🎧 Audio
📖 Script
The issue of student loans in default is a significant concern in the United States. Currently, about 5.5 million borrowers are in default on their student loans. This means they have not been able to keep up with their loan payments. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers decided to pause the practice of wage garnishment. Wage garnishment is a process where a portion of a person’s earnings is withheld by their employer to pay off a debt. The decision to pause was made to help people who were struggling financially during the pandemic. However, this pause might soon come to an end, which could lead to many borrowers facing financial difficulties once again.
The education department is considering restarting wage garnishment for those who are in default. This move is aimed at encouraging borrowers to resume their loan payments. However, the potential restart of wage garnishment has raised concerns among borrowers and advocacy groups. They worry that many people will face financial hardship if a portion of their wages is taken to pay off student loans. This is especially concerning for those who are still recovering from the economic impacts of the pandemic.
The situation highlights a broader issue regarding the student loan system in the U.S. Many people believe that the system needs reform. Student loans are a significant burden for many individuals, affecting their ability to save money, buy homes, and invest in their futures. Some advocates are calling for changes such as loan forgiveness or more flexible repayment plans to help ease this burden.
Overall, the potential restart of wage garnishment for defaulted student loans is a complex issue with significant economic and social implications. It affects not only the borrowers but also the broader economy. As policymakers consider their next steps, they must balance the need to collect on these loans with the potential impact on individuals’ financial well-being.
📝 Vocabulary
- default: failure to fulfill an obligation, especially to repay a loan
例文: “Many borrowers are in default on their student loans.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- loan default
- in default
- default rate
債務不履行 - garnishment: a legal process of withholding a portion of a person’s earnings for debt payment
例文: “Wage garnishment can make it difficult for people to make ends meet.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- wage garnishment
- garnishment order
- garnishment process
差し押さえ - pandemic: a global outbreak of a disease
例文: “The pandemic led to economic challenges worldwide.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- global pandemic
- pandemic response
- during the pandemic
パンデミック - borrower: a person who takes out a loan from a bank or other lender
例文: “Borrowers must repay their loans according to the agreed terms.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- student borrower
- borrower default
- borrower eligibility
借り手 - reform: making changes to improve a system or practice
例文: “Many people are calling for reform of the student loan system.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- education reform
- financial reform
- reform policy
改革
✏️ Grammar Point
Conditional Sentences (First Conditional) – “If a portion of their wages is taken to pay off student loans, many borrowers will face financial hardship.”
文法の日本語補足を見る
💡 使用場面
条件が満たされれば結果が生じることを示す場合に使います。ビジネスや日常会話で、予測される結果を述べる際に役立ちます。
📝 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 practice of wage garnishment was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- MCQ: How many borrowers are currently in default on their student loans?
a) 1 million
b) 3.5 million
c) 5.5 million
d) 7 million - MCQ: What is one reason why people are concerned about restarting wage garnishment?
a) It will increase taxes.
b) It may cause financial hardship.
c) It will lead to more loans.
d) It will delay loan forgiveness.
🔑 Listening Answersを見る
- True
- c) 5.5 million
- b) It may cause financial hardship.
📚 Reading Questions
- What is wage garnishment, and why was it paused during the pandemic?
- Why do some advocates call for reform of the student loan system?
- What does the word “pause” mean in the context of the script?
🔑 Reading Answersを見る
- Wage garnishment is a process where a portion of a person’s earnings is withheld to pay off a debt. It was paused during the pandemic to help those struggling financially.
- Advocates call for reform to ease the burden of student loans, which affects individuals’ financial futures.
- In this context, “pause” means to temporarily stop or halt an action.
🇯🇵 日本語での経済ニュース解説
アメリカの学生ローン問題は社会的・経済的に重大な問題です。現在、約550万人の借り手が返済を怠っており、給与差し押さえが再開される可能性があると報じられています。パンデミック時に経済的困難を理由に一時停止されていた差し押さえですが、再開されれば多くの人々が再び経済的困難に直面する可能性があります。日本では教育費が比較的低いものの、アメリカのこの動きが世界経済に与える影響には注視が必要です。将来的には、学生ローンシステムの改革が求められるでしょう。
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/12/23/nx-s1-5653312/student-loans-default-education-department
