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第１問
(1)
A: Did the chairperson say why he was resigning?
B: No, he refused to (divulge) the reason. He said it was strictly a private matter.
1 divulge 2 condone 3 shun 4 elude
(2)
The prime minister’s position began to look increasingly (precarious) as more d more politicians left the party to join the new one.
1 propitious 2 lustrous 3 precarious 4 spasmodic
(3)
Although the man did not tell the police any outright lies, he left out several (salient) details that would have made it clear the accident had been his fault.
1 irate 2 dilapidated 3 ravenous 4 salient
(4)
While he was cleaning out his garage, Ken cut his hand on a sharp nail that was ( protruding ) from the wall.
1 fretting 2 mustering 3 protruding 4 replenishing
(5)
Glen somehow (deluge) himself into thinking Heather was in love with him, even after she made it clear that she was not interested in him.
1 deluded 2 parried 3 quenched 4 inundated
(6)
Researchers have found that sharing a traumatic experience can create a feeling of (camaraderie) between people, often leading to lifelong friendships.
1 camaraderie 2 defamation 3 calamity 4 exuberance
(7)
The police found no proof of the girl’s (complicity) in the robbery committed by her boyfriend, so they let her go free.
1 mayhem 2 debacle 3 complicity 4 gibberish
(8)
The team’s (erratic) performance this season has confused everyone. In one game, they might play very well, while in the next, they might make numerous mistakes.
1 scrupulous 2 erratic 3 methodical 4 gleaming
(9)
The defendant’s (acquittal) surprised everyone in the courtroom. They all thought the jury would return with a guilty verdict.
1 referral 2 sojourn 3 acquittal 4 snare
(10)
A: What’s your new colleague like?
B: We don’t get along very well. He’s been (antagonistic) toward me from day one. It’s almost as though he’s looking to fight with me.
1 eclectic 2 intrinsic 3 apathetic 4 antagonistic
(11)
The weather was warm and humid, so as soon as Percy left the hotel, he began to (perspire) heavily. In no time at all, his shirt was stained with sweat.
1 patronize 2 truncate 3 perspire 4 transcend
(12)
After he was arrested for robbery, Brad called his sister and asked her to pay his (bail). However, she did not have the $10,000 needed for his release.
1 void 2 effigy 3 stint 4 bail
(13)
As a young boy, Evan was (afflicted) with a lung disease that made it impossible for him to participate in sports aytivities at school.
1 bolstered 2 afflicted 3 indulged 4 confiscated
(14)
A: Steve, can you explain this graph?
B: The blue lines (denote) our company’s expenses, and the green lines represent the volume of sales we made last year.
1 denote 2 smear 3 decry 4 squint
(15)
The manager’s assumption that his employee was stealing money proved to be (erroneous). An accounting mistake was the cause of the problem.
1 erroneous 2 perpetual 3 rigorous 4 profuse
(16)
The city council ordered the (demolition) of the old building because it was too dangerous to leave it standing any longer.
1 intimation 2 demolition 3 allocation 4 extortion
(17)
Helen asked her neighbor to water her garden while she was away.
Unfortunately, he forgot, and many of her flowers had (wilted) by the time she returned.
1 tarnished 2 polarized 3 wilted 4 slighted
(18)
Although the film’s subject matter is very serious, There are moments of (levity) that prevent it from becoming too depressing.
1 levity 2 confluence 3 impetus 4 hegemony
(19)
Yesterday, Andrew received a (cryptic) e-mail from an unknown address. No matter how hard he tried, he could not understand what it was trying to say.
1 poignant 2 resilient 3 cryptic 4 detectable
(20)
The handmade furniture brand is known for its (fastidious) attention to detail. Each piece is crafted with great care.
1 relenting 2 tasteless 3 fastidious 4 insular
(21)
When Roger tried to pick up his brother’s baby for the first time, she ( ) so much that Roger had trouble holding her properly.
1 squirmed 2 cleaved 3 scrounged 4 lampooned
(22)
Peer pressure can have a powerful influence on teenagers. When (egged on) by friends, they can be persuaded to do some very foolish things.
1 bogged down 2 hitched up 3 goofed off 4 egged on
(23)
When Michelle’s neighbors have loud parties, she turns up her music to (drown out) the noise from next door.
1 fritter away 2 lap up 3 drown out 4 cave in
(24)
The car company is working to (cast off) its old-fashioned image and appeal to young people by designing modern-looking cars with high-tech devices.
