山里で役に立つ英会話
山里で役に立つ英会話 (8月の会話)

Takeshi:      It's summer vacation now, and my kids are lying about
          idly at home. When I see them doing so, I always tell
          them to help Mom, but they take no notice of me. They
          don't intend to help us. My parents indulge them so much
          and say nothing.

Yuji:       Aren't you going to take them somewhere during the
          vacation?

Takeshi:      Yes. Around the mid of this month, I'll take my family
          except my parents to the amusement park. How about you?

Yuji:       Well, my son is a college student and he is going to get a
          driver's license this summer, and my daughter has to
          prepare for the entrance examination to college next
          spring, so they are very busy this summer.
          They don't have any time to spare. I'm going abroad
          with my wife if I feel like doing so.

Takeshi:     How I envy you. Aren't you busy with farming in summer?

Yuji:       No, I'm not. In summer I'm rather free than other seasons.
          But the weather is hot and muggy ,so the weeds are
         growing so fast that I have to mow them just by the fields
         very often.

Takeshi:     What if you don't mow them?

Yuji:      Well, the harmful insects settle in the weeds and eat away
         the crops in the fields. Now in the daytime it's too hot to
         work, so I go to the fields in the early evening.

Takeshi:     Is that so? Take care of yourself grom the summer heat.
         

武司:    夏休みで、子どもたちは家でごろごろしている。見かけると、お母さんの手伝いを
       するように言うんだけれど、聞かないんだよ。手伝う気なんかこれっぽっ ちもないんだよ。
       おじいちゃん、おばあちゃんは甘やかして、何も言ってくれないんだ。

雄二:    休み中に、どこかへ連れて行ってやらないの?

武司:    うん、今月の中ごろに、家族で遊園地に行くんだ。君は?

雄二:    我が家では、息子が大学生で、この夏、車の免許を取るんだ。娘は受験生で、来年の
       春に向けて猛勉強さ。だから、子どもたちには、自由な時間はないんだ。
       僕は気が向けば、妻と外国へでも行くよ。

武司:    うらやましい限りだ。夏は農作業は忙しくないの?

雄二:    うん、ほかの季節に比べると割とひまなんだ。でも、暑くて、ムシムシするから、雑草
       が伸びるのが速く、何度も何度も刈らなければならないんだ。

武司:    もし刈らなければ、どうなるの?

雄二:    害虫が雑草の中に住み着いて、田畑の作物を食い荒してしまうんだよ。日中は暑くて
       仕事にならないから、夕方、田んぼに行くんだ。

武司:    そうなの?夏ばてにしないようにね。