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こんにちは！大田区、京急蒲田駅から徒歩５分の英会話スクール、DLSダイアモンドランゲージスクールです。

本日はDLSで毎月発行しているDiamond　Timesの過去記事から【Bad Weather & Disasters】について、レベル別にお届けします。

Lv.1 My Emergency Go-Bag

In Japan, we have a lot of natural disasters（自然災害）such as typhoons, earthquakes, and tsunamis. They always bring as a lot of troble. Now, the Great East Japan earthquake was six years ago. I still remember it clearly.

I want ti be prepared for disasters. So, I bought a go-bag（非常持ち出し袋）for emergencies. I researched a lot of website about it. I worry about many things, so now I have one go-bag, and two plastic bags of food and water. In my apartment, it looks like I spend a weekend shopping at AEON.

LV.2 Blizzards

My hometown, Buffalo, is notorious（有名な・悪名高い）for blizzards（大吹雪). Because of the city’s location next to Lake Erie, it gets a lot of snow starts in November, and usually lasts until April.

Blizzards are a big problem. In big blizzards, there are often driving bans(運転禁止). The weight of the heavy snow knocks down(潰す) trees and cause some roofs to collapse(崩れる). Sometimes the electricity stops for several days.

Despite causing so much destruction, snowstorms have some nice points. Schools and businesses often close, so people can enjoy a day off. We had around 5 days of school cancelled each year when I was a student. Many houses have fireplaces(暖炉), and it’s nice to gather around a warm fire with your family. People often help shovel snow in front of their elderly neighbor’s houses. It brings the community together.

People who never experienced big blizzards often think that they make life too hard. However, for people in Baffalo, snowstorms are just a part of nomal life.

Lv.3 Global Extreme Weather

As I think back the different places I’ve lived, many memories of extreme weather conditions come to mind.

In Taiwan, I remember typhoos hitting the island every year. On one hand, it was quite exciting, but on the other hand, people would sometimes get injured or killed. Some crops(作物) would often experience damage as well.

When I lived in Minnesota in the United States, snow storms would cause traffic jams and accidents because of low visibility() and icy roads. Even waiking on the sidewalk was a little bit dangerous. I ended up slipping on the icy sidewalks many times, so I had to learn how to walk carelully on the ice.

Typhoons were most devastating（破壊的な）weather events that I experienced when I lived an the Philippines. In 2009, a tyhoon hit us that killed well over 300 people, injered many and displaced() thousand of victims. Part of the reason for so much death was that vulnerable peope lived in low-lying areas or near hills that had experienced deforestation(森林伐採). Of course, mudslides（土砂崩れ) and flooding(洪水).

Finally, there were the monsoons in India. Whenever a hard monsoon poured down, the poor communities where I lived and worked the contaminated(汚染された) water.

I’m thankful to have experienced those harsh weather events, but am reminded just how privileged I am to have remained safe in the midst of them.

いかがでしたか？DLSダイアモンドランゲージスクールでは毎月楽しくて読み応えのある記事を掲載中です。

リスニングや会話だけでなく、リーディングやライティングを通してあなたの英語力アップのサポートをしています！

スクールへのお問合せは下記ボタンよりどうぞ。

まずは体験レッスン・レベルチェックを受けてスクールの雰囲気を体感されたい方は、無料体験レッスンをお申し込みください！

みなさまのお越しを心よりお待ちしております。

ＤＬＳダイアモンドランゲージスクール事務局

こんにちは！大田区、京急蒲田駅から徒歩５分の英会話スクール、ＤＬＳダイアモンドランゲージスクールです。

１１月に入って空気がぐっと澄んできましたね。スポーツの秋、食欲の秋、読書の秋…と色々な秋の楽しみ方がありますが、英語学習の秋はいかがでしょうか？

本日はDiamond Timaesの過去記事から、Cultural Taboosについての記事をご紹介いたします。
文化におけるタブーは様々です。早速記事を読んで理解を深めましょう。

Lv.1 Eating in the store

I like potato crisps (U.S.: potato chips). Every time I go to the supermarket, I look at the snack section and
check (確認する) if there are new flavors. I feel happy when I find a new flavor!

I want to open the packet in the shop and eat the crisps at that moment.
In Japan, it’s not common, and taboo (タブー), to open something you haven’t paid for in the store. But things are different in London. I was surprised to see people open their potato crisps in the queue (U.S.: line) (列) waiting to pay for their items.

I asked my friend Chris about it one day. He said, “It’s no problem because I’ll pay for it.” After that, I tried to open my crisps in the store, but I haven’t succeeded (成功する) yet. Usually, I’m too nervous (心配になる) and feel guilty(罪悪感を感じる).

