2021年8月、アフガニスタンでアメリカ軍撤退とともにイスラム原理組織タリバンは軍事的勢力を拡大し、復権を果たしました。タリバン政権復権後のアフガニスタンでは国連による制裁の影響も相まって経済が混乱し、貧困による食糧難などが深刻な問題となっています。今のアフガニスタンでいったい何がおきているのでしょうか。以下の記事を読んで考えてみましょう。

次の語句に最も適切な定義や同義語を選んで記号で答えましょう。

1. down-payment (a) relying on support 

2. aid-dependent     (b) a sum of money given as the first part of a larger payment

3. valuables (c) a dark yellow spice to give yellow color and flavor to food 

4. sacrifice (d) to force someone to leave their home

5. devastate (e) to destroy a place or thing completely

6. flee/fled (f) a long period when there is little or no rain 

7. displace (g) to give up something to help another person 

8. saffron (h) small objects that can be sold for a lot of money

9. divorce (i) an official or legal process to end a marriage

10. drought (j) to escape by running away

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/desperate-parents-in-afghanistan-faced-with-selling-their-children/6382448.html

(1) Why did the husband sell Aziz Gul’s daughter? 

(a) his family needs money for medicine. 

(b) his family has no home to live in

(c) his family needs money for food to survive

(d) none of the above

(2) According to the article, what is the main cause of the devastating economic problem in Afghanistan? 

(a) the new government

(b) international community’s aid

(c) the World Vision Aid organization

(d) arranged marriage 

(3) Who most likely buys Aziz Gul’s young daughter, Qandi? 

(a) the national government

(b) a mafia

(c) a groom’s family

(d) Gul’s husband

(4) What does Aziz Gul need to do to cancel selling Qandi? 

(a) (a)     Gul needs to return the money her husband received.

(b) Gul’s brothers and village elders need to pay money to the buyer. 

(c) Gul’s oldest son need to work for a saffron farm. 

(d) Gul needs to divorce her husband. 

(5) Why did Aziz Gul’s husband most likely flee from his family? 

(a) He has another family far away from Gul’s home. 

(b) He was afraid of his wife trying to tell officials about his bad action

(c) He did not have enough money to support his family

(d) He was not sure about his daughter’s future.

Readingで紹介されている「困窮する家族の父親が娘の婚姻相手を決め、それと引き換えにお金をいただく」行為に対して、どのように思うか自分なりに考えて意見を発表してみよう。父親サイドの意見、娘サイドの意見両方を考慮に入れること。

1)日本語で意見を言ってみよう。

2) 英語で意見を聞いてみよう。

Do you think ~ 

What do you think? 

What’s your opinion (about ~)?

3) 英語で意見を言ってみよう。

I believe that the father should not decide a husband for his daughter. 

In my opinion, arranged marriages are outdated. 

I am not sure but perhaps / maybe the father had no choice since the family is poor.