林剛司のblog

Asahi Weekly(朝日新聞社)紙上にて「放課後ブッククラブ」という連載を書いています(2015年~)。『ローリングストーン』誌(日本語版)の元・翻訳者。訳詞家でもあります。近著『日本人のための楽しい「英語読書」入門─GRからはじめる「語感」を養う英語学習のススメ』(22世紀アート, 2023年)『中学英語から始める洋書の世界』(青春出版社、2020年)

中学・高校の英語教員として20年ほど勤めた後、大学に移り、現在、大学で英語、英米文学(文化)、異文化理解、英語科教育法などを教えています。Asahi Weekly紙上にて「放課後ブッククラブ」という連載を書いています(2015年~)。『ローリングストーン』誌(日本語版)の翻訳者をしていました。訳詞家でもあります。近著『日本人のための楽しい「英語読書」入門─GRからはじめる「語感」を養う英語学習のススメ』(22世紀アート, 2023年)『中学英語から始める洋書の世界』(青春出版社、2020年)

Having come across a news article online, memories of a small mishap in New York came flooding back. 

Several years ago, during my stay in the lively city of New York, a mishap unfolded. Eager to acquire a cup of self-service coffee from a nearby convenience store, I casually chose an empty paper cup and inserted it into the coffee dispenser. It wasn't until the fragrant aroma of coffee was joined by an unexpected overflow of liquid that I realized my unintentional selection of the 'Large' button, despite placing a 'Regular' cup.

In a state of mild disarray, I hastily summoned a clerk, offering contrition for my inadvertent folly. To my surprise, the response was delivered with a nonchalant familiarity, "No need to fret, it's a commonplace occurrence. Did you avoid getting burned at all?" Her demeanor suggested an air of nonchalance, swiftly rectifying the situation by retrieving another cup and expertly conducting the coffee-pouring procedure.

Upon proceeding to the cashier for a digital transaction, I asked the clerk to charge me for two cups. However, she insisted, 'No, you only had one cup, so just charge for one.' Even a fellow patron, positioned inconspicuously in my wake, interjected, "Oh, lucky you!" 

Thus, on a chilly New York morning, a heartwarming scene unfolded, as warmth infused the interactions within the walls of that convenience store, surpassing the ambient temperature.スクリーンショット (523)


Graded Readersシリーズの老舗Cambridge English Readersから1冊読んだ。Cambridge English Readersは全てがオリジナル作品で、英語のレベルはCEFR A1~C1まで揃っている。この作品はA2(総語数8,392語)で割と易しいのだが結構ワクワクするミステリーだった。このシリーズは面白いミステリーが多い。

・The Double Bass Mystery Level 2


語数 8,392語   累計 4,040,376語(404万376語)IMG_6319[1]
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Today, here in Concord, Massachusetts, I had the pleasure of reuniting with two of my fellow classmates from Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, where I spent a year as an exchange student. It had been exactly 35 years since I last saw one of them.


As we conversed, there were numerous instances when their faces evoked vivid memories of how they appeared three and a half decades ago. These moments alternated, momentarily transporting me back to that time, only to return to the present, where they stood as middle-aged men.


I now understand every word of English they speak, but I struggle to recall how we communicated back then, when my English skills were not as proficient as they are today.


The reunion today passed by in the blink of an eye, and it struck me that I should have reached out to them sooner, considering how enjoyable this encounter has been. However, it's understandable, given that we first met in an era devoid of the internet. I'm grateful that Facebook recently reconnected us, and from this point forward, I hope we can rekindle our friendship once more.

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