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９月２５日（月）に西臼杵郡の英語暗唱弁論大会が開催されました。参加した暗唱の部３名、弁論の部２名の高千穂中代表の生徒は、緊張しながらも一生懸命発表してくれました。１０月６日（金）の紅葉祭（文化祭）でも発表しましたが、その内容や感想について、紹介します。

【暗唱の部】

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Takachiho junior high school

　 1st Grade   Ohara Mao（大原舞桜）

 An excerpt of The Little Prince

The little prince went away, to look again at the roses.

"You are not at all like my rose," he said. "As yet you are nothing. No one has tamed you, and you have tamed no one. You are like my fox when I first knew him. He was only a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But I have made him my friend, and now he is unique in all the world."

And the roses were very much embarrassed.

"You are beautiful, but you are empty," he went on. "One could not die for you.

To be sure, an ordinary passerby would think that my rose looked just like you−− the rose that belongs to me. But in herself alone she is more important than all the hundreds of you other roses: because it is she that I have watered; because it is she that I have put under the glass globe; because it is she that I have sheltered behind the screen; because it is for her that I have killed the caterpillars (except the two or three that we saved to become butterflies); because it is she that I have listened to, when she grumbled, or boasted, or even sometimes when she said nothing.

Because she is my rose.

And he went back to meet the fox.

"Goodbye," he said.

"Goodbye," said the fox. "And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."

"What is essential is invisible to the eye," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.

"It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important."

"It is the time I have wasted for my rose−−" said the little prince, so that he would be sure to remember.

 「心でなくちゃよく見えない。もののなかみは目では見えない。」キツネは王子くんにそう言いました。これは、「星の王子さま」という物語の一部分です。みなさんは、この言葉を聞いて、どう思いましたか。私も初めは、どういう意味なのかよく分かりませんでした。ですが、この物語の内容を知ると、その言葉がとても心に響きます。

簡単に内容を説明すると王子くんはとてもとても大切にバラを育てていました。水をやったり、ガラスのおおいに入れたり、ついたてでまもったり、毛虫をつぶしてやったり、もんくとかじまんとか聞いてやったりしていました。しかし、傍から見ればそのバラなんてただのバラです。「心でなくちゃ見えない。もののなかみは目では見えない。」とはこのようなことです。私たちも、実際に起こりうることだと思います。だから、そんな私たちの｢行動｣だけを見るのではなく、その奥の相手の｢心｣まで見てほしいと言っているように私は感じました。だから、その狐の思いまで私の暗唱で伝えられるように意識して発表しました。大会のトップバッターということもあり、緊張はしましたが、目線・ジェスチャー・声の強弱で自分のやりたいことはすべて出しきれました。このことをきっかけに、自分も成長できましたし、とても良い経験ができたと思います。

 

Takachiho junior high school

2nd Grade Kai Yuri（甲斐夕莉）

 An excerpt of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie burst through the front door, shouting, 'Mother! Mother! Mother!'

Mrs Bucket was in the old grandparents' room, serving them their evening soup.

 'Mother!' yelled Charlie, rushing in on them like a hurricane. 'Look! I've got it! Look, Mother, look! The last Golden Ticket! It's mine! I found some money in the street and I bought two bars of chocolate and the second one had the Golden Ticket and there were crowds of people all around me wanting to see it and the shopkeeper rescued me and I ran all the way home and here I am! IT'S THE FIFTH GOLDEN

TICKET, MOTHER, AND I'VE FOUND IT!'

Mrs Bucket simply stood and stared, while the four old grandparents, who were sitting up in bed balancing bowls of soup on their laps, all dropped their spoons with a clatter and froze against their pillows.

For about ten seconds there was absolute silence in the room. Nobody dared to speak or move. It was a magic moment.

Then, very softly, Grandpa Joe said, 'You're pulling our legs, Charlie, aren't you?

You're having a little joke?'

 'I am not!' cried Charlie, rushing up to the bed and holding out the large and beautiful Golden Ticket for him to see.

Grandpa Joe leaned forward and took a close look, his nose almost touching the ticket. The others watched him, waiting for the verdict.

