5日間で5回聴くだけで「英語耳」に! | ビリギャル (アメリカの小学4年生レベル)
This is a story about how the worst student became an amazing success. But it did not happen in the way you might think. It all started with a girl named Claire. She went to a high school for girls where she and her friends were in the worst class. Claire loved beauty, not studying. She spent all her time on makeup and clothes. Her teacher would get angry, saying, “You are worse than garbage.” During the day, they put on makeup, and at night they went to clubs to dance, spending their youth freely. But her life was not all fun. At home, things were very different. No one cared about Claire’s future. All the attention was on her little brother, Dylan. Her father had a big dream for him to be a baseball star. The father often said Clare was not a good girl. One day, her teacher found a pack of cigarettes in her bag. This was a serious problem. So Clare was sent to the principal’s office. The principal told her to name her friends to avoid being kicked out of school. But Clare said no. She would never be a bad friend. So the school called her mother. Her mother said something they did not expect. I am proud of my daughter, she said. She did not turn on her friends. If your school teaches students to hurt others to help themselves, then I am happy for my daughter to leave. In the end, the school told Clare she could not come back for a long, long time. This was a big problem. The school was special because students could go to the university connected to it without studying hard. But now Clare lost that chance. She did not care much because she felt her future had no hope. But her mother saw the sadness in her eyes. She suggested Clare go to a cram school to get into another university. Her mother showed her a flyer for the school. This was the moment Clare’s life began to change. The teacher at the Creme School was a man named Leo. When he first saw Clare in her fashionable clothes and makeup, he did not say bad things about her. Instead, he said she had great taste in fashion. This made Clare feel good and she started to trust him. Leo gave her a test to see what she knew. The result was a big fat zero. Claire’s knowledge was at a fourth grade level, but Leo did not shame her. He praised her for trying. You filled the whole paper even when you didn’t know the answers. That’s great, he said. To make her want to study, Leo told her to aim for Ko University. It was one of the best private universities in Japan. Clare thought it was an impossible dream, but Leo was always smiling and telling her, “You can do it.” So, Clare wrote down Ko University as her goal. That night, Clare went out with her friends, but something was different. In between the fun, she took out a textbook and started to study. The next day, she took a small test and got five points. Leo was very happy, but he also found a problem. Clare knew nothing about social studies. She had to ask her little sister for help. Her father saw this and was very angry. He was sure Clare could not get into any university and refused to pay for the cram school, but her mother said she would work more jobs to pay for it. While they were talking, her brother Dylan came home and the father took him out for a nice dinner. He only cared about his son. Clare was angry and damaged Dylan’s baseball glove. The next day, Dylan had a big game and missed a ball. The father yelled in anger. Clare wanted to prove her father wrong. The next morning, she went to the cram school very early, ready to study hard. Leo was happy to see the strong new feeling in her heart. Just then, another student arrived who only played video games. Leo used game logic to help him. What if you get into a great university, but then choose not to go? It’s the best way to prove you’re smart and get back at your father. The student thought it was a clever idea and started to study. Leo was a teacher who understood his students. For Clare, who loved beauty, he made a game. If she did not finish her study plan, she had to take off her pretty makeup. To make her work even harder, he made a deal. If she could learn all of middle school English during summer break, he would show her a photo of himself with long hair. This made Clare work even harder. For the first time, she felt she was doing something important. But when she got home, she heard her father laughing. “Dylan’s baseball team had won the biggest prize. Her