英文速読　初級-21

　I am often asked what living in Japan is like. Today some twelve years after coming to Japan. I can say that living here is very comfortable. I feel at case. But this was not always the case.
　The first time I came to Tokyo, I went through a culture shock. The reasons were very simple: I spoke no Japanese, I had no close friends, I could not cope the cultural differences. But after taking a trip around the world in the summer, I was determined to try my best to adopt myself to living in Japan instead of giving up. And I have never regretted this decision, for today that I am as happy as ever in Japan. Now I can speak some Japanese, and enjoy taking with some of my Japanese friends.
　One of my great pleasures in Tokyo is reading the Japan Times every morning over coffee, before watching the news on TV. Because it deals with a lot of international news and has fewer advertisements, I think highly of it. By comparison, most American papers make much of local news about devote most of their space to advertisements for food and clothes.
　And speaking of food, I prefer Japanese food to American, especially Japanese bread.

　スラッシュを前置詞・接続詞・関係詞の前に入れて文章を区切り読み下します。

　　I am often asked /what living in Japan is like. Today some twelve years after coming to Japan. I can say /that living here is very comfortable. I feel at ease. But *this was not always the case. 

　私はよく聞かれます、日本での生活はどのようなものかと。来日しておよそ12年の現在、私は言う事ができる、ここでの暮らしは快適だと。私はくつろぎを感じる。しかし、いつもこうだとは限らなかった。
　*This was not always the case.＝ いつもこうだとは限らなかった。

　　The first time I came to Tokyo, I went through a culture shock. The reasons were very simple: I spoke no Japanese, I had no close friends, I could not cope the cultural differences. But after taking a trip /around the world /in the summer, I was determined /to try my best /to adopt myself /to living in Japan /instead of giving up. And I have never regretted this decision, for today that I am /as happy as ever /in Japan. Now I can speak some Japanese, and enjoy talking with some of my Japanese friends.

　 初めて東京に来た時、私はカルチャーショックを経験した。理由はとても簡単だった。私は日本語を話さなかった、親しい友人も無かった、私は文化の違いに対処できなかった。しかし、旅した後、世界中を、夏に、私は最善を尽くそうと決心した、日本での暮らしに適応するため、諦めるのではなく。そして私はこの決心を決して後悔していません、と言うのは今日私はこの上なく幸せだからだ、日本にいて。今私はいくらか日本語を話せるし、私は話をして楽しんでいる、日本人の友人と。

　One of my great pleasures in Tokyo is reading the Japan Times /every morning /over coffee, before watching the news on TV. Because it deals with a lot of international news and has fewer advertisements, I think highly of it. By comparison, most American papers make much of local news and devote most of their space /to advertisements for food and clothes.
　And speaking of food, I prefer Japanese food to American, especially Japanese bread.

　東京での私の大きな楽しみの一つは、ジャパンタイムズを読むことだ、毎朝、コーヒーを飲みながら、テレビでニュースを見る前に。新聞は多くの国際的なニュースを扱っていて、広告がより少ないので、私は評価している。それにひきかえ、ほとんどのアメリカの新聞は地元のニュースを重視し、紙面のほとんどをさいている、食料や衣料の広告に。
　そして食料と言えば、私はアメリカの食べ物より日本の食べ物のほうが好きだ、特に日本のパンが。