Lesson 12 ウォーキングシューズの開発 Practice
Part 1: Choosing the grammar form
Q1
甘いものはつい食べすぎてしまい ですが、健康を考えるとあまり食べないほうがいいでしょう。
Related grammar point 5 歩きやすさを重視しがちです
甘いものはつい食べすぎてしまいがちですが、健康を考えるとあまり食べないほうがいいでしょう。
I can't help eating too many sweets, but considering my health, it's probably best to eat as few as possible.
1がち ✓
Correct. がち: Lesson point ⑤; it means "tends to ...; often ...": "I tend to eat too many sweets".
2げ
げ: means "looking as if ..."; this does not fit the context.
3しだい
しだい: Lesson point ⑧; it means "depending on ..."; this does not fit the context.
4たい
たい: means "want to ..."; this does not fit the context of an unintentional action like "eating too much without meaning to".
Q2
性能がいいと言われても、実際に ことには本当にいいかどうかわからない。
Related grammar point 4 開発しないことには
性能がいいと言われても、実際に使ってみないことには本当にいいかどうかわからない。
Even if people say its performance is good, you can't tell whether it is really good unless you actually use it.
1売ってみる
売ってみる: "try selling"; this does not fit the context of judging a product's quality, which should be about "using" it, not "selling" it.
2売ってみない
売ってみない: this is also "selling", so it is the wrong direction.
3使ってみる
使ってみる: this is the affirmative form, but 「〜ないことには」 must follow a verb in the negative form.
4使ってみない ✓
Correct. 使ってみない: Lesson point ④; 「〜ないことには」 attaches to Vない: "unless you actually try using it".
Q3
工場建設 、部長は打ち合わせのためにロシアへ向かった。
Related grammar point 10 開発に先立って
工場建設に先立って、部長は打ち合わせのためにロシアへ向かった。
Before building the factory, the department head went to Russia to attend a meeting.
1において
において: means "in ... (a place, field, or era)"; this does not fit the context of one thing happening before another.
2に先立って ✓
Correct. に先立って: Lesson point ⑩; it means "prior to ...": "before building the factory".
3にわたって
にわたって: means "over ... (a period or range)"; this does not fit the context.
4につけ
につけ: means "every time ..."; this does not fit the context.
Q4
もし明日死ぬ 今日1日何をして過ごしたいですか。
Related grammar point 7 新商品を作るとしたら
もし明日死ぬとしたら今日1日何をして過ごしたいですか。
If you were to die tomorrow, how would you want to spend today?
1としたら ✓
Correct. としたら: Lesson point ⑦; it means "if we suppose ...": "if we suppose you were to die tomorrow".
2ことなく
ことなく: means "without ..."; this does not fit a hypothetical context.
3上で
上で: Lesson point ⑪; it means "after ..."; this does not fit a hypothetical context.
4ものの
ものの: means "although ..., but ..."; this does not fit a hypothetical context.
Q5
私はケーキ作り 誰にも負けないと思っている。
Related grammar point 3 ウォーキングシューズにかけては
私はケーキ作りにかけては誰にも負けないと思っている。
When it comes to making cakes, I won't lose to anyone.
1にともなって
にともなって: means "along with ..."; this does not fit the context.
2に先立って
に先立って: Lesson point ⑩; it means "prior to ..."; this does not fit the context.
3にしたがって
にしたがって: means "as ... (progresses)"; this does not fit the context.
4にかけては ✓
Correct. にかけては: Lesson point ③; it means "when it comes to ... (in this field)": "when it comes to making cakes".
Q6
卒業式はこのプログラム 行いますので、よろしくお願いします。
Related grammar point 2 業界の流れにそって
卒業式はこのプログラムにそって行いますので、よろしくお願いします。
The graduation ceremony will proceed in accordance with this program. Thank you for your cooperation.
1に先立って
に先立って: Lesson point ⑩; it means "prior to ..."; this does not fit the context.
