EigoPro 2級 読解 — Why Bees Matter

Why Bees Matter When most people think of bees, they imagine a painful sting or a jar of sweet honey. Yet these small insects do something far more important than making honey: they pollinate the plants that produce much of the food we eat. As a bee moves from flower to flower in search of nectar, it carries tiny grains of pollen on its body. This process allows plants to produce fruits, vegetables, and seeds. Scientists estimate that about one out of every three bites of food we take depends, directly or indirectly, on pollinators like bees. In recent years, however, bee populations have fallen sharply in many parts of the world. Researchers point to a combination of causes. The widespread use of certain chemicals on farms can harm or confuse bees. The loss of wild flowers, as land is cleared for buildings and roads, leaves them with less food. On top of this, a changing climate and the spread of disease have put further pressure on these already weakened insects. The decline of bees is not only a problem for nature lovers. If pollinators continue to disappear, the price of many everyday foods could rise, and some crops might become difficult to grow at all. Farmers in certain regions have already been forced to pollinate their plants by hand, a slow and expensive task that machines and humans perform far less efficiently than bees. The good news is that ordinary people can help. Planting flowers that bees like, avoiding harmful chemicals in the garden, and supporting farms that protect natural habitats all make a difference. Scientists are also working to understand bee diseases and to develop safer farming methods. Protecting bees, the experts remind us, ultimately means protecting ourselves.

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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

2級 · 読解 · 全5問

問 1

What is the main point of the passage?

  • Bees are vital because they pollinate many of the plants that we rely on for food.
  • Bees are dangerous insects that people should try to remove.
  • Bees are only a concern for people who love nature.
  • Bees are mainly important because they produce delicious honey.
Phrase

they pollinate the plants that produce much of the food we eat

食料の多くを生む植物を受粉させる

2級読解科学記事主旨
⚡ひとことで

記事の主旨は「ミツバチは蜂蜜より受粉という形で食料生産に不可欠で、その減少が問題」。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「Bees are vital because they pollinate many of the plants that we rely on for food.」

正解

第1段落 "they pollinate the plants that produce much of the food we eat" と "about one out of every three bites of food ... depends ... on pollinators like bees" が主旨。pollinate = 「受粉させる」、depend on ~ = 「〜に依存する」。記事は蜂蜜より受粉の重要性とミツバチ減少を論じる。

  • 「Bees are mainly important because they produce the honey that we buy in shops.」

    = 蜂蜜生産が主な重要性 ━ 本文 "far more important than making honey" と矛盾、受粉が核心。

  • 「Bees are dangerous insects that people should try to remove from farmland.」

    = 除去すべき危険な虫 ━ 本文の論調 (保護すべき) と逆。

  • 「Bees are only a concern for people who love nature, not for our food supply.」

    = 自然愛好家だけの関心事 ━ 本文 "not only a problem for nature lovers" と矛盾。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
pollinate + 植物〜を受粉させるpollinate the plants
depend on ~〜に依存するdepends on pollinators
in search of ~〜を求めてin search of nectar
one out of every three3つに1つone out of every three bites
far more important than ~〜よりずっと重要more important than honey
❝例文

  • Bees pollinate many food plants.

    ミツバチは多くの食用植物を受粉させる。

  • Much of our food depends on them.

    私たちの食料の多くは彼らに依存する。

  • This is more important than honey.

    これは蜂蜜より重要だ。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

主旨設問の鉄則 ―― 第1段落の "do something far more important than X: Y" の Y が主旨。誤答は本文が否定する点 (honey / dangerous / only nature lovers) を主旨にすり替える。本文 (pollinate, food) の言い換え (vital, rely on) が正解。

問 2

How does a bee help plants produce food?

