🎧 Audio
📖 Script
In Arizona, a state in the United States, there is a growing problem with water supply. The water levels are getting lower, and this is causing a lot of concern among the residents. In response to the situation, the people living in Arizona are starting to take action. They are particularly worried about the state’s data centres using too much water. These data centres are large facilities that house computer systems and are essential for storing and processing data for many companies.
The residents of Arizona are campaigning to make sure they have enough water for their daily needs. They argue that the data centres consume a significant amount of water, which could instead be used by the community. With water becoming scarcer, every drop counts, and many people believe that priority should be given to human consumption and agriculture.
The state government and data centre companies are now facing pressure to find a solution that balances the needs of the local community with those of the businesses that rely on these centres. Some possible solutions being discussed include using more water-efficient technology in data centres or finding alternative locations where water is more plentiful.
The conflict highlights the challenges of managing natural resources in a way that supports both economic growth and the well-being of local communities. As climate change continues to impact weather patterns, such issues are likely to become more common around the world. In Arizona, the fight over water is a reminder of how vital it is to develop sustainable practices that can help us adapt to a changing environment.
📝 Vocabulary
- campaign: a series of activities to achieve a goal
例文: “The community launched a campaign to save the local park.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- launch a campaign
- campaign for
- campaign against
キャンペーン、運動 - data centre: a facility used to house computer systems
例文: “The company stores its information in a data centre to ensure security.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- build a data centre
- operate a data centre
- data centre location
データセンター - scarce: rare or in short supply
例文: “Water became scarce during the drought.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- scarce resources
- become scarce
- increasingly scarce
乏しい - priority: something that is regarded as more important
例文: “Safety is our top priority at the workplace.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- top priority
- set a priority
- priority list
優先事項 - sustainable: able to be maintained over the long term
例文: “We need to develop sustainable energy sources.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- sustainable development
- sustainable practices
- sustainable future
持続可能な
✏️ Grammar Point
Relative Clauses – “They argue that the data centres consume a significant amount of water, which could instead be used by the community.”
文法の日本語補足を見る
💡 使用場面
関係代名詞は、文中で先行詞について詳しく説明するときに使われます。日常会話やビジネスシーンで、情報を補足したり、詳しく説明したいときに便利です。
📝 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
- True/False: Arizona residents are campaigning against data centres due to concerns about water usage.
- MCQ: What is the primary concern of Arizona residents regarding data centres?
a) Noise pollution
b) Employment opportunities
c) Water usage
d) Electricity consumption - MCQ: What are data centres used for?
a) Housing people
b) Storing and processing data
c) Manufacturing products
d) Growing crops
🔑 Listening Answersを見る
- True
- c) Water usage
- b) Storing and processing data
📚 Reading Questions
- What are Arizona residents campaigning against, and why?
- Why do you think the residents prioritize human consumption and agriculture over data centres?
- What does the word “scarce” mean in the context of the script?
🔑 Reading Answersを見る
- Arizona residents are campaigning against the state’s data centres because they use a lot of water.
- Residents prioritize human consumption and agriculture because they are essential for daily life and food production.
- Scarce means rare or in short supply.
🇯🇵 日本語での経済ニュース解説
アリゾナ州では水資源の枯渇が問題となっています。特にデータセンターが大量の水を消費していることに対し、地元住民は反発しています。データセンターは企業のデータを保存・処理するために重要ですが、住民は人間の生活や農業を優先したいと考えています。この問題は気候変動による影響が大きく、今後も各地で同様の問題が発生する可能性があります。持続可能な資源管理が求められる時代です。
