2022/03/12(土)SMC
The meeting was held in a friendly atmosphere as usual. In the current international affairs, we talked about the tense Ukraine situation both in our speeches and discussion.
In the President Remarks, SM K. Narisawa introduced the following useful expressions.
1) When you want to resume a meeting or work after a break
Let's pick up where we left off.
2) Expression often used for survey forms, like prevaccination screening questionnaire etc.:
Please check it off where applicable. (当てはまるものにレ点をつけてください）
Word of the day (SM Kaneko)
follow v. (summary)
1) to go, walk, drive etc behind or after someone else
2) to happen or do something after something else
3) to come directly after something else in a series, list, or order
4) as follows used to introduce a list of things that you will mention next
5) to do something in the way that someone has told or advised you to do it
6) follow the signs/sb’s directions to go somewhere by a particular way according to road signs or to what someone has told you
7) to do the same thing as someone else
8) to believe in and obey a particular set of religious or political ideas.
9)-a to continue along a particular road, river etc
9)-b to go in the same direction as something else, or to go parallel to something else
10) to understand something such as an explanation or story syn. grasp
11) to be true as a result of something else that is true
12) to be interested in something and in the way it develops
13) follow a pattern/course/trend etc to continue to happen or develop in a particular way, especially in a way that is expected
14) follow suit to do the same as someone else has done
15) follow in sb’s footsteps to do the same job or to work or live in the same way as someone else before you, especially someone in your family
(The rest is omitted)
Lecture (SM K. Narisawa)
Choose the most proper word.
1) This stuff is for the ( b ). (not important)
a. chicken b. birds c. cow
2) We can buy goods from China for a ( a ). (very cheap)
a. song b. glass of water c. coin
3) It took my cat a while to ( c ) up to me. (get friendly with me/It took me a while to win the cat over. )
a. get b. befriend c. warm
4) He ( b ) the stairs to the second floor. (walk up)
a. went b. took c. scaled
Put one word in each blank. (there’s a hint in some questions)
5) I’ve taken a liking (to ) it recently. (have grown to love)
6) I’m gonna stick up for you through thick (and ) thin. (anytime/ no matter when)
7) I have to pull an (all-nighter ) if I have a lot of work due. (burn the midnight oil, sit up overnight)
8) It’s now or (never). (Luck knocks the door just once. Take the chance now, because we may never have a chance come again)
9) She is (head ) over (heels ) in love with Bob. (completely fall for Bob. madly in love with Bob)
10) I just heard it through the (grapevine ), but here’s what I heard. (according to the rumor, Rumor has it)
Choose the closest meaning to the underlined phrase.
11) She was forced to pay the piper.
a. pay the price b. pay the fee c. pay the cost
12) I don’t mean to get on your case.
a. nag b. use c. deceive
Explain the meaning.
13) A: Shall we eat at an Italian restaurant?
B: How could we go wrong with an Italian buffet?
14) A: Why don’t we check up on his alibi?
B: What would it hurt to look into it?
Table topic speech
1) Talking to someone and talking with someone are two different activities.
2) Dogs are better than cats.
3) Fools and their money are easily parted.
4) Uniforms stifle individuality.
5) The world is smaller place these days.
Prepared speech
Farewell ceremony in pandemic (SM Takahata)
I talked about my aunt who passed away from COVID-19. Because there were no available beds for infected patients with mild symptoms, her aunt couldn't be treated in a hospital. When died from COVID-19, there are many restrictions in farewell ceremony. It is too sad that we cannot bid farewell to a beloved one. I said I really hope the pandemic will end as soon as possible.
Victim of propaganda (SM Noro)
After the Russian Army invasion of Ukraine, recent sanctions applied to Russia are already bringing tremendous economic suffering to average Russians. The global companies are complying with government sanctions imposed over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The consumer prices in Russia have risen and Russian employees of these foreign companies have lost their jobs.
In Japan, some of the Russian Youtubers are posting their opinions accusing the war.
Also, they confessed that they tried to convey to their families what kind of damages and evacuations happened in Ukraine, but their families in Russia did not believe the news stories. Because their families were brain-washed by Russian propaganda.
Karaoke again (SM Yoko Narisawa)
The other day my husband and I went to karaoke. It's been quite a long time since we last went to karaoke. It was a weekday, but to my surprise, almost all the rooms were taken.
As I didn't sing songs at all for a long time, I totally forgot how to sing even songs I had known.
But as for my husband, he likes to watch You Tube and he is practicing singing the latest popular songs with You Tube in his room. So he started singing songs such as Pretender with confidence. I was impressed by his effort to try to new songs. But there were limits to new songs he was able to sing. Soon he returned to Showa's popular songs. As for me, I couldn't sing songs well. From the beginning, I sung out of tune. I learned that even if we have a knowledge of something and if we don't use it,
it becomes rusty. But I had a good time.
Katyusha (SM Yu. Narisawa)
What are they waving? They are waving national flags of Russia. This song, Katyusha, is swinging but has a melancholy note. Japanese people may think it’s one of the Russian folk songs, but it was originally a popular song but now it is a war song like Fujin Jugunka in Japan.
The war song is made to encourage soldiers in the battle fields to kill as many soldiers of their enemy as possible. So now I guess a lot of Russian young soldiers may be singing this song somewhere in Ukraine.
Katysha keeps love for a soldier in her heart. The young soldier is fighting to protect their country.
But however favorably I may consider the Russian invasion to Ukraine, I cannot find any justice in the military action. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Lavroff says
They are not making war.
They are not bombing hospitals.
Ukraine has developed nuclear weapons and studied biological weapons.
Listening to him, I’ve come to get angry. He cannot communicate with his Ukraine counterpart
It’s not because he is lacking in communication ability but because he is trying to manipulate the situation.
Russia is good at provoking his enemy’s anger. And they retaliate excessively justifying their battle action as self-defense. Have you heard the word, Russophobia?
It’s a psychological term. The term displays how annoying the country has long been.
Meeting schedules
Zoom: 7:30 PM, Mar. 14, 21. 28
In-person: 9:30 AM, Mar. 26 at Oyama Community Center
