N1 Grammar · Test 1

ならまだしも (ならまだしも) means 'if it were X, it would be somewhat acceptable/better.' The sentence says: 'For a pro photographer it might be manageable, but an ordinary person probably can't master this camera.' The structure Xならまだしも、Y sets up a contrast: X is somewhat understandable/acceptable, but Y (a lesser case) is not. Here, a pro photographer handling the camera is 'still acceptable,' but an ordinary person cannot.

• 1はおろか (はおろか) means 'let alone / not to mention' and is used in the pattern XはおろかYも〜ない (not even Y, let alone X). It would require the sentence to say something like 'even a pro can't handle it, let alone an ordinary person,' which reverses the intended logic.
• 3どころではなく (どころではなく) means 'far from / not to mention' and typically follows a noun or verb to negate something strongly (e.g., 趣味どころではない). It does not fit the contrastive structure needed here.
• 4に比して (にくらして) means 'compared to.' While 'compared to a pro photographer' is grammatically possible, it lacks the concessive nuance ('it might be OK for a pro, but…') that the sentence requires.

• ならまだしも — if it were ~, it would be somewhat acceptable (used to contrast a more understandable case with a less acceptable one)
• 使つかいこなす — to master, to handle skillfully
• はおろか — let alone, not to mention (used with negative predicates)

極まりない (きわまりない) means 'extremely / utterly' and attaches directly to the stem of a na-adjective or to a noun. 危険 (きけん) is a na-adjective whose stem form is simply 危険 (without な, の, or に). Therefore 危険極まりない行為だ ('an utterly dangerous act') is the correct form. The sentence means: 'Climbing a winter mountain over 3,000 m alone without sufficient equipment is an extremely dangerous act.'

• 2危険の is incorrect because 極まりない does not take the particle の. The noun-modifying form before 極まりない is the bare stem, not noun+の.
• 3危険な is incorrect because 極まりない does not follow the な-adjective attributive form. The correct attachment is the stem 危険 directly.
• 4危険に is incorrect because に is not used before 極まりない. This would be the adverbial form, which does not combine with 極まりない.

• 極きわまりない — extremely, utterly (attaches to na-adjective stem or noun, expressing that something is of the highest degree)
• 危険きけん — danger, dangerous (na-adjective)
• 装備そうび — equipment, gear
• 単独たんどく — alone, solo

を皮切りに (をかきりに) means 'starting with ~' and is used when an event or action begins at one point and then continues or spreads to other places/instances. The sentence says: 'The launch event for the new game console will start by being held in Tokyo this weekend, and then tour the country.' 開催されるのを皮切りに ('starting with it being held in Tokyo') perfectly captures the idea of Tokyo as the first stop before a nationwide tour.

• 2や否や (やいなや) means 'as soon as / no sooner than' and describes an immediate reaction after something happens. It does not convey 'starting with ~ and then continuing elsewhere.'
• 3たとたんに (とたんに) means 'the moment ~ happened / as soon as ~' and describes an instantaneous change. It does not fit the planned, sequential nature of a tour.
• 4されて以来 (されていらい) means 'since it was held' and refers to a continuing state from a past event. The event hasn't happened yet (今週末に), so 以来 is temporally impossible.

• を皮切りに（をかきりに） — starting with ~ (used when something begins at one point and then spreads or continues)
• 開催かいさいされる — to be held, to be hosted (passive of 開催)
• 巡回じゅんかいする — to tour, to make a round of visits
• や否や（やいなや） — as soon as, no sooner than
• とたんに — the moment ~, as soon as ~

〜だろうと〜だろうと (〜だろうと〜だろうと) means 'whether ~ or ~' and expresses that something applies regardless of which condition holds. The sentence says: 'He seems to really like bicycles. Whether it's rain or snow, he commutes by bicycle every day looking happy.' 雨だろうと雪だろうと ('whether rain or snow') correctly conveys that he rides his bike in any weather condition.

• 1雨とも雪とも is not a recognized grammar pattern. とも can follow a single noun (e.g., 雨とも雪ともない) but here it does not form a coherent concessive expression meaning 'whether rain or snow.'
• 2雨でもなく雪でもなく means 'it is neither rain nor snow,' which describes what the weather is NOT, rather than expressing 'regardless of rain or snow.' This does not fit the context of commuting in any weather.
• 3雨というか雪というか means 'whether to call it rain or snow,' used when you are unsure how to label something. It does not express 'regardless of rain or snow.'

• 〜だろうと〜だろうと — whether ~ or ~ (expresses that something holds true regardless of the condition)
• よほど — very, extremely, greatly
• 通勤つうきんする — to commute to work

〜ばかりに (〜ばかりに) means 'just because ~ / solely on account of ~' and expresses that a single cause (often a careless or regrettable action) led to a negative result. The sentence explains the proverb '口は災いのもと' (the mouth is the source of disaster): 'just because one carelessly ended up saying something unnecessary, disaster falls upon oneself.' 言ってしまったばかりに ('just because one ended up saying it') perfectly captures this cause-and-regret relationship.

• 1言ってみたばかり means 'just tried saying ~,' using 〜たばかり (just did ~). This describes recency, not causation, and みる (to try) changes the meaning to 'tried saying,' which doesn't fit the context of carelessly blurting something out.
• 2言ってみたとおり means 'as one tried saying ~,' using 〜とおり (as/in the way ~). This expresses similarity or accordance, not the causal 'because' relationship needed here.
• 4言ってしまったとおりに means 'as one ended up saying ~,' again using 〜とおりに (in accordance with). This describes doing something in a certain way, not the causal relationship that the proverb requires.