Then very slowly, with a slow and marvellous grin spreading all over his face, Grandpa Joe lifted his head and looked straight at Charlie. The colour was rushing to his cheeks, and his eyes were wide open, shining with joy, and in the centre of each eye, right in the very centre, in the black pupil, a little spark of wild excitement was slowly dancing. Then the old man took a deep breath, and suddenly, with no warning whatsoever, an explosion seemed to take place inside him.

 ウィリー・ウォンカは、斬新なアイデアでたくさんの子どもに愛されるお菓子を発明してきたが、その成功を妬む者がレシピを次々と盗んだことから、工場を閉鎖した。一方で、工場近くに住むチャーリーは、貧しいながらも両親や両祖父母に囲まれて幸せに暮らす優しい男の子。チャーリーの楽しみは、年に一度誕生日に家族からもらえるウォンカのチョコレートを食べることであった。あるとき、ウォンカは出荷するチョコレートに５枚の「金のチケット」を封入し、そのチケットを見事引き当てた子ども５人を工場に招待し、さらに、そのうちの１人には特別賞を与えるとのこと。チケットを引き当てた４人の子どもは、ドイツ出身のオーガスタス。２人目はイギリスのお嬢様ベルーガ。３人目はアメリカのバイオレット。４人目はアメリカのマイク。主人公のチャーリーは、両親から誕生日プレゼントとしてウォンカのチョコレートをもらったが、残念ながらチケットは入っていなかった。さらに、ジョーおじいちゃんからもう一度チョコレートを買うようにお小遣いをもらい買ったものの、そこにもチケットはなかった。落ち込むチャーリーはある日、道端でお金を拾い、そのお金でチョコレートを再度買うと、そこには５枚目の金のチケットが入っていた。周囲の大人がお金を出してチケットをチャーリーから買い取ろうとするため、チャーリーは家族のためにチケットを売ることを考えたが、家族の後押しで工場へ行くことに決めた。・・・。

＜感想＞

　初めての大会で、周りの人に圧倒されました。私は声が小さくてジェスチャーがなかったので、この反省点を活かして来年も挑戦したいです。あと緊張しないようにこれからは、いろんなことに挑戦します。自分に任されたことだけではなく、積極的に目立っていきます。

 

Takachiho Junior High School

                                                     3rd Grade Tsuruda Hina（鶴田姫菜）

 

An Excerpt from “Beauty and the Beast”

After dinner, Belle took a tour of the castle. She wanted to go up the stairs to the West Wing. “I wonder what he’s hiding up there,” said Belle. She opened the doors. Everything in the dark room was destroyed. A very angry person had done it a long time ago.

Bell saw a glowing red rose under a glass dome. Some petals had fallen off. She took the dome off the rose and wanted to touch it. Suddenly the Beast entered the room. He put the dome back on the rose and held it tightly.

“I told you never to come here!” yelled the Beast. “Get out!”

Bell was frightened. She ran out of the castle and found Phillippe. She rode in the snow toward the village. All of a sudden, a pack of hungry wolves circled them. They crept toward Belle, bearing their large white fangs. Just then, the Beast appeared. The wolves began to attack him. With a loud roar, the Beast fought off the wolves. The Beast collapsed in pain.

Belle knew this was her chance to escape, but she could not leave him. Belle helped him, but the Beast was angry. “If you hadn’t run away, this wouldn’t have happened,” he cried.

“If you hadn’t frightened me, I wouldn’t have run away,” said Belle.

Then she smiled. “Thank you for saving my life.”

After a while, Belle began to see a change in the Beast. He was kind and gentle now. Even little birds noticed that he was different. They became his friends.

Belle and the Beast were becoming closer. If they could fall in love, the magic spell would be broken. If that happened, the Beast could be human again.

One night, Belle and the Beast dressed up for a fancy dinner. The Beast even remembered his manners. They both had a wonderful time. After dinner, Belle taught the Beast how to dance. They glided gracefully across the floor. The Beast had never been happier. He asked Belle, if she, too, was happy.

