EigoPro 準1級 読解 — The Fight to Fix Your Own Things

A generation ago, a broken radio went to the repair shop; today it goes to landfill. The shift is no accident. Many modern devices are engineered to thwart repair: components are glued rather than screwed, diagnostic software is locked behind proprietary tools, and spare parts are withheld from independent technicians. Manufacturers defend these practices as guarantees of safety and quality, yet the effect—and, critics allege, the intent—is to funnel customers towards buying anew rather than mending what they own. The "right to repair" movement contends that ownership should mean what it once did: the freedom to open, understand and fix one's own possessions. Its supporters point to mounting electronic waste, much of it toxic and barely recycled, and to households squeezed by the cost of replacing rather than repairing. A tractor that a farmer cannot legally service, or a phone that dies the week its warranty expires, is presented as evidence that the balance of power has tilted too far towards the seller. Several governments, persuaded, have begun to mandate the supply of parts and manuals. Industry warns that forcing openness will compromise security and stifle the very innovation that produces better products. There is a kernel of truth here; not every repair is safe, and design does require investment. But the deeper objection is that a culture of disposability has been quietly normalised, presented to us as convenience while its costs are externalised onto the planet and the poor. To insist on the right to repair is, in the end, less a technical demand than a challenge to the assumption that everything we buy is destined, by design, to be thrown away.

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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

準1級 · 読解 · 全5

1

What is the main idea of the passage?

  • The right-to-repair movement challenges a normalised culture of disposability built into how products are designed and sold.
  • Governments have no legitimate role in regulating how products are designed.
  • Modern electronic devices are simply too complex for anyone to repair safely.
  • Repairing old devices is always cheaper than buying replacements.
Phrase

a challenge to the assumption that everything we buy is destined, by design, to be thrown away

準1級読解経済技術主旨把握
ひとことで

本文の論旨は『修理する権利運動は、設計に組み込まれた“使い捨て文化”への異議だ』。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

The right-to-repair movement challenges a normalised culture of disposability built into how products are designed and sold.

正解

最終段で著者は a culture of disposability has been quietly normalised と述べ、To insist on the right to repair is ... a challenge to the assumption that everything we buy is destined, by design, to be thrown away と締める。第1-2段の修理妨害と運動の主張もこれに収束する。よって『設計に組み込まれた使い捨て文化への異議』が主旨。

  • Modern electronic devices are simply far too complex for anyone at all to repair safely at home these days.

    = 複雑すぎて誰も安全に修理できない ━ 本文は意図的に修理を妨げると述べ、複雑さ自体が原因とはしない。

  • governments have no legitimate role

    = 政府に正当な役割はない ━ several governments ... mandate と肯定的に紹介しており逆。

  • Repairing old devices is always cheaper than buying replacements.

    = 修理は常に買換えより安い ━ always は言い過ぎで、本文は費用負担に触れるだけ。

Collocation
パターン意味
by design意図的に・設計上destined by design to be thrown away
a culture of disposability使い捨て文化a culture of disposability
be normalised常態化されるIt has been quietly normalised.
be destined to ~~する運命にあるdestined to be thrown away
thwart repair修理を妨げるengineered to thwart repair
例文
  • Disposability has been quietly normalised.

    使い捨ては静かに常態化してきた。

  • The movement challenges a deep assumption.

    その運動は根深い前提に異議を唱える。

  • Goods are destined by design to be discarded.

    製品は設計上捨てられる運命にある。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

主旨設問は最終段の総括文 (is ... a challenge to ~) を取る。技術的細部 (glued parts) は根拠であって主旨ではない。always など極端な限定語の肢は外れやすい。

2

According to the passage, how are many modern devices designed to "thwart repair"?

