受講生19 女性
試験の様子
9:30集合、9:50移動、10：20本番開始。
試験官は、日本人男性(50代)、欧米人女性(natural speed 40代)の2名。
質問内容
（以下、J：日本人試験官、N：ネイティブ試験官、A：受験者）
A: (ドアをノックして) Good morning. It's nice to meet you. おはようございます。よろしくお願いいたします。
J: Good morning. Have a seat. Please tell us your name and where you’re from.
A: My name is.... I'm from ….
N: How are you?
A: I’m fine, but getting a bit nervous.
N: Don’t be nervous. I’ll ask you some questions about Japan. Tell me about hot spring. Why does Japan have many hot springs?
A: Japan is a mountainous country. Many of the mountains are volcanoes. So, we have …. Japan has a lot of hot springs throughout the country. (試験官達はここで大きく頷いたが、矢継早に質問される様子ではなかったので、もう少し話すべきかと思い) One of the famous, popular hot spring resorts is Hakone. Hakone is near Tokyo. It takes about two hours by train, by Odakyu line. You can enjoy beautiful view of Mt. Fuji from Lake Ashi. I grew up in Odawara. Odawara is located at the foot of Mt. Hakone and I often visited there. It is sulfurous spring.
N: OK, then next question. What is Meiji Restoration? Is it so important?
A: Yes, it is important. Meiji Restoration refers to the rapid, drastic change … there was a political change. Tokugawa feudal government ended in 1868. Things have changed since then. A lot of things have changed. Meiji Restoration also refers to rapid modernization. People started to wear Western clothes. Japan was industrialized ….
N: OK. Do you like sumo?
A: Yes, I like watching sumo on TV.
N: Tell me about sumo.
A: All right, about sumo. Sumo is time-honored sport. It has religious origin. Sumo was played to foretell the future of rice cropping in ancient time. Sumo wrestlers were thought to embody the messages from the god. Sumo wrestlers wore nothing because being naked was thought to be pure in mind and body. (2人とも大きく頷いていた)
N: Is there any rituals?
A: Did you see throwing salt? (ジェスチャーをまじえて)
N: Yes, I did.
A: Throwing salt is a part of religious rites. It is purification.
N: Is there another ritual?
A: Another ritual? There may be … but I’m afraid it slipped my mind. I’ll check it up.
N: OK, it’s ok. (それで?それから?という視線だったので)
A: Sumo tournaments are held twice … (あれ?何でそう口走ったか自分でも分からない) … no, no. Tournaments are held six times annually. The tournament lasts fifteen days, starts on Sunday and ends on Sunday. Wrestlers play one match per day. (つっかえながら) They promote and also demote according to the results. And … (横綱やルールの説明をもっとしようと思ったら)
N: OK, you already talked a lot. It’s ok. Next question is the last question. Which TV programs do you like?
A: TV programs! I like informational programs.
N: Informational!
A: I seldom watch TV now because I’m raising a child. I don’t want to let him watch TV. But on NHK, they provide some educational programs such as languages, how to type or … cooking. I’m interested in cooking and learning other languages.
N: That’s all. Thank you very much.
A: Thank you very much, indeed. It was nice talking to you.
試験を終えて
日本人試験官はほとんど下を向いて評価していました。ところどころ重要なポイントで大きく頷いていたので、これで間違ってはいないのかな、と自信をもって話しましたが、後で振り返ると時間が経つにつれ、もっと理路整然と話せたらよかった、あれもこれも言い忘れた、という事ばかり思い出されます。
温泉については露天風呂とか入浴の仕方とか効能について話すべきだったか?質問の仕方も｢…について語って下さい｣という感じだったので話しやすい方向にもっていきましたが余計な事を長く話しすぎたか?Sumo is a time-honored national sport.というべきだった、とか明治維新のところでは、A new constitutional monarchy was established with Emperor Meiji at its head.と言いたかったけれど、咄嗟に出てきませんでした。
ネイティブスピーカーの女性は終始にこやかで優しい雰囲気でした。朝一番だと試験官のご機嫌もよく、緊張している受験者に対して優しいように思えました。過去2回の面接を振り返り、今回が一番リラックスできたように思えましたが、やはりど忘れしたり細かな文法ミスをして言い直したり理路整然と話せなかったのは緊張していたからだと思います。普段から話すべきポイントを箇条書きにしてまとめておかなければと思いました。
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