🎧 Audio
📖 Script
In recent news, there has been a lot of talk about the government shutdown in the United States. This event has caused many federal workers to be concerned about their jobs and the future of their programs. However, not all federal workers are worried. Some of them actually support the shutdown. They believe that it could lead to necessary changes in the government, even though President Trump has warned that it might result in layoffs and funding cuts.
The shutdown occurs when the government cannot agree on a budget. This means that many government services stop working temporarily. During this time, some workers do not get paid, and others may lose their jobs. President Trump has indicated that this shutdown could be used to reduce the number of government employees and decrease spending on certain programs.
Despite these warnings, some federal workers think the shutdown is a good chance for the government to make important changes. They hope that it will result in more efficient government operations in the long run. These workers feel that some programs need to be cut to save money and make the government work better.
However, other workers are worried about their future. They fear losing their jobs or not getting paid. The uncertainty of not knowing when the shutdown will end adds to their stress. This situation affects not only the workers but also their families and communities, as they depend on government services and jobs.
In conclusion, while the government shutdown poses challenges, it also opens up discussions about how to improve government efficiency and spending. Whether the changes will be positive or negative remains to be seen. Meanwhile, federal workers continue to face uncertainty, balancing their hopes for reform with the fear of job loss and financial instability.
📝 Vocabulary
- shutdown: a closure of operations, typically temporary, often due to financial issues
例文: “The factory had to shut down due to financial problems.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- government shutdown
- temporary shutdown
- complete shutdown
閉鎖 - federal: relating to the central government of a country
例文: “Federal laws apply to the entire country.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- federal government
- federal agency
- federal employee
連邦の - funding: money provided for a particular purpose
例文: “The project was delayed due to a lack of funding.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- receive funding
- secure funding
- cut funding
資金提供 - layoffs: termination of employees, typically for economic reasons
例文: “The company announced layoffs due to declining sales.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- mass layoffs
- announce layoffs
- avoid layoffs
一時解雇 - efficiency: the ability to do something well without waste
例文: “We need to improve efficiency to stay competitive.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- improve efficiency
- operational efficiency
- efficiency gain
効率
✏️ Grammar Point
Conditional Sentences – “They hope that it will result in more efficient government operations in the long run.”
文法の日本語補足を見る
💡 使用場面
条件付きの文は、未来の予測や仮定の状況について話す際に使われます。
📝 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: Some federal workers support the government shutdown.
- MCQ: What is a government shutdown?
a) A permanent closure of all government services
b) A temporary stop of government services due to budget issues
c) An increase in government funding
d) A new government policy - MCQ: What does President Trump warn might happen during the shutdown?
a) More government programs will be created
b) Employees will receive higher wages
c) Layoffs and funding cuts might occur
d) The government will increase spending
🔑 Listening Answersを見る
- True
- b) A temporary stop of government services due to budget issues
- c) Layoffs and funding cuts might occur
📚 Reading Questions
- What are some federal workers hoping to achieve through the shutdown?
- Why might some workers support the shutdown despite potential layoffs?
- What does the word “efficiency” mean in the context of the script?
🔑 Reading Answersを見る
- Some federal workers hope the shutdown will lead to more efficient government operations.
- Some workers support the shutdown because they believe it could result in necessary government changes.
- The ability to do something well without waste
🇯🇵 日本語での経済ニュース解説
アメリカの政府閉鎖は連邦政府の予算が合意に至らない際に起こります。これは一時的に政府機能が停止することを意味し、多くの連邦職員が給与を受け取れず、一部の職員が解雇されるリスクに直面します。国内の経済活動が停滞し、国際的な信頼にも影響を及ぼす可能性があります。今後、政府の効率化と財政再建が求められる中で、この閉鎖がどのような改革につながるかが注目されます。
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/10/07/nx-s1-5563872/government-shutdown-federal-workers-layoffs-rifs
