EigoPro 準2級 読解 — The Great Kanto Earthquake

Remembering the Great Kanto Earthquake On September 1, 1923, just before noon, a powerful earthquake struck the Kanto region of Japan, including Tokyo and Yokohama. It is known today as the Great Kanto Earthquake, and it remains one of the worst natural disasters in the country's history. What Happened The earthquake itself lasted only a few minutes, but the damage was enormous. Because it happened around lunchtime, many families were cooking with fire. When the buildings shook and fell, these fires spread quickly through the wooden houses. In fact, more people died from the fires than from the shaking of the ground. Strong winds that day made the fires even harder to control. The Human Cost More than 100,000 people lost their lives, and over half of Tokyo was destroyed. Millions of people suddenly had no home. In the days after the disaster, food and clean water were difficult to find, and many people had to sleep in parks and open fields. How Japan Responded The disaster taught Japan many hard lessons. Engineers began to design stronger buildings that could move safely during an earthquake instead of breaking. The government also created wider roads and more open spaces, which could act as safe areas and stop fires from spreading. Why We Remember Today, September 1 is "Disaster Prevention Day" in Japan. Every year, schools and companies practice what to do during an earthquake. Children learn to protect their heads and move calmly to safe places. By remembering the past, people hope to be better prepared for the future. As one survivor once said, "We cannot stop earthquakes, but we can choose how ready we are."

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この単元の問題を3問、解説つきで公開しています

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問 1

When did the Great Kanto Earthquake happen?

  • Early one morning in 1945.
  • In the middle of winter in 1923.
  • On September 1, 1923, just before noon.
  • On September 1, 1923, late at night.
Phrase

September 1, 1923, just before noon

1923年9月1日、正午直前

準2級読解歴史記事発生日時
⚡ひとことで

「On September 1, 1923, just before noon.」を表す読解フレーズ。災害発生日時の文脈で頻出。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「On September 1, 1923, just before noon.」

正解

本文 "On September 1, 1923, just before noon, a powerful earthquake struck the Kanto region" より、発生 = 1923年9月1日、正午直前。just before ~ = 「〜の直前」、strike (過去 struck) = 「(災害が)襲う」。昼食時だったことが後の火災被害の鍵。

  • 「On September 1, 1923, late at night.」

    = 1923年9月1日深夜 ━ 本文 "just before noon" ━ 正午直前であり深夜ではない。

  • 「In the middle of winter in 1923.」

    = 1923年の真冬 ━ 9月1日であり冬ではない。

  • 「Early one morning in 1945.」

    = 1945年のある早朝 ━ 年が誤り ━ 1923年。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
just before ~〜の直前just before noon
strike (struck)(災害が)襲うan earthquake struck
the Kanto region関東地方the Kanto region of Japan
be known as ~〜として知られるknown as the Great Kanto Earthquake
one of the worst ~最悪の〜の一つone of the worst disasters
❝例文

  • The earthquake struck just before noon.

    地震は正午直前に襲った。

  • It happened on September 1, 1923.

    1923年9月1日に起きた。

  • It is known as the Great Kanto Earthquake.

    関東大震災として知られる。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

発生日時設問の鉄則 ―― 歴史記事の冒頭は 日付 + 時刻 を明示する。誤答は『深夜』『冬』『別年』など時間要素を1つずつ改変して誘導。just before ~ = 「〜の直前」、strike = 「(災害が)襲う」(自然災害の主動詞) は準2級必須。

問 2

Why did so much damage come from fire?

  • Many families were cooking with fire around lunchtime when buildings fell.
  • Lightning struck the wooden houses.
  • A factory exploded during the earthquake.
  • People set fires on purpose to stay warm.
Phrase

cooking with fire around lunchtime

昼食時に火を使い調理中

準2級読解歴史記事火災被害の原因
⚡ひとことで

「Many families were cooking with fire around lunchtime when buildings fell.」を表す読解フレーズ。火災被害の原因の文脈で頻出。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「Many families were cooking with fire around lunchtime when buildings fell.」

正解

What Happened "Because it happened around lunchtime, many families were cooking with fire. When the buildings shook and fell, these fires spread quickly" より、火災原因 = 昼食時で火を使い調理中、建物倒壊で火が広がった。Because + 文 が原因、過去進行形 were cooking が同時進行を示す。

  • 「People set fires on purpose in order to stay warm.」

    = 暖を取るため放火 ━ 9月で暖房不要 + 故意の火ではない、創作。

  • 「A large factory exploded during the earthquake and set the city on fire.」

    = 工場が爆発 ━ 工場爆発の記述無し。

  • 「Lightning struck all of the wooden houses at once.」

    = 雷が木造家屋を直撃 ━ 雷の記述無し ━ 調理の火が原因。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
cook with fire火を使って料理するcooking with fire
around lunchtime昼食時頃around lunchtime
spread quickly急速に広がるfires spread quickly
die from ~〜が原因で死ぬdied from the fires
hard to control制御困難harder to control
❝例文

  • Families were cooking with fire at noon.

    正午に家族は火で調理していた。

  • The fires spread quickly through wooden houses.

    火は木造家屋に急速に広がった。

  • More people died from fires than from shaking.

    揺れより火災で多く亡くなった。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

原因設問の鉄則 ―― "Because it happened around lunchtime, ..." の Because 以降 + 過去進行形 が火災の原因。die from ~ = 「〜が原因で死ぬ」(病気・災害には from)。誤答は『放火』『爆発』『雷』など本文にない別原因で誘導。準2級必須。

問 3

What does the passage say about the human cost?

  • Only a few buildings were slightly damaged.
  • The disaster caused no loss of life.
  • Everyone was able to stay in their homes.
  • More than 100,000 people died and over half of Tokyo was destroyed.
Phrase

over 100,000 died, half of Tokyo destroyed

10万人超死亡、東京の半分破壊

準2級読解歴史記事被害規模
⚡ひとことで

「More than 100,000 people died and over half of Tokyo was destroyed.」を表す読解フレーズ。人的被害の文脈で頻出。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「More than 100,000 people died and over half of Tokyo was destroyed.」

正解

The Human Cost "More than 100,000 people lost their lives, and over half of Tokyo was destroyed" より、被害 = 10万人超死亡 + 東京の半分以上破壊。lose one's life = 「命を落とす」、over half of ~ = 「〜の半分以上」、be destroyed = 「破壊される」(受動態)。

  • 「Only a very few buildings were slightly damaged by it.」

    = 数棟が軽微な損傷のみ ━ 本文 "over half of Tokyo was destroyed" ━ 甚大な被害。

  • 「Everyone was still able to stay in their own homes.」

    = 全員が自宅に留まれた ━ 本文 "Millions ... had no home" と矛盾。

  • 「The disaster caused no loss of life at all anywhere in the city.」

    = 死者ゼロ ━ 10万人超死亡 ━ 正反対。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
lose one's life命を落とすlost their lives
over half of ~〜の半分以上over half of Tokyo
be destroyed破壊されるTokyo was destroyed
have no home家を失うhad no home
millions of ~何百万もの〜millions of people
❝例文

  • More than 100,000 people lost their lives.

    10万人超が命を落とした。

  • Over half of Tokyo was destroyed.

    東京の半分以上が破壊された。

  • Millions of people had no home.

    何百万人もが家を失った。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

被害規模設問の鉄則 ―― 数字 (100,000) + 範囲 (half of Tokyo) の 両方 を含む選択肢が正解。誤答は『軽微』『死者ゼロ』など本文と逆の過小評価で誘導。lose one's life = 「命を落とす」、over half of ~ = 「半分以上」は準2級必須。

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