Uncharted Territory2017年12月

自分が読んで興味深く感じた英文記事を中心に取り上げる予定です

覚えていますかcurbside

Posted at 2017.12.29 Category : 未分類

韓国でサイト公開された公開テストのパート4 98-100の市のrecycling pickup（リサイクル回収）の話題でcurbside recyclingが登場していました。ウィズダムでは見出語としても立てていました。

（ウィズダム）

curbside recycling

道路脇リサイクリング〘各家庭まで出向き再生利用品を回収するサービス〙.

なぜcurbside recyclingという表現なのかは、上の動画の冒頭にあるようなrecycling centerなどに持ち込むのではなく家の前の路肩に出しておけば回収してくれることを指しているのでしょう。また、アメリカの家は大きく家の建物からdrivewayもあったりするので、家の建物の前ではなく、業者が回収しやすいように路肩まで出す必要があるからかもしれません。

前にTOEICで登場したときは空港のcurbside area（（空港の一時乗降用）車寄せエリア）でした。その時に語彙を以下のように分類しましたがcurbsideに関しては(3)のカテゴリーだったようです。

(1) TOEICに頻出する単語　→　TOEIC用に学習すべき

(2) TOEICに出たが、社会生活であまり使用しないだろう単語

(3) TOEICにまだ出たことがないが、今後登場してもおかしくない単語

(4) TOEICにまだ出たことがなく、今後も登場しないだろう単語　→　TOEIC用に学習すべきではない

TOEICでは3種類のcurbsideが登場しそうですから今後も使われるかもしれません。

空港のcurbside => 交通系トピック（登場済み）

店のcurbside => 買い物系トピック

住宅のcurbside => 生活系トピック

まあ普通の英語学習者はこんなことは気にする必要はないでしょうね（汗）

スポンサーサイト

謝罪の仕方を学ぼう

Posted at 2017.12.29 Category : 未分類

(BBC)アップル、旧機種iPhoneの減速を謝罪

米アップル社は28日、旧機種のiPhoneの一部を意図的に減速していると認め、謝罪した。電池交換の費用を引き下げ、電池の充電状況をモニターするためのソフトウェアを2018年に発表する方針という。

アップル社は、古い電池を使う旧機種の動作速度を意図的に遅くしていると認めたが、これはiPhoneの製品寿命を長くするためだと説明した。また、iPhone6以降の機種について、保証期間の切れたバッテリーの交換費用をこれまでの79ドルから29ドルに引き下げると明らかにした

どんな風にアップルが謝罪しているか気になったので早速アップルのサイトを確認して見ました。日本のサイトではまだのようで、現在翻訳中なんでしょうか。

December 28, 2017

A Message to Our Customers about iPhone Batteries and Performance

We’ve been hearing feedback from our customers about the way we handle performance for iPhones with older batteries and how we have communicated that process. We know that some of you feel Apple has let you down. We apologize. There’s been a lot of misunderstanding about this issue, so we would like to clarify and let you know about some changes we’re making.

First and foremost, we have never — and would never — do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades. Our goal has always been to create products that our customers love, and making iPhones last as long as possible is an important part of that.

たとえそうだったとしても意図的に減速していたとは口が裂けても言えないでしょうから、ユーザーをがっかりさせたことに対して誤っています。世間をお騒がせしてすみません的な日本流の謝罪ですね。

We know that some of you feel Apple has let you down. We apologize.

let someone down（人をがっかりさせる、失望させる）はTOEICだと口語的とみなされるのでしょうか、TOEICでは全く登場していませんでした。

First and foremost, we have never — and would never — do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product

we have never — and would never — do anythingの部分ですが、have neverは現在完了で現在と過去をカバーしています。would neverのニュアンスに関しては、ジーニアス総合英語で仮定法過去の「実際にありそうにない未来のことの想像」として取り上げてくれています。

If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world.

もし宝くじに当たったら世界一周旅行をするのに。

直説法のwillを使った未来の確率が半分程度で、この仮定法だと確率がほとんどないという説明があります。ここでは仮定しても起こりえないとneverを強調しているのでしょう。

ニュースだと電池交換の引き下げなどの対応策をすぐに紹介していますが、この謝罪文ではまずは下記の状況説明を丁寧にしています。「結論ー＞補足説明」のテンプレを英文ライティングと思っているノーテンキな英語学習者がいますが、謝罪のような配慮が必要なときはそんな単純ではなさそうです。

How batteries age

Preventing unexpected shutdowns

Recent user feedback

最後の最後に以下のように対応策を出していますが、色々言い訳がましい説明がちょくちょく入っていますね（苦笑）

Addressing customer concerns

We’ve always wanted our customers to be able to use their iPhones as long as possible. We’re proud that Apple products are known for their durability, and for holding their value longer than our competitors’ devices.

To address our customers’ concerns, to recognize their loyalty and to regain the trust of anyone who may have doubted Apple’s intentions, we’ve decided to take the following steps:

* Apple is reducing the price of an out-of-warranty iPhone battery replacement by $50 — from $79 to $29 — for anyone with an iPhone 6 or later whose battery needs to be replaced, starting in late January and available worldwide through December 2018. Details will be provided soon on apple.com.

* Early in 2018, we will issue an iOS software update with new features that give users more visibility into the health of their iPhone’s battery, so they can see for themselves if its condition is affecting performance.

* As always, our team is working on ways to make the user experience even better, including improving how we manage performance and avoid unexpected shutdowns as batteries age.

At Apple, our customers’ trust means everything to us. We will never stop working to earn and maintain it. We are able to do the work we love only because of your faith and support — and we will never forget that or take it for granted.

先ほどのwould neverの対比で言えばこちらは現実の取り組みを話しているので、will neverと直説法のwillで書かれていますね。

We will never stop working to earn and maintain it.

we will never forget that or take it for granted

TOEICで多義語を意識するとavoid unexpected shutdowns as batteries ageのようにageが動詞で使われると気になります。ageというなんでもない基本単語が日本語に訳すと「経年劣化」になってしまうのは仕方がないんでしょう。

When batteries chemically age

All rechargeable batteries are consumable components that become less effective as they chemically age.

バッテリーの化学的経年劣化が進むと

充電式バッテリーはすべて消耗品で、化学的経年劣化が進むにつれて性能が低下します。

TOEICではまだageが動詞で使われることはないようですが、スマートフォンも登場するようになっていますしいつ出てもおかしくないですね。YutaはiPhone 6があるのでこれを機会にバッテリー交換を頼んでしまおうと思います。

（小ネタ）L&R公式問題集を忘れないで

Posted at 2017.12.29 Category : 未分類

既出問題集の発売などですっかり影が薄くなってしまったL&R公式問題集3に似たような表現がありました。これだけ立て続けに出てしまうと復習がおろそかになってしまいますよね。

先のエントリーで紹介した求人広告で以下のような表現がありました。

No phone calls, please. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

L&R公式問題集3のパート7に同じような表現があるんです。

No phone calls please. Qualified candidates will be contacted.

No phone calls please.の後の部分は選ばれた人だけに連絡しますよというような意味ですが、次のような文と比べると簡潔な表現であることが分かります。

If you are selected for an interview following that review, you will be contacted by our personnel officer.

qualifiedは「資格を持つ」という日本語が当てられることが多いですが、公認会計士など何か具体的な資格を持っているというよりも「求人の条件にあった経験や技術がある」という意味で捉えた方が良さそうです。パート３の会話に以下のようなものがありました。

I'm interested in the position, but I'm worried that I'm not really qualified. I work well with my coworkers, but I don't have any managerial experience.

一方、公認会計士はcertified public accountantというようにcertifiedが使われていれば、具体的な資格が想定されています。TOEICでも次のような資格者が登場していました。

certified network administrator

certified financial specialists

certified industrial chemists

certified rafting instructor

certified inspector

日本語にするとどちらも「資格のある」という意味になるqualifiedとcertifiedですが使用例を見ればあまり混乱はなさそうです。求人広告ではもっぱらqualified candidateが登場するので、コロケーションとして覚えてしまった方がいいでしょう。

アイテムライターは誰か？

Posted at 2017.12.28 Category : 未分類

公式問題集などが発売される度に「やっぱり公式だ」と完成度の高さに感心させられますが、一体どんな人が作成しているのか気になります。たまたま韓国のYBMがアイテムライターを募集している求人広告を目にしました。やっぱりというか英語ネイティブではないとダメのようです。。。

YBM, Inc. <>

Seoul, South Korea

YBM's Editorial Department is searching for experienced test writers for TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication). Candidates must be native speakers of English and should have a strong knowledge of TOEIC Listening and Reading Test and grammar.

より詳細な応募資格は以下のようにありました。英語ネイティブで、最低２年間の教材作成経験、文法や語法に通じていることとあります。やはりテスト作成だけあって文法知識は必須のようです。

QUALIFICATIONS:

- Must be a native speaker of English

- A bachelor's degree with a major in English, journalism, or a related field

- Minimum of two years of experience as a writer of English test preparation or education materials

- Extensive knowledge of the conventions of English grammar and usage

- Residency in South Korea preferred (F-series visa holders highly desirable)

- Formal EFL or ESL teaching experience with adult learners preferred

本格的だと思ったのは応募者にサンプルを送るように求めているところ。TOEICの場合パート１以外の１セット分を提出しないといけないようです。パート1以外で190問とあるので新形式になる前の数年前の求人なんでしょうね。

WRITING SAMPLE:

Applicants for the full-time position may send any writing sample, preferably English test preparation or education materials.

