Toefl Speaking Practice - 14

Q: Some people believe that university students should be required to attend classes. Others believe that going to classes should be optional for students. Which point of view do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to explain your answer.

A: My view is that university students can decide for themselves whether to attend classes. This is simply because university is a place where you do research on your specific subject. The most important is how good research paper you can develop at the end of your term. Students have to spend their time focusing on this. From this point of view, it is natural that classes are optional. If you think attending classes would give benefits to your research, then you might as well go to the classes. If you think attending classes is only waste of time, you can concentrate on your research without attending classes. You should use the university for your research. That’s my view.

バイリンガルニュース1018より

28分付近：dictationしてみました。結構勉強になる。

A research team of Martin Luther University has conducted a survey involving one hundred and fifty four couples on the topic of laughing at other people and being laughed at.

Respondents who can be self-deprecating and make fun of themselves in order to make others laugh reported been more satisfied in their relationship, more attracted to their partner, and more satisfied in their sex lives. This correlation was particularly strong among women, on the other hand people who feel being laughed at tend to be less satisfied in their relationships and less attractive to their partners. However, enjoying laughing at people alone was not correlated with relationship satisfaction and tended to increase the frequency of argument.

英語勉強ツール：Listening

Podcastから。

1) This Morning with Gordon Deal　聞き取り難易度　★★★★★（All right here's what's up for this hourから始まる司会のGordonの声は聞き取りやすいが、彼が番組中に振るレポータの聞き取りは困難レベルなときも）

2) CNN 10　聞き取り難易度　★★★★（映像あるので、内容がイメージしやすい。まずはこれを日課にするとよいかも）

3) Stuff You Should Know　聞き取り難易度　★★★★（二人の会話でスピード早く無いが、背景知識ないと難しい）

4) On the Money　聞き取り難度　★★★（番組として素晴らしい。聞き取りやすいし、インタビュー中心にうまく構成されている。日本人にもわかりやすい・面白いテーマのものが多い。何度も聞くのがおすすめ）

Toefl Speaking Practice - 13

Q: Some people prefer to eat at food stands or restaurants. Other people prefer to prepare and eat food at home. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

A: I like to eat at home, preparing food myself. This is because my stomach is not strong enough to hold heavy stuff at restaurants. When I lived in the U.S. ten years ago, I often go the restaurants for dinner. As those restaurants did not have many options to eat, I alternatively ate beef, chicken and fish. And finally I got sick probably because I kept on eating oily, heavy food every day. After that, I changed my style of diet, trying to cook myself as much as possible. I often boiled vegetables, without using too much oil. Then I got much better myself. From this experience, now I prefer to prepare food myself and eat at home with my family.

Toefl Speaking Practice - 13

Q: Some people prefer to eat at food stands or restaurants. Other people prefer to prepare and eat food at home. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

A: I like to eat at home, preparing food myself. This is because my stomach is not strong enough to hold heavy stuff at restaurants. When I lived in the U.S. ten years ago, I often go the restaurants for dinner. As those restaurants did not have many options to eat, I alternatively ate beef, chicken and fish. And finally I got sick probably because I kept on eating oily, heavy food every day. After that, I changed my style of diet, trying to cook myself as much as possible. I often boiled vegetables, without using too much oil. Then I got much better myself. From this experience, now I prefer to prepare food myself and eat at home with my family.

どういう会社で働くか　について

前回の続き。

価値観にあった会社や組織を探すといっても、すべて自分の価値観と同じ会社なんてないし、会社は人の集合体であることが多いから、そこにいるすべての人が自分と同じ価値観であることなんてありえない。そうすると、優先順位の問題になる。自分の価値観で大事にしているものが、その会社に所属する人たちの中にあるか、ということになる。

 

私の場合は、突き詰めて考えると、お互いを尊重して何かよい価値を社会に提供していると思えることが大事。でも、一人一人にそういう価値観持ってる？って聞くわけにはいかないし、だからといって会社のビジョンに当たってみれば、たいていそれっぽいことが書かれているから、結局どこが自分の価値観に合致しているところなのか、わからなくなる。

 

そこで、外面から考えてみる。ぱっと浮かぶのは、基本的に服装が自由で、どこで働いてもいいよ　パフォーマンス出ていれば。と行ってくれる場。

 

服装が比較的自由ということは、その人の価値観を尊重しますよ　という考えの現れである。（自由といっても、一定以上の役職者がすべてネクタイを締めているような会社は、口では互いを尊重し　といっているが、年輩者の価値観に合わせることしか考えていない）

 

働く場所にとらわれないということも、その人の価値観を尊重しますよ　という考えの現れである。（在宅勤務を認めながらも、一定以上の役職者が使っていなければ、会社という場所にいられる人間しか尊重しないということを言っているに等しい）

 

結果的に、服装が自由で、働く場所にとらわれない人たちで構成されている会社は、互いを尊重し、広い価値観を受け入れることによって、構成員の満足度を上げ、満足度が高い社員は感謝の気持ちで社会への貢献を考え始めるだろう。

 

外面は、内面に反映されるのである。

 

だから、私は服装と働き方が自由な会社を選ぶ。

 

結論。会社は、社員の表情、服装、ワークスタイルを見て、いいなと思ったところを選べばよい。