Finland mourns 'revolution' massacre victims

The Finnish government ordered a day of nationwide mourning Thursday after a youth killed six students, the head teacher and a nurse at his school before turning the gun on himself.

Pekka-Eric Auvinen, 18, was known to support radical causes and he carried out his massacre on Wednesday's 90th anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution in Russia.

Flags were at half mast on the presidential palace and government headquarters and all public buildings in line with an order made by Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen at a crisis cabinet meeting in the hours after the shooting.

The public followed suit with many homeowners also putting flags at half mast outside their homes.

Auvinen filmed a warning of his plan which was placed on the Youtube.com website. He shot dead five youths and a girl, the female head teacher and a nurse at the Jokela High School in the small town of Tuusula, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of Helsinki. None have yet been officially identified.

Auvinen shot himself in the head and died from his injuries during the night, authorities announced.

The teenager was known to support radical causes, classmates and teachers said. The Finnish press highlighted how the November 7 date of the massacre, which has gone down as one of the worst tragedies in Finland's recent history, was also the anniversary of the Bolshevik takeover in Russia.



--- Vocabulary ---
Mourn : 嘆く
Revolution : 革命
Massacre : 大虐殺
Victim : 犠牲者
Mourning : 哀悼
Turn the gun on oneself : 自分に銃口を向ける
Radical : 過激な、過激派
Cause : 原因、要因、動機
Carry out : 実行する
At half mast : 反旗を掲げる
Presidential palace : 大統領宮殿
Government headquarter : 政府本部
Cabinet : 内閣
Crisis : 危機
Shoot dead : 銃殺する
Identify 身元確認をする
Injury : 負傷
Authority : 権威、当局、権力、権威
Press : 報道機関、マスコミ
Highlight : 強調する、目立たせる
Go down as : -として伝えられる、歴史に残る
Tragedy : 悲劇
Takeover : 奪取、買収

Cubs is targeting Fukudome

--- Translation of Japanese into English ---

MLB team Chicago Cubs target Kosuke FUKUDOME who is negotiating with his current team Dragons. Sun Times that is Chicago's popular newspaper said Cubs have a lot of interesting about him who has possibility of being traded to another team with Free Agent System.

According to this source, Cubs is searching about japanese famous starter Hiroki KURODA who belongs to Hiroshima Carp. Recently, he declared "Free Agent" therefore he can choice in where he want to play baseball not only in japan but also in United States.

General Manager Hendry said if he would suit our team we will not have hesitation about acquirement of him. Last three or four years, japanese players who came from NPB to MLB have made great job for us.

Additionally, they said Cubs is officially starting to acquire Rocky's field player Kazuo MATSUI who have had a right about Free Agent.



--- Translation of English into Japanese ---
カブスが福留に興味・シカゴ紙が報道

シカゴ・サンタイムズ紙は、中日からフリーエージェント（ＦＡ）となる可能性がある福留孝介外野手にカブスが興味を示していると伝えた。

同紙によれば、カブスは広島からＦＡ宣言した黒田博樹投手についても調査を続けており、ヘンドリー・ゼネラルマネジャー（ＧＭ）も「チームに合うのであれば、ためらわずに獲得に乗り出す。ここ３、４年（日本から大リーグに）来ている選手は非常にいい仕事をしている」と話している。

さらに同紙は、カブスがロッキーズからＦＡとなった松井稼頭央内野手の獲得に本格的に動くとも伝えている。



--- Vocabulary ---

Target : 狙う
Current : 現在の
Be traded to another team : 移籍する
Search : 調査する
Declare : 宣言する
Acquirement : 獲得
Additionally : 加えて
Officially : 公式に
Right : 権利

Crimes Committed By Repeat Offenders

60 percent of crimes in Japan committed by repeat offenders
Nearly 60 percent of crimes in Japan are committed by repeat offenders, with about 30 percent of all convicted criminals having committed at least one previous crime, a white paper released by the Ministry of Justice has shown.

"There is a need to work to thoroughly uncover the cause of crimes at the stage of the first offense, and provide specific individual treatment," a comment in the white paper says.

In collecting the results, the Justice Ministry randomly sampled 1 million adults who had been convicted of crimes in the past. It found that about 29 percent of the criminals had received guilty sentences at least two times. Excluding traffic-related crimes, about 58 percent of the crimes were committed by repeat offenders.

