問題

次の英文を読んで、各問いに答えなさい。

Learning a foreign language involves memorizing vocabulary and grammar. You may memorize thousands of words and master complex sentence structures. （　1　）, merely knowing the rules does not mean you understand the culture behind the language. You may act like a native speaker, use correct phrases, and write perfect sentences; the subtle nuances and the spirit, which define the true meaning of words, you cannot easily grasp.

 Consequently, this implies that linguistic skill is different from cultural understanding. Between the dictionary definition and the real usage in society, there is a gap that is hard to cross. We may speak the same language, exchange information, and conduct business together. But the heart of the culture can never be fully comprehended by outsiders through textbooks alone. We must experience the environment, breathe the air, and live the history.

So, how can we truly master a language? The best way to understand the soul of a language is to immerse ourselves in the culture and feel what the natives feel. In the words of the linguist, we must ※1 assimilate. One can never come to realize the depth of expressions and their hidden implications by studying in a classroom or passing exams alone. There is no reality in the paper test, but only in the daily interactions and shared emotions. Indeed, the grammar book may tell us how to construct a sentence, and what rules to follow. However, the true understanding of a language must be acquired through our own life and participation.

※1 assimilate……同化する

（1）Fill in the blank （　1　） with an appropriate word.
（2）Which of the following best describes the author’s thinking about linguistic rules and culture?
（3）According to the author, what is the best way to master the soul of a language?

選択肢

問題

次の英文を読んで、各問いに答えなさい。

Success is often measured by external achievements. But you can see only the results of others, and not their efforts or struggles. You may look at my position and estimate the amount of wealth or power, and so judge the level of my success. （　1　） that assessment is not always accurate. You may count my awards, check my sales figures, read articles about my career; but the fulfillment, the satisfaction, which determines my true happiness, you can never calculate perfectly.

 Therefore, it stands to reason that only the individual can define their own success. Between your evaluation and my reality, there remains a distinct difference that cannot be ignored. We may work in the same industry, compete for the same goal, and compare our data. But our internal sense of achievement can never be evaluated entirely by external standards. We must value our own criteria, set our own goals, and follow our own path.

 Then, what is true success? What is the element that brings us genuine peace of mind? The only way to know what success implies, is to listen to our own inner voice and reflect on what we truly desire. In the context of philosophy, we must ※1 contemplate. Because one can never come to grasp the essence of happiness and its personal meaning by chasing trends or copying others alone. There is no answer in the public opinion, but only in your personal, unique sense of value. Indeed, the data and the ranking may show us where we stand in society. But the definition of our success must be established by our own judgment and feeling.

※1 contemplate……熟考する

（1）Fill in the blank （　1　） with an appropriate word.
（2）Which of the following best describes the author’s thinking about judging others’ success?
（3）According to the author, what is the best way to know what success implies?

選択肢

問題

次の英文を読んで、各問いに答えなさい。

Pain is a universal phenomenon. However, you can perceive directly only your own physical sensation, and not another’s. You may observe a wound on my arm and infer the intensity of the injury or the sting, and so understand something of the physical damage. （　1　） that inference is subjective and often flawed. You may identify the symptoms, diagnose the condition, treat the visible scars; but the acute pain, the suffering, which affects my mind and body, you can never experience identically.

 Accordingly, it follows that sensory experience is inherently private. Between your observation and my perception, there exists a fundamental boundary that cannot be removed. We may suffer from the same disease, undergo the same surgery, and share similar symptoms. But our pain can never be felt entirely by the doctor or the family. We must endure our own hardships, manage our own recovery, and face our own reality.

 Then, what is empathy? What is the capacity that allows us to care for others? The only feasible way to approach what pain means to others, is to recall our own past suffering and imagine the parallel. In psychological terms, we must ※1 project. Because one can never come to comprehend the severity of agony and its impact on the spirit by merely looking at medical charts or hearing descriptions alone. There is no truth in the clinical data, but only in the vivid, personal memory of pain within us. To be sure, the diagnosis and the chart may inform us of the cause and the remedy. But the appreciation of the patient’s distress must be derived from our own sensitivity and imagination.

※1 project……（自分の感情などを他人に）投影する

（1）Fill in the blank （　1　） with an appropriate word.
（2）Which of the following best describes the author’s thinking about observing others’ pain?
（3）According to the author, what is the best way to approach what pain means to others?

選択肢