英語学習

英語ニュース教材：Trains return to public ownership in south Essex（Intermediate レベル）

 

Contents

🎧 Audio

📖 Script

In South Essex, the train services operated by the company c2c have returned to public ownership. This means that the government will now manage and run these train services, rather than a private company. The route that will be affected runs between London Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness in Essex, a busy line that many commuters use daily. The decision to bring these trains back under public control is part of a broader strategy to improve the quality of train services and ensure reliability for passengers.

The decision was made after several complaints from passengers about delays and overcrowded trains. Many felt that a change was necessary to improve their daily commute. By taking over the operations, the government aims to address these issues and provide better services. They believe that under public ownership, they can better invest in infrastructure and resources to enhance the passenger experience.

This move is significant economically and socially, as reliable train services are crucial for the local economy and daily life. Many people depend on these trains to get to work or school. When trains are delayed or overcrowded, it can cause significant disruptions to people’s schedules and the local economy. By improving the efficiency and reliability of the train services, it is hoped that there will be a positive impact on the community and the economy.

There are mixed opinions about this change. Some people are optimistic and believe that public ownership will lead to improvements. Others are skeptical and wonder if the government can manage the service better than a private company. However, the government has assured that they are committed to making necessary improvements and listening to passenger feedback to ensure that the trains run smoothly and efficiently.

📝 Vocabulary

  • operator: a company that manages a particular service or business
    例文: “The operator of the train service announced changes to the schedule.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • train operator
    • private operator
    • service operator
    運営会社
  • commuter: a person who travels to work or school regularly
    例文: “Many commuters use this train line every day.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • daily commuter
    • commuter train
    • commuter route
    通勤者
  • infrastructure: the basic facilities and systems serving a country or area
    例文: “Investment in infrastructure is necessary for economic growth.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • transport infrastructure
    • infrastructure development
    • infrastructure project
    インフラ
  • reliability: the quality of being trustworthy or performing consistently well
    例文: “Passengers value the reliability of the train service.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • reliability test
    • reliability factor
    • improve reliability
    信頼性
  • feedback: information or opinions about how well something works or looks
    例文: “Customer feedback is important for improving services.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • positive feedback
    • customer feedback
    • give feedback
    フィードバック

✏️ Grammar Point

Comparative Form – “They believe that under public ownership, they can better invest in infrastructure and resources to enhance the passenger experience.”

文法の日本語補足を見る
比較級を使って、あるものが他のものより優れていることを示している

💡 使用場面

比較級は、何かが他よりも優れていることを述べる際に使われます。例えば、会議で異なるプロジェクトプランを比較する際に使われることがあります。

📝 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 train services in South Essex are now operated by a private company.
  2. MCQ: Which route is affected by the change to public ownership?
    a) London to Manchester
    b) London to Shoeburyness
    c) London to Birmingham
    d) London to Brighton
  3. MCQ: Why did the government decide to take over the train services?
    a) To increase ticket prices
    b) To improve service reliability
    c) To reduce train frequency
    d) To privatize other services
🔑 Listening Answersを見る
  1. False
  2. b
  3. b

📚 Reading Questions

  1. What area is affected by the change in train service ownership?
  2. Why do some people have a positive outlook on the change to public ownership?
  3. What does the word “reliability” mean in the context of this script?
🔑 Reading Answersを見る
  1. South Essex
  2. They believe that public ownership will lead to service improvements.
  3. The quality of being trustworthy or performing consistently well.

🇯🇵 日本語での経済ニュース解説

南エセックスで、ロンドンとショウバリネスを結ぶ鉄道が公営化されました。これにより、政府が運営を引き継ぎ、サービスの質を向上させることを目指しています。この動きは、乗客からの遅延や混雑に関する苦情を受けて行われました。経済的・社会的に意義があり、地域経済と住民生活にプラスの影響をもたらすことが期待されています。日本でも、公共交通の質向上は重要課題であり、インフラ投資がカギとなります。

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gd48kz792o

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