、...への執着
──────────────────────────────
If you say that someone has an obsession with a person or
thing, you think they are spending too much time thinking
about them.
ex) She would try to forget her obsession with Christpher.
──────────────────────────────
wear someone out, （人）を疲れ果てさせる、（人）を疲労させる
──────────────────────────────
If something wears you out, it makes you become so tired
that you cannot continue what you were doing.
ex) Visitors wear us out more than the children do.
──────────────────────────────
unspoken rule, 暗黙のルール
──────────────────────────────
When there is an unspoken agreement or understanding
between people, their behaviour shows that they agree
about something or understand, even though they have never
spoken about it.
ex) There had been an unspoken agreement between them that
he would not call for her at Seymour House.
──────────────────────────────
downtime, 休暇
──────────────────────────────
Downtime is time when people are not working. [mainly AM]
ex) Downtime in Hollywood can cost a lot of money.
─────────────────────────────
その他にも、次も押さえておきたい。[誌面の都合上省略] ★は重要表現
──────────────────────────────
make a strong case for, ...の強力な根拠を述べる
on a business jaunt, 出張中に
blur the distinction between A and B, AとBの区別をあいまいにする
on a digital leash, デジタル機器に拘束されて
come out and say, はっきり言う
■もう一度読んでみよう
If you don't mind me chiming in again, I think this obsession
with staying connected waers people out and makes them less
productive in the long run.
The high-tech companies they work for don't actually come
out and say they have to be connected all the time, but it
is an unspoken rule.
We all need some downtime to recharge our batteries.
■前回の復習の答えです
stick up for, ...をかばう、...を弁護する
be in transit, 移動中である、輸送中である
hone, （技能などを）磨く [高める]
not miss a beat, ちゅうちょしない、すかさずやる
bury oneself in, 没頭する
correspondent, 文通する人、やり取りする人
That's not for me. それは私には向かない[不要だ]。
a fair bit, かなり
strategic thinking and reflection, 戦略的思考と考え事
colonize, 植民地化する、潜入させる
I read you. おっしゃることはわかります。
stay on top of things, 状況[事態]を把握している
road warrior, 出張で各地を回る人
