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原田英語の時事英語ジュニア｜英語ニュース ワークシート（高校生レベル）

Class ____ No. ____ Name ____________________

紅葉は英語で？今年の見ごろは少し遅めの予想、京都・嵐山は11月24日ごろから

Warm Weather May Delay Japan's Autumn Colors

音声・ゲームはこちらから

1Autumn leaves at many popular spots in Japan are expected to peak slightly later than usual this year, the private forecaster Weathernews said in early October. The company said temperatures are forecast to stay higher than normal. Spots that usually peak by mid-October are expected to be mostly on time, but places that peak from late October on are likely to be a little late.

2In Japan, trips to see the fall colors are called momijigari, which literally means hunting for red leaves. Weathernews defines the best viewing period as the time from when about 70 percent of a spot has changed color until the leaves start to fall. It predicted that the best viewing period would begin around October 23 on the Irohazaka road in Nikko and around November 24 in Arashiyama, Kyoto.

3The weather may also affect how bright the leaves look. In September, a rain front often stalled near Honshu, and many areas from Tohoku to Kyushu got less sunshine than usual. Hokkaido, on the other hand, had more sun, and Weathernews received reports that the colors there were the brightest in several years.

4The delay fits a long-term pattern. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the date when Japanese maple leaves turn red has moved later by about 2.9 days per decade since 1954. The agency counts that date as the first day when almost no green is left on a tree.

5Climate change may affect the colors as well as the timing. In a study published in 2025, a team including Japan's National Institute for Environmental Studies analyzed camera images from three high mountain sites. The team found that the colors were duller in years when plants started growing earlier in spring. Early snowmelt tends to bring that early start. In the warmest scenario, one climate model projected that the colors could be about 15 percent less bright in 2081 to 2100.

Words　単語

peakB2動いちばんよい状態になる、ピークをむかえるto reach the highest or best point
forecasterB1名予報をする人・会社a person or company that says what weather is coming
literallyB2副文字どおりにusing the exact meaning of each word
definesB1動（意味などを）決める、定めるsays exactly what a word or idea means
predictedA2動予想した、予測したsaid that something would happen in the future
affectedB1動影響したcaused a change in something
long-termB2形長い期間のlasting or seen over many years
decadeB2名10年間a period of ten years
analyzedB1動分析した、くわしく調べたlooked at something closely to understand it
scenario外名（将来の）想定、シナリオone possible way things could happen in the future

単語のレベル：CEFR-J（『CEFR-J Wordlist Version 1.6』 東京外国語大学投野由紀夫研究室. （URL: https://www.cefr-j.org/download.html より 2026年8月ダウンロード））

1. Reading Quiz　本文の内容に合うものを選ぼう

  1. Why are many autumn leaf spots expected to peak late this year?

    A. Because of a cold summerB. Because of heavy snowC. Because temperatures are forecast to stay higher than normalD. Because of fewer visitors

  2. How does Weathernews define the best viewing period?

    A. From about 70 percent color until the leaves start to fallB. Only the day when all leaves are redC. The first week of NovemberD. When the first snow falls

  3. What happened in Hokkaido in September?

    A. It got very little sunshine.B. It had more sun than other areas.C. All the leaves fell early.D. It snowed every day.

  4. How fast has the date of red maple leaves moved later since 1954?

    A. About 15 days per yearB. About one week per yearC. About 29 days per decadeD. About 2.9 days per decade

  5. In the 2025 study, when were the colors duller?

    A. In years with a lot of rain in summerB. In years when plants started growing earlier in springC. In years with many visitorsD. In years with a cold autumn

2. True or False　正しければ T、違っていれば F

  1. (     ) Weathernews is a private forecaster.

  2. (     ) Spots that usually peak by mid-October are expected to be very late this year.

  3. (     ) Many areas from Tohoku to Kyushu got less sunshine than usual in September.

  4. (     ) The 2025 study used camera images from ten cities.

3. Fill in the Blanks　下の語から選んで空らんをうめよう（形を変えずに）

long-termaffectliterallydefinespeakpredicted

  1. In Japan, trips to see the fall colors are called momijigari, which _____ means hunting for red leaves.

  2. It _____ that the best viewing period would begin around October 23 on the Irohazaka road in Nikko and around November 24 in Arashiyama, Kyoto.

