Read the passage and answer the questions below

Kyoto, a city in Japan, is famous for its old buildings and history. It used to be the capital of Japan for a long time.
There are many temples and shrines in Kyoto, like the Golden Pavilion, which is covered in gold.
Additionally, the Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for its thousands of vermillion torii gates stretching along a forested mountain trail, is a sight to behold.
In Kyoto, people still do old traditions like tea ceremonies and flower arranging, but they also have modern things.
You can explore the city, join festivals, and eat delicious food like Kyoto-style dinners.
Many people love visiting Kyoto because it’s a mix of old and new things.

Exercise

1.Evaluate the impact of traditional arts such as the tea ceremony and ikebana on Kyoto’s contemporary cultural landscape, considering their role in preserving tradition while embracing modernity.

2.Analyze the significance of Kyoto’s historical background as the former imperial capital of Japan and its influence on the city’s cultural heritage.

文章を理解し、主要なアイデアやテーマを把握する能力を養うために役立ちます。文章の主要なアイデアを把握することは、情報を整理し、要点を把握するスキルを向上させるうえで重要です。また、論理的思考や文章内の重要な情報を選別する力も養われます。

解く際には、与えられた文章を注意深く読み、文章全体の内容を把握すると同時に、選択肢の中から最も文章に合った主要なアイデアを見つける必要があります。選択肢の中には文章の一部分や詳細な情報が含まれているものもあるかもしれませんが、問題は文章全体の主要なテーマを尋ねています。選択肢を比較し、最も包括的で文章全体を代表するものを選ぶことが求められます。

この能力は、各種受験問題とくに大学共通テストやビジネスさまざまな場面で役立ちます。読解力を高め、大量の情報から肝心な点を抽出する能力を磨くことで、効率的な情報処理が可能となります。また、論文やレポートの要約、会議の議事録作成などで、主要なアイデアを正確に捉えるスキルが重要となります。

Problem1. The Industrial Revolution was a period of major changes in the way products are made. It took place more than 200 years ago and greatly affected the way people lived as well as the way they worked. In earlier days, people made products by hand. They worked mostly in their own homes or in small workshops. During the Industrial Revolution, many factories were built. Workers used machines to mass-produce goods.

A) The Industrial Revolution changed the way people lived and worked.

B) The Industrial Revolution was a period of mass production of goods.

C) The Industrial Revolution took place more than 200 years ago.

D) The Industrial Revolution replaced hand-made products with machines.

Problem2. Japan is famous for its cherry blossoms, which bloom in late March or early April. The cherry blossoms, or sakura, symbolize the beauty and fragility of life. They last for only a few weeks before they fall from the trees. Many people in Japan celebrate the cherry blossom season by having picnics under the trees with their friends and family. This tradition is called hanami, which means “flower viewing”.

A) Japan is famous for its cherry blossoms, which bloom in late March or early April.

B) The cherry blossoms, or sakura, symbolize the beauty and fragility of life.

C) Many people in Japan celebrate the cherry blossom season by having picnics under the trees with their friends and family.

D) The paragraph describes the cherry blossom season and its significance in Japan.

Problem3. The human brain is a remarkable organ that controls all the functions of the body. It is composed of billions of nerve cells, or neurons, that communicate with each other through electrical and chemical signals. The brain has different regions that are responsible for different tasks, such as memory, language, emotion, vision, and movement. The brain is also plastic, which means it can change and adapt to new experiences and learning.

A) The human brain is composed of billions of nerve cells that communicate with each other.

B) The human brain has different regions that are responsible for different tasks.

C) The human brain is plastic and can change and adapt to new experiences and learning.

D) The human brain is a remarkable organ that controls all the functions of the body and has various features.

