THE HORROR of ZOMBIE CICADA ~ゾンビ蝉の恐怖~　－洋平ブログー

投稿日時: 投稿者:
アメリカのウェストバージニア州といえば、かの有名なジョン・デンバーの名曲「カントリー・ロード」の主人公の故郷ですが、近ごろこの州で、大量のゾンビが飛び回っているそうです。
ゾンビといえば、数々のホラーゲームや、「ウォーキング・デッド」のような海外ドラマでもおなじみの、「意志も知性もない死から蘇った生ける屍」で、ひとたび噛まれると、普通の人もゾンビ化してしまうという、恐ろしいやから達ですね。でも、ゾンビはあくまで架空のキャラクターのはずです。
しかし、このゾンビ蝉は架空ではなく、実在する本物の「ゾンビ」なのです。「マソスポラ」という細菌が蝉の個体に入り込み、下腹部の内臓を食い尽くし、できた空洞に胞子を張り巡らせ他の蝉へ感染拡散ができる状態にすると同時に、蝉の脳神経経路完全に乗っ取るのだそうです。
つまり、この細菌に侵された蝉は、自分の意志とは全く切り離されながら、飛び回るというのです！！まさにゾンビです！！更に、マソスポラという細菌は幻覚症状を引き起こすともわかっているよう。つまりこの蝉たちは何も知らずに幻覚を見ながら飛び回っていることになります！
このゾンビ蝉の英語記事はプラネットアカデミーのツイッターでリツイートしましたので、興味ある方はぜひ、英語で読んでみてください（ゾンビ蝉の写真もありますよ！）
twitter: @sasahataenglish

Blog – Daniel

投稿日時: 投稿者:
Daniel先生の日記：
ダニエル先生、週末に焼き肉、たこの刺身、激辛ラーメンなど「本場」の日本食を堪能したようです…

This has been a good week for me to eat some different types of food.

While I know they are very common for most Japanese people, I still haven’t had the chance to eat them so often. I was lucky to have been able to eat a lot of really tasty meals over the past couple of days.
First I had yakiniku which I found to be really fun as well as delicious.  In Canada I would really enjoy barbecuing in the backyard, and although it’s inside it’s still really enjoyable.
I also got to have salted octopus sashimi which is one of my favourite foods.  Many of my friends think that it’s strange but it’s so tasty to me.
Finally I had spicy shoyu ramen.  I really love spicy foods so I try to get the spiciest dishes there are to offer whenever I get the chance.
Japan has so many delicious foods to try and I have only scratched the surface.  I hope everyone is staying safe, having a wonderful weekend.

Blog

投稿日時: 投稿者:

A bag for life?

今日(7/1）より日本ではスーパーやコンビニでのレジ袋が有料になりますね。すでに日本ではエコバッグの使用は浸透しているようです。世界でも環境のためにプラスチックゴミを減らす運動が広がっています。そこで、英語でエコバッグのいろいろな言い方を紹介します。

eco-bag
eco-friendly bag
reusable bag
reusable shopping bag
shopping bag
tote bag
shopping tote
ここまではだいたいどこの英語圏でも違和感がなさそうですが、
bag for life （一生使えるバッグ）という呼び方はイギリスでしか通用しないかもしれません。

Blog – 新ネイティブ講師　Daniel先生

投稿日時: 投稿者:

今月から、Mark先生に代わってキッズ、社会人のクラスを担当するネイティブ講師のDaniel 先生の初ブログです。子供のころの思い出の映画、バックトゥザフューチャーの日本語吹き替え版をテレビで見た驚きを書いてくれました。

Hello everyone my name is Daniel and I recently moved to Tokyo.
I wanted to talk about my first experience watching a movie from home on cable television in Japan. Last night was the first time I’ve watched Japanese television in about 4 months. I was really surprised and excited to find out that they were playing one of my favorite childhood movies “Back to the Future” on the television. I was also very surprised that all of the voices have been changed to Japanese because usually when I watch western movies the audio usually remains the same. I had expected it to be in English with Japanese subtitles, but since I already knew the movie very well it was good practice for me to work on my listening skills. I think it’s a really good practice to watch movies in the language you are learning and to read the subtitles in your native language. My friend even informed me that they will be playing the sequel this upcoming Friday so I am really looking forward to that. It was a very nostalgic feeling to see a movie that I haven’t seen in over a decade.
I hope you all have a great week and enjoy your upcoming weekend.