A total of 45 percent of people whose first conviction was for theft committed another crime, compared with 42 percent whose first offence was a violation of the Stimulants Control Law. Thirty-three percent of people whose first crime was for violent behavior or injuring someone returned to crime. Altogether 17 percent of convicted murderers went on to commit another crime, and 0.9 percent of these subsequent crimes were murders.

By age, about 43 percent of the people who returned to crime were aged between 20 and 24 at the time of their first offense, while about 19 percent were aged between 25 and 29, and 12 percent were aged between 30 and 34.

The percentage of repeat offenders who committed a large number of crimes was highest among those in their 50s, standing at 41 percent.

"The need is rising for criminal justice bodies to work together, as is the case with work, education, medical welfare and private organizations," the white paper says.

crime : 犯罪
commit : （犯罪を）犯す、約束する
offender : 犯罪者
convict : 有罪判決を出す
criminal : 犯人
white paper : 白書、政府の公式報告書
ministry of justice : 法務省
uncover : 明らかにする
work to : 努力する
thoroughly : 徹底的に
collect : 集める、纏める
randomly : 不規則に
sample : 抽出する
guilty esntence : 有罪判決
exclude : -を除外する
for theft : 窃盗で
Stimulants Control Low : 覚醒剤取締法
Altogether : 全く、全体で、全部で
subsequent : 次の、続く
body : 団体、集まり

Death Sentence

Death sentence upheld for man who killed 2 housewives in Kanagawa
The death sentence was confirmed for a man convicted of murdering two housewives after the top court dismissed an appeal on Tuesday filed by the defendant.

Koichi Shoji, 53, an unemployed man of no fixed address, will be sent to the gallows for killing two housewives in murder cases in Yamato, Kanagawa Prefecture, in 2001.
The third petty bench of the Supreme Court rejected Shoji's appeal on Tuesday, which confirmed the death sentence he was handed by the lower courts. Earlier rulings convicted Shoji of burglary and murder in the 2001 murder cases.

In handing down the ruling on Tuesday, the judge said, "The defendant's responsibility is extremely grave for killing two innocent people brutally during a short period of time."



---Vocabulary---
Death sentence : 死刑判決
Uphold : 進展する、支持する
Confirm : 確認する、承認する
Convict : 有罪判決を出す
Top court : 最高司法府
Dismiss : 解放する、解任する、追放する、退ける
Appeal : 上訴
File : 提起する
Defendant : 被告人
Gallow : 絞首刑
In murder case : 殺人事件
Third petty bench : 第三小法廷
Petty : 小さい
Bench : 法廷
Hand : -を手渡す
Lower court : 下級裁判所
Earlier : 前の
Ruling : 判決
Burglary : 窃盗、泥棒
Hand down : （判決を）言い渡す
Judge : 裁判官、判事
Resonsibility : 責任、義務
Extremely : 極度に
Grave : 重大な、深刻な
Brutally : 残酷に

Survey about sleeping was conducted

Japanese sleeping less, working more, gov't survey shows

The average amount of sleep Japanese people get each night has fallen to its lowest level in 20 years, while working hours have increased, a survey by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has shown.

The results of the ministry's basic survey on social life indicate that many Japanese are working hard but not getting enough sleep.

The survey is conducted every five years, questioning about 180,000 people aged 10 or over from roughly 80,000 households. The amount of sleep people in Japan get has been falling among both men and women ever since the first survey was conducted in 1986.

People aged between 45 and 49 got the least amount of sleep, with the average standing at 7 hours, 5 minutes a night. Next was a group of people aged between 40 and 44, who got an average of 7 hours, 9 minutes sleep each night.

Sleeping the longest was the group of people aged 85 or over, who got 9 hours, 47 minutes of shut-eye on average.

The survey also showed that working hours were increasing. Up until 2001, the amount of time people spent working had fallen, but a turnabout was subsequently seen with an increase in 2006, when the latest survey was conducted.

Regular workers and employees worked for an average of 7 hours, 11 minutes a day -- an increase of 15 minutes compared with five years earlier. Other employees worked for an average of 4 hours, 27 minutes a day, marking an increase of 13 minutes.

The overall average amount of time people spent on meals each day was 1 hour, 39 minutes -- 1 minute more than five years before, but when restricted to the groups of people aged between 45 and 64, the amount fell by between 1 and 3 minutes on average.



