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■英検面接対策
1回のみ
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2回
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■質問と答え
Q1: What are Mr. Sano's two concerns about the proposal?
佐野さんが提案に対して抱いている2つの懸念は何ですか?
A1: That employees might feel watched, and that the extra cost is hard to justify.
社員が監視されていると感じるかもしれないことと、追加コストを正当化しにくいことです。
Q2: How does Ao respond to Mr. Sano's second concern?
アオは佐野さんの2つ目の懸念にどう応じていますか?
A2: He compares it to the cost of replacing an employee — several months' salary — so keeping even a few people a year makes it pay for itself.
社員1人の入れ替えコスト（数ヶ月分の給与）と比較し、年に数人引き留めるだけで元が取れると説明しています。
■単語・フレーズの解説
1. I'll give you that（それは認めるよ、その点はその通りだ）
Sano: The idea of catching turnover early is appealing, I'll give you that.
（離職を早期に捉えるアイデアは魅力的だ、その点は認めるよ。）
相手の主張の一部を認めるときの口語表現。全面同意ではなく「そこは確かに」と一部を認めるニュアンス。議論・交渉で相手を立てつつ、自分の論点は保つときに使う。
2. how ... will take it（〜がそれをどう受け止めるか）
Sano: My main worry is how the employees will take it.
（一番の心配は、社員がそれをどう受け止めるかだ。）
take は「（知らせ・状況を）受け止める・反応する」。take it well / take it badly（うまく受け止める／悪く受け取る）のように使う。相手の反応を気にする場面で頻出。
3. in the name of 〜（〜の名のもとに、〜という名目で）
Sano: I don't want to hurt morale in the name of improving it.
（士気を高めるという名目で、逆に士気を損ないたくない。）
「〜のためと言いながら」というニュアンスでよく使う。本来の目的と逆の結果になる矛盾を指摘する表現。
4. surveillance（監視）
Ao: It's a tool for support, not surveillance.
（監視ではなく、支援のためのツールです。）
「（組織的・継続的な）監視・見張り」を指すやや硬めの語。monitoring より強く「見張られている」感が出る。support（支援）と対比させて、提案の本質を印象づけるキーワードにしている。
5. put it in perspective（大局的に捉える、見方を整理する）
Ao: Let me put it in perspective.
（ちょっと視点を整理させてください。）
perspective は「観点・見通し」。put it in perspective で「物事を正しい文脈・大きな視点で捉え直す」。相手が一部だけ見ているとき、全体像に引き戻す切り返しに使う。
6. pay for itself（元が取れる、投資が自ずと回収される）
Ao: ...it more than pays for itself.
（十分に元が取れます。）
「その支出が、生む利益・節約で自然に回収される」という定番のビジネス表現。費用対効果を語るときに頻出。more than pays for itself で「元が取れるどころか、お釣りがくる」と強調。
A rather than B（BではなくむしろA）
Ao: ...once you see it as an investment rather than an expense, the numbers speak for themselves.
（これを経費ではなく投資として見れば、数字がそれを物語ります。）
rather than は「〜よりむしろ、〜ではなく」という比較・対比の表現。2つを対比して、一方を選び取る・強調するときに使う。
Sano: Good to see you again, Ao. I've looked through your proposal. The idea of catching turnover early is appealing, I'll give you that. But I have some concerns.
Ao: Of course. I'd rather hear them now than later. Please, go ahead.
Sano: My main worry is how the employees will take it. If we start tracking their stress levels, won't they feel like they're being watched? I don't want to hurt morale in the name of improving it.
Ao: That's a completely fair concern, and honestly, it's the first thing most of our clients ask. The key is how it's framed. The data isn't meant to monitor individuals or judge them. It's shared with the employees themselves, so they can reflect on their own condition. It's a tool for support, not surveillance.
Sano: So the employees can see their own results, not just management?
Ao: Exactly. Transparency is the whole point. When people see it as something that helps them, rather than something done to them, the resistance tends to disappear.
Sano: That's reassuring. Still, there's the cost. We're already paying for the hiring assessment. I'm not sure I can justify adding another feature to the budget.
Ao: I understand. Let me put it in perspective. How much would you say it costs to replace one employee who leaves? Recruiting, onboarding, lost productivity?
Sano: When you add it all up... probably several months of their salary. Maybe more.
Ao: Right. So if this feature helps you keep even two or three people a year who would otherwise have left, it more than pays for itself. It's not really an added cost. It's a way to protect the investment you've already made.
Sano: That's a strong argument. I hadn't thought about it in terms of retention cost.
Ao: Take your time to review it. But I'm confident that once you see it as an investment rather than an expense, the numbers speak for themselves.
Sano: You've given me a lot to think about, Ao. Let me discuss this with my team, and I'll get back to you next week.
Ao: That sounds great. I'll be here whenever you're ready.
#耳英語 #英語学習
