問1
問題次の物語を読み、下の問いの ( ) に入れるのに最も適当なものを、下の1～4のうちから一つ選べ。
“No one thought I would amount to much,” Uncle John said, as he stood in the kitchen, showing me how he put together an award-winning four-course dinner. I had just graduated from university, and this dinner was his gift to me. It felt great to have a well-known chef cooking for me. On top of this, I was excited because in a few days he was going to compete in The Big-Time Cook Off, a nationwide TV cooking contest.
問1
At the beginning of the story, Uncle John was ( ).
1. cooking for The Big-Time Cook Off
2. making a special meal for Mike
3. training Mike for the contest
4. trying to improve his recipes
【解説】
「物語の始めに、ジョンおじさんは( )」
1. cooking for The Big-Time Cook Off
「The Big-Time Cook Off のために料理を作っていた」
The Big-Time Cook Off については、こうあります。
「これに加えて、数日後彼は全国的なテレビ料理コンテスト、The Big-Time Cook Off に出場することになっていたので、私は興奮しました」
on top this で「これに加えて」の意味です。後ろに来る内容を強調する表現です。
The Big-Time Cook Off に出場しますが、そのための料理を作っていたのではありません。この選択肢は違います。
2. making a special meal for Mike
「マイクのために特別な食事を作っていた」
本文にこうあります。
「私は大学を卒業したばかりで、この夕食は彼の私への贈り物でした」
ということで、この選択肢が正解です。
3. training Mike for the contest
「コンテストのためにマイクにトレーニングをしていた」
本文にこうあります。
「受賞歴のある four-course dinner をどうやって組み立てたかを、わたしに見せてくれながら」
料理の仕方を教えていますが、これはトレーニングというより会話の一つでしょう。それにコンテストに出るのはジョンおじさんであって、マイクではありません。
この選択肢は違います。
4. trying to improve his recipes
「レシピを改善しようとしていた」
そのような話はありませんでした。この選択肢は違います。
【正解】2
問2
問題次の物語を読み、下の問いの ( ) に入れるのに最も適当なものを、下の1～4のうちから一つ選べ。
When Uncle John was young, his family lived in the countryside. His mother taught at a local school, but when John was 10, she had to quit to take care of her elderly mother. Until then, his father had been kind and had had enough time to play with John and his two younger sisters. But as bills kept piling up, the family got into trouble. John’s father finally had to take a job in a city far away, so he could only come home on the weekends.
Gradually, because of his busy work schedule, John’s father began looking tired whenever he came home.
問2
Uncle John’s father began working in the city because ( ).
1. he was tired of living in the countryside
2. it was easier to spend time with his father
3. the family needed more money for living
4. Uncle John’s mother had become sick
【解説】
「ジョンおじさんの父親は、街で働き始めました。なぜなら ( )」
1. he was tired of living in the countryside
「彼は田舎での生活に疲れていた」
tired に関しては、本文にこうあります。
「ジョンの父は忙しい仕事のスケジュールのために、次第に家に帰るといつも疲れているように見え始めました」
街に仕事に行き始めてから疲れたのであって、田舎暮らしに疲れたのではありません。この選択肢は違います。
2. it was easier to spend time with his father
「父親と過ごすのが簡単だった」
本文にこうあります。
「それまで父親は親切で、ジョンと二人の妹と遊ぶ時間もありました」
「それまで」というのは、父親が街で働き始める前のことです。それまで時間があったということは、それ以降は時間がなかったということになります。選択肢と反対の内容ですね。
ということで、この選択肢は違います。
3. the family needed more money for living
「家族は生活のためにより多くのお金を必要とした」
本文にこうあります。
「ジョンの父はついに遠い街で仕事をしなければならなかった」
その理由は直前にこうあります。
「しかし請求書が積み重なっていき、家族は問題を抱えました」
ということで、この選択肢が正解です。
4. Uncle John’s mother had become sick
「ジョンおじさんの母親が病気になった」
本文にこうあります。
「しかし、ジョンが10歳のとき、彼女は高齢の母親の世話をするために辞めなければなりませんでした」
ジョンおじさんの母親が、彼女の母親の世話をしたのです。ジョンの母親自体は特に病気という話はありません。この選択肢は違います。
【正解】3
問3
問題次の物語を読み、下の問いの ( ) に入れるのに最も適当なものを、下の1～4のうちから一つ選べ。
Gradually, because of his busy work schedule, John’s father began looking tired whenever he came home. To tell the truth, he had changed from being good-humored to being in a bad mood all the time. When he was home, he just wanted to rest. He often scolded John for small things. Wanting to be accepted by his father, John tried to do his best but never felt he was good enough. Eventually, he started avoiding his father. He began hanging out at the shopping mall with friends, sometimes skipping his classes. Little by little John’s grades got worse. His parents and teachers were worried about his future.
