NHKニュースで学ぶ現代英語 2024年8月勉強分②
離職減へ スキル評価で働く意欲を向上
< 見出し>JAPAN FIRMS AIM TO MOTIVATE STAFF, REDUCE TURNOVER
・turnover：離職率、離職者数
Retailers and restaurants in Japan are adopting new methods to motivate their workers and reduce turnover amid a severe labor shortage.
Major convenience store chain Seven-Eleven Japan started an in-house contest on customer service skills in 2023.
・in-house：社内の
This year, selected workers from outlets across the country competed to show how well they can improvise to serve customers using appropriate language.
・improvise：即興でやる、アドリブで行う
・appropriate：適切な、ふさわしい
・language：ことばづかい
The company evaluated their performance and gave awards.
The aim is to make employees key to running the stores feel more motivated.
・key to ～：～の中核を担う、～のカギを握る
It’s also to train young staff better so they don’t leave to go and work elsewhere.
Meanwhile, noodle chain Marugame Udon is offering workers a chance to gain certification.
・gain：得る、獲得する
Applicants take a written exam on what they know about noodle-making. They’re also tested on a hundred practical skills.
・written exam：筆記試験
※cf. oral exam：口頭試験
Company officials say the job turnover among certified staff is only about one-tenth the rate for those without certification.
トランプ氏 共和党が大統領候補に正式指名
< 見出し>TRUMP SECURES NOMINATION AFTER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
・secure：指名を獲得する
We start this hour in the United States. Donald Trump has made his first public appearance since an assassination attempt over the weekend.
・make a public appearance：公の場に姿を見せる
・assassination：暗殺
・assassination attempt：暗殺未遂
He’s attending the Republican Party’s four-day national convention after securing the party’s nomination.
・Republican National Convention：共和党の全国党大会
The former president waved and smiled at his supporters as the event kicked off in Wisconsin.
・wave：手を振る
A bandage could be seen on his injured right ear.
Trump’s nomination wasn’t the only thing confirmed at the event.
Ohio Senator J.D. Vance was also nominated as his running mate, and the party also approved its platform for the November presidential election.
・running mate：ランニング・メイト（組になって公職などに立候補する候補者のうちの下位（の役職）の候補者で、特に大統領選挙では副大統領候補）
・platform：（政党の土台とな）政策綱領、公約
It strongly reflects Trump’s policy agenda and calls for stronger measures on immigration and foreign imports.
道後温泉本館 全館で営業を再開
< 見出し>HISTORIC JAPANESE HOT SPRING FULLY REOPENS AFTER REPAIRS
Hot spring enthusiasts are enjoying the reopening of a famous onsen in western Japan.
The Dogo Onsen bathhouse in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, fully reopened to the public on Thursday after five and a half years of repairs and conservation work.
・bathhouse：浴場、公衆浴場
※明確に「公衆浴場」と言う場合は、public bathまたはpublic bathhouse。
・conservation work：保存工事
The Honkan, or main building of the bathhouse, is designated as a national important cultural property and is a popular tourist site.
Part of the hot spring facility had been closed since 2019 as the renovations, including quake-resistance work, took place.
“The hot water was nice, and the bath is spacious with a high ceiling, so I felt very refreshed.”
・spacious：広々とした、ゆったりした
“Our customers have had a long wait. Many things have happened over the past five years, including the pandemic. We would like to create a new history together with everyone in Dogo.”
・ have a long wait：長い間待つ
国連 “世界人口は今世紀中に減少”
< 見出し>UN: WORLD POPULATION TO PEAK IN MID-2080s
The United Nations says the number of people on the planet will continue to grow for the next 60 years before declining toward the end of the century.
The world’s population is forecast to peak at about 10.3 billion by the mid-2080s.
・forecast：(動)予測する、予想する
※過去形も過去分詞形もforecast（forecastedとも）
・peak：頂点に達する
The UN released its report, “World Population Prospects 2024,” on Thursday, which it calls World Population Day.
Global population stood at 8.2 billion this year, and the forecast is for 60 more years of increase.
・stand at X：Ｘの値を示す、Ｘの値である
※数字を伴う。
・the forecast is for ～：見通しは～です
The number of people by the end of the century is expected to be about 10.2 billion.
The report also says population increases are likely to end earlier than previously forecast as birthrates continue to drop globally.
It says populations had already peaked before this year in 63 countries and areas, including Russia and China.
The report projects India’s population will continue growing to nearly 1.7 billion in 2054, while China’s will fall to about 1.2 billion that year and down to 600 million in 2100.
・ project ～：～と見積もる、推定する、予想する、予測する
防衛省 200人以上を処分
< 見出し>JAPAN’S DEFENSE MINISTRY PUNISHES OVER 200 PERSONNEL
Japan’s Defense Ministry has reprimanded 218 civilian
and uniformed staff of the ministry and Self-Defense Forces for misconduct.
・reprimand：（職務上の事柄で）叱責する、懲戒処分する、戒告する
・civilian：（軍人ではない）一般市民の、民間の、文民の
・civilian staff：文官（ここでは防衛省の背広組と呼ばれる事務方の防衛官僚ら）
・uniformed：制服を着た
・uniformed staff：制服を着た職員（ここでは防衛省のいわゆる「制服組」と呼ばれる自衛官）
・Self-Defense Forces：日本の「自衛隊」
※正式な英語名は、Japan Self-Defense Forces（JSDF）。
・misconduct：不正行為、不祥事
※mis-「悪い、誤った」＋conduct「行為、振る舞い」
The punishment on Friday of so many people at once is very unusual.
The ministry identified four inappropriate actions.
One concerns national security and the handling of specially designated secrets.
・concern：関係する、関与する
The others involve fraud with allowances for diving training and duty, free meals for unqualified personnel, and power harassment.
・fraud：不正行為
・allowance：手当、支給額
・personnel：（集合的に）職員、社員、隊員
The ministry identified 58 cases related to the handling of confidential information.
These include unqualified personnel having access to the information on 38 Maritime Self-Defense Force vessels.
・Maritime Self-Defense Force：日本の「海上自衛隊」
※正式な英語名は、Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force（JMSDF）。
・vessel：大型船、船舶
Defense Minister Kihara Minoru said the Defense Ministry and the SDF will work together to take thorough measures to prevent a recurrence and regain the people’s trust.
・thorough：徹底的な [θə́ːrou]
・recurrence：再び起こること、再発
・regain：再び手にする、取り戻す
※re-「再び」＋gain「獲得する、得る」