味付けされた

flavored with ....   ～で味付けされた

My lunch was spaghetti that lightly flavored with chili bean sauce.

chili bean sauce  豆板醤

なにかと・なんやかんや・いろいろ忙しい

this and that

I've been busy with this and that every day.

one thing or another

Every day, I've been busy with one thing or another.

something or other

Something or other has come up every day to make me busy.

swamp　/swɑːmp/　v)(受身)水没させる･のみこむ･殺到する･忙殺する

I've been swamped with various tasks at work and at home.

on my plate

I have too much on my plate with work and household chores.

見通し・展望

prospect　/'prɑːspekt/　n)将来の見通し･展望

This job offers no prospects.   この仕事は見通しがありません

Watching the coronavirus news makes people think that there are no prospects of the current situation improving.

Watching the news makes me think that there are no prospects of strong yen.

営業許可

a business license

I secured/got a license for a place to eat and drink. 

飲食店の営業許可を取得･確保した

secure  adj)安全な　v)安全に守る･保護する、確保する

〜するか迷っている

I wonder if I should ....

I wonder if I should get a massage or not this evening.

やりすぎた

overdid

I think I overdid it

My legs are a little bit tired from the interval session yesterday .I think I might have overdid it.

目処・見通し・出口・トンネルの出口

I think I finally see a little daylight.

日の目を見る・見通しが立つ

I think I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Cost of living

1. Do you like to travel on a budget?

Budget travel not only helps save money but/it also could have a wonderful/valuable experience.

When I travel on a budget, I prioritize experiencing local culture over staying in fancy hotels.

2. If you were traveling on a budget, What country would you visit?

I guess, it's the same for all countries.

As for me, I go hiking on a trip/holiday.

Basically, it doesn't cost money.

3. If you were traveling on a budget, what would you prioritize (ex. food, hotel)?

I mentioned before, My main priority is experiencing different culture, such as food, nature, weather, architecture and also people.

4. Do you think traveling on a budget is safe?

I guess bad people, like criminals come close to the rich/wealthy.

the cost of living

dirt cheap

cost an arm and a leg

cost a fortune

consonant   n)子音      consonant sound

vowel　n)母音    　      vowel sound

expat /'ekspæt/ = expatriate /,eks'pætriət/ n)外国に移住する、国外追放する

a whole lot (of)

a whole lot = a lot の強調　非常に･かなり･大いに

a whole lot + 比較級 er

Studying English on my own got a whole lot easier than before.

Taste and compare(食べ比べると･味を比べると), I think Japanese sweets are a whole lot sweeter than the ones of other countries. But sometimes I feel it is too sweet. 

I can have just a whole lot more fun.

a whole lot of + 名詞

Modern agriculture simply takes up a whole lot of land.

whole   /həƱl/　adj)全体の･多数の･大きな

take up   始める･着手する、場所を取る

以前はどこに住んでたの？

Where did you live before?

Consumers are fighting price increases

Inflation has changed the shopping habits of Americans, and those changes are helping reduce inflation.

People are fed up with prices still being 19% higher than before the pandemic.

As a result, people avoid expensive brands, shop at discount stores, buy fewer luxury items, and choose used cars rather than new ones.

When high inflation continues, consumers often develop this mindset: buy things quickly before prices go up more, which can keep inflation going. However, that's not how consumers reacted recently. Consumer Stuart Dryden has saved money by moving to a cheaper apartment and buying store-brand items. He said that they cost less but have the same quality as popular brands.

This growing consumer pushback has led big food companies to slow down their price increases recently. These smaller food price increases are expected to help lessen inflation, which has decreased sharply from 9.1% in 2022 to 3.1%. Samuel Rines, a financial expert, says that people don't want to take higher prices anymore. And many big companies noticed this. For example, PepsiCo decided to focus on gaining more sales rather than increasing prices starting this year.

be fed up with ...　　～にうんざりしている　　feed 食物等を与える -fed-fed

develop　/dɪ'veləp/　v)発達させる

mindset     n)考え方

that's not how S＋V　　(S＋V) がちょっと違う

pushback   n)反発･抵抗   

lessen   v)小さくなる･少なくなる

Growing Consumer Pushback

According to the article, many consumers are looking for ways to save money now because inflation is high. Why do you think there is a growing pushback among consumers recently?