  • It digs in the soil to help plant roots get water.
  • It carries pollen between flowers, which lets plants produce fruits and seeds.
  • It eats harmful insects that attack the farmers' crops.
  • It produces a special honey that makes seeds grow.
Phrase

carries tiny grains of pollen ... allows plants to produce fruits

花粉を運び植物が実を作れる

2級読解科学記事詳細 (役割の仕組み)
⚡ひとことで

ミツバチが花から花へ移る際に花粉を体につけて運び、植物が果実・野菜・種子を作れるようにする。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「It carries pollen between flowers, which lets plants produce fruits and seeds.」

正解

第1段落 "As a bee moves from flower to flower ... it carries tiny grains of pollen on its body. This process allows plants to produce fruits, vegetables, and seeds" より、仕組み = 花から花へ花粉を運び、植物が実・種子を作れるようにする。allow + 物 + to V = 「〜が…できるようにする」、move from A to A = 「次々と移る」。

  • 「It eats the harmful insects that attack the crops growing in the fields.」

    = 作物を襲う害虫を食べる ━ 捕食の記述なし、運ぶのは花粉。

  • 「It produces a special kind of honey that makes the seeds of plants grow.」

    = 種を育てる特別な蜂蜜を作る ━ 蜂蜜が種を育てる記述なし、受粉が作用。

  • 「It digs in the soil around the plant so that the roots can take in water.」

    = 土を掘り根に水を与える ━ 土掘りの記述なし、創作。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
move from flower to flower花から花へ移るmoves from flower to flower
carry pollen花粉を運ぶcarries grains of pollen
allow + 物 + to V〜が…できるようにするallows plants to produce
grains of pollen花粉の粒tiny grains of pollen
produce fruits and seeds実と種子を作るproduce fruits, vegetables, and seeds
❝例文

  • A bee carries pollen on its body.

    ミツバチは体に花粉を運ぶ。

  • It moves from flower to flower.

    それは花から花へ移る。

  • This lets plants produce fruit.

    これで植物は実を作れる。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

仕組み設問の鉄則 ―― "This process allows X to Y" の因果が答え。allow + O + to V (OがVできるようにする) は重要構文。誤答は本文にない別の役割 (害虫駆除/土掘り) で誘導。本文の動作 (carries pollen) を正確に追う。

問 3

According to the passage, why have bee populations fallen?

  • People have planted too many wild flowers for them.
  • Bees are being caught and sold by honey companies.
  • There are simply too many bees competing for food.
  • A mix of farm chemicals, fewer wild flowers, climate change, and disease.
Phrase

chemicals on farms, loss of wild flowers, climate and disease

農薬・野花の喪失・気候と病気

2級読解科学記事詳細 (減少の原因)
⚡ひとことで

第2段落はミツバチ減少の複合原因を列挙: 農薬、野花の喪失(開発)、気候変動、病気の蔓延。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「A mix of farm chemicals, fewer wild flowers, climate change, and disease.」

正解

第2段落 "a combination of causes" として "certain chemicals on farms" "The loss of wild flowers, as land is cleared" "a changing climate and the spread of disease" を挙げる。減少は 農薬 + 野花喪失 + 気候変動 + 病気 の複合。a combination of ~ = 「〜の組合せ」、clear land = 「土地を切り開く」。

  • 「Bees are being caught and sold in large numbers by honey companies.」

    = 蜂蜜会社が捕獲販売 ━ 捕獲販売の記述なし、創作。

  • 「There are simply too many bees now, and they compete with each other for food.」

    = ミツバチ過多で食料競争 ━ 本文は populations have fallen (減少)、過多とは逆。

  • 「People have planted too many wild flowers, which confuses the bees.」

    = 野花を植えすぎ ━ 本文 "loss of wild flowers" と逆。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
a combination of causes複合的原因a combination of causes
the loss of ~〜の喪失the loss of wild flowers
clear land for ~〜のため土地を開くland is cleared for buildings
the spread of disease病気の蔓延the spread of disease
put pressure on ~〜に圧力をかけるput further pressure on
❝例文

  • Farm chemicals can harm bees.

    農薬はミツバチを害しうる。

  • The loss of wild flowers means less food.

    野花の喪失は食料減を意味する。

  • Climate change and disease also hurt them.

    気候変動と病気も彼らを傷つける。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

原因設問の鉄則 ―― "a combination of causes" 直後の列挙を全て拾う。正解は複数原因を「a mix of」でまとめた選択肢。誤答は本文と逆 (野花を植えすぎ / 過多) や本文にない原因 (捕獲販売) で誘導。

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