実践ビジネス英語 ディクテーション (2/1,2)
こんにちは。NHKラジオ「実践ビジネス英語」”Talk the Talk”のディクテーションです。
Lesson 20のテーマは、‘Be Prepared’（備えよ常に）でした。Vignetteでは、preppers（プレッパー：自分の身に起きるかもしれないどんなことにも備えようとしている普通の人たち）という言葉が紹介され、自然災害などに備えるためのさまざまな工夫やアイテムが話題になりました。
“Talk the Talk”では、災害への備えとしてHeatherさんが用意されているアイテムについて、また、企業が危機管理として備えておくべき3つの質問についても触れられています。
★英文の終わりに語注をつけました。
Be Prepared
（S: 杉田敏先生 H: Heather Howardさん）
S: Our current vignette talks about preparing for disasters.
As Ueda says, most Japanese households have an emergency kit.
I hope your family has supplies ready too, Heather?
H: We do. There are still a few more things that I’d like to add.
But overall, I think we have a good basic set of useful items.
We’ve got a combination radio-flashlight-phone charger, for example, that can be powered by solar energy, or a hand crank.
There’s also a large collapsible water jug made of a tear-resistant plastic, and several days’ worth of food pouches that we just need to add water to.
We’ve got those really thin shiny blankets that hold in body heat, and a multifunction tool that’s got a knife, scissors and pliers etc. all in one.
There’s a first aid kit too, though the vignette reminded me that I should take a course on emergency care for burns and broken bones and such.
Or perhaps I could find some online tutorials
My current knowledge is limited to putting bandages on cuts.
S: What kind of things do you want to add?
H: At some point I would like to get a tent.
I’ve been some in camping stores that are pretty spacious when they’re set up but can be stored very compactly.
We also need a couple of large, sturdy backpacks for my husband and me, so we can move around as necessary with a bunch of supplies but still have our hands free.
And I must admit, I hadn’t even thought about water filtration until I read about it in the vignette.
I must get some supplies in that regard.
We’ve got our big water jug, like I said, but it might be a long while before there’s clean water to put in it.
The vignette also talks about the skills that so-called preppers learn to get ready for possible disaster situations.
Do you have any of those skills, Mr. Sugita?
S: Actually, I was a boy scout in my middle school days.
So the motto “Be Prepared” is still close to my heart: “Once a Scout, Always a Scout”, you know.
I camped outdoors and learned to use flag signals to send a message.
I know how to build a fire even on a rainy day.
Are there any prepper skills you’d like to learn?
H: Certainly building a fire in various circumstances, that would be very useful.
Maybe you could show me after our next recording?
Just kidding.
I know how to fish, basically, but I would like to learn how to gut a fish and prepare it for eating.
And orienteering.
I don’t think I’ve ever used a compass at all, actually.
And I really should start strength training again, lifting the dumbbells I’ve got at home.
If a disaster comes, there will be a whole lot of physical exertion that I’m not used to.
Much more walking, and carrying and moving heavy things, including my daughter.
S: You know, in my professional career as a communications consultant, I’ve counseled many clients on crisis preparedness.
A company must be ready for three questions that will always be asked: What happened?
Why did it happen?
And what are you going to make sure it never happens again?
No one is immune to crisis, and how an organization responds has more impact on the ultimate damage than the crisis itself.
H: Yes, like the famous case in the United States in the 1980s, where multiple people died after taking over-the-counter medicine that had been poisoned.
The company involved handled the crisis so well it had nearly the same market share for that type of medicine just one year later.
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Words and Expressions
gut a fish: 魚の内臓を抜く
physical exertion: 体の酷使
crisis preparedness: 危機管理、危機に備えること
immune to～ : ～を免れた、に影響されない
お疲れさまでした。お読みくださり、ありがとうございます♪
