EigoPro 2級 読解 — Coral Reefs in Danger

Coral Reefs in Danger Coral reefs are among the most beautiful and colourful places in the ocean. Although they cover less than one percent of the sea floor, they are home to about a quarter of all ocean species. For this reason, they are sometimes called the "rainforests of the sea." Yet these remarkable places are now in serious danger. A coral reef is built by tiny animals called coral polyps, which live together in vast numbers. Inside their bodies live even smaller plant-like organisms, and the two help each other survive: the plant-like organisms make food using sunlight, while the coral gives them a safe place to live. This partnership also gives coral its bright colours. Healthy reefs protect coastlines from storms, provide food for millions of people, and attract tourists whose money supports local communities. The greatest threat to reefs today is warmer seas. When the water becomes too hot, the coral pushes out the tiny organisms living inside it. Without them, the coral loses both its colour and its main source of food, turning a ghostly white. This process, known as "coral bleaching," does not kill the coral immediately, but if the warm conditions continue, the weakened coral often dies. Pollution and careless fishing make the problem worse. Scientists and local communities are fighting back. Some are growing healthy coral in underwater "nurseries" and planting it on damaged reefs. Others are working to create protected areas where fishing is limited. These efforts can help, but experts agree that the most important step is to slow the warming of the seas itself. Saving the reefs, they warn, will require action far beyond the ocean — it depends on the choices that all of us make on land.

5問合格 60%以上普通

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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?

  • Coral reefs cover most of the ocean floor and are growing fast.
  • Coral reefs are vital to ocean life but are in serious danger and need protecting.
  • Coral reefs are home to very few ocean species.
  • Coral reefs are completely safe and face no real threats.
Phrase

the 'rainforests of the sea' ... now in serious danger

海の熱帯雨林、今や深刻な危機

2級読解海洋記事主旨
⚡ひとことで

記事の主旨は「サンゴ礁は海の生物多様性の宝庫(海の熱帯雨林)だが、海水温上昇などで深刻な危機にあり、守るには行動が必要」。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「Coral reefs are vital to ocean life but are in serious danger and need protecting.」

正解

第1段落 "home to about a quarter of all ocean species ... the 'rainforests of the sea' ... now in serious danger" が主旨。記事は重要性 → 脅威 (白化) → 対策と展開。be home to ~ = 「〜の住処である」、cover less than ~ = 「〜未満を占める」。

  • 「Coral reefs cover most of the ocean floor and are still growing quickly every year.」

    = 海底の大半を覆い急成長 ━ 本文 "less than one percent" "in serious danger" と矛盾。

  • 「Coral reefs are home to very few ocean species compared with the open sea.」

    = ごく僅かの海洋種の住処 ━ 本文 "a quarter of all ocean species" と矛盾。

  • 「Coral reefs are completely safe today and face no real threats from warming seas.」

    = 完全に安全で脅威なし ━ 本文 "in serious danger" と矛盾。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
be home to ~〜の住処であるhome to ... species
cover less than ~〜未満を占めるcover less than one percent
the rainforests of the sea海の熱帯雨林the 'rainforests of the sea'
in serious danger深刻な危機にin serious danger
a quarter of ~〜の4分の1a quarter of all ocean species
❝例文

  • Reefs cover under 1% of the sea floor.

    サンゴ礁は海底の1%未満を覆う。

  • They host a quarter of ocean species.

    海洋種の4分の1の住処だ。

  • They are now in serious danger.

    今や深刻な危機にある。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

主旨設問の鉄則 ―― "home to a quarter of species ... rainforests of the sea ... in serious danger" が主旨。誤答は本文の数値・状態と矛盾 (大半を覆う / 僅かな種 / 安全) で誘導。重要性 + 危機を含む選択肢が正解。

問 2

According to the passage, why are healthy coral reefs important?

