アメリカでドル紙幣がプラスティックかポリマーの素材
に変えることを検討している。

==============================================================================
TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 1998                                             
==============================================================================
                                                                              
DOLLAR BILLS COULD GO PLASTIC: 
                                               
- A tough but flexible plastic bill is under consideration by the  
government to replace the paper dollar. Advocates say plastic, or
polymer,    
bills last longer than paper, are more difficult to counterfeit and
don't get 
all wrinkly if you accidentally run them through the wash. Skeptics
worry the 
public would reject them and that such a radical change could subtly
undermine
confidence in the U.S. dollar. "We're pretty far down the road from
making any
decision about proceeding," said Treasury Assistant Secretary Howard
Schloss. 
Industry officials assume such a change wouldn't occur before 2000 or
2001.   

rag	いたずらをする、かきまわす、いじめる
swath	一列の刈りあと、細長い列、広い道
Gov.	Government, Governor　の略

TWO KILLED BY MINNESOTA TORNADOES:
                                           
 - Powerful tornadoes cut a ragged swath of destruction Sunday
across southern Minnesota, throwing a 6-year-old boy to his death,
killing an 
85-year-old man and injuring at least three dozen others. At least 38
people  
were taken to hospitals in Mankato and Springfield, and three are listed
in   
critical condition. Gov. Arne Carlson sent the National Guard Monday to
the   
hardest-hit communities.