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2001年7月25日 18時31分

July 25th(twenty-fifth), Wed. 快晴・代ゼミ第２回マーク模試R高実施当日！
　　　　　　　　代ゼミ第２回マーク模試一般実施まであと４日！
　　　　　　　　駿台（すんだい）第１回マーク模試一般実施まであと４日！　　　　　　　　　　教員採用試験京都市・京都府；大阪市・大阪府まであと４日！
　　　　　　　　　　参院選投票日まであと４日；不在者投票も利用可能だよ！
　　　　　　　　　　　⇒We ARE part of history! DO NOT ”棄権する”！
　　　　　　　　　　　　＝Do not abstain from voting!
Go voting by all means! It' your duty, right!
　　　　　　「我々は歴史の一部だ！棄権（きけん）するな！是が非でも投票へ行こう！投票は、我々の権利であり義務でもある！」



「キッズ（子供達）によくする質問！」さてさて、出典はどこかな？

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS BY KIDS
1. What is it like to be a Secret Service agent?
　　シークレットサービスの局員になるって、どんなふうですか？
　　注：'it'は仮主語。it＝to be a Secret Service Agent

2. What do I have to do to become a Secret Service agent?
3. What types of cases does the Secret Service work?
4. Why do agents agree to "take a bullet" for the President?
5. Who are the people in uniform at the White House gates?
6. Has anyone ever been shot while guarding the President?
7. How many of your people have been killed?
8. Did you have to take a survival test before joining the Secret Service?
9. Why do agents always wear sunglasses, and can you send me a pair?


１）What is it like to be a Secret Service agent?

The Secret Service is unique among federal law enforcement agencies because not only do we work criminal investigations, we also provide protection for the President and Vice President of the United States and their families, former Presidents, Presidential candidates, and visiting heads of state and heads of government to the United States. Therefore, throughout their careers agents will perform a variety of assignments--both protective and investigative.

Secret Service special agents will begin their careers with 6 to 8 years in a field office. After the field office assignments, agents are usually transferred to a protective detail where they will stay for 3 to 5 years. At the conclusion of their protective detail assignment, they will spend an additional 2 to 4 years working in a headquarters office, before returning to the field. However, promotions will affect the typical career path.



２）What do I have to do to become a Secret Service agent?

The basic requirements to become a Secret Service agent is that the applicant must have a four-year college degree, be in good physical condition, and have not gotten into too much trouble as a kid or a young adult. Lots of people apply to become Secret Service agents, so the process is very competitive. We always tell people that may be interested in becoming an agent that they should study very hard in school, don' t do drugs of any kind, and be the best person that they can be.



３）What types of cases does the Secret Service work?

The types of criminal cases we work are mainly concerned with safeguarding the nation's financial security. The Secret Service was originally founded in 1865 to suppress counterfeit money. We still spend a lot of time investigating counterfeit money both in the United States and overseas. Additionally, we currently investigate credit card fraud, computer fraud and financial institution fraud. Even though we now rely on computers to help us, we still go out and ask questions of victims, witnesses, and suspects. Talking with people is one of the best ways to tell whether people are telling the truth. We also investigate people who make threats against the President, Vice President, or any of our protectees. These are probably our most serious cases because we have to determine if someone really wants to hurt one of these people or if they perhaps have some problems of their own for which they need help.



４）Why do agents agree to "take a bullet" for the President?

The reason we agree to "take a bullet" for the President is based on preserving the ideals on which this country was founded, such as democracy.



５）Who are the people in uniform at the White House gates?

Those individuals are members of the Secret Service Uniformed Division. They wear uniforms because their jobs require them to be recognized as police officers. Many of these officers are posted at different areas around the White House, at the Vice President's residence and at embassies. These officers protect these buildings as well as the people in them.



６）Has anyone ever been shot while guarding the President?

Fortunately, very few of our personnel have been shot while guarding the President or other protectees, but the risks are always there.

Examples of employees who have been shot are Officer Leslie Coffelt and Special Agent Tim McCarthy. Officer Coffelt was shot and killed in 1950 when two Puerto Rican nationalists tried to assassinate President Harry Truman. Officer Coffelt died of his injury. Special Agent McCarthy was shot by John Hinkley, Jr. when he tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981. Special Agent McCarthy recovered from his injury. In both of those incidents other law enforcement personnel also were wounded.

We also had an agent wounded in the attempted assassination of Presidential candidate Governor George Wallace. Special Agent Nick Zarvos was shot in the throat, but survived, as did Governor Wallace.

Our personnel spend a lot of time training, and we also make a lot of advance preparations before one of our protectees visits somewhere to try and minimize the chances of someone with a gun getting close to any of our protectees.



７）How many of your people have been killed?

As of 1999, we have lost 31 employees as a result of on-duty incidents.



８）Did you have to take a survival test before joining the Secret Service?

No, agents do not have to pass a survival test. However, during their training, and even while they are working, we like our agents to be in very good physical condition. We encourage everyone to get lots of exercise by running or lifting weights so that they stay healthy. We also encourage our personnel to eat a healthy diet.



９）Why do agents always wear sunglasses, and can you send me a pair?
なぜ（シークレットサービスの）局員はサングラスをしているの？サングラスを一つ送ってくれない？

The reason Secret Service agents wear sunglasses is to keep the sun out of their eyes--so they can increase their ability to see what people in the crowd are doing. We are sorry but we cannot send you a pair of sunglasses--agents buy their own sunglasses.

・・・・・悪い、残念だがサングラスは送ってあげられない。あのサングラスは、自分のお金で買うからだ。






出典：US Secret Service →http://www.treasury.gov/usss/（KIDS　ONLYをクリック！）

TA追記：入試のためだけではなく、英語をコミュニケーションの道具として「付き合って」いこう。