英文速読　初級-46

　Compared with other countries, the United States is such a young country that it is no match for Europe and Asia in things that are admired because they are old. Perhaps that is why ‘’big’’ makes a great difference in America. After all, each nation attaches importance to values such as ‘’old’’ or ‘’big’’ so as to provide the people with an ideal with which they can identify their nation or nationality.
　 The Japanese, by contrast, admire things that are small. Consider ‘’bonsai,’’ or the traditional Japanese garden which aims at the creation of the world in a small amount of space. The *geographical limitations of their nation may have had an influence on the Japanese. They prefer ‘’small’’ to ‘’big,’’ which is very surprising to us Americans.
　In the case of America, from the beginning of its history, it seemed a nation with unlimited space. Actually, now that the country has filled up and areas around large cities are often crowded with people and traffic, the situation of unlimited space may not hold true of the present America, but the myth of the present America, but the myth the unlimited space goes on. Once a myth has started, a long time has to go by before it fades away.
　In America, show business and advertising have also pushed forward the idea that ‘’big’’ is of value. America filmmakers, in particular, like to boast of their enormous production costs and show off large-scale scenes.

　Compared with other countries, the United States is such a young country /that it is no match for Europe and Asia /in things that are admired /because they are old. Perhaps *that is why ‘’big’’ makes a great difference in America. After all, each nation attaches importance to values such as ‘’old’’ or ‘’big’’ /*so as to provide the people with an ideal /with which they can identify their nation or nationality.

　*that is why~ 「そういうわけで〜」　*so as to~ 「〜するために」

　他の国と比較して、アメリカは非上に新しい国なので、ヨーロッパやアジアにはかなわない、称賛されるものにおいて、古いという理由で。それゆえにおそらく、アメリカでは「大きい」ことがとても重要になるのだろう。結局、どこの国も「古い」あるいは「大きい」のような価値基準に重要性を置く、人々に理想を与えるために、それに自分たちの国家や国民性を結びつけることができるような。

　 The Japanese, by contrast, admire things that are small. Consider ‘’bonsai,’’ or the traditional Japanese garden /which aims at the creation of the world /in a small amount of space. The geographical limitations of their nation may have had an influence on the Japanese. They prefer ‘’small’’ to ‘’big,’’ which is very surprising to us Americans.

　日本人は、対照的に、小さいものを称賛する。「盆栽」あるいは伝統的な日本の庭を考えてみなさい、それは世界の創造を目論む、小さな空間の中に。国の地理的な限界が日本人に影響したのかもしれない。彼らは「大きい」より「小さい」を好む、それは大変な驚きだ。私たちアメリカ人にとって。

　America, from the beginning of its history, it seemed a nation with unlimited space. Actually, now that the country has filled up and areas around large cities are often crowded with people and traffic, the situation of unlimited space may not hold true of the present America, but the myth of unlimited space goes on. Once a myth has started, a long time has to go by before it fades away.

　アメリカの場合、歴史の初めから、無限の空間を持つ国のように思われた。実際、今やアメリカは満杯になった、大都市周辺の地域はしばしば人や車で混雑しているので無限の拡がりがあるという状況は現在のアメリカには当てはまらない、しかし無限の拡がりという神話は続いている。一度神話が始ま
ると長い時間が経過する必要がある. それが消滅するまで。

　In America, show business and advertising have also pushed forward the idea /that ‘’big’’ is of value. America filmmakers, in particular, like to boast of their enormous production costs and show off large-scale scenes.

　アメリカでは、娯楽産業、広告はまた考えを打ち出してきた、「大きい」は価値があるという。アメリカの映画制作会社は、特に、好きだ、その莫大な製作費を自慢したり、大掛かりなシーンを見せびらかしたりするのが。