And certainly that is a building block along the way to eventually becoming an astronaut,
but it was beyond my wildest dreams. Even today it's beyond my wildest dreams that I get to do something like this.
So, yeah, my goal at the time was to become a test pilot.
「想像をはるかに超えてた」。It was more than I imagined なんて言わない、これが native の決まり文句。wildest をつけるのがミソ。
02A
“a building block along the way”
my goals when I enrolled in the aerospace engineering program was to further my chances of becoming a test pilot.
And certainly that is a building block along the way to eventually becoming an astronaut.
but it was beyond my wildest dreams.
「そこに至る一つの足がかり」。a step ではなく building block。後に along the way をくっつけて「道のりの途中の」を出すのが自然。
03A
“grit and determination and perseverance”
Any academic endeavor really takes some level of
Any academic endeavor really takes some level of grit and determination and perseverance to get through it.
And those qualities kind of really enabled a lot of the things that paved that path for me.
「根性・意志・粘り」の三点セット。grit は努力家ネタの超頻出語、effort では出ない泥臭さが入る。takes some level of X to get through it の型も丸ごと使える。
04B
“paved that path for me”
those qualities kind of really enabled, I think, a lot of the things
those qualities kind of really enabled a lot of the things that paved that path for me to be able to at least have a chance.
There's also a degree of luck and timing involved in all of that.
「道を切り開いてくれた」。helped me ではなく paved the path。努力や経験が道を舗装した、という比喩が native。
05A
“is a testament to”
it has given me opportunities that I never would have dreamed possible,
the fact that I'm standing here today is certainly a testament to some of those opportunities that the University of Alabama has offered to me.
as the flight engineer on the International Space Station.
「〜の証だ」。proof より格上で、スピーチや感謝の場面で映える。X is a testament to Y で丸暗記推奨。
06S
“don't do it to fill a square”
But I also encourage them to pursue something that they're passionate about.
Don't do it to fill a square because you think it's going to get you to something later just because it's filling a square.
For me, it was becoming a pilot.
「形だけ埋めるためにやるな」。軍人由来のイディオム。just to check a box と同義で、義務感だけでやる行動を皮肉る言い方。学習者はまず出せない。
07A
“it didn't feel attainable”
I always looked up to astronauts,
but it didn't necessarily really feel attainable because it was just so far out there.
And I was in the Air Force for maybe six or seven years.
「手が届く気がしなかった」。impossible と言い切らず attainable を否定する濃淡が大人っぽい。so far out there =「あまりに遠い存在」も併せて盗め。
08S
“threw their hat in the ring”
they were just real people that were passionate about what they did
and they threw their hat in the ring and were able to get selected.
And so that was where it really became a tangible thing for me.
「名乗りを上げた・挑戦の輪に飛び込んだ」。applied では出ない、自ら手を挙げる勇気のニュアンス。後で throwing my name in the hat と崩して再利用してるのも本物の証拠。
09A
“it was so surreal”
and then see this manmade object flying alongside of you that helped you get to space.
And it was so surreal to look down on the earth, which looks so natural from that vantage point.
And so seeing that was such a surreal experience.
「現実離れしてた・夢みたいだった」。strange や like a dream より一段おしゃれで、圧倒的な体験を語る定番。vantage point(見晴らしの利く地点)も上等な語。
10S
“it never gets old”
being able to look out the cupola where you see that in a 360 degree field of view is just amazing.
And it never gets old.
Bob, thank you so much for speaking with us today.
「何度見ても飽きない」。I never get bored より遥かに自然でこなれてる。好きなものを語る締めにそのまま使える3語の金フレーズ。
インタビュアーの聞き方 · QUESTION PATTERNS
Q01MOMENT
Was ... your goal when you ...?
“Was becoming an astronaut your goal when you enrolled at The University of Alabama?”
文脈: 本題に入る最初の質問として。
出発点(入学時)に時間を固定して当時の目標を聞く型。過去の一時点に絞るので相手が物語を始めやすい。
Q02OPEN
How did ... play a role in / influence ...?
“How did The University of Alabama play a role in you eventually becoming an astronaut or influence your journey to reach the International Space Station?”
文脈: 最初の回答を受けて、母校の貢献を深掘りするとき。
play a role in と influence を or で並べて「貢献の中身」を広く開く。how did X influence Y は因果を語らせる万能テンプレ。
Q03REFLECTION
What is your advice to people who ...?
“What is your advice to people who are thinking about pursuing graduate degrees to further their careers?”
文脈: 本人の成功談を一通り聞いた後、視聴者向けの一般論に橋渡しするとき。
成功者から教訓を引き出す定番。people who ... で対象を限定すると刺さるアドバイスが返る。インタビューの中盤に挟む鉄板の質問。
Q04MOMENT
When was that moment when you realized ...?
“When was that moment in your career when you realized you could become an astronaut? This was not just a dream. It could be reality?”
文脈: 夢が現実に変わった転機を引き出したいとき。
that moment when you realized で具体的な一瞬を要求する。漠然と聞かず転機をピンポイントで掘るから良いエピソードが出る。
Q05MOMENT
What were your thoughts / impressions the first time you ...?
“What were your thoughts or your impressions that first time you got to look out the window in space?”
文脈: 終盤、宇宙からの眺めという山場の体験を語らせるとき。
the first time you ... で初体験の生の感情を引き出す。thoughts or impressions と二択で渡すと相手が答えやすい。締めのハイライトを作る質問。