話題：冬・冬の旅
文法レベル：英検３級程度
所要時間：この記事は約５分で読めます。
このブログでは、冬や冬の旅に関する英単語を学ぶことができます。またこのブログはやさしい英語で書かれています。文法レベルは英検３級程度です。そのため、ぜひ日本語訳を見ずに全文を読んでみてくださいね。ですが難しい場合には「＋」をクリックして日本語訳を見てみて下さい。ブログの最後には、役立つ英単語のリストと、練習問題を載せています。
Which do you prefer: hot weather or cold weather?
You see, I like cool weather. “Cool” is not exactly cold. It’s just a little bit cold, enough to give you goosebumps, but not enough to make you uncomfortable. It’s like a spring breeze. For example, a comfortable temperature for me is 15 degrees.
+
あなたは、暑い気候と寒い気候、どちらが好きですか？
私の場合は、涼しい気候が好きです。「涼しい」は寒いとはまた違います。少し鳥肌が立つ程度に寒いというだけで、不快に感じるほどではありません。春風のようなものです。例えば、私にとっての快適な気温は15度くらいです。
I was born and raised in a tropical country, where the temperature is always above 35 degrees. However, after living 10 years in Canada, I got used to the cold. We lived through winters of -30 degrees! It’s very cold, it’s very painful, and it’s dangerous. That is too cold. But I still like it better than tropical heat. Of course, winter is not for everyone. Even native Canadians don’t like such a cold winter. So, some of them become snowbirds.
+
私は、常に気温が35度を超えるような熱帯地方の国で生まれ育ちました。しかしカナダに10年住んだことで、寒さにも慣れました。マイナス30度の冬も経験しました。とても寒く、とても苦痛で、また非常に危険でもあります。寒すぎるのです。しかし私は熱帯地方の暑さよりも、そちらの方が好きです。もちろん全ての人にとって冬が快適というわけではありません。カナダで生まれ育った人であっても、こんなに寒い冬を好むわけではありません。そのため、彼らの一部は「スノーバード」になるのです。そして彼らは常に気候の良い場所にいられるのです。
“What is a ‘snowbird’ ”, you ask?
Snowbirds are people who change the place where they live according to the seasons, just like a migratory bird! In the winter, they go to Mexico or the southern United States. Then in the summer, they come back to Canada. By living like this, they don’t have to worry about very hot summers or very cold winters. They are always in places with good weather.
+
「”スノーバード”って何？」…気になりませんか？
>スノーバードとは、渡り鳥のように季節によって住む場所を変える人たちのことです。冬になると、彼らはメキシコやアメリカ南部へ移動します。そして夏場はカナダへ戻ってくるのです。このように生活することで、彼らは暑い夏や寒い冬を心配する必要がありません。
How do these snowbirds manage to live like this?
Well, usually they are retirees. Typically, they own or rent a vacation home in the tropical country. Mexico is a popular snowbird destination because of the currency exchange rate. 1 Canadian dollar is equal to about 12 Mexican pesos, so it’s good for Canadians.
+
スノーバードたちはどのようにしてこのような生活を営んでいるのでしょうか？
大抵の場合、彼らは定年退職者です。通常、彼らは南国に別荘を持つか、借りるかしています。メキシコがスノーバードの旅行先として人気があるのは、為替レートのためです。1カナダドルは約12メキシコペソに相当するので、カナダ人にとっては好都合なのです。
However, a second home in a foreign country isn’t cheap, so not everyone can have it. But there are other ways to enjoy a snowbird lifestyle on a budget. For example, if you just want to avoid the cold snap, which usually happens in January, you can book a cruise. A cruise is a vacation on a big ship. It’s like a giant hotel on the sea. They last between 1~2 weeks, but I heard that there is a way to book the trips back-to-back, so you can completely avoid the heart of winter!
+
しかし、海外で別荘を持つことは安くはありませんので、誰もが所有出来るわけではありません。しかし予算内でスノーバードのライフスタイルを楽しむ方法は他にもあります。例えば、通常1月に起こる寒波を避けたいだけなら、クルーズを予約するという方法があります。クルーズとは、大きな船で過ごす休暇のことです。海の上の巨大なホテルのようなものです。期間は１～２週間程ですが、連続して予約する方法もあるそうなので、冬の一番寒い時期を完全に避けることが出来ます。When I retire, I want to become a snowbird too! I want to enjoy pleasant weather all year round. If I became a snowbird in Japan, I would spend the summer in Nagano and the winters in Okinawa.
