Notes
GM ゼネラルモーターズ（英語: General Motors Company）は、アメリカ合衆国の自動車メーカーである。本社はミシガン州デトロイト;
outsell より多く売れる;
semiconductor chips 半導体チップ;
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Last year, Toyota became the largest car seller in the United States. This is big news because GM had been the largest seller of cars and trucks in America every year since 1931. How did Toyota outsell GM? First of all, Toyota produces many kinds of hybrid cars, and these cars became more popular in 2021 as the price of gasoline went up. Hybrid cars are cheaper to run than regular cars because they use less gasoline. Another reason is that GM couldn’t get enough semiconductor chips to make its cars. Many parts of cars need these chips. GM had more problems than Toyota getting chips and couldn’t make as many cars as it wanted to sell. (by Prof. Douglas Jarrell)
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Notes
Death Valley 直訳: 死の谷。アメリカのカリフォルニア州中部、モハーヴェ砂漠の北に位置する深く乾燥した盆地で、デスヴァレー国立公園の中核をなしている。また、世界最高の気温56.7°C（134.0°F）を記録したこともある;
sea level 海水面, 海抜;

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Have you heard of Death Valley? It is a national park in California, and it’s a desert. It was first called Death Valley by some people who were traveling west to find gold in 1849. One of them died there, and the others almost died. Now it is famous because it is the lowest place in North America. At a place called Badwater, it is 86 meters below sea level. It is usually like an oven in summer, and this year the U.S. is experiencing one of the hottest summers in its history. Last Friday, the temperature in Death Valley went up to 54 degrees centigrade! Temperatures in Japan seldom get to 40 degrees centigrade. (by Prof. Douglas Jarrell)
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