1 cast off 2 call out 3 dial up 4 box in
(25)
The accusations of misconduct (leveled at) the politician by former staff members have the potential to end his political career.
1 leveled at 2 drummed into 3 banked on 4 pitched for
第２問
Spider Survival
A fascinating species of jumping spider found across the eastern United States called Synemosyna formica has been observed ( 26 ). Biologists theorize this behavior stems from the fact that the spiders t their solitary lifestyles, tend to be attractive targets for many predators. t on the other hand, are less appealing prey, owing to their powerful jaws and e fact that they are rarely unaccompanied; a predator attempting to feast on one ant, for instance, would likely have to fight off numerous other aggressive ones that come to its aid. Taking advantage of ants’ fierce reputation, the spiders have developed certain behaviors to impersonate the insects, such in a motion resembling that of ants’ antennae. When successfully performed, this helps the spiders avert predatory attention.
S. formica has also come to bear a strong physical resemblance to ants. But while the adaptations are helpful for deceiving predators, they ( 27 ). The spiders’ back legs appear to have evolved to be longer and thicker, and their bodies have become slender and segmented, accentuating their antlike appearance when viewed from above — a common vantage point for predators. Yet these changes appear to have rendered the spiders unable to perform the leaping action for which related species are known—a consequence, perhaps, of the constraint of an antlike structure and body weight, according to biologists. And since this ability, which is crucial for hunting prey, has diminished, spiders’ survival could be in jeopardy.
One mystery is how S. formica manages to ( 28 ). Most types of jumping spiders employ showy, elaborate rituals to entice prospective partners. Attracting partners is no less important for S. formica, but such acts of courtship in the open would likely draw unwanted attention from predators. To get around this, the spiders seemingly recognize each other from afar. Although they appear able to signal that they are not ants without sacrificing the guise of their antlike behavior, the exact mechanisms behind this discreet action remain unclear. Biologists hope that by expanding research into these peculiar creatures they can deepen their understanding of how survival instincts drive adaptations in animals.
( 26 )
1 trying to overpower larger species
2 significantly altering its diet
3 helping another species survive
4 mimicking another creature
( 27 )
1 also assist the spiders in other ways
2 have made some body parts
3 may have come at a cost
4 likely occurred for other reasons
( 28 )
1 locate new habitats
2 find potential mates
3 conceal its breeding locations
4 prevent predators from finding it
Valuing the Economy
The idea that war is beneficial for the economy is familiar to many people, and it is based on the assumption that major conflicts bring huge demand for production of supplies, stimulating job creation. Some experts, however, ( 29 ). Ultimately, most of what is created during massive arms-production efforts is use up or destroy ed during battle, whereas the same fu and resources would provide significant long-term benefits if devoted to generating consumer goods and services. In fact, the experts note, this was observed after World War Il, when the United States experienced a surprising period of prosperity following the government’s dramatic reduction in military spending.
In recent years, economist Tyler Cowen has been an advocate for a revised theory of the economic merits associated with war. Accepting that military engagement itself cannot possibly be positive for economies, he argues that it is the ( 30 ) that is beneficial. Cowen contends that the recent stagnation of some economies around the world can be attributed to a pervading lack of urgency that slowly develops as a result of prolonged Citing examples such as the tremendous innovations that came out of the long period of hostility during the Cold War, when both the United States and the Soviet Union feared the other’s tremendous military capabilities, Cowen believes it is the potential for armed conflict that keeps governments on their toes, pressuring them to liberalize the economy and commit funds to science and technology among other things.
Cowen is not proposing that nations should go around picking fights, however. In fact, he goes on to say that since weapons have become so much more destructive these days, the fallout that would occur if war actually broke out would catastrophic, so economic stagnation might be a relatively good thing in today’s world. He suggests, therefore, that it may be better ( 31 ). Just as there has been a recent realization that environmental devastation is not worth the benefits associated with the rampant use of fossil fuels, it is likely that the potential risks of constantly being on the verge of war cannot be justified by the rewards.