How about you?
+
引退したら、私もスノーバードになりたいです！一年中快適な気候を楽しみたいと思います。もし日本でスノーバードになったら、夏は長野、冬は沖縄で過ごしてみたいです。
あなたはどうですか？
役立つ英単語
意味はやさしい英語で書かれています。理解できるかぜひ挑戦してみてください！
ですが難しい場合には「＋」をクリックして日本語訳を見てみて下さい。
-
All year round → something that happens during the entire year, and not just one month or one season.
In Brazil, it is hot all year round. It’s always 35 degrees.+
一年中 -
Back-to-back → without a stop between one period and the other.
My schedule is full with back-to-back meetings! My first meeting starts at 9:00 and finishes at 12:00. Then the next meeting starts at 12:00 and finishes at 15:00. The last meeting starts at 15:00 and finishes at 18:00.+
連続の／連続で -
Cold snap → a sudden period of the coldest weather in winter.
In Canada, the cold snap starts suddenly around January, when temperatures drop to -35. It stays cold for 2~3 weeks, then it goes back to -15.+
突然の急激な寒さ／寒波 -
Cool → pleasantly cold, like a spring day
The weather feels cool today. I think a long sleeve shirt will be enough.+
涼しい -
Currency exchange rate → the price of buying money from another country
The weak yen is good for tourists. With these low currency exchange rates, more people can afford to come to Japan and do shopping.+
為替レート -
Destination → the place where you want to travel to
Kyoto is a popular tourist destination, because it has so many beautiful temples and gardens.+
行先／旅先 -
Goosebumps → when the hairs on your skin stand up because of cold or fear. It makes it look like the skin of a chicken (or a goose).
Japanese horror stories in the summer give me goosebumps! But they really help me feel cooler.+
鳥肌 -
Migratory bird → a bird that travels from north to south looking for warm weather.
It’s nice to see migratory birds in my garden in the spring. When they come, it means summer will come soon.+
渡り鳥 -
On a budget → saving money, not spending too much
If you know how to use Mercari, you can have a stylish outfit on a budget!+
予算内で -
Painful → with lots of pain
The covid vaccine is a little painful, but it’s better than catching covid. That is much more painful!+
痛い／苦しい -
Retirees → people who are retired, who have stopped working because of old age
My grandparents are retirees, but they are very active. They exercise regularly and study English at XLingual once a week.+
退職者 -
The heart of winter → the coldest part of the winter.
In the heart of winter, my electricity bill is very high! Heating is expensive.+
一年中で最も寒い頃 -
To avoid →to stay away from something
Kabukicho can be dangerous late at night. Let’s avoid it.+
避ける -
To get used to → to become familiar with something or someone
When my son first started studying English, he was very shy. But now he got used to his teacher and to speaking English, so he talks a lot!+
慣れる -
To manage to →to have success in doing something, especially something difficult
I worked overtime yesterday and only slept for 5 hours. But I managed to do my presentation in English today!+
何とかする -
Tropical → from the area around the Equator, the line that divides the Earth in half
Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand are examples of tropical Asian countries. They’re very warm countries.+
熱帯の／熱帯地方の -
Uncomfortable →something that feels a little painful and not nice
These pants are too tight and too hot. They’re uncomfortable. I don’t want to wear them again.+
不快な
練習問題
空欄を埋めてみましょう
|
Cold snap Destination Goosebumps
On a budget Get used to Managed to |
-
In the hot Japanese summer, Nagano is a popular ________ for the people of the Tokai area. It’s much cooler than Aichi.
+
destination -
During the ________ last year, we had lots of snow. We even made a snowman!
+
cold snap -
I heard that the Osu shopping arcade is a good place to enjoy good food ________. There are many options and they’re very affordable.
+
on a budget -
Close the window, please! I'm getting ________ from this cold wind.
+
goosebumps -
Tanaka-san’s flight was delayed, but somehow he ________ arrive on time for the meeting!
+
managed to -
Chopsticks are a little difficult to use, but with some practice, you can ________ them.
+
get used to