　ベルは西塔に行き、ガラスに入った赤いバラを見つけました。しかし、部屋にいた野獣におびえて城を出て行きました。すると、おなかのすいたオオカミに周りを囲まれてしまいました。そこで、野獣がやってきてオオカミからベルを助けてくれました。ベルは野獣をつれて城に戻り、手当てをしてあげました。時間がたつにつれて二人は友達になっていきました。一緒に夕食を食べたりダンスを踊ったりして素晴らしい時間を過ごしました。

＜感想＞

　　私は人前で発表することがあまり得意ではないので、すごく緊張しました。発表する順番が私は最後の方だったので、前の人の発表を聞きながら「私も頑張って発表しよう」と思いました。ですが、いざ自分の順番が回ってくると緊張で足が震えて、セリフが飛びそうになりました。ですが、何日も練習していたから意外と言葉が出てきて驚きました。完璧といえるような発表にはできなかったと感じていますが、自分なりに精一杯やれたのでよかったなと思います。賞は何にも手に入らなかったけど、この大会に出て自分の短所の“自信がないところ”が少し克服できたように感じます。そしてこの経験を今後の活動、生活に活かしていけたらいいなと思いました。

【弁論の部】

  　　　　　　　　　　　　Takachiho Junior High School

                                             3rd Grade Fujitera Mikako（藤寺弥香子）

Why I Learn English

One sunny summer day, while walking home from school, a foreign tourist asked me for directions in English. I love English and would like to study English more, but I couldn’t understand him. I try to study English almost every day, but when it came to putting what I learned into practice, I couldn’t. It was so frustrating.

I became interested in English in junior high school. One day, our English teacher told me that she was able to make many friends during her study abroad and she still keeps in touch with her overseas friends. Hearing this story made me want to be able to communicate in English, too.

English has become the language of the world. About 60 years ago, my great-grandfather ordered an American magazine called “Life” and read it. He said that learning English is important for learning about the world. Although I haven’t met him, I read the magazine from time to time.

When I was young, we had guests from Belarus stay with us. After the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the guests came to stay with us in Japan to recover after being exposed to radiation. Neither the Belarusian people nor my family could speak English well, so they could barely communicate. If we could have a conversation in English, I think we would have been able to understand each other.

I think the main reason why we learn English is so that we can understand each other better.

Japan also has dialects, and even in Japanese, the words differed depending on the region. It seems that there were regions where it was difficult to understand what was being said. However, now we learn a standard Japanese language that everyone in Japan understands through standardized language classes and textbooks.

In the near future, I think we will enter an era where people from all over the world can understand each other better and better using English. This is why I want to study English.               Learning English is about learning to communicate with others. I want to learn English so that I can connect with others around the world.

Extra sentence

I have passed Eiken level three, and I am aiming to pass level pre-two.

「スピーチ内容」　　なぜ、英語を学ぶのか　　　　　　　　　　　　

　私は学校の帰り道に海外からの旅行者に英語で道を尋ねられ、教えることができず、残念に思った事がありました。

　私が英語に興味を持ったのは、中学生になっての英語の授業で、先生は自分の海外留学でたくさんの人と友達になれたことや、今でも海外の友達と連絡を取り合い、交流を続けている話をしてくれました。その話を聞いて、私も英語でコミュニケーションができるようになりたいと思いました。

　私のひいおじいさんは、英語を学ぶのは、世界のことを知るのに大事だと、六十年くらい前にアメリカの雑誌「ライフ」を取り寄せて、読んでいたそうです。また、私が幼い頃、チェルノブイリ原発事故でベラルーシに避難して、養生している方々をボランティアで家に泊めてあげたそうです。その時、ベラルーシの方々も私の家族もうまく英語が話せず、お互い英単語とジェスチャーで伝えるのがやっとで、とてももどかしい思いをしたそうです。お互い共通語の英語で会話ができれば、もっとお互いのことが分かり合えたと思います。

　なぜ、英語を学ぶのか、それはお互いが言葉で分かり合えるようになるためだと思います。かつて、日本も各地の方言で言葉が違っており、何を言ってるかわからなかったそうです。しかし、学校で教科書による標準語の国語の授業によって日本のみんながわかる共通の言葉を学び、言葉で分かり合えるようになりました。

　次は、英語で世界の人たちと言葉で分かり合える時代になると思います。そのようなこともあり、私は、英語を勉強したいと思いました。英語を学ぶのは、「コミュニケーション」、感情や意思を伝え合うためだと思います。話すとき、必ず相手がいます。相手のことを思いやる会話ができる英語を話せるように頑張っていきたいです。

