N1 Grammar · Test 22

Option 1 (か) is correct. The pattern is「疑問詞＋普通体＋のか＋わからない」—'I don't understand why...' The sentence reads: 私は、彼がなぜ人を困らせるようなことばかりするのかわからない ('I don't understand why he always does things that trouble people'). The か turns the embedded question clause into a noun-like complement that わからない takes. This is a fundamental N1-level grammar pattern for embedded questions.

• 2を would mark a direct object, but わからない does not take を in this embedded-question construction. The clause before わからない is a question clause, not a noun phrase.
• 3は is a topic marker and does not fit here. While は can sometimes replace が for contrast, it cannot replace か in an embedded question pattern.
• 4が could potentially follow の in some embedded question patterns (のがわからない), but here the sentence already has が marking the subject 彼が. The correct particle to complete the embedded question is か, not が.

• 困こまらせる — to trouble, to cause difficulty for
• 〜のか — embedded question marker: 'why/how/whether (someone) does...'

Option 4 (に対する) is correct. The sentence means 'Recently, criticism against companies that cause pollution has been getting stronger.' The pattern Nに対するN means 'criticism/attack directed at N.' Here, 企業に対する批判 = 'criticism against companies.' The particle に marks the target of 批判, and に対する modifies 批判 as an attributive (連体形).

• 1にとっての means 'for (someone's) ~' and is used for perspective/standpoint (e.g., 私にとっての問題). Companies are the target of criticism, not the perspective holder, so this is wrong.
• 2にとって means 'for (someone)' and cannot directly modify a noun like 批判 in this attributive form. It also carries the wrong semantic relationship — companies are the object of criticism, not the one for whom criticism exists.
• 3に対するの adds an unnecessary の before 批判. While の can sometimes link nouns, に対する already functions as a rentaikei (連体形) modifier, so inserting の is ungrammatical here: ×企業に対するの批判.

• に対する（にたいする） — directed at / against (used to modify a following noun)
• にとって — for (someone) — from the standpoint of
• 公害こうがい — pollution / environmental damage
• 批判ひはん — criticism

Option 2 (すると) is correct. The pattern 〜からすると means 'judging from ~' or 'based on ~.' 話し方からすると = 'judging from the way he talks,' followed by 彼は東京の人ではないようだ ('he doesn't seem to be from Tokyo'). This is a classic inference pattern.

• 1いると does not form a valid pattern with から. からいると is not a recognized grammatical construction in Japanese.
• 3あると does not form a valid pattern with から either. からあると is not a standard expression.
• 4くると: からくると is not a standard grammatical pattern. (Note: 〜からくると would be ungrammatical; 〜てくると is a different pattern entirely.)

• からすると — judging from ~ / based on ~ (inference pattern)
• 話し方（はなしかた） — way of speaking

Option 1 (貧しくても) is correct. The pattern たとえ〜ても means 'even if ~.' たとえ貧しくても = 'even if (they are) poor.' The 〜ても (te-form + も) form is the required conjugation that pairs with たとえ to express a concessive condition.

• 2貧しいなら means 'if (they are) poor' and is a conditional, not a concessive. It does not pair with たとえ, which requires 〜ても.
• 3貧しければ is the conditional form (ば-form) meaning 'if poor.' While ば-form can sometimes pair with たとえ in older/literary usage (たとえ〜ば), the standard and most natural pairing is 〜ても, and the sentence's nuance ('even if poor, living together is best') calls for the concessive ても.
• 4貧しいのに means 'even though (they are) poor' and expresses a fact/contrast, not a hypothetical. たとえ requires a hypothetical concessive (ても), not 〜のに which presupposes the condition is already true.

• たとえ〜ても — even if ~ (concessive hypothetical)
• 貧まずしい — poor

Option 3 (なった) is correct. The pattern 〜とたん(に) means 'as soon as ~' and requires the past tense (V-た) before it. 暑くなったとたん = 'as soon as it got hot.' The past tense なった indicates the triggering event has occurred, and the とたん clause describes what happened immediately after.

• 1なる is the dictionary form. 〜とたん requires the past tense (た-form), so なるとたん is ungrammatical.
• 2なるか: 〜か〜ないかのうちに is a different pattern. なるかとたん is not a valid construction.
• 4なろう is the volitional form ('let's become hot'), which makes no sense here and does not pair with とたん.

• 〜とたん(に) — as soon as ~ (requires V-た form)
• 売れ行き（うれゆき） — sales (of a product)

〜するあまり (〜するあまり) means 'due to doing ~ too much / because of excessive ~' and expresses that an extreme degree of something leads to a (usually negative) result. The dentist says: 'When brushing teeth, because people try too hard to remove stains, they tend to brush with strong force, but using too much force damages the teeth.' 落とそうとするあまり ('due to trying too hard to remove (stains)') correctly explains why people brush too hard.

• 2落とそうとしたわりに (〜わりに) means 'despite trying to ~' or 'for the effort of ~.' This expresses a mismatch between effort and result, not the causal 'because of excessive effort' relationship needed here.
• 3落とせばいいのであれば is a convoluted conditional ('if it is the case that if one could remove them it would be good'). This is grammatically awkward and does not express the cause of brushing too hard.
• 4落とせばいいかというと (〜かというと) means 'if you ask whether ~,' used to introduce a question or reframe a topic. It does not express causation and does not fit the dentist's explanation of why people brush too hard.

