政経の特徴は、英文自体は平易といえるのですが、設問が若干難しいと言えます。このⅢは、資本主義（自由経済市場）における「選択」について英文です。ここでも４０１ｋ[確定拠出年金]（問題文では''retirement plans"と書き換えられている）の例が取り上げられていますが、米国では先の大統領選挙でオバマ政権あるいは民主党と共和党（候補）の間で健康保健制度関連で、問題になった健康保険加入に関して国民に選択をゆだねるか、政府のより広い範囲で補てんに介入するかで論争がありました。結局オバマ政権では、ここでいう"libertarian paternalism"にそった制度を指向しているようです。この「選択」問題は、米国では経済と政治との絡みで常に問題にされるテーマです。米国の民主党と共和党の違いは、政策にとどまらず、この「選択」（あるいは自己責任）をめぐる「哲学」にある、という指摘もしばしばなされるところです。
Choice is the driving force of capitalism. Choosy consumers determine what products and companies succeed or fail as they pick among tubes of toothpaste or plans for cellphone service. Choice fuels competition, innovation, and efficiency. These days, consumer choice in the United States has claimed a prominent new position as a policy tool: the prescription for everything from improving public schools to reducing healthcare costs to saving Social Security. Yet even as choice is increased with respect to the nation's most pressing problems, critics point out that expanding consumers' options is not always a good idea. People, they argue, often do not know how to choose properly or they simply refuse to choose. Sometimes, critics argue, government should limit people's choices or even, perhaps, ( A ). "More choice can be worse than less choice," said Sheena Iyengar, a psychologist at Columbia University.
[1 Choose the most suitable phrase from those below to fill in blank space (A).]
(a) choose for them
(b) increase their spending
(c) reduce their costs
(d) refuse their help
(e) save them money
まずは、"libertarian paternalism"の立場。
( B ) by these arguments. "Imagine walking into a superstore and asking the customers, 'Don't you feel really depressed by having 258,000 options? Shouldn't it be their obligation to reduce the choice you must endure?' They would think you were crazy," said Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House of Representatives.
[2 Choose the most suitable phrase from those below to fill in blank space (B)]
(a) Creators of free markets are encouraged
(b) Critics of free markets are confused
(c) Opponents of free markets are worried
(d) Producers of free markets are assisted
(e) Supporters of free markets are angered(Advocates of unfettered markets are riled)
こちらは、"libertarian paternalism"と反対の立場[ｆree marketeers]。この二つで以下の文章は展開されています。ここをしっかり読み取れば、あとはその流れで解答できるはず。
蛇足になりますが・・・・中略以下の部分はかなり書き換えられています。該当部分を併記しますので、比べてみてください。米国の４０１ｋ[確定拠出年金]を知らないと読みにくいと思います（ネットで検索して理解を深めてください）。In one experiment, Thaler and Shlomo Benartzi of the University of California, Los Angeles, asked employees in one company to select among three retirement plans. The employees were not told that one of the plans was their own. The other two were plans chosen by other workers in the company. Yet only one in five employees preferred his or her own plan. "Apparently, people do not gain much by choosing retirement plans for themselves," Thaler wrote.
元の記事。In one experiment, Mr. Thaler and Shlomo Benartzi of the University of California, Los Angeles, asked employees in one company to select among three 401(k) portfolios.Unbeknownst to the employees, one portfolio was their own. The other two reflected the average and median choices of all the workers in the company. Yet only one in five employees preferred his or her own portfolio over the median. "Apparently people do not gain much by choosing investment portfolios for themselves," Mr. Thaler wrote.どちらが分かりやすいですか？改ざんせずに注を付けた方がよいように思うのですが・・・
語彙：drive（他動詞）ここで関連するのは、
１．駆り立てる、追いたてる、追いやる
・Ambition drove him to murder. 野望のために彼は人まで殺した。
2. 推進する、促進する、後押しする、機動力となる、活力となる
・This plan drives the changes that are needed. この計画は必要とされている変化を推進する。
まず、１）driving forceのdrivingは、２の意味の動名詞の形容詞転用で「推進する」意。driving forceで「原動力、駆動力、駆動力、推進力、立役者」の意味。またこのdrivingが動名詞であるのは、walking stick, sleeping carと同じ用法。
２）at making choices that drive an efficient economyのdriveもやはり２の意味。
また、これは４の正解になるのですが、 (d) may drive consumers awayこれは１の意味から。副詞awayと結んで句動詞[phrasal verb]、意味は「退散させる」、ここでは選択に迷った客は買わずに店を出てしまうということ。
質問は質問フォーム、あるいはメールでお願いします。
最近のコメント