「スピーチの理由」

　私は、英語が大好きです。私の英語に対する思いや、英語を学ぶ必要性を大好きな英語にのせて伝えたかったからです。

「話してみての感想」

　当日を迎えるまで先生方のご指導のもと、たくさん練習を重ね頑張ってきました。本番では、とても緊張しましたが、楽しく、自分らしいスピーチをすることができ良い経験になりました。

 

Takachiho Junior High School

                                                   3rd Grade Nakao Sakura（中尾咲楽）

Connecting the Future

Imagine a rice ball made from freshly harvested rice. Each grain of rice sparkles and you can see steam rising from the heat. What kind of expression do you think your face would make if you saw this rice ball in front of you?

I love rice because it gives me energy and courage. Last summer, I participated in the JA sponsored “Rice and Me” painting competition. I drew myself eating rice with great enjoyment. The table I am eating on is likened to a rice terrace with a transparent water surface. The beauty of the gradually expanding rice fields are faithfully represented in detail. I was filled with happiness when I was awarded the prefectural gold medal. Maybe my face made the same expression as when I eat rice.

Since I was born and raised in Takachiho, the scenery here has always felt normal. Now that I’m a little older, I would like to think about what we can do to protect the heritage and traditions of our predecessors. I still can’t forget the feel of the mud and the fun I had planting rice as a toddler and elementary school student. If possible, I would like to plant seedlings together with farmers. I want to see them grow and experience the joy and difficulty of actually running a farm. I want to tell as many people as possible about the feeling and wonder of terraced rice fields, not only in Japan, but all over the world. Foreign tourists from around the world visit Takachiho every day in search of healing and inspiration. It’s a great opportunity to convey the charm of terraced rice fields. I hope to talk with them to promote understanding.

The terraced rice fields I drew at this time are the “Tochimata Rice Terraces” in Takachiho, which I see on my way to and from school. The terraced rice fields of Takachiho were certified as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System in December 2015. It has also been selected as one of the top 100 terraced rice fields in Japan. A 500 kilometer irrigation canal is absolutely indispensable for these terraced rice fields. From the Meiji to the Taisho eras, our ancestors worked hard and devoted their lives to build this. I believe that our predecessors did not focus on short-term profits, but rather focused on their children, grandchildren, and the future of Takachiho. Not only do the irrigation canals supply the rice fields with vital water, but they also prevent landslides by catching rain and protecting the lives of rare creatures that can only be seen here. Since the Muromachi period, more than 800 years ago, “Kagura,” an intricate dance to pray for bountiful harvest and unique to the region, has become an important tradition in the culture.

“The future is not far away. The ‘future’ is in the ‘now’.” These are the words of Africa’s ‘Mother of the Green Earth’, Wangari Maathai. At the G7 Agricultural Ministers’ Meeting held in Miyazaki in April this year, high school students from the prefecture presented their proposals to the world, which received a great response. As Ms. Maathai said, the future of Takachiho depends on us, the younger generation. What we, who will live in the future, must do is protect the scenery here and continue to make efforts to preserve it for future generations. As someone born in this land, I promise to do everything I can to protect this world-class heritage.

 弁論の内容

私たちの住んでいる高千穂には、世界農業遺産に認定されている「棚田」があります。そんな棚田の風景を私はいつしか当たり前のように感じていました。そこで（私に勇気や元気を与えてくれる棚田、そしてここにしかない遺産や伝統を守るために、私たちに出来ることは何か。）を考えました。高千穂の棚田の歴史や素晴らしさを改めて知り、今を生きる私達に託されたものは何かを深く考えました。

 なぜこの内容にしたのか。

・私はお米を食べることが大好きだから。

・季節ごとに移り変わる棚田の美しい景色にいつも元気をもらっているから。

 弁論大会が終わっての感想

今までコツコツ練習してきたことに自信をもって、堂々と楽しく自分の想いを伝えることが出来ました。結果は優秀賞で目標の最優秀賞には惜しくも届かなかったけど、すべて出し切ったので悔いはありません。このような結果が取れたのは、弁論大会に出るにあたって沢山の方々が支えてくれたおかげなので、感謝の気持ちを胸に、また次の目標に向かって全力で努力していきたいです。