問1
問題次の英文を読み、下の問いの ( ) に入れるのに最も適当なものを、下の1～4の内から一つ選べ。
A couple of weeks ago, I was hiking with my dog on a mountain when something unexpected happened and I lost sight of him. I looked and looked but couldn’t find him. He had been with me for so long that it was like I was missing part of my soul.
Ever since that day, I had a strange feeling. It was beyond sadness─a feeling that I didn’t quite understand, as if something were pulling me to go back to the mountain. So every chance I got, I grabbed my backpack to see if the mountain could offer me some sense of relief.
問1
The author kept returning to the mountain because ( ).
1. she felt an urge she couldn’t explain
2. she planned to meet the elderly man
3. she thought she could practice magic
4. she wanted to find out about the bear
【解説】
「( ) なので、作者は山に戻り続けた」
1. she felt an urge she couldn’t explain
「彼女は説明できない衝動を感じた」
本文にこうあります。
Ever since that day, I had a strange feeling. It was beyond sadness─a feeling that I didn’t quite understand, as if something were pulling me to go back to the mountain.
「その日以来、私は不思議な気持ちになりました。それはまるで何かが私を山に引き戻そうとするかのような、私にはよくわからない感情で、悲しみの域を超えていました」
ということで、この選択肢が正解です。
2. she planned to meet the elderly man
「彼女は老人に会うつもりだった」
第三段落で老人に出会いますが、山に行くのはそれが目的ではありませんね。いなくなった犬を探そうとしているのです
3. she thought she could practice magic
「彼女は魔法を練習できると思った」
magic に関しては、第九段落にこうあります。
The old man looked at me and said, “Mountains offer truly magical experiences.”
「老人は私を見て言った『山は本当に魔法のような体験を提供します』」
しかし、これは選択肢とかみ合いませんね。この選択肢は違います。
4. she wanted to find out about the bear
「彼女はクマについて知りたかった」
第六段落でクマに出会う描写がありますが、それが目的で言ったのではありません。この選択肢は違います。
【正解】1
問2
問題次の英文を読み、下の問いの ( ) に入れるのに最も適当なものを、下の1～4の内から一つ選べ。
One sunny morning, I stood at the root of the mountain. Something felt a deep breath and began my journey with this mysterious pull growing stronger. After making my way along paths I thought I knew well, I realized I was somehow in an unfamiliar place. I panicked a little, lost my footing, and slipped. From out of nowhere, an elderly man came running towards me and helped me up.
Looking at his gentle, smiling face, I felt a sense of ease. The old man said he was looking for a way to the top of the mountain, so we decided to climb together.
One sunny morning, I stood at the root of the mountain. Something felt different this day. “Please forgive me,” I said out loud. “I’ll find you!” I took a deep breath and began my journey with this mysterious pull growing stronger. After making my way along paths I thought I knew well, I realized I was somehow in an unfamiliar place. I panicked a little, lost my footing, and slipped. From out of nowhere, an elderly man came running towards me and helped me up.
Before we knew it, we reached a large open area and took a break. I told the man what had happened to my dog. “He had a tiny bell on his collar to scare away bears. We came to this very spot and saw a bear. It was looking back at us. I should have held my dog because, sensing danger, he chased after the bear. I couldn’t find him after that. I should have been more careful.”
As I was telling the story, the man’s expression changed. “It wasn’t your fault. Your dog just wanted to keep you safe,” he said. “I’m sure Tomo would want to tell you this. Also, thank you for not giving up.”
Tomo is my dog’s name. Did I tell him this? The old man’s comment rang in the air.
Before I could ask anything, the man proposed we hurry to get to the top of the mountain. I was planning to do this with my dog a few weeks ago. After two more hours of hiking, we reached the peak. I set down my backpack and we sat taking in the magnificent view. The old man looked at me and said, “Mountains offer truly magical experiences.”
問2
Which of the following happened first on the author’s most recent trip?
1. She arrived at a large open area.
2. She climbed to the mountaintop.
3. She saw a bear running away.
4. She was assisted by an old man.
【解説】
「著者の一番最近の旅で最初に起こったのは次のうちどれですか？」
1. She arrived at a large open area.
「彼女は広い空き地に到着しました。」
large open area に関しては、第六段落の最初にあります。
Before we knew it, we reached a large open area and took a break.
「それを知る前に、私たちは大きな空地に到達し、休憩しました」
2. She climbed to the mountaintop.
「彼女は山頂に登った」
山頂に関しては、第九段落にあります。
After two more hours of hiking, we reached the peak.
