EigoPro 2級 読解 — The Race to Mars

The Race to Mars For centuries, humans have gazed up at the red planet and wondered whether people might one day walk on its surface. In recent years, that dream has begun to feel less like science fiction. Both national space agencies and private companies are now working hard on plans to send astronauts to Mars, and some hope to do so within the next few decades. Reaching Mars, however, is far harder than reaching the Moon. The Moon is about three days away; Mars, at its closest, is more than six months away by spacecraft. During such a long journey, astronauts would face dangerous levels of radiation, the effects of weightlessness on their bodies, and the difficulty of carrying enough food, water, and air. Once they arrived, they would find a cold world with almost no oxygen and dust storms that can cover the entire planet. Why, then, do so many people want to go? Some scientists argue that exploring Mars could help us answer one of the biggest questions of all: has life ever existed beyond Earth? Others point to the practical benefits, noting that the technology developed for such missions often improves life back home. There are also those who believe that, in the very long term, humans may need a second planet in case of disaster on Earth. Critics, however, question whether the enormous cost is justified. They argue that the same money could be used to solve urgent problems on our own planet, such as poverty and climate change. Supporters reply that exploration and solving problems at home are not opposites, and that the drive to explore has always been part of what makes us human. Whether or not we reach Mars soon, the debate itself reveals a great deal about our hopes and our priorities.

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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 idea of the passage?

  • Humans have already built large cities on the planet Mars.
  • Sending people to Mars is becoming a real goal, though it raises big challenges and debate.
  • No one is interested in sending people to Mars anymore.
  • Travelling to Mars is now as easy as travelling to the Moon.
Phrase

agencies and private companies are now working on plans to send astronauts to Mars

機関も民間企業も火星へ宇宙飛行士を送る計画に取り組む

2級読解宇宙記事主旨
⚡ひとことで

記事の主旨は「火星への有人飛行が現実味を帯び、機関や企業が計画中だが、困難・動機・是非が議論されている」。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「Sending people to Mars is becoming a real goal, though it raises big challenges and debate.」

正解

第1段落 "that dream has begun to feel less like science fiction" と "working hard on plans to send astronauts to Mars" が出発点。記事は実現性 → 困難 → 動機 → 賛否、と展開する。feel less like ~ = 「〜らしさが薄れる」、within the next few decades = 「今後数十年以内に」。

  • 「Human beings have already built large cities and working farms on the planet Mars.」

    = 火星に既に都市建設済み ━ 本文 "hope to do so within the next few decades" (まだ未達) と矛盾。

  • 「Travelling to Mars is now just as easy and as safe as travelling to the Moon.」

    = 火星も月と同じく容易 ━ 本文 "far harder than reaching the Moon" と矛盾。

  • 「No one is interested in sending people to Mars any more, so plans have stopped.」

    = もう誰も関心がない ━ 本文 "so many people want to go" と矛盾。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
gaze up at ~〜を見上げるgazed up at the red planet
feel less like ~〜らしさが薄れるless like science fiction
send astronauts to ~〜へ宇宙飛行士を送るsend astronauts to Mars
within the next ~今後〜以内にwithin the next few decades
work on plans計画に取り組むworking on plans
❝例文

  • People dream of walking on Mars.

    人々は火星を歩く夢を見る。

  • Agencies plan to send astronauts there.

    機関は宇宙飛行士を送る計画だ。

  • It raises big challenges and debate.

    それは大きな課題と議論を生む。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

主旨設問の鉄則 ―― 第1段落の「夢が現実味を帯びる」+ 記事全体 (困難/動機/賛否) を包む選択肢が正解。誤答は本文と矛盾する極端 (既に都市 / 月と同等 / 誰も無関心) で誘導。

問 2

Why is reaching Mars so difficult?

