EigoPro 2級 読解 — The Joy of Reading

The Joy of Reading In an age of short videos and endless social media, some people worry that reading books is becoming a thing of the past. Yet research suggests that few activities are as good for us as losing ourselves in a good book. Reading is not only enjoyable; it quietly shapes our minds in ways that other forms of entertainment cannot. When we read fiction, we step inside the lives of people very different from ourselves. We share their hopes, feel their fears, and see the world through their eyes. Studies suggest that this experience can actually make readers more understanding of others in real life. By imagining how a character feels, we may become better at imagining how the people around us feel too. In this sense, a novel is not an escape from the world but a way of understanding it more deeply. Reading also strengthens the mind in more measurable ways. It builds vocabulary, improves concentration, and exercises the memory and imagination far more than watching a screen. Unlike a film, which shows us everything, a book asks us to picture each scene ourselves, keeping the brain active. Some research even suggests that people who read regularly may stay mentally sharp longer as they age. None of this means we must read difficult classics to benefit. Experts agree that the best book is simply the one you enjoy enough to finish. Reading for pleasure — whether comics, mysteries, or true stories — builds the habit that brings all the rewards. In a busy, noisy world, perhaps the simplest advice is also the wisest: find a book you love, and make a little time to read it.

5問合格 60%以上普通

新規登録 または ログイン が必要です

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?

  • Only difficult classic novels can ever benefit a reader.
  • Watching short videos is far better for the mind than reading.
  • Reading books is now completely useless in the modern age.
  • Reading books deeply benefits the mind in ways other entertainment cannot.
Phrase

few activities are as good for us as losing ourselves in a good book

良書に没頭するほど良い活動は少ない

2級読解教育記事主旨
⚡ひとことで

記事の主旨は「動画やSNSの時代でも、読書は他の娯楽にない形で心を育てる、とても良い活動」。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「Reading books deeply benefits the mind in ways other entertainment cannot.」

正解

第1段落 "few activities are as good for us as losing ourselves in a good book ... it quietly shapes our minds in ways that other forms of entertainment cannot" が主旨。記事は共感力・脳への効果・楽しんで読む助言と展開。lose oneself in ~ = 「〜に没頭する」、shape ~ = 「〜を形作る」。

  • 「Reading books is now completely useless in the modern age.」

    = 現代では全く無用 ━ 本文 "few activities are as good for us" と矛盾。

  • 「Watching short videos is far better for the mind than reading.」

    = 動画の方が心に良い ━ 本文 "in ways that other forms of entertainment cannot" と矛盾。

  • 「Only difficult classic novels can ever benefit a reader.」

    = 難しい古典だけが有益 ━ 本文 "the best book is simply the one you enjoy" と矛盾。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
lose oneself in ~〜に没頭するlosing ourselves in a good book
as ... as ~〜と同じくらい…as good for us as
shape the mind心を形作るshapes our minds
a thing of the past過去のものa thing of the past
forms of entertainment娯楽の形other forms of entertainment
❝例文

  • Reading is very good for us.

    読書は私たちにとても良い。

  • It shapes the mind quietly.

    それは静かに心を形作る。

  • Other entertainment cannot do this.

    他の娯楽はこれができない。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

主旨設問の鉄則 ―― "few activities are as good ... as reading ... shapes our minds in ways others cannot" が主旨。誤答は本文と矛盾 (無用 / 動画が上 / 古典だけ) で誘導。心への深い効果を含む選択肢が正解。

問 2

How can reading fiction affect us, according to the passage?

  • Fiction lets us share others' feelings, which may make us more understanding in real life.
  • Fiction makes readers care less about other people.
  • Reading novels is only a way to escape from reality.
  • Stories show us only people exactly like ourselves.
Phrase

step inside the lives of others ... make readers more understanding of others

他者の人生に入り込み、現実でも他者を理解しやすくなる

2級読解教育記事詳細 (共感への効果)
⚡ひとことで

小説を読むと自分と違う人の人生に入り込み、希望や恐れを共有し彼らの目で世界を見る。この経験が現実でも他者をより理解できるようにする可能性がある。小説は世界からの逃避でなく理解を深める手段。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「Fiction lets us share others' feelings, which may make us more understanding in real life.」

