【ビジ英徹底復習】 2022 L14 Let's Talk to Strangers

Hello everyone.

"Let's talk to Strangers" is a thought-provoking vignette that encourages us to challenge our preconceived notions about interacting with people who are unfamiliar to us.

The piece explores the idea of breaking down social barriers and opening up our minds to new experiences by embracing the unfamiliar and engaging with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

With an emphasis on building meaningful connections, this vignette invites us to question our fears and biases and to take the first step towards fostering a more inclusive and compassionate society.

Pros of talking to strangers:

New perspectives: Talking to strangers allows us to gain new perspectives on life, the world and different cultures.

Building connections: Conversing with people from different walks of life helps us build meaningful connections and friendships.

Overcoming shyness: Talking to strangers can help us overcome shyness and become more confident in our social skills.

Improving communication skills: Interacting with different people requires us to communicate effectively, which can help improve our communication skills.

Cons of talking to strangers:

Safety concerns: Talking to strangers can sometimes pose safety concerns, particularly when they are unknown to us.

Uncomfortable conversations: Some strangers may have opinions or views that are offensive or uncomfortable to us.

Time waste: Talking to strangers can sometimes lead to long, unproductive conversations that take up valuable time.

Judgement and stereotypes: Some people may judge us based on our appearance, race or culture, leading to negative stereotypes and prejudices.

以上、今話題のChat GPTに書いてもらいました。

AIがいよいよ進化してきて、英語学習はもとより生活全般に大きな影響を与えることは必至です。

杉田敏の 現代ビジネス英語 2023年 冬号
https://amzn.to/3hz58ND

★creep back, 徐々に[ゆっくり、こっそり]戻る

Sometimes I wonder if the concept of "Stranger Danger" is creeping back.

★hunker down, 閉じこもる、自己隔離する

The longer we hunkered down, the fewer strangers we met.

★wither on the vine, （計画・事業などが）（熱意や支援などがなく）徐々に衰退していく[実を結ぶに至らない]

During lockdown, I let go of a couple of friendships that had been withering on the vine, as it were.

★fall by the wayside, 途中で挫折する[だめになる]、とん挫する

A lot of friendships have fallen by the wayside recently due to differences of opinion about vaccination, masking and social distancing, not o mention pro-life and pro-choice options.

★make a grand gesture, 大げさな意思表示をする
The company gave everyone a $1,000 bonus as a grand gesture of thanks.

★Small Talk "ZA-TSU-DA-N"

下記の質問に答えてみましょう。
(1) According to this vignette, what is the utility of talking to strangers?
(2) Can people normally live without talking to strangers?
(3) Have you made friends as an adult?
(4) What are the benefits of having friends?
(5) Are friends important in your life?