---Vocabulary---
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications : 総務省
Social life : 社会生活
Conduct : 行う
Roughly : およそ
Houeshold : 家族、世帯
Shut-eye : 一眠り
Up until : -まで
Turnabout : 方向転換
Subsequently : その後に、その次に
Regular worker : 常用労働者
Employee : 会社員
Restrict to : 制限する
Meal : 食事

Jockey Yutaka Take notches up 3,000th JRA win

Top jockey Yutaka Take clocked up his 3,000th Japan Racing Association (JRA) win on Saturday, becoming the first to achieve the record.

The 38-year-old jockey reached the milestone when he finished first in a race in Kyoto on Saturday.

Take made his debut in March 1987. In July 1995, he notched up his 1,000th win, and he reached the 2,000-win mark in record time in September 2002, becoming the youngest jockey with that many wins.

In July this year, he broke the record for the most number of JRA wins when he surged past the 2,943 wins set by 59-year-old former jockey Yukio Okabe, who retired in March 2005.

Former jockey Takemi Sasaki, who retired in 2001, still holds the all-time record for local racing, with 7,151 victories.



<Vocabulary>
notch up : 達成する
click up : 記録する
milestone : 筋目、画期的な出来事
make a debut : デビューする
surge : -を波立たせる
all-time record : 史上最高記録

Movies & Television (P31-P32)

<Conversation>
jewish : ユダヤ人の
jew : ユダヤ人
rid : -から取り除く
would have to say : -と言わざるを得ない
crazy about : -に夢中である
stand for : -を表す
extraterrestrial : 地球外生物

＜Talk about Movies / Partner A＞
1. How often do you go to the movie theater ?
---ans---
I go to the movie a few times a year.
Especially, after I have had a child opportunity clearly decreased.
What about you ?

2. Which is better, watching movies at the theater or watching movies at home ?
---ans---
Recently I like watching movies at home more than at the theater.
I have two reasons.
First, I don't have much time to watch movie.
Second, I cannot afford to watch movies at the theater.
What about you ?

3. What kind of movies do you like ?
---ans---
I like suspense, historical and comedies
On the other hand I dislike horror.
What about you ?

4. What the best movie you've ever seen ?
---ans---
My best movie is "Catch Me If You Can".
That is Skinner's story.
Leading actress is Leonard Willhelm DiCaprio who is very cool.
I like this movie's story.
What about you ?

5. Have you ever seen the same movie more than once at a movie theater ?
---ans---
No, I have not.
Even if there was a great movie, I would not see the same movie more than once at a movie theater.
What about you ?

6. Have you ever bought the soundtrack from a movie ?
---ans---
Yes I have.
Quite a few years ago, I bought the soundtrack of "Back to the future".
What about you ?

7. Who is your favorite actor?
---ans---
About an actor, I like Leonard Willhelm DiCaprio.
Because, he is cool.
About an actress, I like Miranda Otto who appears the "Road Of The Ling" that is representative example.

8. Who is your favorite movie director ?
---ans---
I like Yan-De-Bon Whose representative movie is "SPEED".
Except SPEED, another movie is "Black Rain" or "Tomb Raider".

9. Besides America and Japan, what other country has produced movies that you like ?
---ans---
Suffice it to say that I like France.
For example Taxi is funny movie that was made by Luc Besson.
What about you ?

Red Panda at Sapporo Zoo

Cute red panda Koko steals the show at Sapporo zoo

A red panda is stealing the show at Sapporo Maruyama Zoo, standing on two legs in a fashion similar to Futa, another popular red panda in Chiba Prefecture.

The 1 1/2-year-old red panda, named Koko, was brought to the zoo in Sapporo in October. Previously, she had lived with her family at Saitama Children's Zoo in Higashimatsuyama, but was moved to Sapporo to find a mate.

"She's walking around full of curiosity," a 34-year-old keeper at the zoo said, explaining that the red panda was spending time checking out her new environment.

Another red panda, or lesser panda, that achieved huge popularity in Japan is Futa, who is being kept at Chiba Zoological Park. While Koko may not have the same nationwide popularity as Futa, for the time being she looks set to be Sapporo's favorite.



