2026/9/26(Sat.)*SMC*
Lecture (1):SM Noro
Complete the sentence using the word or set of words for each blank that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
1. Mr. Hawkins’ philosophy course gets ______ quickly, even though the school has increased the enrollment limit twice already.
A. started
B. filled
C. vacated
D. completed
E. concluded
2. Under ordinary circumstances, the board would never ______ such behavior, but, since she was the CEO, her wrongdoing was casually overlooked.
A. administer
B. thwart
C. suspect
D. condone
E. reprimand
3. It took Miranda years of substance abuse counseling to finally achieve ______; she now leads a healthy life free of drugs and alcohol.
A. sobriety
B. assistance
C. dignity
D. addiction
E. depression
4. Although they have always done things ______ in the past, the twins felt it was crucial that they experience college ______, and foster a healthy sense of independence.
A. closely ... collectively
B. joyfully ... happily
C. deceptively ... quietly
D. individually ... independently
E. jointly ... separately
5. Most people consider torture to be ______ because it is an act of cruelty; however, some assert that it is ______ in deterring crimes.
A. offensive ... dangerous
B. amazing ... crucial
C. horrible ... mediocre
D. immoral ... useful
E. terrible ... unforgivable
6. Health insurance prevents routine medical visits from becoming too ______ for the average citizen; without insurance, seeing a doctor can be very expensive.
A. helpful
B. urgent
C. costly
D. valuable
E. advantageous
7. Josh lets procrastination get the best of him; he ______ completed his project the night before it was due, resulting in a sloppy presentation.
A. patiently
B. slowly
C. hastily
D. nervously
E. carefully
8. During marathons, ______ runners—those runners who are better and faster than the other competitors—are given special water stops and earlier start times.
A. sluggish
B. athletic
C. opulent
D. elite
E. wealthy
9. Considering the fact that he heinously cheated on the final exam, receiving a failing grade seems like ______ punishment.
A. a brutal
B. an unfair
C. an appropriate
D. a futile
E. an unthinkable
10. Despite his ______ range of interests, he was only expert in a limited number of fields.
A. extensive
B. narrow
C. eerie
D. regular
E. peculiar
11. Trina’s parents are concerned with how ______ she has become this summer, so they are trying to find more activities to occupy her time.
A. athletic
B. idle
C. active
D. productive
E. relaxed
12. Due to the ______ of hurricanes near the coast, a beach house must have sturdy walls to prevent it from collapsing during any of the frequent hurricanes that occur each year.
A. lack
B. scarcity
C. negligence
D. prevalence
E. depletion
13. Though the advertisement for the used car said it was in immaculate condition, Jose quickly noticed several ______ in the automobile.
A. incidents
B. luxuries
C. flaws
D. claims
E. diseases
14. Unlike her dog, which has ______ hair, Sam’s horse has ______ hair, making it easier to groom.
A. fine ... oily
B. thick ... robust
C. curly ... straight
D. smooth ... filthy
E. coarse ... knotted
15. Cindy’s date proved to be a ______ gentleman: he opened doors, paid for dinner, and even called her a taxi ride home.
A. questionable
B. genuine
C. romantic
D. comical
E. shady
16. After his overwhelming ______ in the election, the new mayor adopted an aura of ______ that displeased many of the voters; he was too proud to listen to the citizens who voted him into power anymore.
A. oration ... humility
B. triumph ... meekness
C. campaign ... annoyance
D. defeat ... sadness
E. victory ... arrogance
Answer Key: 1(B), 2(D), 3(A), 4(E), 5(D), 6(C), 7(C), 8(D), 9(C), 10(A), 11(B), 12(D), 13(C), 14(C), 15(B), 16(E)
Lecture (2): SM Kei Narisawa
ゲーム
仲間外れ(odd-man out)
それぞれのグループから仲間外れを探します。ただし、答えは１つとは限りません。また、仲間外れになった理由も英語で説明できるといいですね。
(ex)
A. beer B coke C soda D soup
考えられる答え：beer (酒、その他は違う）alcoholic beverage
もう一つの答え：soup (スープ以外はみな炭酸入り）carbonated liquid
A, peach B. tomato C. orange D. banana (D 形）（B.野菜）
A. India B. Singapore C. Japan D. America（C.非英語圏)（D.非アジア）
A. blackboard B. notebook C. eraser D. rain (D.教室外）
A. ｍotorcycle B. car C. bike (bicycle) D. airplane（Ｄ．空）
A. socks B. glasses C. pants D. newspaper (Ｄ通常複数、Ｄ他は動詞wear)
A. notebook B. blackboard C, teacher D. hallway / corridor (C人間）
Table Topic Speech
(1) What simple fact do you wish more people understand?
(2) What will you never give up on?
(3) What bad habits do you want to break?
(4) What can you do today that you were not capable of a year ago?
(5) Other than money, what else have you gained from your current job?
(6) What one thing have you not done that you really want to do?
(7) Why do you matter?
