EigoPro 準2級 読解 — Volunteering in Cambodia

My Summer Volunteering in Cambodia Last summer, I spent three weeks as a volunteer at a small village school in Cambodia. Before I went, I thought I was going there to help the children. By the end, I realized that they had taught me far more than I taught them. The First Days The village had no air conditioning, and the heat was strong. At first, I missed many things from home: hot showers, fast internet, and my favorite foods. But the children's bright smiles made me forget my complaints. They were curious about everything — my country, my language, even my glasses. My Work My main job was to help teach simple English. I taught songs and games, and the children learned quickly. One boy named Sok had never held a pencil before, but within two weeks he could write his own name proudly. Watching that small moment was more rewarding than anything I had done in years. What Surprised Me What surprised me most was how happy the children were, even though they had so little. They shared their lunches without being asked, and they laughed easily. It made me think about how often, back home, we worry about things that do not really matter. Coming Home When I returned to Japan, my room felt strangely large and quiet. I started to waste less food and to feel grateful for small things, like clean water from the tap. I am already planning to go back next year. To anyone thinking about volunteering abroad, I would say just one thing: do not wait for the "perfect time." It may never come. Just go, and let the experience change you.

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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

準2級 · 読解 · 全5問

問 1

What did the writer realize by the end of the trip?

  • The trip was a complete waste of time.
  • The writer was a better teacher than expected.
  • The children did not want any help.
  • The children had taught the writer far more than the writer taught them.
Phrase

they had taught me far more

彼らが私に遥かに多く教えた

準2級読解体験エッセイ旅の気づき
⚡ひとことで

「The children had taught the writer far more than the writer taught them.」を表す読解フレーズ。旅の学びの文脈で頻出。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「The children had taught the writer far more than the writer taught them.」

正解

本文 "Before I went, I thought I was going there to help the children. By the end, I realized that they had taught me far more than I taught them" より、気づき = 子供達が私に遥かに多くを教えた。far more than ~ = 「〜より遥かに多く」(比較級強調)、realize that ~ = 「〜と気づく」。

  • 「The whole trip had been a complete waste of everyone's time and money.」

    = 旅は完全な時間の無駄 ━ 本文は 学びを絶賛 ━ 無駄ではない。

  • 「The writer had been a much better teacher than expected.」

    = 予想以上に良い教師だった ━ 焦点は 子供から学んだこと。

  • 「The children there did not want any kind of help at all.」

    = 子供は助けを望まなかった ━ 本文 "to help the children" ━ 助けは受けた。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
far more than ~〜より遥かに多くfar more than I taught them
realize that ~〜と気づくI realized that ...
by the end終わりまでにby the end
go there to + 動詞〜しにそこへ行くgoing there to help
teach + 人 + 物(人)に(物)を教えるthey had taught me
❝例文

  • They taught me far more than I taught them.

    彼らは私が教えた以上を教えてくれた。

  • By the end, I realized something important.

    終わりに大切なことに気づいた。

  • I went there to help the children.

    子供を助けにそこへ行った。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

気づき設問の鉄則 ―― "I thought X. By the end, I realized Y" の 当初の予想 X と気づき Y の対比。far more than ~ = 「〜より遥かに多く」(far は比較級強調)。誤答は『無駄』など本文の肯定的トーンと逆で誘導。準2級必須。

問 2

What helped the writer forget the difficulties at first?

  • The familiar food from home.
  • The children's bright smiles.
  • The fast internet at the school.
  • The cool air conditioning.
Phrase

children's bright smiles

子供達の明るい笑顔

準2級読解体験エッセイ困難を忘れさせたもの
⚡ひとことで

「The children's bright smiles.」を表す読解フレーズ。当初の不便を乗り越えた要因の文脈で頻出。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「The children's bright smiles.」

正解

The First Days "At first, I missed many things from home ... But the children's bright smiles made me forget my complaints" より、困難を忘れさせたもの = 子供達の明るい笑顔。miss ~ = 「〜を恋しく思う」、make + 人 + 動詞原形 = 「(人)に〜させる」(使役)。

  • 「The fast internet at the school.」

    = 学校の速いネット ━ 本文 "I missed ... fast internet" ━ ネットはなかった。

  • 「The cool air conditioning.」

    = 涼しい冷房 ━ 本文 "no air conditioning" ━ 冷房なし。

  • 「The familiar food from home.」

    = 故郷の慣れた食事 ━ 本文 "missed ... my favorite foods" ━ なかった。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
miss + 名詞〜を恋しく思うI missed many things
make + 人 + 動詞原形(人)に〜させるmade me forget
bright smiles明るい笑顔bright smiles
be curious about ~〜に好奇心があるcurious about everything
at first最初はat first, I missed
❝例文

  • Their bright smiles made me forget my complaints.

    彼らの笑顔が不満を忘れさせた。

  • At first, I missed many things from home.

    最初は故郷の多くが恋しかった。

  • The children were curious about everything.

    子供達は何にでも好奇心旺盛だった。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

要因設問の鉄則 ―― "At first I missed X ... But Y made me forget" の But 以降の Y が要因。誤答は『恋しがった物 (なかった物)』を要因と誤認させて誘導。make + 人 + 動詞原形 (使役) = 「(人)に〜させる」、miss ~ = 「恋しく思う」は準2級必須。

問 3

What was special about the boy named Sok?

  • He had never held a pencil but learned to write his name in two weeks.
  • He could already speak perfect English.
  • He refused to come to the lessons.
  • He taught the other children songs.
Phrase

never held a pencil, wrote his name in two weeks

鉛筆未経験から2週で名前

準2級読解体験エッセイSokの成長
⚡ひとことで

「He had never held a pencil but learned to write his name in two weeks.」を表す読解フレーズ。少年の成長の文脈で頻出。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「He had never held a pencil but learned to write his name in two weeks.」

正解

My Work "One boy named Sok had never held a pencil before, but within two weeks he could write his own name proudly" より、Sok = 鉛筆未経験から2週間で名前を書けた。had never + 過去分詞 = 「一度も〜したことがなかった」(過去完了)、within ~ = 「〜以内に」。

  • 「He could already speak perfect English before the lessons started.」

    = 既に完璧な英語 ━ 鉛筆未経験 ━ 完璧な英語とは矛盾。

  • 「He taught all of the other children some songs.」

    = 他の子に歌を教えた ━ 教えたのは 筆者 ━ Sokは学ぶ側。

  • 「He refused to come to any of the lessons at all.」

    = 授業出席を拒否 ━ 本文 "learned quickly" ━ 拒否ではない。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
had never + 過去分詞一度も〜したことがないhad never held a pencil
within + 期間(期間)以内にwithin two weeks
learn to + 動詞〜できるようになるlearned to write his name
proudly誇らしげにwrite his name proudly
rewardingやりがいのあるmore rewarding than anything
❝例文

  • He had never held a pencil before.

    彼は鉛筆を持ったことがなかった。

  • Within two weeks, he wrote his own name.

    2週間で自分の名前を書いた。

  • It was very rewarding to watch.

    見ていてとてもやりがいがあった。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

成長エピソード設問の鉄則 ―― "had never X, but within Y he could Z" の 過去完了 (未経験) → 成果 の対比。had never + 過去分詞 (経験の過去完了)、within + 期間 = 「(期間)以内に」は準2級必須。誤答は『教える側』など立場の取り違えで誘導。

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