ニュースで学ぶ「現代英語」
ニュースで学ぶ「現代英語」 大使館突入でメキシコがエクアドルと断交
4月22日(月)
Today's news takes a look at fraying international relationships.
fray
- A fight; a brawl.
MEXICO CUTS DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH ECUADOR OVER EMBASSY RAID
Mexico says it's cutting diplomatic ties with Ecuador, following a police raid of the Mexican embassy to arrest a former Ecuadorian vice president. Jorge Glas had been residing at the embassy since December while seeking political asylum.
The Ecuadorian government says police entered the embassy in the capital, Quito, on Friday and took Glas into custody. Glas was vice president under leftist President Rafael Correa from 2013 to 2017. He was accused of corruption and other charges. He was imprisoned, then provisionally released.
Mexico granted Glas asylum on Friday, and then the raid unfolded. The Mexican foreign ministry says the raid was a serious violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, especially the inviolability of diplomatic premises. It plans to file a complaint with the International Court of Justice.
Ecuador says it will not allow any criminal to go unpunished.
(2024年4月7日のニュース）
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provisionally「仮に、暫定的に」> 形容詞はprovisional
, following a police raid of
cut/sever diplomatic ties「外交関係を断つ」「国交を断絶する」
動詞resideは「住む、居住する」/ 名詞resident「住人」/residence「住居」
seek asylum「保護を求める、亡命を求める」
=>seek refuge at …「～に避難する」、seek shelter at …「～に逃げ込む」
take … into custodyは「～（誰かの身柄）を拘束する、～を拘留する」
=> custodyには他にも「保管、管理、保護」「（親が離婚したあとの）親権」
custody battle「親権争い」
joint custody「共同親権」
vice president「副大統領」に冠詞のtheが付いていませんが、
president「大統領」やprime minister「首相」、king「王」など通常１人が占める役職がセンテンスの補語となるとき（ここでのようにbe動詞やbecomeに続くときや、
be elected …「～に選出される」などに続くとき）は冠詞を省くのが普通
grantは「与える、認める」
grant … asylum / grant asylum to …「～に亡命を認める」
inviolability「不可侵（であること）」
=>動詞violate「侵す」+ 否定の接頭辞in- +「～できる」接尾辞-able
inviolable「侵すことのできない、不可侵の」の名詞形
file a complaint「苦情を申し立てる、告訴する」
go unpunished「処罰されずにいる」
go un＋動詞過去分詞は「～されないままになる」
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Mexico says that it is cutting diplomatic ties with Ecuador.
Mexico says
that it is cutting diplomatic ties
with Ecuador.
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Today's Takeaways
★ニュースでのsay「述べる」は「述べて“います”」
このsayは現在形ですが、実際の意味はsaidやhas said「言った、述べた」です。
Mexico says that it is cutting diplomatic ties with Ecuador.
We see these kinds of expressions often in broadcast media.
Not only do we see "say," but also claim and other verbs this rule is applied frequently, especially in the lead sentence of the news.
Mexico says …の訳し方は３通りあります。
・直訳（文法的な訳し方）： 「メキシコは～と述べる」
・意訳（実際の意味）： 「メキシコは～と述べた
・臨場感を生かした訳し方： メキシコは～と述べています
新聞や雑誌：
Mexico said Friday that it was cutting diplomatic ties with Ecuador.
Mexico said Friday that it had cut diplomatic ties with Ecuador.
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Oh, that is so nice to hear. Thank you. I hope I can have your continued support throughout my time here.
MEXICO CUTS DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH ECUADOR OVER EMBASSY RAID
Mexico says it's cutting diplomatic ties with Ecuador, following a police raid of the Mexican embassy to arrest a former Ecuadorian vice president. Jorge Glas had been residing at the embassy since December while seeking political asylum.
The Ecuadorian government says police entered the embassy in the capital, Quito, on Friday and took Glas into custody. Glas was vice president under leftist President Rafael Correa from 2013 to 2017. He was accused of corruption and other charges. He was imprisoned, then provisionally released.
Mexico granted Glas asylum on Friday, and then the raid unfolded. The Mexican foreign ministry says the raid was a serious violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, especially the inviolability of diplomatic premises. It plans to file a complaint with the International Court of Justice.
Ecuador says it will not allow any criminal to go unpunished.
