恋する英語

Expression
肩を並べる　be on par

There are two shops close to my place. One is Café Mozart. The other is a select shop Bukowski. Mozart is a famous composer, as you know, who was even painted in a picture with Marie Antoinette. Bukowski is an author, who wrote very decadent stories in 20th century. They are totally different types of artists, but here, they are on par.
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★Two artists are so different, though, everything goes together in Japan!

Expression
逆ギレ　misplaced anger

I spilt a glass of cocoa when I was about to take a picture of it.
I felt sorry about that, however, the clerk said “Oh no, there are some books in the desk drawer” as if he was blaming me. I felt sorry at first, but the way he said it annoyed me. This is misplaced anger! Also I’m sorry about it!
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★I don't have the picture of the cocoa, because...I spilt it ;-P
I should be more careful when I have a tall glass in front of me!

英語上達のキホン　聞く編２　ー たくさん聞いて慣れるために

前回に引き続き、英語に耳をならすためのたくさん聞く方法についてです。（丁寧に聞く方法はまた後日）

英語に慣れるとはいっても、耳も傾けず、内容もわからず、あとで聞き返すこともないままとにかくたくさん聞いても、あまり力にならないんです。

そこで、興味があって、しかも知っている内容なら、英語が耳に飛び込んでくるというお話をしました。

日本語でいいから知っている内容のほうが、いきなり知らない内容よりもいいんです。知っていれば英語の音も推測しやすいので。

さて、これをもう一工夫してみる方法です↓　＜日本語・解説はこちら＞へ

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Expression
―日和　 perfect day for―

It’s a very clear day today. It means…perfect day for laundry!　I love the smell and the touch of dried clothes after the laundry.　Those clothes touch is a bit warm and smooth. You-ka seems happy when she is wrapped with washed towels.
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★After I hold dried clothes, I put those into closet with soaps. Then when I wear it, I can enjoy a bit incense of soaps.

Expression
旬　 in season

As I received broad beans in a vegetable delivery, I grilled them on the wire grate. It’s very nice to cook food that is in season, therefore making the most of the original taste. I’d like to have these with cold beer! (though I’ve stopped drinking for now…)
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★My favorite way to eat broad beans is with a pinch of salt.

Expression
絶好のチャンス　heaven-sent opportunity

As assistant to impossibly demanding editor-in-chief Miranda (Streep), Andy (Hathaway) has landed a job that "a million girls would die for." Unfortunately, her heaven-sent opportunity as Miranda's personal whipping girl just might be very tough and the death of her！　
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★Based on the hilarious best-selling novel, this funny movie starring Academy Award winner Meryl Streep is entertaining in every way. I also had the same kind of experience.

いくつかリクエストをいただいたので、英語上達のコツ・秘訣を書いてみます

言葉って、どうやって身につけたか覚えていますか？
お母さんの話をなぞったり、テレビのフレーズを口まねしたりと身近なことから入るもの。
英語も、自分が興味があることや日本語で知っているようなことを見聞きしていくのが一番です。

高い英語教材を購入してきて、日本語では読まないような経済の話だったり、興味がない映画の話では、聞くのも読むのも大変。

身近にあるもので、自分が興味あるものを見つけて教材にしてみましょう。

具体的な方法は…たとえば↓＜日本語・解説＞へ
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Expression
初物　　first fruits

Now is the season of first fruits. This is the first corn of the season for me.
It’s very nice to have a sweet corn kernel, pop in your mouth, with salt while it’s still hot.
And…eating it with a big bite is the best way to enjoy it!

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★I hate insects wiggling in vegetables and fruits, however, if it has insects, it means they are very healthy without using that much pesticide.Corns comes into its season in summer.

Expression
肩身が狭い　feel inferior

I found a cool No smoking sign at a shop. No smoking areas are increasing in number in Japan these days.
Even the Shinkansen has removed the smoking car.
Smokers might feel inferior. It’s a great opportunity to quit smoking isn’t it?
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★I don’t smoke, however, there are many cigarettes that seem very yummy, such as a peach flavored one.

Expression
ーから自由になる　free from-

The protagonist, Justin, throws himself and everyone around him into chaos when he attempts to break free from his addiction to his thumb…"Thumbsucker" is a poignant tale for anyone who has ever felt that they "just didn't quite fit in".

Mike Milles, the director, belongs to the generation of Sofia Coppola. The film is very sensitive and the music is very tender, however, the drama is more dry than emotional. This is also a good aspect of this film.

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★"Thumbsucker" is a quirky but well-made film, which received some awards. If you are a huge fan of independent films, you should definitely see it.
http://www.sonypictures.jp/homevideo/thumbsucker/index.html

Expression
実用的 utilitarian

A ceiling fan has the appearance of being just decoration,, but actually it’s very utilitarian to make your room cool. When the fan goes round and round, the room air is diffused.
Even a slow movement is efficient to stir up the air.
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★When I had to sleep in a very hot room, the ceiling fan stirred the air in the room and made me sleep well.

Expression
柔軟な発想　flexible mind-set

The written words “coffee” and “tea” on the saucers are not readable as it is.
They are written totally opposite to the usual way; however, the words become readable when reflected on the cup. It’s great calligraphy, isn’t it?
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★I wonder how the industrial designer created these? You have to calculate not only how it will be reflected but also the curving of the cup and so on…. Somebody with a flexible mind-set might create this!

Expression
目が合う　meet someone's gaze

A shop named after a famous author, Charles Bukowski, is my neighbor. The atmosphere is very cool and decadent but nobody would be able to tell what kind of shop it is from the sign. When I looked into the shop from outside, I met the clerk’s gaze and just stepped back. Oops.
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★There are some shops like this one, where you can’t tell what kind of shop it is and it makes people feel like it’s very hard to go in!

Expression
カフェのはしご　　café hop

I used to do my assignments at a café (now I hardly can though…), I even did café hop a lot! My mom took care of Youka so I could go out to finish my writings at a café, but only for two hours. I can concentrate very well at a café.
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★My longest stay at a café was for 7 hours! That was when I had to finish reading the galley for a book at Starbucks Akasaka.

Expression
カチャカチャ　　click-clack / clatter

I found a typewriter at a cafe. I used to use a typewriter when I printed on papers, such as an application form for school. The keys were very heavy so I couldn’t type as speedy as I now do on the computer. Also the click sounds were analogical, but I love those sounds.
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★A typewriter is very convenient when you have to type on a certain blank.