2とともに
とともに: means "together with ..."; this does not fit the context.
3にそって ✓
Correct. にそって: Lesson point ②; it means "in accordance with ...": "in accordance with this program".
4に関して
に関して: means "regarding ..."; this does not fit the context.
Q7
商品の価格は、売れ残りなどのリスクを考えた 設定されるものである。
Related grammar point 11 市場調査をした上で
商品の価格は、売れ残りなどのリスクを考えた上で設定されるものである。
The price of a product is set after taking into account risks such as the product not selling.
1としたら
としたら: Lesson point ⑦; it means "if we suppose ..."; this does not fit the context.
2上で ✓
Correct. 上で: Lesson point ⑪; it means "after ...": "after taking the risks into account".
3にすぎず
にすぎず: means "it is merely ..., and ..."; this does not fit the context.
4わりに
わりに: means "despite ... (compared with the expected degree)"; this does not fit the context.
Q8
この地域は水不足で、砂漠化が進む 。
Related grammar point 9 厳しくなる一方です
この地域は水不足で、砂漠化が進む一方だ。
Because of the lack of water in this region, desertification is steadily getting worse.
1ことはない
ことはない: means "there is no need to ...; it never ..."; this does not fit the context.
2というものだ
というものだ: means "that is what ... really is"; this does not fit the context.
3一方だ ✓
Correct. 一方だ: Lesson point ⑨; it means "a state keeps developing in one direction": "desertification keeps getting worse".
4わけにはいかない
わけにはいかない: means "cannot (afford to) ..." for social, moral or practical reasons; this does not fit the context.
Part 2: Building sentences
Put the 4 options into slots 1–4 in order, then pick the one that lands in the ★ slot.
Q1
彼は12★4と言われている。
Related grammar point 3 ウォーキングシューズにかけては
彼は1人を2笑わせること3★にかけては4天才だと言われている。
Order: 3 → 1 → 2 → 4 ★ = option 2
He is said to be a genius when it comes to making people laugh.
How the sentence is built
First connect 「人を」 and 「笑わせること」 to form the object "making people laugh"; the ★ falls on 「にかけては」 after 「笑わせること」 (lesson point ③, "when it comes to ..."), and the sentence ends with 「天才だ」. Full sentence: 彼は 人を 笑わせること にかけては★ 天才だ と言われている。
Q2
悩みを12★4しようがない。
Related grammar point 4 開発しないことには
悩みを1相談されても2詳しい事情が3★わからないことには4アドバイスのしようがない。
Order: 2 → 4 → 3 → 1 ★ = option 3
Even if you come to me for advice about your worries, I can't give any advice unless I know the details.
How the sentence is built
First connect 「相談されても」, then 「詳しい事情が」; the ★ falls on 「わからないことには」 after 「詳しい事情が」 (lesson point ④, "if you don't ..., then ..."), and the sentence ends with 「アドバイスの」 (「アドバイスのしようがない」 = there is no way to give advice). Full sentence: 悩みを 相談されても 詳しい事情が わからないことには★ アドバイスの しようがない。
Q3
有給休暇は12★4申請してください。
Related grammar point 11 市場調査をした上で
有給休暇は1上司の2許可を3★得た4上で申請してください。
Order: 1 → 4 → 2 → 3 ★ = option 2
Please apply for annual paid leave after obtaining your supervisor's permission.
How the sentence is built
First connect 「上司の」 and 「許可を」 to form the object "the supervisor's permission", then 「得た」; the ★ falls on 「得た」, and the sequence ends with 「上で」 (lesson point ⑪, "after ..."). Full sentence: 有給休暇は 上司の 許可を 得た★ 上で 申請してください。
Part 3: Grammar in a passage
Blank 1
Related grammar point 5 歩きやすさを重視しがちです
1きり
きり: means "... and never again ..."; this does not fit the context.
2げ
げ: means "looking as if ..."; this does not fit the context.