---Vocabulary---
steal the show : 話題をさらう
in a fashion : 一応は、曲りなりに
similar to : -と似ている
1/2 : one-half
bring : つれてくる
mate : 仲間
walk around : 歩き回る、散歩する
full of curiosity : 好奇心が強い
keeper : 持ち主、万人、飼育係
environment : 環境、生活環境
achieve popularity : 評判になる
achieve : 獲得する
popularity : 人気、評判
huge : 巨大な
zoological : 動物に関する
nationwide : 全国的な
for the time being : 当分の間
look : 思われる
set to be : -にすることが決まっている
favorite : お気に入りの

Getting Acquainted (P1-2)

1. What is your name?
---ans---
My name is Masato.
Please call me Masy.

2. What does your name mean ?
---ans---
Masato is "Tadashii" and "Hito".
Tadashii often means correct or fair, and Hito often means man.
So my name often means correct man.
But I think I was not correct.

3. Do you have a nick name ?
---ans---
Yes, I have.
My nickname is "Masy".

4. Where were you born ?
---ans---
I was born in Kanagawa.
And now I still live in Kanagawa.


5. Did you grow up there ?
---ans---
Yes I did.
Till I married, I have lived and grew up in there.

6. Where do you live now ?
---ans---
No, I don't.
Now I live in Kanagawa but there is not family home but our new house.
That is isolated house.

7. Do you have any pets ?
---ans---
Yes, I have.
I have two cats named Tama and Chibi who were picked up at wayside.

8. Do you have a parttime job ?
---ans---
No, I don't.
I am company employee.

9. Do you belong to any clubs ?
---ans---
No, I don't.
In order to raise my son, I quitted football club.

10. What do you like to do on the weekend ?
---ans---
I like to play with my son.
And if I have much time, I want to Learn foreign language.

12. Do you like roller coaster ?
---ans---
Yes I do.
Because that is exciteing for me.

13. Do you like rap music ?
---ans---
No, I don't.
If anything, I like pop or classic music.
Especially I like foreign woman vocalists.

14. Do you like natto ?
---ans---
Yes, I love that.
I can not believe who can't eat that.
Who live in Osaka was quated that they hate natto.

15. Do you like English ?
---ans---
Yes, I do.
If possible, I lived out of japan.

16. I was wondering about your name.
---translation---
私はあなたの名前を不思議に思います。

17. I am curious about your name.
---tranalation---
私はあなたの名前に興味があります。



---Vocabulary---
get acquainted : 知り合いになる
isolated home : 一軒家
pick up : 拾う
walkside : 道端
company employee : 会社員
in order to : -するために
raise my son : 息子を育てる
if anything : どちらかといえば

Ex-NOVA boss questioned for breaking LSL

Ex-NOVA boss questioned for breaking Labor Standards Law

Nozomu Sahashi, the founder of the failed NOVA Corp., has been questioned for breaking the Labor Standards Law by failing to pay his employees, government sources said.

Officials of the Osaka Labor Bureau of the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry questioned Sahashi, 56, last Monday. They are considering whether to file a criminal complaint with law enforcers, accusing him of violating the Labor Standards Law.

During questioning, Sahashi admitted that the company failed to pay wages to employees. "We tried to raise the money to pay wages by all means, but we couldn't," he was quoted as telling bureau officials.

NOVA's financial situation took a dive after the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry imposed a six-month ban from making long-term contracts with students in June for its unfair business practices.

It has not paid salaries for September and October to Japanese employees and wages for October to instructors. The unpaid wages amount to about 4 billion yen.



---Vocabulary---
Labor Standards Law : 労働基準法
founder : 設立者
failed : 経営の破綻した
break : 違反する
fail to : しない、できない
employees : 従業員
welfare : 幸福、福祉、福利厚生
consider : 熟考する
file : 申請する
criminal complaint : 刑事告発
law enforcer : 法執行機関
enforcer : 執行者
accuse : 責任を問う、責める、訴える
admit : 認める
raise : 調達する
by all means : なんとしてでも
quote : 引用する
bureau : 事務局、局
official : 役人
quoted at telling : -に述べたと伝えられる
financial situation : 財務状況
take a dive : 急落する
ministry : 省庁、大臣、内閣
impose : 課す、負わす
unfair : 不正な
business practice : 商行為、ビジネス手法
instructor : 指導者、講師
amount : 合計-に達する（to）
billion : 10億