Lesson 116 比較級③比較のバランスをとる

Norika: Hi Philip! How was your Japanese class today?

Philip: We spoke Japanese quite a lot. That part was fun. However, the problem is learning kanji. The teacher said we need to learn 500 by the end of this year! How on earth am I supposed to learn that many?

Norika: Well, most Japanese adults know about 2,000 kanji.

Philip: Two thousand? That’ll take me years! Do you have any advice?

Norika: I recommend you begin by reading easy books with hiragana and some simple kanji. I know it’s tough but remember, doing something is always better than doing nothing.

Philip: OK, gambarimasu.

Pick-Up Phrases

Doing something is always better than doing nothing.
いつだって何もしないよりも何かをするほうがましよ。

Lesson 117 節を使った比較

Tomoko: Hi, Ryota. Have you talked with our new colleague, Manabu?

Ryota: Not yet, but I saw him this morning. He looks very professional, doesn’t he? What was his previous job?

Tomoko: Surprisingly, he just graduated from university this past March. After that, he did an international business training course in the US, and came back to Japan this month.

Ryota: Really? He looks older than he actually is. Hopefully, he’ll bring some fresh ideas to our company.

Tomoko: I hope so, too. I’m really looking forward to working with him.

Ryota: Me too.

Pick-Up Phrases

He looks older than he actually is.
彼は実際の年齢よりも上に見えるけど。

Lesson 118 最上級①基礎

Ben: Oh, are those photos of your stay in Texas?

Keiko: Yes, I can’t believe it’s already been five months since I got back.

Ben: Is that a Mexican restaurant?

Keiko: Yes, this is the best restaurant in town. One of my American friends took me there.

Ben: And that’s a burrito, isn’t it? It looks really good.

Keiko: Yeah, it was awesome!

Ben: And who’s this tall guy next to you?

Keiko: That’s the school’s basketball team captain. He looks sad because he missed the final shot in the national tournament.

Ben: Well, even the best players can sometimes make mistakes.

Keiko: Yes, I know. I hope he’ll get over it and be no less confident than before.

Pick-Up Phrases

This is the best restaurant in town.
これは町でいちばんのレストランよ。

Lesson 119 最上級②最上級を使った表現

Lily: That was a great all-night classic film festival.

Owen: Yeah, when we went into the theater, it was dark outside. Now it’s morning!

Lily: How about talking about the film over a cup of coffee.

Owen: Great idea. And maybe breakfast too. I’m hungry. Which movie did you like the most, Lily?

Lily: Palis, Texas, directed by Wim Wenders. That is the most moving film I’ve ever seen.

Owen: I loved that film too. I’ll never forget it.

Lily: I have DVDs of some other films directed by Wim Wenders. Let’s watch them sometime.

Owen: Souds good. But right now I need a long break from watching movies.

Pick-Up Phrases

That is the most moving film I’ve ever seen.
私が今まで見た中でいちばん感動した映画だわ。

PRACTICAL CHALLENGE! ～実践チャレンジ～

英語で下記の内容を表現してみよう。必ず声に出して練習しよう。

自分が主人公になったつもりで表現しましょう。

今日の感動を友達に伝えましょう。
今朝アメリカ人のお客さんと電話で話しましたが、何も考えることなく英語を話していたのです。 ラジオ英会話をずっと聞いているから。今迄聞いた中で一番の番組ですよ。

[英語で表現してみよう]

使用表現例
tough : 　難しい
used to : 　以前は～だった
client : 　お客さん，顧客
without thinking : 　考えることなく、無意識に

SIMPLE ANSWER

1 Speaking English is not as tough as it used to be.
2 I spoke with an American client on the phone this morning, and I talked with him in English without thinking!
3 It’s because I’ve been listening to “Radio Eikaiwa.” It’s the best program I’ve ever listened to.

日本語訳例
英語を話すのは以前ほど難しくありません。
今朝アメリカ人のお客さんと電話で話しましたが、何も考えることなく英語で話していたのです。
ラジオ英会話をずっと聞いているから。今まで聞いた中で一番の番組ですよ！

1  Speaking English is not as tough as it used to be.

節による比較です。not as ～ as … は 「～ほどではない」です。it used to be で「 it (speaking English)がかつてそうであったほど」 となっています。

2  I spoke with an American client on the phone this morning, and I talked with him in English without thinking!

speak with は 「～と話し合う」。on the phone から this morning に至る「 様態→ 時」 の自然な順序にも注意しましょう。

3  It’s because I’ve been listening to “Radio Eikaiwa.” It’s the best program I’ve ever listened to.

最上級 the best program を関係代名詞節で説明していきましょう。I’ve ever listened to は 「私がこれまで聞いたことのある」。all-time-best だと言っています。

ADVANCED ANSWER

1  I used to think that speaking English was much more difficult than writing it.
2  But after listening to “Radio Eikaiwa, ” I’ve changed my mind.
3  I handled an entire conversation with an American client in English this morning.
4  There’s no doubt about it “Radio Eikaiwa” is the most useful language program ever!

日本語訳例

英語を話すのは書くよりはるかに難しいと思っていました。
しかしラジオ英会話を聞いてから、気持ちが変わりました。
今朝アメリカ人顧客との会話を全て英語でこなしました。
もう疑いの余地はありません、ラジオ英会話はこれまでで最も役に立つ語学番組です。！

1  I used to think that speaking English was much more difficult than writing it.

speaking English との writing it が同じ ing の形で使われ、明瞭な対比となっています。

2  But after listening to “Radio Eikaiwa, ” I’ve changed my mind.

change one’s mind は「意見を変える、気が変わる」。 現在完了形で使われ、現在変わっている状態であることが示されています。

3  I handled an entire conversation with an American client in English this morning.

handle は「うまく扱う、 対処する」。entire は「全体の」。

4  There’s no doubt about it “Radio Eikaiwa” is the most useful language program ever!

There’s no doubt about it. は「疑いの余地はない」。no doubt と no が使われ力強い否定が行われています。ever は「これまでで」。単体で最上級を説明しています。