( 29)
1 claim there is another reason for this
2 point out that the idea is flawed
3 underestimate the cost of war
4 say the idea only applies to wars
( 30 )
1 spending on weapons
2 threat of conflict
3 gaining of territory
4 aftermath of war
( 31 )
1 for nations to develop better technology
2 to prevent short-term losses
3 for people to use resources more efficiently
4 to trade growth for peace
第3問
biopiracy
In their efforts to develop new medicines and foodstuffs, multinational corporations frequently rely on indigen0US and other resources. This sometimes leads to accusations of biopiracy, a term referring to attempts to patent products found with the aid of indigenous peoples without providing them with fair compensation. It is generally agreed that when enlisting the aid of indigenous peoples in this way, it is essential to have informed consent regarding how the resources may be used, including the possibility that they will be turned into lucrative products. It is also important to draw up agreements detailing the rights and obligations of both parties before the start of any cooperation. However, such agreements often reflect fundamental differences between indigenous and other worldviews, which frequently lead to misunderstandings and exploitation. While Western societies, for instance, place emphasis on legal protections such as patents and trademarks, indigenous groups often find the concept of an individual or company possessing exclusive rights to natural resources and organisms to be incomprehensible. As a result, many indigenous groups have brought lawsuits against corporations that they say deceived them.
Furthermore, although legislation and international treaties have been enacted to combat biopiracy creating unambiguous and comprehensive regulations has proved extremely challenging. In fact, the term biopiracy itself lacks a single unified definition, and regulations regarding it vary among nations, making it difficult to stamp out unethical practices. The Nagoya Protocol, for example, was designed to be a framework on which nations could build their own legislation to control access to genetic resources and ensure that benefits resulting from the use of such resources are shared. Yet the agreement has been interpreted and implemented in widely differing ways, and it has only been signed by a relatively small percentage of nations. These factors are a major reason why the practice of biopiracy has shown little sign of ending.
Legislation targeting biopiracy may also have unintended consequences. One group of scientists published an article arguing international agreements related to curbing biopiracy are already causing nations that are home to precious resources and organisms to throw up obstacles to urgently needed research. In particular, the science of taxonomy, which involves the discovery an classification of species for conservation purposes, has been significantly hampered by such international agreements. The scientists write that “biodiversity research as seemingly become suspect in the minds of many regulatory bodies, owing to fear that a taxonomic discovery today might conceivably translate into a commercial development tomorrow.” Researchers in some countries have become reluctant to share specimens with scientists abroad, and others complain the regulatory hurdles they need to clear to obtain permits are hindering research, including conservation studies. On the other hand, the scientists who wrote the article note that, in the case of medical research, the development of advanced technologies such as genetic engineering means that obtaining access to organisms known to indigenous peoples could become less important. This would not only allow crucial scientific research to continue unimpeded but also cause current anti-biopiracy agreements to lose their relevance.
(32) When multinational corporations make agreements with indigenous people,
1 there has been a tendency for both parties to entrust the drawing up of legal rights such as patents and trademarks to an independent party.
2 there are often significant differences in the way that parties involved understand fundamental concepts contained in the documents.
3 the parties involved generally disagree more about issues regarding medicines than they do about other types of products.
4 there is a need to explain not only the benefits indigenous peoples will receive but also the fact that their cooperation is vital to ongoing research.
(33) In the second paragraph, what does the author of the passage state about efforts to prevent biopiracy?
1 Legislation and treaties would be much more effective if both corporations and indigenous peoples were consulted during their creation.
2 There have been some signs that biopiracy is declining, but indigenous peoples say that the efforts have not gone far enough.
3 Local laws have generally been much more successful at decreasing biopiracy than international treaties have.
4 Their lack of success is largely the result of the difficulty of creating clear rules that every country will agree to follow.
(34) Which of the following statements would the scientists who wrote the article mentioned in the final paragraph most likely agree with?
1 Biopiracy is often disguised as conservation research, so this type of research should be more carefully regulated.
2 Although medical technologies like genetic engineering are advancing, they are creating greater risks of indigenous people being harmed by biopiracy.
3 Regulations designed to prevent biopiracy have ty potential interfere with essential research that could save endangered species
4 Scientists’ attempts to steal taxonomy research from one another present a far more serious problem than biopiracy does.
The Early Solar System
The origin of our solar system has long been the subject of speculation. The most widely accepted explanation is the nebular hypothesis, which argues that the solar system began as a massive cloud of interstellar gas and debris that collapsed under immense gravitational forces. The resulting mass of swirling matter eventually formed into pockets of material that then came together to become the sun and planets. While this accounts well for some aspects of the solar system’s formation, other predictions derived from the hypothesis do not line up with the solar system’s current state. For example, in computer simulations based on the hypothesis, the masses of certain planets and the regions in which hose planets reside were inconsistent with current astronomical observation. The discrepancies, however, could be due to the fact that the nebular hypothesis was originally based on the assumption that planets in our solar system formed in their current locations and have mostly remained there.
