EigoPro 2級 読解 — The Force of Volcanoes

The Force of Volcanoes A volcano is one of the most powerful and frightening forces in nature. When one erupts, it can throw hot rock, ash, and gas high into the sky, and rivers of melted rock may pour down its sides. For thousands of years, people living near volcanoes have both feared them and depended on them, for these mountains are as generous as they are dangerous. Deep inside the Earth, the rock is so hot that some of it has melted into a thick liquid. When this liquid, together with trapped gas, finds a weak point in the Earth's surface, it forces its way up and bursts out as an eruption. Some volcanoes pour out rivers of melted rock slowly and quietly, while others explode with terrible violence, sending clouds of ash many kilometres into the air. The type of eruption depends largely on how thick the melted rock is and how much gas is trapped inside it. It may seem strange that anyone would choose to live near such a danger. The reason is that volcanoes also bring great gifts. Over long periods, the material they throw out breaks down into some of the richest, most fertile soil on Earth, perfect for growing crops. Volcanoes also create new land, and the heat beneath them can be used to produce clean energy. For millions of farmers, the benefits are simply worth the risk. Today, scientists watch dangerous volcanoes closely, measuring tiny earthquakes and changes in the ground that may come before an eruption. They cannot say exactly when a volcano will erupt, but these warnings can give people enough time to escape. As with so many of nature's great forces, we cannot control volcanoes, but by understanding them we can learn to live alongside them more safely.

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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?

  • No one has ever lived near a volcano.
  • Volcanoes are purely dangerous and bring no benefits at all.
  • Volcanoes are dangerous but also bring great benefits, so we must learn to live with them.
  • Volcanoes are completely harmless and never frightening.
Phrase

these mountains are as generous as they are dangerous

これらの山は危険であると同時に恵み深い

2級読解地球科学主旨
⚡ひとことで

記事の主旨は「火山は恐ろしく危険だが、同時に肥沃な土や新しい土地・エネルギーをもたらす恵み深い存在で、理解して共存すべき」。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「Volcanoes are dangerous but also bring great benefits, so we must learn to live with them.」

正解

第1段落 "these mountains are as generous as they are dangerous" が主旨。記事は仕組み → 危険と恵み → 備えと展開。erupt = 「噴火する」、as A as B = 「BであるのとちょうどAだ」、depend on ~ = 「〜に依存する」。

  • 「Volcanoes are purely dangerous and bring no benefits at all to the people nearby.」

    = 純粋に危険で恵みは皆無 ━ 本文 "as generous as they are dangerous" と矛盾。

  • 「Volcanoes are completely harmless and have never frightened anyone.」

    = 完全に無害で怖くない ━ 本文 "most ... frightening forces" と矛盾。

  • 「No one anywhere has ever chosen to live near an active volcano.」

    = 火山の近くに住んだ人はいない ━ 本文 "people living near volcanoes" と矛盾。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
erupt噴火するWhen one erupts
as A as BBなのとちょうどAas generous as they are dangerous
depend on ~〜に依存するdepended on them
pour down ~〜を流れ落ちるpour down its sides
a force in nature自然の力forces in nature
❝例文

  • A volcano is a powerful force.

    火山は強力な力だ。

  • They are dangerous but generous.

    それらは危険だが恵み深い。

  • People both fear and depend on them.

    人々は恐れつつ頼る。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

主旨設問の鉄則 ―― "as generous as they are dangerous" の両面性が主旨。誤答は片面 (危険だけ / 無害) や本文と矛盾 (誰も住まない) で誘導。危険 + 恵み + 共存を含む選択肢が正解。

問 2

How does a volcanic eruption happen?

  • Melted rock and gas burst through a weak point; the eruption type depends on thickness and gas.
  • Eruptions have nothing to do with gas or thickness.
  • All volcanoes erupt in exactly the same gentle way.
  • The rock inside the Earth is always cold and solid.
Phrase

melted rock and trapped gas find a weak point and burst out; type depends on thickness and gas

溶岩と閉じ込められたガスが弱点から噴出、噴火型は粘度とガス量による

2級読解地球科学詳細 (仕組み)
⚡ひとことで

地球深部は岩が溶けて濃い液体になる。この液体が閉じ込められたガスとともに地表の弱点を見つけると、押し上がって噴火として噴き出す。ゆっくり静かに溶岩を流す火山もあれば、激しく爆発し灰を数km上空へ送るものも。噴火型は主に溶岩の粘度とガス量による。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「Melted rock and gas burst through a weak point; the eruption type depends on thickness and gas.」

