2026/4/11(Sat.)*SMC

Lecture: SM Kei Narisawa

I’d like to begin my lecture with a question: Why do you study English?

Some of you may want to read English novels. Others may want to watch movies without subtitles. And many of you probably want to enjoy conversations in English.

At the same time, some of you may find it difficult to understand English when it is spoken quickly. Even if you get used to fast English, you still may not fully understand the meaning of words or how sentences are structured—especially when they are unfamiliar.

So today, let’s look at a few sentences I recently came across while reading.

“Yes, he knew a lot about old books. But he didn’t know how to sell them. And if he did, for one reason or another,

he wouldn’t. It was almost as if he didn’t want to make any money.”

In this example, the word “did” refers to “knew how to sell them.”And “he wouldn’t” means “he wouldn’t sell them.”

What’s important here is not just guessing the missing words, but understanding the meaning of “would.”For example, in the sentence “The door wouldn’t open,” “would” expresses refusal.

“Smith’s personal theory was that their killer was targeting strangers with no more in common than their sex and broad age range.”

The first half is straightforward. The key point is the phrase “no more than,” which means “only.”

So we can rephrase it as:“They had only their sex and broad age range in common.”

“I wouldn’t put it past him to lie.”

This means: “He is very likely to lie.”

The nuance is that lying is completely within his character—it’s not something beyond him. In other words, you wouldn’t be surprised if he lied.

Table Topic Speech

(1) What is the difference between inocence and ignorance?

(2) What is the difference between falling in love and being in love?

(3) Have you ever regretted something you did not say or do?

(4) What is your biggest regret?

(5) Where else whould you like to live? Why?

(6) What is your favorite smell?

(7) What do you like most about your job? What do you dislike most about your job?

(8) What is your number one goal for the next six fmonth?

(9) Who or what do you think of when you think of love?

Prepared Speech

(1)  No Kings Protests: SM Koizumi

It has been 80 years since World War II ended in Japan. Most people today, including me, have never experienced war. We have lived in peace for a long time. War felt far away. It was something in movies or anime.

  But now, the world is changing. The war between Russia and Ukraine started in 2022. It is still continuing today.　The war in Gaza started in 2023. Many people have suffered, and the damage is very serious.　There is also tension between Iran, Israel, and the United States. Conflicts are growing in many places.　War is no longer far away. It is becoming real.

 　　At the same time, something important happened. On March 28, 2026, many people in the United States joined protests called “No Kings.” About 8 million people took part. They protested against government policies. They said, “Power belongs to the people.” The government did not agree with them. But I think this action is very meaningful. The United States has about 347 million people. Japan has about 123 million. So, 8 million people in the U.S. is equal to about 2.8 million people in Japan.

　　That is a very large number. Even during difficult times, people stood up and spoke out.　This is powerful. This is inspiring. We do not know if the protests will change the government.　But they send a strong message to the world. They remind us to think about peace.

 　　For 80 years, Japan has valued peace. Hiroshima and Nagasaki teach us an important lesson.　We should: learn how terrible war is, understand how precious peace is, and be ready to act for peace.　As the Mayor of Hiroshima said:　“Never give up to build a peaceful world without nuclear weapons.”

 　Finally, I ask myself: If this kind of protest happened near me, would I join?　I am not completely sure. But I feel I would like to try.

 　I strongly hope the energy for war can be used for peace and for a better future.

(2) A New Treat: SM Yamazaki

The cherry blossoms have already fallen, and now the dogwoods are in bloom. Each shift in the season reminds me how quietly life keeps moving forward. The other day, at a JR station kiosk, I came across a new treat—Yomogi fu Mushipan from Daiichi Pan. A small discovery, but unexpectedly delicious, and somehow perfectly in tune with spring.

Seasonal changes often make me reflect on how society changes as well.

Recently, I picked up a book on aging that explores how different cultures throughout history have understood the later years of life. One chapter described a remote mountain village where elders were regarded as the keepers of memory. Even when they could no longer work, people believed their presence and words carried a quiet power. Because of that, families treated bedridden elders with the same respect they offered to ancestral shrines.

Old age can be seen in both negative and positive ways. Some people grow rigid and resentful, while others develop a calm, generous wisdom. In the end, the way we age reflects the way we have lived.

