【Skill 5】Understand whether a balance is the largest or the smallest from expressions such as 最大 (largest) and 以降 (since)
Understand whether the balance of the year is the largest or the smallest in a certain period from the following expressions.
■ 最大 (largest)
■ 最高 (highest)
■ 最小 (smallest)
■ 最少 (lowest)
以降 (since) or 以来 (since) may appear before 最大 (largest) and 最小 (smallest). This shows that the balance was the largest or the smallest since a certain year or event. That year or event appears before 以降 (since) or 以来 (since).
■ 1986年以降 (since 1986)
■ 第二次石油危機以来 (since the second oil crisis)
In the following sentence, 第二次石油危機 (second oil crisis) appears before 以来 (since), which shows that the services balance deficit was the smallest since the second oil crisis.
■ サービス収支は、第二次石油危機以来32年ぶりとなる最小の赤字となった (The services balance went into the smallest deficit in 32 years since the second oil crisis)