father was so proud.” “My son is the best,” he said loudly. “Lare heard this, went to her room, and decided to study even harder. Her hard work paid off. 3 weeks later, she got a perfect score on her English test. Leo kept his promise and showed her the picture. He also told the students he was once a bad student just like them. This was why he became a teacher. He wanted to help students who felt lost. Summer break ended. Clare was so tired from studying that she fell asleep in class. Her school teacher made fun of her, but Clare stood up and announced loudly, “I am going to Ko University.” She even made a bet with the teacher. If she passed, he had to run naked across the school field. If she failed, she would do it. Her dream was big, but reality was hard. Clare did not know many things about the world, so it was hard for her to understand what she read. Leo gave her books to build her knowledge. While Clare was fighting for her future, her father still didn’t believe in her. He thought giving her hope was a bad idea because if she failed, she would be very sad. Clare heard this and went to the river feeling alone. She remembered being close to her father when she was little, but now they were like enemies. As she was thinking, the other student from the cram school came by. He said something serious. Watching you work so hard showed me why it is important to try your best. Claire had never thought that someone would want to be like her. They rode to the cram school and saw her school teacher taking Leo to a restaurant. They secretly listened. The school teacher didn’t believe a bottom of the class student could do well. But Leo spoke up for her. There are no bad students, only bad teachers. Claire has already gotten so much better. I know she can get into KO University. Clare listening outside was crying. No one had ever believed in her so strongly. But her starting point was too far behind. She needed to study 6 days a week, which meant the school fee would double. When her mother found out, she used the family’s savings and insurance money to pay for it. Her younger sister and close friends all supported her. Seeing so many people helping her, Clare couldn’t help but cry. With the love of her friends and family, she felt stronger than ever. The months of hard study flew by. Soon, it was the spring of her third year. Her reading skills had improved a lot. Now she had to write the essay. Clare felt ready. But when she opened the book of past exams, she couldn’t answer a single question. For the first time, she thought about giving up. Leo saw the hopeless feeling in her eyes. He took out an egg and after a few tries, made it stand up on the table. Things you think are impossible might not be. He said, “As long as the game is not over, you still have a chance. But if you believe you will lose before you even start, then you will definitely lose.” His words gave her a strong feeling in her heart. She wanted to try again. She asked her friends to cut her long dyed hair and started wearing her normal school uniform. To others, she might look plain, but the strong feeling in her heart was truly beautiful. Everyone was working hard for her, but even with all that work, her score on the first big practice exam was an E. This meant she had almost no chance of passing. Clare felt sad. At the same time, her brother Dylan was also struggling. He hadn’t gone to baseball practice for 2 weeks. His father found out and was very angry. But Dylan broke down and cried, “I don’t want to be your tool anymore. I know I’m not good enough.” He had given up on himself and told Clare to give up, too. Clare was already sad, and her brother’s words made her feel even more hopeless. She went to Leo and said she wanted to aim for an easier university. Leo told her that if you give up once, you will give up more easily next time. When Clare started to say bad things about herself, Leo got angry. He yelled, “Then just give up.” At this rate, you won’t get into any university. Clare left feeling very sad. It started to rain heavily. She found her mother and cried, “I’m sorry, Mom. I’m sorry.” When they got home, her mother spoke to her gently. Claire cried. “Mom, I’m so sorry. I can’t do it. I think I’m going to fail.” Her mother hugged her. “It’s okay. If it’s too hard, you can stop. You have already worked so hard. Seeing you try your best, it has made my world bigger. It has made me so