LV.2 GIFT-GIVING

In Japan gift-giving etiquette（エチケット）is very important. However, there are situations that are different in America. I want to share two differences between America and Japan.

Weddings:

In America, it’s important to give a gift to the bride and groom（花嫁と花婿）at their wedding. It’s common for couple to register（登録する）at stores for appliances（電化製品）or goods they need for their new life. Wedding guests can see the list of goods the couple wants and choose one of the items to give.　If you’re a guest at an American wedding, don’t expect to get a gift present will receive a handwritten thank you card in the mail and that’s it!

New Neighbors:

In Japan, when you move to a new apartment or house it’s common courtesy（礼儀）to give your new neighbors a small gift. But in America, it’s the opposite. It’s a polite gesture（行為）to say “hello” to a new neighbor first. You can also give a dessert or a homecooked meal to welcome them to the building or area. If you don’t, you may seem unfriendly（愛想の悪い),　especially in a neighborhood（近所）.

LV.3 Age

Age isn’t necessarily taboo in American culture, but it’s muche less important than it is in Japanese culture. Because it’s not so important, we reaely discuss it, and that can cause some discomfort when it gets asked about.

In American culture, peole are juged mostly on merit（功績）. Your position in a company, for exanple, in primarily determined by your ability, not by your age or how long you’ve been working there. It’s certainly possible for someone to have more skill, intelligence, or experience than older collaague, so that more talented person would get promoted to a higher position with more responsibility. In fact, in the United States it is illegal for a company to ask your age during a job interview. The law is designed to avoid prejudice（偏見）based on age, and it forces companies to hire the person with the best qualifications.

At my first job in Japan, I met a Japanese woman who I would be woriking with. One of the first questions she asked me after we met was, “How old are you?” I told her, and her eyes lit up（見開く）.”We’re the same age!” she shouted,and was obviously very happy. Today, I can understand why that was important to her. But at that time, I thought she was very strange. I thought, “Only young children care about that.”

This is also true in private life. I have lots of friends that I have no idea how old they are. If I asked them their age, of course they’d tell me. But I (like most people) don’t have much intrest in it. However, all my Japanese friends know how old I ama, and tend to remember it exactly.

いかがでしたか？DLSダイアモンドランゲージスクールでは毎月楽しくて読み応えのある記事を掲載中です。

リスニングや会話だけでなく、リーディングやライティングを通してあなたの英語力アップのサポートをしています！

スクールへのお問合せは下記ボタンよりどうぞ。

まずは体験レッスン・レベルチェックを受けてスクールの雰囲気を体感されたい方は、無料体験レッスンをお申し込みください！

みなさまのお越しを心よりお待ちしております。

ＤＬＳダイアモンドランゲージスクール事務局

こんにちは！京急蒲田駅から徒歩５分の英会話スクール、ＤＬＳダイアモンドランゲージスクールです。

今回はＤＬＳダイアモンドランゲージスクールで発行している新聞、Diamond Timesの過去記事からレベル別に記事をお届けいたします。

テーマはソーシャルメディアです。

Lv.1
Facebook

On February 4th, 2004, Mark Zuckerberg made Facebook. Only college students could join it.
They loved it. They could connect with new people. Then in September 2006, everyone could join Facebook. Facebook is great for talking with friends.

It is also great for business. You can make a business page. A business page helps to sell your products
( 製 品 ). Or you can share your interests, for example, sports.

Now, I live in Japan. I can communicate easily with my family by Facebook. It is useful in emergencies (緊急事態), too.　I feel thankful (ありがたい) for Facebook. I never feel homesick (ホームシック). My family always knows that I’m safe.

Lv.2
Good and Bad

There are good and bad things about social media. Social media is a good tool to connect with people all over
the world. If you have a business, it is a good way to network (ネットワークを築く) and promote (販売促進する) your business or product. It is also a great and easy way to meet people that like the same things you do.

There are many bad things about social media as well. For example, you go to Yoyogi Park to have a nice day at the park. You see everyone on their phones instead of enjoying their time at the park. People are addicted (〜に夢中である ) to documenting ( 文 章 化 す る ) and taking pictures of everything they do. At restaurants people are often on their social media talking to other people instead of the person they are sitting with.

We should take breaks from our phones and enjoy life without social media.

Lv.3
Is Instagram Bad for You?

A new survey by LendEDU has confirmed what most of us already know: young people are increasingly turning to (〜を頼る) social media for emotional gratification (満足させてくれるもの). But of all the smart phone apps available today, one seems to be more damaging than the rest.

