NHKニュースで学ぶ現代英語 2024年9月勉強分②
成田空港 紙幣探知犬を導入
< 見出し>JAPAN INTRODUCES DOGS TO SNIFF OUT ILLEGAL CASH AT AIRPORTS
Japan’s sniffer dogs that detect illegal drugs at airports are set to be joined by canines trained to sniff out large amounts of cash in luggage.
・canine：イヌ科の動物、犬
・sniff out ～：（においを嗅ぎ分けて）～を見つけ出す、発見する
Two dogs that went through a month of practice demonstrated their abilities to the media at Narita Airport near Tokyo.
・go through：経る、経験する、体験する
In a test, the dogs checked 14 pieces of luggage and stopped at a bag that was suspect. It took about 60 seconds.
Anyone entering or leaving Japan is required by law to declare cash or checks exceeding 1 million yen, or about 6,800 dollars.
Japan Customs says it hopes the training of such dogs will improve detection of illegal activity at airports throughout Japan.
“Currency detector dogs can easily move to different places and help inspectors check luggage on the spot. They have such mobility.”
Ueda says the number of people leaving Japan increases in the summer and the dogs can help improve border checks at such times.
・help (A) ～：（Aが)～するのを助ける
・at such times：そのようなときに
岸田首相 退任へ
< 見出し>KISHIDA DECIDES NOT TO RUN IN NEXT LDP LEADERSHIP ELECTION
・LDP：Liberal Democratic Party「自由民主党」の略称
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has announced that he will not run in the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s leadership election next month.
・the main ruling (party):自民党と公明党の連立政権において自民党の議員数の方が多く、main「主要な」与党であるから。
It means Japan will soon have a new prime minister.
“The first and clearest step to show that the LDP will change is for me to step down. I will not run for the LDP’s leadership election.”
Kishida’s Cabinet has recently struggled with low approval ratings.
・approval rating：支持率
LDP factions were involved in a fundraising scandal.
・faction：（政治組織などの）派閥、党派
Kishida has worked to regain public trust in politics by trying to reform the party.
He decided to disband its factions and punished lawmakers linked to the scandal.
・disband：解散する
Kishida also revised the political funds control law.
But his reforms didn’t stem growing public criticism of the government.
・stem：食い止める
Kishida assumed the premiership in October 2021.
・assume：（職に）就く、（役目・任務を）引き受ける、引き継ぐ
・premiership：首相・総理大臣の地位（職）
※prime ministerより文字数が少ないので、新聞の見出しなどでたびたび使われる。
He becomes the eighth longest-serving prime minister in Japan’s postwar period.
・ postwar：戦後の
※cf. prewar：戦前の
【 豆知識：前置詞 “for" のイメージ 】
前置詞forの感覚的なイメージは、両手をまっすぐ伸ばして、対象がある方向をはっきりと示すポーズ。
「主語」のある方向を示し手を伸ばしているイメージ
for＋目的格＋to＋動詞という形は、forが「意味上の主語を示す」用法。
文全体の主語ではなく、文の中にあるフレーズにおいて、動詞に対応する主語を示す。
例) The first and clearest step to show that this party will change is for me to step down.
「最初のそして最も明確な一歩、この党が変わることを示すための、は私が身を引くことです。」
「目標」のある方向を示し手を伸ばしているイメージ
例) I will not run for the LDP’s leadership election.
「私は立候補しません、自民党の総裁選に。」
この文はinで
I will not run in
election.
でもほぼ同じ意味になるが、ニュアンスの違いとしては、前置詞inの基本のイメージは「（何らかの空間）の中で」なので
・forの場合、当選という「目標」の方向へ向かって走る、「立候補する」
・inの場合、選挙という「場の中で」ほかの候補たちと競争しながら走る、「出馬する」
京都 伝統の五山送り火
< 見出し>MOUNTAINS OF KYOTO SET ABLAZE FOR SPECTACULAR FESTIVAL
・ablaze：燃え立って
Now for a spectacular, spiritual, and crowd-pleasing festival right in the heart of Japan’s ancient capital.
Gozan Okuribi is said to date back more than 300 years.
Five mountains surrounding Kyoto serve as a grand stage.
・grand：壮大な、雄大な
The bonfires form shapes such as kanji characters and a boat.
・form a shape：形を成す
People in Japan believe deceased relatives come home during the annual Bon holidays.
・deceased：死んだ、亡くなった
And this festival is like a farewell before they head back to the spirit world.
“My father will have returned for the first time since he died. I’m glad my family and I could give him a send-off together.”
Police say Friday’s festival attracted a crowd of about 47,000. That’s up more than 20,000 from last year.
ノルドストリーム爆発 ウクライナ人に逮捕状
< 見出し>REPORTS: UKRAINIAN SOUGHT OVER NORD STREAM ATTACK
Prosecutors in Germany have spent nearly two years investigating an act of underwater sabotage.
・sabotage：破壊行為、破壊活動、妨害行為
※フランス語由来の単語で、もともとは、労働者が工場などの施設を破壊したり意識的に仕事の能率を落としたりして企業側に損害を与えることなどを意味し、日本語の「サボる」のもとになった言葉。
They’ve been trying to figure out who blew up the Nord Stream gas pipelines.
Media reports say Germany has now issued an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian national.
・arrest warrant：逮捕状
・national：国民
The pipelines were built to carry natural gas from Russia to Europe.
The attack was thought to be an attempt to cut off a source of revenue for the Kremlin.
・source of revenue：収入源、財源
That led many to speculate Ukrainian forces were responsible.
・speculate：憶測する
The reported suspect has worked as a diving instructor.
He’s believed to have lived in neighboring Poland but has left the country.
German authorities have reportedly identified two other suspects.
They say the pair may have been responsible for attaching the explosives to the pipelines.
・explosive：爆発物
It remains unclear to what extent officials in Ukraine may have been involved in the planning or execution of the attack.
・extent：程度、度合い
・execution：（職務などの）遂行、（計画などの）実行
腸内細菌移植でがん治療薬の効果高まるか
< 見出し>TRIAL STARTS IN JAPAN ON USING GUT BACTERIA IN CANCER TREATMENT
・gut：腸、腹（部）、胃
※通常は複数形のgutsで胃や腸などを含む「内臓、はらわた」
・gut bacteria：腸内細菌
Researchers in Japan are running a clinical trial to see if immunotherapy for cancer patients can be improved by intestinal bacteria.
・clinical trial：臨床試験
・immunotherapy：免疫療法
※ immuno-「免疫の」＋ therapy「治療」
・intestinal：腸の
Researchers from the National Cancer Center Japan and Juntendo University are working on treatments for stomach and esophageal cancer.
・stomach cancer：胃がん
・esophageal：食道の [iːsɑ̀fədʒíːəl]
・esophageal cancer：食道がん
Studies overseas have shown that patients unresponsive to immunotherapy drugs have unbalanced intestinal bacteria.
・unresponsive to ～：～に反応しない
The team will transplant bacteria from healthy people into patients before they’re given immunotherapy drugs.
・transplant：（植物を）移植する、（臓器などを）移植する
They say the goal is to verify the safety and efficacy of the method with 45 patients over the next three years.
・efficacy：効き目、効能、有効性 [éfikəsi]
“We hope the trial shows us what kind of intestinal bacteria patients need to benefit from drug treatment. I hope patients will have more options.”