🎧 Audio
📖 Script
Yesterday, the U.S. Senate made an important decision. They voted to start a discussion about reducing the money given to public broadcasting and foreign aid. This means that organizations like NPR (National Public Radio) and PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) might receive less funding in the future. Public broadcasting is crucial because it provides free news and educational programs to the public. The debate will focus on whether these cuts are necessary or if they might harm the public’s access to information.
At the same time, a new report was released showing that inflation in the U.S. increased in June. Inflation is when the price of goods and services goes up, which means that people need more money to buy the same things. This can be challenging for families who need to budget carefully to make ends meet. The report suggests that one reason for the rise in inflation is the tariffs that have been imposed on goods imported into the U.S. Tariffs are taxes on imports, which can make products more expensive for consumers.
The Senate will need to consider how these financial decisions affect the economy and the everyday lives of Americans. Reducing funds for public broadcasting and foreign aid might save money in the short term, but there are concerns about the long-term effects. For example, less funding for public broadcasting could mean fewer educational programs available to the public.
In addition, the report on inflation indicates that the government needs to be careful with trade policies, like tariffs, to ensure they do not contribute to higher prices. The decisions made by the Senate will have significant implications for both the economy and the services available to the public. It is important for lawmakers to balance saving money with maintaining the quality and accessibility of essential services.
📝 Vocabulary
- advance: to move forward（前進する）
例文: “The project will advance to the next stage next week.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- advance notice
- advance payment
- advance in technology
- allocate: to distribute resources or duties for a particular purpose（割り当てる）
例文: “The manager allocated tasks to each team member.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- allocate funds
- allocate time
- allocate resources
- inflation: a general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money（インフレ）
例文: “Inflation affects the cost of living for everyone.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- inflation rate
- inflation pressures
- inflation target
- tariff: a tax on imports or exports（関税）
例文: “The government imposed a tariff on steel imports.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- impose a tariff
- tariff barrier
- tariff rate
- debate: a formal discussion on a particular topic（討論する）
例文: “The debate on climate change policies continues.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- heated debate
- public debate
- debate team
✏️ Grammar Point
Conditionals – “If they cut funds, it might harm the public’s access to information.”
文法の日本語補足を見る
💡 使用場面
条件付きの状況を説明する際に使われます。ビジネスや日常会話で、特定の行動が特定の結果をもたらす場合を示す際に便利です。
📝 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 Senate decided to increase funds for public broadcasting.
- MCQ: What is one reason mentioned for the rise in inflation?
a) Increased government spending
b) Reduction in public broadcasting
c) Imposed tariffs
d) Lower foreign aid - MCQ: What might be a consequence of cutting funds for public broadcasting?
a) More educational programs
b) Increased inflation
c) Fewer educational programs
d) Lower taxes
🔑 Listening Answersを見る
- False
- c) Imposed tariffs
- c) Fewer educational programs
📚 Reading Questions
- What decision did the U.S. Senate make regarding public broadcasting and foreign aid?
- Why might cutting funds for public broadcasting be concerning for the public?
- What does the word “tariffs” mean in the context of the article?
🔑 Reading Answersを見る
- The U.S. Senate decided to start a debate on reducing funds for public broadcasting and foreign aid.
- Cutting funds might reduce the availability of free educational programs and news to the public.
- Tariffs are taxes on imported goods.
🇯🇵 日本語での経済ニュース解説
アメリカ上院は、公的放送と外国援助に割り当てられた資金を削減するための議論を開始することを決定しました。この動きは、公共放送局が提供する無料のニュースや教育プログラムが減少する可能性があるため、社会に大きな影響を与える可能性があります。また、最近の報告では、インフレ率が6月に上昇したことが示されています。関税の影響で商品価格が上昇したことが理由の一つとされています。これらの決定は、国内の経済や国民生活に長期的な影響を与える可能性があるため、慎重な議論が求められています。