Applicants for the freelance position may send a complete sample set of TOEIC except Part 1 (i.e., Part 2 through Part 7, 190 items).

個人的に関心があるのは、TOEICテスト作成の仕様です。使用語彙や問題文の語数、テスティングポイントなど細かい指示が決められていると思うんですよね。その辺りを詳しく知りたいです。。。。

（完）ETSからのクリスマスプレゼント

Posted at 2017.12.27 Category : 未分類

パート７の複数文書の問題文のところのテキスト化です。

下記は所々に写し間違いがある可能性があるのでご留意ください。

ワードで単語数を換算してみるとL＆Rの本文だけでおよそ7400語でした。読む必要のないメールのヘッダーなどが含まれていることを差し引いても結構な分量ですね。

Q176-180 (information)

Gulverton Parks Management

Obtaining event permits

To hold an event at any public park within the city of Gulverton, you must submit an application for a permit with the Gulverton Parks Management Division. When planning your event and filling out the required permit application, please pay attention to the following policies.

* The city has designated areas for events of different sizes and types. Occasionally the requested location is deemed unsuitable based on the nature of your event. In this case, an approval may be granted for an alternate site chosen at our discretion.

* The application muse be submitted at least 30 days prior to the event. Late applications are considered to be "rush requests" and require a nonrefundable $50 fee.

* Events that feature live music or outside food vendors will require additional permits. These are issued by other city divisions, and it is your responsibility to obtain such approvals. For guidance on this and any other questions, contact the Gulverton Parks Management Division at parksmanagement@gulverton.gov.

(permit)

City of Gulverton

Event Permit #: 4571

Status: Rush Request

The Gulverton Parks Management Division hereby grants the Starlite Melodies Foundation, represented by Quentin Pelletier, permission to use the facilities as outlined, subjected to the terms and conditions of this agreement.

Event Information

Event Applicant: Quentin Pelletier Phone: 228-555-0132

Event Name / Details: "Starlite Sounds" is an outdoor evening concert that is free and open to the public. It will include three different stages and live musical performances.

Estimated Attendance: 800-1000

Location: Mayor Collins Park - Oceanside Promenade

Date and Times of Use:

Starting: Saturday, October 12 5:00 P.M. Ending: Saturday, October 12 10:00 P.M.

Approved by: Riona Ozaki

Approval date* Wednesday, September 23

Q181-185 (advertisement)

Upcoming Businesscast Seminar on Culture and International Business

Are you looking for a way to build stronger partnerships with international clients? Do you want to enter a new overseas market? If so, log on to www.businesscast.edu to register for an interactive panel discussion on business culture in different regions of the world. Learn from a panel of expert entrepreneurs about the ways that understanding culture can heighten business opportunities. The seminar will be broadcast live on Tuesday, 4 February, 9:30 - 11:30 A.M. (Western European Time).

The session consists of three talks:

* "Predicting Trends in Major Asian Markets," by Ji-Hwan Chung

* "Social Etiquette in Turkish Business Communications," by Azra Kaya

* "Expectations for Professional Presentations in North America," by Magda Holmes

Having trouble registering online? E-mail Tomomi Nakata at tnakata@businesscast.edu by Friday, 31 January.

If you are unable to attend this event at the scheduled time, visit out online archive. All presentations are uploaded within 24 hours of the broadcast date.

(Form)

Thank you, Bettina Ramirez, for participating in our Businesscast Seminar on Culture and International Business. Please take a moment to tell us about your experience so we can continue to improve our services.

On a scale from 1 (very dissatisfied) to 5 (very satisfied), please rate the following:

The overall topic of the seminar 4

Presenters' preparations and expertise 5

The amount of information covered 4

What did you like best about the event?

Ms. Kaya's presentation was both interesting and thorough, and it was the most relevant to my own business goals. I also thought she gave direct and clear responses to our questions, making her talk really useful.

What improvements would you like to see in future events?

In Ecuador, I had to connect at 3:30 A.M. local time to participate in the live event. It would be great if you could have more variety in the timing of the seminars.

Q186-190 (rental agreement)

TALL PINES APARTMENTS RENTAL AGREEMENT

65 Pine Tree Road, Unit 7, Salem, Oregon 97302

TERMS

This is a one-year rental from January 1 to December 31 at $500 per month, payable on the first day of each month. A late payment incurs a $50 fee. Cancellation of the lease before the end of the term incurs a $100 fee. Rent includes electricity, water, and heat. Internet connectivity is the tenant's responsibility. Optional pool membership is $80 per resident annually.

This unit includes one parking spot. Additional vehicles may be parked on the street or int the parking lot of Pine Nature Preserve across the street.

DEPOSIT

The security deposit of $750, paid on December 23, will be refunded within 30 days after the tenant vacates the premises. The unit will be inspected prior to the rental start date and again upon termination of the lease. Tall Pines Apartments will document and address any needed cleaning and/or repairs found prior to the rental start date. Any cleaning and/or repairs needed based on inspection following the lease termination will be covered by the security deposit.

(Inspection form)

TALL PINES APARTMENTS INSPECTION FORM

DATE: December 23

PROPERTY: 65 Pine Tree Road, Unit 7

INSPECTION COMMENTS:

All plumbing, heating, and electrical equipment is in satisfactory condition. However, there are chipped tiles in the kitchen. The living room carpeting is stained and in need of cleaning. Tall Pines Apartments will schedule a date for a maintenance visit by December 31.

Sudhir Sankar Catherine Ridge

Owner, Tall Pines Apartments Tenent

(e-mail)

To: sankar@tallpinesapartments.com

From: cridge007@wellmai.net

Subject: Security Deposit

Date: October 7

Attachment: Inspection-form.txt

Dear Mr. Sankar:

I vacated Unit 7 last month and just received a portion of my security deposit in the mail. I was disappointed to see that $300 was deducted from my refund. I did expect to receive a $100 penalty when I moved out, but the additional $200 charge is unwarranted. You noted that the charge would cover the tile work: however, the tiles were damaged when I moved into the unit (see attachment). During the first week of my lease you had someone professionally clean the carpets but informed me that the tiles would not be repaired. Would you Kindly return the $200 charge?

Thank you,

Catherine Ridge

Q191-195 (Web page)

On-site Training Programs

Navan University is pleased to provide convenient on-site training for employees of your cooperation in any of the certificate programs we offer. We can provide existing courses or customize a program to meet your training and development needs. We currently offer courses in the following areas:

* Business Analysis * Project Management

* Human Resources * Social Media Management

* Leadership * Software Testing

All of our courses are taught by highly qualified Navan University faculty. After completing each course, participants will be awarded a certificate acknowledging their achievement. For more information, please e-mail program director Orla Heaney at oheaney.nu.ie.

(e-mail)

To: Maeve Flynn <mflynn@meathelectronics.ie>

From: Orla Heaney <oheaney@nu.ie>

Date: 29 December

Re: On-site training programs

Dear Ms. Flynn,

Thank you for your interest in our on-site training programs. Each of these courses has twelve modules, which are taught weekly in two-hour blocks. We can begin the course on whatever day of the week is convenient for your organization. The charge is 600 euros per course per student, which decreases to 550 euros per student if you enroll more than ten students per course. Materials are included in the cost, and full payment must be made for all students prior to the start of the course. No reimbursement will be given for missed classes. Please advise us which courses interest you and your preferred dates and times.

Sincerely,

Orla Heaney

Navan University

(e-mail)

To: Colm Casey <ccasey@meathelectronics.ie>

From: Maeve Flynn <mflynn@meathelectronics.ie>

Date: 10 January

Re: On-site training programs

Dear Mr. Casey,

I need your assistance in preparing for an upcoming training series. A trainer from Navan University will be providing a twelve-week leadership class here each Wednesday from 3:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. beginning on 15 February. Can you please book Conference Room B for this? Then, please e-mail a meeting invitation to all department managers. This is a mandatory training that all managers are expected to successfully complete.

Also, before each training session begins, please make sure the conference room is set up appropriately. There will need to be seats for twelve attendees, and a projector and screen will need to be set up.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Maeve Flynn

Vice Presiedent, Meath Electronics

Q196-200 (job advertisement)

Job Title: Part-Time Fitness Instructor

Area: Suburban Indianapolis

Trifecta Laboratories, located 20 minutes north of Indianapolis, is looking for an instructor to lead a new exercise class for our employees in one of our on-site fitness centers.

The new instructor must be available to lead a daily morning class (Monday through Friday) before regular 9-to-5 business hours. The format and focus of the class can be determined by the instructor. Pay is commensurate wit experience.

To apply, please send an e-mail to hr@trifectalab.com with the subject line "Exercise Instructor." Be sure to include a resume and two references.

(schedule)

Trifecta Laboratories

Northwood Campus

March Fitness Center Schedule

The fitness center is open from 6:00 A.M. to 8:30 P.M., Monday through Friday. The following classes are offered on a drop-in basis. No registration is required. All classes are offered every day unless indicated otherwise and held in the group exercise room, Bridget Hall 201.

