Weekly News Digest
産経オンライン英会話
ニュースディスカッション教材

1Article：
10,000 Fireworks Illuminate World Heritage Site

Directions: Read the following article aloud.
For the first time in four years, the spectacular kaleidoscopic displays of the Kumano Great Fireworks
Festival lit up the beautiful Shichiri Mihima Beach.
The Kumano Great Fireworks Festival took place on August 29 at Shichiri Mihama Beach in Kumano City,
Mie Prefecture. This beach is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Sacred Sites andPilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range.
Approximately 10,000 fireworks illuminated the night sky, marking the festival's spectacular return after afour-year hiatus caused by the pandemic. The event was also postponed twice from its original date ofAugust 17, mainly due to the impact of Typhoon Lan.

Massive Displays
The festival's origins are said to date back over 300 years. Local residents have used fireworks to honor thespirits of the deceased ever since.
One of the most remarkable displays at the festival was Kaijojibaku ("explosion at sea"), where firework
shells of the "number 3" category were detonated from rafts. These shells, weighing approximately 250
kilograms (551 lb), exploded at a height of around 120 meters (394 ft) with a burst diameter of 100 meters(328 ft). The grand finale was a fan-like fireworks display that radiated from the famous Onigajo rockformation.

Source：10,000 Fireworks Illuminate World Heritage Site
JAPAN Forward
本教材は、一般社団法人ジャパンフォワード推進機構、株式会社産経デジタルより許諾を得て、産経ヒューマンラーニング株式会社が編集しています。
テキストの無断転載・無断使用を固く禁じます。

Weekly News Digest
産経オンライン英会話
ニュースディスカッション教材

2

Key phrases and vocabulary

Directions: First repeat after your tutor and then read aloud by yourself.

1. for the first time in ～ ～ぶりにI went to see a movie in a theater for the first time in a long time.

2. sacred 聖なるDuring the ceremony, they chanted sacred words that held deep meaning.
3. original 元の、最初の、初代の・元祖の、新規の、独創的な、伝統にとらわれない
The original price of the product was much higher before the discount.
4. deceased 故人、死去した・亡き～
Friends and family shared stories and memories of the deceased.

5. -like ～のようなHis river-like tears flowed down his cheeks.

3

Questions
Directions: Read the questions aloud and answer them.

1. How long was the festival postponed, and what were the reasons for the delays?
2. Have you ever attended a fireworks festival or a similar cultural event in yourcity?
3. How important do you think it is to preserve cultural traditions?
4. Can you share a memorable experience from an event or festival that you've
attended recently?
5. If you could visit any UNESCO World Heritage Site in the world, which one
would you choose and why?
本教材は、一般社団法人ジャパンフォワード推進機構、株式会社産経デジタルより許諾を得て、産経ヒューマンラーニング株式会社が編集しています。
テキストの無断転載・無断使用を固く禁じます。

Weekly News Digest
産経オンライン英会話
ニュースディスカッション教材

4

日本語関連記事：
世界遺産の浜で花火１万発

三重・熊野、４年ぶり大輪

世界文化遺産「紀伊山地の霊場と参詣道」の一部となっている三重県熊野市の七里御浜で８月２９日、約１万発の花火を打ち上げる「熊野大花火大会」が開かれた。新型コロナウイルス禍による中止を挟み、４年ぶり。

住民の初盆供養のため約３００年前から打ち上げていた花火が始まりとされる。１７日に開催予定だったが、台風７号などの影響で２度延期になっていた。

いかだに取り付けた２５０キロの三尺玉を爆発させる「海上自爆」などが名物。「鬼ケ城」と呼ばれる岩場から扇状に開く仕掛け花火がフィナーレを飾る。

出典：世界遺産の浜で花火１万発 三重・熊野、４年ぶり大輪JAPAN Forward
本教材は、一般社団法人ジャパンフォワード推進機構、株式会社産経デジタルより許諾を得て、産経ヒューマンラーニング株式会社が編集しています。
テキストの無断転載・無断使用を固く禁じます。