次の本をお探しの方にお勧めの英語本5選B-15

Thursday, 30th September 2021

お勧めの英語本解説02/05

  1. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

映画化のみならず、おそらく和訳もされていることと思いますので、今回は要約ではなく、ライティングに活用します。もしも自分が本を書くとしたら…という設定で、使えるところを使い回して、短いお話を書くという、ちょっぴり変わった読み方をします。そうすれば、おのずと役立ちそうな表現をピックアップできます。どうしても同じような内容になってしまいますが…。

 

勿論この方法は、実際に本を書くような場合には適していません。あくまで、書き方の練習です。

 

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  1. The Girl Who Survived

Mr and Mrs DD, of number 9093, Bishan West Avenue, were just ordinary people. Mr DD was an IT engineer of a firm called XYZ. They didn’t have any children but Mrs DD was looking after their cat. They didn’t expect to be involved in anything weird.

 

But one day, there was a loud thud followed by a burning smoke smell, Mr and Mrs DD woke up in the middle of the night. Some large metal debris was scattered over everywhere, and they heard a baby crying. They hurried to pick up the baby girl and took her home.

 

  1. The Letters from the Alien

Nearly 15 years had passed since the DDs had woken up to find a baby in their yard. DDs got a letter in a strange looking envelope. It said:

 

Dear Mr and Mrs DD,

 

Thank you for bringing up our granddaughter, BB. She is now such a wonderful girl. It was so unfortunate that her parents had died in a spaceship crash. They would have been proud of her.

 

Now, it’s time for her to come back for her studies. We are sending a spaceship to fetch her in a month’s time. Look out for a full moon.

 

Sincerely,

GG

 

  1. The Journey from 9093, Bishan West Avenue

BB had never been to the moon before. The spaceship was not as huge as she had imagined, but it looked very spacious inside.

 

Everyone came to shake hands with her and asked her how different the planet earth was. She could only say, “I don’t know if there is any difference, because I have never been to the moon.” Suddenly her mobile phone vibrated. “Excuse me”, said BB. When she checked the message, it said it would be out of service indefinitely. “What’s that?” The girl behind her asked. “Oh, it’s my mobile phone. I guess it can’t be used when I am away.” “What is a mobile phone?” Everyone was so curious because they didn’t need such phones on the moon. They simply send telepathic messages. KK sat next to BB and chatted away all the way.

 

  1. The Sorting Stool

“Welcome to Nightingale Valley Girls’ High”, said the Headmaster. “You will be sorted into five classes. They are Cherry Tree, Plum Tree, Rose, Magnolia, and Peony. When I call your name, you will sit on the stool to be sorted.” BB was sorted into Cherry Tree and so was KK.

 

  1. The Bullies

 

  1. Reconciliation

 

  1. End of the term

…という様な感じで、お話を続けられると思います。変更箇所の文字数は、特にカウントしませんでしたが、流用分は40%くらいだったのではと、思われます。初めてこの方法を使う時は、短めのストーリーを使うと、より作業しやすいでしょう。オンライン上で公表したりせず、個人的に練習のためだけに使用するのであれば、固有名詞も気にせずそのまま使ってしまったり、登場人物を変えて楽しんだり、いろいろな方法があります。楽しみながら、自然に、書くスキルを身に付けましょう！

 

あとがき

先週の『隙間時間の英語雑学T-55』（9月23日付）で、書写についてお伝えしましたが、今回のこの方法は、そのまま書き写すという練習から、さらに一歩先に進んで、本になっているものを流用し、加工して書くという練習です。Creative writingとは全く別の物なので、あくまで練習として捉えて下さいね。

 

次回予告

来月末は、Ruth Rendellの“Put on by Cunning”の解説になります。和訳も出ているかと思いますが、こちらは普通に概要ザックリの予定です。リクエストありましたら、お知らせ下さい。一週間ほどお時間頂ければ、変更可能です。

 

ではまた来月末に。