Words and Expressions 3

Question 1

住宅バブル

Answer 1

the housing bubble

Question 2

住宅価格

Answer 2

housing prices

Question 3

2003年あたりから

Answer 3

from around 2003

Question 4

価格が高騰する

Answer 4

soar (and stayed at a high level)

Question 5

積極的に勧める

Answer 5

actively encourage

Question 6

住宅ローンに加入する

Answer 6

take out a mortgage

Question 7

低所得者

Answer 7

low-income earners

Question 8

金融機関

Answer 8

financial institution

Question 9

お金を借りている人

Answer 9

debtor

Question 10

ローンを払う

Answer 10

repay one’s loan

Question 11

社会問題となる

Answer 11

become a problem of public concern

Question 12

証券会社

Answer 12

securities company

Question 13

資金を回収する

Answer 13

get back one’s capital

Question 14

（効率が）悪い

Answer 14

poor

Question 15

日本のエネルギー効率

Answer 15

Japan’s energy efficiency rate

Question 16

世界の合計

Answer 16

(-percent of ) the world’s total

Question 17

削減する

Answer 17

cut

Question 18

〜と同レベルに減らす

Answer 18

reduce … to the same level as

Question 19

アメリカや中国を抜きにしては環境問題は語れない

Answer 19

There is no point in discussing environmental issues without America and China

Question 20

アメリカのカーボンフットプリントは日本の３倍だ

Answer 20

America’s carbon footprint is three times larger than that of Japan.

Question 21

自然の生態系を破壊する

Answer 21

destroy the natural ecosystem

Question 22

地球が保持できる人数

Answer 22

the number of human beings that the Earth can sustain

Question 23

産業革命

Answer 23

the Industrial Revolution

Question 24

今や地球は64億もの人でいっぱいだ

Answer 24

Today, the Earth is swarmed with as many as 6.7 billion people.

Question 25

私たち一人ひとりが

Answer 25

Each and every one of us

Question 26

にほんせいふ

Answer 26

the Japanese government

Question 27

相対貧困率は国民の貧困層の割合を示す

Answer 27

The relative poverty rate indicates a country’s percentage of the poor.

Question 28

〜によって提供されたでーたによると

Answer 28

According to the data provided by~

Question 29

それは〜を明らかにした

Answer 29

It brought to light that

Question 30

際立つ

Answer 30

stand out （悪いことにも使える）

Question 31

〜という用語は〜を表している

Answer 31

The term 〜 refers to (the proportion of people living below the poverty line )

Question 32

国民の所得

Answer 32

nation’s income

Question 33

〜に満たない

Answer 33

don’t reach

Question 34

引き起こす

Answer 34

trigger

Question 35

壊滅的な景気後退

Answer 35

crippling recession

Question 36

まだ公式に発表されていないが

Answer 36

It is not yet officially announced

Question 37

GDP はマイナス成長だった

Answer 37

GDP suffered negative growth for six consecutive quarters

Question 38

第四四半期

Answer 38

the final quarter

Question 39

〜したようだ

Answer 39

It looks like

Question 40

一般に〜するようになった

Answer 40

it has become common to

Question 41

ピーク時には〜まで上昇した

Answer 41

jumped up from … to a peak of (147 dollars per barrel)

Question 42

学識経験者の間では

Answer 42

among academic circles (military)

Question 43

AをBとよぶ

Answer 43

refer to A as B