英語学習

【Asia Business English】Trump rebuilds tariff wall with new rates on 60 countries（B1–B2）

 

Contents

🎧 Audio

📖 Script

Recently, former President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on products from 60 different countries. This decision aims to protect American industries by making foreign products more expensive and less competitive in the U.S. market. By imposing these tariffs, Trump seeks to encourage consumers to buy more American-made goods, which could potentially create more jobs in the U.S. However, this move has sparked controversy and debate among economists, politicians, and international trade partners.

Many experts are concerned that these tariffs could lead to a trade war, where other countries might impose their own tariffs on American goods in retaliation. Such actions could harm global trade and affect the economies of both the U.S. and its trading partners. Countries like China and Canada, which have strong trade relationships with the U.S., may be particularly impacted.

Critics argue that tariffs can hurt consumers by increasing the prices of goods. For example, if a tariff is placed on imported steel, the cost of cars and other products using steel may rise. This could lead to higher prices for consumers, which might reduce their purchasing power. Supporters of the tariffs, however, believe that they will help to revitalize American manufacturing and reduce dependency on foreign imports.

The impact of these tariffs will depend on how other countries respond and whether negotiations can lead to more favorable trade agreements. The international community is watching closely to see how these changes will unfold and affect global economic relationships.

📝 Vocabulary

  • tariff: a tax on imports or exports
    例文: “The government imposed a tariff on imported electronics.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • impose tariff
    • tariff rate
    • tariff barrier
    関税
  • competitive: able to compete successfully with others
    例文: “The company needs to lower its prices to remain competitive.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • competitive market
    • competitive advantage
    • highly competitive
    競争力のある
  • import: to bring goods or services into a country from abroad for sale
    例文: “The country imports a lot of its food products.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • import goods
    • import tax
    • import license
    輸入する
  • retaliation: action taken in return for an injury or offense
    例文: “The country threatened retaliation after the trade dispute.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • in retaliation
    • retaliation measure
    • retaliation policy
    報復
  • negotiation: discussion aimed at reaching an agreement
    例文: “The negotiation between the two companies lasted several weeks.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • negotiation process
    • successful negotiation
    • enter into negotiation
    交渉

✏️ Grammar Point

Present Simple for General Facts – “By imposing these tariffs, Trump seeks to encourage consumers to buy more American-made goods.”

文法の日本語補足を見る
一般的な事実や現在の習慣を述べるときに使います

💡 使用場面

一般的な事実や習慣について述べるときに使います。ビジネスの場でも、会社の方針や製品の特徴について話す際に使われます。

📝 使用例文

“例: In a business meeting, you might say: ‘If we cut costs now, we can increase our profit margin next quarter.’”

❓ Listening Questions

  1. True/False: The new tariffs are intended to make American products more competitive in the U.S. market.
  2. MCQ: What is one potential outcome of imposing tariffs on foreign products?
    a) Decrease in American jobs
    b) Increase in global trade
    c) Higher prices for consumers
    d) Lower prices for consumers
  3. MCQ: Which countries might be particularly impacted by these new tariffs?
    a) Japan and India
    b) China and Canada
    c) Germany and France
    d) Australia and the UK
🔑 Listening Answersを見る
  1. True
  2. c) Higher prices for consumers
  3. b) China and Canada

📚 Reading Questions

  1. Who announced the new tariffs on 60 countries?
  2. Why might tariffs lead to a trade war?
  3. What does the word “retaliation” mean in the context of the script?
🔑 Reading Answersを見る
  1. Donald Trump
  2. Because other countries might impose their own tariffs in response.
  3. Action taken in return for an injury or offense.

🇯🇵 日本語での経済ニュース解説

最近、ドナルド・トランプ元大統領は60カ国からの製品に新しい関税を課すことを発表しました。これにより、アメリカの産業を保護し、外国製品をU.S.市場で高価かつ競争的でないものにしようとしています。この動きは、アメリカ製品の購入を促進し、国内の雇用を増やす可能性がありますが、同時に他国が報復としてアメリカ製品に関税を課す貿易戦争を引き起こすリスクもあります。この関税の影響は、他国の対応や新たな貿易協定の交渉結果に依存します。日本もアメリカとの経済関係が密接であり、今後の動向に注目が集まっています。

Source: https://asia.nikkei.com/economy/trade-war/trump-tariffs/trump-rebuilds-tariff-wall-with-new-rates-on-60-countries

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