新しい言葉
| 画面 | Screen |
| 目をやる | To look at, to cast one’s eyes |
| ほっとする | To feel relieved |
| すます | To finish |
| 習い事 | Lessons, learning activity |
| 〜うち | While, during |
| 準備する | To prepare |
| 温める | To warm up |
| 変わる | To change |
| 変化する | To undergo a change |
| 風景 | Scenery, landscape |
| 声を上げる | To raise one’s voice |
| 姿 | Appearance, figure |
| 昔 | The past, old times |
| 遊び疲れる | To get tired from playing |
| 囲む | To surround |
| あふれる | Nutrition |
| 栄養 | Nutrition |
| バランス | Balance |
| 商品 | Product, goods |
| 時間をかける | To take time |
| なつかしい | Nostalgic |
いっしょに考えましょう
- Do you cook your own meals?
- Do you usually eat slowly?
- Who do you often eat with?
読みましょう
An elementary school student eats dinner alone while staring at the TV screen. After coming home from school, without even a moment to relax, they quickly finish dinner and head off to lessons. Their middle school-aged sister arrives home at that time. She heats up the dinner their mother prepared earlier in the day, quickly eats, and goes to her English lessons. By the time their mother finishes work and gets home, the children are already gone. The mother eats dinner alone. The father says he’ll be late again tonight. Times change, and many things change along with them, and one of those things is the way we have our meals.
It feels like the days when the whole family would gather around, talk about what happened that day, and laugh out loud have become a thing of the past. There was a time when children, tired from playing and hungry, would say, “I wonder what’s for dinner tonight?” or “I hope Dad comes home soon,” eagerly anticipating dinner. But now, the times when the family sits together at the table have become fewer and fewer. It’s long been said that “mealtime is a time to strengthen family bonds,” but now, both mealtime and family relationships seem to be undergoing significant changes.
Nowadays, supermarkets and convenience stores are overflowing with food. There are plenty of ready-made meals, designed to be easy and nutritionally balanced for people with busy lives. Just by selecting from these options, you can have a feast on the table without spending much time. The image of a mother slowly preparing meals, thinking, “What should I make for the kids who are looking forward to dinner?” or “What would make my tired husband happy when he gets home?” has become much less common. Perhaps, in this day and age, the idea of the whole family sitting down together for a meal has become nothing more than a nostalgic scene from the past.
答えましょう
- How does the elementary school student eat dinner?
- What about the middle school older sister?
- What about the father and mother?
- What was the dining scene like in the past?
- What did the children think about meals?
- What significance did meals have at that time?
- What kind of products are lined up in supermarkets and convenience stores?
- Do you take time to cook meals now?
- What kind of scenery is the author referring to as nostalgic?
使いましょう
まとめましょう
- What is the current dining scene like?
- What significance did meals have in the past?
- Why has it changed now?
話しましょう
- How do you have meals in your house? What kind of conversations do you have with your family during meals? Do you think meals are an important time?
- Do you eat at the same time every day? What kind of food do you choose to eat? Is there anything you are careful about when eating?
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