People stop quickly buying things before prices go up more.

(買いだめ) Stocking up on things can keep inflation going. 

When inflation is high, the usual mindset is to buying things quickly before prices go up more. Do you think this is a good strategy?

This strategy is good for big food companies, not for consumers.

(逆に) On the contrary, consumers shouldn't stock up on things.

  

Consumer Stuart Dryden moved to a cheaper apartment and bought cheaper alternatives. How do you think this decision will affect his future?

Shopping Habits

What shopping habits do you have?

binge shopping: I go binge shopping.

What are some examples of good and bad shopping habits?

have a list for ... : Good shopping habits are making a list for things.

Which mindset is more important for you: saving money for the future or spending money for fun?

for a rainy day: we need to save money for a rainy day.

contrary   adj)正反対の･相容れない･逆の　n)反対のもの

alternative　adj)二者択一の･代替えの　n)ひとつを選択すること･代替え

外勤・外で仕事・外回り

work outside

I'll hit the road today.

そんなとき・そんなときは・そんなときには

In that case, ....

In those cases, ....

My legs feel so heavy. It must be from all that running hard last Sunday.

My stomach is killing me, it's probably all that heavy noodle soup late last night.

Greenhouse

A divorced mother works as a caregiver while living in a converted greenhouse, striving to earn enough to move with her middle school son into a real home.

Moon-jung is an unassuming woman who is killing time until the day her juvenile son, currently detained for an unknown crime, come back home. She lives in a makeshift home inside a greenhouse but dreams of having a decent rented place in time for her son to return. To facilitate this, she works as a caregiver for an elderly couple, with the woman, who suffers from paranoid bouts, claiming.....

Kim Seo-hyeong(キム･ソヒョン)

Crime・Drama・Thriller  2022 Korea

convert　v)改造する･模様替えする･変更する

strive　v)～しようと努力する･懸命に試みる

unassuming　adj)気取らない

juvenile　adj)年少者に特有の･未熟な

detain　v)拘留･留置する、引き留める･待たせる

unknown 　adj)不明な･知られていない　unknown crime

makeshift   adj)仮の･間に合わせの

facilitate　v)活動を容易にする･楽にする

paranoid 　adj)被害妄想を持った･わけもなくおびえた

bout　n)一期間、発作

claim　v)要求する

I have three young children, so I have to strive to earn more money.

Why do you study English? ー When I was a junior high, I was killing time by listening to music.

What to do when you experience warning signs of overexertion

In addition to seeing a physician for any worrying pain, modifying your workouts is important. Look for qualified personal trainers to help you develop a workout that will keep you healthy and help you avoid injury.

in addition to ....  ～に加えて

physician　/fɪ'zɪʃn/　n)医師

USでフォーマルな言い方 外科医ではなく一般的な医師=doctor

UKではphysicianというと時代遅れ感がありdoctorかGP(General Practitioner)を使う

practitioner   /præk'tɪʃənər/   n)開業医、弁護士

★ a person who works in a profession, especially medicine or low

modify   v)いくぶん変える･修正する

injury　/'ɪndʒəri/　n)傷害･怪我

The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) both provide reputable certifications, so trainers who carry those qualifications are a safe bet. In general, look for a trainer who has experience well beyond simply passing computer-based certification tests. A great place to start is with word-of-mouth recommendations through your gym, or through family and friends.

Practicing good self-care is important, too: create a warmup routine that gradually ramps up your mobility and keeps your joints flexible. Take the time to do post-workout recovery exercises ー dynamic stretching and foam roller exercises can go a long way toward preventing injury. Developing a nutritional strategy that supports your workout routine and lifestyle is also helpful.

overworking と overexertion

overworking 

単なる長時間労働　busy

↓  overworking によって overexertion になる

overexertion

肉体的･精神的疲労

physical exertion

exertion   /ɪg'zɜːrʃn/　n)肉体的･精神的な努力、取り組み

★ physical or mental effort; the act of making an effort

・She was hot and breathless from the exertion of cycling uphill.

・He needed to relax after the exertions of a busy day at work.

physical exertion

the activity of exerting your muscles in various ways to keep fit

・The physical exertion required by his work kept him fit.

exert   /ɪg'zɜːrt/　v)権力を行使する、肉体的･精神的な努力、取り組みをする

★exert something     to use power or influence to affect somebody/something

・He exerted all his authority to make them accept the plan.

