英語学習

英語ニュース教材：A seaside town wants better phone service — just not a big tower（Intermediate レベル）

 

Contents

🎧 Audio

📖 Script

St Helens, a beautiful seaside town, is famous for its fishing boats, stunning coastlines, and a skyline that lacks high-rise buildings. However, it is also known for having poor phone reception. Many people think that a new phone tower would solve this problem. But, the residents of St Helens have mixed feelings about this idea. They want better phone service, but they are concerned about how a large tower might change the town’s appearance and affect tourism.

The town’s economy relies heavily on tourism and fishing. Visitors come to enjoy the natural beauty and peaceful environment. Many locals fear that a big phone tower would spoil the scenic views that attract tourists. They argue that without the tourists, the local economy could suffer. On the other hand, better phone service could also help both tourists and local businesses. Tourists might feel safer knowing they have reliable phone service, and local businesses could operate more efficiently.

The local government is trying to find a balance. They are exploring different ways to improve phone reception without building a large tower. Some suggestions include using smaller, less noticeable towers or improving the existing infrastructure. The local council plans to hold meetings to discuss these options with the community. They want to ensure that everyone has a chance to voice their opinions and that any decision made benefits the town as a whole.

This situation highlights a common challenge faced by many communities: balancing development with maintaining the character and appeal of a place. It raises important questions about how to modernize services without sacrificing what makes a town special.

📝 Vocabulary

  • pristine: completely clean and fresh
    例文: “The beach was in pristine condition, with no litter in sight.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • pristine condition
    • pristine coast
    • pristine environment
    非常に清潔で新鮮な
  • notorious: famous for something bad
    例文: “The area is notorious for its traffic jams.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • notorious for
    • notorious criminal
    • notorious reputation
    悪名高い
  • skyline: the outline of buildings against the sky
    例文: “The city’s skyline is stunning at night.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • city skyline
    • urban skyline
    • skyline view
    都市の空に映る建物の輪郭
  • scenic: providing beautiful views
    例文: “We took the scenic route through the mountains.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • scenic route
    • scenic view
    • scenic beauty
    美しい風景を提供する
  • infrastructure: basic systems and services for a country or area
    例文: “The government is investing in infrastructure to improve roads and schools.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • infrastructure development
    • infrastructure improvement
    • public infrastructure
    基盤施設やサービス

✏️ Grammar Point

Modal verb (could) – “Tourists might feel safer knowing they have reliable phone service.”

文法の日本語補足を見る
可能性や推測を表す助動詞

💡 使用場面

この構造は、物事の可能性や推測を示す際に会話やビジネスで使われます。

📝 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: Some residents of St Helens are concerned that a new phone tower might affect tourism.
  2. MCQ: What is one reason residents are concerned about a new phone tower?
    a) It will be too expensive.
    b) It might spoil the scenic views.
    c) It could block the fishing boats.
    d) It will increase traffic.
  3. MCQ: What is the local government planning to do?
    a) Build the tower immediately.
    b) Ignore the residents’ concerns.
    c) Hold meetings to discuss options.
    d) Remove all existing phone towers.
🔑 Listening Answersを見る
  1. True
  2. b) It might spoil the scenic views.
  3. c) Hold meetings to discuss options.

📚 Reading Questions

  1. What are the main economic activities in St Helens?
  2. Why do you think the local government wants to involve the community in the decision-making process?
  3. What does the word “balancing” imply in the context of the script?
🔑 Reading Answersを見る
  1. Fishing and tourism
  2. To ensure the decision benefits the town as a whole and reflects the community’s desires.
  3. Finding a way to improve services without losing what makes the town attractive.

🇯🇵 日本語での経済ニュース解説

セント・ヘレンズは、美しい自然と観光客に人気のある町ですが、携帯電話の電波が悪いことで知られています。新しい通信塔の建設案には、景観を損なう可能性があるという懸念があり、住民の間で賛否が分かれています。観光業は町の経済の柱であり、通信インフラの改善は観光客に安心感を与え、地元ビジネスの効率向上に寄与する可能性があります。地方政府は住民の意見を反映した最適な解決策を模索しており、今後の経済的影響を慎重に検討しています。

Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-09/st-helens-locals-concerns-about-telstra-phone-tower/106308180

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