ニュースで学ぶ「現代英語」 ドイツ総選挙 最大野党が第一党に
3月10日(月)
Today's news is about the election in Germany. Several political party names will come up. So, do your best to catch them.
LARGEST OPPOSITION BLOC WINS MOST SEATS IN GERMAN ELECTION
Germany's largest opposition alliance of the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union has won the most seats in Sunday's general election. The center-right bloc is on course to lead post-election coalition talks to form a government.
The bloc's candidate, Friedrich Merz, is expected to become German chancellor.
Germany's election commission has released ballot-counting results that show the CDU/CSU taking 28.6 percent of the vote. The Alternative for Germany party, or AfD, won 20.8 percent.
The anti-immigrant AfD is seen as being far-right and not supportive of Ukraine. The party has gained double the share of votes compared to Germany's last election four years ago.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left Social Democratic Party captured 16.4 percent of the vote. Local media outlets say the results reflect a desire for a change from the government led by Scholz and to end Germany's political gridlock.
（2025年2月24日のニュース）
- 「連合」blocやalliance
- center-rightは「中道右派の」
- 「首相」は国によってprime minister、ドイツとオーストリアではchancellor
- CDUはChristian Democratic Union（ドイツ語でChristlich Demokratische Union）「キリスト教民主同盟、
- CSUはChristian Social Union（ドイツ語でChristlich-Soziale Union）「キリスト教社会同盟」
- far-rightは「極右の」
- gridlockは「手詰まり状態」
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The center-right bloc is on course to lead post-election coalition talks.
The center-right bloc
is on course to lead
post-election coalition talks.
The center-right bloc is on course to lead post-election coalition talks to form a government.
★熟語に冠詞などがないときの理由
The price of rice, a Japanese staple, is hovering at record highs and shows no sign of reversing course.
-Does this sound natural to say reversing course? Souldn't we say it's cause or that couse?
-Well, it sounds fine to me. You could also add its or the if you want to be more specific.
もともとはreverse its course あるいはreverse the course
-> reverse courseという熟語として成立
I agree tihs that.
reverse course「進路を逆にする」どんな場面にも当てはまる一般的な意味
熟語とは、冠詞など具体的な意味を表す語句が脱落して一般的な意味を表すようになった表現
the center-right bloc is on course to lead …
も本来は、the center-right bloc is on a course to lead …といった表現なのでしょうが、be on course to …という熟語として成立
If you ever feel stuch when you're studing. Don't worry, you have the power to reverse course and choose a new path.
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JAPAN TEAM'S FIND SUGGESTS IRONMAKING IN BRONZE AGE
NHK has learned Japanese archaeologists excavating a site in central Turkey have found heated iron ore in a stratum dating to the Bronze Age. This suggests ironmaking began over 4,000 years ago.
The team from the Japanese Institute of Anatolian Archaeology has been studying the Kaman-Kalehoyuk ruins for 40 years. It used an electron microscope to analyze pieces of metal unearthed from the stratum, which is about 4,200 years old. Two pieces were found to have been made from heated iron ore. Another was identified as artificial iron.
It's said ironmaking thrived across the Hittite Empire about 3,400 years ago. But the team's discovery indicates people in the Bronze Age were already trying to make iron using copper smelting techniques.
The team also found remains of about 10 furnaces from the same stratum and plans to examine whether they were used for ironmaking.
（2025年2月18日のニュース）
UN SECURITY COUNCIL CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE IN CONGO
The UN Security Council has called on rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to cease all hostilities and immediately withdraw from areas now under their control.
The Security Council made the call in a resolution adopted unanimously on Friday. Rebels from the M23 group have entered the city of Bukavu in the eastern part of the central African country and are quickly expanding the areas under their control.
The resolution also calls on the armed forces of neighboring Rwanda to stop supporting the rebels and to immediately withdraw from the DRC.
UN special representative in the DRC Bintou Keita expressed concern that the rebels likely intend to advance to the capital, Kinshasa. She said the conflict is causing intolerable suffering to women, girls, and children, including harassment, sexual violence, and killing.
（2025年2月22日のニュース）
AP SUES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FOR BANNING ITS REPORTERS
The Associated Press has filed a lawsuit against Trump administration officials. This stems from a decision to limit access to AP reporters for the news agency's continued use of the phrase “Gulf of Mexico.”
The AP filed the lawsuit with the U.S. District Court in Washington on Friday. It names the White House chief of staff and the deputy, along with the press secretary. The news agency is demanding a lifting of restrictions on its reporters entering the Oval Office and flying on Air Force One. The AP says it violates the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment guarantee of freedom of expression and freedom of the press.
The AP argues that as a global news agency it must ensure that “place names and geography are easily recognizable to all audiences.” It also says the press and all people in the U.S. have the right to choose their own words. It adds that allowing the government to control speech is a threat to every American's freedom.
（2025年2月23日のニュース）
TOYOTA COMPLETES PHASE 1 CONSTRUCTION OF FUTURISTIC CITY
Toyota Motor has completed the first phase of its construction of a futuristic city southwest of Tokyo that will weave new technologies into urban living. It unveiled the site on Saturday that will eventually cover 175 acres. That's more than 700,000 square meters.
The Japanese automaker started work in 2021 on what it calls “Woven City” in Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture. Toyota says it'll showcase different aspects of mobility for residents.
The city will have separate roads for autonomous vehicles and other forms of transport, as well as pedestrian areas. Toyota says it'll run safety tests among the different transport modes. It will have an underground passageway for deliveries and garbage collection. It will test advanced digital technologies and autonomous robots.
（2025年2月25日のニュース）