"the little things"

Writer is in England. She went to New Zealand to see her friends and family for a couple of weeks.
The first episode is about the jorney from London to Wellington.
During the first leg, she took quite new airplane. It was so luxury and had big personal TV screen.
However she took older airplane during second leg. It means she was bak to standard.
Tv screen was palm-sized. She really missed big screen.

The second episode is about bus-riding culture.
In small place like wellington, people who get off the bus always say thank you to driver.
However it is difference in big cities like London and Tokyo.

She said "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone" and realized that it's more that I didn't know what I had until I saw it again.

Article:
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/shukan-st/english_news/essay/2010/ey20100312/ey20100312main.htm?print=noframe

I read this and felt.......

I have same experience!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When I was in England, I always felt that british men are so kind.
Because they always keep opening the door and wait.

I'm Japanese and it is not normal in Japan and also America.
However It have became common since I came back from England.
I usually do it and I expected that men do so, but it wasn't...

I had never used a bus till I went to England. However recently I have oppotunity to ride a bus.
As writer says, it was same as liverpool that people say thank you to driver.
In Japan nobody says thank you to them, but I keep doing I did in Englan.

so then I really really miss England.


words:
"Missing something as trivial as a TV screen made me wonder"

trivial(取るに足りない、ささいな) : A trivial matter will turn into a big fight.

"I had already grown attached to my large screen and felt a little sad at its loss."

grow attached to(愛着が湧く) : When we rebuiled house, Granpa have grew attached to the house and couldn't move house a couple weeks.

*grow(育つ、大きくなる)attach to(付着する、くっつく)
This is a restored oyster reef, where oysters like to grow attached to other oysters.

"Time is precious"

Writer feels that time runs fast, when he enter every new year. Meanwhile he is reminded of his grandfather.

He spent his life for foolhardy activities. Writer thought how to make better use of his time. It was that he spend his time supporting children's spiritual development.

I read this article and felt .........

I feels that time runs fast after come of age. Recently some of my friends got married and my environment have been changing. My parents told to think about my future.

The way I see, I feel sorry to them. There are some things that we can only do when we are young. For example, fashion, night out and using student discount.

So I still keep doing what I want. Writer said "how do we stop the vandal of time?". I don't know things I am doing are wrong or not. I am doing just for fun. However I am graduating on next year. It's time to think my future.

Article:

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/shukan-st/english_news/essay/2010/ey20100101/ey20100101main.htm?print=noframe

"January 1st certainly witnesses one of the world's biggest annual celebration."

witness(to see something happen):I witnessed a robbery.

"our hearts are replete with expectations"

replete with (full of something): SPACE ALC is replete with examples of English sentences.

"to make New Year's resolutions" 新年の抱負

"it penetrates and governs life, society and the universe as a relentless force."

penetrate(to enter something and pass or spread through it, especially when this is difficult):bullets that penetrate thick armor

relentless (容赦ない、過酷な): The police kept asking her relentless questions.

"I am reminded of an insightful story"

insightful(洞察力のある): He is so insightful.

material possession(物質的財産)

"He undoubtedly wished he could live a little longer to provide his children with some words of wisdom, and undo the wrongful deeds of his past."

undoubtedly (defenitely true): That is undoubtedly true.

wisdom (knowledge gained over a long period of time through learning or experience)

deed(行い): Have you done a good deed?

"The crucial question becomes: "How do we stop the vandal of time?""

crucial(extremely important): crucial difference 重大な間違い

The Queen's English

I really empathize with this article, so I chose it.

This article is written about difference of English. Author was born and lives in New Zealand,so she is native speaker. However when she went to the bank in England, her voice didn't make out in voice recognition system. Even if people speak in English, difference countries has difference meaning or accent. For example "soccer" is called "football" in England.


When I was in England, I was teased about my accent at first.
Because my accent was really American!!!
When I went to restaurant, my English didn't get through and I have said my order over again and again.

I found good sentence.
"You need to learn how to laugh at yourself,becase embarrassment is all part of the learning process."

Actually after my studying abroad, my accent almost changed into British one.
I was really happy, when I got across with my english at the restaurant.


If you are interested in this article, please click here.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/shukan-st/english_news/essay/2010/ey20100702/ey20100702main.htm?print=noframe

entire(全体の=whole):It was the worst day in my entire life.



visualize(思い浮かべる):I can visualize scenes from the movie while listening to the music.



foppishness(気取っている)=a man who is interested in his clothes and appearance



muddled(まぜこぜの):The situation today is very muddled.



assume(思い込む):I assumed you haven't came to this party.



elicits(引き出す):She tries to elicit memories of his past.



inadvertently(うっかり):Viruses can be spread inadvertently by email users.