A colleague once told me about a woman who had spent decades absorbed in her work. After retiring, she wandered into a community center and sat in on an English class simply out of curiosity. That small step became a daily routine, and before long she was studying with a passion she never expected. Life can turn in unexpected directions.

The body inevitably declines, yet the mind can continue to deepen. When I renewed my driver’s license, I noticed how much whiter my beard had become—something I had once imagined with a quiet sense of anticipation. And now, almost painfully, I feel life becoming more interesting than ever.

(3) The Only Flower in the World: SM Eda

(4) Wordplay: SM Noro

Do you know the news that Japan and England National Football Team playedagainst each other, and Japan won 1-0 for the first time in history? And Britishnewspaper, The Mirror reported the result of the match and used the headline“JAPANNED” lamenting the defeated England Team.That's a very interesting and slightly tricky usage, because you might wonder ifJAPAN can be used as a verb?I asked ChatGPT about the verb form of JAPAN. It taught me that there is averb form of JAPAN, while it is not commonly used in everyday conversation.The verb form of Japan means to cover something with a hard, brilliant lacquerin the style of traditional lacquerware which was popular in Europe in the 17th century.In comparison with the traditional lacquer meaning, in the Mirror’s headline,“JAPANNED” has another meaning. So, I tried to find other information andfound one British YouTuber who said that the headline was almost used as a pun.He mentioned in sports journalism, especially in British newspapers, thatwriters love wordplay.He explained that JAPANNED is a word combination, “Japan + pan”.As a noun, it means a frying pan.As a verb, it can mean to move a camera sideways.And it can also mean criticizing something harshly.Now we’ve finally come this far, “Japanned” may be understandable.According to the Mirror, England were not only beaten by Japan but also playedso badly that they deserved criticism.Anyway, this usage is not standard English. It is a kind of headline-stylewordplay. But it may sound a bit edgy or provocative.English is always evolving – but expressions like this are probably difficult for usto use ourselves. Maybe wordplay lives in the “space” between meanings and isshared with us vividly.

(5) Animals: SM Yoko Narisawa

 There has been no shortage of animal-related news, both good and bad, since last year. People all over Japan were terrified by the many sightings of wild bears. On the other hand, the story about “ Monkey Punch, ” which SM Noro talked about in his speech two meetings ago, warmed our hearts.

 A recent hot topic was the deer from Nara Park wandered into the streets of Osaka and was captured by the Osaka Prefectural Police. This news spread quickly nationwide. Nara Prefecture refused to take the deer back, so Osaka Prefecture searched for a new home. Eventually, they found one at Nose Onsen, located in the northern part of Osaka. According to the governor of Nara Prefecture, once deer leave Nara, they are considered ordinary wild animals and are no longer treated as natural treasures.

 Speaking of the deer in Nara, they are designated as a natural treasure. They have been regarded as divine messengers and protected since ancient times. According to Japanese folklore, the deity enshrined at Kasuga Taisha Shrine arrived riding on the back of a white deer. Because of this, deer were considered sacred beings. Anyone who harmed or killed them was severely punished. As a result, deer roamed freely throughout the town.

 There is also a Rakugo story from the Kamigata tradition about a deer. Let me introduce the story titled “ 鹿政談 ”. 政談 means a story about a legal case.

 In the late Edo Period in Nara, one morning, a deer came to a tofu shop to eat okara. The tofu maker, Yohei, became angry and threw a piece of firewood at the deer. It died soon after. Everyone knew killing a deer meant receiving the death sentence. Yohei claimed he had mistaken the deer for a dog. The whole town was thrown into turmoil. He was arrested and taken to the magistrate’s office.

 The magistrate was a warmhearted person like 大岡越前 or遠山の金さん. He used his wit to help Yohei. He declared “ This is a dog that only looks like a deer.” Then, he asked his assistants, “ Is this a deer or a dog?” Each of them testified in Yohei’s favor. “ It is a dog that resembles a deer.” “ I believe it is a dog.” “ It was barking.”  

 Finally the magistrate delibered his judgment: “ This was a dog that looked like a deer.” Yohei was found not guilty and released.

 From this story, we can see how deer were protected as sacred animals. But it also makes me wonder --- was it acceptable to kill dogs? The 5^th Shogun, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi protected all kinds of animals, especially dogs.