Prepared Speech
(1) What I felt during my stay in the U.S.: SM Takahata
I stayed in Lafayette, Indiana, in the Midwest, for 20 days, from late August to mid-September.I went there to help my daughter after she had her baby.
Lafayette is a small town with a population of about 40,000. It is home to Purdue University, which is a relatively well-known university in the United States. Many of the people living there are students or people connected to the university, so I felt that the town was quiet and peaceful.
When I was young, I visited the United States several times for work, but I only stayed for a few days each time. I had never actually lived there, even for a short period. So, this trip was a very valuable experience for me.
Today, I would like to talk about some of the things I noticed during my stay.
First, everything is big!
The land is huge, and supermarkets and home improvement stores are also enormous.
When you drive a little outside Chicago, you can see cornfields as far as the eye can see. There are also rows of wind turbines, and the same kind of scenery continues for tens of kilometers.
I am from Hokkaido, where we have a lot of open space, but even I was surprised by the difference in scale between Japan and America. And it’s not only the land that is big. The food sold at supermarkets is big, too. Meat is usually sold by the pound. One pound is about 450 grams, and many packages are two pounds or more. Unlike in Japan, the meat is not usually divided into small portions.
People often go grocery shopping about once a week and buy a large amount of food at one time, usually by car. The portions at restaurants were also very large. Even the containers for leftovers were huge! The cars on the roads were big, too. So, I started to wonder, “Is it natural for people to become big in America, too?” I noticed that there were many people who were overweight.
The second thing that surprised me was garbage.
People in the town did not separate their garbage at all.
Maybe recycling is more common in big cities in America, but in the town where my daughter lives, food waste, cans, bottles, and other garbage are all thrown into the same trash. Maybe people in Japan did the same thing many years ago, but I have to admit that I felt quite uncomfortable with it.
The third thing I noticed was that people easily talk to strangers.
For example, people casually say hello to the cashier at a supermarket. My daughter told me that if you say nothing at all, it can actually seem a little strange. At restaurants, people sitting at neighboring tables sometimes start talking to each other. For example, they may ask the name of someone's dog, or say goodbye when they leave. In Japan, if you suddenly talk to a stranger, they may feel a little suspicious or uncomfortable. So, I really liked this aspect of American culture. I thought it was very friendly and pleasant.
Finally, I'd like to talk about English.
Even everyday conversation was much faster than I expected, so it was difficult for me to understand.
I could understand only about half of the conversations between my daughter and her husband.
I also had a chance to talk with some of my daughter's friends. At those times, I often thought, “If only my English were better, I could tell them so many things!” Because of this experience, I became even more motivated to continue studying English. My daughter also gave me some advice about studying English. So, I am going to keep studying hard, because someday I want to be able to have conversations in English with my granddaughter as she grows up.
(2) Five Expressions I Learned from American Radio: SM Ishimura
Recently, I have been listening to live American radio programs in English.
For me, listening to American radio is not only a way to study English. It is also a way to learn what is happening in the United States and around the world.
Sometimes, I hear a word or an expression that I have never heard before. Today, I would like to introduce five interesting expressions that I recently learned.
The first one is “armchair expert.”
An armchair expert is a person who gives expert opinions without actually being an expert or having real experience.
For example, social media is full of armchair experts giving medical advice.
They are not doctors, but they sometimes give advice about medicine as if they were medical professionals.
I think this expression is very interesting.
The person is sitting comfortably in an armchair, but he or she is talking like a real expert!
So, when I hear someone giving strong opinions about a subject they know very little about, I might think, “Maybe he is an armchair expert.”
The second expression is “AI slowdown.”
AI means artificial intelligence.
Recently, there has been a discussion about whether the rapid development and huge investment in AI might slow down.
Why?
One reason is safety. Some AI leaders are concerned that very powerful AI systems could create serious risks, so they argue that development should proceed more carefully.
Another reason is money.
Technology companies are spending enormous amounts of money on AI chips and data centers. Some investors are beginning to ask an important question:
“Will these huge investments really produce enough profits?”
So, “AI slowdown” does not necessarily mean that AI is going to disappear.
It means that the incredible speed of AI development and investment may become slower.
As someone who enjoys learning English with AI, I am very interested in this discussion.
The third topic is the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
This story is a little funny.
President Donald Trump wanted the Kennedy Center to carry his name. His supporters on the center's board tried to add his name, creating the name “Trump-Kennedy Center.”
But there was a problem.
The Kennedy Center was established by federal law as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy. A federal judge ruled that the name could not simply be changed by the board and that Congress would have to authorize a legal name change.
So I thought:
“Even the president cannot just put his own name on a building whenever he wants!”
That was one of the more amusing stories I heard on American radio.
The fourth topic is Venezuela.
Venezuela is a country in South America with enormous oil resources.
President Trump has repeatedly talked about Venezuela in connection with oil and U.S. interests. Recently, he even referred to a Venezuela deal when talking about the possibility of the United States benefiting from oil resources in other countries.