 

Blog – Mark

投稿日時: 投稿者:
Mark先生の日記　家族や友人のために祈ろう
Hello,
Today I want to talk about family. With this hellacious Coronavirus Pandemic going on across the planet, there’s a great need to express the love and care we should be showing each other. Family, friends, and neighbors should work together so we can all get through it. My Family’s in Hawaii, California, DC, New York, South Carolina, etc.. We can stay in touch via Skype and other apps. Well for me, prayer is num #1. Believing and having faith in Jesus helps me to stay strong and keep pushing forward. So if you’re feeling down and negative. Try concentrating on family and the many blessings you already have. Don’t forget to reach out to others because everybody needs somebody in times like this. Lets all keep the positivity flowing! PEACE!
2020
世界中でコロナウィルスの感染が深刻です。マーク先生の家族は皆アメリカのいろいろな都市に離れて暮らしています。
遠くにいる家族や友達は心配ですね。どもそんな時こそみんなと協力しながら強く前進していこう、というメッセージです。頑張って読んでみてください！！（写真はマーク先生とご家族）

Blog – Mark

投稿日時: 投稿者:

マーク先生の日記

Do you believe in visualization? Lately I’ve been watching a lot of videos on Youtube about the power of visualizing your goals into reality. It’s about living your dreams and not your nightmares. One of my best motivational speakers goes by the name “Les Brown”. His speeches are very moving to me. It’s like taking a morning vitamin of pure life and energy. It gives me the confidence and energy I need to get through the day. Also I listen to a compilation of speakers from many different genres. Some are movie stars, sportsmen, world leaders, and regular individuals who strive and are destined for greatness. So if you need a little “pick me upper” in your day then I recommend listening to different motivational speakers and find the ones that moves you best. I swear to you it works, PEACE!
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
visualization: 視覚化
compilation: 編集物
strive: 努力する
destine: 運命づける
motivational speaker:動機付けスピーカー

＊解説
マーク先生、最近「視覚化」（Visualization）をつかった自己啓発にはまっているようですね。
自分の夢や目標を「視覚化」できれば、実現につなげるというポジティブな考え方です。
確かに、海外や日本でも、この「視覚化して夢を叶える」という考え方は多くの人に指示されていて芸能人やスポーツ選手、政治家がこの方法をいろいろなメディアで紹介や推奨をしています。
中でもマーク先生がYoutubeではまっているのが アメリカのLes Brownという人で、米下院議員、著者、ラジオDJ、テレビ司会者などの経歴を持ち、”It’s possible!” （それは可能です!）をキャッチフレーズに活動をする最も有名な動機付けスピーカーの一人です。
（写真はハワイにいたときのマーク先生とマーク先生のご家族）