The 2017 survey of 10,000 millennials (1980 年代〜2000 年代に生まれた世代。ミレニアル世代) found that 64% believe Instagram is the most narcissistic (自己とうすい的な) social media platform — with more votes than Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat combined. Instagram, which reached over 800 million users this year, is a simple app used to share photos and videos.

However, the emotional impact of the app is much more complicated; the survey also found 78% of millennials know someone who has deleted a post because it didn’t get enough “likes” (いいね). This confirms that Instagram is more than a place where young people post pictures. They are relying (〜に頼る) on social media “likes” to feel validated (評価される). And if they don’t receive that validation, they quickly delete their pictures.

A separate report by the Royal Society for Public Health surveyed 1,500 young people and found that Instagram had the most negative impact on mental health. Heavy use of the app was associated with feelings of inadequacy (無能), anxiety (不安), and a “fear of missing out.” The report report highlighted some positive aspects like self-expression and emotional support, but emphasized the importance of limiting your time on social media.

いかがでしたか？DLSダイアモンドランゲージスクールでは毎月楽しくて読み応えのある記事を掲載中です。グループレッスンではテーマに沿って生徒様も記事を書くことも。

リスニングや会話だけでなく、リーディングやライティングを通してあなたの英語力アップのサポートをしています！

スクールへのお問合せは下記ボタンよりどうぞ。

まずは体験レッスン・レベルチェックを受けてスクールの雰囲気を体感されたい方は、無料体験レッスンをお申し込みください！

みなさまのお越しを心よりお待ちしております。

ＤＬＳダイアモンドランゲージスクール事務局

こんにちは。京急蒲田駅から徒歩５分の英会話、ＤＬＳダイアモンドランゲージスクールです。

１０月になりましたね！前回の教室紹介動画はいかがでしたでしょうか？

本日は過去のDiamond TimesよりBODYのお題でレベル別の記事をご紹介します。
リーディングにお役立てください！

Lv.1
Being Tall

I’m 186 centimeters tall. Japanese people often tell me, “You’re so tall!” However, I’m not so tall in the U.S. Japanese people are shorter than Americans. Why? Are genetics (遺伝) the reason?

Harry Shapiro was an American scientist. He studied this topic.He measured (測る) the heights (身長) of Japanese people. Then, he measured the heights of Japanese immigrants (移民) who moved to Hawaii.

The Japanese immigrants had children.imTheir children were taller than average Japanese people. That seemed strange.

Shapiro concluded (結論づける) that genetics are important. However, diet (食事) and healthcare (健康管理) are also important. The immigrants’ children had Japanese genetics. However, they had American lifestyles. So, they became taller.

Lv.2
The Amazing Body

Every human being has a body, and we use it every day. We all know that we have a head, a neck, two arms, and two legs, but we still don’t know a lot of things about our bodies! For example, do you know how far our blood travels a day?

It goes about 96,540 kilometers a day, which is longer than twice as long as the circumference (円周) of the earth! Another miracle (奇跡) of the human body is that the nose can remember 50,000 different scents (香り)! What an amazing asset (強み) we have!

After knowing these facts about the human body, I feel I should be more confident in myself, and I feel I should take care of myself and respect it. What is the best way to do this? I know what it is: I should please my body with delicious food!Well, don’t get me wrong (誤解しないで), I’m doing it for my body, not for myself!

Lv.3
Tattoos

Ink, tacs, tats: these are just some of the words that refer to the increasingly common form of body art known
as tattoos. And with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics right around the corner (もう間近), the debate around the topic is starting to heat up (熱を帯びる). Residents of Japan are well-aware that tattoos are banned in most bathhouses, gyms, and ryokans.

But according to a2017 Pew Research Center study, nearly 40 percent of Americans aged 18 to 39 have a tattos. So will operators relax their anti-tatto policies for this international event, or will they expect foreigners to cover up?

Well, if the 2019 Rugby World Cup is any sign of the times(世相を表す), then the answear might be the latter(後者). Exactly one year before the tournament, World Rugby warned its players to cover up their tattos when using public facilities in Japan. All 620 players respectfully agreed to this request. However, that was only the players. And when Japan welcomes the entire world to Tokyo in 2020, there will be more foreingners than at any other time in history.

Personally, I firmly belive that foreingner should follow the customs of the country that they are in. But as attitudes towards tattos, particulary among the younger generation, shift and inbound tourists increase, it might be time for these policies to modernize(現代化する) as well.

身体に関する和製英語

英語のヒントとして、今回は身体に関する和製英語もご紹介します！

• Incorrect: スマート
• Correct: slim, thin
“Megan is smart” means that Megan is intelligent. It doesn’t mean her body shape.
The opposite of fat is “slim” or “thin.”

