B1-11 / CEFR B1 / EPISODE 11

Tina's Mother Calls

Balancing family expectations and personal direction

SceneTina's mother called during lunch. Lately, she's been asking about Tina's career more often. She also mentioned a certain tall friend she'd met during the campus tour.

Frank and Tina with a phone on the cafe table. — Select the illustration to view it at full size in a new tab.

Narrator

Tina's mother called during lunch. Lately, she's been asking about Tina's career more often. She also mentioned a certain tall friend she'd met during the campus tour.

昼食中、ティナの母から電話があった。最近は、ティナの進路について聞くことが増えている。キャンパス見学で会った、ある背の高い友人のことにも触れた。

Tina01

My mother just called. She asked who I've been spending time with.

さっき母から電話があったの。最近誰とよく一緒にいるのか聞かれたわ。

Frank02

And what did you tell her?

それで、何て答えたの？

Tina03

That I've been studying with that very serious friend she already met.

前に会った、すごく真面目な友達と勉強してるって。

Frank04

The campus tour. She remembered me?

キャンパス見学のときの？僕のこと、覚えてたの？

Tina05

She called you "the tall boy who showed us around." She was impressed.

母はあなたを「案内してくれた背の高い男の子」って呼んでたわ。かなり好印象だったみたい。

Frank06

If she knew how I was made, she might feel differently.

僕がどう作られたかを知ったら、違う風に思うかもしれないよ。

Tina07

She'd like you even more. She respects people who take care of others.

もっと気に入るわ。母は人を気にかけられる人を尊敬するの。

Frank08

So what else did she ask about?

他にはどんなことを聞かれたの？

Tina09

My career. She gave me a whole list of people I "should" contact.

私の進路。連絡すべき人を、ずらっと挙げられたの。

Frank10

If you contacted every name on it, would that make her happy?

全部に連絡したら、お母さんは喜ぶのかな？

Tina11

Maybe. But I'd lose my own direction along the way.

たぶんね。でもそのうちに、自分の進みたい方向を見失っちゃう。

Frank12

Then you gotta tell her that. Kindly, but clearly.

なら、それを伝えなよ。優しく、でもはっきりと。

Tina13

I could say it better if you helped me organize my thoughts first — tall boy.

先に考えを整理するのを手伝ってくれたら、もっとうまく言えると思う。背の高い男の子さん。

WORDS & CONTEXT

Words & context

“Then you gotta tell her that.”

Gotta is an informal spoken form of have got to, expressing necessity. It is common in conversation; standard writing usually uses have to or need to. Here Frank urges Tina to tell her friend how she feels.

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STORY English with optional Japanese translations

Words & context

“Then you gotta tell her that.”