NHKニュースで学ぶ現代英語 2025年3月勉強分③
新発見の小惑星 地球衝突の可能性も
< 見出し>STUDY: ASTEROID HAS 2.2% CHANCE OF HITTING EARTH
・asteroid：小惑星 [ǽstərɔ̀id] ※豆知識参照
Astronomers say a recently discovered asteroid is hurtling toward Earth.
・astronomer：天文学者 [əstrɑ́nəmər] ※豆知識参照
・hurtle：猛スピードで進む、突進する
But they say there’s only a slim chance that it eventually makes impact.
・slim：（可能性・確率などが）低い、少ない、ほんのわずかな [slím]
The “2024 YR4” asteroid was discovered on December 27 of last year.
It’s estimated to be about 40 to 90 meters wide.
Astronomers at the European Space Agency say there is a 2.2 percent chance it makes impact with Earth on December 22, 2032.
・impact with ～：～と衝突する ※GPT欄参照
The ESA tracks more than 1,700 asteroids that may approach Earth.
The asteroid is currently at the top of its risk list.
The agency says an asteroid of this size strikes Earth once every few thousand years on average.
・once every ～：～に一度
It adds the impact could cause severe damage to a local region.
The ESA says the likelihood of it actually hitting Earth will change as more data becomes available.
・likelihood：可能性、見込み
It says long-term observation helps astronomers understand the trajectories of asteroids, and in many cases rule out any chance of impact.
・trajectory：軌道 [trədʒéktəri]
・rule out：（可能性を）除外する、考慮から外す
【 豆知識："astro" が付く語彙 】
astro-：星、宇宙
・asteroid：小惑星
※-oid：～に似た、～のような 例）humanoid：人間に似た
・astronomer：天文学者
・astronomy：天文学
・astronaut：宇宙飛行士
・astrology：占星術
※参考 豆知識：星に関する接頭語と星占いに影響された単語
“･･･ there is a 2.2 percent chance it makes impact with Earth." という文で、inpact の後ろの前置詞は「on」ではなく「with」？
“impact with" vs. “impact on" の違い
impact with + 名詞
物理的な衝突（物と物がぶつかること）を表すときによく使われ、「～との衝突」という意味で、二つの物体がぶつかることを強調する。
例）The asteroid’s impact with Earth could cause massive damage.（小惑星が地球と衝突すると大きな被害をもたらす可能性がある。）
impact on + 名詞
影響を与えるという意味で使われることが多く、物理的な衝突だけでなく、抽象的な影響（経済、環境、社会など）を表す場合にもよく使われる。
例）Climate change has a major impact on agriculture.（気候変動は農業に大きな影響を与える。）
上の文では「地球と衝突する可能性がある」と物理的な衝突を指しているので、"impact with Earth" という表現は適切。
“impact on Earth" でも意味は伝わるが、この場合は「地球への影響」というニュアンスが出るので、文脈によっては違和感があるかもしれない。
米大統領“ストローを紙からプラ製に戻す”
< 見出し>TRUMP BANS PAPER STRAWS IN FEDERAL BUILDINGS
U.S. President Trump has signed an executive order banning paper straws at federal agencies.
・executive order：大統領令
He criticized his predecessor, Joe Biden, for promoting the use of paper instead of plastic ones.
“We’re going back to plastic straws. These things don’t work. I’ve had them many times, and on occasion, they break. They explode.”
・on occasion：時折、折に触れて
Trump signed the order on Monday to direct federal agencies to stop buying paper straws and ensure that they’re no longer provided within agency buildings.
・direct：指示する
Over the past several years, a move to replace plastic straws with paper ones to stop pollution in the oceans has gained momentum in the U.S.
・momentum：勢い
・gain momentum/gather momentum：（物事などが）勢いを増す、弾みがつく
※cf. lose momentum：勢いがなくなる
The Biden administration also promoted a policy aimed at phasing out federal purchases of single-use plastics, including straws, from federal operations.
・single-use：１度だけの使用の、使い捨ての
宮内庁 ホームページを刷新
< 見出し>JAPAN’S IMPERIAL PALACE ENHANCES VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE
The website for Japan’s Imperial Household Agency in Tokyo has been given a major makeover.
・Imperial Household Agency：日本の「宮内庁」の英語名称
・makeover：作り直し、大改造、改装、イメージチェンジ
・give ～ a makeover：～を模様替えする、～をイメージチェンジさせる
Visitors can go on a virtual tour of parts of the historic building and enjoy an immersive look at the interior.
The website includes 360-degree views of five rooms.
They are the hall for state banquets, the entry hall where foreign dignitaries are greeted, and other locations.
・banquet：晩さん会 [bǽŋkwət]
・state banquet：（ここでは国賓を迎える）宮中晩さん会
・dignitary：（政府などの）高官、要人
The revamp by the Imperial Household Agency is the first in 15 years.