3がち ✓
Correct. がち: Lesson point ⑤; it means "tends to ...; often ...": "it is easy to think that one can live healthily by eating only these".
4かけ
かけ: means "halfway through ..."; this does not fit the context.
Blank 2
Related grammar point 7 新商品を作るとしたら
1ばかりで
ばかりで: means "nothing but ..."; this does not fit the context.
2かのように
かのように: means "as if ..."; this does not fit the context.
3だけあって
だけあって: means "as you would expect from ..."; this does not fit the critical tone of "a big mistake".
4としたら ✓
Correct. としたら: Lesson point ⑦; it means "if we suppose ...": "if you really eat only those, that is a big mistake".
Blank 3
Related grammar point 12 社会人の声にこたえた
1にこたえて ✓
Correct. にこたえて: Lesson point ⑫; it means "in response to ...": "in response to the needs of health-conscious people".
2に先立って
に先立って: Lesson point ⑩; it means "prior to ..."; this does not fit the context.
3としたら
としたら: Lesson point ⑦; it means "if we suppose ..."; this does not fit the context.
4にかけては
にかけては: Lesson point ③; it means "when it comes to ..."; this does not fit the context.
Blank 4
Related grammar point 11 市場調査をした上で
1としたら
としたら: Lesson point ⑦; it means "if we suppose ..."; this does not fit the context.
2次第で
次第で: Lesson point ⑧; it means "depending on ..."; this does not fit the context.
3上で ✓
Correct. 上で: Lesson point ⑪; it means "after ...": "after considering nutritional balance".
4かと思うと
かと思うと: means "no sooner had ... than ..."; this does not fit the context.
Show the passage with answers and translation
Recently, the number of patients with "orthorexia," who eat only foods and supplements believed to be good for the body, has risen sharply. Because they think they are eating things that are good for them, they have no sense of danger at all, and this is a characteristic of the condition. Vegetable juice and natto are "good for you," so it is easy to think that you can live healthily as long as you eat only these. But if you really believe it is "good for you" and eat only these, that is a big mistake.
One reason may be that all kinds of supplements are sold in response to the needs of health-conscious people, but it is best to take in food that is truly good for the body after considering nutritional balance.
Part 4: Listening
Listen first, then tap an option. The transcript and explanation appear after you answer.
Listen first, then choose answers question by question. After answering, open the transcript to replay each line.
大学で先生が学生に話しています。
Q1
問 この先生が一番言いたいことは何ですか。
1日本以外の国でも魚がよく食べられていること
2マグロやサケなどは人気があること
3日本人が昔から様々な魚を食べてきたこと
4いろいろな種類の魚を食べるべきだということ ✓
What is the point this teacher most wants to make?
The teacher opens by saying 「日本以外でも魚がよく食べられるようになった」, but this is only an introduction; right after it, 「しかし、残念ながら」 turns the topic and points out that the kinds of fish people eat are too limited (eliminates 1 and 2). The remark 「日本では昔から…食べてきました」 is also only a comparison to show that past practice is worth learning from, and is not what the teacher mainly wants to stress (eliminates 3). The teacher's real appeal is in the last sentence: 「様々な種類の魚をバランスよく食べるほうが自然に優しい…ですから、皆さんにそれをお願いしたいと思います」, a direct call for everyone to eat a variety of fish in a balanced way. → いろいろな種類の魚を食べるべきだということ. The answer is 4.
Grammar in this question
Vてきました:Have been doing ... (up to now). 「食べてきました」 = have been eating up to now.
Key vocabulary
生態系(せいたいけい) ecosystem
バランス balance
Q2
問 どうして小さい魚も食べたほうがいいのですか。
1マグロの値段が上がっているため
2マグロの数が減っているため
3海の生き物のバランスを取るため ✓
4小さい魚がえさになるため
Why is it also better to eat small fish?
