鉄板読み物教材－Gandhi's Letter to His Son
今回の読み物は，インド独立の父・ガンディーが獄中から息子の Manilal（マニラール）にあてた手紙です。
ガンディーの獄中での生活ぶり，敬けんなヒンドゥー教徒としての祈り，非暴力・不服従を信条とした生きざま，貧しい人々とともに生きることを求め続けた姿勢，家族に対する愛情などが，行間からにじみ出てくるような手紙です。
一文，一文，しっかり味わいながら読み進めましょう。
楽しい英文読解教室 Gandhi's Letter to His Son
ガンディーが息子マニラールに宛てた手紙を読んで，下の質問に答えなさい。
Gandhi's Letter to His Son
Dear Manilal,
① I have just finished my morning prayer. From the small window, the cool, fresh air is coming into my room. The sky in the east is red now. ② Birds are singing in the trees. Nature has already awaked. But the people in the prison are still sleeping. Usually, my room has only a bed and a table. But today, ③ there is a rose in a vase on the table. The cook in the prison gave it to me last night. I am very well. ④ Please don't worry about me.
How are you, Manilal? Are you well, too? You are already seventeen years old.
Perhaps you are saying to yourself every day.
"My father is in prison. Who will guide me? What kind of man shall I become?"
Manilal, please remember these words. In your busy, hard life, always do your best. Train yourself every day.
In my long life, I have asked myself, "What is the soul? What am I? What is God?" Have you asked yourself these questions, too? They are very important questions.
Think about them always. Find the answers.
Manilal, you have enough food every day. But most Indian people are always hungry. Have you done anything for our hungry neighbor? Of course, you can not do many things for them. But ⑤ you can do something for them. You can live simply. ⑥ A simple life is sweeter than a rich life.
I must stop now. Now, dear Manilal, I give my love to your brothers, grandmother, your aunt, and you.
語句
prayer 祈り awake 目覚める prison 刑務所 vase 花びん guide 導く train 訓練する・鍛える
soul 魂 neighbor 近隣の人 sweet 素晴らしい・甘い
問い
１ 文中の下線部①～⑥の英文をそれぞれ日本語に直しなさい。
２ 手紙の内容について次の英語の質問に英語で答えなさい。
① Did Gandhi write this letter in the afternoon?
② Who gave the rose to Gandhi?
③ How old was Manilal?
④ Were most Indian people rich?
⑤ Did Gandhi want his son to live simply?
答え
１
① 私はたった今朝の祈りを終えたところです。
② 鳥たちが木々の間でさえずっています。
③ 机の上の花びんにはバラの花が一輪飾ってあります。
④ どうか私のことは心配しないように。
⑤ お前は彼ら（空腹をかかえている隣人）のために何かをすることができます。
⑥ 質素な生活は豊かな生活よりも素敵です。
２
① No, he didn't. ( He wrote it in the morning. )
② The cook in the prison did.
③ He was seventeen.
④ No, threy weren't.
⑤ Yes, he did.