happy.” “Thank you, Clare.” Clare asked her mother why she was always so kind. Her mother told her a story from when Clare was a baby. You cried all the time. One day I broke down and started crying with you. And then you suddenly smiled at me. At that moment I understood. As long as you are happy I am happy. Clare then asked, “Why did you marry dad?” “You two are so different.” Her mother smiled. “Your father is a very kind man. No matter how hard his own life is, if he sees someone in need, he will always help them.” Her mother also explained that her father had once dreamed of going to Ko University, too. But his dream didn’t come true. That’s why he put all his hopes on Dylan. But Dylan could no longer carry that weight and quit the baseball team. His father was very angry. Suddenly, the mother picked up a baseball bat and smashed the car window. She cried out. I was called to your school so many times because of Clare, but I never felt bad about it. You never let me be part of Dylan’s life. Did you ever listen to what he really wanted? You know nothing. You just control him. But the father was still stubborn. Dylan broke free and ran away from home. Clare found him with some bad kids. He laughed at her. You have no right to talk. You gave up on your exam, too. His words made her feel bad. Clare knew she could not stay like this. She remembered Leo had told her to visit the Ko University campus. The next day, she and her mother took a long trip to Ko. She saw the students there full of good feelings about themselves. Clare knew she had to become one of them. She went straight back to the cram school and told Leo she understood now. Facing hard things bravely is the only way. Time passed. Her next practice exam results came out. Clare got a C-grade. This meant she had a real chance to pass. She ran home so excited. She saw her father in the yard burning all of Dylan’s baseball gear. He finally knew he had been wrong and decided to free his son from his dream. After quitting baseball, Dylan felt lost. Clare showed him her results. “Look,” she said, “I only started studying seriously in my second year, and I got this score. It’s not too late for you to find a dream now. After that, Dylan was no longer sad, and his relationship with his father got better. One day, it was time for her first entrance exam. It snowed heavily and all the buses and trains stopped. Just as Clare was about to walk, her father’s car pulled up. He had changed the tires and drove her to the exam. This was the first time Clare had ridden in her father’s car. It had always been for her brother. Suddenly, her father stopped the car. He got out with a shovel and started to help another car that was stuck in the snow. Watching him, Clare finally understood her mother’s words. When they arrived, she said something very nice to her father. As she walked toward the exam hall, he shouted, “Go Clare, you can do it.” A while later, the results were announced. She passed. This meant that even if she failed KO, she still had a university to go to. Leo was very, very happy. Soon it was Claire’s last day at the Cram school. She gave Leo a thank you letter. He gave her a can of coffee that said, “You will surely pass.” On the day of the KO exam, Clare drank the whole can of coffee, but it gave her a stomach ache. She had to go to the bathroom many times during the exam. The clock was ticking. She got very scared. By the time the exam was over, she had a very bad feeling. The accident had broken her chances, but she did not give up hope. She picked up her books for the next day’s exam. The next day, she was calm and focused. She remembered all of Leo’s lessons and wrote her essay with a strong and sure feeling. On the day the results were announced, Leo waited. He didn’t get a call from Clare. A terrible feeling grew in his heart. She had failed. He started to write a letter to make her feel better. But what can you say to a student who gave everything and still it was not enough? As he was thinking, Clare burst into the room out of breath. She did not pass the literature department exam, but she had passed the exam for the other department. She got into Ko University. Everyone jumped for joy. Her father cried like a little child. Sadly, the other student did not get into his dream university, but he was hopeful and felt strong enough to try again next year. After everything was settled, Clare went to find her