by オンライン英会話のWeblio英会話

テストで出題率の高い話題の1 つが「社屋の改修」です。オフィスや店舗の改修は、メンテナンス（maintenance）、拡張（expansion）、リニューアル（renewal）などを目的として行われます。まずいくつかの建築会社に依頼してプランを立て、改修費の見積もりを取って工事を行う業者を選定します。次に、工事の最終予算や日程、その間の段取りなどを決めてから、工事が開始されます。テストでは改修の場面自体は扱われませんが、改修の予定や進捗をめぐる社員同士の会話や工事のお知らせの形で登場するので、関連語句を覚えておきましょう。

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「オフィス用品」に関する問題を解いてみましょう。

問題 2

WE HAVE A NEW COPY MACHINE!

It’s nice to finally have a copy machine that works. Our last two machines were rather quirky and had to be serviced all too often. We decided to change manufacturers and to go for top of the line. The CopyMax 2000 is a pleasure to use but don’t overdo it—remember we’re trying to save paper. Each of you will be issued control cards that are to be inserted in the small scanner on top of the copy machine each time you use it. Copies can be made only when the cards are inserted. All the data at the time copies are made, including the number of copies, date and time will be recorded and carefully managed in a database. You may pick up your control cards from Jason in Supplies any time after February 11.

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「オフィス用品」に関する問題を解いてみましょう。

問題 1

From: Lori Piedmont
To: All Staff
Date: February 12
Re: Office supplies

There’s a new person in charge of office supplies. Monica Regis replaced Carla Yu as of Monday, February 10. Monica is the one to contact if you’re in need of anything from copy paper and printer cartridges to staples and paper clips. I recommend getting in touch with her with your orders well in advance of things running out as ordering supplies and having them delivered to the office can sometimes take up to 10 days. Our usual supplier has been short of certain printer cartridges recently, and filling these orders may take even longer.

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オフィスでは、ペンやクリップ、ファイルなどの文房具からパソコンやプリンターまで、さまざまなオフィス用品（office supplies）が日々使われています。こうしたオフィス用品の在庫がなくなったり、故障したりしたときには、担当者や担当部署が発注をしたり、修理を依頼したりすることになっています。欠品や故障などの問題が発生し、その解決方法を相談するという話題は、テストのリスニングセクションで非常によく出題されます。オフィス用品名や問題の解決方法を示すフレーズを覚えましょう。

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「出張」に関する問題を解いてみましょう。

問題 2

To: Jeb Anderson
From: Lori Cox
Date March 17
Subject: Trip report

I heard from Ben that you are extremely busy now, filling in for Lucy who suddenly had to quit. However, I’d like to remind you that I need to have the expense report from the trip you made to Sydney earlier this month by Monday morning. Otherwise, there’s a chance you won’t be reimbursed during April. Be sure to attach all receipts, including those from all the meals you had during your trip, to the expense report. I also need a trip report from you, but that can come later; judging from your current circumstances, I’d be willing to wait until the first week of next month.

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「出張」に関する問題を解いてみましょう。

問題 1

To: Beth Cordero
From: Dylan Winters
Date: September 10
Subject: London trip

Could you please reserve a fl ight for my trip to London next month and arrange for accommodations in the vicinity of Southland Bank? I plan to be there from October 7 to 10. Ideally, the hotel would have a business center, but I would settle for wireless Internet access. It would be great if you could fi nd a hotel with a gym.

Also, could you please make arrangements for a guided bus tour of the city on the 9th? I would prefer the tour to be over by around 3 p.m. as I’m having dinner with clients in the evening. Let me know what kinds of tours are available.

Contact me if you need more information. As always, thank you for help.

