2020年度 センター英語 第5問 物語文 問題＆解説

2020年5月9日

WRITER

しげT

　

この記事を書いている人 - WRITER -

しげT

予備校英語講師歴20年重田真人です。
大手予備校で中1から高3の基礎クラスから東大クラスまでほとんどのクラスを担当しました。映像授業にも多数出演経験あり。
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資格：英検一級、通訳案内士(英語)、TOEIC950点
趣味：海外旅行、食べ歩き
特技：将棋アマ六段 (全国レーティング選手権優勝 1998)
元技術翻訳者、元富士通

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1. 2020年度 センター英語 第5問 問題

次の文章を読み，下の問い(問1〜5)の( 41 )〜( 45 )に入れるのに最も適当なものを、それぞれ下の①〜④のうちから一つずつ選べ。

 A couple of weeks ago, I was hiking with my dog on a mountain when something unexpected happened and I lost sight of him. I looked and looked but couldn’t find him. He had been with me for so long that it was like I was missing part of my soul.

 Ever since that day, I had a strange feeling. It was beyond sadness – a feeling that I didn’t quite understand, as if something were pulling me to go back to the mountain. So every chance I got, I grabbed my backpack to see if the mountain could offer me some sense of relief.

 One sunny morning, I stood at the foot of the mountain. Something felt different this day. “Please forgive me,” I said out loud. “I’ll find you!” I took a deep breath and began my journey with this mysterious pull growing stronger. After making my way along paths I thought I knew well, I realized I was somehow in an unfamiliar place. I panicked a little, lost my footing, and slipped. From out of nowhere, an elderly man came running towards me and helped me up.

 Looking at his gentle, smiling face, I felt a sense of ease. The old man said he was looking for a way to the top of the mountain, so we decided to climb together.

 Soon the path began to feel familiar again. We talked about many things, including my dog. I told him that he was a German shepherd. When he was younger, he served briefly as a police dog but had to stop due to an injury. The man let out a laugh saying he had been a police officer for a short time, but he quit. He didn’t say why. Later, he spent a long time as a bodyguard. He also had German roots. We laughed at these similarities.

 Before we knew it, we reached a large open area and took a break. I told the man what had happened to my dog. “He had a tiny bell on his collar to scare away bears. We came to this very spot and saw a bear. It was looking back at us. I should have held my dog because, sensing danger, he chased after the bear. I couldn’t find him after that. I should have been more careful.”

 As I was telling the story, the man’s expression changed. “It wasn’t your fault. Your dog just wanted to keep you safe,” he said. “I’m sure Tomo would want to tell you this. Also, thank you for not giving up.” Tomo is my dog’s name. Did I tell him this? The old man’s comment rang in the air.

 Before I could ask anything, the man proposed we hurry to get to the top of the mountain. I was planning to do this with my dog a few weeks ago. After two more hours of hiking, we reached the peak. I set down my backpack and we sat taking in the magnificent view. The old man looked at me and said, “Mountains offer truly magical experiences.”

 I looked around for a place to rest. I guess I was pretty tired, because I fell asleep right away. When I woke up, I noticed that the old man had disappeared. I waited, but he never returned.

 Suddenly, in the sunlight, something caught my eye. I walked over and saw a small metal tag beside my backpack. It was the same silver name tag that my parents originally gave to my dog. Tomo it said.

 It was then that I heard a familiar noise behind me. It was the ringing of a tiny bell. I turned around. What I saw caused so many emotions to rush over me.

 After a while on the mountaintop, I attached the name tag to my old friend and carefully made my way home with the mountain’s gift beside me. My soul felt very much complete.

問1 The author kept returning to the mountain because ( 41 ).

①she felt an urge she couldn’t explain

②she planned to meet the elderly man

③she thought she could practice magic

④she wanted to find out about the bear

問2 Which of the following happened first on the author’s most recent trip? ( 42 )

①She arrived at a large open area.

②She climbed to the mountaintop.

③She saw a bear running away.

④She was assisted by an old man.

問3 What similarity between the author’s dog and the old man was talked about? ( 43 )

①They experienced workplace injuries.

②They recently lost close family friends.

③They were acquaintances of the author.

④They worked to help protect the public.

問4 Which of the following is closest to the meaning of the underlined phrase rang in the air as used in the text? ( 44 )

①brought happiness ②left an impression ③made a loud noise ④seemed offensive

問5 How did the author’s feelings change over the course of the last hiking experience? ( 45 )

①She was depressed and then became sadder.

②She was determined and then became comforted.

③She was hopeful but then became homesick.

④She was miserable but then became entertained.

