NHKニュースで学ぶ現代英語 2024年4月勉強分①
“はく製はニホンオオカミか” 中学生が論文
A rare specimen has been identified at a Japanese national museum, thanks to the work of a junior high student.
・specimen：標本、見本 [spésəmin]
She led a study on a taxidermy piece that’s now been identified as the hide of an extinct Japanese wolf.
・taxidermy：はく製術 [tǽksədə̀ːrmi]
・hide：（動物の）皮革
・extinct：絶滅した
Thirteen-year-old Komori Hinako’s curiosity was piqued when she saw the specimen at the National Museum of Nature and Science four years ago.
・ pique：（興味・好奇心を）そそる、刺激する [píːk]
It was labeled “wild dog,” but the girl thought it closely resembled a creature she’d seen in picture books.
・label ～：～であるとラベルを貼る、～であると分類する [léibl]
・resemble ～：～に似ている
・picture book：図鑑
“At first glance, I was like, 'This is a Japanese wolf.’ The wolf has these whiskers, which are just amazing.”
・whisker：（犬や猫などの）ひげ、（人の）頬ひげ
※通常複数形
Japanese wolves are believed to have gone extinct about a century ago.
・ go extinct：絶滅する
With the help of experts, Komori determined the one displayed here was likely a Japanese wolf that was kept at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo just before the animal died out.
・determine：結論を出す
・the animal：theによる総称用法
※参考：Native Camp 文法中級63 単数・複数名詞 / the + 形容詞
・die out：（種族などが）絶滅する
ミャンマー 徴兵避け若者の出国相次ぐ
<見出し＞MYANMAR YOUTHS TRY TO AVOID CONSCRIPTION
・conscription：徴兵（制度）、徴用
A growing number of young people in Myanmar are trying to flee to neighboring Thailand to avoid compulsory military service announced by the junta one month ago.
・compulsory：強制的な、義務的な
・military service：軍隊で（国家に）奉仕すること、兵役
・ junta：（暫定）軍事政権（革命やクーデターなどで選挙によらず政権を獲得した臨時政府、特に軍事（独裁）政権）[húntə/dʒʌ́ntə]
※元は「集会」や「委員会」といった意味のスペイン語由来の言葉で、military juntaとも言う。
Myanmar’s junta said last month that men aged 18 to 35 and women aged 18 to 27 must do military service for up to two years.
The announcement prompted citizens subject to the call-up to try to escape Myanmar.
・prompt：促す
・subject to ～：～の対象となる、～を受ける必要がある、～に従う義務がある
・call-up：徴兵、（軍事）招集
Many swarmed foreign missions, including the Thai embassy in Yangon, to obtain long-term visas.
・swarm ～：～を一杯にする
・foreign mission：外国公館
・embassy：大使館
・obtain：得る
・long-term visa：（長期滞在に必要な）長期ビザ
A university in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai received 2,100 applications to take entrance exams earlier this month for 100 places at its English-language department.
・for ～：～に対して
※豆知識「"for" は両手で相手を指し示す２本の矢印のイメージ」参照
・place：（入学）資格、（学生としての）地位
Most of the applicants were from Myanmar.
“My twin brother and all my friends are on the side of pro-democracy forces. I have no intention of joining the military to shoot them.”
・(be) on the side of ～：～に味方している、（競争や闘いなどで）～の側に立つ
・pro-～：～に賛成の、～支持の
・pro-democracy forces：民主派勢力
The junta said it will call up the first batch of 5,000 people in April.
・call up：徴兵する、招集する
・batch of ～：～（人など）の一群、一団、１回分、ひと束
※first batch「初回（分）」やsecond batch「２回目」のように、物事を何回かに分けて行うときに使われる。
鳥山明さん死去 世界から惜しむ声
<見出し>WORLD MOURNS 'DRAGON BALL’ MANGA ARTIST TORIYAMA AKIRA
Toriyama Akira created Dragon Ball, one of the most popular works in the history of the genre. He died last week at the age of 68.
His career in manga began in 1978. Two years later, Toriyama began a serial titled “Dr. Slump."
