最近、書店の洋書コーナーへ行くと上の写真のような本が目立ちます。
これって挑戦心をくすぐられるから、つい手に取っちゃうよね。商売うまいなー、とか思いつつ、
このシールに書いてあるＵＲＬへ行ってみた。
What's Newに「洋書の難易度をTOEIC(R)換算! 洋書カタログ発行」のリンクがあり、わくわくしつつ行ってみると「カタログご希望の方は、お近くの洋書取り扱い書店まで。」だって。．．．．今時Webで見れなきゃダメじゃん。この商売下手。
ちなみに写真の「THE ALCHEMIST」って面白い。すごく読みやすいし。
調べてみると’８８刊行の世界的なベストセラーだって。ふーん、知らなかった。
英語の勉強にと思って、いわゆる「アメリカンジョーク」をたくさん読んだことがあったの。
結構可笑しいのがいくつかあったので、そんなかのひとつを紹介します。
オチ直前まで「いい話」風なところがミソ。ちょっと長いけどがんばってね。
Seems there was a treasure ship on its way back to port.
About halfway there, it was approached by a pirate, skull and crossbones waving in the breeze!
"Captain, captain, what do we do?" asked the first mate.
"First mate," said the captain, "go to my cabin, open my sea chest, and bring me my red shirt."
The first mate did so.
Wearing his bright red shirt, the captain exhorted his crew to fight.
So inspiring was he, in fact, that the pirate ship was repelled without casualties.
A few days later, the ship was again approached, this time by two pirate sloops!
"Captain, captain, what should we do?"
"First mate, bring me my red shirt!"
The crew, emboldened by their fearless captain, fought heroically, and managed to defeat both boarding parties, though they took many casualties.
That night, the survivors had a great celebration.
The first mate asked, "Sir, why did you call for your red shirt before the battle?"
The Captain explained, "If I am wounded in battle, the red shirt does not show the blood, so you men will continue to fight unafraid."
The first mate sat in silence. They were amazed at the courage of such a man.
As dawn came the next morning, the lookout screamed that there were pirate ships, 10 of them, all with boarding parties on their way.
The first mate became silent and looked to the Captain, their leader, for his usual command.
The Captain, calm as ever, bellowed, 'First mate.... Bring me my brown pants!!!'
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