N1 Grammar · Test 60

The correct answer is 1「だけましだ」. The pattern「〜だけましだ」means 'at least it is better than nothing' or 'one should be grateful that at least ~'. The context says the economy is bad and no bonus was given, but at least the salary is still being paid. 「給料がもらえるだけましだ」= 'At least we get our salary (which is better than getting nothing at all).' This perfectly captures the sense of making the best of a bad situation.

• 2「までのことだ」means 'that's all there is to it' or 'one just has to do ~ and that's it.' It implies resignation or a last resort, which does not fit the context of being grateful that at least the salary comes.
• 3「かいがある」means 'worth doing' or 'rewarding.' Grammatically, 「給料がもらえるかいがある」would mean 'it is worth getting a salary,' which is unnatural and does not fit the contrastive 'しかし' (however) structure.
• 4「ほどではない」means 'not to the extent that ~.' 「給料がもらえるほどではない」would mean 'it's not to the extent of getting a salary,' which contradicts the fact that the salary IS being received.

• だけましだ — at least it is better (than nothing); one should be thankful that at least ~
• までのことだ — that's all there is to it; one just has to ~ and that's it
• 景気けいき — economy, business conditions
• ボーナス（ぼーなす） — bonus

The correct answer is 2「願ってやまない」. The pattern「〜てやまない」means 'to do ~ earnestly/ceaselessly' and is used to express deep, ongoing feelings or desires. The context praises the woman for not giving up despite difficulties and continuing to work hard, so the speaker earnestly wishes for her success: 「彼女の成功を願ってやまない」= 'I earnestly wish for her success.' This is a positive, heartfelt expression that fits perfectly.

• 1「願うわけにはいかない」means 'I cannot/should not allow myself to wish.' This would imply the speaker is prohibited from wishing for her success, which contradicts the admiring, positive tone of the passage.
• 3「願うにはあたらない」means 'it is not worth ~' or 'there is no need to ~.' Saying her success is 'not worth wishing for' contradicts the praise given to her.
• 4「願わないばかりだ」means 'I almost don't wish' or 'on the contrary, I don't wish.' This is the opposite of the intended meaning.

• 〜てやまない — to do ~ earnestly and ceaselessly; to be unable to stop ~ (expresses deep ongoing feeling)
• 〜わけにはいかない — cannot/should not (due to moral or social reasons)
• 〜にはあたらない — there is no need to ~; it is not worth ~
• 困難こんなん — difficulty, hardship

The correct answer is 3「ことはない」. The pattern「〜ことはない」means 'there is no need to ~.' The following sentence says 'Doing such a thing and ruining your health is meaningless,' which supports the idea that there is no need to push oneself so desperately every night. 「必死に頑張ることはない」= 'There is no need to work so desperately.' The second sentence provides the reason why overworking is unnecessary.

• 1「べきだ」means 'should.' Saying 'you should work desperately every night' directly contradicts the following sentence which warns against ruining one's health.
• 2「つもりだ」means 'I intend to ~.' This would mean 'I intend to work desperately every night,' which doesn't fit the cautionary tone of the second sentence.
• 4「にちがいない」means 'must be' or 'surely.' 「頑張るにちがいない」= 'surely (someone) works hard,' which doesn't connect logically with the warning in the second sentence.

• 〜ことはない — there is no need to ~; one doesn't have to ~
• 必死ひっし — desperate, frantic, with all one's might
• 体からだをこわす — to ruin one's health

The correct answer is 2「あげればきりがない」. The pattern「〜ばきりがない」means 'if you start listing/doing ~, there is no end to it.' The context says his work is always sloppy, so if you try to list his mistakes, there is no end: 「間違いをあげればきりがない」= 'If you try to list his mistakes, there's no end to them.' This perfectly conveys that his mistakes are numerous and endless.

• 1「あげがたい」means 'hard to list/raise.' This would imply it's difficult to enumerate his mistakes, which doesn't fit the context of sloppy work where mistakes are abundant and obvious.
• 3「あげてもしれている」means 'even if you list them, it's limited/few.' This contradicts the implication that his work is sloppy and full of mistakes.
• 4「あげるわけがない」means 'there is no way to list them' or 'it's impossible that one would list them.' This doesn't make sense in context — of course you could list his mistakes; there are just too many.

• 〜ばきりがない — if you start doing ~, there is no end to it; ~ is endless
• 雑ざつ — sloppy, careless, rough
• 間違まちがい — mistake, error

The correct answer is 4「かかればそれまでだ」. The pattern「〜ばそれまでだ」means 'if ~ happens, that's the end / it's all over.' The context says this precision machine is vulnerable to water, so if water gets on it, it's finished: 「水がかかればそれまでだ」= 'If water gets on it, it's done for.' This perfectly conveys the fragility and finality of water damage to the machine.

• 1「かかって当たり前だ」means 'it's natural/obvious that water gets on it.' This doesn't fit the context, which is about the consequence of water on the machine, not the likelihood of water exposure.
• 2「かかろうとも平気だ」means 'even if water gets on it, it's fine.' This directly contradicts the statement that the machine is 水に弱い (vulnerable to water).
• 3「かかるぐらいのことだ」means 'it's just a matter of water getting on it' (implying it's no big deal). This contradicts the warning about the machine's vulnerability to water.

• 〜ばそれまでだ — if ~ happens, that's the end; it's all over (implies finality/irreversibility)
• 精密機械せいみつきかい — precision machine/instrument
• 水に弱い（みずによわい） — vulnerable to water, easily damaged by water

Option 4 「しまつだ」(始末だ) means 'the situation has reached the point where...' and is used to describe a worsening or undesirable state of affairs. The sentence lists a series of bad behaviors — being late, forgetting promises, and finally even dozing off — culminating with 始末だ to express exasperation at how bad things have gotten.

