I was just thinking about how different grocery shopping is here. In the U.S., the supermarkets are much bigger; the aisles are so tall they can seem like walls of food! We have a lot more canned and frozen foods, and the cereal and junk food sections are much larger.
In America, we usually only go shopping two or three times a month, compared to the daily visits here in Japan. If you say, "I'm going shopping," that usually means shopping for clothes or gifts. If you are going for ingredients for dinner, it is better to say, "I'm going grocery shopping." I remember, when I was a child, I would always have to go grocery shopping with my mother. I didn't like it because it took such a long time, but she always let me push the cart, which made me happy.
(日本のスーパーでの買い物は、アメリカとはいかに違うかと考えていました。アメリカではスーパーマーケットがずっと大きく、通路はまるで食べ物の壁のように高く見えます。缶詰や冷凍食品がずっと多く、シリアルやジャンクフードのコーナーもはるかに広いです。日本では毎日スーパーに行くのに対し、アメリカでは通常、月に2、3回しか買い物に行きません。)
(アメリカでは「I'm going shopping（買い物に行く）」と言うと、たいてい服やギフトの買い物を意味します。夕食の材料を買いに行く場合は、「I'm going grocery shopping（食料品の買い物に行く）」と言う方が適切です。私が子供だった頃、母はいつも私を食料品の買い物に連れて行っていました。時間がかかるので嫌でしたが、彼女はいつも私にカートを押させてくれたので、それが嬉しかったです。)
Key Vocabulary
(重要な単語)
* aisle: a passage between rows of shelves in a store.
(通路)
* junk food: food that is unhealthy but quick and easy to eat.
(ジャンクフード)
* grocery shopping: the act of buying food and supplies for the home.
(食料品の買い物)
* cart: a large basket on wheels used for carrying groceries.
(カート)
* let: to allow or permit someone to do something.
(～させてあげる、許可する)
Key English Phrase
(重要な英語フレーズ)
The phrase is "when I was a child, I would." (ウェン・アイ・ワズ・ア・チャイルド、アイ・ウッド)
This is used to talk about a repeated habit or action that happened in the past, but does not happen anymore. It is a very natural and nostalgic way to start a story about your childhood.
(これは、過去に繰り返し行っていた習慣や行動で、今はもう行っていないことについて話すために使われます。子供の頃の思い出話を始めるときの、とても自然で郷愁を誘う表現です。)
How to Use It in Conversation
(会話での使い方)
* "When I was a child, I would always wake up early on Saturdays."
(「子供の頃、私は土曜日はいつも早く起きていたものだ。」)
* "She would walk to school every day when she was a child."
(「彼女が子供だった頃、毎日学校まで歩いて行っていたものだ。」)
* "Before smartphones, I would read a book on the train."
(「スマホがなかった頃、私は電車で本を読んでいたものだ。」)
* "They would always spend the summer at the beach."
(「彼らは夏をいつもビーチで過ごしていたものだ。」)
* "My teacher would sometimes let me push the cart after class."
(「先生は時々、授業の後で私にカートを押させてくれたものだ。」)
Quiz Time!
1. What is the English word for「通路」?
a) cart
b) aisle
c) junk food
2. The phrase "when I was a child, I would" is used to talk about a __ past action.
a) single, finished
b) repeated habit
c) future goal
3. Fill in the blank: "I wanted to go home, but my mom __ me __ the cart."
a) made / push
b) let / push
c) would / pushing
4. Which phrase is best for shopping for food?
a) I'm going shopping.
b) I'm going to the store.
c) I'm going grocery shopping.
5. Fill in the blank: "__ __ __ __, he would ride his bicycle to school."
a) When / he / was / a
b) When / he / was / a child
c) He / was / a / child
Ask your teacher if you are not sure of the correct answers!
What do you think of the big American supermarkets? I look forward to hearing your comments!
Miami Eikaiwa Blog: https://miamieikaiwa.blogspot.com/?m=1
Quiz Answers
1. b) aisle
理由：「aisle」は「通路」という意味で、スーパーの棚の間を指します。
2. b) repeated habit
理由：「would」は過去の習慣や繰り返された行動を表します。
3. b) let / push
理由：使役動詞「let」（～させてあげる）は「let + 人 + 動詞の原形」の形で使われます。
4. c) I'm going grocery shopping.
理由：「I'm going grocery shopping」は「食料品の買い物に行く」という最も具体的で適切な表現です。
5. b) When / he / was / a child
理由：過去の習慣を表す「would」と共に「When he was a child」（彼が子供だった頃）が文頭の句として完全です。
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