EigoPro 準2級プラス 読解 — When a Language Dies

When a Language Dies There are around 7,000 languages spoken in the world today. Yet experts warn that nearly half of them may disappear by the end of this century. Every two weeks, somewhere on Earth, the last person who speaks a particular language passes away — and with them, that language is gone forever. Why It Matters Some people ask why this is a problem. After all, would it not be easier if everyone spoke the same few languages? Experts disagree strongly. Each language, they explain, is a unique way of seeing the world. Many contain knowledge found nowhere else — for example, the names of local plants used as medicine, or detailed descriptions of weather patterns passed down over centuries. When a language dies, all of this knowledge can vanish with it. How Languages Disappear Languages rarely die suddenly. More often, young people grow up speaking a larger, more powerful language — the one used in schools, on television, and in good jobs. Slowly, the smaller language is spoken only by older people, until one day no children learn it at all. Fighting Back The good news is that many communities are working hard to save their languages. Some record their elders telling traditional stories, creating libraries of sound for future generations. Others build smartphone apps or hold weekend classes where children can learn the language of their grandparents. In a few remarkable cases, languages that were almost gone have come back to life. A Shared Treasure In the end, a language belongs not only to those who speak it, but to all of humanity. As one researcher put it, "Losing a language is like burning a library that can never be rebuilt." Protecting these languages, she argues, is everyone's responsibility.

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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級プラス · 読解 · 全5問

問 1

What warning do experts give about the world's languages?

  • The number of languages is quickly increasing.
  • Nearly half of them may disappear by the end of this century.
  • Everyone will soon speak exactly 7,000 languages.
  • All languages will become much easier to learn.
Phrase

nearly half may disappear

ほぼ半数が消滅しうる

準2級プラス読解文化社会記事専門家の警告
⚡ひとことで

「Nearly half of them may disappear by the end of this century.」を表す読解フレーズ。言語消滅の警告の文脈で頻出。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「Nearly half of them may disappear by the end of this century.」

正解

本文 "experts warn that nearly half of them may disappear by the end of this century" より、警告 = 今世紀末までにほぼ半数が消滅しうる。nearly half = 「ほぼ半数」、may disappear = 「消えるかもしれない」、by the end of ~ = 「〜の終わりまでに」。

  • 「All languages will soon become much easier to learn.」

    = 全言語が習得容易に ━ 習得難易度の記述無し。

  • 「The number of world languages is quickly increasing.」

    = 言語数が急増中 ━ 消滅 ━ 増加とは逆。

  • 「Everyone will soon be able to speak 7,000 languages.」

    = 全員が7000語を話す ━ 7000は 現存する言語数 ━ 個人が話す数ではない。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
nearly halfほぼ半数nearly half of them
may disappear消滅しうるmay disappear
by the end of ~〜の終わりまでにby the end of this century
pass away亡くなるthe last speaker passes away
gone forever永遠に失われるthat language is gone forever
❝例文

  • Nearly half of all languages may disappear.

    全言語のほぼ半数が消えうる。

  • Every two weeks, a language is lost.

    2週間ごとに1言語が失われる。

  • There are around 7,000 languages today.

    現在約7000の言語がある。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

警告設問の鉄則 ―― "experts warn that ..." の that 節が警告の核。nearly half = 「ほぼ半数」、by the end of ~ は準2級プラス必須。誤答は『7000語を個人が話す』など数字の意味を取り違えさせて誘導。

問 2

According to experts, why does losing a language matter?

  • It makes travel more expensive for everyone.
  • It would be easier if everyone spoke the same language.
  • Languages have no real value to humanity.
  • Each language holds unique knowledge that can vanish with it.
Phrase

each language holds unique knowledge

各言語が独自の知識を持つ

準2級プラス読解文化社会記事消滅が問題な理由
⚡ひとことで

「Each language holds unique knowledge that can vanish with it.」を表す読解フレーズ。言語の価値の文脈で頻出。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「Each language holds unique knowledge that can vanish with it.」

正解

Why It Matters "Each language ... is a unique way of seeing the world. Many contain knowledge found nowhere else ... When a language dies, all of this knowledge can vanish with it" より、理由 = 各言語が他にない独自の知識を持ち、それが共に消える。found nowhere else = 「他のどこにもない」、vanish with ~ = 「〜と共に消える」。

  • 「It makes travel more expensive for everyone.」

    = 旅費が高くなる ━ 旅費の記述無し。

  • 「It would be easier if everyone spoke the same language.」

    = 全員同一言語が楽 ━ 本文 "Experts disagree strongly" ━ 反論される考え。

  • 「Languages have no real value to humanity.」

    = 言語に価値はない ━ "belongs to all of humanity" ━ 価値あり。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
a unique way of seeing ~〜を見る独自の方法a unique way of seeing the world
found nowhere else他のどこにもないknowledge found nowhere else
vanish with ~〜と共に消えるvanish with it
passed down over centuries何世紀も受け継がれたpassed down over centuries
disagree strongly強く反対するExperts disagree strongly
❝例文

  • Each language holds unique knowledge.

    各言語が独自の知識を持つ。

  • This knowledge can vanish with the language.

    その知識は言語と共に消えうる。

  • Some knowledge is found nowhere else.

    他のどこにもない知識もある。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

理由設問の鉄則 ―― 反語 "would it not be easier ...? Experts disagree strongly" の後が本当の論点。found nowhere else = 「他にない」、vanish with ~ = 「〜と共に消える」は準2級プラス必須。誤答は『同一言語が楽』など本文が反論する考えで誘導。

問 3

How do languages usually disappear?

  • They die out in a single day with no warning.
  • Young people grow up speaking a larger, more powerful language instead.
  • They are suddenly banned by governments.
  • They are replaced by computer languages.
Phrase

young people speak a larger language

若者がより大きな言語を話す

準2級プラス読解文化社会記事消滅の仕組み
⚡ひとことで

「Young people grow up speaking a larger, more powerful language instead.」を表す読解フレーズ。言語が消える過程の文脈で頻出。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「Young people grow up speaking a larger, more powerful language instead.」

正解

How Languages Disappear "young people grow up speaking a larger, more powerful language — the one used in schools, on television, and in good jobs. Slowly, the smaller language is spoken only by older people" より、過程 = 若者がより大きく有力な言語を話して育つ。grow up + 動名詞 = 「〜しながら育つ」、instead = 「代わりに」。

  • 「They are all suddenly banned by their own national governments.」

    = 政府が突然禁止 ━ "rarely die suddenly" ━ 急死ではない。

  • 「They all die out in a single day, with no warning of any kind.」

    = 1日で消える ━ "Slowly" ━ 徐々に。

  • 「They are gradually replaced by the languages used by computers.」

    = プログラミング言語に置換 ━ コンピュータ言語の記述無し。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
grow up + 動名詞〜しながら育つgrow up speaking a larger language
more powerfulより有力なa more powerful language
rarely die suddenly急に消えることは稀rarely die suddenly
only by older people年配者だけにspoken only by older people
until one day ~ついにある日〜until one day no children learn it
❝例文

  • Young people grow up speaking a bigger language.

    若者はより大きな言語を話して育つ。

  • Languages rarely die suddenly.

    言語が急に消えることは稀。

  • Slowly, only older people speak it.

    徐々に年配者だけが話すようになる。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

過程設問の鉄則 ―― "Languages rarely die suddenly. More often, ..." の後が典型的な過程。grow up + 動名詞 = 「〜しながら育つ」は準2級プラス必須。誤答は『突然禁止』『1日で消える』など本文の『徐々に』と逆で誘導。

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