Dictation : NHK ビジネス英会話 Lesson 9 Marriages and Divorces (1)

My family had quite a surprise last night. My aunt and uncle came by. After twenty 20 years of marriage, they decided to get a divorce. My father wasn't faced fazed, but my mother was bold bowled over. Why have they decided to split? Is it some kind of mid-life midlife crisis? Maybe so. Their kids are grown up and out on their own, so only the two of them are still living at home. Ever since they got hitched, they beckered 've bickered over this and that. He's a take-charge type to insist who insists that his decisions are final and binding. She always felt shut out. What happend when she told him she's was going out on her own? Much to her surprise, he said, so be it, he won't stand in the her way. She filed for divorce the following morning. His and her lawyers are negotiating a life support settlement that will give her financial independence. Independence may not be a bed of roses if she doesn't know how to cope with loneliness. Let's hope she can join a support group of marriage merry divorcees, a And who knows? Maybe she can meet Mr. r Right this time and happily remarry. Marriages don't last long if one or both partners are unhappy. Why did your aunt wait so long? Bowled over is a verb that means that overcome with amazement or taken unaware. Something big happened that really surprised you. Split: 離婚する Separate: 別居する（法的には離婚してない） ぶしつけな質問をするとき Why have they decided to split? は相手との関係にもよるが、ちょっと直接的すぎ。If I may ask, や、I don't want to be too nosy, Maybe so. は便利。 final and binding よく使う。契約などで、これが最終的ですよ！という時にも。 take-charge type ポジティブな意味で使われることも多い。In business, especially, it describes someone with initiative, leadership, and good management skills. ボス的なタイプ。イニシアチブを取って仕事を始める性格。"aggressive" も同様に、ビジネスの場ではポジティブな意味。"I'm an aggressive person." Some time people use the word "assertive" instead of "agressive". It sounds a little nicer and a little softer but still describes someone who knows what they want and goes after it clearly. （自己主張ができる）