• 1「までだ」means 'that's all / just.' It is used to express a limit or finality (e.g., 謝るまでだ 'I just have to apologize'), not to describe a deteriorating situation.
• 2「あげくだ」is not a standard grammatical expression. The correct form would be 「あげく（に）」meaning 'after doing... in the end,' but even then it does not fit the sentence structure here, which requires a noun-ending predicate.
• 3「おかげだ」means 'thanks to (someone/something)' and carries a positive nuance of gratitude. It is completely inappropriate for describing a series of negative behaviors.

• 始末しまつだ — the situation has reached the point where...; to end up (in a bad state)
• 遅刻ちこく — being late; tardiness
• 居眠いねむり — dozing off; nodding off
• 疑うたがいたくなる — to become inclined to doubt

Option 1 「と思いきや」means 'just when I thought... (but contrary to expectations).' The sentence reads: 'My friend's only daughter got married. I thought she would surely be happy, but contrary to expectations, she keeps sighing from the loneliness of her daughter being gone.' The structure Xと思いきやY expresses that Y happened contrary to the expectation of X, which fits perfectly.

• 2「といえども」means 'even though / even if.' It would need to follow a noun or adjective stem (e.g., 親といえども) and expresses concession, not the 'I thought... but actually...' contrast needed here.
• 3「とばかりに」means 'as if to say...' and describes someone acting as though they are saying something. It does not express the reversal of expectation that this sentence requires.
• 4「というもので」means 'it is...' and is used to define or characterize something. It does not create the contrastive 'I expected X, but actually Y' relationship needed here.

• と思いきや（とおもいきや） — just when I thought...; contrary to expectations...
• といえども — even though; even if
• とばかりに — as if to say...
• さぞ — surely; no doubt (expressing strong conjecture)
• ため息（ためいき） — sigh

Option 4 「朝から観光客の車で道路が渋滞する」is correct. The key grammar is 「ともなると」meaning 'when it comes to... / once it becomes...' which introduces a natural or expected consequence. Since the area is a famous tourist spot with many shrines, temples, and proximity to the sea, it is natural that on holidays the roads would be congested with tourists' cars from the morning.

• 1「ぜひ多くの人に遊びに来てほしい」expresses the speaker's wish for many people to visit. This is a subjective desire, not a natural consequence of being a tourist spot, and does not fit the ともなると pattern which describes what naturally happens.
• 2「一日中人通りも少なく静かになる」says it becomes quiet with few pedestrians. This contradicts the premise that the area is a famous tourist spot — on holidays it should be busy, not quiet.
• 3「訪ねる観光客の数を規則するべきだ」says the number of visiting tourists should be regulated. Aside from being an odd policy statement rather than a natural consequence, 「規則する」is not a natural verb (制限する would be correct). This does not fit the ともなると pattern.

• ともなると — when it comes to...; once it becomes... (introducing a natural consequence)
• 観光地かんこうち — tourist spot; tourist destination
• 渋滞じゅうたい — traffic jam; congestion
• 人通ひとどおり — pedestrian traffic; foot traffic

Option 2 「すぐ忘れ物を取りに帰ってくる」is correct. The grammar point is 「〜かと思うと」meaning 'no sooner than... / just when... then immediately...' It describes two events happening in quick succession. The son leaves for school, and the moment he does, he comes right back to retrieve something he forgot. This matches the pattern perfectly: 出かけたかと思うと、すぐ忘れ物を取りに帰ってくる.

• 1「忘れ物を届けに行く」means 'to go deliver the forgotten items.' This would be the parent's action, not the son's, and it does not describe the quick succession of leaving and returning that かと思うと requires.
• 3「夜になって忘れ物を確認している」means 'checking for forgotten items at night.' This is far too delayed to fit かと思うと, which requires an immediate, almost simultaneous follow-up action.
• 4「次の日まで忘れ物のことを思い出さない」means 'doesn't remember the forgotten items until the next day.' Like option 3, this is too delayed and does not fit the immediate succession pattern of かと思うと.

• 〜かと思うと（〜かとおもうと） — no sooner than...; just when (A happens), then immediately (B happens)
• 忘れ物（わすれもの） — forgotten items; things left behind
• 必ずと言っていいほど（かならずといっていいほど） — almost always; so often you could say 'always'

「とはいえ」 means 'even so', 'be that as it may', or 'although that is true'. The first clause states that the grandmother hurt her leg and has trouble walking. The second clause states that it does not mean she cannot walk at all and she can still do housework. The second clause is a concession or a partial correction of the first clause's severity, making 'even so' the perfect fit.

• 2「それゆえに」 means 'therefore' or 'for that reason'. It indicates a cause-and-effect relationship, but the second clause is not a result of the first; rather, it restricts or qualifies the first clause.
• 3「だとしたら」 means 'if that is the case' or 'if so'. It introduces a hypothetical situation based on the previous statement. However, the second clause is not a hypothetical result but a statement of fact about her current condition.
• 4「それにしては」 means 'considering that' or 'for all that', used when the actual situation does not match the expectation based on a certain fact. While it might seem plausible, it doesn't fit the logical flow here where the author is simply softening the previous statement ('she has trouble walking, *even so*, it's not that she can't walk at all').

• とはいえ — even so, be that as it may, although it is true
• それゆえに — therefore, for that reason
• だとしたら — if that is the case, if so
• それにしては — considering that, for all that (contrary to expectation)
• 不自由ふじゆう — inconvenience, lack of freedom, unable to do something freely