The question asks for the specific reason it is better to eat small fish too. The conversation mentions 「マグロが減っている」 and 「値段が高くなった」, but these are only background phenomena of the problem and are not the reason for eating small fish (eliminates 1 and 2). 「小さい魚がえさになる」 describes the role of small fish in the food chain, which is likewise only background and not the conclusion (eliminates 4). The reason is actually given in the teacher's last remark: 「マグロのえさになる小さい魚が増えすぎて、海の生き物のバランスがくずれてる」, and the female student sums it up: 「海の中のバランスを取るためにも小さい魚も食べましょう」. Eating small fish helps restore the balance of marine life. → 海の生き物のバランスを取るため. The answer is 3.
Grammar in this question
〜のためにも:Also in order to ... 「バランスを取るためにも」 = also in order to keep the balance.
Key vocabulary
えさ bait; food for other animals
くずれる to collapse; to be upset (of balance)
Transcript
M 最近では、日本はもとより、ヨーロッパやアメリカなどでも魚はよく食べられるようになりました。
These days, not only in Japan but also in Europe, America and elsewhere, fish has come to be eaten often.
M しかし、残念ながら、それはマグロ、サケなどの決まった魚になりがちです。
Unfortunately, though, what is eaten tends to be a fixed set of fish such as tuna and salmon.
M 日本では昔から大きい魚、小さい魚、いろいろな魚を食べてきましたが、海の生き物の生態系を壊さないためには必要なことなのです。
In Japan, people have eaten all sorts of fish, large and small, since long ago, and this is actually necessary so as not to destroy the ecosystem of marine life.
M 様々な種類の魚をバランスよく食べるほうが自然に優しいと言えるのです。
Eating a variety of fish in a balanced way can be said to be kinder to nature.
M ですから、皆さんにそれをお願いしたいと思います。
So I would like all of you to do that.
F どうしてバランスよく食べると自然に優しいの?
Why is eating in a balanced way kinder to nature?
M マグロがどんどん減っているっていうのは知ってるよね。
You know that tuna is decreasing, right?
F うん。高くなったよね。それに、もうすぐ食べられなくなっちゃうんじゃないかって言われてるよね。
Yes, the prices have gone up, too. And they say we'll soon be unable to eat it.
M そうそう。それでマグロのえさになる小さい魚が増えすぎて、海の生き物のバランスがくずれてるっていうことなんだよ。
Right. That's why the small fish that tuna feed on have increased too much, and the balance of life in the sea has been upset.
F だから、海の中のバランスを取るためにも小さい魚も食べましょうっていうことね。
So, to keep the balance in the sea, we should eat small fish too.
Q1
Nothing is printed on the test paper: choose by listening alone.
社長がインタビューを受けています。
Transcript
F:本日はユニークな経営方針で知られる藤川社長にお話を伺います。藤川工業は、金属加工の技術にかけては世界トップレベルだと伺っておりますが…。
M:ありがとうございます。そういう評価をいただけるのは社員の技術のおかげです。物を作る仕事は誰でも簡単にできると思われがちですが、その技術こそが会社の財産なので、わが社では年齢、経験、国籍を問わず、高い技術を持った社員を高く評価してきたんです。
F:具体的には?
M:能力次第では役員並みの給料がもらえるということです。実際にそういう社員がいるんですよ。評価されることで、皆が自分の技術に自信を持つようになり、どこに出しても恥ずかしくないものが作れるようになったんです。
F:Today we welcome President Fujikawa, who is known for his unique management policy. I hear that Fujikawa Industries is at the world's top level when it comes to metalworking technology...
M:Thank you. We are able to receive that kind of evaluation thanks to our employees' skills. People tend to think that anyone can easily do the work of making things, but it is precisely this skill that is the company's asset, so our company has always valued highly skilled employees regardless of age, experience or nationality.
F:How does that work in practice?
M:It means that, depending on their ability, they can be paid about the same as an executive. There really are such employees. Because they are evaluated this way, everyone has gained confidence in their own skills, and has become able to make things they would not be ashamed to show anywhere.
