🎧 Audio
📖 Script
John Hammond is one of many parents who have faced problems with the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) in the UK. The CMS is a government agency that helps ensure that parents who are separated or divorced pay for their children’s upbringing. However, John and 29 other parents have reported issues to BBC’s Your Voice platform, saying they were wrongly charged or overcharged by the CMS.
John explained that he was mistakenly told to pay £20,000 that he did not owe. He tried to resolve the issue by contacting the CMS, but he faced delays and confusion. The CMS is supposed to calculate how much a parent should pay based on their income and the number of children, but mistakes can happen, leading to financial stress and hardship.
The problems with the CMS have affected many families, causing them not only financial strain but also emotional stress. Some parents have had to borrow money or use savings to meet the incorrect demands. Despite these issues, many parents still rely on the CMS to ensure their children receive the support they need.
This situation has highlighted the importance of improving the CMS to prevent such errors in the future. Parents are calling for better communication and more accurate calculations. The government has acknowledged the problems and is working on solutions to help affected families. It is crucial for the systems in place to be reliable, as they directly impact the well-being of children and families.
📝 Vocabulary
- agency: an organization that provides a particular service
例文: “The travel agency helped us plan our vacation.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- government agency
- travel agency
- employment agency
機関、代理店 - upbringing: the way a child is raised
例文: “Her strict upbringing influenced her career choices.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- good upbringing
- strict upbringing
- family upbringing
育て方、養育 - calculate: to determine by using mathematics
例文: “You need to calculate the total cost before buying.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- calculate the cost
- calculate the total
- calculate accurately
計算する - delay: a period of time by which something is late
例文: “The train was delayed due to bad weather.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- long delay
- flight delay
- delay in delivery
遅延、延期 - strain: stress or pressure
例文: “The job put a strain on her health.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- financial strain
- mental strain
- put a strain
負担、緊張
✏️ Grammar Point
Relative Clauses – “The CMS is a government agency that helps ensure that parents who are separated or divorced pay for their children’s upbringing.”
文法の日本語補足を見る
💡 使用場面
（この構造は、特に会話や書き言葉で、何かについてもっと詳しく説明したいときに使われます。）
📝 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: John Hammond was correctly charged £20,000 by the CMS.
- MCQ: How many parents reported problems to BBC’s Your Voice?
a) 10
b) 20
c) 30
d) 40 - MCQ: What is the CMS responsible for?
a) Providing loans
b) Ensuring child support payments
c) Offering educational services
d) Handling healthcare
🔑 Listening Answersを見る
- False
- c) 30
- b) Ensuring child support payments
📚 Reading Questions
- What problem did John Hammond face with the CMS?
- Why is it important for the CMS to function accurately?
- What does the word “upbringing” mean in the context of the script?
🔑 Reading Answersを見る
- John Hammond was mistakenly told to pay £20,000 that he did not owe.
- It is important for the CMS to function accurately to prevent financial and emotional stress on families.
- The way a child is raised.
🇯🇵 日本語での経済ニュース解説
イギリスの子供養育費サービス（CMS）は、別れた親が子供の養育費を適切に支払うことを保証するための政府機関です。しかし、誤った請求や計算ミスにより、多くの家庭が経済的に苦境に立たされています。このような問題は、家庭の経済状況に直接影響を与えるため、政府はシステムを改善する必要があります。将来的には、より正確で信頼性の高いサービスを提供することが求められています。
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq8wjn98y85o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