 I hope that humans and animals can continue to coexist peacefully. 

(6) Making a Speech Without a Script: SM Kaneko

Good morning, everyone.

Today, I would like to talk about making a speech without a script.

As you can see, I am holding a piece of paper.

But please don’t worry about that—for now.

Let me explain why speaking without reading a script is a good idea.

My main point is this:

Making a speech without reading a script makes your speech more natural, more flexible, and more engaging.

First, speaking without a script makes you sound more natural.

When you read, your voice can become flat and mechanical.

But when you speak freely, your words come alive.

You can express your feelings more directly and clearly.

(continue reading seriously from the paper)

Second, speaking without a script gives you flexibility.

You can adjust your words depending on the situation.

If the audience looks confused, you can explain more.

If they seem interested, you can give more examples.

(look down and carefully follow the script)

Third, speaking without a script helps you connect with your audience.

You can make eye contact.

You can see their reactions.

And you can respond to them in real time.

(briefly glance up, then quickly return to the paper)

So, speaking without reading a script is more natural, flexible, and engaging.

…And now, I must confess something.

I have been reading this speech the entire time.

(without a script)

That’s what we call a contradiction.

What I was doing was not what I was saying.

I thought it would be funny.

So, another title of this speech could be "Absurdity."

Hopefully, I'd like to make a natural, flexible, and engaging speech without a script next time.

(7) The Negative Effects of AI or SNS: SM M.G

(8) The Fragile Ceasefire Between the United States and Iran:SM Ishimura

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak today. This morning, I would like to talk about a major international issue that has captured the world’s attention: the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran, and the two‑week ceasefire that has just begun.

For more than a month, the United States, Israel, and Iran have been engaged in intense military confrontation. According to multiple news reports, the conflict escalated rapidly, with hundreds of airstrikes, missile attacks, and drone operations across Iran, the Gulf region, and even Lebanon. Thousands of people have been killed or injured, and vital infrastructure—such as oil facilities and power stations—has been damaged.

The situation became so severe that many world leaders warned of the possibility of a much wider regional war.

However, in the last few days, something unexpected happened. Just hours before a major U.S. attack was expected, Pakistan stepped in as a mediator. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged both sides to pause and talk. This diplomatic effort led to a dramatic announcement: a two‑week ceasefire between the United States and Iran. President Trump agreed to suspend attacks for 14 days, on the condition that Iran completely and safely reopen the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important waterways for global energy. Iran accepted this condition, saying it would allow safe passage for ships if the U.S. halted its attacks.

This ceasefire is not a peace treaty. It is a temporary pause, a narrow window for diplomacy. During these two weeks, negotiators from both countries are expected to meet in Islamabad to discuss a long‑term agreement. Iran has submitted a 10‑point proposal, and the U.S. has responded with its own conditions. The world’s financial markets reacted immediately. Oil prices fell sharply, and global investors expressed relief—at least for now. But many experts warn that the situation remains fragile.

Even after the ceasefire was announced, missile and drone attacks continued in some areas. Strikes were reported in Kuwait, the UAE, and on Iranian islands in the Gulf. This shows how difficult it is to control all actors involved, especially regional militias and proxy groups. In Lebanon, fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has not stopped, because Lebanon is not included in the ceasefire agreement. This creates another layer of uncertainty.

Many world leaders welcomed the ceasefire as a “momentary relief.” But they also reminded the world not to forget the destruction and the lives lost. Some leaders criticized the initial decision to start the war, saying that diplomacy should have been pursued earlier. At the same time, there is cautious hope. If both sides use these two weeks wisely, there may be a chance to prevent further escalation.

This two‑week ceasefire is like a small bridge over a deep canyon. It is narrow, fragile, and uncertain—but it is still a bridge. Whether it leads to peace or collapses under pressure depends on the choices made in the coming days.

As members of an English club, we may feel far from these events. But I believe it is important for each of us to stay informed, to think independently, and to value dialogue over conflict. In the end, peace is not created by weapons, but by communication, understanding, and courage.

Thank you very much for listening

Meeting Schedule

In-Person: 9:30 AM on Apr. 25 at Oyama Community Center (small conference room)

(Coordinator: SM Yoko Narisawa)