 2. 2020年度 センター英語 第5問 物語 解説

問題を解くのは問題ないですが、良く読むと結構謎な文章ですね。最後は無理やりハッピーエンドにした感じも。

2-1 第5問 問1 (41) の解説

第一段落は数週間前に飼い犬と山へハイキングを行った際に、犬を見失い衝撃を受けた事が書かれている。

本問の該当箇所は第二段落。

 Ever since that day, I had a strange feeling. It was beyond sadness – a feeling that I didn’t quite understand, as if something were pulling me to go back to the mountain. So every chance I got, I grabbed my backpack to see if the mountain could offer me some sense of relief.

それ(飼い犬を見失って)以来、自分には奇妙な感情があった。それは悲しみを超えたもの、全く理解できない感情で、まるで何かが自分が山に行くように引っ張るのである。

この部分が「説明できない衝動」と言えるので①が正解。

2-2 第5問 問2 (42) の解説

最も最近の旅とあると少し考えてしまうが、本文では今回の旅と犬を見失った旅の2つにしか言及がないので、今回の旅の話と考えれば良い。

該当箇所は第三段落の後半部分。

 One sunny morning, I stood at the foot of the mountain. Something felt different this day. “Please forgive me,” I said out loud. “I’ll find you!” I took a deep breath and began my journey with this mysterious pull growing stronger. After making my way along paths I thought I knew well, I realized I was somehow in an unfamiliar place. I panicked a little, lost my footing, and slipped. From out of nowhere, an elderly man came running towards me and helped me up.

気がつくと知らない場所にて足場を失い滑り落ちた筆者。老人がどこからともなく自分の方に走ってきて、自分を助けてくれた。

とあるので④が正解。

②は最初に起きた事ではなく、この後に起きた事。

③は犬を見失ったかつての旅での話。

2-3 第5問 問3 (43) の解説

 Soon the path began to feel familiar again. We talked about many things, including my dog. I told him that he was a German shepherd. When he was younger, he served briefly as a police dog but had to stop due to an injury. The man let out a laugh saying he had been a police officer for a short time, but he quit. He didn’t say why. Later, he spent a long time as a bodyguard. He also had German roots. We laughed at these similarities.

第五段落の最後にthese similarities という単語があるので、説明しているいるのはこの段落。

私の犬 : ジャーマンシェパード、警察犬をしていた、怪我のために警察犬をやめた

老人 :  警官をしていた(辞めた理由は言わなかった) ボディガードをしていた、ドイツ人のルーツがある

共通点はドイツのルーツを持つことと、警察に勤めていたこと。

選択肢の中で該当するのは④の「彼らは、一般大衆を守るために働いた」

①は負傷を経験した事がわかるのは私の犬のみなので不正解。

③は老人と出会ったのはこの時なので不正解。

2-4 第5問 問4 (44) の解説 

定番の語句の意味類推問題です。ring in the airは「空中で鳴り響く」は聞き慣れない表現で実際に決まり文句でもないようですが、雰囲気で解けてしまう問題です。

該当段落を見てみます。

As I was telling the story, the man’s expression changed. “It wasn’t your fault. Your dog just wanted to keep you safe,” he said. “I’m sure Tomo would want to tell you this. Also, thank you for not giving up.” Tomo is my dog’s name. Did I tell him this? The old man’s comment rang in the air.

後悔する筆者に老人は「君のせいじゃない。君の犬は君を安全にしたかっただけなんだ。トモはこの事を君に伝えたいと確信している。」

このトモというのは彼女の犬の名前で、「彼にこの事言ったっけ？ その老人のコメントが空中に鳴り響いた」と続く。

もちろん、老人のコメントが空中に鳴り響くことはなくこれは比喩で、それくらい頭に印象に残ったということ。②が正解。

ちなみにimpressionは「印象」と訳すのが一般的ですが、実際には「心に残る印象」の事です。

2-5 第5問 問5 (45) の解説  

これもなんとなくで解けてしまう問題です。ハッピーエンドで終わるのはセンター物語の鉄板パターンですね。

1番分かりやすいのは最終文。

My soul felt very much complete.

「私の魂は完全に満たされた」の言い換えが became comforted 。

determiend「決心して」は第二段落の最後のあたり。

So every chance I got, I grabbed my backpack to see if the mountain could offer me some sense of relief.

「機会がある度に山が何か私に安心感を与えてくれるかどうかを確かめるためにバックパックを手に取った」

が彼女の断固たる決意を感じさせる。

したがって②が正解。

④は大きな不正解ではないが、②の方が本文の内容に近い。