・The moon exerts a force on the earth that cause the tides.

★exert yourself     to make a big physical or mental effort

・In order to be successful he would have to exert himself.

アメリカ人の移動性

the mobility of the American people

I hear that people in other countries say, "You Americans never seem to stay in one place." Do you think so too?

Is job-hopping part of that mobility?

I also hear it's popular for families to drive around the country in summer.

mobility   /məƱ'bɪləti/　n)動きやすさ･移動性

hop　/hɑːp/　v)ぴょんぴょん飛ぶ･ぱっと移動する･どんどん移る

job-hopping　n)職を転々とすること

それでよければ

If it/that is OK/alright for/with you

行き・帰り

the way there/back

急行・特急券

an express fare/ticket

limited express tickets

express service   電車以外の何らかのサービス

There's an extra charge for express service.

片道・往復切符

a one-way ticket

a round-trip ticket

《UK》

往復: a return ticket

立替金をバックしてもらう

pay me back

You can pay me back through Pay-Pay.

I'll pay you back later.

 

自然に朝早く目が覚める

naturally wake up early

I naturally wake up early.

I'd like to able to sleep longer, but I think I wake up sooner than I want to because of my age.

I wake up bright and early at 5 am, as naturally as the sun rise.

bright and early  (太陽が輝く)早朝に

sooner than ....   ～より早く

I'd like to able to ...　～できるようになりたい・～できればよかった

卒業式

I have three young children.

Time flies!

My child is/children are growing up so fast.

It feels like she started daycare(UK)/nursery school(US) just yesterday.

My youngest child graduated from elementary school last week.

It's an emotional day for us as we celebrate my child's graduation.

I'm so proud of my child for completing elementary school.

It's a significant milestone for us.  

Watching the graduation, it feels like I'm reliving my own school days.

Cherry blossoms complement the occasion perfectly.

complement　/'kɑːmplɪment/　v)n)～のよさを引き立てる　もの　

occasion　/ə'keɪʒn/　n)機会･重要な行事

allow

（時間やお金を）みておく・割り当てる・考慮に入れる

共用バス・トイレ

shared showers and toilets

The hotel has a shared kitchen, showers, and bathrooms.

できる・できた

get to .... ≠ be able to ≠ can

Finally, I got to book the hotel in Fukui central.

満室

fully booked

The hotels are fully booked.

no vacancy

There is no vacancy.

sold out

We're sold out.

自転車通勤

cycle to work

I go to work.

電車通勤：I get the train to work.

I go home.

車で帰る：I drive home.

歩いて帰る：I walk home

電車で帰る：I get the train home.

タクシーで帰る：I get a taxi home.

I go to Hokkaido.

I flew to Hokkaido.

Let's go.

Let's drive.

WITH NATURE

It allows me to connect with nature.

THE VIEW

The view from the top is breathtaking/incredible/stunning/amazing.

binge

binge eat /binge eating

I feel like I’m going to binge eat because of all this stress.

You look like you’re stress eating like there’s no tomorrow.

You should stop getting stressed over little things and binge on chocolate.

I binge eat when I’m stressed.

Oh, this mabo doofu is authentic.

The spiciness is spreading across my palate.

Japanese restaurants adapts the flavor to people's tastes, so they tone down the spiciness.

spiciness   /'spaɪsinəs/　n)辛さ

palate　/'pælət/　n)口蓋(こうがい:口の中の味覚を感じる部分)・味の識別力

people's tastes　人々の好み

tone down　/təƱn/　和らげる・抑える

フライパンで炒める

pan fried

It's pan fried.

Fry means pan pried or deep fried.

Good luck with your job interview

road block

道路障害物・バリケード

go through the road block

ー I understand that you live on this street, but we need an all-clear before you can proceed.

live on this street

go through the road block

I understand that you live on this street, but we need an all-clear before you can proceed.

スケート

skate on the pond

ー I understand that you've come a long way, but ice is too thin to skate on.

pull over ....

路肩に停める

止まれの標識のところで寄せてもらえますか

Can you pull over at the stop sign？

テールライトがついていなかったので警察に止められた

The police officer pulled me over because my tail lights were off.

pull into ....