Time Class Instructor

7:00 A.M. - 8:00 A.M. Low-Impact Aerobics Jose Carello

(Monday and Friday only)

8:00 A.M. - 9:00 A.M. Dance Aerobics Sylvie Leroux

11:30 A.M. - 12:30 P.M. Pilates Jian Yuan

5:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. Yoga Brittany Soutane

(Tuesday and Thursday only)

All employees can access the fitness center using their Trifecta Laboratories ID cards. Employees visiting from other Trifecta offices may also access the facility, but they will need to sign in at the reception desk.

(e-mail)

To: Carter Holman, Fitness Center Manager

From: Lama Khouri, Vice President of Operations

Date: Tuesday, March 29

Re: New fitness classes

Mr. Holman:

Thank you for your report on the changes at the fitness center. It is great to hear that so many of our employees are using the center. All the classes seem to be very popular, and we appreciate all you've done to add them to the schedule. However, I've received calls from several managers with concerns. Lunch breaks are meant to be one hour long, but the lunchtime class is scheduled to run for a full hour. This forces employees to take extra time away from their work in order to walk to and from the fitness center, change clothes, and then have lunch at their desks. It can also cause difficulty in scheduling meeting times. Is it possible to adjust the class so that it is only 30 minutes long?

Again, thank you for all your hard work.

Lama Khouri

Vice President of Operations

Trifecta Laboratories, Northwood Campus

（続）ETSからのクリスマスプレゼント

Posted at 2017.12.27 Category : 未分類

リーディングセクションもパート７のシングルまで本文をテキスト化しました。

Yutaは問題よりも本文に興味があるので、本文だけです。

下記は所々に写し間違いがある可能性があるのでご留意ください。

複数文書のセクションもこの調子で近々アップするつもりです。

101. A sum of 500,000 euros was donated anonymously to Galway Hospital earlier this month.

102. The client canceled her order because the coffee table she wanted was no longer available.

103. Ms. Kwang's experience as a supervisor makes her an ideal candidate for the management position.

104. Ms. Zeng, who currently leads Ling Technology's research and development team, will take over as chief executive early next year.

105. An updated telemarketing database could provide a distinct advantage to the firm's sales team.

106. Opol Airlines has chosen the fashion house of Adelise Cygne to redesign the uniforms for its flight attendants.

107. For performance to be considered satisfactory, production workers must achieve at least 90 percent of the monthly goals assigned by their manager.

108. The popular television series On the Fences features a very talented cast.

109. Ana Paskevich has been honored as an exceptionally talented writer and researcher by her firm.

110. All laboratory personnel must annually complete a course in safety practices.

111. For outstanding entertainment at affordable prices, be sure to visit Shering's Theater in Calhoun City.

112. Because many proposals were presented to the city council, Mr. Lin and Ms. Jones were pleased when theirs was accepted.

113. It is only the first month of the winter, and the company has already had to close three times due to inclement weather.

114. Mr. Ozuka would like to discuss his impressions of the changes to the most recent budget proposal.

115. The electronic time-tracking system indicates regular time as well as extra hours that the employees work.

116. Whenever the assembly line is not moving as efficiently as it should, it is the production manager's responsibility to determine the cause.

117. The success of the advertising campaign is likely due to the dedication of Ms. Braddon's leadership.

118. Natural Gifts Magazine offers advertising space to providers of products or services that encourage a healthy lifestyle.

119. Due to unusually high demand, some of our lawn supplies need to be restocked.

120. The only available meeting rooms are on the fourth floor of the Talbot Building.

121. Mr. Lewis was appointed the operations manager after a lengthy interview.

122. After much deliberation, it was decided that the company picnic would take place at Sweetwater Park.

123. Please use the printers on the third floor for high-volume print jobs while the ones on the fifth floor are being repaired.

124. Jefferies Electronics has enjoyed steady sales since the start of this fiscal year.

125. The new advertisement designed by Hokkaido Creations has been customized to reflect your company's image.

126. Although his flight was delayed, Mr. Li made it to the engineering conference on time.

127. Since its first international deal was finalized last year, Tarnytech has experienced record-high earnings.

128. Mr. Klein was awarded the grand prize for her routine in the company talent show.

129. Online sales should be dramatically higher next month, so it is critical that our Web site be functioning reliably.

130. Altayan Air's careful attention to detail is consistent across its entire range of air-purifying systems.

131-134 (article)

Automobile Sales on the Rise

The Commerce Board predicts that by the year's end national automobile sales will have reached 910,000 units. This figure is 15 percent higher than the previous year's number and is just short of the all-time high of three years ago. The Board attributes these gains to several factors, including the availability of lower interest rates on car loans. In contrast to the general demand for automobiles, the market for minivans has shown little to no growth these past five years despite intensive advertising efforts. It is even expected that some models will not be renewed next year.

135-138 (information)

Your Omicron Office Copier is one of the most important tools you have. Therefore, knowing how to care for your copier properly is an important part of running an efficient business. Here are four vital tips from our team of experts to keep your copier in top shape. First, use Omicron-approved supplies, especially Omicron toner cartridges. Second, be careful when loading paper. Following the instructions in the manual will ensure proper loading of the paper and prevent paper jams. Third, clean the copier regularly. Use only soft cloths and cleaning materials recommended by Omicron. Finally, if your copier is in need of repair, we advise that you select a certified professional technician. Following these tips will prolong the life of your office copier.

139-142 (article)

Manchester Daily Times Journal

Business Updates

(3 January) - Sky Seek Technology, manufacturer of telescopes and other astronomical instruments, announced today that longtime president Hoshi Nakata will retire next September. Mr. Nakata has led Sky Seek for more than 20 years. He began his career in sales at the firm's Tokyo branch. According to a company press release, his knowledge of astronomy and superb organizational skills made him the perfect candidate for management position. Before long, he rose to the top post. Derek Grearson, Sky Seek's Vice President of operations, said that under Mr. Nakata's leadership. Sky Seek has consistently reaped healthy profits in a highly specialized market. "Mr. Nakata has a remarkable ability to attract new customers, " Grearson said.

143-146 (announcement)

Excelsior Booksellers is pleased to announce its next Meet the Author even with guest Satoshi Tanaka on Tuesday, May 11, at 7:00 P.M. Mr. Tanaka, whose work includes over twenty novels, will be releasing his autobiography, A lifetime in Writing, on June 5. In addition to reading an excerpt from his upcoming book, Mr. Tanaka will be interviewed by critic Valerie Staley about his entire writing career. He will also take questions from the audience.

Admission to the event is limited to 100 participants. Guests can reserve their seat by signing up in advance, fee of charge, at www.excelsiorbooksellers.com.

Q147-148 (advertisement)

Treads and Threads

213 Baldwin Street, Toronto

Student Special

Let Treads and Threads keep your feet warm this season!

Bring this coupon and your student ID to receive 25% off your purchase of any boots, socks, and slippers.

Valid November 1 - December 31. In-store purchases only.

Q149-150 (e-mail)

From: Robin Ruiz, Facilities Manager

To: Staff@holmana.co.uk

Subject: New Desks

Date: 12 October

Dear Ms. Figueroa,

You applied to be transferred to our Bringhurst office last July, but we were unable to grant your request because no opening was available there at the time. However, the Bringhurst office manager called today to indicate they need a new sales representative. They want to recruit internally, and I thought you might still be interested. Could you let me know by tomorrow? If you no longer want to work in Bringhurst, I'll need to publish a job opening on our message board. I'll be awaiting your decision.

Thanks,

Kenneth Robertson

Q151-152 (text-message chain)

Carl Watson [6:40 P.M.]

Wow. I just noticed how orderly the inventory is. Thank you so much for taking the extra time to lead that effort! Now it should be really easy to find what we need whenever it7s time to restock the store.

Adit Chaturvedi [6:40 P.M.]

No problem. The warehouse was pretty messy. Now all the same types of products are in the same place, and everything is on shelves labeled by category. I think it's a good system.

Carl Watson [6:49 P.M.]

It's a great one. We just have to try to keep it that way. It's so helpful that you always take the initiative and just do what needs to be done.

Q153-154 (advertisement)

MIDDL EEAST STEELMAKERS CONFERENCE (MESC)

In past years the MESC has drawn hundreds of attendees from leading steelmaking firms and, judging by the numbers so far, this year will be no exception. Join keynote speaker Yussef Al-JJaloudi, chairman of Khuzestan Industrial Holdings, and industry executives from around the world for lectures, panel discussions, and round tables. The theme of this year's conference is the evolving price of steel and how recent international trends will impact steel interests.

When it comes to steel makers, you'll hold an advantage after attending the MESC. Preregister by August 31 at www.mesc-steel.com and save 20 percent off the regular registration fee.

Q155-157 (e-mail)

To: bostonstaff@covebank.com

From: pross@covebank.com

Subject: Omar Jappa, Senior Financial Analyst

Date: June 1

We are pleased to announce the promotion of Omar Jappa to the position of Senior Financial Analyst at our headquarters, effective Jun 15.

Mr. Jappa started his career at our international competitors before joining Cove Bank. He has been with Cove Bank's Portland branch for nine years, during which time he has held three financial services positions of increasing responsibility.