• 〜ばかりに — just because ~, solely on account of ~ (expresses that a single cause led to an undesirable result, often with regret)
• 口は災いのもと（くちはわざわいのもと） — the mouth is the source of disaster (proverb: careless speech brings trouble)
• 災わざわい — disaster, calamity, misfortune
• 降ふりかかる — to fall upon, to strike (misfortune)

The correct sentence is: そんな簡単なこと、わざわざあなたに説明してもらうまでもない。 ('Such a simple thing—there's no need to go so far as to have you explain it.') The grammar pattern 〜までもない means 'there is no need to go so far as to do ~.' The verb chain is 説明して(3) + もらう(1) + までも(4) + ない(2), so the ★ (third position) is までも(4).

• 1もらう(1) must come after 説明して(3) to form 説明してもらう (have someone explain). It belongs in the second blank, not the ★ position.
• 2ない(2) completes the pattern 〜までもない and must come at the very end (fourth position).
• 3説明して(3) is the first element, forming the base verb 説明して before もらう. It goes in the first blank.

• までもない — no need to go so far as to ~; unnecessary to ~
• わざわざ — expressly; going out of one's way to
• 説明せつめいして — explaining (te-form of 説明する)

The correct sentence is: ちょっと考えれば、さっきの話が冗談だってことくらいわかるだろうに、単純な彼は簡単に信じてしまった。 ('If he had thought a little, he would have understood that the story was just a joke, but the simple-minded him easily believed it.') The key grammar is 〜だろうに, which expresses a contrary-to-fact expectation with a tone of regret. The order is だって(2) + ことくらい(4) + わかるだろう(1) + に(3), so the ★ (third position) is わかるだろう(1).

• 2だって(2) means 'is (a joke)' in casual/spoken style and attaches directly to 冗談. It goes in the first blank.
• 3に(3) is the final particle forming 〜だろうに, expressing regret/contrary-to-fact. It goes in the fourth position.
• 4ことくらい(4) means 'at least the fact that ~' and follows だって to form 冗談だってことくらい. It goes in the second blank.

• だろうに — would/should have ~ (expresses contrary-to-fact expectation with regret)
• だって — is (casual/spoken copula); even
• ことくらい — at least the fact that ~; something as simple as ~
• 冗談じょうだん — joke
• 単純たんじゅん — simple; naive

The correct sentence is: 彼はとても優秀で成績が学年の上位に入っていることが多いのみならず、授業に取り組む姿勢そのものも真面目で好感が持てる。 ('He is very excellent and often ranks in the top of his grade; not only that, but his very attitude toward classes is also serious and likable.') The grammar pattern 〜のみならず means 'not only ~ but also.' The order is ことが多い(4) + のみならず(2) + 授業に取り組む(1) + 姿勢そのものも(3), so the ★ (third position) is 授業に取り組む(1).

• 2のみならず(2) means 'not only' and connects the first clause (成績が上位に入っていることが多い) with the second. It goes in the second blank.
• 3姿勢そのものも(3) means 'the very attitude itself too' and follows 授業に取り組む to form 授業に取り組む姿勢そのものも. It goes in the fourth position.
• 4ことが多い(4) means 'often' and attaches to 入っている to form 入っていることが多い (often ranks in the top). It goes in the first blank.

• のみならず — not only ~ but also
• 上位じょうい — top rank; upper rank
• 姿勢しせい — attitude; posture
• そのもの — itself; the very ~
• 好感が持てる（こうかんがもてる） — to have a favorable impression; to be likable

The correct sentence is: 全国高校バスケットボール大会で、惜しくもあと一歩というところで優勝を逃した選手たちは控え室に戻ってもしばらくの間、ぼう然としていた。 ('At the national high school basketball tournament, the players who unfortunately missed the championship by just one step were stunned for a while even after returning to the waiting room.') The order is あと一歩というところで(4) + 優勝を逃した(1) + 選手たちは(3) + 控え室に戻っても(2), so the ★ (third position) is 選手たちは(3).

• 1優勝を逃した(1) means 'missed the championship' and modifies 選手たち. It goes in the second blank, after あと一歩というところで.
• 2控え室に戻っても(2) means 'even after returning to the waiting room' and is the final clause before しばらくの間. It goes in the fourth position.
• 4あと一歩というところで(4) means 'just one step away / by a hair' and describes how close they were. It goes in the first blank, right after 惜しくも.

• 惜おしくも — regrettably; unfortunately
• あと一歩というところで（あといっぽというところで） — just one step away; by a hair's breadth
• 優勝を逃す（ゆうしょうをのがす） — to miss the championship
• 控え室（ひかえしつ） — waiting room (for athletes/performers)
• ぼう然（ぼうぜん） — dumbfounded; stunned; blank

The correct sentence is: 私が接客するにあたって常に考えているのは、お客様が求めていることは何であって、それに応えるために自分は何をすべきかということだ。 ('What I always consider when serving customers is what the customers are seeking, and what I should do to respond to that.') The structure is: 常に考えているのは(1) + お客様が求めていることは(4) + 何であって(2) + それに応えるために(3). The ★ (second position) is お客様が求めていることは(4).

• 1常に考えているのは(1) means 'what I always think about is' and sets up the topic of the sentence. It goes in the first blank, right after 接客するにあたって.
• 2何であって(2) means 'what ~ is' and follows お客様が求めていることは to form the question 'what is it that customers are seeking.' It goes in the third blank.
• 3それに応えるために(3) means 'in order to respond to that' and connects the customer's need to the speaker's action. It goes in the fourth position.

• 接客せっきゃくするにあたって — when serving customers; in the course of customer service
• 求もとめる — to seek; to demand
• 応こたえる — to respond to; to answer to
• 常つねに — always; constantly