特定の場所に停めるイメージ（US）

Pull into the service area. I need to use the restroom.

Pull into the gas station

She pulled into the empty parking space.

a service area   放送地域、携帯電話の電波が届く範囲、高速道路のサービスエリア    

I appreciate(=understand) the inconvenience

acknowledge　/ək'naːlɪdʒ/　v)しぶしぶ認める

Acknowledging a feeling or situation

I'm trying to get down to the river, but all the entrances are locked.

ー Yes, The bankside trail is out of bounds because of the flooding risk. We can't let anyone down there today.

But I saw the river from the parking lot. It looks fine.

ー I'm sorry. I understand that it may not look dangerous, but my instructions are to keep the gates locked until the water subsides.

bound     n)領域

out of bounds  n)立入禁止、ゴルフのOB　

off limits  n)立入禁止　an area as not accessible

accessible   adj)到達できる・アクセスできる

instructions　n)指示・命令

subside   v)沈む・水がひく・嵐が静まる

avalanche    n)なだれ

sinkhole　n)地面の陥没孔

flooding

explosion  n)爆発

outdoorsy

outdoorsy   NAE 

テキサス州

Houston

George Bush Intercontinental Airport

Dallas

Big Bend National park

Rio Grande  リオ・グランデ川　西語 Rio は川

確か....

If I remember correctly ....

I'm not sure if ....

I'm not sure if you are from Texas. 

native

a native of ....

I'm a native of this neighborhood.

native    adj)その土地に生まれ育った　n)出身者・現地人

誕生日おめでとう

All happiness on your birthday.

今度・次回

next time

next time we meet

今度会った時

health benefits of seaweed

It's highly nutritious.

Each type of seaweed may contain slightly different nutrients and minerals.

Eating marine alga may be a simple way to boost a person's intake of vitamins and minerals without adding many calories.

Seaweed also contains antioxidants, which may protect the body from oxidative stress and reduce inflammation at the cellular level.

nutritious　/nu'trɪʃəs/　adj)栄養になる

nutrient   /'nuːtriənt/　n)栄養物・栄養素

mineral　/'mɪnərəl/　n)鉱物・鉱石・ミネラル

algae /'ældʒiː/　n)藻(も)・藻類(そうるい)

antioxidant　/,ænti'ɑːksɪdənt/　n)酸化防止剤・老化防止材

oxidative　adj)酸化的な

inflammation　/,ɪnflə'meɪʃn/　n)炎症・燃えること・興奮

cellular　/'seljələr/　adj)細胞の・セル携帯電話の

大豆とひじきの煮物

simmered soy beans with hijiki seaweed

How to get there ～Go across the footbridge～

footbridge　n)歩道橋

detailed directions

help foreign tourists reach their destination

alley   /'æli/　n)路地･裏通り

zone   /zəƱn/　n)地域･地区･ゾーン

main street   n)大通り

construction zone 

parking lot

bearskin   n)熊の毛皮

fang   /fæŋ/　n)きば

tunnel　/'tʌnl/　n)トンネル

pass

横断歩道：US: crosswalk UK: zebra crossing/pedestrian crossing

zebra

pedestrian

towards （BrE） UK:/tə'wɔːdz/　US:/tɔːrdz/

toward  （NAE）  UK:/tə'wɔːd/　US:/tɔːrd/

away from

through

past

across

along

up 

down

path

Go towards the building.　その建物に向かって歩いてください

Walk away from the building.   その建物を背にして歩いてください

Pass through the tunnel.   トンネルを通り抜けてください

Walk past the bench   ベンチを通り過ぎてください

Walk across the street   その道を渡ってください

Walk along the river   その川に沿って歩いてください

Walk up the road   その道を歩いてください

Walk down the road   その道を歩いてください

go across the footbridge   歩道橋を渡ってください

It was nice working with all of you.

Take the monorail.

In 2016, Haneda International Airport was ranked the 4th best international airport in the world.

monorail

run some errands

errand   /'erənd/　n)使い走り、用足し･お使い

パフェ・サンデー

parfait　BrE/'pɑːfeɪ/　NAE/pɑːr'feɪ/

アイスクリーム・フルーツを主体としたデザート

仏語：parfait は「完全な」の意味

sundae　/'sʌndeɪ/

アメリカ生まれのアイスクリームを主体としたデザート

中に何が入っているの？

What's in it?/What's inside?