In addition to possessing a deep knowledge of finance and business development, Mr. Jappa has an exceptional ability to generate enthusiasm and cooperation among his coworkers. In his new role, Mr. Jappa will lead a group that is primarily responsible for global and domestic investment analysis, and portfolio planning and development. He will report directly to Sophia Chen, Chief Financial Analyst.

While the Portland office will miss him, please join me in welcoming Mr. Jappa to Boston.

Patricia Ross

Human Resources Director

Q158-160 (article)

This Week in Felhurst

(May 28) - Linfield Utilities will be repairing approximately five kilometers of underground gas pipes in and around downtown Felhurst starting on Monday. The older cast iron pipes will be replaced with durable plastic or coated steel pipes. "These underground pipelines will ensure a safe and reliable gas system for many years into the future," said Jae-Min Lim, director of operations for Linfield Utilities.

During the six week project, Linfield Utilities is planning to work closely with city transit officials and the Department of Public Works to coordinate the construction. Felhurst police officers will support traffic control, but local residents should be prepared for delays during busy commuting periods.

Linfield Utilities crews will employ standard safety measures including the use of orange traffic cones, roadway signature, and temporary barriers. Felhurst motorists are reminded to reduce their driving speed and to mind detour signs around the construction areas.

Q161-163 (online chat discussion)

To: All Brinker Automotive employees

From: John Throop

Subject: Security Center Notice

Date: July 3

To All Employees:

On Monday, Brinker Automotive will begin using enhanced security software for building access. Regular employees will not see a difference upon entering Brinker Automotive buildings. The method for documenting visitors, however, will change.

Visitors will still be required to register at the front desk. However, instead of signing a paper registration book as before, each visitor will now be entered into a new tracking Web page by the front desk attendant, who will take a photograph of the person and issue a green (temporary) ID badge to be worn at all times while in our facilities.

These rules apply to both our corporate offices and manufacturing plants.Groups taking supervised factory tours are excluded. If you have any questions, refer to section 34.1 of our updated security manual.

Sincerely,

John Throop

Security Supervisor, Brinker Automotive, Inc.

Q164-167 (article)

Better Blueberries?

(May 6) - Demand for blueberries has been rising worldwide for decades. Such geographically diverse countries as Canada, Peru, South Africa, and Australia now export blueberries. Through plant-breeding techniques, farmers have succeeded in extending the harvest season to ten months while making blueberries bigger, firmer, and more shelf stable.

It seems, however, that one no-so-minor feature has been ignored: taste. Australian researcher Shirley Nguyen believes that the bigger, brighter berries we have today would have been a commercial failure a few decades ago. "I can remember much tastier blueberries than the ones you're likely to get from a supermarket today," she says.

The change, however, come about gradually. Ms. Nguyen explains that with each new breeding project, blueberries grew slightly less flavorful, so consumers may not have tasted the difference from one harvest season to the next. They eventually forgot the special tangy yet sweet flavor that first made the berries popular.

Ms. Nguyen aims to put great taste back into the blueberries we love without sacrificing the size and sturdiness we have come to value. "I would trade a few squashed berries in every box for excellent flavor," she says. Ms. Nguyen and others believe the changes can be made through natural breeding methods, and she reports with optimism that her first efforts have shown success.

Q168-171 (text-message chain)

Gina Littore [12:29 p.m.]

Jon, Steve, I'm on my way to Decline Ltd. to discuss their lobby renovation and just realized I forgot to bring the fabric samples for their curtains. Is there somebody there who can help?

Jonathan O'Malley [12:32 p.m.]

Why not just show the client the fabrics online?

Gina Littore [12:33 p.m.]

A picture won'T do it. The colors and textures don't look nearly as nice on a screen.

Jonathan O'Malley [12:34 p.m.]

I suppose you'll have to drive back to the office and pick them up, then.

Stephen Mercer [12:35 p.m.]

No need to go all the way back there. I've got samples here at the 48th St. store.

Gina Littore [12:36 p.m.]

Fantastic! Can you meet me halfway? I am parked on Ulster St. near the post office.

Stephen Mercer [12:36 p.m.]

How about the Hightop Cafe?

Jonathan O'Malley [12:37 p.m.]

Stephen, why not just meet Gina at the client's office?

Stephen Mercer [12:38 p.m.]

The cafe's is closer. I have to be back at the store to consult with a vendor at 2.

Gina Littore [12:38 p.m.]

How about 30 minutes from now? Think you can make it?

Stephen Mercer [12:40 p.m.]

Sounds good.

Q172-175 (article)

Fashion Recycled and Restyled

JAIPUR (10 October) - Nirav Roy runs a textile business that has been in the family for generations. His niece, Amrita Sahu, never expected to go into the family business. Throughout her childhood, she helped Mr. Roy with the business but found herself somewhat bored with the experience.

At age eighteen, Ms. Sahu went to university to study environmental science, determined to leave the textile business behind. In her last year of school, she attended a seminar in New Delhi. While at her hotel there, she noticed a pile of colorful curtains and bedspreads by the hotel's back door. After some inquiry, she learned that these beautiful pieces of fabric were going to end up in the trash.

It was during her stay in New Delhi that Ms. Sahu's business idea was born. Combining her studies and her experience with her uncle's business, she decided to sell fashionable recycled clothing made from used fabric pieces, such as the ones she found at the hotel. "I just don't think it was right for such quality fabric to go to waste," said Ms. Sahu.

Her first step was to talk to her uncle about the idea. While initially skeptical about the idea, Mr. Roy eventually agreed to have his niece set up shop in his warehouse. She established her business there after graduating from university.

Ms. Sahu partnered with designer Sangita Doshi, who began developing a line of clothing using recycled fabric. In May, Ms. Doshi was attending a local event wearing one of her recycled dresses when she was spotted by fashion retailer Sanjit Mehta. Since then, Ms. Doshi and Ms. Sahu have received numerous orders from his firm and others in Jaipur and beyond.

With business growing, Ms. Sahu finds herself occupying an office next to her uncle's office. "My uncle and I now work side by side," she says, "And I'm never bored."

ETSからのクリスマスプレゼント

Posted at 2017.12.27 Category : 未分類

どんな形であれ公開されたことは喜ばしいことです。

Yutaは問題よりも本文に興味があるので、本文だけ早速作成しました。

これを色々分析すれば年末年始の暇つぶしができそうです。

下記は所々に写し間違いがある可能性があるのでご留意ください。

リーディングも近いうちに完成次第同じようにアップするつもりです。現段階ではあくまで「つもり」ですが。

01 (A) He's planting a garden.

01 (B) He's choosing some vegetables.

01 (C) He's emptying a shopping cart.

01 (D) He's eating a salad.

02 (A) She's looking out the window.

02 (B) She's piling up some dishes.

02 (C) She's having a meal.

02 (D) She's taking photographs.

03 (A) A woman is holding onto a railing.

03 (B) A woman is walking through a doorway.

03 (C) A man is entering an office building.

03 (D) A man is sweeping a staircase.

04 (A) A basket has been filled with items.

04 (B) A box has been left on the floor.

04 (C) They are securing a shelf to the wall.

04 (D) They are replacing a broken door.

05 (A) There is a fence enclosing a lawn.

05 (B) Some pillars are bing painted.

05 (C) There are trees along a roadway.

05 (D) A vehicle is parked in a garage.

06 (A) A woman is trying on a hat.

06 (B) A woman is shopping in an outdoor market.

06 (C) A large tent I being assembled.

06 (D) Some storage containers are being put away.

07 When is the move to the new office?

07 (A) The architect is from Vienna.

07 (B) Mary has the schedule.

07 (C) Into the business district.

08 Who's the head of the Human Resources Department?

08 (A) It's Ms. Tindera.

08 (B) No, I don't see it.

08 (C) The performance reviews are done.

09 Did you contact a mechanic?

09 (A) Yes, someone's coming tomorrow.

09 (B) A broken air conditioner.

09 (C) Please update my contact information.

10 Where can I put these extra cleaning supplies?

10 (A) Of course they are.

10 (B) At eight o'clock.

10 (C) In the storage room is fine.

11 Which conference speaker did you like the best?

11 (A) I'll meet you in the lobby.

11 (B) The woman who spoke right after lunch.

11 (C) There were a lot of attendees.

12 When is your next available appointment?

12 (A) I met Dr. Jones.

12 (B) Sorry, that item is not available.

12 (C) This Thursday at ten A.M.

13 Mei Yang is the choreographer of this musical, isn't she?

13 (A) Yes, and it's beautifully done.

13 (B) No, I prefer jazz music.

13 (C) There's a late-evening rehearsal, sorry.

14 Are you going to rent that apartment you looked at last night?

14 (A) I've ordered the part online.

14 (B) No, the first time.

14 (C) Well, it's quite expensive.

15 Don't you have more candidates to interview today?

15 (A) I agree - it's a fantastic view.

15 (B) That was a very interesting article.

15 (C) Yes, there are two scheduled for this afternoon.

16 How many people are coming to to the awards banquet?

16 (A) Many delicious dishes.

16 (B) No, I haven't seen them.

16 (C) About a hundred.

17 Would you like some dessert?

17 (A) No, I'm already full.

17 (B) They liked it, too.

