N1 Vocabulary · Test 33

ぎくしゃく（擬態語）describes a strained, awkward, or rough relationship. 関係がぎくしゃくする is a common collocation meaning 'the relationship becomes strained/awkward.' The sentence — 'A small fight made the relationship with my friend strained' — fits perfectly.

• 1しょんぼり means 'dejectedly, sadly, downcast' (describes a person's demeanor or mood). A relationship does not 'しょんぼりする.'
• 3ぼんやり means 'vacantly, absentmindedly, vaguely' (describes a person's state or a vague appearance). A relationship does not 'ぼんやりする.'
• 4うろちょろ means 'bustling about, hanging around annoyingly' (describes someone moving restlessly nearby). It does not describe a relationship's state.

• ぎくしゃく — strained, awkward, rough (of relationships or movements)
• しょんぼり — dejectedly, sadly, downcast
• ぼんやり — vacantly, absentmindedly, vaguely
• うろちょろ — bustling about, hanging around (annoyingly)

The correct option is 1. になう (担う). The sentence means 'The president is putting effort into nurturing human resources who will bear the future of the company.' The phrase 会社の将来を担う (bear the future of the company) is a common and natural collocation, referring to people who will take on the responsibility of the company's future.

• 2いたわる (労る) means 'to care for' or 'to console' someone, usually a person who is tired or in a difficult situation. It does not make sense to 'console' the future of the company.
• 3やしなう (養う) means 'to raise' or 'to support'. While the company is raising/nurturing the human resources (人材の育成), the human resources themselves are not 'raising' the future of the company. Thus, 将来を養う is an unnatural collocation here.
• 4かかげる (掲げる) means 'to hoist', 'to display', or 'to publish' (e.g., a flag, a slogan, an article). You cannot 'hoist' or 'display' the future of the company.

• 担になう — to take on (a responsibility, role), to bear
• 労いたわる — to care for, to console, to treat with consideration
• 養やしなう — to raise, to support, to nourish
• 掲かかげる — to hoist, to put up, to publish
• 人材じんざい — human resources, capable person
• 育成いくせい — nurturing, training, rearing

「寄与（きよ）」 means 'contribution' to a particular result or development. Option 1, 「貢献」 (こうけん), also means 'contribution', making it the perfect synonym.

• 2「援助」 (えんじょ) means 'assistance' or 'aid', usually implying giving support or resources, rather than the broader impact of contributing to a result.
• 3「工夫」 (くふう) means 'device', 'ingenuity', or 'devising a way', which is not the same as contributing.
• 4「活躍」 (かつやく) means 'active role' or 'success', which describes a person's actions rather than the contribution itself to a development.

• 寄与きよ — contribution