・revamp：改造、刷新、改良、改修
It follows the launch of a public relations office that utilizes private-sector know-how.
・public relations office：広報室
・private sector：民間部門、民間企業
The updated website offers schedules and news conference records of the Emperor and other senior members of the imperial family, as well as explanations of the imperial system and court culture.
・imperial system：皇室制度
・court culture：宮廷文化
It also provides information on opening hours of the Imperial Palace and the Kyoto Imperial Palace.
【 豆知識：音声と映像の組み合わせが冠詞に影響を与えることがある 】
初登場の単語で、通常であれば冠詞のa「ある～」を付けるべきところでも、画面にその内容がすでに映っている場合には、the「その～」と表現されることがある。
例（今回のニュース文）
“The website for Japan’s Imperial Household Agency in Tokyo has been given a major makeover.
Visitors can go on a virtual tour of parts of the historic building
and enjoy an immersive look at the interior."
は、
（まずアナウンサーが読み上げる）The website for Japan’s Imperial Household Agency in Tokyo has been given a major makeover.
↓
（画面に見出し表示）JAPAN’S IMPERIAL PALACE ENHANCES VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE
↓
（アナウンサーの続き）Visitors can go on a virtual tour of parts of
the historic building
and enjoy an immersive look at the interior.
ホンダと日産 経営統合協議を打ち切り
< 見出し>NISSAN, HONDA DECIDE TO END MERGER TALKS
Nissan Motor and Honda Motor have decided to terminate merger talks that would have created the world’s third-largest automaker.
・talks：協議、交渉、会談
※この意味では通例複数形。
The companies say they are instead seeking to prioritize “the speed of decision-making” in a rapidly changing electric vehicle market.
・instead：(副)代わりに、その代わりとして
・decision-making：意思決定
The Japanese automakers began talks in December to integrate operations under a holding company.
・integrate：統合する [íntəgrèit]
・integrate operations：経営・事業を統合する
・holding company：持ち株会社
However, Honda then switched strategy and proposed acquiring Nissan to make it a wholly owned subsidiary.
・wholly owned subsidiary：（資本の１００パーセントを保有されている）完全子会社
Nissan rejected the offer and informed Honda it planned to end the negotiations.
The companies started the merger talks in the face of intense competition from U.S. and Chinese rivals in electric vehicles and software development.
・in the face of ～：（困難な状況や問題など）～に直面して
・intense：強烈な、非常に激しい
Nissan in November announced plans to turn around its business after profits slumped.
・turn around：（悪い事態や状況などを）立て直す、好転させる
・profit：利益
・profits：業績
※複数形なので「利益」より「業績」といったニュアンス。
・slump：（急激に）悪化する、落ちこむ
The measures included cutting global production capacity by 20 percent and shedding 9,000 jobs.
・shed：（余剰）人員を減らす、削減する
ミャンマー・タイ国境で日本人の少年保護
< 見出し>THAI POLICE HOLD JAPANESE BOY FOUND IN MYANMAR SCAM HUB
・hub：拠点
Authorities in Thailand say they have taken a 16-year-old Japanese boy into protective custody.
・custody：保護、拘留
・take ～ into custody：～を拘束する、拘留する、拘置する
・protective：(形)保護する
They believe he was forced to work in a scam center across the border in Myanmar.
・center：拠点
・across the border：国境の向こうの
Police say they received the boy this month in the western city of Mae Sot.
They say he’s a resident of Japan and they had been searching for him at the request of Japanese authorities.
・at the request of ～：～の要請で、～からの要請を受けて
The police say he was handed over after being spotted at a scam center in eastern Myanmar.
・hand over ～：（～を）引き渡す
・spot：（人や物を）見つける、（通常は発見が困難な対象を）見つける、見分ける
They believe the boy is a victim of human trafficking, possibly subjected to violence and intimidation and forced to commit crimes.
・traffic：売買する、不正取引をする
※cf. trafficking：不法取引、不正売買、密売、trafficker：密売人
・(be) subjected to ～：～にさらされる、～をこうむる
※～の部分には好ましくない事柄や不快な事柄が入る。
・intimidation：脅し、威嚇
・commit：（罪などを）犯す、（悪事を）はたらく
Many other foreigners have been forced to work in Myanmar’s scam hubs.
Thai authorities also took a 17-year-old Japanese national into custody in January.
【 豆知識："police" は複数扱い 】
ニュース文
“Police
say they received the boy this month in the western city of Mae Sot.
They say he’s a resident of Japan and they had been searching for him at the request of Japanese authorities."
police「警察」は集合的に複数扱いの名詞
→ sayにはsが付かず、ItではなくTheyになる。