17 (C) In the recipe book.

18 Are you free to meet the new staff members today?

18 (A) Sure, bring them by after lunch.

18 (B) A new membership card.

18 (C) It's free to the public.

19 When will the press conference take place?

19 (A) It's on your calendar.

19 (B) At least two conference centers.

19 (C) His speech was well written.

20 Where can I buy a phone charger?

20 (A) She's making a phone call.

20 (B) They charge more.

20 (C) I have an extra one.

21 Should I get the office supplies at the store or online?

21 (A) Some pens and pencils.

21 (B) It was an excellent offer.

21 (C) Please pick them up from the store.

22 How do I access my e-mail account on my tablet?

22 (A) The mail carrier hasn't come yet.

22 (B) On the table next to the printer.

22 (C) Download the e-mail application.

23 I have a meeting at one o'clock today.

23 (A) Yes, I am.

23 (B) You should leave soon.

23 (C) Nice to meet you, too.

24 What security software do you recommend?

24 (A) I forget what it's called.

24 (B) Somewhere with a good view.

24 (C) The front door is locked.

25 Didn't you order more file folders?

25 (A) Fold it in half.

25 (B) They haven't delivered them.

25 (C) In alphabetical order.

26 Can you cover my shift on Wednesday?

26 (A) The shipping and receiving department.

26 (B) This cover's too small.

26 (C) I'm already working overtime.

27 Remember to leave your locker key at the front desk.

27 (A) The ten A.M. exercise class.

27 (B) A pair of gym shoes.

27 (C) Don't worry, I will.

28 Do you want to take a fitness class or just use the pool?

28 (A) I don't like to swim.

28 (B) It fits very well.

28 (C) A gym down the street.

29 The green tea commercial is almost finished, isn't it?

29 (A) The yearly inspection.

29 (B) Across from the supermarket.

29 (C) The studio had to start over.

30 Who's planning the client dinner?

30 (A) It was canceled.

30 (B) At a French restaurant.

30 (C) A choice of entrees.

31 Why is the train so late?

31 (A) For about an hour.

31 (B) A ride to the station.

31 (C) Should we take a bus instead?

32-34

W Hello, welcome to Portstown Dental Clinic. How can I help you?

M Hi, I'm Walter Lee. I have an appointment for a teeth cleaning.

W Oh, it looks like your appointment was at two o'clock ...

M I know. I'm really sorry I'm late. I had trouble finding the building. It's my first time coming to this dentist's office.

W OK. Looks like we've had a cancellation and we can still fit you in. Since this is your first time here, could you please fill in this new patient form while you wait?

35-37

W How's the painting coming along, Roger?

M Hi, Ms. Hanson. I'm just about finished painting the font of your house. But I ran into a small issue.

W Oh? What's the problem?

M I've run out of this light blue color I'm using for the window trim. I'm going to Rolstein's on Main Street now to get another can.

W OK. I just came from downtown and Main Street is closed for construction. You'll probably need to take Plum Avenue.

M Thanks for letting me know.

38-40

M Carlota, I'm really pleased with how well the annual shoe clearance sale's been going. This is just the first day and we've been busy since we opened.

W I've never seen anything like it. You know, featuring the Pro X athletic sneakers was a smart idea. Just look in the storage room.

M You're right. There are only fifteen boxes left.

W It's surprising, since Pro X is such a new company. We should find a way to do more business with them.

M Good idea. I'll ask the sales representative to bring more samples of their other styles. Maybe we could become their exclusive distributor in the area.

41-43

W Jason, I need you to place a catering order for Insook's retirement party. I'd like to offer our staff some fresh and healthy food options.

M Certainly. The Crestwood Cafe would be a great choice. They offer itms made from local farm ingredients, so we'd be supporting farmers in our area. Should I order from there?

W Yes, that sounds promising. We'll need a variety of snacks and beverages for 30 people. Please e-mail me your choices from their menu this afternoon so I can approve them.

44-46

W Arshad, did you place the order for the new work desks?

M Yes, I did. But I'm having trouble tracking the shipment on their Web site. The furniture store sent me a link to monitor the delivery of our order. I can't seem to open it, though, so I'm not sure when the desks will arrive.

W Hmm, could you call the store and check? Our office's grand opening celebration is on Monday, so we need the desks to arrive by then.

M Oh you're right... we need the furniture here in time for that event. I'll give them a call right away.

47-49

W Hi, I'm calling from room 712. I haven't been able to connect to the hotel's wireless Internet all day today.

M I apologize for the inconvenience. Several of our rooms have been affected by this problem, but don't worry ... it should be resolved by tonight.

W All right... do you think I could get a refund for today's access? I already paid the extra Internet fee for each day of my stay here.

M Yes, of course. I'll deduct the fee from your bill right now.

50-52

M Andrea, are we on schedule to move our hardware store to the new location at the end of July?

W Yes. And by the way, we should remind the property manager that we'll be moving our store when our lease is up. Could you call her?

M Sure. I'll call her later today.

W Thanks. And, I picked up the signs notifying customers of our new address. I'll hang them up in our store windows now.

M Great. I think we're on track then.

53-55

M Angela, have you had a chance to look at the cost estimate for the repairs on the warehouse roof? There are several leaks, so the project will start as soon as the budget is approved.

W Uhm... I've been in meetings all morning ... Actually, since you met with the contractor, could you just stop by my office at two o'clock and tell me what he said about the roof?

M Well, I'm leaving early this afternoon for an appointment at my bank. But Maria also spoke with the contractor. I'll tell her now that you'd like to talk with her at two.

W OK. Thank you.

56-58

M Hi, Julia - could you let all employees know that IT is doing maintenance on our servers the last weekend in March?

W Sure. Which computer applications will be affected?

M This time the whole system will be affected. So it's really important to remind everyone that they won't be able to work from Friday night to Sunday morning on that weekend.

W OK, I'll emphasize that point in an e-mail and send it out all employees right away.

59-61

M Samantha, did you see the updated statistics for our online news magazine? We doubled our online subscriptions this month.

W1 I just saw the e-mail! That's amazing! How did we get so many new readers in such a short time?

M I don't know. We haven't even launched our advertising campaign yet. Do you know why, Pilar?

W2 A really popular blogger recently reviewed the magazine. She gave us a great rating. Our subscriptions immediately increased.

M Fantastic. I'm going now to speak with our director. He's excited about our growth and wants to discuss more promotional ideas.

62-64

M Hi Lin, I'm ordering our tickets for the play now. Which seats would you prefer?

W Hm... I always like to sit near the front, close to the stage. I can see the actors better that way.

M OK, there are still seats available in the front ... on the right near the exit.

W Great! Should we get there early to find a parking space?

M Actually, I was thinking we should take the bus. That way we won't have to worry about parking.

65-67

W Satoshi, before you start serving tables tonight, could you change the special board? A lot of people came in for lunch today, and we're completely out of fish.

M Sure. What should I replace it with?

W The chef will make a hamburger with french fries instead of the fish sandwich.

M Will the price be the same?

W Yes, you can keep it the same as the fish.

M OK. I'll go take care of that right away.

68-70

M Excuse me, do you know which of these buses goes to the city center?

W Well, you can take several routes, but I'd recommend taking the second one ... the Summit Street bus. It'll only take fifteen minutes to get there.

M Great, thanks for your help. I'm in town to speak at a marketing convention, and I wanted to do some sightseeing before my presentation this afternoon.

W You know, there's a great application that you can get on your smartphone through the city tourism office. The app lists the city's top attractions - there's a lot to do here.

71-73 (broadcast)

Welcome to Business Tips and Tricks WJNK Radio. On today's show, I'll be talking with Tina Brownstein, the head of the Creative Management Foundation. Her organization helps managers encourage creativity on their teams. She argues that having the right office space is the number one way for managers to promote creativity. Today, she'll explain how decorating your office in just the right away can stimulate the imagination. We'll only be able to talk to her briefly, so I encourage you all to download her e-book, Creative Workspaces, to learn more.

74-76 (telephone message)

Hello, this is Naomi's Custom Office Furniture. Just wanted to give you an update on your orders. We've received the office chairs you ordered. From what I see in the invoice notes, it looks like you had wanted them to be delivered tomorrow, but all of our trucks a re busy for the next few days. In addition, the desks you requested have not arrived yet - the factory's only just finished producing them. To apologize for these delays, we'll give you fifteen percent off your next purchase with us.

77-79 (talk)

Good afternoon and welcome to the Barrytown Museum Contemporary Art. I'll be your tour guide in the museum today. I'll be showing you our special exhibit, featuring artwork by sculptor Marianne Lee. What's unique about Ms. Lee's sculptures is how small they are. Each one of them could easily fit in your pocket. The tour will last for one hour, so before we begin, I recommend leaving your coats and bags behind. You can store them in the lockers near the entrance.

80-82 (speech)

I'd like to welcome all of you to Dully Manufacturing. During this morning's new employee orientation, I'll give you some general information about working here. Then, this afternoon, you'll receive specialized assembly training. First, before I forget, we've recently changed a driving regulation on company property. Everybody's now required to drive at or below fifteen kilometers per hour. People like to walk on the roads during their breaks. There has been talk about putting more walking paths around the facility, but nothing's been done yet.