What's in the small cup?

What's inside the bag?

疲れやすい

get tired easily

I get tired more easily than before.

I've started to eat even more pancakes than before.

左右呼吸

bilateral breathing

bilateral   /,baɪ'lætərəl/　adj)双方の・二者間の・両側性の

一定のペースで

at a constant pace

I was able to run at a constant pace as I expected.

自己ベスト更新

break my personal record

I broke my personal record of the half marathon in Oct 2022.

I didn't beat my personal record.

自己ベストに届かなかった

I almost broke my personal record.

自己ベスト更新まであともう少しだった

気分転換

for a change

for a change of pace

元気が出る

feel better/energetic

After eating a lot of food, that makes me energetic/feel better.

当たり前のことだが....

It's obvious but ....

After eating a lot of food, that makes me energetic.

ボーはおそれている

Beau is Afraid is a 2023 American surrealist tragicomedy horror film written, directed, and co-produced by Ari Aster. The film starts Joaquin Phoenix as the title character.

surrealist   /sə'riːəlɪst/　n)超現実主義者

tragicomedy　/,trædʒi'kɑːmədi/　n)非喜劇

horror　/'hɔːrər/　n)恐怖

co-produced　n)共同制作　adj)共同制作された

star　/stɑːr/　v)主役をつとめる・主演する　n)星・有名人スター・主役

With his mother's gloomy spectre looming over his entire life, grizzled outcast Beau has never made sense of his miserable existence. And perpetually baffled by reality and his conflicting urgent needs, the neurotic New Yorker gets a hearty slice of crippling anxiety and sheer paranoia when he sets foot in a strangely familiar war Zone: his neighborhood. 

gloomy　/'gluːmi/　adj)薄暗い・陰気な・どんより曇った

spectre　specter   /'spektər/　n)幽霊・恐ろしいもの・不安材料

loom　/luːm/　v)ぬっと現れる・不気味に迫る

entire　/ɪn'taɪər/　adj)全体の・全部の、終始一貫した・連続した

grizzle　/'grɪzl/　v)子どもが不平を言う・だだをこねる・ぐずる

outcast　/'aƱtkæst/　n)見捨てられた人　adj)見捨てられた

But as the pill-popping hermit reluctantly embarks on a Sisyphean quest for answers, determined to reunite with his estranged mum at all costs, Beau must summon every last ounce of courage to confront everything that has kept him in the dark. To have a fighting chance of deciphering the sinister secrets that continue to rule his life, Beau must grapple with deep-seated phobias, deal with heavy guilt, and face the menacing parent. Because, in his case, love was a fiendish trap － the labyrinthine depths of maternal affection were only the means to an end. 

Now, the drugs don't work, and Beau is afraid. As the universe conspires against his conquest and the end draws near, will Beau be able to fight his inner demons for a change? 

miserable

existence

perpetually

baffle

conflict

urgent

neurotic

hearty

pill-popping

hermit

reluctantly

embark

Sisyphean

quest

determine

reunite

estrange

mum

summon

ounce

confront

decipher

sinister

secrets

grapple

deep-seated

phobias

guilt

menacing

parent

fiendish

trap

labyrinthine

depths

maternal

affection

universe

conspires

conquest 

draw

inner

demons

sketchy・sketchiness

/'sketʃi/　adj)スケッチ風の・大雑把な・不完全な・怪しげな

/'sketʃinəs/　a)曖昧・精度の欠如・疑わしい物

I wouldn't go here after dark. That might just be my own personal preference, but it does feels a little bit like, there might be sketchiness after dark.

preference   /'prefrəns/　n)好み

sketchy attachments  怪しい添付ファイル

a sketchy video

a sketchy modeling agency   怪しいモデル事務所

a little sketchy　少し大雑把

His explanation was too sketchy, so I didn't understand.   

monarchy

/'mɑːnərki/　n)君主制・君主国

★ usually the monarchy   a system of government by a king or a queen

★ a country that is ruled by a king or a queen

★ the monarchy   the king or queen of a country and their family

The United Kingdom is a monarchy.

The British king and queen are still very popular.

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy whose head of state is the queen.

Some people are not happy with the monarchy.