問3
Why were Uncle John’s parents and teachers worried about his future?
1. He just wanted to rest at home.
2. He lost interest in studying.
3. He stopped avoiding his father.
4. He was no longer good-humored.
【解説】
「ジョンおじさんの両親と教師が彼の将来を心配したのはなぜですか」
本文にこうあります。
「彼の両親と教師は彼の将来を心配しました」
その理由はその直前にあります。
「少しずつジョンの成績は悪くなりました」
これを踏まえて、選択肢を確認してみましょう。
1. He just wanted to rest at home.
「彼はただ家で休みたいと思った」
「ジョンの父は忙しい仕事のスケジュールのために、次第に家に帰るといつも疲れているように見え始めました」
こういう状況なので、ジョンの父親は家で休みたいと思ったでしょう。しかし設問から考えて、選択肢の He が指しているのはジョン自身です。ということで、この選択肢は違います。
2. He lost interest in studying.
「彼は勉強への興味を失った」
最初に確認した通り、ジョンの成績は下がっています。その原因は本文にこうあります。
「彼は友達と一緒にショッピングモールに出かけるようになり、時々クラスをさぼり始めるようになった」
つまり勉強に対してやる気がなくなったということですね。この選択肢が正解です。
3. He stopped avoiding his father.
「彼は父親を避けるのをやめました」
avoiding に関して、本文にこうあります。
「最終的に、彼は父親を避け始めました」
「避け始めた」のであって「避けるのをやめた」のではありません。逆の内容なので、この選択肢は違います。
4. He was no longer good-humored.
「彼はもはや機嫌が良くはない」
本文にこうあります。
「実を言うと、彼はいつも機嫌が良い人から機嫌が悪い人に変わりました」
本文の he はジョンの父親です。しかし設問から考えて、選択肢の He が指しているのはジョン自身です。ジョン自身の機嫌の良し悪しという話はありませんので、この選択肢は違います。
【正解】2
問4
問題次の物語を読み、下の問いの ( ) に入れるのに最も適当なものを、下の1～4のうちから一つ選べ。
One Sunday morning, while John’s mom was out taking care of her own mother, his father was napping in the TV room. John’s sisters were hungry, so John started to cook something for them. He was not sure how cook, but he did not want to bother his father.
Suddenly, the kitchen door opened, and his father was standing there. “Dad, I’m sorry if I woke you up. Chelsea and Jessica are hungry, and I was trying to cook them some eggs.” His dad looked at him seriously for a moment. “Eggs? Eggs aren’t good for lunch on a beautiful Sunday like today. Let’s grill some steaks in the backyard.” “Are you sure? You must be tired.” “It’s OK. I like cooking. It reminds me of my college days when I worked part-time as a cook. I’ll show you how to prepare delicious steaks.”
To John’s surprise, his father became energetic when he started cooking. He took John aside and explained to him in detail that cooking was, in a way, like a science project. “You need to measure that ingredients precisely and know which items go together. If you master this, you can provide pleasure for a great many people.” John felt close to his father for the first time in a long time. From then on, John spent more time at home. He started cooking for his family regularly, and then later for his friends at college. John always felt happy when he cooked, and this happiness spilled over into other areas of his life.