83-85 (excerpt from a meeting)

So the first item on our agenda is the new software that was installed on our computers last week. It has a number of new features, so we've asked Jae-Ho Park from the Information Technology department to provide training. He will be holding several training sessions to make sure that everyone feels comfortable using this software. Please be sure to sign up for a training session right after this meeting.

86-88 (talk)

As training director of the Plainsfield Science Museum, I'm very excited to welcome all of you interns to our team. This is an interactive museum, and my goal is to get you familiar with our exhibits as soon as possible. So this afternoon, you'll each be assigned to a mentor who'll train you to lead the activities at one of the exhibits. Throughout your internship, you'll also have opportunities to interact with our visitors. It might all seem overwhelming right now, but, remember, many of our staff members started off as interns. Now, let's take a tour of the museum.

89-91 (talk)

Welcome to the information session on the Maxwell Writers Program. I'm Joseph Guthrie, the director. As you know, the Maxwell Writers Program provides a year of financial support to aspiring authors who are starting their careers. In return for our financial support, we require the participants to be active in the community by organizing activities, such as tutoring sessions in schools and writing workshops. I've brought three past recipients with me tonight who are now published authors, thanks to this program. They're here to tell you abut their experiences with the program, and more importantly, to encourage you to apply!

92-94 (excerpt from a meeting)

Next on the agenda is our company's participation in the upcoming conference for industrial engineering. This year the conference is here in the city, and our manufacturing firm plans to be a sponsor for the event. In exchange for our financial support to help cover expenses, our name will be featured in the program.

The main reason that I like this plan is that the extra publicity Will help us as we recruit potential employees from engineers attending this conference. I'd like to offer tours of our facility to any interested job candidates while they're in town. If you're able to help with leading a tour, please let me know.

95-97 (excerpt from a meeting and sales chart)

During today's bimonthly sales meeting, the appliance we're going to focus on is our most popular washing machine model. The Wilson 25 had been selling well at the beginning of the year. However, when our main competitor released a new model, the sales of the Wilson 25 dropped off significantly. To combat this problem, we decided to offer a large discount on the Wilson 25. During the month the price was lowered, we sold more units than ever before. This ended up being a very successful way of temporarily increasing our sales.

98-100 (excerpt from a meeting and neighborhood map)

Thanks to our public education and outreach program, demand for recycling pickup in the city has increased to the point where we'll need to make more than one pickup a week in some neighborhoods. The first change we'll make is to our Tuesday route. We'll have to spread it out over two days. Tuesday and Wednesday, in order to accommodate all the extra customers who've started taking advantage of curbside recycling. I'm hoping that this increase in business will mean we'll be able to afford to purchase new, more energy efficient vehicles by the end of the year.

スコア社会の到来間近か

Posted at 2017.12.22 Category : 未分類

TOEICのスコアアップにこだわる人だってスコアが全てではない領域があることは百も承知でしょう。でも、そんな考えすら甘っちょろくてスコアが全ての社会が到来しつつあるかもしれません。

中国では日本よりもはるかにキャシュレス社会が進んでいることは以下のような記事からも伺い知れますね。

現金お断りの店、日本でも　賽銭もキャッシュレスに

Beyond the Finance 金融を超えて

2017/12/19 0:00［有料会員限定］

中国アリババ集団のアリペイは、電子決済サービス「アリペイ（支付宝）」の利用者から集まるビッグデータを、融資の際の信用力の判断やこれまで金融機関が敬遠してきた借り手の開拓などに使っている。今後は日本でもこうした取り組みが活発になりそうだ。

このような信用力がどうなっているのかよくわかる記事が最新号のWiredに載っていました。アリペイでの使用履歴によって各人のクレジットスコアが算定され、それを基に受けられるサービスも変わってくるというのです。スコアの高い人付き合いがあればその人のスコアも上がるというのも生々しいですね。さらに中国政府はsocial creditという概念で日常生活にもスコアを導入しようとしているとか。

MARA HVISTENDAHL

BUSINESS

12.14.1706:00 AM

INSIDE CHINA'S VAST NEW EXPERIMENT IN SOCIAL RANKING

For those with good behavior, Zhima Credit offers perks through cooperation agreements that Ant Financial has signed with hundreds of companies and institutions. Shenzhou Zuche, a car rental company, allows people with credit scores over 650 to rent a car without a deposit. In exchange for this vetting, Shenzhou Zuche shares data, so that if a Zhima Credit user crashes one of the rental company’s cars and refuses to pay up, that detail is fed back into his or her credit score. For a while people with scores over 750 could even skip the security check line at Beijing Capital Airport.

To see if I could do anything to pull my score up, I took a taxi one morning to a chic open-air shopping center outside Shanghai’s city center to meet with Chen Chen, a 30-year-old illustrator. Chen told a mutual friend on WeChat that she had an “excellent” rating on Zhima Credit, and I wanted to ask her counsel. We bought coffee and walked to an outdoor seating area. Chen wore a button-down shirt open over a white T-shirt and skinny jeans. Her hair was bleached to a straw yellow, and a line of sparkly eye shadow was swept under each eye. On Zhima Credit she clocked in at 710, and her background color was a calming sky blue.

She explained how to boost my score. “They will check what kind of friends you have,” she said. “If your friends are all high-score people, it’s good for you. If you have some bad-credit people as friends, it’s not nice.” After signing up for Alipay, I sent friend requests to all of my phone contacts. Only six people accepted. One of my new Alipay friends was a man I used to tutor in English and probably my wealthiest friend in Shanghai. He owned several businesses, a fleet of cars, and a spacious villa in a posh neighborhood. But another was my old tailor, who lived with her family in a single room in a dilapidated house, with piles of cloth obscuring the thin windows. Did the tailor’s impact on my score cancel out the businessman’s? And was I dragging both of them down?

信用できない人物と認定されると旅行もまともにできなくなり、ローンも借りれなくなるとか。

Chinese people who have been branded untrustworthy are getting the first glimpse of what a unified system might mean. One day last May, Liu Hu, a 42-year-old journalist, opened a travel app to book a flight. But when he entered his name and national ID number, the app informed him that the transaction wouldn’t go through because he was on the Supreme People’s Court blacklist. This list—literally, the List of Dishonest People—is the same one that is integrated into Zhima Credit. In 2015 Liu had been sued for defamation by the subject of a story he’d written, and a court had ordered him to pay $1,350. He paid the fine, and even photographed the bank transfer slip and messaged the photo to the judge in the case. Perplexed as to why he was still on the list, he contacted the judge and learned that, while transferring his fine, he had entered the wrong account number. He hurried to transfer the money again, following up to make sure the court had received it. This time the judge did not reply.

Although Liu hadn’t signed up for Zhima Credit, the blacklist caught up with him in other ways. He became, effectively, a second-class citizen. He was banned from most forms of travel; he could only book the lowest classes of seat on the slowest trains. He could not buy certain consumer goods or stay at luxury hotels, and he was ineligible for large bank loans. Worse still, the blacklist was public. Liu had already spent a year in jail once before on charges of “fabricating and spreading rumors” after reporting on the shady dealings of a vice-mayor of Chongqing. The memory of imprisonment left him stoic about this new, more invisible punishment. At least he was still with his wife and daughter.

このあたりの概略について昨年末に雑誌Economistも詳しい記事を書いていました。こうなるとすぐに中国独裁国家という連想になりますが、大きな技術的問題があるのでそんな簡単にいくわけでもなさそうですが。。。

Big data, meet Big Brother

China invents the digital totalitarian state

The worrying implications of its social-credit project

Dec 17th 2016 | BEIJING

So can a vast social-credit system work? The Chinese face two big technical hurdles: the quality of the data and the sensitivity of the instruments to analyse it. Big-data projects everywhere—such as the attempt by Britain’s National Health Service to create a nationwide medical database—have stumbled over the problem of how to prevent incorrect information from fouling the system (this undermined the Suining experiment, too). Problems of bad data would be even more onerous in a country of 1.3bn people. Vast treasuries of data would also give big incentives for cyber-criminals to steal or change information.

How to analyse the data would be equally problematic. The feature of the social-credit system that has attracted the most attention and alarm is the notion of ascribing “credit scores” (points) to social and political activity. Here, the model seems to be America’s marketing industry. Companies work out credit scores that predict people’s patterns of consumption based on things such as job security, health risks and youth delinquency. But errors abound. The World Privacy Forum, a non-profit organisation, says credit scores are based on hundreds of data points with no standards of accuracy, transparency or completeness. As the report concluded, “error rates and false readings become a big issue.” Garbage in, garbage out.

