H☆Mさんの おぼえた日記 - 2018年4月21日(土)

[Drone delivery starts in Fukushima] -Lesson 3 / English in Today's World-

A convenience-store chain and an IT giant have started making deliveries using a drone in an area of Fukushima Prefecture hit by the 2011 nuclear accident.
Officials at Lawson and Rakuten say it is the first service of its kind in Japan.

An evacuation order for the Odaka district of the city of Minamisoma was lifted in July 2016. Former residents are returning home and rebuilding their lives there, but they have complained of poor access to store.

Lawson regularly sends a sales van to a local community center there. The drone service allows shoppers to order hot deli food and other items not stocked by the van.
When a Lawson store about 3 kilometers away from the center receives an order, it dispatches a drone to deliver the items.

"I was surprised. This is so convenient," one shopper said after receiving his food by air.
"This is epoch-making. I can feel that a new age is dawning upon us," said another.
(2017/11/1, NHK World)


[Discussion]
Hannah: It's so interesting to hear about businesses using drones to deliver products! It must be so convenient for hard-to-reach areas.

Sam: It's good to hear that these services are being offered to Fukushima residents returning to their homes.

Hannah: I can only imagine how relieved some of the residents must have felt to hear that the evacuation order was lifted. But it must be difficult to readjust after the disaster.

Sam: Maybe these drone deliveries can help the residents feel more comfortable and help them rebuild their city.

Hannah: Yes, I hope so.


◆見出し[Drone delivery starts in Fukushima]
=Delivery by drone has started in Fukushima.
=Delivery using a drone has started in Fukushima Prefecture.

◆[lift]
「(物・人・禁止令・気分などを)持ち上げる」
「持ち上げること、(スキー場の)リフト、エレベーター(昇降機/UK)=[elevator/US]」
「揚力・浮力、車に乗せてあげること、援護」
　⇒[An evacuation order for the Odaka district of the city of Minamisoma was lifted in July 2016.]「南相馬市の小高区に対する避難指示は、2016年7月に解除されました」
　⇒[lift the spirits of someone] (人の気持ちや気分を)高める、意気消沈している人を元気づける、気持ちを明るくさせる


■[using-]「～を使う・使って」
A convenience-store and an IT giant have started making deliveries using a drone in an area of Fukushima Prefecture.
　⇒I found my contact lens, using my cellphone as a flashlight.

■[lift]「(命令などを)解除する」
An evacuation order for the Odaka district of the city of Minamisoma was lifted in July 2016.
　⇒When does the government plan to lift martial law?

■[complain of-]「(苦痛などを)訴える」
Former residents are returning home and rebuilding their lives there, but they have complained of poor access to store.