Dylan

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地方や海外にある支社、取引先、あるいはそこで行われる商品展示会などのイベントに出向くことを出張（business trip）と言います。出張が決まると、出張先で会う人たちへのアポイント（appointment）の取得、出張の予定表作成、ホテルの予約（reservation）、電車や飛行機などのチケットの予約などを行い、出張にかかる費用の見積もりも作成します。また、出張後は、出張報告書を書いたり、実際にかかった経費の精算をしたりします。ここでは、海外出張を例にその流れをつかみ、出張の手配に関するリスニングの問題や、旅程表を使ったリーディングの問題に強くなりましょう。

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「社内会議」に関する問題を解いてみましょう。

問題 2

Brookville Community Center
Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
Saturday, December 1

Members present: 15

Members absent: 2

Opening: Dotty Powers (chairperson) opened the meeting at 6:30 p.m. and introduced Claire Hudson, the new treasurer.

Financial Report: The center is currently about $1,500 over budget. Proceeds from the upcoming Christmas fundraiser are expected to offset this. Ms. Hudson suggested that expenses be reviewed carefully to avoid going over budget next year.

Building Improvements: Mr. Petit of the Building Committee reported that construction of the back entrance ramp would begin as scheduled on January 10. The center can be accessed only through the front and Vine Street entrances until construction is complete.

Miscellaneous Business: Ms. Powers noted that the center’s youth basketball program was recently commended in an article in the Brookville Inquirer.

The meeting was adjourned by Ms. Powers at 7:30 p.m.

The next meeting will be held on Saturday, January 5, at 6:30 p.m. at the Brookville Community Center.

Minutes taken by Grace Tanaka, secretary.

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「社内会議」に関する問題を解いてみましょう。

問題 1

TO: Sales Department staff
FROM: Jud Birch
DATE: August 12
SUBJECT: Monthly meeting

Most of us will be attending the trade show at Borne Center on the 18th, so the meeting scheduled for that day has been postponed to the 20th. I reserved the main conference room for the 20th, but it is only available from 4 to 5 p.m. We have just one hour, which means all of us should review the agenda thoroughly before the meeting so we can cover everything effi ciently. I’ve attached a draft agenda to this e-mail. Make any additions you feel are necessary and send it back to me by tomorrow evening.

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企業では、議論や意思決定、仕事の進捗報告などの目的で、頻繁に会議（meeting）が行われます。部署のスタッフで行う会議（staff meeting）、役員会議（board of directors meeting）、社外などで数日間行われる大規模な会議（conference）など、種類や規模もさまざまです。テストでは、会議の様子自体が出題されることはありませんが、会議の準備段階の話題は大変よく登場します。ここでは、会議の種類を表す語句と、社内会議開催までの流れの中で使われる語句を理解しましょう。

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「研修会」に関する問題を解いてみましょう。

問題 4

To: All employees
From: Chuck Nishida
CC: Lyle Grodin
Date: June 8
Subject: Summer Digital Media Workshop

A digital media workshop will be held during the week of July 1. Several experts in the field will be invited to instruct us on how to use digital media for better work efficiency and product promotion. Of particular interest this year is the fact that a large chunk of time will be allotted to copyright and intellectual property issues. Though probably unintended, copyright infringement has become rampant and is something that must be avoided at all costs.

Although the deadline is June 25, space is limited, so signing up early is recommended. I will be away during the last half of June, so be sure to cc your attendance requests to Lyle Grodin.

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「研修会」に関する問題を解いてみましょう。

問題 3

Annual Career Development Seminar
Stop, Think, Advance: Rethinking Your Career Path
April 20-23

In response to popular demand, the annual career development seminar will be offered again this year. The seminar comprises several workshops that offer intensive training relative to various stages of career development. Attendance is voluntary except for secondyear employees who are required to attend the series of workshops offered on the first day.

Details concerning the seminar will be e-mailed to all staff by April 10. The deadline for signing up is Monday, April 15. Past seminars have provided invaluable guidance; don’t miss the chance to join and learn what you can do to move forward in your career.

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研修会」に関する問題を解いてみましょう。

問題 2

I’d like to remind you about next week’s training session for the new inventory control software. I will be conducting the session with assistance from Terry Williams of Oasis Software, which is the company that created this pioneering system. Controlling inventory has been a challenge for our firm, and this new software is expected to help us manage our inventory properly and efficiently. There are copies here of the instruction manual for the software. Take a copy with you when you leave and review it so you have some idea of what you’ll be working with next week.

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