英語学習

英語ニュース教材：Trump announces 30% tariffs against EU, Mexico to begin August 1（Intermediate レベル）

 

Contents

🎧 Audio

📖 Script

President Donald Trump recently announced that the United States will impose a 30% tariff on goods from the European Union (EU) and Mexico. This decision is set to take effect on August 1. The tariffs, which are essentially taxes on imports, are intended to protect American industries by making foreign products more expensive. As a result, this could encourage consumers to buy American-made goods instead.

The announcement has sparked a lot of debate and concern among international trading partners. The EU and Mexico are significant trade partners for the United States, and this move could strain relationships. Many experts worry that this could lead to a trade war, where countries retaliate with their own tariffs, which could hurt the global economy.

The idea behind tariffs is to make foreign goods more expensive, thereby helping American businesses compete with cheaper imports. However, critics argue that this approach can backfire. For example, American companies that rely on imported materials might face higher costs, leading to increased prices for consumers. In addition, there is a risk that other countries might impose their own tariffs on American goods in response, making it harder for American businesses to export their products.

The impact of these tariffs could be significant. Consumers might notice higher prices on everyday products that are imported from the EU and Mexico. Industries such as automotive, agriculture, and electronics could be particularly affected, as they often rely on international supply chains. Moreover, if the EU and Mexico retaliate with their own tariffs, American exporters could face challenges selling their products abroad.

Overall, the introduction of these tariffs could have wide-reaching effects not only on the US economy but also on global trade dynamics. It remains to be seen how the situation will evolve and whether negotiations might lead to a resolution before substantial economic damage occurs.

📝 Vocabulary

  • tariff: a tax imposed on imported goods
    例文: “The government imposed a new tariff on imported cars.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • impose a tariff
    • tariff rate
    • trade tariff
    関税
  • import: to bring goods into a country for sale
    例文: “The company imports coffee from Brazil.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • import goods
    • import tax
    • import restrictions
    輸入する
  • export: to send goods to another country for sale
    例文: “Japan exports a lot of electronics to the United States.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • export goods
    • export market
    • export license
    輸出する
  • retaliate: to take action in response to a negative action
    例文: “The country decided to retaliate by imposing its own tariffs.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • retaliate against
    • plan to retaliate
    • retaliate with
    報復する
  • industry: a particular form of economic or commercial activity
    例文: “The automotive industry is vital to the economy.”
    Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
    • manufacturing industry
    • industry growth
    • industry leader
    産業

✏️ Grammar Point

Conditional Sentences (Type 1) – “If the EU and Mexico retaliate with their own tariffs, American exporters could face challenges selling their products abroad.”

文法の日本語補足を見る
条件節を使って将来の可能性を示す構造

💡 使用場面

条件節は、将来の可能性に基づいて計画や予測を話す際に使われます。ビジネスの場面では、特定の状況が発生した場合の結果について話すときに有用です。

📝 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

  1. True/False: The United States will impose a 30% tariff only on goods from Mexico.
  2. MCQ: What is the primary reason given for imposing the tariffs?
    a) To improve international relationships
    b) To make American goods more competitive
    c) To increase government revenue
    d) To reduce American exports
  3. MCQ: Which industries might be particularly affected by the tariffs?
    a) Fashion and textiles
    b) Automotive and agriculture
    c) Pharmaceuticals and healthcare
    d) Real estate and construction
🔑 Listening Answersを見る
  1. False
  2. b) To make American goods more competitive
  3. b) Automotive and agriculture

📚 Reading Questions

  1. What are the new tariffs intended to do in the United States?
  2. Why might tariffs lead to a trade war?
  3. What does the word “retaliate” mean as used in the script?
🔑 Reading Answersを見る
  1. They are intended to protect American industries by making foreign products more expensive.
  2. Because countries might impose their own tariffs in response, which can lead to further economic conflict.
  3. To take action in response to a negative action.

🇯🇵 日本語での経済ニュース解説

トランプ大統領は、EUおよびメキシコからの輸入品に対して30％の関税を課すと発表しました。これにより、アメリカ製品の競争力を高めることを狙っていますが、国際貿易における摩擦が懸念されています。特に、EUやメキシコが報復措置として自国の関税を引き上げる可能性があるため、これが貿易戦争に発展するリスクがあります。日本においても、関税の引き上げは輸出入に影響を及ぼす可能性があるため、今後の動向に注目が集まっています。

Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/07/12/nx-s1-5465577/trump-30-tariffs-eu-mexico

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