🎧 Audio
📖 Script
Shrimpers along the coast of South Carolina are facing difficult times. They had high hopes when tariffs were introduced by President Trump on imported shrimp. These tariffs were meant to help local shrimpers by making imported shrimp more expensive, thereby giving local shrimpers a better chance to compete in the market. However, the expected relief has not yet arrived.
Many shrimpers believed that these tariffs would be a lifeline, providing them with the opportunity to increase their sales and stabilize their businesses. Unfortunately, the reality has been different. Despite the tariffs, imported shrimp prices have not risen as much as expected. This has left local shrimpers struggling to make ends meet.
One reason for this is that the global shrimp market is very competitive, with many countries exporting shrimp at low prices. This makes it hard for local shrimpers to raise their prices without losing customers. Furthermore, some importers have found ways to avoid the tariffs, such as changing the country of origin of their shipments, which keeps prices low.
In addition, local shrimpers are dealing with other challenges. The costs of fuel, labor, and equipment have increased, adding to their financial burdens. Many shrimpers are also worried about the environment and sustainability, as overfishing and climate change threaten their livelihoods.
The situation highlights the complex nature of international trade and how it affects local industries. While tariffs can be a tool to protect domestic businesses, they don’t always work as intended. For shrimpers in South Carolina, the wait for relief continues. They hope that changes in policies or market conditions will eventually provide them with the support they need.
📝 Vocabulary
- tariff: a tax on imports or exports
例文: “The government imposed a tariff on imported goods to protect local industries.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- impose a tariff
- tariff on imports
- high tariff
関税 - relief: assistance or help, especially during difficult times
例文: “The community provided relief to those affected by the natural disaster.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- provide relief
- seek relief
- economic relief
救済 - compete: to try to win or achieve something by defeating others
例文: “Many companies compete for the top position in the market.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- compete with
- compete against
- compete for
競争する - stabilize: to make or become stable or steady
例文: “The government introduced measures to stabilize the economy.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- stabilize prices
- stabilize the economy
- stabilize the market
安定させる - sustainability: the ability to maintain or continue over a long period
例文: “Sustainability is important for the future of our planet.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- environmental sustainability
- promote sustainability
- sustainability issues
持続可能性
✏️ Grammar Point
Conditional sentences (Type 1) – “If we cut costs now, we can increase our profit margin next quarter.”
文法の日本語補足を見る
💡 使用場面
条件を表す文は、将来の計画や予測を議論する際に使われることが多いです。
📝 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: The tariffs have successfully helped the shrimpers in South Carolina.
- MCQ: What was the main purpose of the tariffs introduced by President Trump?
a) To increase shrimp prices globally
b) To help local shrimpers compete
c) To reduce the import of all seafood
d) To lower domestic shrimp prices - MCQ: What additional challenges are South Carolina shrimpers facing?
a) Decreased global shrimp demand
b) Lack of fishing equipment
c) Increased costs and environmental issues
d) Shortage of skilled labor
🔑 Listening Answersを見る
- False
- b) To help local shrimpers compete
- c) Increased costs and environmental issues
📚 Reading Questions
- What was the expected effect of the tariffs on imported shrimp?
- Why have the tariffs not provided the expected relief to the shrimpers?
- What does the word “stabilize” mean in the context of the script?
🔑 Reading Answersを見る
- The tariffs were expected to help local shrimpers by increasing the price of imported shrimp.
- The global shrimp market remains competitive, and some importers avoid the tariffs.
- To make or become stable or steady
🇯🇵 日本語での経済ニュース解説
南カロライナ州のエビ漁業者たちは、トランプ大統領が導入した輸入エビへの関税で経済的な支援を期待していました。しかし、関税による価格上昇が期待ほどではなく、輸入エビの価格は依然として低いままです。これにより、地元のエビ漁業者は依然として厳しい競争にさらされています。燃料や労働力、設備のコスト増加や、環境問題も漁業者にとって大きな課題です。このような状況は、国際貿易の複雑さと地元産業への影響を浮き彫りにしています。今後の政策変更や市場の変化が、彼らにとっての救済策となることを願っています。