  • Astronauts can easily carry unlimited food and water.
  • The journey to Mars takes only about three days.
  • Mars is actually much closer to Earth than the Moon is.
  • The long journey brings radiation, weightlessness, and the problem of carrying supplies.
Phrase

more than six months away, radiation, weightlessness, carrying enough food, water, air

6か月以上、放射線・無重力・食料水空気の確保

2級読解宇宙記事詳細 (なぜ困難)
⚡ひとことで

火星到達が月より困難な理由: 片道6か月超、危険な放射線、無重力の身体への影響、食料・水・空気の確保の難しさ。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「The long journey brings radiation, weightlessness, and the problem of carrying supplies.」

正解

第2段落 "more than six months away ... astronauts would face dangerous levels of radiation, the effects of weightlessness ..., and the difficulty of carrying enough food, water, and air" より、困難 = 長い旅程 + 放射線 + 無重力 + 物資確保。face ~ = 「〜に直面する」、the difficulty of V-ing = 「〜することの難しさ」。

  • 「Mars is in fact much closer to the Earth than the Moon is, so the trip is short.」

    = 火星は月より近い ━ 本文 "Mars ... more than six months away" vs Moon 3 days、逆。

  • 「Astronauts can easily carry unlimited amounts of food, water and air with them.」

    = 食料水を無限に運べる ━ 本文 "difficulty of carrying enough food, water" と矛盾。

  • 「The journey out to Mars takes only about three days in a modern spacecraft.」

    = 火星まで3日 ━ それは月までの日数、火星は6か月超。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
face dangers危険に直面するwould face dangerous levels
levels of radiation放射線量levels of radiation
the effects of ~〜の影響effects of weightlessness
the difficulty of V-ing〜の難しさdifficulty of carrying
dust storms砂嵐dust storms
❝例文

  • Mars is more than six months away.

    火星は6か月以上かかる。

  • Astronauts face radiation and weightlessness.

    宇宙飛行士は放射線と無重力に直面する。

  • Carrying enough supplies is hard.

    十分な物資を運ぶのは難しい。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

困難設問の鉄則 ―― "far harder than ... " 以下の列挙 (distance/radiation/weightlessness/supplies) を拾う。誤答は本文の数値を逆転 (火星が近い / 3日) や否定 (無限に運べる) で誘導。月 (3 days) と火星 (6 months) の対比に注意。

問 3

According to the passage, why do people want to go to Mars?

  • Because living on Mars is more comfortable than on Earth.
  • Because there are no useful technologies left to develop.
  • To search for life beyond Earth, gain useful technology, and prepare a backup planet.
  • Because Mars is already known to be full of life.
Phrase

has life ever existed beyond Earth; technology improves life back home; a second planet

地球外生命・技術の波及・第二の惑星

2級読解宇宙記事詳細 (動機理由)
⚡ひとことで

火星を目指す理由: ①地球外生命の有無という大問題の解明 ②開発技術が地上の生活を改善 ③災害に備えた第二の惑星。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「To search for life beyond Earth, gain useful technology, and prepare a backup planet.」

正解

第3段落 "has life ever existed beyond Earth" / "the technology developed ... often improves life back home" / "humans may need a second planet in case of disaster" より、動機 = 地球外生命の探求 + 技術の波及 + 災害への備え。in case of ~ = 「〜の場合に備えて」、point to ~ = 「〜を指摘する」。

  • 「Because Mars is already known to be full of plants and animals like Earth.」

    = 火星に生命が満ちていると判明済み ━ 本文は "has life ever existed" と問う段階、判明していない。

  • 「Because living on the surface of Mars is far more comfortable than on Earth.」

    = 火星の方が快適 ━ 本文 "a cold world with almost no oxygen" と矛盾。

  • 「Because there are no useful new technologies left for anyone to develop.」

    = 開発すべき技術がもうない ━ 本文 "technology developed ... improves life" と逆。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
exist beyond Earth地球外に存在するlife ... beyond Earth
point to ~〜を指摘するpoint to the benefits
improve life back home地上の生活を改善するimproves life back home
in case of ~〜に備えてin case of disaster
in the long term長期的にはin the very long term
❝例文

  • Mars may help answer if life exists beyond Earth.

    火星は地球外生命の有無の解明を助けうる。

  • Space technology improves life at home.

    宇宙技術は地上の生活を改善する。

  • Some want a backup planet.

    予備の惑星を望む人もいる。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

動機設問の鉄則 ―― "Why do so many people want to go?" 直後の "Some ... Others ... There are also those who ..." の列挙が答え。誤答は本文を逆転 (生命が満ちている / 快適 / 技術不要) で誘導。

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