Atsuko Okatsuka is a stand up comedian, actress, and writer. She is the creator and host of Let's Go, Atsuko! A (woke) Japanese Game Show, a sold-out monthly live show and hit weekly podcast. She was named a Comic to Watch by Vulture & TimeOut LA and has written for Adult Swim's The Eric Andre Show and Soft Focus with Jena Friedman.

Many dread small talk and shy away from it as much as possible. But whether we like it or not, there’s no way we can escape small talk because it is part of everyday interactions. Humans are social creatures and we use conversation as our way to emotionally connect with each other. If you are one of them, worry not because you are about to learn the techniques to gracefully jumpstart a conversation with anyone in any situation.

Overworked and underappreciated, single mom Amy Byler needs a break. So when the guilt-ridden husband who abandoned her shows up and offers to take care of their kids for the summer, she accepts his offer and escapes rural Pennsylvania for New York City. Usually grounded and mild mannered, Amy finally lets her hair down in the city that never sleeps. She discovers a life filled with culture, sophistication, and - with a little encouragement from her friends - a few blind dates.

Although many of us prioritize our physical health through exercise and healthy eating, we often forget to spend time boosting our mind, mood, and mental health. It is so important that we focus on mental self-care and reducing daily stress since mental toughness and resilience will get us through difficult times and help us achieve success in every area of our lives. Using the incredible power of our minds, we can persist and grow in response to life's challenges.

使用語彙1500語、通常の3分の2のスピードなので、はじめてのリスニング素材に最適です！ VOAスペシャルイングリッシュとは、Voice of America（アメリカ唯一の国営ラジオ放送）が非英語圏の人々のために、使用語彙を1500語に限定し、話すスピードを通常の3分の2（1分間に100語程度）におさえた英語のプログラムです。英語学習の初心者や、長い情報を聞き取りたい方に適した素材です。収録された音声は、ヘレン・ケラーやキング牧師、ヘミングウェイなど、アメリカが世界に誇る偉人たちの半生を、ときには本人の肉声も交えながら語ったものです。 ◆CONTENTS◆ヘレン・ケラー：闇に訪れた光と希望／ヘンリー・フォード：伝説になった自動車メーカー／アーネスト・ヘミングウェイ：一文の真実を求めた男／ルー・ゲーリック：球史に残る不滅のヒーロー／ジェシー・オーエンス：オリンピック選手を生涯支えた信念／マーティン・ルーサー・キング：公民権運動に命を捧げた指導者／アラン・シェパード：宇宙を体験した初めてのアメリカ人／アーサー・アッシュ：人種差別と闘ったテニス選手／ジェシカ・ダンディ：女優を貫いた生涯 ※本商品の音声は、書籍『VOAスペシャルイングリッシュ　ヒーローズinアメリカ』に付属のCDと同内容です。

アルクの月刊誌『ENGLISH JOURNAL』に2016～2019年に掲載されたハリウッドスターのインタビューから、9本を選び収録。

Two little mice learn a big lesson about working together when they join forces to create The Biggest Snowman Ever in this wonderful winter story.

This meditation harnesses the healing properties of 285.5 Hertz, a frequency that promotes emotional stability. Known for its grounding effects, this tone helps to restore emotional balance and reduce feelings of anxiety or instability. By immersing yourself in these vibrations, you can find a sense of calm and resilience in your emotional journey.

Mickey and friends star in this adaptation of Mark Twain’s The Prince and the Pauper. During a chance encounter, a prince discovers he looks just like someone else—a poor and hungry subject named Mickey. When the prince asks Mickey to switch places with him for the day, each learns what it is like to walk in the other’s shoes.

Eight-year-old orphan Beth Harmon is quiet, sullen, and by all appearances unremarkable. That is, until she plays her first game of chess. Her senses grow sharper, her thinking clearer, and for the first time in her life she feels herself fully in control. By the age of 16, she's competing for the US Open championship. But as Beth hones her skills on the professional circuit, the stakes get higher, her isolation grows more frightening, and the thought of escape becomes all the more tempting.

It's no secret that we're pushed to the limit. Today's professionals feel rushed, overwhelmed, and perennially behind. How can we break out of the cycle and create the kind of interesting, meaningful lives that we all seek? Just as CEOs who optimize for quarterly profits often fail to make the strategic investments necessary for long-term growth, the same is true in our own personal and professional lives.