問 藤川社長が一番言いたいことは何ですか。
1技術が世界トップレベルなこと
2ものづくりは簡単だと思われがちなこと
3様々な社員を採用していること
4能力評価が発展につながったこと ✓
What is the main point President Fujikawa wants to make?
The question asks "What is the main point President Fujikawa wants to make?" At the start, the reporter says 「技術は世界トップレベル」, but that is the reporter's evaluation, and what the president keeps explaining is "how this became possible" (eliminates 1). The president does say 「物を作る仕事は誰でも簡単にできると思われがち」, but this is merely a lead-in to his view that "technology is the company's asset" and not what he finally wants to stress (eliminates 2). He evaluates employees 「年齢、経験、国籍を問わず」, but the emphasis is on the "way of evaluating", not on "hiring a diverse workforce" itself (eliminates 3). The president's real conclusion is in the last passage: 「評価されることで、皆が自分の技術に自信を持つようになり、どこに出しても恥ずかしくないものが作れるようになった」. It was precisely the establishment of a system of evaluating ability that led to improvements in skills and products. → 能力評価が発展につながったこと. The answer is 4.
Grammar in this question
〜がち:(Lesson point ⑤) Tends to ...; often ... 「思われがち」 = tends to be thought so.
〜にかけては:(Lesson point ③) When it comes to ... 「技術にかけては世界トップレベル」 = when it comes to technology, world top level.
Key vocabulary
経営方針(けいえいほうしん) management policy
財産(ざいさん) asset
役員(やくいん) executive; director
Q1
Listen to this sentence first
問 いい選手になれるかどうかは君の努力次第だよ。
Whether you can become a good player depends on how hard you work.
1はい、いい選手になりました。
Yes, I have become a good player.
2はい、君の努力です。
Yes, it is your effort.
3はい、頑張ります。 ✓
Yes, I will do my best.
The other person says 「いい選手になれるかどうかは君の努力次第だよ」. This is lesson point ⑧, 「次第」: "Whether you can become a good player depends on your own effort," which is encouraging advice. The most natural reply to such encouragement is to state that you will do your best: 「はい、頑張ります」. 1 「はい、いい選手になりました」 mishears the other person's "direction of future effort" as "an accomplished fact", so the tense is completely wrong. 2 「はい、君の努力です」 hands "your effort" back as if evaluating the other person, which is illogical (the speaker is not evaluating "your" effort but giving advice to "me"). The answer is 3.
Grammar in this question
〜次第だ:(Lesson point ⑧) Depending on ... 「努力次第だ」 = it depends on effort.
Key vocabulary
選手(せんしゅ) player; athlete
Q2
Listen to this sentence first
問 日程が決まらないことにはチケットが取れないよ。
Unless the schedule is settled, we can't book the tickets, you know.
1じゃあ、決まったら連絡するよ。 ✓
Then I'll contact you once it's settled.
2じゃあ、決めないね。
Then I won't decide.
3じゃあ、チケット取ってね。
Then please buy the tickets.
The other person says 「日程が決まらないことにはチケットが取れないよ」. This is lesson point ④, 「ないことには」: "Unless the schedule is settled, we can't book tickets," implying a push to settle the schedule soon. The most natural reply is to promise to settle it soon and get in touch: 「じゃあ、決まったら連絡するよ」. 2 「じゃあ、決めないね」 means "Then I won't decide," which is the complete opposite of what the other person wants, namely for the schedule to be settled soon. 3 「じゃあ、チケット取ってね」 asks the other person to book tickets when the schedule isn't even settled yet, which is self-contradictory (the very precondition for booking is that the schedule is settled). The answer is 1.
Grammar in this question
〜ないことには:(Lesson point ④) If you don't ..., then (you can't ...). 「決まらないことには取れない」 = unless it's decided, we can't book.
Key vocabulary
日程(にってい) schedule
チケット ticket