2021-Feb-8 Level 3 「平成」について

Lesson Dialogues

Situation 1

The teacher and Kato-kun are talking during a social studies class at school.

先生(せんせい)：じゃあ、今日(きょう)は「平成(へいせい)」について考(かんが)えたいと思(おも)います。どんな時代(じだい)だったのか。振(ふ)り返(かえ)ってみましょう。

Teacher: Well, I would like us to think about the "Heisei" period today. What kind of period was it? Let us try looking back on it.

• 平成(へいせい) Heisei era
• 振(ふ)り返(かえ)る to turn one's head; to look back

加藤(かとう)：先生(せんせい)！過去(かこ)を振(ふ)り返(かえ)るより、大事(だいじ)なのはこれからですよね！

Kato: Sensei! What happens going forward is more important than looking back on the past, isn't it?

• 過去(かこ) past

先生(せんせい)：なるほど、加藤(かとう)くん。それも悪(わる)くない考(かんが)え方(かた)だね。けれど、過去(かこ)から勉強(べんきょう)するというのも、大事(だいじ)な考(かんが)え方(かた)ですよ。

Teacher: I see what you mean, Kato-kun. That's not a bad way of thinking about it too. However, learning from the past is also an important attitude to have.

• なるほど I see (you use this especially when you initially didn't understand something.))
• 考(かんが)え方(かた) way of thinking; attitude

加藤(かとう)：へー。そうなんですか。

Kato: Hmm. I see.

先生(せんせい)：よし、じゃあ加藤(かとう)くん。平成(へいせい)になって、これまでと変(か)わったこと。どんなことがあると思(おも)いますか？

Teacher: Well then, Kato-kun, what do you think are some of the things that have changed ever since the Heisei period?

• よし All right; OK; Good; Fine

加藤(かとう)：変(か)わったことですか！？うーん…。

Kato: Things that have changed?! Umm...

先生(せんせい)：例(たと)えば、私達(わたしたち)の生活(せいかつ)の面(めん)とか。どうなりましたか？

Teacher: Think about our daily life, for example. What has happened to it?

• 面(めん) side, aspect; page; surface

加藤(かとう)：うーん…。昔(むかし)より、いろいろと便利(べんり)になったと思(おも)います。

Kato: Hmm... It has become more convenient in various ways than in the past.

• 便利(べんり) n. convenience; na-adj. useful, convenient

先生(せんせい)：そうですね。私達(わたしたち)の生活(せいかつ)も、様々(さまざま)な面(めん)で便利(べんり)になりましたね。例(たと)えば、どんな物(もの)が便利(べんり)になったと思(おも)いますか？

Teacher: That's right. Our lives have become more convenient in various aspects. What kind of things do you think have come in handy, for instance?

• 様々(さまざま) various; all kinds of

加藤(かとう)：あ、スマホです！スマホがあれば、様々(さまざま)なことができるようになりました！

Kato: Oh, smartphones! We can now do various things when we have a smartphone!

• スマホ smartphone
• ～ば if: 行(い)けば分(わ)かる。You'll understand if you go; why don't you?: だったら行(い)けば。Then, why don't you go.

先生(せんせい)：たしかにそうですね。いいとこに気付(きづ)きましたね。じゃあ誰(だれ)か、他(ほか)に何(なに)かありますか？

Teacher: You're certainly right. That's a good point you made (You noticed a good point)). Well, can someone tell me if there is anything else?

• 確(たし)か adj. sure, certain, reliable; adv. maybe, probably, if I remember rightly, it's my understanding that; 確(たし)かに surely, certainly; you're right: 確(たし)かに天気(てんき)が悪(わる)いね。The weather is certainly bad.
• 気付(きづ)く to notice; to become aware

Situation 2

Hanae and Takuya and talking.

タカコ：ねえ、知(し)ってる？学校(がっこう)のパソコン、また利用(りよう)できなくなるんだって。しばらくの間(あいだ)。

Takako: Hey, do you know? They said the school computer can't be used again for a while.

• パソコン personal computer
• 利用(りよう) use, utilization; 利用(りよう)する to use, to utilize
• しばらく for a while; for a minute; for a long time
• 間(あいだ) distance, space (between)), period; 間(あいだ)に during, while: 寝(ね)てる間(あいだ)に電話(でんわ)があった。I had a call while I was asleep.

ミナミ：えー、なんで？やっと昨日(きのう)から、利用(りよう)できるようになったのに。

Minami: Huh, why? It had finally been available for use again since yesterday.

• やっと at last; finally
• 昨日(きのう) yesterday
• ～のに although; even though: 頑張(がんば)ったのに出来(でき)なかった。I couldn't do it even though I did my best.

タカコ：昨日(きのう)、誰(だれ)かがなんか悪(わる)いことしたんだって。学校(がっこう)のパソコン使(つか)ってさ。

Takako: I heard that someone did something bad yesterday, using the school computer.

• ～さ filler word: 明日(あした)さ、暇(ひま)だったらさ、ラーメン食(た)べない？Do you want to eat ramen if you are free tomorrow?

ミナミ：なにそれ？何(なに)をやったの？

Minami: What? What did he do?

タカコ：ごめん。私(わたし)も、そこまでは知(し)らないんだ。

Takako: Sorry. I don't actually know that much either.

ミナミ：そっか。えー、けどどうしよう。困(こま)ったな。明日(あした)使(つか)おうと思(おも)ってたのに。

Minami: I see. Hmm, what should I do though? This is annoying. I was thinking of using it tomorrow.

• 困(こま)る to have difficulty; to be in trouble

タカコ：私(わたし)も。うちのパソコン、親(おや)が仕事(しごと)で使(つか)っててしばらく使(つか)えないんだよ。困(こま)るよね。

Takako: Me too. I can't use the computer at home for a while because my parents have been using it for work. This is such a hassle.

ミナミ：ほんとやめてほしい。誰(だれ)のせいか知(し)らないけどさ。

Minami: I really wish they would stop doing that, even though I don't know whose fault it is.

• ～てほしい to want/ask someone to do: ごはん作(つく)ってほしいの？Do you want me to make some food?
• せい fault; cause for blame; because of
• ～か[どうか] whether... or..., if... : 行(い)くかどうかわからない。/行(い)くかわからない。I don't know whether I go or not.

タカコ：なんでそんなやつのせいで、みんなが困(こま)らないといけないんだよ。

Takako: Why is it that everyone has to be inconvenienced because of something that guy did?

• やつ guy, fellow; thing

ミナミ：そうだよね。私達(わたしたち)、何(なに)も関係(かんけい)ないのにね。

Minami: Exactly. (We will be troubled)) Even though we have nothing to do with it.

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