A Surprise I Almost Ruined

妹のサプライズ誕生日パーティをうっかりこわしかけた話。

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My sister's birthday was last week. My mother planned a surprise party. She told me three times: "Do not say anything to your sister." I promised. I promised again. On the day of the party, my sister came home early. She looked at the balloons in the hall. She looked at me. "What is going on?" she asked. I almost said the truth. I almost said, "Surprise party!" Instead, I said, "Mom is decorating for spring." My sister looked confused. "It is October," she said. I said, "Yes, autumn spring." She walked into the kitchen. The lights went off. Twenty people shouted, "Surprise!" Later, my mother thanked me. I did not tell her how close I came. Some secrets are kept by accident.

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She told me three times文法
3回言われた
〈told + 人 + 数 + times〉= 反復回数を強調。
What is going on?表現
何があるの?
〈go on〉= 『起きる、進行する』、句動詞。日常会話で頻出。
I almost said the truth.文法
本当のことを言いそうになった。
〈almost + 過去動詞〉= 『〜しそうになった』、未遂を表す。
Yes, autumn spring.表現
うん、秋の春だね。
意味不明な咄嗟の言い訳。エッセイのユーモア要素。
I did not tell her how close I came.表現
どれだけギリギリだったかは言わなかった。
〈come close (to + -ing)〉= 『〜しそうになる』。
Some secrets are kept by accident.文法
秘密の中には、偶然守られるものもある。
〈some X are 動詞 by accident〉= 『〜なものもある』、エッセイ風一般化。

内容チェック

本文の内容を思い出してから答え合わせ。細部まで読めたか確認しましょう。

What did the mother plan, and what did she ask the writer to do?
What did the writer say when the sister asked about the balloons?
Why does the writer say some secrets are kept by accident?

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