・serial：シリーズもの、連載読み物、連続番組
※同じ話やキャラで続くのがserialやseries。（１回きりの）読み切り、単発ものならone-off
例) serial killer：連続殺人犯
In 1984, Toriyama launched “Dragon Ball,” featuring a boy with superhuman strength.
Son Goku’s adventures involving wish-granting balls and battles against a variety of villains fascinated fans across the globe.
・adventures involving ～：～をめぐる冒険
・grant：与える、かなえる
The series sold a total of 260 million copies.
“His works feature a sense of justice. They helped me to make friends. It’s definitely a great loss to the manga world.”
・feature ～：～を特徴とする
“I used to read them a lot when I was a kid, and it was very fun. And I used to wanna be like Goku. I might read the books again just in his honor.”
・in one’s honor：（人の）栄誉をたたえて、～に敬意を表して、～をしのんで
米大統領選 共和党ヘイリー氏撤退
<見出し>HALEY CEDES REPUBLICAN RACE TO TRUMP
・cede：譲渡する
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has seen one rival after another drop out of the race for the Republican nomination.
・one ～ after another：相次ぐ～、～が相次いで
例) She broke one record after another.「彼女は次々に記録を塗り替えた」= She broke records one after another.
Now the last hopeful has stepped aside.
・hopeful：（自分が選ばれるだろうと）希望を持つ者 →（有望な）候補者
例) Olympic hopeful：オリンピック候補選手、young hopeful：（ある分野において）希望にあふれた若者、見込みのある新人
・step aside：身を引く、降りる
Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley left after failing to win enough support within the party.
・United Nations ambassador：国連大使
※正式には、ambassador to the United Nations
・win ～：（は、好ましいものやうれしいもの）～を獲得する、～を得る
例) win fans：ファンを増やす、win votes：得票する
Haley had spent more than a year campaigning. She’s conceded to a candidate party officials have already labeled the “presumptive nominee.”
・concede to ～：～に譲る、～に屈する
・presumptive：（事実に基づいて合理的に）～と推定できる
※(動)presume：推定する
“It is now up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him, and I hope he does that.
Haley declined to endorse Trump, even though she’d fallen well behind in the race for delegates who’ll choose the nominee.
・endorse：支持する
・delegate：代議員
※アメリカの選挙以外の文脈で使われるdelegateは、政府などから国際会議その他に派遣される「使節、代表」
“She put up a good fight. And now it’s, I guess, unfortunately, time for her to move on. The math just isn’t working for her.”
・put up：（戦いなどで能力などを）見せる
・put up a good fight：善戦する
Trump says Haley “got trounced.” And he invited her supporters to join his movement.
・trounce：完全にやっつける、惨敗させる、こてんぱんにやっつける
・movement：（政治的・社会的な）運動、活動
ブータン首相「幸福には経済成長も必要」
<見出し>BHUTAN PM: HAPPINESS WILL COME FROM ECONOMIC GROWTH
Bhutan’s new prime minister says the Himalayan kingdom needs to boost its economy through tourism and other measures while continuing to focus on people’s happiness.
Tshering Tobgay took office after parliamentary elections in January. It’s the first change of government in Bhutan in five years.
・take office：就任する
“The objective of economic growth and prosperity must be for the welfare of people. And therefore, happiness is important. But you cannot have happiness in isolation.”
・ objective：目的、目標、方針
※ ＝ aim
・prosperity：繁栄
・in isolation：切り離して、単独で
Bhutan is known for its pursuit of “Gross National Happiness.”
・Gross National Happiness（GNH）：「国民総幸福」（健康や環境など国民が幸せと感じる価値基準に重点を置くブータン独自の指標）
It’s a concept that prioritizes people’s sense of well-being above all else.
・sense of well-being：幸福感
・above all else：何よりも、何にもまして
But Tobgay said Bhutan’s economy is suffering because the all-important tourism industry has not rebounded since the pandemic.
・all-important：極めて重要な
例) all-encompassing：包括的な、all-knowing：全知の、all-purpose：万能の、多目的の
・rebound：回復する、立ち直る
He also called on investment from abroad.
・call on：呼びかける、求める、要求する
※ = call for