Lesson 10 前衛書道 Practice
Part 1: Choosing the grammar form
Q1
法廷では個人的なことまで追及されずには だろう。
Related grammar point 7 批判されずにはすまなかった
法廷では個人的なことまで追及されずにはすまないだろう。
In court, being questioned even about personal matters will probably be unavoidable.
1おかない
「おかない」belongs to the pattern 「ずにはおかない」 (meaning "is bound to make/cause ~"), which needs a subject that acts on someone else and so does not fit the passive 「追及されずには」 here.
2いられない
「いられない」belongs to the pattern 「ずにはいられない」 (meaning "cannot help but ~"), which does not fit a passive context like "being questioned."
3ない
「ない」on its own cannot form a fixed pattern with 「ずには」.
4すまない ✓
Correct. 「ずにはすまない」 means "is bound to ~ / cannot be avoided," matching grammar point ⑦ of this lesson: "being questioned even about personal matters will probably be unavoidable."
Q2
あいつ いなければ、俺の人生はもっと違うものになったはずだ。
あいつさえいなければ、俺の人生はもっと違うものになったはずだ。
If it weren't for that guy, my life would surely have turned out very differently.
1さえ ✓
Correct. 「さえ」 means "if only ~," and 「あいつさえいなければ」 is a fixed way of saying "if only that guy weren't around," treating him as the sole cause.
2こそ
「こそ」 means "precisely ~" and emphasizes an affirmative target; it cannot combine with 「いなければ」 to give the hypothetical meaning "if only ~ were not there."
3のみ
「のみ」 (grammar point ② of this lesson) means "only ~, nothing more," and cannot express the hypothetical condition "if only ~ were not there."
4なり
「なり」 has a different way of attaching and cannot be used directly here.
Q3
デザインの分野では独創性を重んじる 、伝統を古臭いと否定する傾向がある。
Related grammar point 3 読めないがゆえに
デザインの分野では独創性を重んじるがゆえに、伝統を古臭いと否定する傾向がある。
In the field of design, because originality is valued, there is a tendency to reject tradition as stale.
1ともなく
「ともなく」 is mostly used in fixed expressions such as 「いつからともなく」, so it does not apply here.
2がゆえに ✓
Correct. 「がゆえに」 expresses cause or reason, matching grammar point ③ of this lesson: "because originality is valued."
3どころか
「どころか」 means "far from ~," which does not fit a cause-and-effect context.
4おかげで
「おかげで」 means "thanks to ~" and is normally used for good results, so it does not fit the negative tendency of rejecting tradition.
Q4
二日酔いで欠勤するなんて、教師 ことだね。
Related grammar point 6 書としてあるまじきもの
二日酔いで欠勤するなんて、教師にあるまじきことだね。
Being absent because of a hangover is really conduct unbecoming of a teacher.
1ならではの
「ならではの」 means "unique to ~" (a compliment), which does not fit the critical context of this sentence.
2なりの
「なりの」 means "in keeping with ~ (one's own level or way)," which does not fit the context.
3にあるまじき ✓
Correct. 「にあるまじき」 means "unbecoming of ~," matching grammar point ⑥ of this lesson: "conduct unbecoming of a teacher."
4にかたくない
「にかたくない」 means "it is not hard to ~," which does not fit the context.
Q5
皆様の温かい支援なくしては、この映画は ことでしょう。
Related grammar point 13 固定観念からの解放なくして
皆様の温かい支援なくしては、この映画は完成しなかったことでしょう。
Without everyone's warm support, this film probably would not have been completed.
1完成しなかった ✓
Correct. 「なくしては」 means "without ~, one cannot ...," matching grammar point ⑬ of this lesson, and it goes most naturally with the negative result 「完成しなかった」.
2感動を与えた
「感動を与えた」 is a positive result, which does not fit the negative context of 「なくしては」, "lacking a necessary condition."
3高く評価される
「高く評価される」 is likewise a positive result and does not fit the context.
4拍手が鳴りやまない
「拍手が鳴りやまない」 is likewise a positive result and does not fit the context.
Q6
バランスのとれた食事が健康の基本であることは、改めて説明する だろう。
バランスのとれた食事が健康の基本であることは、改めて説明するまでもないだろう。
That a balanced diet is the basis of good health should not need explaining again.
1べからざる
「べからざる」 is the attributive form of grammar point ① of this lesson and means "that must not be ~"; this is not a prohibition context, so it does not fit.
2にすぎない
「にすぎない」 means "is nothing more than ~," which does not fit the context.
3までもない ✓
Correct. 「までもない」 means "there is no need to ~," i.e., "it probably does not need to be explained again."
4わけがない
「わけがない」 means "there is no way that ~," which does not fit the context.
