🎧 Audio
📖 Script
In Lexington, Nebraska, a small city is facing a significant economic challenge. On January 20th, Tyson Foods, the main employer in the area, will close its beef processing plant. This decision will result in nearly a third of the city’s population losing their jobs. Tyson Foods announced last fall that it plans to shut down the plant as part of a strategy to “right-size” its beef business. This means they are trying to make their business more efficient by adjusting the size of their operations.
The closure of the plant is a big blow to Lexington, where the local economy heavily relies on the plant. Many families in the city depend on the income from jobs at Tyson Foods. Losing these jobs will create financial difficulties for many people and could lead to a decrease in the overall spending in the community. Local businesses might suffer because people will have less money to spend on goods and services.
Additionally, the city government may face challenges due to a decrease in tax revenue. When people lose jobs, they pay less in taxes, which means the city has less money to provide services like education and public safety. This situation could lead to budget cuts in essential services, affecting the quality of life in Lexington.
Tyson Foods is also scaling back operations at another plant in Texas. This decision is part of a broader plan to adjust its beef business to better match current market conditions. The company aims to remain competitive, but these changes highlight the difficult balance businesses must strike between efficiency and the impact on local communities.
The closure of the plant is a reminder of how interconnected businesses and communities are. While companies need to make decisions to remain profitable, these decisions can have far-reaching effects on the people who depend on them for their livelihoods.
📝 Vocabulary
- closure: the act of closing something permanently（閉鎖）
例文: “The closure of the factory left many workers unemployed.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- factory closure
- business closure
- school closure
- employer: a person or organization that hires people to work（雇用主）
例文: “The employer offered new training programs for all employees.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- potential employer
- major employer
- local employer
- efficient: performing tasks in a way that saves time and resources（効率的な）
例文: “The new system is more efficient than the old one.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- energy efficient
- efficient system
- efficient use
- revenue: income generated from normal business operations（収益）
例文: “The company’s revenue increased by 10% this year.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- tax revenue
- annual revenue
- revenue stream
- competitive: able to compete with others effectively（競争力のある）
例文: “The company needs to be more competitive in the global market.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- highly competitive
- competitive advantage
- competitive market
✏️ Grammar Point
Relative Clause – “This decision will result in nearly a third of the city’s population losing their jobs.”
文法の日本語補足を見る
💡 使用場面
関係代名詞は、会話やビジネス文書で名詞を詳しく説明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
- True/False: The closure of Tyson’s plant will affect less than a third of Lexington’s population.
- MCQ: What is the main reason Tyson Foods is closing the plant?
a) To open a new plant elsewhere
b) To right-size their beef business
c) To focus on other types of food
d) To increase local employment - MCQ: What might be a consequence for Lexington’s local government due to the plant closure?
a) Increase in new jobs
b) Reduction in local taxes
c) More public services
d) Opening of new schools
🔑 Listening Answersを見る
- False
- b) To right-size their beef business
- b) Reduction in local taxes
📚 Reading Questions
- What major event is happening in Lexington, Nebraska, on January 20th?
- Why do you think businesses must balance between efficiency and community impact?
- What does the word “revenue” mean in the context of the script?
🔑 Reading Answersを見る
- Tyson Foods is closing its beef processing plant.
- Businesses need to be efficient to stay profitable, but their decisions can affect local communities who rely on them.
- Revenue means the income generated from normal business operations.
🇯🇵 日本語での経済ニュース解説
ネブラスカ州レキシントンでのタイソン社の工場閉鎖は、地元経済に重大な影響を及ぼします。この都市の主要雇用主であるタイソン社の決定により、人口の約3分の1が職を失うことになります。地元企業や政府の税収に影響を与え、公共サービスの削減を余儀なくされる可能性があります。今後の対応が求められる中、地元経済の回復には時間がかかると予想されます。