正解

第2段落 "this liquid, together with trapped gas, finds a weak point in the Earth's surface, it forces its way up and bursts out ... The type of eruption depends largely on how thick the melted rock is and how much gas is trapped" より、仕組み = 溶岩+ガスが弱点から噴出、噴火型は粘度とガス量次第。force its way up = 「押し上がる」、depend on ~ = 「〜次第」。

  • 「The rock deep inside the Earth is always completely cold and solid.」

    = 地球内部の岩は常に冷たく固い ━ 本文 "so hot that some ... has melted" と矛盾。

  • 「All volcanoes erupt in exactly the same slow and gentle way each time.」

    = 全火山が同じ穏やかな噴火 ━ 本文 "others explode with terrible violence" と矛盾。

  • 「Eruptions have nothing to do with the gas or with the thickness of the melted rock.」

    = 噴火はガスや粘度と無関係 ━ 本文 "depends largely on ... gas" と矛盾。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
melt into ~溶けて〜になるmelted into a thick liquid
a weak point弱点a weak point in the surface
force its way up押し上がるforces its way up
burst out噴き出すbursts out as an eruption
depend largely on ~主に〜次第depends largely on
❝例文

  • Hot rock melts into a thick liquid.

    熱い岩は濃い液体に溶ける。

  • It bursts out through a weak point.

    それは弱点から噴き出す。

  • The eruption type depends on the gas.

    噴火型はガス次第だ。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

仕組み設問の鉄則 ―― "When this liquid ... finds a weak point ... bursts out ... depends largely on ..." を追う。誤答は本文を逆転 (冷たく固い / 全て同じ / ガス無関係) で誘導。

問 3

Why do people choose to live near volcanoes?

  • The heat from volcanoes cannot be used for anything.
  • Volcanoes only destroy soil and make farming impossible.
  • Volcanoes create rich, fertile soil and new land, and their heat can give clean energy.
  • Farmers always avoid living anywhere near volcanoes.
Phrase

material breaks down into rich, fertile soil; create new land; produce clean energy

噴出物が肥沃な土になり、新しい土地を作り、クリーンエネルギーを生む

2級読解地球科学詳細 (危険と恵み)
⚡ひとことで

なぜ危険の近くに住むのか。火山が大きな恵みももたらすから。長い年月で噴出物は地球で最も豊かで肥沃な土に変わり作物栽培に最適。火山は新しい土地を作り、その下の熱はクリーンエネルギーに使える。何百万の農家にとって恵みは危険に見合う。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

「Volcanoes create rich, fertile soil and new land, and their heat can give clean energy.」

正解

第3段落 "volcanoes also bring great gifts ... breaks down into some of the richest, most fertile soil ... create new land, and the heat beneath them can be used to produce clean energy ... the benefits are simply worth the risk" より、恵み = 肥沃な土 + 新しい土地 + クリーンエネルギー。break down into ~ = 「分解して〜になる」、worth the risk = 「危険に見合う」。

  • 「Volcanoes only destroy the soil and make farming impossible nearby.」

    = 土を破壊し農業を不可能にするだけ ━ 本文 "richest, most fertile soil" と矛盾。

  • 「The heat that comes from volcanoes cannot be used for anything at all.」

    = 火山の熱は何にも使えない ━ 本文 "produce clean energy" と矛盾。

  • 「Farmers everywhere always avoid living anywhere near an active volcano at all.」

    = 農家は常に火山近くを避ける ━ 本文 "millions of farmers ... worth the risk" と矛盾。

▦Collocation
パターン意味例
bring gifts恵みをもたらすbring great gifts
break down into ~分解して〜になるbreaks down into ... soil
fertile soil肥沃な土most fertile soil
produce clean energyクリーンエネルギーを生むproduce clean energy
worth the risk危険に見合うworth the risk
❝例文

  • Volcanic material becomes fertile soil.

    火山の噴出物は肥沃な土になる。

  • Volcanoes create new land.

    火山は新しい土地を作る。

  • Their heat can produce clean energy.

    その熱はクリーンエネルギーを生む。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

恵み設問の鉄則 ―― "volcanoes also bring great gifts" 以下 (soil/land/energy) を拾う。誤答は本文を逆転 (土を破壊 / 熱は使えない / 農家は避ける) で誘導。

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