(2024年4月7日のニュース）
, following a police raid of
cut/sever diplomatic ties「外交関係を断つ」「国交を断絶する」
動詞resideは「住む、居住する」/ 名詞resident「住人」/residence「住居」
seek asylum「保護を求める、亡命を求める」
=>seek refuge at …「～に避難する」、seek shelter at …「～に逃げ込む」
take … into custodyは「～（誰かの身柄）を拘束する、～を拘留する」
=> custodyには他にも「保管、管理、保護」「（親が離婚したあとの）親権」
custody battle「親権争い」
joint custody「共同親権」
vice president「副大統領」に冠詞のtheが付いていませんが、
president「大統領」やprime minister「首相」、king「王」など通常１人が占める役職がセンテンスの補語となるとき（ここでのようにbe動詞やbecomeに続くときや、
be elected …「～に選出される」などに続くとき）は冠詞を省くのが普通
grantは「与える、認める」
grant … asylum / grant asylum to …「～に亡命を認める」
inviolability「不可侵（であること）」
=>動詞violate「侵す」+ 否定の接頭辞in- +「～できる」接尾辞-able
inviolable「侵すことのできない、不可侵の」の名詞形
file a complaint「苦情を申し立てる、告訴する」
go unpunished「処罰されずにいる」
go un＋動詞過去分詞は「～されないままになる」
---
Mexico says that it is cutting diplomatic ties with Ecuador.
Mexico says
that it is cutting diplomatic ties
with Ecuador.
---
Today's Takeaways
★ニュースでのsay「述べる」は「述べて“います”」
このsayは現在形ですが、実際の意味はsaidやhas said「言った、述べた」です。
Mexico says that it is cutting diplomatic ties with Ecuador.
Mexico says …の訳し方は３通りあります。
・直訳（文法的な訳し方）： 「メキシコは～と述べる」
・意訳（実際の意味）： 「メキシコは～と述べた
・臨場感を生かした訳し方： メキシコは～と述べています
新聞や雑誌：
Mexico said Friday that it was cutting diplomatic ties with Ecuador.
Mexico said Friday that it had cut diplomatic ties with Ecuador.
---
ニュースで学ぶ「現代英語」 読書感想文コンクール “AIの使い方”
4月19日(金)
JAPANESE BOOK REPORT CONTEST DROPS ENTRIES WRITTEN WITH AI
NHK has learned at least 10 entries in a Japanese book report contest have been excluded for using sentences written with artificial intelligence.
The organizers say they received about 2.6 million entries from primary and high school students but identified multiple works that used AI technology in their writing. They've excluded them from the contest, as application guidelines stipulate works should not contain plagiarized material or other improper citations.
Generative AI is expected to have a positive impact on education, including for proofreading and sharpening ideas. The organizers say they plan to consider how AI can be used in tandem with the principle that students write book reports in their own words.
(2024年3月30日のニュース）
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plagiarized
[ˈpleɪʤəˌraɪzd]
in tandem with …「～とともに、～と協力して」
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plagiarize 「盗用する、ひょうせつする」
plagiarized material 「盗用した内容」
plagiarism 「盗用」
citation 「引用」
generative AI 「生成ＡＩ」
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One nice phrase from today's story is “in tandem,” which comes up sometimes in news stories and press releases. When two things do something “in tandem,” they're side by side, in a line, or working as a team to move in the same direction.
Have you ever heard of a tandem bicycle?
Right. That's the idea. In tandem means incooperation.
Are you ready for a challenge? Let's try using in tandem in a sentence.
How about we use these three ingredients?
Fashion designers, environmental groups and in tandem
Okay, let's hear what you came up with.
=> Fashion designers are working in tandem with environmental groups to create echo-friendly clothes.
That's an example of two groups collaborating or cooperating with the same goal in mind.
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book report
paper
writing assignment or essay
copy & paste
I wrote book reports like the ones in today's story when I was a kid, but apparently, book reports in the U.S. are evolving. Some teachers assign “cereal box book reports,” where each student decorates a cereal box based on a book they've read. Their own cover for the book goes on the front of the box, profiles on characters and the plot on the sides, and a book-based game, like a maze, on the back. It's like a multimedia project.
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ニュースで学ぶ「現代英語」 三菱重工業MSJ撤退後の戦略
4月18日(木)
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JAPAN DRAWS UP AIRCRAFT STRATEGY AFTER JET PROJECT FAILURE
The government has compiled a new strategy for the aircraft industry, taking lessons from the recent failure of a project to develop the first Japan-made passenger jet. The goal is to commercialize a next-generation, low-carbon airplane with hybrid or hydrogen-fueled engines as early as 2035.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries last year withdrew from a 15-year project to develop a passenger aircraft.
