The head of the International Olympic Committee said he is “very confident” that spectators will be allowed to attend next year’s postponed Tokyo Olympic Summer Games — as long as they are vaccinated against COVID-19.
国際オリンピック委員会(IOC)のトーマス・バッハ会長は、新型コロナウイルスのワクチンが開発された場合、延期されている東京の夏季五輪を来年、観客が入った状態で開催することに自信を示した。
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・International Olympic Committee (IOC) 国際オリンピック委員会
・allow 人 to do 人が〜することを可能にする
・as long as … 〜する限り、〜という条件で
・vaccinate 人 人にワクチンを摂取する
・COVID-19 「新型コロナウイルス」のこと。「coronavirus disease 2019」を略して「COVID-19」
と、バッハ会長は自信を示していますが、国民はというと。
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Organizers’ hopes that the Games could still be held were boosted last week after Tokyo successfully hosted an international gymnastics competition. But public opinion surveys suggest most Japanese residents are opposed to staging the Games.
東京五輪が開催できるという組織委員会の期待は、東京で先週行われた体操の国際大会の成功を受けて高まった。しかしながら、世論調査によると、日本在住者の多くが五輪開催に反対している。
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・hold … 〜を開催する
・boost … 〜を後押しする、〜を高める
・gymnastics 体操
・competition 競技(会)、試合
・public opinion survey(s) 世論調査
・suggest … 〜を示す
・resident 居住者
・oppose to doing 〜することに反対する
・stage … 〜(試合など)を催す
ちなみに、「Organizers’ hopes that the Games could still be held were boosted〜」の部分は、
「Organizers’ hopes (that the Games could still be held)」が主語で、「were boosted〜」が「Organizers’ hopes」の述部です。
Regarding the advancement of a COVID-19 vaccine, the pharmaceutical company, Pfizer, has released information that it is nearing (近づいてきている) its finality (終局). Now, it’s on phase III and would be available for public in the future.What has been some concerns (懸念) for some people is that whether it would go under clinical tests first before it is released to the public, since it is a Western (西洋) medicine, as well as whether it would be covered by the national health insurance or not. What’s your opinion regarding this matter?
ー初めにー
Today’s Fill-In-The-Blanks Quiz:
Here’s last week’s song:
(Fast forward to 1:50)
Marry me, girl , be my fairy to the world , be my very own constellation
A teenage bride with a baby inside getting high on information
And buy me a star on the boulevard, it’s Californication
Here’s this week’s song:
(Fast forward to 1:20)
Bring a _____, ____ the crowd ; Whoever wanna come _____
Word up, ____ the ____ ; Just move ____ we off the wall
Day or night the ___’s alight ; So we dance to the _____ of ____
______ and gentlemen, I got the medicine ; So you should keep your ____ on the ball
ー続いてー
Today’s Idiom:
“raining on and off”
Usually, people would say “raining cats and dogs” to describe heavy rain. However, not a lot of people use it. Something more practical would be “raining on and off”, to describe days when it rains, then stops, then rains again, then stops again, all on the same day. Here’s a sample conversation:
A: I forgot to bring an umbrella! I’m soaking wet (びしょびしょ)!
B: Oh, yeah, the weather forecast said we’ll have light rains today, that’s why it’s raining on and off. I have two umbrellas here in the office. Do you want to borrow one of them?
A: It’s fine, I don’t think it’ll continue to rain later.
For additional help, here’s a video explaining several other idioms!
Following the election that happened a week ago, social media giant (巨大企業) TikTok has asked Trump whether it would continue to be banned in the US. This is following Trump’s initial decision of only agreeing if it were bought by an American company. Talks (会商) of several American companies buying parts of it are now under negotiation and something to be updated in the near future.
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While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last, because every little girl, watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities.
私は副大統領になる最初の女性かもしれませんが、私が最後ではありません。なぜなら今夜の光景を見ているすべての少女たちが、この国は可能性の国だと理解するからです。
・see… 〜とわかる、理解する
And to the children of our country, regardless of your gender. Our country has sent you have a clear message: dream with ambition, lead with conviction and see yourselves in a way that others may not simply because they’ve never seen it before, but know that we will applaud you every step of the way.
ジェンダーに限らず、この国のすべての子どもたちにアメリカは明確なメッセージを送りました。高い目標を掲げて夢を見ましょう。信念を持って先頭に立ちましょう。前例がないからと他人があなたを制約しようとしても、他人には見えない自分を見つけましょう。その一歩一歩に私たちは拍手を送ります。
・regardless of… 〜にも関わらず
・gender ジェンダー、性別
・ambition 野心
・conviction 信念、確信
・not simply because A but B 単にAだからではなくB
・applaud… 〜を拍手喝采する、ほめる
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Let’s start today’s article with local news. Taxi drivers in Tokyo are now allowed to refuse customers who are not wearing a mask. Before, they were only allowed to refuse those who are drunk or violent to the taxi drivers, but 10 companies have agreed to the change in their rules. This is done in order to protect the safety of the drivers and other passengers. What’s your opinion about this?
ー初めにー
Today’s Fill-In-The-Blanks Quiz:
Here’s last week’s song:
(Fast forward to 3:08)
Hey, little Anna, you’re theone
Rising before that lazy sun
Cross all the numbers off your list
I never knew it’d be like this
Here’s this week’s song:
(Fast forward to 1:50)
Marry me, ____ , be my fairy to the ____ , be my ____ own constellation
A ______ bride with a ____ inside getting high on _____________
And buy me a ____ on the boulevard, it’s _______________________
ー続いてー
Today’s Idiom:
“contrary to popular belief/opinion”
There are times when we are having conversations with our peers and they mention something they’ve heard from someone else or a generalization (一般化) they picked up somewhere, but you know yourself that what they just said is not entirely true. In those times, you can start your justification (正当化) or your opinion, with this phrase.
Here’s a sample conversation:
A: I heard that it’s hot in the Philippines all year!
B: That’s somewhat (幾分) true, but contrary to popular opinion, from November to February, it’s actually cool there.
A: Oh, I see. Then I should visit it in those months!
As you can see, person B partially (部分的) agreed with what person A said, but in the second half of person B’s sentence, they gave them their opinion and started with the idiom we are talking about today.
Much of the world has their eyes on the US election. The article summarizes what some countries think of the election and what the result means for them. The article mostly has European countries, but also has what Latin America thinks of it. Unfortunately, Asia and other parts of the world are not covered by it, but perhaps, this is something to look forward to in the coming days.