Problem4. Social media has become a ubiquitous part of our lives. We use it to connect with friends and family, to share our opinions and interests, to get news and information, and to entertain ourselves. However, social media also has some negative effects on our mental health and well-being. Studies have shown that excessive use of social media can lead to anxiety, depression, loneliness, low self-esteem, and poor sleep quality. Therefore, it is important to use social media wisely and moderately, and to balance it with other activities that enrich our lives.

A) To inform the readers about the benefits and drawbacks of social media.

B) To persuade the readers to use social media less and do other activities more.

C) To entertain the readers with stories and anecdotes about social media.

D) To compare and contrast different types of social media platforms and their features.

Problem5. Lunar colonization has been a topic of interest for many years. With advancements in space exploration technology, scientists and researchers are considering the possibility of establishing a human presence on the Moon. This endeavor poses numerous challenges, including radiation exposure, resource limitations, and long-duration space travel. However, proponents of lunar colonization believe that it could lead to scientific discoveries, serve as a stepping stone for future Mars missions, and even act as a potential backup location for humanity.

A) Lunar colonization’s challenges and potential drawbacks.

B) The role of the Moon as a stepping stone for Mars missions.

C) The scientific discoveries possible through lunar colonization.

D) Advancements in space exploration technology and human presence on the Moon.

Is English the language people speak in the British Isles? Yes, it is now. But a long time ago, there were different languages and cultures. Nowadays, the region mostly speaks the most important language in the world, which is used a lot in business, trade, and money matters. The region also has lots of interesting stories and events from the past to share. We might wonder why we need to learn English, especially if we’re struggling with our own language like Japanese. Why do we have to remember so many words and similar words to learn, especially when we’re already dealing with difficult kanji practice? And why does your teacher always say “Don’t become a victim of Janglish”?

After reading this, you’ll start to understand some reasons.

Before English became the main language, a long time ago in the British Isles, there were groups of people called Celts. They spoke their own languages for a long time before others came. Celtic languages were dominant in the British Isles a long time ago during the Iron Age and when the Romans were there.

In the British Isles, the main groups of Celts were the Britons and the Gaels. The Britons lived where England and Wales are now, and the Gaels lived in what’s now Scotland and Ireland. The languages they spoke are called “Insular Celtic” languages.

The Britons were the original Celtic people of England and Wales. They spoke different Brittonic languages, like Old Welsh, Old Cornish, and Old Breton. They had their own kingdoms and areas all over the islands.

The Gaels were another group of Celtic people who lived in Scotland and Ireland. They spoke Gaelic languages, like Old Irish and Old Scottish Gaelic. They were organized into clans and tribes.

In the northern part of what’s now Scotland, there were also the Picts. They were Celtic people too, but not as much is known about them because they didn’t write much about themselves.

The Celts lived in different ways in different places and times. They were mostly farmers, growing crops like wheat, barley, oats, and vegetables. They also had animals like cattle, sheep, and pigs for food and resources. They had different groups in their societies, like warriors, craftsmen, farmers, priests (called druids), and storytellers (called bards). Chiefs or important people were in charge. The Celts were also good at making things from metal, like jewelry and weapons, with fancy designs. Their art often had patterns and pictures of animals.

Celtic religion was about many gods and nature. Druids were important for their ceremonies. They used special places like stone circles and forts on hills for their rituals. The Celts celebrated different festivals tied to farming and the sky, like Beltane (May 1st) and Samhain (October 31st), which later influenced Halloween.

Celtic languages were spoken, and stories were passed down by talking, not writing. The groups lived fairly peacefully until the Romans came to parts of the British Isles, especially England. The Romans brought their language, Latin, which affected the Celtic languages and left things like roads and buildings.

The Romans made towns and forts everywhere, and many of these places still have names from Latin. Some names end in “-chester” or “-cester,” which means “fort” in Latin. These names are still used today in modern places.

Even though Latin influenced Celtic languages, it didn’t change them as much as the Germanic languages did. Germanic people came and settled in the British Isles, and their languages slowly took over from the Celtic languages.