Q7
校長の退屈極まりないスピーチは30分も続き、 。
Related grammar point 9 失礼極まりない
校長の退屈極まりないスピーチは30分も続き、眠くて仕方がなかった。
The principal's extremely boring speech went on for a full 30 minutes, and ( ).
1笑い疲れてしまった
「笑い疲れてしまった」 ("got tired from laughing") contradicts the premise of a boring speech.
2眠くて仕方がなかった ✓
Correct. After a speech that is 「退屈極まりない」 (grammar point ⑨ of this lesson, extremely boring) lasts 30 minutes, the most natural result is that "I was unbearably sleepy."
3夢中になって聞いていた
「夢中になって聞いていた」 ("listened, completely absorbed") contradicts "boring."
4感動極まった
「感動極まった」 ("was overcome with emotion") contradicts "boring" and makes no logical sense.
Q8
素材の美しさに職人の技術 、すばらしい工芸品が生まれた。
Related grammar point 4 筆の線が余白と相まって
素材の美しさに職人の技術が相まって、すばらしい工芸品が生まれた。
The beauty of the materials combined with the craftsman's skill to produce a splendid piece of craftwork.
1とはいうものの
「とはいうものの」 means "although ~," which does not fit the context.
2が相まって ✓
Correct. 「が相まって」 means "~ combine," matching grammar point ④ of this lesson: "the beauty of the materials combined with the craftsman's skill."
3にしたところで
「にしたところで」 means "even ~," which does not fit the context.
4にかたくなく
「にかたくなく」 is not a natural form of 「にかたくない」, so this option is not grammatical in itself.
Part 2: Building sentences
Put the 4 options into slots 1–4 in order, then pick the one that lands in the ★ slot.
Q1
評論家の中村氏は、「観客の誰もが名優の12★4はずだ」と称賛した。
Related grammar point 10 疑問を禁じえない
評論家の中村氏は、「観客の誰もが名優の1素晴らしい2演技に3★感動4を禁じえないはずだ」と称賛した。
Order: 2 → 3 → 4 → 1 ★ = option 4
The critic Mr. Nakamura praised the actor: "Every member of the audience is sure to be unable to help being moved by the great actor's superb acting."
How the sentence is built
First put「素晴らしい」, which modifies「演技に」, with ★ falling on「感動」, and finally「を禁じえない」(grammar point ⑩ of this lesson, "cannot help ~"), which connects with the already-given「はずだ」at the end.
Q2
ノーベル賞の受賞通知を12★4にかたくない。
Related grammar point 5 想像にかたくない
ノーベル賞の受賞通知を1受けた2彼の3★感激は4想像にかたくない。
Order: 3 → 2 → 1 → 4 ★ = option 1
It is not hard to imagine his joy at receiving notice that he had won the Nobel Prize.
How the sentence is built
First put「受けた」, then「彼の」, with ★ falling on「感激は」, and finally「想像」, which corresponds to grammar point ⑤ of this lesson (にかたくない, "it is not hard to ~") and connects with the already-given「にかたくない」at the end.
Q3
限られた予算でできることはし尽くしたが、すべての12★4できなかった。
Related grammar point 11 芸術と呼ぶにたる作品
限られた予算でできることはし尽くしたが、すべての1顧客を2満足させる3★にたる4サービスはできなかった。
Order: 2 → 4 → 1 → 3 ★ = option 1
We did everything we could within a limited budget, but we were unable to provide a service worthy of satisfying all customers.
How the sentence is built
First put「顧客を」, then「満足させる」, with ★ falling on「にたる」(grammar point ⑪ of this lesson, "worthy of ~"), and finally「サービスは」, which connects with the already-given「できなかった」at the end.
Part 3: Reading
Show passage translation
"Thou shalt not lie" is taken for granted. Once it is discovered that someone has lied, they lose social trust. Some say that lying is conduct unbecoming of a human being. Yet, paradoxical as it may sound, is a person who says "I have never told a single lie in my whole life" really a trustworthy person?
In a society where there are people of all kinds of positions and their interests and intentions are entangled, perhaps it is impossible to build harmonious human relationships without ever lying. Precisely because one is thinking of someone's position, there must also be situations in which one cannot help lying. Even so, if there is a person who conveys the truth without holding anything back, wouldn't that be either a cold person with no sense of consideration, or a fool who cannot foresee the consequences that will follow?
Q1
真実を包み隠さず伝える人物に対して、筆者はどのように考えているか。
What does the author think of a person who conveys the truth without holding anything back?
1配慮に欠ける人 ✓
Correct. The text says that such a person is either 「思いやりの気持ちを持たない冷たい人間か、その結果起こる事態を予想できない愚か者」, i.e., a cold person with no consideration for others or a fool who cannot foresee the consequences, which corresponds to 「配慮に欠ける人」 (a person who lacks consideration for others).