On October 5, 2011, the news of the death of technology innovator Steve Jobs rocked the world. The failing health of the Apple cofounder and Pixar CEO was no secret. Jobs had given up his role as Apple's CEO just a few months prior because of his struggle with pancreatic cancer. But his death still drew a huge reaction. From Apple employees and fans to political and business leaders, people honored Jobs' passing by reflecting on his prolific life that greatly influenced the way technology is used.

Welcome to Zootopia, an amazing animal city where anyone can be anything! But when optimistic Judy Hopps—the first-ever bunny cop—arrives for her first day on the job, she discovers that being a small bunny on a police force of big, tough animals isn’t so easy.

FBI agent Sarah Cole is stunned to receive an invitation to the “Game of Nines,” the most secretive and longest-running murder puzzle in history. Thrust into a mystery that has confounded law enforcement for decades, she proves to be an unexpectedly formidable "player"—and might finally end the deadly game once and for all.

Words. We use them all the time, every day, mostly without giving them much thought at all. We take for granted that they’re here at our disposal whenever we need them. But if you’ve ever wished you could communicate more effectively, words are the place to start. It’s incumbent upon you to choose the best words to accomplish your goals, because how you choose to communicate influences—well, everything! The power of communication shapes our professional goals, our relationships, and our lives—so the words we choose to use carry a great deal of power.

■自らすすんで勉強できる子になり成績がグングン伸びる！学校以外に、お金を払って塾へ行ったり、通信教育を受けることだけが、成績を上げる方法ではありません。

世界が笑った！
世界15カ国で大絶賛の極上エンターテインメント。全５噺をライブ収録

ケイ・ヘザリ（「ＮＨＫラジオ英会話」元レギュラー・ゲスト）のエッセイ単行本『American Pie』の中から厳選した17本を、著者自らが英語で朗読。

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive - and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet.

■日常生活、ビジネス、観光、歴史、文化など、バラエティーに富み、独特のユーモア感覚にあふれた45本のトピックを収録。プロのイギリス人ナレーターによる美しい発音で、ラジオドラマのように聴きやすい会話や、イギリス情報満載のモノローグをお楽しみください。 ■トピックは、アルクが編集した「標準語彙水準12000」(Standard Vocabulary List、SVL 12000)のレベル1~3(初級レベル)の英単語を中心に構成されています。難しすぎる単語がないので、イギリス英語になじみのない方でも、気楽にリスニングに取り組んでいただくことができます。 ■リスニング力がアップするだけでなく、会話力もアップし、イギリスに関する知識も増えること請け合いです。 ※「標準語彙水準12000」:アルクが長年蓄積してきた膨大な英文データから「日本人英語学習者にとっての有用性」「ネイティブスピーカーの使用頻度」を基準に選び出した、12000語の重要英単語リスト。 ※本商品は書籍に付属のCD音声と同内容です。また、テキスト情報は含まれておりません。 ◇対象レベル◇初級以上~

Grammar! For many of us, the word triggers memories of finger-wagging schoolteachers, and of wrestling with the ambiguous and complicated rules of using formal language. But what is grammar? In fact, it's the integral basis of how we speak and write. As such, a refined awareness of grammar opens a world of possibilities for both your pleasure in the English language and your skill in using it, in both speech and the written word.

80%のどうでもいいことが、決断を誤らせる
決断に至るプロセスを仕組み化し、判断基準を明確にすることで、意思決定をシンプルにするための技術・テクニックです。

仕事上、「決めることが苦手」という方は少なからずいると思いますが、その「決められない理由」の多くは、「どうでもいいこと」を考え過ぎているから。早く正しく決めるために「数字、ファクト、ロジック」の使い方、「何を、どう、考えて決めればよいのか」誰も教えてくれなかったシンプル且つ決定的なルールを紹介します。

目次

はじめに

【序章】決められる人が物事を進められる
...

日本文学の名作10編を、アメリカ生まれの日本文学研究者が英語に翻訳。

When three little pigs set off into the big world to build their homes, they must decide if they’ll do things the easy way or work hard for what they want. Two of the little pigs do not like to work, so they quickly build homes of straw and sticks. But the hard-working little pig builds a home of bricks. Whose home will be sturdy enough to withstand the big bad wolf as he huffs, puffs, and tries to blow their homes down? Listen along as the pig brothers learn a valuable lesson!

Since taking over TED in the early 2000s, Chris Anderson has shown how carefully crafted short talks can be the key to unlocking empathy, stirring excitement, spreading knowledge, and promoting a shared dream. Done right, a talk can electrify a room and transform an audience's worldview. Done right, a talk is more powerful than anything in written form.