英語学習

英語ニュース教材：The U.S. economy shows resilience despite the war with Iran（Intermediate レベル）

 

Contents

🎧 Audio

📖 Script

The U.S. economy has shown remarkable strength in the first quarter of the year, even as the country faced challenges from rising energy prices due to the ongoing conflict with Iran. This period saw the economy grow steadily, which came as a surprise to many analysts who had predicted a slowdown. The conflict with Iran led to an increase in oil prices, putting pressure on various sectors. However, the U.S. economy managed to maintain its momentum, driven by consumer spending and business investments.

The rise in energy prices typically affects transportation and manufacturing industries the most. However, this time, these sectors have adapted by finding ways to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Businesses have invested in technology and alternative energy sources to counterbalance the high cost of oil. Additionally, consumers continued to spend, especially on services and durable goods, which helped sustain economic growth.

Another factor contributing to the economic resilience is the robust job market. Employment rates have remained high, which supports consumer confidence and spending. With more people employed, there is a steady demand for goods and services, which in turn drives economic activity. Moreover, the government has introduced measures to support industries that are heavily affected by the rising energy prices, ensuring that they can continue to operate and contribute to the economy.

Looking ahead, economists believe that the U.S. economy will continue to grow, albeit at a moderated pace. The conflict with Iran and its impact on energy prices remain significant challenges. However, if businesses and consumers continue to adapt and the government provides necessary support, the economy is expected to withstand these pressures.

📝 Vocabulary

  • resilience: ability to recover quickly from difficulties（レジリエンス、回復力）
    例文: “The economy showed resilience despite the challenges.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • economic resilience
    • show resilience
    • resilience to
  • spike: a sudden increase（急上昇）
    例文: “There was a spike in energy prices due to the conflict.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • price spike
    • spike in
    • sudden spike
  • durable: able to last a long time without breaking（耐久性のある）
    例文: “Consumers are spending more on durable goods.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • durable goods
    • durable material
    • durable power
  • momentum: the force that keeps something moving or growing（勢い）
    例文: “The economy maintained its momentum despite challenges.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • gain momentum
    • maintain momentum
    • momentum shift
  • adapt: to change in order to deal with new situations（適応する）
    例文: “Industries have adapted to rising energy prices.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • adapt to
    • adapt quickly
    • ability to adapt

✏️ Grammar Point

Past Continuous Tense – “The U.S. economy was growing steadily, which came as a surprise to many analysts.”

文法の日本語補足を見る
過去進行形は、過去の特定の時点で進行中の動作を表します

💡 使用場面

過去進行形は、会話や文章で過去のある時期に行われていた動作や変化を説明する際に使われます。

📝 使用例文

“例: In a project update, you might say: ‘We were developing new software features last quarter.’”

❓ Listening Questions

  1. True/False: The U.S. economy slowed down due to the war with Iran.
  2. MCQ: What primarily drove the U.S. economy’s growth in the first quarter?
    a) Decrease in energy prices
    b) Increase in exports
    c) Consumer spending and business investments
    d) Government borrowing
  3. MCQ: What did businesses invest in to counterbalance high oil prices?
    a) New employees
    b) Technology and alternative energy
    c) Foreign markets
    d) Advertising campaigns
🔑 Listening Answersを見る
  1. False
  2. c) Consumer spending and business investments
  3. b) Technology and alternative energy

📚 Reading Questions

  1. What factors contributed to the U.S. economy’s resilience despite the conflict with Iran?
  2. Why do you think the job market is important for economic growth?
  3. What does the word “momentum” mean in the context of the passage?
🔑 Reading Answersを見る
  1. Rising consumer spending and business investments contributed to the U.S. economy’s resilience.
  2. The job market is important for economic growth because high employment rates support consumer confidence and spending.
  3. Momentum means the force that keeps something moving or growing.

🇯🇵 日本語での経済ニュース解説

アメリカ経済はイランとの紛争によるエネルギー価格の急騰にもかかわらず、今年の第1四半期に堅調な成長を見せました。多くのアナリストは減速を予測していましたが、消費者支出と企業投資が成長を支えました。特に、企業は技術や代替エネルギーへの投資を進め、コスト削減と効率向上を図っています。こうした適応力と、政府の支援策が経済の圧力を和らげ、今後の成長に寄与すると期待されています。

Source: https://www.npr.org/2026/04/30/nx-s1-5802945/economy-gdp-energy-oil-prices-iran-war

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