Japan's industry ministry examined the shortcomings in the project. It concluded the company lacked the experience to obtain safety certificates and to deal with overseas parts makers. This led to ballooning costs and delays in what was a very high-risk project for a private sector company.
The new strategy stresses diversifying risk through international as well as public-private cooperation. It also calls for collaboration between businesses and research organizations to improve aircraft development expertise.
(2024年3月27日のニュース）
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This led to ballooning costs and delays in what was a very high-risk project for a private sector company.
=> in what was a ...
That part is a bit complicated gramatically, but the pattern makes the sentence more nuanced. You could simply say in a vey high risk project, but in what was a very high risk procect emphasized that the project is in the past. And in this case that the project ended in failure.
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Today's Takeaways
low-carbon 「低炭素の」
low-carbon vehicle 「低炭素の乗り物」
hydrogen-fueled 「水素を燃料とする」
ballooning costs 「膨れ上がる経費」
snowballing 「（雪だるま式に）増えていく、膨らんでいく」
mounting costs 「増加していく経費」
safety certificate 「安全証明」
diversify risk 「リスクを分散する」
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Today's story had a lot of hyphenated words like “next-generation” and “low-carbon.” In many cases, these sets of two hyphenated words describe nouns. The two that I want to look at today are “Japan-made” and “hydrogen-fueled.”
For “Japan-made passenger jet,” your first instinct might be to say “passenger jet made in Japan,” but that's slightly longer. The same goes for “hydrogen-fueled engines,” which you might want to phrase as “engines fueled by hydrogen.” That also adds an extra word.
But the versions from today's story are shorter because they get rid of prepositions like “in” and “by.” In that sense, the hyphenated versions are actually easier to use and understand.
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I think the new strategy is right in stressing the need to diversify the risk. As the work on the failed project showed it can be very dangerouns to put all your eggs in one basket.
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ニュースで学ぶ「現代英語」 タイ下院 同性婚を承認
THAI LOWER HOUSE PASSES BILL FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGES
Thailand could soon become the first country in Southeast Asia to allow same-sex marriage. A bill to amend the civil code breezed through the lower house on Wednesday.
Just 10 out of 415 lawmakers voted against the bill, which still requires both Senate and royal approval.
It calls for changing the legal wording for wedded couples from “man and woman” to “individuals.” The term “husband and wife” would become “marriage partners.”
Same-sex spouses would also gain rights to inheritance and be allowed to adopt children.
(Citizen)
“Lots of people around me are LGBTQ. They all want this bill to pass because they want to be able to marry, just like everyone else.”
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin says the legislation's approval is a proud moment in Thailand's transition to a more equal and respectful society.
(2024年3月28日のニュース）
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civil codeは「民法」
be wedded to …
「～に強く結びついている、～と固くつながっている、～に固執する」
inheritance「相続権」 = inheritance right(s)
LGBTQ「性的マイノリティーの人たち」
= lesbian「女性同性愛者」、gay「男性同性愛者」、bisexual「バイセクシャル、両性愛者」、transgender「トランスジェンダー」、queer/questioningの略
asexual 性別のない, 無性の, 性とは無関係の
pansexual パンセクシュアル；全性愛
動詞pass: 自動詞としては「通過する」、他動詞としては「通過させる、通す（可決する）」
pass a bil「法案を通過させる」
a bill passesなら「法案が通過する」
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Today's Takeaways
same-sex marriage 「同性カップルの婚姻」
same-sex spouse 「同性の配偶者」
wedded 「結婚している、婚姻関係にある」
railroad a bill 「法案を強行採決する」
bulldoze a bill through the Diet 「国会で法案を強引に押し通す」
right to inheritance 「相続権」
adopt a child 「養子をとる」
power to give medical treatment consent 「パートナーの医療行為に対する同意権」
legalize same-sex marriage 「同性婚を合法化する」
third gender 「第三の性」
partnership certificate「パートナーシップ証明」
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I have a word that I want to talk about, too.
My pick for today is the verb “breeze.” In the story, the sentence was “A bill to amend the civil code breezed through the lower house on Wednesday.”
