世界経済ニュース

英語ニュース教材：A thought experiment on how to fix the national debt problem（B1–C1対応）

 
Contents

🎧 Audio

📖 Script

Today, let’s explore a significant economic issue: the national debt problem. In Washington D.C., there’s a recurring idea often discussed when politicians consider increasing the national debt by billions or even trillions of dollars. They argue that this new spending will eventually benefit the economy by significantly boosting economic growth. This belief is popular because economic growth is a powerful factor. Over the next several decades, even small changes in the rate of economic growth could greatly impact the federal government’s ability to manage the enormous national debt. The question is whether we can control it or risk falling into a financial crisis.

In a recent episode of Planet Money, three economists shared their insights into this issue. They are examining the latest data to determine what actions the government could take to accelerate economic growth. A critical question they are exploring is whether the economy could grow fast enough to outpace the national debt. This is a crucial concern for the future of the country’s financial health.

The discussion also touched on potential strategies the government might use to encourage faster economic growth. These strategies include investing in infrastructure, education, and technology, which could improve productivity and, in turn, economic growth. However, it’s essential to consider that while these investments may lead to growth, they also require significant spending, which adds to the national debt in the short term.

The episode emphasized that understanding how to balance spending and economic growth is vital. If done correctly, it could help stabilize or even reduce the national debt over time, avoiding a financial crisis. Therefore, the economists believe that careful planning and strategic investments are crucial to achieving long-term economic sustainability.

To listen to the full discussion and explore more about this topic, you can find the episode on Planet Money’s platforms or visit their website for more information.

📝 Vocabulary

  • National debt: the total amount of money that a country’s government has borrowed.
  • Economic growth: an increase in the production of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.
  • Fiscal crisis: a situation where a government cannot meet its financial obligations or manage its debt.
  • Infrastructure: the basic physical systems and structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise (e.g., roads, bridges).
  • Productivity: the efficiency of production, often measured by the amount of output per unit of input.

✏️ Grammar Point

Conditional Sentences – “If done correctly, it could help stabilize or even reduce the national debt over time, avoiding a financial crisis.”

❓ Listening Questions

  1. True/False: The episode discusses the idea that spending more money will always solve the national debt problem.
  2. What is one potential strategy mentioned for boosting economic growth?
    a) Reducing taxes
    b) Increasing regulations
    c) Investing in education
    d) Cutting government spending
  3. What is the main concern about increasing the national debt?
    a) It will decrease inflation.
    b) It may lead to a fiscal crisis.
    c) It will reduce productivity.
    d) It will improve infrastructure too much.
  1. True
    False
  2. a)
    b)
    c)
    d)
  3. a)
    b)
    c)
    d)

📚 Reading Questions

  1. What are the economists trying to figure out in the episode?
  2. Why do politicians believe that increasing the national debt could be beneficial?
  3. What does the word “potent” mean in the context of economic growth?

  1. 🗝️ 模範解答を表示

    4. The economists are trying to figure out what the government could do to make the economy grow faster.

  2. 🗝️ 模範解答を表示

    5. Politicians believe that increasing the national debt could boost economic growth, which would benefit the economy in the long run.

  3. 🗝️ 模範解答を表示

    6. “Potent” means powerful or effective.

🇯🇵 日本語での経済ニュース解説

Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/07/02/1255100731/national-debt-crisis-growth-budget

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