4月よりアメリカに転勤です。初めての海外生活となります。
1ヶ月ほど前より赴任準備を始めています。
現在、住んでいるところは引き払うため、本やCDなどの不要物をブックオフに売り払ったり、来ていない洋服なども「ときめきの片付け」方式により思い切って捨てています。冷蔵庫や洗濯機や古い家具もこれを機に処分するので、生活全体がクリアされる感じです。
10年前に番組を録音したMDがたくさん見つかりましたが、MDプレーヤーもないのですべて捨てました。
とはいえ、捨てられない英語本や、一度読んで捨てようとしている本（往生際が悪い）が100冊ほど残っていて、これらは持っていきます（が、読まずにそのまま持ってか帰るかもしれません）。
何年分もたまったビジ英のテキストも捨てました。ただ、日向先生の時代のテキストは持っていきます。このテキストでは実際に仕事で使う英語が解説されていますので。
長年、杉田先生の番組を聞いていますが、実際に役立ちそうなのはそれとは違う日向先生のテキストと思ってしまうとは皮肉なものです。
また、電気器具があちら（120V）で使えるのか不安です。基本は持っていきませんが、問題ないという経験者の声も聞きます。
3.実践ビジネス英語 2013/2 Lesson 22 Shopping Online and Offline 1,2,3
■前回の復習です
be buttonholed by
windbag
consummate
diplomat
forbearing
take the bull by the horns
blunt
drive someone up the wall
kvetch about
find fault with
whine about
■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
Younger people are especially active in using online shopping and mobile devices to snare the best deals.
Net-savvy consumers are a breed apart from traditional shoppers.
Consumers and retailers alike are trying to figure out the smartest and most cost-effective ways to shop and get more bang for their buck.
Smart retailers are taking a two-pronged approach.
I know it really aggravates small retailers when people come into their store, see something they like and then use their smartphone to buy it online more cheaply from a big chain store.
They have a few tricks up their sleeve, like offering freebies that big online shopping sites can't.
There are conscientious consumers like me who like to support small businesses.
It's an uphill battle for the little guys.
★snare the best deal, 最良の取引をものにする、最も得な買い物をする
snare
catch (a bird or mammal) in a snare:
catch or trap (someone)
snareは名詞で「わな」。
★a breed apart from, ...と違うタイプの人、...とは別の存在
breed
a sort or kind of person or thing:
ex) A new breed of entrepreneurs was brought into being
breedは「品種、血統、人種」など
★more bang for one's [the] buck, 出費以上の価値
<US><informal> value for money
ex) To me, short films are the best value and most bang for your buck.
★two-pronged approach, ２方面からの方法[アプローチ]
prong (noun)
each of separate parts of an attack or different positions:
ex) THe three main prongs the government's programme.
prong「尖った先」
prongedはadjとしては[in combination]として次のような用例があります。
ex) a three-pronged attack
★aggravate, いらいらさせる、怒らせる
<informal> annoy or exasperate:
ex) Words I would never have dared to say to my father before, whenever he annoyed or aggravated me.
aggravateの第一の意味は、make worse or more serious です。
★have a few tricks up one's sleeve, 秘策をいくつか持っている
up one's sleeve
(of a strategy, idea, or resource) kept secret and in reserve for use when needed:
ex) He was new to the game but had a few tricks up his sleeve.
★conscientious, 良心的な、誠実な
wishing to do one's work or duty well and throughly:
ex) A conscientious man, he took his duties very seriously.
★uphill battle, 苦しい戦い、悪戦苦闘
<figurative> requiring great effort; difficult:
ex) An uphill struggle to gain worldwide recognition.
■もう一度読んでみよう
Younger people are especially active in using online shopping and mobile devices to snare the best deals.
Net-savvy consumers are a breed apart from traditional shoppers.
Consumers and retailers alike are trying to figure out the smartest and most cost-effective ways to shop and get more bang for their buck.
Smart retailers are taking a two-pronged approach.
I know it really aggravates small retailers when people come into their store, see something they like and then use their smartphone to buy it online more cheaply from a big chain store.
They have a few tricks up their sleeve, like offering freebies that big online shopping sites can't.
There are conscientious consumers like me who like to support small businesses.
It's an uphill battle for the little guys.
■前回の復習の答えです
be buttonholed by, ...に引き止められて長話を聞かされる
windbag, おしゃべりな人
consummate, 完璧な、この上ない
diplomat, 外交家、駆け引き上手な人
forbearing, 辛抱強い、寛容な
take the bull by the horns, 難局に敢然と立ち向かう
blunt, 無遠慮な、ぶっきらぼうな、直接的な
drive someone up the wall, （人）を激怒させる
kvetch about, ...のことで不正[文句]ばかり言う
find fault with, ...のあら探しをする、...にけちをつける
whine about, ...のことで泣き言[愚痴]を言う
