2017年7月28日金曜日

2017年7月28日金曜日 -

Shawn Tips for tipping your server

One of the most confusing aspects of American culture is our habit of giving tips to people in the service industries. Deciding what to tip your server can be a very stressful thing for people who are not accustomed to this practice. Fortunately, there is a very easy strategy you can remember to always ensure you give an appropriate tip! 
       A good rule of thumb for standard service is to leave 15% of the bill as a tip. So if your total bill is $20, you should leave a $3 tip. If the server did a bad job, you might consider leaving 10% or even a bit less. If it was extremely bad, you can also opt not to leave a tip at all. For exceptional service you should leave 20% or more. If you have a very large group in the restaurant (eight people or more), you should also leave at least 20%.
       In some cases the restaurant automatically adds 20% to the bill for large parties, in this case you do not need to leave an extra tip unless you want to reward exceptional service. If you are not sure, you can ask the staff if the gratuity is included.


wikipedia 
       The one thing you should never do is leave a penny as a tip ($.01). This is considered an extremely serious insult and will almost certainly result in the server confronting you about it. So don’t do it!


Word Bank:
tips：チップ
accustomed：慣れている
strategy：方法
rule of Thumb：大雑把な方法
opt：決める
exceptional：ひときわ優れた
gratuity：心づけ
penny：１セント銅貨
insult：侮辱

confronting：敵対する

2017年7月21日金曜日

2017年7月21日金曜日 -

Lucy： Memories

One of the things that I love to do most is explore. I’m an avid fan of travelling. I love discovering new destinations and experiencing new food and activities. And there’s no better time to explore than during the summer. In England, the summer season can be a mish-mash of rainy days and sunny days with no two days being the same. Of course, summer is also the season when school has finished for six weeks, and many families are jetting off to exotic locations to embrace the more predictable warm weather.
       However, I enjoy quieter locations with the promise of adventure: small, secluded areas with undiscovered prizes and the promise of peace and quiet. Living in Osaka, there isn’t much opportunity to seek a quiet refuge, however, back home in the UK, there were ample occasions to sneak into the countryside and forget about the world turning for a few hours.
       One of my favorite getaways was travelling to t


he Forest of Dean. This was my grandfather’s birthplace, so the Forest seemed somewhat akin to home. It's a beautiful place with monstrous pine trees towering over you like dark green giants, paths which seem to endlessly spiral around the forest floor with no clear destination, and lakes and ponds that appear still on the surface but which are teeming with aquatic life under the surface. There are picnic sites with families enjoying the infrequent sunny weather, children watching the ducks on the ponds and feeding them the stale bread they brought from home. But I just loved to walk. I would walk for what seemed like days through endless shrubbery, the only noise being the chatter and song from the birds, or the occasional quack from the ducks. This to me was my idea of heaven: a peaceful, serene, tranquil location where I felt like the only person in the world. It was a good place to think and mull things over.
       The other place that I love to visit is Cornwall. During the summer Cornwall becomes a popular place for families who want a typical English seaside holiday. Cornwall also provides some of the most beautiful scenery that England has to offer: white sandy beaches with clear blue water and cliff faces which seem to tower over the beaches. The smell of the salty sea air provides a different experience to a landlocked girl such as myself. And some of the best ice cream is available here too, perfect for that unexpected heatwave.
       Although the most important part of any holiday is the break from the repetitive everyday schedule, the best part of any exploration is the small treasures you find on your journey, whether they are the memories which will forever remind you of the trip, the small restaurants that serve delicious food, or the cute little souvenir shop you find. However, nothing beats the peace and quiet that you sometimes stumble across. England can be very busy, chaotic and sometimes even manic! But it's the small things that make the difference and can turn a bad trip into a good trip. So my recommendation for this summer is to go on an adventure and discover new locations, new cuisines and new people. But most importantly, have a break from the insanity that can be everyday life!


Have a brilliant summer everybody!

avid：貪欲な
mish-mash：寄せ集め
jetting off：飛行機で飛んでいく
peace and quiet：平和な静けさ
quiet refuge：静かな逃げ場所
ample：十分な
getaways：逃避
somewhat akin：少し似ている
monstrous：巨大な
teeming：満ち溢れる
mull things over：じっくり考える
landlocked：内陸部に住む
Although：たとえ・・・でも
chaotic：ごちゃごちゃしている
manic：病的にハイテンション

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