Venezuela is therefore not just a political story. It is also an energy story.
And finally, there is Canada.
Canada is America's neighbor and one of its closest trading partners.
President Trump has repeatedly joked—or proposed—that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state.
Of course, Canada is an independent country, and the idea has been strongly rejected by Canadian leaders.
The issue has also been connected with serious trade tensions, including tariffs between the two countries.
For me, the interesting thing is not only the political news itself.
It is the English.
When I listen to live American radio, I hear expressions such as armchair expert, AI slowdown, and many other words that I don't usually find in my English textbooks.
I have learned that studying English is not simply memorizing vocabulary.
English is a window to the world.
When I understand even a little of what people are saying on American radio, I feel that the world becomes a little closer to me.
I am already in my eighties, but I still enjoy discovering new English words and new ideas.
So, my advice is simple:
Keep learning, keep listening, and keep discovering.
You are never too old to learn a new expression.
Thank you for listening.
(3) Earworm: SM Kaneko
Today, I'd like to talk about earworms.
So, what is an earworm? It is a song or tune that keeps playing in your head repeatedly, without you intending it to.
Here is how I chose this phenomenon as the topic of my speech. As I told you before, choosing a topic is one of the hardest parts of making a speech for me. While I was thinking about some possible topics, part of a song kept playing repeatedly in my mind. So, I decided that this should be the topic I would talk about this time.
The point of my speech is this: The phenomenon called an "earworm" might be common among people around the world, because the English language has a word for it.
Let me talk about a few things.
First, Japanese doesn't seem to have an exact equivalent of the English word earworm. In many cases, Japanese has a word corresponding to an English word. For example, 残像 corresponds to afterimage.
So, what about earworm?
One candidate might be 残響. However, although it might sound appropriate, 残響 actually means something like "echo" or "reverberation."
Another candidate might be 耳残り. But this isn't quite right, either, because it doesn't necessarily refer to music.
So, △残響. △耳残り.
Maybe the phenomenon has to be described in several words, such as "a song or tune that keeps playing in your mind without your intention."
Or, perhaps we should simply use the Japanese katakana word イヤーワーム!
Second, what actually is the song I mentioned before?
It is the theme song of the rerun of the morning TV drama 『ひよっこ』. The song is 『若い広場』, written and sung by 桑田佳祐.
I wondered why this particular song became my earworm recently. It might be because the song is simple, melodious, and catchy. I also once sang along with it while listening to the music at the beginning of the drama.
Some people say that earworms can be annoying. But, at least in this case, I welcome mine. It reminds me of the cute characters in the drama.
So, in conclusion, considering how persistently appealing this song is, it might be one of the songs that I—or perhaps all of us—will sing at our year-end karaoke party!
♬ Pon, pon, pon...
愛の言葉をリル ♬
(4) Songs: SM Yoko Narisawa
What is your youth song? 三遊亭小遊三, a rakugo storyteller was once asked on a TV comedy program called ‘ Shoten’ and answered 高校三年生 sung by 舟木一夫. 小遊三even started singing the song on the spot. 小遊三and舟木一夫 are almost the same age, and when this song was a great hit, 小遊三was a high school student. So the lyrics must have spoken for his high school life back then. The song became a part of his personal history.
Today, I’d like to talk about the power of songs. I believe songs have a special power. They can touch the heart, bring back memories, connect people, and give us courage and hope. They stay with us throughout our lives.
First, songs have the power to touch the heart. When we hear a beautiful melody, we may feel happy and relaxed. Songs heal our hearts in tough times and make us feel even happier when we are already happy.
Second, songs have the power to bring back memories. Listening to old songs, especially Showa songs, really makes me feel nostalgic and reminds me of those days. They help us remember important moments in our lives. Occasionally, TV programs featurirng Showa-era popular songs are broadcast, and I never miss them. It is natural that people born in the Showa era like Showa songs. But to my surprise, more and more young people seem to be getting interested in Showa songs. Have you ever watched the TV program named ‘ 博士ちゃん’? Many teenagers who love Showa songs appear on the show. I’m always amazed by how much knowledge they have. The Showa era was long before they were born, yet something in these songs speaks to them. That makes me truly happy.
Third, songs have the power to connect people. When we sing together, we often feel closer to one another. We SMC members hold a karaoke party once a year. Each member sings songs he or she likes. When we share those songs, we feel united and can’t help humming along. I suddenly feel a special bond with everyone.
Songs also give us courage and hope. When we are tired or discouraged, one song can change our mood. The lyrics may tell us not to give up. The melody may remind us that we are not alone. A typical example is‘負けないで’. It is always played on the TV program named 24時間テレビ, isn’t it?
Songs have the strong power to support us mentally and physically. So let’s sing loudly especially when you feel down. I’m sure you will feel refreshed.
Meeting Schedule
In-Person: 9:30 AM on Oct. 10 at Oyama Community Center (medium conference room)
(Coordinator: SM Takahata)
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