A monarchy is a form of government in which the monarch is heading the state.

What do you think about the monarchy？

That country is a monarchy.

Saudi Arabia has a form of monarchy in which the king is both the head of state and the head of government.

Liechtenstein, the world's sixth-smallest country, is a semi-constitutional monarchy.

A monarchy is a system or rule by a king or queen.

According to a poll, three-quarters of the population want the country to remain a monarchy.

The royal wedding is said to have secured the future of the monarchy.

The monarchy is a divisive issue in the UK.

And support for the monarchy is quite different depending on the age group.

Among those 65 and older, 77% believe the monarchy is good for the country.

The survey also found less support for the monarchy in Scotland and Wales than in England.

However, the YouGov survey found that the majority of Brits are still in favor of the monarchy, with 62% saying they want to keep it.

But YouGov has done this survey every year since 2011, and the data suggests that support for the monarchy has decreased over the years.

A recent survey by YouGov asked more than 2,000 British adults if they thought the monarchy should be replaced with an elected head of state.

This angered many Nepalis, especially those who were supporters of the monarchy.

Estimates suggest that the total net value of the monarchy is about 84 billion US dollars.

king

queen

royalty     王族

monarch   君主・帝王

princess   王女

prince　　王子

sovereignty   主権・統治権・支配権・独立国

比較的

in comparison

American fashion seemed stale in comparison.

And in comparison, water is 10 times the price.

stale　/steɪl/　adj)古くなった・新鮮味がない・飽きた

シリコン・フェン

Silicon Fen also known as the Cambridge Cluster, is the name given to the region around Cambridge, England, which is home to a large number of high tech businesses focused on software, electronics, and biotechnology, including Arm and AstraZeneca.

The name Silicon Fen originated as an analogy with Silicon Valley in California because it lies at the southern tip of the England Fenland. The local growth in technology companies started with Sinclair Research and Acorn Computers.

fen　/fen/　n)沼地・湿地帯

cluster　/'klʌstər/　n)集団・連続的な出来事

originate　/ə'rɪdʒɪneɪt/　v)～から起源を発する

analogy   /ə'nælədʒi/　n)～との共通･類似点 《an analogy with ...》

冤罪

false accusation

Serious accusations have been made against her, but it was revealed it was just a false accusation.

false   /fɔːls/　adj)本物/真実/正確ではない・偽の/誤った/不当な

accusation   /,ækju'zeɪʃn/　a)告発・告訴

Serious accusations have been made against postmasters in UK nationwide.

But it was revealed it was just a false accusation.

The cause of that is the computer system problem.

That was built by a Japanese company, Fujitsu.

～の問題だ、～に関わる、～が分かれるとこだ

a matter of ....

I think natural wines are a matter of taste.

ナチュラルワインは味･好みの問題だと思う

It's a matter of time.   それは時間の問題だ

～を手放せない

can't live without ....

I can't live without my glasses.

can't let go of ....  (let go of ...  ～を手放す)

I can't let go of my iphone.

must have

A smart phone is a must have today.

温かくして安全にね

stay warm and safe

It might snow tomorrow morning. Stay warm and safe.

圧倒される

too much for me to

It's too much for me to take in.

私が理解するには多すぎます

having a hard time

I'm having a hard time taking it all in.

全てを理解するのに苦労しています    have a hard time ; 苦労する

I can handle

This is more than I can handle.

私が処理できることを超えています

beyond me

This is beyond me.

これは私の理解を超えています

I thought I was good at math, but this, this is beyond me. It looks like hieroglyphics.

hieroglyphics   /,haɪərə'glɪfɪks/　n)象形文字

圧倒される

overwhelm　/,əƱvər'welm/　v)圧倒する

It's overwhelming.

それは圧倒的です

I'm overwhelmed.

私は圧倒されています

とても理解できない・理解しきれない

can't get/run my head around 

I just can’t get my head around the size of it.

(巨大な遺跡などを見て)その大きさが理解できない

I can't get my head around it right now.

今はちょっと理解しきれないよ

She still seems to have a hard time getting her head around it.

彼女はまだ理解しきれてないみたいだ

I can't get my head around how many people live in Tokyo. My hometown only has 1,200 people.

I just can't get my head around these tax forms.