Question 1: What language do people mainly speak in the British Isles today?
a) Celtic
b) Latin
c) English
d) Germanic

Question 2: Why do some people wonder about learning English?
a) They don’t like learning languages.
b) They struggle with their own language.
c) English is too easy to learn.
d) They already know English very well.

Question 3: What is a reason for learning English mentioned in the text?
a) It’s the only language spoken in the world.
b) It’s useful for business, trade, and finance.
c) English is the easiest language to learn.
d) It’s the oldest language in the British Isles.

Question 4: What was the main group of Celtic people in England and Wales called?
a) Romans
b) Gaels
c) Britons
d) Picts

Question 5: Which group of Celtic people lived in what’s now Scotland and Ireland?
a) Britons
b) Romans
c) Picts
d) Gaels

Question 6: What role did druids play in Celtic society?
a) They were warriors.
b) They were farmers.
c) They were storytellers.
d) They were priests and spiritual leaders.

Question 7: What was the purpose of stone circles and hillforts for the Celts?
a) They were used for farming.
b) They were used as homes.
c) They were used for religious rituals.
d) They were used for trading.

Question 8: What were Beltane and Samhain?
a) Roman festivals
b) Celtic festivals
c) Religious ceremonies
d) Modern holidays

Question 9: How did the Romans impact the British Isles?
a) They introduced Latin and left behind structures.
b) They brought English to the region.
c) They replaced Celtic languages with Latin completely.
d) They introduced new religions to the Celts.

Question 10: What languages gradually replaced Celtic languages in the British Isles?
a) Latin
b) Germanic languages
c) Gaelic
d) Pictish

中学復習テスト

１．下の単語の最も強く発音する部分を答えなさい。

(1) in – vent         (2) vol – un – teer

２．日本語は英語に、英語は日本語に直しなさい。

（１） God 　（２） 指　（３）参加する　（４）導入する　（５）シンボル　（６）原形
（７）（野球の）帽子　（８）床　（７）友情　（８）時代　（１０）少し

３．（　）内の語を適切な形に直しなさい。

(1) He also learned singing and he (sing) in church.
(2) Braille is (write) in many places.

4. 下の文の（　）に適するものを選び、その記号を書きなさい。

(1) This movie (　　　　 ) sad.
アmake you イmakes his ウmakes you
(2) Braille ( 　　　) by Louis Braille in 1825.
ア was inventing イ is inventing ウ were invented エ was invented
(3) She ( 　　　) in Canada for 2 weeks.
ア　have stayedイ have staying ウ was stayed エ has stayed

5. １から８に当てはまる語をしたから選び、記号で答えなさい。　ア・イには当てはまる語を英語で書きなさい。

>The boy’s name was Aragaki Tsutomu. He liked music very much. One day he heard some hymns ( 1 ) the radio. He was ア　in them. He wanted to hear some other hymns, and so he went to a church.
At the church he ( 2 ) the minister. Tsutomu ( 3 ) him about his life. The minister listened to him quietly. When Tsutomu ( 4 ) talking , he ( 5 ) that the minister was crying,“Oh, he ( 6 ) me, “ Tsutomu, Do you want to come and stay ( 7 ) us ? My wife and children イ　happy. ”　Tsutomu said, “Yes” Tsutomu started a new life ( 8 ) a member of the minister’s warm family.

(as,  stopped ,  met , looked,  with, stopped, on, found,  understands, told)

ア　　　　　　　　　　イ

6.次の括弧内に正しい語句を入れなさい。

(1) 彼のおばあさんが彼の世話をしました。
His grandmother (         ) (         ) (        ) him.
(2)　 彼は困っている人々を助けることを決心しました。
He (           ) (              ) (            ) other people in need.
(3)　 私たち原文を点字に訳すためにコンピュータを使っています。
We’re using computers (           ) (           ) text (            ) Braille.

７．並び替えなさい。