こういう記事を読むと「中国けしから〜ん」となりますが、GoodleやFacebook, Appleあたりがやっていることもこれに近いことなんでしょうね。

趣味だからってすべてが許されるの？

Posted at 2017.12.17 Category : 未分類

TOEIC批判への反論は「趣味だから」というのが相場ですが、TOEICに関しては社会的評価が入りますから事情は複雑になるでしょう。TOEICで仕事を得たりする人が出ていますから、趣味だと言い張るなら会社の人事にTOEICスコアは報告しないなど徹底して欲しいです。

まあこのあたりを深掘りするのが今回の目的ではありません。趣味だって間違った事を言い放しでいいんでしょうかねえ。例えば間違った解釈をしている人を見かけたらそのまま無視すればいいのでしょうか。TOEIC高得点の人はそれだけで初学者にとってはそれだけで説得力を持ちますから、間違いの放置はよくないと思います。

「TOEICなんて趣味だもん！！」というグループからはこういうのは大きなお世話だという批判を浴びてしまいそうですが、気になったツイート（ツイート内のリンクは削除）があったもので。。。

💬Isn't the hotel still closed?（ホテルはまだ閉鎖されてるよね）

💬No, I think it's been repaired.（はい、修理中だったと思います）

否定疑問文では、YesがNoになる！？未だに慣れない💦

Yes（いいえ）、No（はい）

ここでのNoはclosedを否定しているのでnot closed（閉鎖されていない）→オープンしているとなるはずです。疑問文でのstillの意味も加味して日本語にすると以下のような感じでしょうか。

Isn't the hotel still closed?（もうホテルは閉鎖されていないですよね）

- No, I think it's been repaired.（閉鎖されていません、修理は完了したと思います）

動詞repairが現在完了形で使われていたら、「修理が終わった」という意味ですから、Noの後の繋がりも自然です。TOEICからの似たような応答を紹介します。

(Woman) Has the sink in lab two been repaired yet?

(Man) No. I talked to the plumber yesterday and he said he wouldn't get here to fix it until Friday.

２番の実験室の流しはもう修理できたかしら。

いや。昨日配管工と話したけど、金曜日までは修理に来られないそうだよ。

仲間で指摘している人がいないので、正しい英文解釈なんてTOEICが趣味の人にとってはどうでもよくて正答が選べればどうでもいいのかもしれませんね。。。。

TOEICでのaccidentとincident

Posted at 2017.12.15 Category : 未分類

2017年12月13日　中日新聞朝刊

のぞみ異臭、台車枠に亀裂　新幹線初の重大インシデント認定

　博多発東京行きのぞみ３４号が十一日に走行中、車両から異臭や異常音がして東海道新幹線名古屋駅で運休となったトラブルがあり、車両を所有するＪＲ西日本は十二日、車体と車軸を固定する鋼製の台車枠に亀裂が、台車に油漏れが見つかったと発表した。

　運輸安全委員会は同日、事故につながる恐れがあったとして二〇〇一年に前身の航空・鉄道事故調査委員会ができて以降、新幹線で初の重大インシデントと認定し、鉄道事故調査官を名古屋駅に派遣した。

***********

＜重大インシデント＞　航空機や鉄道で起きたトラブルのうち、国土交通省の外局である運輸安全委員会が事故につながりかねないと判断した事態。これまで旅客機の緊急着陸や部品落下のほか、鉄道では走行中の開扉や進入ミスなどが認定されている。該当した場合、事故調査官らで構成される運輸安全委は中立、公正な立場で原因を調べる。調査結果を基に、再発防止の措置や対策について行政機関や関係者などに勧告・意見を伝え、改善を促す。

新幹線のインシデントでふとTOEICでの使われ方が気になりました。言われてみれば想像がつきますがTOEICはaccidentもincidentも無縁の世界のようでほとんど登場していませんでした。

唯一インシデントが使われていたのは、レストランで予約をしていたのに30分待たされたと苦情を出したお客宛の返答の手紙でした。

パート7のサンプル問題

Dear Ms Sokol:

I have received your letter of January 7 concerning your recent visit to our restaurant in London I am very sorry that you did not have an enjoyable experience I agree that you should not have had to wait over thirty minutes for a table when you had made a reservation in advance Please know that this was an isolated incident and that our customers usually remark on the promptness of our staff.

店側の謝罪の手紙ではPlease know that this was an isolated incident and that our customers usually remark on the promptness of our staff.と滅多に起きるものではないと釈明しています。でも待たされたお客の側にしてはaccidentだったのかもしれませんが、店側は事を大きくしたくないこともありincidentとしたいのかもしれません。

TOEICでの話はこれ以上ないので、新幹線の話に戻りますが、今回の重大インシデントという用語はあくまで国交相の外局である運輸安全委員会の使い方によるもので、しっかりと定義して使っています。だから一部のメディアでは「重大インシデント」のようにしていたのでしょう。英語版もあるので英語のお勉強もできます。

調査対象となる鉄道事故・鉄道重大インシデント

<調査対象となる鉄道事故>

◎運輸安全委員会設置法第2条第3項(鉄道事故の定義) 「鉄道事故」とは、鉄道事業法第19条の列車又は車両の運転中における事故及び専

用鉄道において発生した列車の衝突又は火災その他の列車又は車両の運転中における事故並びに軌道において発生した車両の衝突又は火災その他の車両の運転中における事故であって、国土交通省令(委員会設置法施行規則)で定める重大な事故をいう。

◎Paragraph 3, Article 2 of the Act for Establishment of the Japan Transport Safety Board (Definition of railway accident)

The term "Railway Accident" as used in this Act shall mean a serious accident prescribed by the Ordinance of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism among those of the following kinds of accidents; an accident that occurs during the operation of trains or vehicles as provided in Article 19 of the Railway Business Act, collision or fire involving trains or any other accidents that occur during the operation of trains or vehicles on a dedicated railway, collision or fire involving vehicles or any other accidents that occur during the operation of vehicles on a tramway.

*******

<調査対象となる鉄道重大インシデント>

◎運輸安全委員会設置法第2条第4項第2号(鉄道事故の兆候の定義)

鉄道事故が発生するおそれがあると認められる国土交通省令(委員会設置法施行規則) で定める事態をいう。

< Railway serious incidents to be investigated>

◎Item 2, paragraph 4, Article 2 of the Act for Establishment of the Japan Transport Safety

Board (Definition of railway serious incident)

A situation, prescribed by the Ordinance of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (Ordinance for Enforcement of the Act for Establishment of the Japan Transport Safety Board), deemed to bear a risk of accident occurrence.

より詳しい具体例などはリンク先を見てもらいたいのですが、今回のものは資料の表にある衝突・脱線・火災の危険性（Risk of collision, derailment or fire）に該当するとでも判断したのでしょう。

インシデントをどう訳せばいいのだろうという話題に関しては一例として「国際原子力事象評価尺度」を見つけました。こちらはインシデントを異常事象としています。こちらもインシデントはあくまで事故に至らなかった事象ということのようです。

Accident

Level 7: Major accident 深刻な事故

Level 6: Serious accident 大事故

Level 5: Accident with wider consequences 事業所外へリスクを伴う事故

Level 4: Accident with local consequences 事業所外へリスクを伴う事故

Incident

Level 3: Serious incident 重大な異常事象

Level 2: Incident 異常事象

Level 1: Anomaly 逸脱

Level 0: Deviation 尺度以下

人によって受け止め方はあるでしょうが「異常事象」の方が事故よりも不気味さが増しているような気もします（苦笑）

（続）隣の芝生は。。。

Posted at 2017.12.13 Category : 未分類

チャーチルなんかを例に出すと「確かに批判されるべきところはあるがあの指導力は我が国も見習うべきだ」という話になってしまいそうです。でも外国のことを都合の良いところだけを取り出して話題にしやすい傾向というのは現にあると思うんですよね。

こういうのは、海外での日本の取り上げられ方を見てみるとその辺りの気持ち悪さを実感できるかもしれません。比較対象としてはチャーチルとあまりにも違いますが、最近Ikigaiという洋書が出たそうです。

ありがちな自己啓発本なので真面目に取り上げるべきものではないかもしれませんが、出著者による宣伝記事が以下です。

Want to live longer? Find your ikigai

In Japan, people over retirement age don’t put their feet up. They harness their ikigai

Animated characters pensioner Carl Fredricksen and a boy, Russell, flying through the air holding onto a giant bird in the film Up

Héctor García

Sunday 3 September 2017 06.00 BST

It is now known that working for longer may help you live longer. This may not sound all that appealing, but staying in the workplace for just one year more than another retired and healthy counterpart has been shown to be associated with an 11% lower risk of death from all causes. But perhaps there’s another way to gain these extra years without commuting for any longer than necessary.

The people of Japan know this intuitively, which is one of the key reasons they have the longest life expectancy in the world.

In Japanese culture, retiring and not keeping your mind and body busy is seen as being bad for your health since it disconnects your soul from your ikigai. Ikigai can be translated as “a reason for being” – the thing that gets you out of bed each morning. Finding your ikigai is felt to be crucial to longevity and a life full of meaning. The people of Japan keep doing what they love, what they are good at, and what the world needs even after they have left the office for the last time.

定年退職しても働くのがIkigaiで長寿の秘訣だなんて言われたら日本人としては黙っていられないですよね。Japan Timesの書評ではボロクソに叩いています。

‘Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life’: Does happiness lie in your purpose in life?

BY IAIN MALONEY

NOV 4, 2017

It’s an assertion the book fails to live up to: They don’t connect ikigai with longevity in any convincing way. Instead the book is a patchwork of platitudes about diet and exercise, broken by interviews with centenarians and discussions of trends in psychotherapy. Their conclusion is correlation passed off as causation; the book is self-help painted as pseudo-philosophy.