old school teacher to settle their bet. Soon, it was time for Clare to go to a new life at the university. Her father felt bad about how he had treated her. But Clare had let go of all her anger. Just like when she was a little girl, she jumped onto her father’s back. After saying goodbye, she got on the train to Ko alone. On the train, she read the letter Leo had written for her. It said, “If your dream did not come true, please do not feel sad. The memory of fighting for a big goal will make you stronger in the future. You thanked me for changing your life. But you don’t know something. The way you fought so hard has changed the lives of so many other people. There is an old saying, where there’s a will, there’s a way. I hope we can both live with this strong feeling in our hearts from now on. With a strong, deep feeling in her heart, Clare looked out the window. She saw Leo standing in the distance. He was jumping up and down, waving at her with a big smile. Great job on finishing the story. You’re one step closer to mastering English. See you in the next video.
有村架純主演の名作映画『ビリギャル』を基にした、勇気と感動を与える没入型の英語リスニングの旅に出かけましょう。
【この動画での学習方法】 主人公のさやかが、学年ビリの成績から誰もが不可能だと思う目標に向かって努力を続けたように、あなた自身の英語リスニング力が劇的に向上するまで、まずは5日間続けて、毎日1回ビデオ全体を聴くことをお勧めします。
【この動画で得られること】 ✓ ストレスフリーで没入感のある学習体験。 ✓ 英語リスニングへの基礎的な自信を築きます。 ✓ 日常会話で使える基本的な語彙と文型をマスターします。
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本動画の単語リストは以下の通りです。復習にご活用ください。改めて申し上げますが、単語は文脈の中で「慣れ親しむ」こと、つまり単語を知り合いにすることが大切です。「一度で完全に暗記しよう」というのは、言語学習のロジックに反しています。皆様の英語学習が楽しいものでありますように。
garbage /ˈɡɑːrbɪdʒ/ (名詞) ゴミ、くず。ここでは先生が 生徒を軽蔑して使う言葉。
youth /juːθ/ (名詞) 青春、若さ。人が若い時期を指す。
cigarette /ˌsɪɡəˈrɛt/ (名詞) 紙巻きタバコ。タバコ製品の一種。
principal /ˈprɪnsəpəl/ (名詞) 校長。学校の責任者。
avoid /əˈvɔɪd/ (動詞) 避ける。望ましくない事態を避ける。
proud /praʊd/ (形容詞) 誇りに思う。誇りや満足を感じている。
university /ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːrsəti/ (名詞) 大学。
connect /kəˈnɛkt/ (動詞) つながる、関係がある。
suggest /səˈdʒɛst/ (動詞) 提案する。アイデアや計画を出す。
cram school /ˈkræm ˌskuːl/ (名詞) 塾、予備校。
flyer /ˈflaɪər/ (名詞) チラシ、ビラ。広告用の紙一枚のもの。
fashionable /ˈfæʃənəbəl/ (形容詞) おしゃれな、流行の。現在の流行に合っている。
taste /teɪst/ (名詞) センス、好み。美意識やスタイルに対する鑑賞力。
fourth-grade /ˈfɔːrθ ˌɡreɪd/ (名詞) 4年生。小学4年生のレベルを指す。
shame /ʃeɪm/ (動詞) 恥をかかせる。誰かに恥ずかしさや気まずさを感じさせる。
praise /preɪz/ (動詞) 褒める。誰かに対する称賛を表現する。
aim /eɪm/ (動詞) 目指す。目標を設定し、達成しようと努力する。
private /ˈpraɪvət/ (形容詞) 私立の。政府ではなく個人によって資金提供されている。
goal /ɡoʊl/ (名詞) 目標。達成したい最終目的。
textbook /ˈtɛkstbʊk/ (名詞) 教科書。学校の授業で使われる本。
social studies /ˈsoʊʃəl ˈstʌdiz/ (名詞) 社会科。人間社会に関する学科。
refuse /rɪˈfjuːz/ (動詞) 拒否する、断る。何かをすることを嫌がると示す。
damage /ˈdæmɪdʒ/ (動詞) 損なう、傷つける。物品に損傷を与える。
glove /ɡlʌv/ (名詞) グローブ。ここでは野球のグローブを指す。
miss /mɪs/ (動詞) 逃す、取り損なう。キャッチしたり打ったりできないこと。
yell /jɛl/ (動詞) 叫ぶ、大声を出す。大声で叫ぶ。
prove /pruːv/ (動詞) 証明する。何かが真実であることを証拠をもって示す。
logic /ˈlɒdʒɪk/ (名詞) 論理、ロジック。合理的な思考方法。
makeup /ˈmeɪkʌp/ (名詞) 化粧品。顔を美しくするために使う製品。
deal /diːl/ (名詞) 取引、約束。双方が同意した約束事。
break /breɪk/ (名詞) 休暇。ここでは夏休み期間を指す。
prize /praɪz/ (名詞) 賞、賞品。コンテストなどで得る名誉。
score /skɔːr/ (名詞) 点数、スコア。試験で得た点数。
lost /lɒst/ (形容詞) 迷った、途方に暮れた。混乱したり方向性を見失ったりしている。
announce /əˈnaʊns/ (動詞) 発表する。公に何かを知らせる。
bet /bɛt/ (名詞) 賭け。何かを賭けること。
naked /ˈneɪkɪd/ (形容詞) 裸の。服を身に着けていない。
field /fiːld/ (名詞) 運動場、フィールド。ここでは学校の運動場を指す。
reality /riˈæləti/ (名詞) 現実。物事の実際の状況。
knowledge /ˈnɒlɪdʒ/ (名詞) 知識。学習によって得られた情報。
bottom-of-the-class (形容詞) ビリの、最下位の。クラスで成績が最も悪い。
fee /fiː/ (名詞) 料金、費用。サービスや権利のために支払うお金。
savings /ˈseɪvɪŋz/ (名詞) 貯金、貯蓄。将来のために貯めたお金。
insurance /ɪnˈʃʊərəns/ (名詞) 保険。
improve /ɪmˈpruːv/ (動詞) 上達する、改善する。以前より良くなる。
skill /skɪl/ (名詞) スキル、技能。何かをうまく行う能力。
essay /ˈɛseɪ/ (名詞) 小論文、作文。試験の筆記問題。
hopeless /ˈhoʊpləs/ (形容詞) 絶望的な。何の希望も感じられない。
definitely /ˈdɛfɪnətli/ (副詞) 絶対に、間違いなく。疑いなく。
dye /daɪ/ (動詞) 染める。染料で髪の色を変える。
plain /pleɪn/ (形容詞) 地味な、質素な。シンプルで過度な装飾がない。
score /skɔːr/ (名詞) 点数、スコア。試験で得た点数。
struggle /ˈstrʌɡəl/ (動詞) 苦労する、もがく。困難な状況にある、または非常に努力する。
tool /tuːl/ (名詞) 道具。比喩的に、目的を達成するために利用される人。
rate /reɪt/ (名詞) 程度、割合。この状況では。
gently /ˈdʒɛntli/ (副詞) 優しく。柔らかく、穏やかに。
bat /bæt/ (名詞) バット。ここでは野球のバットを指す。
smash /smæʃ/ (動詞) 粉砕する、叩き割る。力ずくで壊す。
stubborn /ˈstʌbərn/ (形容詞) 頑固な。考えを変えようとしない。
control /kənˈtroʊl/ (動詞) コントロールする、支配する。誰かを操作したり支配したりする。
campus /ˈkæmpəs/ (名詞) キャンパス。大学の敷地。
bravely /ˈbreɪvli/ (副詞) 勇敢に。恐れずに立ち向かう。
grade /ɡreɪd/ (名詞) 等級、成績。成績を評価するレベル。
yard /jɑːrd/ (名詞) 庭。家の周りの空き地。
gear /ɡɪər/ (名詞) 用具、道具。ここでは野球用具を指す。
shovel /ˈʃʌvəl/ (名詞) シャベル、スコップ。雪をかくための道具。
stuck /stʌk/ (形容詞) 動けない、詰まった。身動きが取れない。
stomachache /ˈstʌməkˌeɪk/ (名詞) 腹痛。お腹が痛むこと。
Literature /ˈlɪtərətʃər/ (名詞) 文学。
department /dɪˈpɑːrtmənt/ (名詞) 学部、学科。大学の学術的な単位。
will /wɪl/ (名詞) 意志、意志力。決意と忍耐力。