• 〜するあまり — due to doing ~ too much, because of excessive ~ (often leads to a negative result)
• 落おとす — to remove, to drop (here: to remove stains/dirt)
• 磨みがく — to brush, to polish (here: to brush teeth)
• 〜がち — tend to ~, liable to ~ (often negative)
• 傷きずつける — to damage, to injure

Option 4 「やってやれないことはない」means 'it's not that I can't do it' (i.e., 'I can do it'). The structure 〜ないことはない is a double negative meaning 'it is not impossible → it is possible.' Yamada was put in charge of a river cleanup and says 'It's a tough job, but I think I can do it.' The 'が' in '大変な仕事ですが' sets up a contrast: tough, BUT doable. This fits perfectly.

• 1「やってやることがない」is ungrammatical and nonsensical in this context. It does not form a recognized pattern and conveys no coherent meaning.
• 2「やってもやるべきではない」means 'even if I could do it, I shouldn't.' This contradicts the positive, committed tone of someone who accepted a leadership role and is expressing determination.
• 3「やってもやれるものでもない」means 'even if I try, it's not something I can do.' This is overly negative and contradicts the implication that Yamada accepted the role willingly and is expressing resolve.

• 〜ないことはない — it is not that ~ is impossible; can do ~ (double negative expressing possibility)
• 指揮しき — command, leadership
• 任まかされる — to be entrusted with

Option 3 「ということになりかねない」means 'it could end up being that ~.' The grammar 〜かねない expresses the possibility of an undesirable outcome: 'might ~, could ~ (something bad).' The sentence warns: 'If you don't choose your workplace carefully, you could end up saying "it wasn't supposed to be like this."' This fits perfectly as a caution about a negative consequence.

• 1「といったようにはしかねる」is not a grammatical or idiomatic expression. しかねる means 'unable to do,' but といったようには does not form a proper pattern here.
• 2「といったようにならない」is not a natural or grammatical expression. It does not convey the intended meaning of a possible negative outcome.
• 4「ということにはなりえない」means 'it could not become that / it is impossible for it to become that.' This is the opposite of what the sentence requires — the sentence warns that the bad outcome CAN happen.

• 〜かねない — might ~, could ~ (expresses possibility of an undesirable/negative outcome)
• 慎重しんちょうに — carefully, cautiously
• 就職先しゅうしょくさき — place of employment, workplace

Option 2 「にすぎまい」is the negative presumptive form of にすぎない ('is nothing more than / is merely'). にすぎまい means 'is probably nothing more than ~ / is likely just ~.' The sentence says: Company X is struggling. The introduction of performance-based pay, while said to be for improving motivation, is ultimately 'probably just an excuse to justify cutting personnel costs.' This fits the critical, skeptical tone of the passage.

• 1「になどせぬ」is not a standard grammatical expression. It does not form a recognized pattern with 口実 and conveys no coherent meaning in this context.
• 3「でかまわぬ」means 'I don't mind it being ~,' which does not fit the analytical, critical tone of the sentence. The writer is making an observation, not expressing personal tolerance.
• 4「でもあるまい」means 'is probably not even ~,' which is the opposite of the intended meaning. The writer wants to say it IS (merely) an excuse, not that it probably isn't.

• 〜にすぎない — is nothing more than, is merely
• 〜にすぎまい — is probably nothing more than, is likely just (negative presumptive of にすぎない)
• 口実こうじつ — excuse, pretext
• 成果主義せいかしゅぎ — performance-based system/pay
• 人件費削減じんけんひさくげん — reduction of personnel costs
• 正当化せいとうか — justification, making something legitimate

Option 2 「ご連絡した次第です」means 'that is why I am contacting you / I am contacting you for this reason.' The pattern 〜次第です(しだいです) explains the reason or circumstance behind one's action. In business emails, '〜たく、ご連絡した次第です' (I wanted to ~, so I am contacting you) is a standard, polite closing formula. The writer wants to ask Professor Hayashi to give a lecture, so they are reaching out — this fits perfectly.

• 1「ご連絡を承りました」uses 承る(うけたまわる), a humble verb for receiving. This would mean 'I received your communication,' but this is the FIRST contact — the writer is sending, not receiving. It is contextually impossible.
• 3「ご連絡をくださいました」uses respectful language for the other party's action, meaning 'you kindly contacted me.' Again, this is the first email, so the professor has not yet contacted the writer. It is contextually impossible.
• 4「ご連絡したことです」is grammatically awkward and lacks the explanatory nuance needed. 〜ことです means 'it is the thing that ~,' which does not function as a proper closing expression for explaining one's reason for writing.

• 〜次第です（〜しだいです） — that is the reason/circumstance; that is why (used to explain the reason for one's action)
• つきましては — therefore, accordingly (formal transition in business writing)
• ご講演（ごこうえん） — lecture, presentation (honorific)
• 生涯学習しょうがいがくしゅう — lifelong learning