英語学習

英語ニュース教材：Food bills on course to rise by £275 a year as prices jump（Intermediate レベル）

 

Contents

🎧 Audio

📖 Script

In recent times, many families are noticing that their weekly grocery bills are getting higher. Research has shown that the cost of food is going up, with households expected to spend around £275 more each year on groceries. This increase in food prices is affecting how people are shopping and eating. Many families are choosing to buy cheaper brands or are deciding to make simpler meals to save money.

The rise in food prices is mainly due to several factors. One of the main reasons is the increase in the cost of producing food. This includes higher prices for things like fuel and fertilizers that farmers need to grow and transport food. Additionally, global events, such as conflicts and climate change, have made it harder to produce and distribute food efficiently.

As a result, people are adjusting their shopping habits. Some are buying in bulk to save money in the long term, while others are looking for deals and discounts. Stores are also responding by offering more promotions and discounts to attract budget-conscious shoppers.

The impact of rising food costs is not just limited to individual households. It also affects the wider economy. When people spend more on food, they have less money to spend on other things, which can slow down economic growth. However, some economists believe that these changes might encourage people to waste less food and become more mindful of their consumption habits.

Overall, the increase in food prices is a significant issue that affects both consumers and the economy. People are finding creative ways to manage their budgets, but the situation highlights the importance of addressing the underlying causes of rising food costs.

📝 Vocabulary

  • groceries: items of food sold in a supermarket
    例文: “She went to the store to buy some groceries for the week.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • buy groceries
    • grocery store
    • grocery bill
    食料雑貨
  • household: a group of people, often a family, who live together
    例文: “There are four people in my household.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • household income
    • household chores
    • household expenses
    世帯
  • budget: a plan for how much money will be spent on different things
    例文: “We need to stick to our budget this month.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • annual budget
    • budget plan
    • within budget
    予算
  • impact: the effect or influence of one thing on another
    例文: “The new law had a significant impact on the economy.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • positive impact
    • negative impact
    • impact on
    影響
  • efficient: achieving maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense
    例文: “The new machine is more efficient than the old one.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • energy efficient
    • efficient system
    • efficient use
    効率的な

✏️ Grammar Point

Comparative structures – “Many families are choosing to buy cheaper brands or are deciding to make simpler meals to save money.”

文法の日本語補足を見る
比較を用いて「より安い」や「より簡単な」を表現している

💡 使用場面

比較の表現は、異なる選択肢や状況を比較する際に使われます。

📝 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 increase in food prices means households are expected to spend around £275 more each year.
  2. MCQ: What is one reason for the increase in food prices?
    a) More people are eating out
    b) Higher production costs
    c) Decrease in population
    d) New food laws
  3. MCQ: How are stores responding to changes in shopping habits?
    a) Increasing prices
    b) Reducing store hours
    c) Offering more promotions
    d) Limiting product variety
🔑 Listening Answersを見る
  1. True
  2. b) Higher production costs
  3. c) Offering more promotions

📚 Reading Questions

  1. What are some ways households are adapting to rising food costs?
  2. Why might rising food costs encourage people to waste less food?
  3. What does the word “efficiently” mean in the context of food distribution?
🔑 Reading Answersを見る
  1. They are buying cheaper brands and making simpler meals.
  2. Because people have less money to waste on excess food.
  3. Efficiently means in a way that achieves maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort.

🇯🇵 日本語での経済ニュース解説

最近の調査によると、食料品の価格上昇により、家庭は年間約275ポンド多く支出することが予想されています。この価格上昇は、燃料や肥料のコスト増加、気候変動や国際的な紛争などの要因が主な原因です。これにより、多くの家庭がより安価なブランドを選んだり、シンプルな食事を作るようにしています。消費者の購買行動の変化は、経済全体にも影響を与え、消費の減少により経済成長が鈍化する可能性があります。しかし、一部の経済学者は、これが食品ロス削減につながると期待しています。

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn5kvv9n10go

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