Some of these mysteries may be close to being solved. The smaller planets of inner solar system are believed to have formed from matter able to withstand planets the of sun’s tremendous heat, such as rock and metal. Conversely, the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn are thought to have formed in regions farther from the sun, beyond what is referred to as the frost line, as temperatures at this distance are low enough for the matter that makes up gas giants to solidify. Scientists, however, have observed Jupiter-like gas planets in distant solar systems—nicknamed “hot Jupiters”—orbiting their suns at surprisingly close distances. To explain this, scientists proposed the concept of planetary migration, and a scenario named the “grand tack” was modeled, using Jupiter’s formation as a basis, to test the concept. In the scenario, Jupiter takes shape beyond the frost line, as is expected, but migrates toward the inner solar system, imitating hot Jupiters. However, as a result of gravitational forces from our solar system’s other gas giant, out to its current location farther from the sun. Despite sounding far-fetched, the scenario has been praised for plausibly explaining why hot Jupiters exist.
The grand tack scenario may also provide clarity for other apparent inconsistencies in our solar system. When the computer simulations based on the nebular hypothesis projected that Mars should be much larger than it currently is, the proposed grand tack migration of Jupiter suggested an explanation. By factoring in Jupiter’s trajectory in the grand tack scenario, scientists realized the gas giant was likely scattering to the sun that would otherwise have greatly increased Mars’s mass. Furthermore, had Jupiter not made its migration, planets in the inner solar system, which includes the area where Earth is now, could very well have become larger, uninhabitable worlds shrouded by gas. The vast majority of the inner regions of other known solar systems are populated by such planets, so scientists believe our solar system may be extremely unique in this regard. If the grand tack scenario proves to be correct, humankind owes a great deal of gratitude to Jupiter for the planet’s journey through the solar system.
(35) According to the author of the passage, what is one problem with the nebular hypothesis?
1 Although it accurately predicts that planets can change locations in the solar system, its predictions do not apply to other objects in space.
2 It does not sufficiently explain how gravitational forces affect he size and location of the sun during the early formation of our solar system.
3 Using it to model the history of our solar system has produced results that do not match what we currently know about certain planets.
4 It was based partly on inaccurate astronomical theories about the manner in which solar systems in distant areas of the universe formed.
(36) “Hot Jupiters” are significant because
1 they are evidence that the temperatures of frost lines detected in other solar systems have little connection to how planets are formed.
2 their size strongly implies that many of the other planets found in our solar system were once much smaller than they are now.
3 they support theories suggesting that the size of a star is directly related to the orbiting distance of its planets.
4 their existence appears to provide evidence to support the idea that planets o not always remain in the same orbits.
(37) What can be inferred about the “grand tack” scenario based on the third paragraph?
1 It could reasonably explain why Mars was not pulled into the sun and destroyed during the early days of the solar system.
2 The probability of life evolving on Earth would likely have been a great deal lower if it had never occurred.
3 There is a lower chance of life existing on large planets in solar systems where such events have taken place.
4 Solar systems where such events have never happened are likely to have planets that resemble Jupiter and Saturn.
第４問
The 1918 Irish Uprising
On the eve of World War I, Ireland, which had been absorbed into the United Kingdom around a century earlier, was on the verge of winning limited self-government, or Home Rule. Although Ireland had political representation in the British Parliament, it lacked its own government, which resulted in poverty, depopulation, and economic exploitation. As a result, nationalism had grown steadily throughout the 1800s, with the Home Rule movement becoming dominant within Irish politics. Since the 1870s, the Irish Parliamentary Party had pursued this agenda, which would allow Ireland a degree of independence in its domestic affairs while still keeping the country within the United Kingdom. The party, led by John Redmond, finally succeeded in getting a Home Rule Bill passed in the British Parliament in 1914.
There was to be no straightforward route to Home Rule, however. Ireland was divided along religious and political lines, with the South dominated by Catholics who tended to embrace nationalism to some degree, and the North by Protestants who felt more strongly tied to Britain politically and were resolved to remain under the jurisdiction of the British Parliament. In the South, a group known as the Irish Republican Brotherhood found Home Rule to be sufficient because it did not offer true sovereignty. The IRB was so intent on achieving total independence for Ireland that it took up arms, yet it by no means represented mainstream views, even in the South. This became clear with Britain’s involvement in World war Ⅰ in August 1914: the IRB opposed Ireland’s participation in the war, but the Irish Parliamentary Party supported It accepting that the enactment of Home Rule would have to be postponed. The majority of the Irish public agreed, supporting the war in the same way as other UK nationals.