Blog – Mark

投稿日時: 投稿者:
【Mark 先生のつぶやき～最近ハマってるTVドラマ】
So… I’m like really into TV series nowadays. Recently I’ve been locked into a TV series titled “IMPULSE” season 1. You can watch it on YouTube Premium. What a strange name right? Anyway, I highly recommend this TV show. It’s exciting, intriguing, and suspenseful. Also, if you’re into a little blood and gore then you’ll love this. Basically it’s about a girl who discovers she has a super power. Through emotions, fear, and anger triggers her teleporting ability. When she first starts noticing she has this ability, she didn’t have a clue about how to control it. That resulted in her accidentally killing people. So eventually she grasped her ability and did unimaginable things which some she regrets and some she doesn’t. Also she finds out her power isn’t a secret and there’s been a private elite team tracking her every move.Now she’s faced with having to choose between using her power for the greater good or the dark side. I can’t wait for season 2!! PEACE!
～～解説～～
Mark先生、YouTube Premium のシリーズドラマ　”Impulse”にはまっているようです。
本人曰く、このドラマは exciting（ハラハラドキドキ）で intriguing（刺激的）で、しかも suspenseful（サスペンス満載）と絶賛しています。
シーズン１では、時には制御不能な超能力を持つ女の子がその力を使って善(the greater good)につくのか、悪(the dark side)につくのか、もしくは力を封印して普通の人として生きるのかという葛藤を描きつつ、その力に目をつけ彼女に忍び寄る謎のエリート組織が登場します。
バイオレントなシーンもあるようで、Mark 先生は、多少の流血シーンがOKな人という条件付きでこのドラマをお勧めしています。上記英文の　”… if you’re into a little blood and gore…” という部分ですが、
be into ~: ～に興味を持つ、はまる
blood and gore: 血液や血のり
a little:少しだけ
ですからわかりやすいですね。
それにしても、最近アメリカでは、超能力をもった子供が主人公のドラマが流行ってますね。
この”Impulse”の他にもNetflix が配信する”Stranger Things” や “Raising Dion” も大ヒットしています。どれも期待を裏切らないクオリティーなのでお勧めですよ。是非吹替ではなく、原語（英語）で見てください！
でも、テレビの見過ぎ→寝不足にならないよう、お気をつけを。

Blog – Mark

投稿日時: 投稿者:

Mark先生の日記

Buffet Party!!

So my wife and I decided we wanted to pig out today. We chose the Prince Hotel in Shinagawa. HAPUNA LUXE DINING. This place is amazing! So many different varieties of foods to choose from! It’s like heaven for people who loves to eat lol. When I arrived, the first thing I dove into was the crab legs. It was an all you eat buffet so that’s exactly what I did. I ate all the crab legs I could. Then I got sick… what a bummer. I ate that seafood like a wild man! Maybe I shouldn’t have but at least a brother got his money’s worth. Ha-ha got you suckers!

マーク先生、先週末は品川プリンスホテルのレストランでビュッフェを楽しんだようですね。大好物のかにを食べすぎた、と書いてあります。
面白いネイティブの表現として、”pig out” （大食いする）というのがあります。lol はアメリカの絵文字です。

Blog – Sharika

投稿日時: 投稿者:

シャリカ先生の休日日記　～奈良　室生山公園芸術森～

Hello, everyone.
Happy New Year.
I hope that you ended 2019 with a blast and I am wishing for a prosperous New Year. May we all be blessed this 2020.

Last New Year holiday, I got some free time, so I decided to go to Kansai area with my friends. There’s this place that I’ve been dying to visit the first time I saw its picture. This place is not as popular as other tourist spots in Japan. Only a few people are aware of it as well. It’s located in the remote part of western Nara. Let me tell you more about it.

The place I’m talking about is Muro Art Forest. Have you heard of it before? It’s an open-air museum and park in the heart of Muro village. It is a 700 meters (2,300 feet) in length park. It is originally conceptualized by Bukichi Inoue, a local sculptor and the varied art pieces in the park were designed by renowned Israeli sculptor, Dani Karavan. The art used was based on the theme “Harmony between Nature and Art”.

This place is a family-friendly destination. It is a perfect place to relax and escape from the bustle of everyday life. It’s such a peaceful place. I hope you’ll get a chance to see and visit this place. For you to get to there, you have to go hiking for 30 minutes, not to mention the train and bus rides for long hours. It may be difficult to get there but it’s all worth it.

Let me share a picture of me in my favorite art piece.
I hope you’ll like it.

＊シャリカ先生、今回の年末年始休暇を利用して写真で見た時からずっと行きたかったという「室生山公園芸術の森」を訪れました。素晴らしいアートを堪能できて、しかも奈良県の他の観光スポットにくらべると、訪れる人が少ない穴場スポットだそうです。皆さまも訪れてみてはいかがでしょうか?