NHKニュースで学ぶ現代英語 2025年7月勉強分①

2025-07-07

“世界で一番貧しい大統領”死去

< 見出し>'WORLD’S POOREST PRESIDENT’ JOSE MUJICA DIES

Uruguay's former president Jose Mujica has died at the age of 89.
・Uruguay：ウルグアイ [ˈjʊr.ə.ɡwaɪ]（「ユァラグワイ」という感じ)

He was known as “the world’s poorest president” for his frugal lifestyle.
・frugal：（暮らしなどが）質素な、つましい、倹約的な [frúgəl]

Mujica was born into a poor family in 1935.
・be born into ～：～に生まれる

He became an anti-government guerilla fighter in his 20s and was jailed for more than 10 years under the military government.
・guerilla：ゲリラ、ゲリラ兵 [gərílə]

After Uruguay became democratic, he served as a leftist lawmaker from the 1990s.

He became the country’s president in 2010 and served for five years.

While president, Mujica continued to live on a farm.

His modest way of life made him popular in the country.

He was also known for his critiques of global mass consumption.
・critique：批評、評論 [kritíːk]
　※フランス語由来の単語

“A poor person is not someone who doesn’t have very much. The person who is really poor is the person who continues to need more and more and desires more and more and more.”

Mujica had been battling cancer in recent years.

三毛猫の毛の色の謎 ついに解明

< 見出し>JAPAN RESEARCHERS SOLVE CALICO CAT COLOR MYSTERY
・calico cat：三毛猫）アメリカ英語） [kǽlikòu]
　※キャリコ生地についてはGPT欄参照

Researchers in Japan say they’ve solved a long-standing mystery about the color of calico cats.
・long-standing：長く続く、長年の、積年の

The team includes Sasaki Hiroyuki, professor at the Kyushu University Institute for Advanced Study.

The animals have black, white, and orange fur.

Almost all of them are female.

The gene determining black and orange fur colors has eluded scientists for more than 6 decades.
・elude：逃れる、回避する、避ける

The latest study compared the genes of the tri-colored cats with other types.
・tri-colored cat：三毛猫

Researchers identified a gene called ARHGAP36 on the X chromosome linked to biological sex.
・chromosome：染色体（生物学の用語）[króuməsòum]

They say this gene is the one that makes the black and orange colors.

They also say this gene’s mutation affects the production of proteins, which causes black fur to turn orange.
・mutation：変化、変形

If a cat also has a gene for white fur, it’ll have patches of black, white, and orange.
・patch：斑点、斑点状のもの

Sasaki says he’s very happy with the results, adding that the newly discovered gene might also affect nerve functions.
・nerve：神経

長嶋茂雄さん 死去

< 見出し>BASEBALL LEGEND NAGASHIMA SHIGEO DIES AT 89

Japanese pro baseball legend Nagashima Shigeo has died. He was 89.

His former team, the Yomiuri Giants, confirmed the news Tuesday morning.

They said Nagashima died from pneumonia.
・die from ～：～がもとで亡くなる、死亡する（間接的な原因）
　※「豆知識：亡くなる場合の原因の表現」参照
・pneumonia：肺炎 [nuːmóuniə]

Hailing from Chiba Prefecture, he first rose to stardom as a member of Rikkyo University’s team.
・rise to stardom：スターの座に駆け上がる

He joined Japanese professional baseball with the Giants in 1958.
・with：（組織などに）所属して、一員として　※GPT欄参照

Being a clutch hitter and brilliant fielder, he won the hearts of many fans.
・clutch hit：得点圏にランナーがいる場面で打つヒット、タイムリーヒット
・clutch hitter：勝負強い打者、チャンスに強い打者（バッター）
・fielder：野手（守備の選手）
・win the heart of ～：～（人）の心を掴む

He also won multiple batting awards, including two homerun titles, and was nicknamed “Mr. Pro Baseball.”

Nagashima stopped playing in 1974, but twice assumed the post of the Giants’ team manager.
・assume：（役目・任務などを）引き受ける、就任する
・team manager：チームの監督

He was also the first baseball player in history to be awarded Japan’s Order of Culture.
・order：勲章
・Order of Culture：文化勲章

株主総会 提案は過去最多に

< 見出し>MORE SHAREHOLDERS VOICING PROPOSALS TO JAPANESE FIRMS
・voice ～：(動)～を声に出す、～を表明する

Shareholder meetings will peak in late June in Japan, and a record number of firms have received proposals from stockholders this year.
・shareholder meeting：株主総会
・peak：(動)ピークを迎える、最盛期を迎える、最高潮に達する
・record：記録的な

About 2,100 companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange are set to hold the annual gatherings this month.
・(be) set to ～：～する予定である、～することになっている
　※近い未来に確実に起こることに対して使われる。

Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation says that, as of Thursday last week, a record 108 firms had received proposals from their shareholders.

Many of these proposals to be discussed at the meetings are from activist shareholders.
・activist shareholder：「物言う株主」

For example, U.S.-based Dalton Investments is proposing its own candidates for the board of directors to the parent company of Fuji Television Network.
・board of directors：取締役会

And Hong Kong-based investment fund Oasis Management is asking chemical maker Taiyo Holdings to dismiss two board directors, including the president, due to corporate governance concerns.

【 豆知識："shareholder" と “stockholder" の違い 】
“shareholder" も “stockholder" も訳すと「株」だが、具体的には微妙に異なる。

・stock
木の「幹」や「切り株」という意味から、ある会社の資産や所有権などの「全体」を指すようになり、「株」という意味につながったと考えられる。
⇒ 抽象的に、ある会社の株、特にその株「全体」のこと。

・share
何かを細かく「切り分けた一部分」を配りみんなで「共有する」ことから、１つの会社の所有権（「株」）を細かく切り分けて株券として売り渡し、多くの人が共有する株式会社のシステムを表す。
⇒ その株のうち、ある人が持っている「部分」=「株券」のイメージ。

上記を1文で表すと
“I have 100 shares of this company’s stock."「私はこの会社の株（stock）を１００株（shares）持っている」


ニュース文では以下のように使われている。

“MORE SHAREHOLDERS VOICING PROPOSALS TO JAPANESE FIRMS“

“Shareholder meetings will peak in late June in Japan, and a record number of firms have received proposals from stockholders this year.“

“Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation says that, as of Thursday last week, a record 108 firms had received proposals from their shareholders."

“Many of these proposals to be discussed at the meetings are from activist shareholders."