～はどうだった？

How did you like ....？

How did you like the videos in my lecture？

それほどでもないよ

Not really

You've been busy, I know.

ー No, not really.

まだわからない

not sure yet

I'm not sure yet.

想像を絶する･気が遠くなるほどの

mind-boggling

mind   /maɪnd/　n)心・知性・思考

boggle   /'bɑːgl/　v)驚きであぜんとする･ギョッとする

That ancient people built it is mind-boggling.

(that で節を表す：that の省略はできない)

It's mind-boggling. 

それは圧倒的です

ancient   /'eɪnʃənt/　adj)古代の

開始前に

before it starts

before the show

髪を切る・床屋に行く

get a hair cut

I got a hair cut.

I'm going to get a hair cut.

いっぱい・たっぷり～する

got/need something fix

(addicted to it)

I got ramen fix last night.

昨晩ラーメンを思う存分食べた

I got marathon fix last weekend.

先週末に存分マラソンをしたよ

I need chocolate/movie fix.

チョコレートが欲しい/映画が観たい

When you've been craving fast food or haven't had it in a while, you might go out and eat fast food/takeaway food (usually a lot of it!) therefore satisfying the desire to eat it. Like fixing up the fast food shaped hole in your heart.

・What is Miss Kakuchi trying to interpret in the changes in Japan's position over the past two decades?

・How does Miss Kakuchi try to portray the reality of Japan?

interpret   /ɪn'tɜːprət/　v)解釈する

portray　/pɔːr'trəɪ/　v)表現する･顔などを絵に描く･描写する

reality　/ri'æləti/　n)現実

You've been covering Japan from a foreigner's perspective. What's the main area of interest in Japan from foreign media's point of view?

ー Well, I've been in Japan for about well, 20 odd years and things have changed. When I came first, Japan was really viewed as a rich country, very peaceful country, and the leader in Asia, bur during the last two decades that position has changed. So as far as journalists, we have to show our foreign readers the change in Japan. We try to interpret Japan as it changes and how Japan is going to contribute to the development and the peace in Asia.

What do you feel is the gap between the reality and the way Japan is reported abroad?

It depends in the media, really. It's very hard to explain, but I think that I try to really portray the reality and the way I do that is to talk to different people. People at the top in powerful positions as well as people on the street. So I try to portrait Japan through different voices. Of course there's some media that will probably just take one aspect like, you know, some uniqueness, something strange in Japan and try to portray that aspect mainly. But then that is not the reality in Japan I believe. In my work which is especially now I cover a lot of university, education, higher education, research Japan's high technology and environmental science. So I try to not only cover the technology but also how that technology is used by say farmers in Japan and then how that is helping to increase food productivity. So this kind of diverse aspects are very important. I try to make a real picture of Japan. The good and the bad, and then what we can learn from Japan and what we shouldn't learn from Japan.

That's why you talk to different people.

ー Yeah, I talk to different perspective because I think diversity is very important.

A tiny house in Tokyo and a refugee camp are more or less the same size.

Getting to your destination

1－ Do you usually ask people for help when you get lost?

asking people; 

I'm a bit old-school.

old-school 古き良き　out-of-date 時代遅れ 

using maps; paper maps, traditional folded paper maps for hiking

When I go hiking, I use traditional folded paper maps.

結局のところ、それを知っている誰かに聞くのが手っ取り早い

At the end of the day, it’s quicker to ask someone who knows it.

2－ Which do you think is more reliable for directions, people or GPS?

有益な情報；valuable information

よいアドバイス； the good tips

助かるアドバイス； the helpful advice

状況により使い分ける；use A or B depending in the situation

I use "GPS" or "People" depending in the situation.

GPS is good with numbers, I think.

On the other hand, people sometimes give us the helpful advices, such as latest information, roads with many ups and downs, I mean height difference, something risky and so on. It's really reliable. 

3－ When you are in a new place, do you prefer to take public transportation or walk?

都会では歩く方が好き；prefer walking to taking public transportation in a big city like Tokyo.

最上位の・一流の；in the front ranks

I prefer walking in the front ranks,

Walking leads to new discoveries.

Walking leads to come across something new.

come across  たまたま遭遇する

4－ Can you remember spoken directions, or do you have to write everything down?

When I'm at a station or a tourist spot, I'm often asked for directions by foreign tourists, so I always show them the way.