正解

第2段落 "we step inside the lives of people very different from ourselves ... this experience can actually make readers more understanding of others in real life ... a novel is not an escape from the world but a way of understanding it" より、共感への効果 = 他者の感情を共有し、現実でも他者を理解しやすくなる。step inside ~ = 「〜に入り込む」、not A but B = 「AでなくB」。

  • 「Reading fiction makes readers care much less about the feelings of other people.」

    = 他者への関心を減らす ━ 本文 "more understanding of others" と逆。

  • 「Reading novels is nothing more than a way of escaping from reality for a while.」

    = 現実逃避の手段にすぎない ━ 本文 "not an escape ... but a way of understanding" と矛盾。

  • 「Stories only ever show us the sort of people who are already exactly like us.」

    = 自分と全く同じ人だけを描く ━ 本文 "people very different from ourselves" と逆。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
step inside ~〜に入り込むstep inside the lives
see through ~'s eyes〜の目で見るthrough their eyes
understanding of others他者への理解more understanding of others
not A but BAでなくBnot an escape but a way
an escape from ~〜からの逃避an escape from the world
❝例文

  • Fiction lets us share others' feelings.

    小説は他者の感情を共有させる。

  • It can make us more understanding.

    それは私たちをより理解力豊かにしうる。

  • A novel helps us understand the world.

    小説は世界の理解を助ける。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

共感効果設問の鉄則 ―― "step inside the lives ... make readers more understanding ... not an escape but a way of understanding" を拾う。誤答は本文と逆 (関心を減らす / 逃避だけ / 同じ人だけ) で誘導。

問 3

How does reading strengthen the mind?

  • Reading builds vocabulary and concentration and keeps the brain active by imagining scenes.
  • Watching a screen exercises the imagination more than reading.
  • Reading weakens vocabulary and harms concentration.
  • A book shows us everything so the brain can rest.
Phrase

builds vocabulary, improves concentration, a book asks us to picture each scene

語彙を増やし集中力を高め、各場面を自分で思い描かせる

2級読解教育記事詳細 (脳への効果)
⚡ひとことで

読書は語彙を増やし集中力を高め、記憶と想像力を画面視聴よりはるかに鍛える。全てを見せる映画と違い、本は各場面を自分で思い描かせ脳を活発に保つ。定期的に読む人は加齢後も頭脳明晰を保つ可能性も。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「Reading builds vocabulary and concentration and keeps the brain active by imagining scenes.」

正解

第3段落 "It builds vocabulary, improves concentration, and exercises the memory and imagination ... a book asks us to picture each scene ourselves, keeping the brain active" より、脳への効果 = 語彙・集中力を高め、場面を自分で想像し脳を活発に保つ。exercise the memory = 「記憶を鍛える」、keep ... active = 「〜を活発に保つ」。

  • 「Reading weakens a person's vocabulary and harms their powers of concentration.」

    = 語彙を弱め集中力を害す ━ 本文 "builds vocabulary, improves concentration" と逆。

  • 「A book shows us everything we need, so the brain can simply rest while we read.」

    = 本は全てを見せ脳を休ませる ━ 本文 "a book asks us to picture each scene" "keeping the brain active" と矛盾 (それは映画)。

  • 「Watching a screen exercises the imagination far more than reading a book does.」

    = 画面視聴の方が想像力を鍛える ━ 本文 "far more than watching a screen" と逆。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
build vocabulary語彙を増やすbuilds vocabulary
improve concentration集中力を高めるimproves concentration
exercise the memory記憶を鍛えるexercises the memory
picture a scene場面を思い描くpicture each scene
keep ... active〜を活発に保つkeeping the brain active
❝例文

  • Reading builds vocabulary.

    読書は語彙を増やす。

  • A book makes us picture each scene.

    本は各場面を思い描かせる。

  • This keeps the brain active.

    これは脳を活発に保つ。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

脳への効果設問の鉄則 ―― "strengthens the mind ... builds vocabulary, improves concentration" + 映画との対比 (shows everything vs picture ourselves) を拾う。誤答は本文を逆転 (弱める / 脳を休ませる / 画面が上) で誘導。

残り2問は、解いて確かめられます

全5問すべてに、この形式の解説が付いています。 間違えた問題は記録され、あとから復習できます。

無料で登録して続きを解く

インストール不要・カード登録なし・いま全機能無料

この単元の講義を見る2級の単元一覧2級の用語集