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朝活ミニテスト 第43回
制限時間 10分・全10問（リスニングあり）。選択肢を押すとタイマーが自動スタート。
語彙・熟語（大問1形式）
目安 2分30秒空所に入れるのに最も適切なものを1つ選びなさい。
訳：経済学者たちは、炭素税は企業がよりクリーンな技術を導入するよう促すと主張する。汚染することが代替手段への投資よりも高くつくようになるからだ。
訳：燃料税は非常に不評で、数週間にわたる抗議の末、政府は少なくとも景気が回復するまでその計画を棚上げすることにした。
訳：その計画では、新しい炭素税の収益は、すべての住民への均等な給付という形で家計に還元されることになっていた。
訳：反対派は、大臣がその税の利点を強調するばかりで、公共交通機関から遠く離れて暮らす地方のドライバーにとっての負担を無視していると非難した。
訳：批判する人々は、税収のうち実際に自然保護に使われているのはわずかなので、政府は環境税を通じて単にお金をかき集めているだけだと主張する。
長文読解（大問3形式）
目安 4分30秒Pricing Pollution
Environmental taxes aim to make polluters pay for the damage they cause. The idea is often traced back to the British economist Arthur Pigou, who argued in the 1920s that when an activity harms third parties, such as people breathing polluted air, its market price is too low, because those costs are not reflected in what producers and consumers pay. A tax that reflects this hidden cost, he suggested, can encourage people to change their behavior without the government having to specify exactly how they should do so.
Sweden introduced one of the world's first carbon taxes in 1991 and now has one of the highest rates. Since then, its emissions have fallen substantially while its economy has continued to grow, suggesting to many observers that environmental taxes need not damage prosperity. Critics caution, however, that other factors, such as the country's heavy reliance on nuclear and hydroelectric power, also contributed to Sweden's success, making it difficult to isolate the effect of the tax alone. Furthermore, Sweden's experience may not easily transfer to economies that depend more heavily on fossil fuels.
Such taxes can also be politically difficult. Because poorer households tend to spend a larger share of their income on energy, they may be hit hardest. In France, a planned increase in fuel taxes triggered widespread protests in 2018, particularly among rural residents who depend on cars, and the government eventually suspended it. For this reason, many economists recommend returning the revenue to citizens through direct payments or cuts in other taxes. Such measures, they argue, can protect vulnerable households while preserving the incentive to pollute less.
リスニング（Part2 文章形式）
目安 2分🎙 Plastic bag charges are one of the most familiar examples of environmental taxes. When Ireland introduced a fee of fifteen cents per bag in 2002, use dropped by more than 90 percent within months. Economists were struck by how such a small charge could have such a large effect. One explanation is that the fee made people aware of a habit they had never thought about. Another is that carrying reusable bags quickly became a social norm, while using plastic bags came to be seen as irresponsible. The money raised was also placed in a fund for environmental projects, which helped the public accept the policy.
スピーキング（面接No.4形式）
40秒Some countries charge taxes on activities that cause pollution, such as burning fossil fuels.
Should the government introduce higher taxes on products that harm the environment?
💡 税の話題では「税収の使い道」まで触れると、一歩踏み込んだ解答になる。
模範解答
はい、そう思います。第一に、価格が上がれば人々や企業はより環境に優しい製品を選ぶようになり、汚染が減るでしょう。第二に、集めたお金は再生可能エネルギーの開発や低所得家庭の支援に使えるので、その税は社会全体の利益になります。
💡 税の話題では「税収の使い道」まで触れると、一歩踏み込んだ解答になる。
📝 解答 ― 準1級 第43回
スピーキング模範解答：Yes, I think so. First, higher prices would encourage people and companies to choose more eco-friendly products, which would reduce pollution. Second, the money raised could be used to develop renewable energy or support low-income families, so the tax would benefit society as a whole.
詳しい解説・和訳・スクリプトは解答ページへ：https://www.haradaeigo.com/scbt/ans/p1-43/