  • Reefs are useless to humans and local economies.
  • Reefs damage coastlines and increase storm danger.
  • Reefs protect coasts, feed millions, and bring tourist money to local communities.
  • Reefs drive away all tourists from coastal areas.
Phrase

protect coastlines, provide food for millions, attract tourists supporting communities

海岸を守り、数百万人に食料、観光で地域を支える

2級読解海洋記事詳細 (重要性)
⚡ひとことで

健康なサンゴ礁は嵐から海岸を守り、数百万人に食料を供給し、観光客を引きつけてその金が地域社会を支える。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「Reefs protect coasts, feed millions, and bring tourist money to local communities.」

正解

第2段落 "Healthy reefs protect coastlines from storms, provide food for millions of people, and attract tourists whose money supports local communities" より、重要性 = 海岸保護 + 食料供給 + 観光収入で地域支援。protect A from B = 「AをBから守る」、provide ~ for ... = 「…に〜を供給する」。

  • 「Reefs damage nearby coastlines and make the danger from storms far greater.」

    = 海岸を傷つけ嵐の危険を増す ━ 本文 "protect coastlines from storms" と逆。

  • 「Reefs are useless to humans and bring nothing to the economies of coastal towns.」

    = 人間や地域経済に無用 ━ 本文 "food for millions" "supports local communities" と矛盾。

  • 「Reefs drive tourists away from coastal areas and so reduce local income.」

    = 観光客を追い払う ━ 本文 "attract tourists" と逆。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
protect A from BAをBから守るprotect coastlines from storms
provide ~ for ...…に〜を供給するprovide food for millions
attract tourists観光客を引きつけるattract tourists
support communities地域を支えるsupports local communities
a safe place to live安全な住処a safe place to live
❝例文

  • Reefs protect coasts from storms.

    サンゴ礁は嵐から海岸を守る。

  • They provide food for millions.

    数百万人に食料を供給する。

  • Tourists' money supports communities.

    観光客の金が地域を支える。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

重要性設問の鉄則 ―― "Healthy reefs protect ..., provide ..., and attract ..." の3つの働きを拾う。誤答は本文を逆転 (海岸を傷つける / 無用 / 観光客を追い払う) で誘導。

問 3

What is the greatest threat to coral reefs, and what does it cause?

  • Cold water makes coral grow brighter and stronger.
  • Warm seas make coral expel its organisms and bleach white, and it may then die.
  • Pollution and fishing actually help reefs recover faster.
  • Bleaching always kills coral instantly with no chance to recover.
Phrase

warmer seas, coral pushes out the organisms, turns ghostly white

/coral bleaching/

海水温上昇、生物を排出し白化(coral bleaching)

2級読解海洋記事詳細 (脅威白化)
⚡ひとことで

最大の脅威は海水温上昇。水が熱すぎるとサンゴは体内の小生物を排出し、色と主な食料源を失って白化する(coral bleaching)。温暖な状態が続くと弱ったサンゴはしばしば死ぬ。汚染や乱獲も悪化させる。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「Warm seas make coral expel its organisms and bleach white, and it may then die.」

正解

第3段落 "When the water becomes too hot, the coral pushes out the tiny organisms ... loses both its colour and its main source of food, turning a ghostly white. This process, known as 'coral bleaching' ... the weakened coral often dies" より、脅威 = 高水温→小生物を排出→白化→(継続すれば)死。push out ~ = 「〜を押し出す」、make ... worse = 「〜を悪化させる」。

  • 「Colder water makes coral lose its colour and grow far more slowly than usual.」

    = 冷水でより鮮やかに強く成長 ━ 脅威は warmer seas、冷水で強化とは逆。

  • 「Bleaching always kills the coral instantly, leaving it no chance at all to recover.」

    = 白化は即座に必ず殺す ━ 本文 "does not kill the coral immediately" と矛盾。

  • 「Pollution and overfishing actually help damaged reefs to recover far faster.」

    = 汚染と漁が回復を助ける ━ 本文 "make the problem worse" と逆。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
warmer seasより暖かい海warmer seas
push out ~〜を押し出すpushes out the tiny organisms
coral bleachingサンゴの白化coral bleaching
turn ~ white白くなるturning a ghostly white
make the problem worse問題を悪化させるmake the problem worse
❝例文

  • Hot water causes coral bleaching.

    高水温はサンゴの白化を起こす。

  • The coral turns ghostly white.

    サンゴは不気味に白くなる。

  • If heat continues, the coral dies.

    暑さが続くとサンゴは死ぬ。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

脅威設問の鉄則 ―― "The greatest threat ... is warmer seas" 以下の因果 (hot → push out → bleach → die) を追う。誤答は本文の逆 (冷水で強化 / 即死 / 汚染が回復を助ける) で誘導。

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