英検対策講座【2級】大問2: 長文の語句空所補充問題

この講座では、「英検2級」合格を目指す皆さんを対象に、試験で出題された問題を紹介し、その解き方について分かりやすく解説していきます。

 

 

大問2　長文の語句空所補充問題

 

「大問2　長文の語句空所補充問題」について学習します。

問題を解いたら、次ページの解答・解説を読み、きちんと理解するようにしましょう。

 

 

 

Questions ～問題～

 

次の英文を読み、その文意にそって(1)から(3)までの（　　　）に入れるのに最も適切なものを1, 2, 3, 4の中から一つ選びなさい。

[英検 2016年度 第3回検定問題より]

 

 

High-Altitude Wind Power

 

　Wind power is a clean and renewable source of energy. However, few areas have the frequent strong winds needed to produce wind power. Wind near the ground is not a reliable source of energy because it is sometimes strong and sometimes weak. Unlike the wind near the earth's surface, the wind high in the sky is (　1　) nearly everywhere. Because of this, some companies are now building wind power plants at high altitudes, as they can obtain stable wind power almost anywhere.

 

　Altaeros Energies is a U.S.-based company working to develop "high-altitude wind power" technology. They have designed a huge balloon that catches the wind's power at up to 600 meters in the air. The balloon is connected to cables which keep it in place and transport the energy to the earth's surface. As the wind is much stronger at 600 meters, these balloons can create more than twice as much electricity as traditional wind power at a lower cost. In other words, these balloons (　2　) to produce energy.

 

　Not only do Altaeros's balloons reduce costs, they also solve a number of other problems associated with traditional wind power. To start with, the initial setup is quite easy. While traditional wind power plants require months of construction, the balloons' setup only takes a few hours. (　3　), they are so high in the sky that they do not disturb people's daily lives. For instance, they cause little noise pollution, and people do not have to see them every day. Seeing all these benefits, a number of large companies have invested in Altaeros's wind power balloons.

 

 

（1）

 

1. constant and powerful
2. clean and clear
3. weak but reliable
4. strong but unstable

 

 

（2）

 

1. reduce the wind needed
2. increase the space needed
3. are a less attractive way
4. are a more efficient way

 

 

（3）

 

1. Like before
2. At most
3. Therefore
4. Furthermore

 

 

学習アドバイス

 

長文の語句空所補充問題では、空所の文とその前後の文が重要なことが多いのですが、段落の最初から読んでいった方が、結局は正解を速く正確に見つけることができるようです（空所の文だけを見るという方法は、問題が解けないか、間違いやすいので、お勧めできません）。

 

「つなぎ言葉」（文と文、段落と段落をつなぎ、前後関係を示す言葉）が問題を解くカギとなることが多いです。

 

「つなぎ言葉」の例： in addition「さらに」（追加）、for example「例えば」（具体例）、however「しかしながら」（逆接）、on the other hand「他方では、これに対して」（対照）、first of all「まず第一に」（順序）、as a result「その結果」（結果）、in short「要するに」（まとめ）など。

 

 

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