2矛盾を抱えた人
As for 「矛盾を抱えた人」, the "contradiction" in the text refers to the contradiction in asking whether someone who has never lied is trustworthy, not to a person who tells the truth being contradictory.
3信頼にたる人
「信頼にたる人」 is the opposite of the author's critical attitude. The text questions whether a person who has never lied is really trustworthy, rather than affirming that a person who tells the whole truth is trustworthy.
4円満極まる人
As for 「円満極まる人」, the text holds precisely that always telling the truth makes it impossible to maintain 「円満な人間関係」, so this contradicts "an extremely harmonious person."
Q2
筆者が最も言いたいことは何か。
What does the author most want to say?
1円満な人間関係のためには、嘘をつくべきではない。
"In order to have harmonious human relationships, one should not lie" is the opposite of the author's view, since the author holds that never lying makes it impossible to build harmonious relationships.
2自分の利害や思惑を優先する人こそ信頼すべきである。
"Those who put their own interests and intentions first are the ones to be trusted" is not an argument made in the text; it is made up.
3相手への思いやりから嘘をつく人を批判すべきではない。 ✓
Correct. The author's argument throughout is that "precisely because one considers another person's position, there are times when one cannot help lying," and that such lies told out of consideration should not be flatly rejected or criticized.
4嘘をつく人間は愚か者と呼ばれるべきである。
"People who lie should be called fools" is the opposite of the text. The text says that it is the person who bluntly conveys the whole truth without foreseeing the consequences who may be a "fool," not the person who lies.
Part 4: Listening
Listen first, then tap an option. The transcript and explanation appear after you answer.
Q1
Nothing is printed on the test paper: choose by listening alone.
ラジオで作家がインタビューに答えています。
Transcript
F:早速ですが、最新作『正しく不安がる』について、いろいろお聞きしたいんですが……。
M:はい。
F:まず、この『正しく不安がる』というタイトルですが……。
M:一言で言うと「他人任せにして安心するべからず」ということです。
F:他人任せ……?
M:情報化社会って、都合よく操作された情報も少なくないんですよ。だから、正しい情報を手に入れるって、実は難しいんです。
F:なるほど……。
M:情報を受ける方にも責任があります。与えられた情報のみで簡単に安心してしまうのは、危険極まりないことなんです。
F:確かにそうですね。
F: Right away, I'd like to ask you various things about your latest work, "Being Anxious in the Right Way"...
M: Yes.
F: First, about the title, "Being Anxious in the Right Way"...
M: In a word, it means "you must not leave everything to others and feel at ease."
F: Leave things to others...?
M: In an information society, quite a lot of information has been manipulated to suit someone's convenience. So getting accurate information is actually difficult.
F: I see...
M: The side receiving information also bears responsibility. To feel reassured so easily from the information you are given alone is extremely dangerous.
F: That's certainly true.
問 男の人は情報についてどう言っていますか。
1操作して安心させるべきだ
2責任を持って送るべきだ
3簡単に信じるべきではない ✓
4単純に不安がるべきではない
What does the man say about information?
The question asks what the man says about information. The core point the man repeats is 「他人任せにして安心するべからず」 (the 「べからず」 of grammar point ① of this lesson: "you must not leave everything to others and feel at ease"), and he goes on to explain 「情報を受ける方にも責任があります。与えられた情報のみで簡単に安心してしまうのは、危険極まりないことなんです」, meaning that the side receiving information also bears responsibility, and that feeling reassured too easily from the information one is given alone is extremely dangerous (the 「極まりない」 of grammar point ⑨ of this lesson). This agrees with 簡単に信じるべきではない (one should not believe too easily). 1 「操作して安心させるべきだ」: what the man criticizes is precisely that information is manipulated; he is not arguing that information should be manipulated to reassure people. 2 「責任を持って送るべきだ」: the man says the receiving side also bears responsibility; he is not talking about the responsibility of the sender. 4 「単純に不安がるべきではない」: the book is titled 『正しく不安がる』 ("Being Anxious in the Right Way"), and what the man wants to stress is that one should stay properly wary and not take things at face value, not that one should not be anxious, so this option goes in exactly the opposite direction. The answer is 3.
Grammar in this question
〜べからず:must not ~ (grammar point ① of this lesson). 「他人任せにして安心するべからず」.
〜極まりない:extremely ~ (grammar point ⑨ of this lesson). 「危険極まりないこと」.
Key vocabulary
他人任せ(たにんまかせ) leaving things to others
操作(そうさ)する to manipulate, to operate
情報化社会(じょうほうかしゃかい) information society