• Incorrect: スキンヘッド
• Correct: have a shaved head
Be extra careful! In American English, the word “skinhead” has a strong political meaning, about neo-nazis (ネオナチ). To talk about someone’s haircut, say: “Chris has a shaved head.”

• Incorrect: ヒップ
• Correct: (many choices)
In English, “hips” are bones (腰骨).
So, what do you call the part of the body that you sit on? We have many words in English, with different nuances: We can say “bottom” or “backside” (both are a little old-fashioned but neutral), “butt” (mild slang), or “ass” (inappropriate slang).

いかがでしたでしょうか？今年東京オリンピックを迎えましたが、いろんな意味で予想とは異なるオリンピックだったかもしれませんね。

ＤＬＳダイアモンドランゲージスクールでは英会話だけでなく、リーディングやライティングのスキルを伸ばすレッスンを行っております。
英語力を総合的に底上げしたいなら、ぜひＤＬＳダイアモンドランゲージスクールへ！

スクールへのお問合せは下記ボタンよりどうぞ。

まずは体験レッスン・レベルチェックを受けてスクールの雰囲気を体感されたい方は、無料体験レッスンをお申し込みください！

みなさまのお越しを心よりお待ちしております。

ＤＬＳダイアモンドランゲージスクール事務局

こんにちは。京急蒲田駅から徒歩５分の英会話スクール、ＤＬＳダイアモンドランゲージスクールです。

ＤＬＳダイアモンドランゲージスクールでは毎月Diamond Timesを発行しています。
本日はレベル別に過去記事をご紹介いたします！

お題はSleepです。

Lv.1
How I Go to Sleep

Are you tired, but can’t sleep? At night, do you think too much? Many people have these problems. However, there are many ways to solve (～を解決する) this.

Personally (個人的には), I like to keep my room cool. This makes my bed feel warm and cozy (居心地が良い). I also like to drink something hot. My favorite things to drink are warm milk and hot water. Lastly, I like to listen to the sound of rain. I listen to it on YouTube.
Everyone is different. What makes you sleepy? It’s good to know this, just in case (まんいち
に備えて)!

Lv.2
Healthy Sleep

Sleep: it’s a daily thing that our mind and body needs but often we don’t think about. As we get older, we tend to put pressure on our bodies which leads us to sleeping less. Gadgets ( 電 子 機 器 ・ ガ ジ ェ ッ ト ) such as cellphones are also a common culprit (犯人) because their lights can prevent you from sleeping more smoothly.
Health experts have found that sleeping for at least 7 to 8 hours a night can be beneficial (有益な). Studies have found that people who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to become obese (肥満体の). Sleeping helps your
body to save energy.

With energy, you feel motivated (やる気がある) to work out (運動する). Regarding our brains, if our bodies are deprived of (～を奪われる) sleep, they become unfocused and can’t even do daily tasks. Sleep helps keep your mind clear and stay in a better mood.
Having a good amount of sleep keeps your body strong and looking healthy. So always be sure to turn off your gadgets. Sweet dreams!

Lv.3
Sleep Paralysis

Have you ever fallen asleep and within a few minutes your body becomes paralyzed (痺れている) but your mind is fully conscious (意識がある)? This is called “sleep paralysis(金縛り).” It’s a chilling (身も凍るような恐ろしい) experience. I have noticed that sleep paralysis occurs more in people in a creative field or who are just more right-brain dominant (右脳的な).

Scientifically put, sleep paralysis is simply a sign that your body is not moving smoothly through the stages of sleep. In a more supernatural aspect, sleep paralysis is often attributed to an evil or dark presence (存在) or demon who feeds
on the fear of humans.

I have experienced sleep paralysis, and often at that (しかも頻繁に︕). I’ve experienced it ever since I can remember (物心ついてからずっと). When it happens, I feel that there is a dark presence or “evil spirit” lurking next to me or above me. There have been times where it tried to physically hurt me by choking (首を絞める) me or pushing me off the bed. You can imagine how scared I was when I was a small child. Now that I’m older, it doesn’t scare me anymore.

いかがでしたか？DLSダイアモンドランゲージスクールでは毎月楽しくて読み応えのある記事を掲載中です。グループレッスンではテーマに沿って生徒様も記事を書くことも。

リスニングや会話だけでなく、リーディングやライティングを通してあなたの英語力アップのサポートをしています！

スクールへのお問合せは下記ボタンよりどうぞ。

まずは体験レッスン・レベルチェックを受けてスクールの雰囲気を体感されたい方は、無料体験レッスンをお申し込みください！

みなさまのお越しを心よりお待ちしております。

ＤＬＳダイアモンドランゲージスクール事務局