As Britain focused its military resources on fighting abroad, the IRB leadership believed that fewer soldiers would be available for security purposes in Ireland. So, on April 24 If16 with Britain’s attention diverted by its preparations for a large-scale military offensive near the Somme River in France, the IRB decided the time was ripe for action. Led by a military council that had been formed within the organization, it rose up in armed rebellion against British rule and proclaimed the formation of a republic.
Around 1,500 people—IRB members along with members of other nationalist groups—occupied various sites throughout Dublin, Ireland’s capital. They had hoped their actions would inspire a wider uprising among the general population, but this did not occur. Moreover, lack of manpower meant they could not capture major railway stations and docks, or, most importantly, Dublin Castle, the British government’s administrative headquarters. Consequently, Britain was able to move soldiers into the city unimpeded and retain control of its administrative center, which proved key. Thus, despite being initially caught off guard, the British quickly gained the upper hand through a swiftly organized counterattack. British troops flooded into the city, and heavy artillery was employed, leading to fire damage and civilian casualties.
Although they fought valiantly, the rebels were vastly outmanned and outgunned. They were forced back into a defensive position, and it was only a matter of time before they surrendered. The uprising ended on April 29, leaving approximately 450 dead and 2 000 injured, with much of the center of Dublin destroyed.
British retaliation was prompt and harsh: thousands of people suspected of involvement in the rebellion were rounded up and the leaders were tried and convicted by military courts. Fifteen of the rebels were executed by firing squad following trials that were conducted in secret and without defense attorneys, which British officials later ruled to have been in violation of established military judicial procedures. Given that the rebels had struck during wartime, a military response including conducting the trials in military courts rather than civilian ones—was considered some at the time to be justifiable. However, officials in the British government quickly became concerned about the manner in which the British commanding officer in Ireland was dealing with the rebels and the reaction this might provoke.
While further executions were halted public opinion against British rule was galvanized as a result of the executions of men whom many Irish people regarded as patriots. The uprising had indirectly become a catalyst for a change in public sentiment. The Home Rule movement lost steam, and there emerged in its place widespread acceptance of the rhetoric of a political party called Sinn Féin, allowing the party to dominate the 1918 UK elections in Ireland. The party refused to take up its seats in the British Parliament and declared independence, which escalated into a guerrilla conflict that culminate in a large part of Ireland achieving the sovereignty the IRB had originally sought. Honored by statues and commemorated annually, the 1916 uprising is now regarded as a central event in Irish history.
(38) According to the passage, what is true regarding the political situation in Ireland in 1914?
1 The outbreak of a major war had caused a conflict to arise between the Irish Parliamentary Party and various Protestant groups that had once supported it.
2 Opposition to the Home Rule Bill because support for the Irish Parliamentary Party had become much weaker.
3 Although it lacked widespread public sup ort, the Irish Republic Brotherhood (IRB) was determined that Ireland should become fully independent from Britain.
4 The debate surrounding Home Rule helped to unite Protestants and Catholics in their opposition to fighting in World War I.
(39) What is one point the author of the passage makes about the uprising that occurred between épÜJ_24-and-29, 1916?
1 If the IRB had waited until the start of the battle near the Somme River, the British may not have had sufficient troops to defeat the rebels.
2 The rebels failed to secure important strategic sites that would have greatly weakened British troops’ ability to defeat them.
3 The British used a large amount of force to strike fear into civilians, thereby limiting the possibility that they might join the rebels.
4 The rebels who took part included people who felt some loyalty to Britain, which made them less willing to harm British troops.
(40) The British reaction following the 1916 uprising was problematic on the grounds that
1 thousands of rebels were found guilty in military courts, despite the fact that few had played any significant role in the fighting.
2 it was later admitted by the government that its own troops had violated many of the same military laws it used to sentence the rebels.
3 the government made the situation worse by encouraging the commanding officer to conduct the rebels’ trials in secret.
4 the way rebel leaders were tried and convicted did not adhere to the correct and proper procedures established by military law.
(41) Which of the following statements best describes the impact of the 1916 uprising?
1 The subsequent political success of Sinn Féin proved the electoral process should have been utilized from the beginning to facilitate change in Ireland.
2 Although the incident itself did not bring about immediate change, eventually led to considerable progress being made toward the rebels’ goal.
3 The uprising was significant because the military tactics employed during it would become invaluable in helping Ireland succeed in later conflicts.
4 Although the event resulted in destruction and loss of life, it was justified because it marked the end of Ireland’s conflict with Britain.
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