Uncle John worked his way through college with jobs in restaurants, and eventually he became a chef at a famous restaurant. He really liked the job and worked hard developing his own special techniques. He was finally able to open his own restaurant serving his unique style of food. He won several awards and cooked for the rich and famous.
This brings us back to the contest. Uncle John and I were excited about his being selected. Yet, he shared something really touching with me there in the kitchen. “You know, Mike,” Uncle John said, “I’m thrilled to be able to go on TV as a part of The Big-Time Cook Off. But what makes me the happiest is to stand here with you, one of the people I care about, and talk─just you and me. It’s exactly like what my dad did for me one fine day in summer, so many years ago. And that made all the difference in my life.”
問4
What helped to change Uncle John’s life the most?
1. Eating an award-winning dinner with his friends
2. Entering cooking contests such as The Big-Time Cook Off
3. Making a connection with his father through cooking
4. Spending time talking with Mike in the kitchen
【解説】
「何がもっともジョンおじさんの人生を変えるのを手伝ったのですか」
1. Eating an award-winning dinner with his friends
「受賞歴のある夕食を友達と一緒に食べる」
友達については、本文にこうあります。
「彼は家族のために、その後大学の友人のために定期的に料理を始めました」
その当時はまだ受賞はしていません。また、第一段落で an award-winning four-course dinner をマイクに作っていますが、マイクは友達ではなく、「おい」です。
ということで、この選択肢は違います。
2. Entering cooking contests such as The Big-Time Cook Off
「The Big-Time Cook Off などの料理コンテストへの参加」
本文にこうあります。
「ジョンおじさんと私は彼が選ばれたことに興奮していました」
確かに The Big-Time Cook Off に参加できることは、彼の人生を変えるかもしれません。ですが、それは先の話です。問題は過去形ですから、すでに起こったことが答えにになります。
ということで、この選択肢は違います。
3. Making a connection with his father through cooking
「料理を通じて父親とつながりを持つ」
第6段落ではジョンと彼の父親が、料理についてあれこれ話している様子が描かれています。
そしてその結果について、第6段落の最後の文にこうあります。
「そしてこの幸福は彼の人生の他の領域に波及しました」
これは人生が変わったということです。ということで、この選択肢が正解です。
4. Spending time talking with Mike in the kitchen
「キッチンでマイクと話す時間を過ごす」
本文にこうあります。
「しかし私が一番幸せなのは、気にかけている人の1人であるあなたと一緒にここに立って、そしてあなたと私だけで話し合うこと」
そしてこうあります。
「そしてそれが私の人生のすべてを違うものにしました」
ここだけ見ると、この選択肢が正解のような感じがします。しかし、この2つの文の間にこうあります。
「それは、私の父が夏の晴れた日に、何年も前にしてくれたのとまったく同じです」
つまりジョンの父がしてくれたことが、ジョンおじさんの人生を変えたのです。それは先ほど選択肢 3. で確認した内容ですね。ということで、この選択肢は違います。
【正解】3
問5
“No one thought I would amount to much,” Uncle John said, as he stood in the kitchen, showing me how he put together an award-winning four-course dinner. I had just graduated from university, and this dinner was his gift to me. It felt great to have a well-known chef cooking for me. On top of this, I was excited because in a few days he was going to compete in The Big-Time Cook Off, a nationwide TV cooking contest.
When Uncle John was young, his family lived in the countryside. His mother taught at a local school, but when John was 10, she had to quit to take care of her elderly mother. Until then, his father had been kind and had had enough time to play with John and his two younger sisters. But as bills kept piling up, the family got into trouble. John’s father finally had to take a job in a city far away, so he could only come home on the weekends.
Gradually, because of his busy work schedule, John’s father began looking tired whenever he came home. To tell the truth, he had changed from being good-humored to being in a bad mood all the time. When he was home, he just wanted to rest. He often scolded John for small things. Wanting to be accepted by his father, John tried to do his best but never felt he was good enough. Eventually, he started avoiding his father. He began hanging out at the shopping mall with friends, sometimes skipping his classes. Little by little John’s grades got worse. His parents and teachers were worried about his future.