  3. The delay fits a _____ pattern.

  4. Weathernews _____ the best viewing period as the time from when about 70 percent of a spot has changed color until the leaves start to fall.

  5. The weather may also _____ how bright the leaves look.

  6. Autumn leaves at many popular spots in Japan are expected to _____ slightly later than usual this year, the private forecaster Weathernews said in early October.

4. Word Order　語を並べかえて正しい文にしよう

  1. ( long-term / pattern / a / fits / The / delay ) .

  2. ( look / also / affect / bright / The / may / weather / the / leaves / how ) .

  3. ( as / Climate / change / may / colors / the / well / timing / affect / the / as ) .

5. Think and Write　英語で答えてみよう

  1. Climate change is changing the seasons. Which seasonal tradition would you most like to protect, and why?（気候変動で季節が変わってきています。いちばん守りたい季節の行事は何ですか？その理由は？）

  2. Many people now check social media before visiting autumn leaf spots. Is this a good way to plan a trip?（紅葉の名所に行く前に、SNSで調べる人がふえています。旅の計画の立て方としていいと思いますか？）

Answers　解答

1. (1) C　(2) A　(3) B　(4) D　(5) B

2. (1) T　(2) F　(3) T　(4) F

3. (1) literally　(2) predicted　(3) long-term　(4) defines　(5) affect　(6) peak

4.

  1. The delay fits a long-term pattern.
  2. The weather may also affect how bright the leaves look.
  3. Climate change may affect the colors as well as the timing.

全文訳

1今年は日本の多くの人気の名所で、紅葉の見ごろがいつもより少し遅くなりそうだと、民間の気象会社ウェザーニューズが10月上旬に発表しました。この先も気温が平年より高めの予想だからです。ふだん10月中旬までに見ごろになる名所はほぼ例年どおりの見こみですが、10月下旬より後に見ごろになる場所は、少し遅れそうです。

2日本では、秋の色づいた葉を見に行くことを「紅葉狩り」とよびます。文字どおりには「赤い葉をさがしに行くこと」という意味です。ウェザーニューズは、名所全体の約7割が色づいてから、葉が落ちはじめるまでを「見ごろ」と決めています。日光のいろは坂は10月23日ごろから、京都の嵐山は11月24日ごろから見ごろになると予想しました。

3天気は、葉がどれだけあざやかに見えるかにも影響しそうです。9月は秋雨前線が本州付近にとどまる日が多く、東北から九州の多くの地域で日の照る時間が平年より短くなりました。一方、北海道は日が多く照り、ウェザーニューズには、ここ数年でいちばんあざやかだという報告が届きました。

4今年の遅れは、長い目で見た流れにも合っています。気象庁によると、イロハカエデの葉が赤くなる日は、1954年から10年に約2.9日ずつ遅くなっています。気象庁は、木全体を見て緑がほとんど残っていない最初の日を、その日としています。

5気候変動は、時期だけでなく色にも影響するかもしれません。2025年に発表された研究で、国立環境研究所などのチームが、高い山の3か所のカメラの画像を調べました。春に葉が出るのが早い年ほど、秋の色がくすんでいることがわかりました。雪どけが早いと、葉が出るのも早くなりやすくなります。温暖化がいちばん進む想定では、ある気候モデルで、2081〜2100年に色のあざやかさが約15％下がるかもしれないと予測されました。

文法ポイント：時制の一致（predicted that ～ would ...）

過去の文で「～だろうと予想した」と言うとき、that のあとの will は would になる。本文の It predicted that the best viewing period would begin around October 23 は「見ごろは10月23日ごろに始まるだろうと予想した」。

出典：ウェザーニュース、トラベルボイス、気象庁（奈良地方気象台）、Scientific Reports（PMC）、NASA Earth Observatory ほか（記事は原田英語の時事英語ジュニアのオリジナル）｜https://www.haradaeigo.com/jijieigo-junior/news/2026-10-23-autumn-leaves-late-momijigari/