It’s frustrating because there are many uncertainties about the aging process, and the lifestyles and psychological make up of centenarians are as much part of the conversation as genes and cell division. There is laudable scientific inquiry in the questions the authors ask but little evidence of anything more than journalistic exploration in their search for the answers.

とほほなのは茂木健一郎さんもIkigaiについての本を洋書で書いていること。なんだかなですね。。。

隣の芝生は。。。

Posted at 2017.12.13 Category : 未分類

映画ダンケルクと同時期の様子を描いた映画がアメリカで公開されるようです。こちらの映画はダンケルクの映画では意識的に排除されていたチャーチルを取り上げているようです。以前、映画ダンケルクの時にチャーチルの演説を紹介しましたがこの予告編でも使われていますね。

we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be,
we shall fight on the beaches,
we shall fight on the landing grounds,
we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,
we shall fight in the hills;
we shall never surrender

NYT映画評だと以下のようにリーダーシップの見本のような人物がチャーチルだと触れています。日本でもチャーチル関連の本はそんなのばっかりですね。でも本国イギリスの受け止め方はそんな単純ではないようです。

The contours of this story are reasonably familiar. The outcome even more so. (Just in case, a helpful text before the final credits reminds us that Germany eventually lost the war.) Churchill himself is among the most revered and studied figures of 20th-century history: a synonym for leadership; a great man in an age of monsters; a source of pithy quotations, some of which he actually said; an example to be cited by political mediocrities in need of an ego boost.

ガーディアンの記事にその点について触れているものがありました。

Churchill 'in the year of Trump': Darkest Hour feeds America's love for Winston

As US moviegoers and politicians see Gary Oldman as Britain’s wartime PM, more critical – and more British – views of the great man are likely to be in short supply

David Smith in Washington

Sunday 26 November 2017 07.00 GMT

“In the year of Trump and the doubts a lot of Americans have about the whole concept of leadership, Churchill is about to get an extra boost,” said Andrew Roberts, a British historian whose biography of Churchill will be published next year.

“It’s having a leader whom everyone admires and looks up to and is working towards a goal that everyone needs. It does remind people that kind of uncomplicated, unequivocal leadership can be out there.”

**************

Americans are generally unburdened by the multiple critiques of Churchill that have arisen in the UK in recent years, Roberts argued.

Historians have pointed to his resistance to giving women the right to vote in the 1900s; his decision to send troops in to quell riots in Tonypandy, Wales, in 1910-11; his role in the Siege of Sidney Street in London in 1911; his disastrous military campaign in Gallipoli in 1915; and his imperialistic views on race, notably India.

These register less in the US, Roberts said, because the narrative of the second world war leader is still dominant. “Similarly, you and I probably think of Roosevelt as one of the great American presidents but if you go to America, you hear people raising concerns over how he funded the New Deal and other things.”

この記事でリンクが貼られていたBBCの記事が以下ですがいっぱい問題点がありますね。。。

The 10 greatest controversies of Winston Churchill's career

By Tom Heyden

BBC News Magazine

26 January 2015

1. Views on race

2. Poison gas

3. Bengal famine

4. Statements about Gandhi

5. Attitudes towards Jews

6. Attitudes towards Islam

7. Treatment of strikers

8. Sidney Street siege

9. Role in Ireland

10. Cash for influence

次の動画では主演のオルドマンもその辺りを聞かれていますが、彼はチャーチルを絶賛しています。

Test 3はどこにいった？

Posted at 2017.12.08 Category : 未分類

公式問題集3が韓国公式第二弾のTest2と4だったことで「じゃあ他のTestはどうなったの？」と疑問に思いますよね。

さっと夏前に出たトレーニングの本を調べてみたらTest1とTest5の問題が一部使われていました。ということは公式問題集4が出るときにはそのまま使われるということはないということですね。

ただこのトレーニング本でTest3は未確認でした。Test3はどこにいったのでしょう。。。

人間らしさ

Posted at 2017.12.07 Category : 未分類

今回のブレードランナーのテーマの一つは「人間らしさ」。その中でこんな言葉が出てきました。テロの時代である現代は物騒に響く言葉ですが。。。

“Dying for the right cause is the most human thing you can do”

‘I’ve seen things you people wouldn’tbelieve’: what Blade Runner 2049’s dystopia tells us about 2017

The best sci-fi films hold up a mirror to the age in which they are made. So what can we learn from the future – and what it means to be human – in Denis Villeneuve’s film?

Steve Rose

Friday 6 October 2017 06.00 BST

Beyond the Baudrillardian philosophising about “how do we know we’re human?”, Blade Runner 2049 asks what it means to be human, and it boldly ventures some suggestions. It is the ability to form connections, to empathise with others, to love, to have values. It is also the will to act, to resist, to fight for those values. “Dying for the right cause is the most human thing you can do,” says one character. It’s a call to revolution. Not tomorrow but now.

ルターを学んだばかりだったので彼のものとされる言葉を連想してしまいました。

「たとえ明日、世界が滅びると知っても今日私はリンゴの木を植えるだろう」

"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree."

"If I knew that tomorrow was the end of the world, I would plant an apple tree today!

このルターの言葉はよくある本人は言っていないもののようで第二次大戦前後の比較的新しいものだとか。

The Reformer loved trees

"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant an apple tree today", Martin Luther is said to have proclaimed. However, there is no proof that he ever uttered this sentence. Volkmar Joestel, author of the book "Legenden um Martin Luther und andere Geschichten aus Wittenberg" (Legends around Martin Luther and other stories from Wittenberg) assumes that this sentence was ascribed to the Reformer in the difficult times of hope and despair after the Second World War.

*** *** *** *** ***

Luther and the Apple Tree

Many more legends about Luther and trees swirl around, one of the best known should be mentioned, the famous saying: "If I knew that tomorrow was the end of the world, I would plant an apple tree today!" is attributed to Luther.

One must remember, that the first written evidence of this saying comes from 1944...

このあたりを深掘りしたなんともピンポイントな本が宗教改革コーナーにあったので、興味本位で買ってしまいました。

ルターのりんごの木―格言の起源と戦後ドイツ人のメンタリティ

このあたりのバリエーションは「ハチドリのひとしずく」とかたくさんありますよね。Yutaが思い浮かんだのは魯迅の鉄の部屋の比喩。便利な世の中で英語版も合わせてサイトがヒットしました。

（日本語訳）

「たとえば一間の鉄部屋があって、どこにも窓がなく、どうしても壊すことが出来ないで、内に大勢熟睡しているとすると、久しからずして皆悶死するだろうが、彼等は昏睡から死滅に入って死の悲哀を感じない。現在君が大声あげて喚び起すと、目の覚めかかった幾人は驚き立つであろうが、この不幸なる少数者は救い戻しようのない臨終の苦しみを受けるのである。君はそれでも彼等を起し得たと思うのか」

　と、わたしはただこう言ってみた。すると彼は

「そうして幾人は已に起き上った。君が著手ちゃくしゅしなければ、この鉄部屋の希望を壊したといわれても仕方がない」

　そうだ。わたしにはわたしだけの確信がある。けれど希望を説く段になると、彼を塗りつぶすことは出来ない、というのは希望は将来にあるもので、決してわたしの「必ず無い」の証明をもって、彼のいわゆる「あるだろう」を征服することは出来ない。

（英語訳）

"Imagine an iron house without windows, absolutely indestructible, with many people fast asleep inside who will soon die of suffocation. But you know since they will die in their sleep, they will not feel the pain of death. Now if you cry aloud to wake a few of the lighter sleepers, making those unfortunate few suffer the agony of irrevocable death, do you think you are doing them a good turn?"

"But if a few awake, you can't say there is no hope of destroying the iron house."

True, in spite of my own conviction, I could not blot out hope, for hope lies in the future. I could not use my own evidence to refute his assertion that it might exist.

まあ理想に燃えやすい若者のならまだしもある程度、歳を経るとそこそこのお金とそこそこの地位もついてきますから現状維持でいいやという気にもなるのも分かります。

文脈で意味が変わる

Posted at 2017.12.07 Category : 未分類

長いしな〜と敬遠していたブレードランナー新作。ようやく見に行ってきました。内容は面白かったですが、未来のイメージが古い感じがしてしまうのは３０年の年月なんでしょうか。前作の世界観を壊さないようにしたのはわかりますが。。。

少し気になったのは予告編でのセリフ。LETOが扮するレプリカント製造メーカー社長の言葉が予告編によって意味が変わってしまていませんか？

Humanity cannot survive. Replicants are the future of the species but I can only make so many.

Every civilization was built off the back of a disposable work force. But I can only make so many.

Every leap of civilization was built off the backs of slaves. Replicants are the future, but I can only make so many. I have the lock, and he has the key.

予告編1の場合はレプリカントが人間にとって変わるみたいな意味合いですが、予告編2と3だとdisposable workersの未来形がレプリカントのように思えます。

（予告編1）Humanity cannot survive. Replicants are the future of the species but I can only make so many.

（予告編2）Every civilization was built off the back of a disposable work force. But I can only make so many.

（予告編3）Every leap of civilization was built off the backs of slaves. Replicants are the future, but I can only make so many. I have the lock, and he has the key.

映画本編ではslavesは使われずにdisposable work forceだったように思えます。さすがに言葉がどきついからでしょうか。