H☆Mさんの おぼえた日記 - 2018年3月24日(土)

[High School Slugger Kiyomiya to Pursue Pro Career] -Lesson 43 / English in Today's World-

A Japanese teenage baseball sensation has set his sights on becoming a professional player. Kotaro Kiyomiya hit a record 111 home runs as a high school player. Now he hopes to turn pro, rather than attend university.

The senior at Waseda Jitsugtyo High School in Tokyo made the announcement Friday at a news conference. "I am now convinced that I must pursue my big dreams. I realize pro baseball must be tough, but I wish to put myself in a more demanding environment and work harder to sharpen my skills," he said.

"I wish to be a home run king. That is my final goal," he added. Kiyomiya said he wants to follow in the footsteps of Sadaharu Oh, who attended the same school. Oh holds the record for the most home runs in the Japanese professional league - 868.

Many of the 12 Japanese pro baseball clubs are expected to make Kiyomiya their first pick at next month's draft conference. (2017/9/23, NHK World)


[Discussion]
Hannah: What a powerful sense of determination Kiyomiya has! It's no small thing to pursue professional sports rather than a university education!

Sam: I am convinced that it takes that level of determination to be really successful in such a competitive career. The life of a professional athlete is not easy.

Hannah: Well, it sounds like Kiyomiya has really set his sights on becoming a home run champion! I admire his dedication to training harder.

Sam: I'm sure his friends and family will be cheering him on the whole way!

Hannah: And so will we!


◆見出し[High School Slugger Kiyomiya to Pursue Pro Career]
=[High school slugger (Kotaro) Kiyomiya is going to pursue a career (as a) pro (fessional) (baseball player).

◆[set one's sights on-] ～を目指すことにする、～にピタリと照準/狙いを定める
　⇒A Japanese teenage baseball sensation has set his sights on becoming a professional player.

◆[I wish to-] ～したいと願っております/～したいと存じます。
　⇒[I want to-]⇒[II'd like to-]⇒[I wish to-]


■[set one's sights on-] 「～を目指すことにする」
A Japanese teenage baseball sensation has set his sights on becoming a professional player.
　⇒If you've set your sights on entering an overseas university, you need to improve your English listening skills.

■[rather than-] 「～するのではなく」
Now he hopes to turn pro, rather than attend university.
　⇒Rather than work for a big firm, they decided to create their own company.

■[be convinced that-] 「～と確信している」
I am now convinced that I must pursue my big dreams.
　⇒The hare was convinced that he would beat the tortoise in the race.

[words and phrases]
-[pursue a career]あるキャリアを追い求める、ある職業の道を歩む
-[freshman/sophomore/junior/senior]
-[a more demanding environment] より高い(要求が多い/厳しい)レベル
-[follow in the footsteps of-] (目標とする人の)足跡を辿る/模範にする
-[draft] 徴兵
-[career]=[the course of one's professional life] 生涯をかけて専門とする職業/一生の職業/職業人生/経歴
-[The Tortoise and the Hare]
　⇒We all know how the race between the tortoise and the hare turned out.