「さらに2時間のハイキングの後、私たちは山頂に到達しました」
3. She saw a bear running away.
「彼女はクマが逃げるのを見た」
クマに関しては、第六段落にこうあります。
I should have held my dog because, sensing danger, he chased after the bear.
「私は犬を抱えるべきでした。なぜなら危険を感じて、彼はクマを追いかけたからです」
4. She was assisted by an old man.
「彼女は老人に助けられた」
第三段落の最後にこうあります。
From out of nowhere, an elderly man came running towards me and helped me up.
「どこからともなく、老人が駆け寄ってきて助けてくれました」
時間的に言えば、選択肢3. のクマの話が一番前ですが、これは別の山登りの時の回想です。ということで、この選択肢 3. は違います。
残りの選択肢 1. 2. 4. は今回の山登りの話です。この話は時間の流れとともに話が進んでいますので、話が出てきた順に敵ごとが起こっています。ということで、今回の旅で一番最初に起こったのは、選択肢 4. です。
【正解】4
問3
問題次の英文を読み、下の問いの ( ) に入れるのに最も適当なものを、下の1～4の内から一つ選べ。
Soon the path began to feel familiar again. We talked about many things, including my dog. I told him that he was a German shepherd. When he was younger, he served briefly as a police dog but had to stop due to an injury. The man let out a laugh saying he had been a police officer for a short time, but he quit. He didn’t say why. Later, he spent a long time as a bodyguard. He also had German roots. We laughed at these similarities.
問3
What similarity between the author’s dog and the old man was talked about?
1. They experienced workplace injuries.
2. They recently lost close family friends.
3. They were acquaintances of the author.
4. They worked to help protect the public.
【解説】
「著者の犬と老人の間のどのような類似性について話されましたか？」
類似性に関しては第五段落に書かれてあります。
1. They experienced workplace injuries.
「彼らは職場で怪我をした」
犬については、本文にこうあります。
When he was younger, he served briefly as a police dog but had to stop due to an injury.
「彼は若かった頃、一時的に警察犬を務めたが、怪我のために停止しなければならなかった」
老人については、本文にこうあります。
he had been a police officer for a short time, but he quit. He didn’t say why.
「彼はしばらくの間警察官でしたが、彼は辞めました。 理由は言いませんでした」
犬は怪我をしましたが、老人の方は怪我をしたかどうかわかりません。ということで、この選択肢は違います。
2. They recently lost close family friends.
「彼らは最近親しい家族ぐるみの友人を失った」
作者は飼い犬がいなくなってしまいましたが、老人の方はそのような描写はありません。ということで、この選択肢は違います。
3. They were acquaintances of the author.
「彼らは作者の知り合いでした」
これは微妙な選択肢ですね。ただ老人からは作者を知っているけれど、作者は老人のことを知りませんから、この選択肢は違います。
4. They worked to help protect the public.
「彼らは社会を守る手助けをしました」
選択肢 1. で確認しましたが、老人も犬も警察関係ですね。ということでこの選択肢が正解です。
【正解】4
今回問題には関係しませんでした、犬は German shepherd で、老人はドイツのルーツがあると言っていました。この辺で、この話のオチに気づいた人が増えたのではないでしょうか。
問4
問題次の英文を読み、下の問いの ( ) に入れるのに最も適当なものを、下の1～4の内から一つ選べ。
As I was telling the story, the man’s expression changed. “It wasn’t your fault. Your dog just wanted to keep you safe,” he said. “I’m sure Tomo would want to tell you this. Also, thank you for not giving up.”
Tomo is my dog’s name. Did I tell him this? The old man’s comment rang in the air.
問4
Which of the following is closest to the meaning of the underline phrase rang in the air as used in the text?
1. brought happiness
2. left an impression
3. made a loud noise
4. seemed offensive
【解説】
「テキストで使用されている下線の句 rang in the air の意味に最も近いものは次のうちどれですか」
rang in the air を直訳すると「空中で鳴った」です。「その老人のコメントが空中で鳴った」ですが、マンガの表現を想像するとわかりやすいかもしれませんね。
選択肢はこうです。
1. brought happiness
「幸せをもたらした」
2. left an impression
「印象を残した」
3. made a loud noise
「大きな音を立てた」
4. seemed offensive
「不快に思われた」
知らないはずの自分の飼い犬の名前を、老人が知っていることに驚いている状況ですね。「空中で鳴る」というのはたとえですから、実際に音はしていません。ということで、選択肢 3. ではありません。また話の内容から考えて、4. も違います。
選択肢 1. と 2. で少し迷うかもしれませんが、今回は話の内容がうれしかったというより、「Tomo」という名前を知っていることに、驚いた方が強いですから、正解は 3. です。
【正解】3
問5
問題次の英文を読み、下の問いの ( ) に入れるのに最も適当なものを、下の1～4の内から一つ選べ。
A couple of weeks ago, I was hiking with my dog on a mountain when something unexpected happened and I lost sight of him. I looked and looked but couldn’t find him. He had been with me for so long that it was like I was missing part of my soul.