We usually use the word “breeze” as a noun to mean a “gentle, pleasant wind.” When you say “A breezes through B,” then, the idea is A moving through B in a nice, quick, easy way without any trouble.
例: The team breezed through the tournament, winning every match by at least three goals.
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railroad the bill
bulldoze the bill through the Diet.
steamroll
railroad
-To rush or push (something) through quickly in order to prevent careful consideration and possible criticism or obstruction:
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gender equality act
gender-based discrimination
Power to give medical treatment consent
third gender
partnership certificates
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Today's news is relevant to our daily lives.
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JAPAN'S TRUCKER OVERTIME CAP FORCES FIRMS TO ADAPT
An overtime cap for truck drivers in Japan took effect with the start of the new fiscal year on April 1. The move is aimed at improving working conditions for truckers. It's prompting businesses to find more efficient ways to transport their goods.
One private think tank estimates that if no measures are taken, the overtime cap could reduce haulage capacity by about 35 percent by 2030.
Major convenience store chain Lawson cut deliveries of boxed meals to some of its stores from three times a day to two, starting in December. Rival FamilyMart has been tapping the logistics network of Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan since February to supply some of its stores near Tokyo.
Other businesses are switching from road to rail. One cattle feed producer in the northern dairy region of Hokkaido now uses trains to ship feed for part of the journey to a storage facility.
(2024年4月1日のニュース）
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haulage=> haul「（トラックなどで品物・荷物を）運ぶ」の名詞形
haulage capacityは「運送・運搬能力」
haul自体の名詞用法「（１回で運ばれる）貨物の量、（１回の網の）漁獲量、（１回のスポーツ大会における）メダル獲得数、（１回の買い物での）全ての購入品、（盗品などの）もうけ」
Yes, Haul has quite a few uses. For example, today's haul is a popular title for social media posts or videos. People show what they bought in a day's shopping or received from someone else.
＝＞ＳＮＳなどで“today's haul” ＝「本日の買い物、本日の収穫」
Another example is long haul, which refers to the amount of time.
For example, I must take a long-haul flight back to America.
haul
[hɔl]
What a great idea using trains instead of trucks could greatly reduce the workload and hours needed for the drivers.
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An overtime cap for truck drivers in Japan took effect with the start of the new fiscal year on April 1.
An overtime cap for truck drivers in Japan
took effect with the start of the new fiscal year
on April 1.
★takeaways「大切な（複数の）ポイント」
What are the takeaways from the meeting?
Ture. But with the start of the new fiscal year on April 1, we are super powered up and I already presented the title of today's takeaways so nicely.
Maybe we could create a new segment to answer questions from the listners.
How about something like listen to the listeners.
We look forward to your questions and comments. Keep up the good work. See you next time!
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Today, we will be covering a news story that has many people concrned even overseas.
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DRUGMAKER APOLOGIZES AFTER FIFTH DEATH REPORTED
A Japanese drugmaker has apologized after its supplements led to widespread health concerns. Kobayashi Pharmaceutical says several people died after using products that contain the ingredient known as “beni-koji.”
(Kobayashi Akihiro / President and Chief Operating Officer, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical)
“I pray for the deceased and offer my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. We offer our most sincere apologies.”
He said that as of Thursday, five people who used the supplements died after developing kidney problems. He said there were also more than 100 hospitalizations. The supplements contain “beni-koji,” or rice fermented with red yeast.
A health ministry official said the company found “puberulic acid” in some samples. It can be produced by blue mold. But authorities said it's not clear whether it's the cause.
(2024年3月29日のニュース）
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beni-koji, or rice fermented with red yeast.
That's interesting. Beni Koji and red yast. I've never heard of them before.
puberulic acid プベルル酸
Yeah, it really is but the word acid is used in the names of various chemicals.
For example, citric acid is used to make food taste sour or lactic acid.
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I pray for the deceased and offer my deepest condolences to the bereaved families.
I pray for the deceased
and offer my deepest condolences
to the bereaved families.
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★お悔やみ
I'm so sorry for your loss.
So sorry for your loss.
I'm so sorry to hear about your loss.
・sorry
・condolences
I'm so sorry for your loss. Please accept my condolences.
My condolences.
・My condolences (to you and your family).
・Please accept my deepest condolences for you and your family's loss.
・I offer my deepest condolences to the families.
・You have my sincerest condolences regarding your recent loss.
I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of life in this story. I hope everyone can learn from mistakes and make things safer for the future.
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