英語試験に出る単語もあるある

意外と試験に出るような単語もドラマには頻繁に出てきますので、最終日は前回の英検1級(2015年度第2回)のボキャブラリーで出てきた単語が使われているシーンでシメたいと思います。

Detrimental / 有害な

14. Although smoking has been proven to be ( ) to health, some consumers are still persuaded by tobacco-company ad campaigns that cigarettes are cool.

  1. tantamount
  2. superfluous
  3. detrimental
  4. anecdotal

『PERSON of INTEREST 犯罪予知ユニット』のシーンから。証券会社の有能営業マンのアダムが何故か命を狙われています。パイプラインの建設会社の株に絡むことが薄々分かってきたところに、次のテレビのニュースが流れます。曰く、この法案が今日中に通らないと、ニューヨークが危機に晒される。ハワードが説明するように、この法案が通ったら、もうパイプラインは要らないので株価が暴落というわけで、ようやく点が線になりました。

TV:If this bill had not been passed today, it would have been put aside
indefinitely, which we feel would be detrimental to the State of New York.
ハ:We have a problem, Mr. Reese.
リ:What else is new?
ハ:Have you heard about Utica Shale or the process of fracking?
  It's underground rock formations.
  Companies dig down and fracture shale beds to release natural gas.
  They just passed a bill to start fracking in upstate New York.
  Which means they wouldn't need a pipeline up from the South.

(Person of Interest シーズン1 エピソード16)

Play along / 協力する

23. Bob did not think the sales plan would work, but he had to ( ) because it was his boss’s idea. In the end, the plan failed despite everyone’s hard work.

  1. play along
  2. count out
  3. trade up
  4. answer back

『ビッグバン★セオリー』では、ペニーがこの句動詞を使ってレナードを説得中です。分かれていた二人ですが、ペニーの父親が上京しているため、ペニーは父親を安心させるためにレナードにいきなりキス&ハグ。状況が飲み込めないレナードがペニーに聞きに訪れたところから会話が始まってます。

ペ:Anyway, when I told him we split up, he was heartbroken, and he kept bugging me: "How's Leonard? Why can't you get back together with Leonard? I bet Leonard never tipped a cow over on himself."
  So to get him off my back, I told him we worked things out.
レ:Really?
  How... how'd we manage that?
ペ:What?
レ:I mean, did you apologize?
  Did you have to woo me?
ペ:Get over yourself.
  I whistled, you came running.
レ:Yeah, no, I don't think so.
ペ:Okay, why are you arguing about this?
レ:I'm just saying, if we fake got back together, that's totally not how it fake happened.
ペ:Oh...
  Okay, whatever.
  Will you please just play along until my dad leaves?
レ:Hold on, you actually want me to deceive your father with some sort of sham playacting and kissing?

(The Big Bang Theory シーズン4 エピソード9)

Accomplice / 共犯者

15. When questioned about the robbery, the suspect insisted he had worked alone. DNA evidence, however, suggested he had had at least one ( ).
  1. tycoon
  2. accomplice
  3. paragon
  4. partisan

おなじみ『ブレイキング・バッド』からはウォルターとスカイラーの会話から。ソウルに言われてマネーロンダリング用のデイニーを雇うかどうかの議論の際、この単語を使っていますね。奥さんが共犯者なら裏切りもないしいイイんだろうけれど、ウォルターは犯罪に巻き込みたくないので強く拒否するところです。結局、巻き込まれていくんですが・・・

ス:What's a Danny?
ウ:Danny's an accomplice.
  Someone who's in on the scheme, who knows about laundering who's paid to look the other way.
  Now, while I agree with you that laser tag is a hard sell without a Danny, the car wash isn't really an option.
ス:And he can't get you another Danny to run the car wash?
ウ:Easier said than done.
  If we're looking for someone trustworthy.
ス:What about me?
ウ:What about you?
ス:Me.
  I'll be the Danny.
ウ:No. No, no, Skyler, that is not a good idea.
ス:I'm capable of managing a small business.
ウ:A legal business, not this.

(Breaking Bad シーズン3 エピソード11)