One Sunday morning, while John’s mom was out taking care of her own mother, his father was napping in the TV room. John’s sisters were hungry, so John started to cook something for them. He was not sure how cook, but he did not want to bother his father.
Suddenly, the kitchen door opened, and his father was standing there. “Dad, I’m sorry if I woke you up. Chelsea and Jessica are hungry, and I was trying to cook them some eggs.” His dad looked at him seriously for a moment. “Eggs? Eggs aren’t good for lunch on a beautiful Sunday like today. Let’s grill some steaks in the backyard.” “Are you sure? You must be tired.” “It’s OK. I like cooking. It reminds me of my college days when I worked part-time as a cook. I’ll show you how to prepare delicious steaks.”
To John’s surprise, his father became energetic when he started cooking. He took John aside and explained to him in detail that cooking was, in a way, like a science project. “You need to measure that ingredients precisely and know which items go together. If you master this, you can provide pleasure for a great many people.” John felt close to his father for the first time in a long time. From then on, John spent more time at home. He started cooking for his family regularly, and then later for his friends at college. John always felt happy when he cooked, and this happiness spilled over into other areas of his life.
Uncle John worked his way through college with jobs in restaurants, and eventually he became a chef at a famous restaurant. He really liked the job and worked hard developing his own special techniques. He was finally able to open his own restaurant serving his unique style of food. He won several awards and cooked for the rich and famous.
This brings us back to the contest. Uncle John and I were excited about his being selected. Yet, he shared something really touching with me there in the kitchen. “You know, Mike,” Uncle John said, “I’m thrilled to be able to go on TV as a part of The Big-Time Cook Off. But what makes me the happiest is to stand here with you, one of the people I care about, and talk─just you and me. It’s exactly like what my dad did for me one fine day in summer, so many years ago. And that made all the difference in my life.”
問5
What does Uncle John find most rewarding?
1. Developing unique four-course dinners for famous people
2. Having meaningful relationships with people close to him
3. Making people happy through cooking on TV shows
4. Serving many people delicious meals in his restaurant
【解説】
「ジョンおじさんは何を最もやりがいを感じますか」
1. Developing unique four-course dinners for famous people
「有名人向けの独特な four-course dinners の開発」
Developing に関して、本文にこうあります。
「彼は本当に仕事が好きで、彼自身の特別な技術を開発するために一生懸命働きました」
そしてこう続きます。
「彼はいくつかの賞を受賞し、金持ちと有名人に向けて料理をしました」
ここから読み取れるのは、有名人に向けて料理をすることになったのは「結果」であって、「目的」ではないということです。ただ料理をするということが好きだったんですね。有名人に向けての料理開発をしたのではないので、この選択肢は違います。
2. Having meaningful relationships with people close to him
「彼の近くの人々と有意義な関係を築くこと」
「しかし私が一番幸せなのは、気にかけている人の1人であるあなたと一緒にここに立って、そしてあなたと私だけで話し合うこと」
最上級が使われていますので、この内容が答えになるのですが、これだけをもって選択肢の内容と一致するとは正直言いづらいと思います。この選択肢は保留にしておき、次に進むのが実践的です。
3. Making people happy through cooking on TV shows
「テレビ番組での料理を通して、人々を幸せにすること」
本文にこうあります。
「The Big-Time Cook Off の一環としてテレビに出演できることをとてもうれしく思います」
ですが、その直後に But があります。逆接の接続詞はその後ろにより重要なものが来ます。ということで、テレビに出演するよりももっとうれしいことが、次にくるはずです。それが先ほど確認した、選択肢 2. の内容です。
ということで、この選択肢は違います。
4. Serving many people delicious meals in his restaurant
「レストランで多くの人々においしい食事を提供すること」
もっともらしい選択肢ですが、そのような記述はありません。この選択肢は違います。
【正解】2
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