Ever since that day, I had a strange feeling. It was beyond sadness─a feeling that I didn’t quite understand, as if something were pulling me to go back to the mountain. So every chance I got, I grabbed my backpack to see if the mountain could offer me some sense of relief.
One sunny morning, I stood at the root of the mountain. Something felt different this day. “Please forgive me,” I said out loud. “I’ll find you!” I took a deep breath and began my journey with this mysterious pull growing stronger. After making my way along paths I thought I knew well, I realized I was somehow in an unfamiliar place. I panicked a little, lost my footing, and slipped. From out of nowhere, an elderly man came running towards me and helped me up.
Looking at his gentle, smiling face, I felt a sense of ease. The old man said he was looking for a way to the top of the mountain, so we decided to climb together.
Soon the path began to feel familiar again. We talked about many things, including my dog. I told him that he was a German shepherd. When he was younger, he served briefly as a police dog but had to stop due to an injury. The man let out a laugh saying he had been a police officer for a short time, but he quit. He didn’t say why. Later, he spent a long time as a bodyguard. He also had German roots. We laughed at these similarities.
Before we knew it, we reached a large open area and took a break. I told the man what had happened to my dog. “He had a tiny bell on his collar to scare away bears. We came to this very spot and saw a bear. It was looking back at us. I should have held my dog because, sensing danger, he chased after the bear. I couldn’t find him after that. I should have been more careful.”
As I was telling the story, the man’s expression changed. “It wasn’t your fault. Your dog just wanted to keep you safe,” he said. “I’m sure Tomo would want to tell you this. Also, thank you for not giving up.”
Tomo is my dog’s name. Did I tell him this? The old man’s comment rang in the air.
Before I could ask anything, the man proposed we hurry to get to the top of the mountain. I was planning to do this with my dog a few weeks ago. After two more hours of hiking, we reached the peak. I set down my backpack and we sat taking in the magnificent view. The old man looked at me and said, “Mountains offer truly magical experiences.”
I looked around for a place to rest. I guess I was pretty tired, because I fell asleep right away. When I woke up, I noticed that the old man had disappeared. I waited, but he never returned.
Suddenly, in the sunlight, something caught my eye. I walked over and saw a small metal tag beside my backpack. It was the same silver name tag that my parents originally gave to my dog. Tomo it said.
It was then that I heard a familiar noise behind me. It was the ringing of a tiny bell. I turned around. What I saw caused so many emotions to rush over me.
After a while on the mountaintop, I attached the name tag to my old friend and carefully made my way home with the mountain’s gift beside me. My soul felt very much complete.
問5
How did the author’s feelings change over the course of the last hiking experience?
1. She was depressed and then became sadder.
2. She was determined and then became comforted.
3. She was hopeful but then became homesick.
4. She was miserable but then became entertained.
【解説】
「最後のハイキングの経験の中で、著者の気持ちはどのように変化しましたか？」
本文の第三段落にこうあります。
“Please forgive me,” I said out loud. “I’ll find you!”
「『許してください』と大声で言った。『私はあなたを見つけます！』」
また本文の最後にこうあります。
My soul felt very much complete.
「私の魂は完全に充実を感じました」
選択肢の内容はこうです。
1. She was depressed and then became sadder.
「彼女は落ち込んで悲しくなった」
2. She was determined and then became comforted.
「彼女は決心し、それから安堵した」
3. She was hopeful but then became homesick.
「彼女は希望に満ちていましたが、その後ホームシックになりました」
4. She was miserable but then became entertained.
「彼女はみじめでしたが、その後楽しんだ」
最後がプラスイメージで終わっていますので、became sadder や became homesick は違います。ということで、選択肢 1. 3. は違います。
残る選択肢は 2. と 4. ですが、第三段落の「私はあなたを見つけます！」は、「みじめ」というより、「決心」ですね。ということで正解は、選択肢2. です。
【正解】2
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