  • Parts are glued, software is locked, and spare parts are withheld from independent technicians.
  • They are sold without any warranty so repairs are never covered.
  • They are built so simply that repair shops are no longer necessary.
  • They automatically order their own replacement parts when they fail.
Phrase

components are glued rather than screwed, diagnostic software is locked ... parts are withheld

準1級読解経済技術詳細把握
ひとことで

修理妨害=部品を接着、診断ソフトを施錠、独立業者へ部品を出し渋る、の3手口。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

Parts are glued, software is locked, and spare parts are withheld from independent technicians.

正解

第1段で著者は具体策を列挙する: components are glued rather than screwed, diagnostic software is locked behind proprietary tools, and spare parts are withheld from independent technicians。よって『接着・施錠・部品出し渋り』が正解。

  • They are built so simply that repair shops are no longer necessary.

    = 単純すぎて修理店が不要 ━ むしろ修理を困難にする設計なので逆。

  • automatically order their own replacement parts

    = 自動で交換部品を注文する ━ 本文に無い創作。

  • sold without any warranty

    = 保証なしで売られる ━ 本文は warranty expires に触れ、保証が存在することを前提。

Collocation
パターン意味
glued rather than screwedねじ留めでなく接着components glued rather than screwed
locked behind ~~で施錠されてlocked behind proprietary tools
withhold A from BAをBに与えないparts withheld from technicians
proprietary tools独自仕様の工具proprietary diagnostic tools
funnel A towards BAをBへ誘導するfunnel customers towards buying anew
例文
  • The case is glued rather than screwed shut.

    筐体はねじでなく接着で閉じられている。

  • The software is locked behind proprietary tools.

    ソフトは独自工具で施錠されている。

  • Parts are withheld from independent shops.

    部品は独立店に与えられない。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

列挙型の詳細設問は本文の3点 (glued / locked / withheld) を別語で言い換えた肢が正解。本文に無い機能 (自動注文) を足した肢は誤り。

3

What evidence do supporters of the movement cite?

  • Data showing that manufacturers earn no profit from repairs.
  • Surveys showing that consumers prefer disposable products.
  • Mounting toxic e-waste and the burden on households of replacing rather than repairing goods.
  • Proof that repaired devices always outlast brand-new ones.
Phrase

mounting electronic waste, much of it toxic and barely recycled

準1級読解経済技術詳細把握
ひとことで

支持派の根拠=増える有毒な電子廃棄物と、買換えで家計が圧迫される負担。

選択肢の解説Choice Analysis

Mounting toxic e-waste and the burden on households of replacing rather than repairing goods.

正解

第2段で支持派は mounting electronic waste, much of it toxic and barely recycled と households squeezed by the cost of replacing rather than repairing を挙げる。よって『有毒な電子廃棄物の増加と、買換えによる家計負担』が根拠。

  • consumers prefer disposable products

    = 消費者は使い捨てを好む ━ 支持派の主張と逆で、本文にそんな調査はない。

  • repaired devices always outlast brand-new ones

    = 修理品は常に新品より長持ち ━ 本文に無い断定。

  • Data showing that the manufacturers earn no real profit at all from carrying out repairs.

    = 製造業者は修理で利益を得ない ━ 本文は触れておらず根拠でない。

Collocation
パターン意味
mounting waste増え続ける廃棄物mounting electronic waste
barely recycledほとんど再生されないtoxic and barely recycled
be squeezed by ~~に圧迫されるhouseholds squeezed by cost
the balance of power力の均衡the balance of power has tilted
tilt towards ~~に傾くtilted too far towards the seller
例文
  • Mounting e

    waste is toxic and barely recycled. — 増える電子廃棄物は有毒でほとんど再生されない。

  • Households are squeezed by replacement costs.

    家計は買換え費用に圧迫される。

  • The balance has tilted towards the seller.

    均衡は売り手側に傾いた。

💡Tip · 覚えるコツ

支持派の『根拠』設問は第2段の point to ~ 以下を拾う。本文に無い調査結果や利益構造を持ち出す肢は、もっともらしくても誤り。

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