静岡大学志望者向け・英語読解10問｜文脈・論理・語法を無料演習

第1問　文脈語義 （サイト独自の練習問題）

A tea cooperative compared leaf quality across fields on several hillsides. Although the same tea variety was planted everywhere, growers observed variable results from year to year. Some fields were shaded during the hottest part of the afternoon, while others received direct sunlight. The cooperative used variable to mean changing or differing, not automatically poor. Farmers also recorded rainfall and harvest dates before suggesting any single cause. They found useful patterns, but the observations were too limited to prove that shade alone explained every difference. The next season's study would include more fields and a consistent method of collecting samples.

What does variable most nearly mean in this context?

第2問　因果関係 （サイト独自の練習問題）

A coastal farming area found that crops were flowering earlier than they had ten years before. The change was not equally visible in every field. Some plots were shaded by nearby hills, while others received direct afternoon sunlight. Farmers began tracking temperature and flowering dates instead of relying only on the calendar. They hoped these records would help them adjust planting schedules and reduce unexpected losses. The records could not guarantee a successful harvest, but they revealed why a fixed date no longer suited all locations equally well.

Why did farmers start tracking flowering dates more closely?

第3問　対比 （複数大学で利用する共通問題）

Digital museum tours allow people to explore collections from home, including visitors who live far from major cities. A student can zoom in on a painting, replay a curator's explanation, and compare objects without buying a train ticket. Visiting in person, by contrast, offers a sense of scale and atmosphere that a screen may not convey. Standing beside a large sculpture can reveal details that are difficult to judge from a photograph. Both formats provide value in different ways. The museum therefore chose to improve its online collection while keeping its galleries open. It hoped that each format would support, rather than replace, the other.

What is the writer’s position?

第4問　言い換え （複数大学で利用する共通問題）

Students who slept longer tended to score higher on a memory test. At first glance, this pattern appeared to support the idea that additional sleep directly improves recall. However, the students had not been randomly assigned to different sleep schedules, and the researchers had collected information about several possible influences on their performance. The researchers warned that the relationship did not establish causation because other factors, such as stress, could influence both sleep and performance. They suggested a controlled experiment as a possible next step. A correlation can guide a new hypothesis, but it does not by itself establish what caused the observed difference.

Which sentence best paraphrases the warning?

第5問　語法 （複数大学で利用する共通問題）

Choose the grammatically correct sentence.

第6問　推論 （複数大学で利用する共通問題）

A public library introduced computers that residents could use without charge. Attendance at its job-search workshops increased, especially among people without home internet access. The library did not change the workshop content. Previously, several participants could only search for vacancies by borrowing a friend’s phone or visiting an employment office far from home. The new computers allowed them to prepare application documents and read job descriptions before attending the workshop. Staff also made basic technical assistance available. Although these observations do not establish that every additional visitor attended because of the computers, they provide a reasonable explanation for why participation increased among residents lacking internet service. The library plans to compare attendance over a longer period.

Which inference is most reasonable?

第7問　主題理解 （複数大学で利用する共通問題）

A regional language was used less often by younger residents. Community members began recording conversations with older speakers and offering lessons in local schools. Their efforts aimed to preserve knowledge while encouraging new everyday use. At first, volunteers focused on creating a dictionary of expressions remembered by older residents. They soon realized that a recording alone would not make young people speak the language at home or with friends. Teachers therefore organized storytelling sessions in which children could practice common phrases. Local musicians also began writing new songs using the language. Some activities attracted only a small audience, but the organizers considered daily use just as important as preserving words for future study. Their strategy combined documentation with opportunities to speak.

What is the main theme?

第8問　論理展開 （複数大学で利用する共通問題）

Two groups of seedlings received the same amount of water and light. The researchers used seedlings of similar age and recorded their height before the experiment began. One group was given a mineral supplement, and the other was not. The supplemented group grew taller. However, the experiment lasted only three weeks and involved a single plant species. The researchers also knew that small differences in soil conditions might have influenced the results. A responsible conclusion should describe what the observations suggest without claiming that the supplement will work for every plant or under every growing condition. ____

Which sentence best completes the argument without overclaiming?

第9問　分野語彙 （複数大学で利用する共通問題）

The city offered a small payment to households that reduced electricity use during peak hours. The payment was intended as an incentive, not as compensation for damage. The program was introduced during periods when demand for electricity placed pressure on the local supply network. Eligible households received a modest reward if their measured use fell below an agreed level. Some residents shifted laundry and other activities to quieter hours, while others changed very little. Officials described the payment as a way to encourage voluntary changes, not as a fine or repayment for a loss. They planned to evaluate whether the reward was large enough to influence behavior without creating unfair burdens.

What does incentive mean in this passage?

第10問　要約 （サイト独自の練習問題）

Tea growers in a warm region noticed that the timing of new leaves had become less predictable. In some years the harvest began earlier, while sudden cold spells still damaged tender shoots. Farmers tried recording temperatures across different slopes and comparing the results with changes in leaf quality. Some experimented with temporary covers, but these increased labor and could not be used everywhere. The cooperative shared observations so growers could make decisions suited to individual fields. Members stressed that the goal was not to find one permanent calendar for the entire region. They wanted to adapt their practices as seasonal conditions continued to change.

Which summary best captures the growers’ response?