N1 Vocabulary · Test 75

衰え is read おとろえ, meaning 'decline, weakening, deterioration.' The sentence means 'The novelist, while being threatened by the decline of his eyesight, completed the novel.' 衰える (おとろえる) is the verb 'to decline/weaken,' and 衰え is its noun form.

• 2かまえ is the reading of 構え, meaning 'posture, stance, structure, attitude.' It is a real word but unrelated to 衰え.
• 3さしつかえ is the reading of 差し支え, meaning 'inconvenience, obstacle, objection.' It is a real word but does not match the kanji 衰え.
• 4ふるえ is the reading of 震え, meaning 'trembling, shivering.' It is a real word with a vaguely similar image (physical decline) but does not match the kanji 衰え.

• 衰おとろえ — decline, weakening, deterioration
• 衰おとろえる — to decline, to weaken
• 構かまえ — posture, stance, structure
• 差し支え（さしつかえ） — inconvenience, obstacle
• 震ふるえ — trembling, shivering

脅かされ is read おびやかされ, the passive form of 脅かす (おびやかす), meaning 'to be threatened/menaced.' In this context, 視力の衰えに脅かされながら means 'while being threatened by the decline of his eyesight.' The reading おびやかす is the more formal/literary reading of 脅かす, used for abstract threats (something posing a danger to a state of being), which fits perfectly here.

• 1おどかされ is the passive of おどかす, another reading of 脅かす. However, おどかす means 'to frighten, to scare (someone)' in a more direct, physical or casual sense (e.g., scaring a child). It does not fit the abstract context of being threatened by declining eyesight.
• 2おどろかされ is the passive of 驚かす (おどろかす, 'to surprise/astonish'), a different verb written with 驚. It is a deliberate look-alike/sound-alike distractor.
• 3おびかされ is not a valid reading for 脅かす or any common verb. It is a distractor that blends sounds from おどかす and おびやかす.

• 脅おびやかす — to menace, to threaten (formal/abstract threat)
• 脅おどかす — to frighten, to scare (casual/direct)
• 驚おどろかす — to surprise, to astonish
• 衰おとろえ — decline, weakening
• 視力しりょく — eyesight, vision

支える is read ささえる, meaning 'to support' (physically or emotionally). The sentence 長年彼を支えてくれた means 'For many years, she/he supported him.' Option 3 ささえて is the correct reading of the underlined kanji.

• 1かかえて is the reading of 抱える, meaning 'to hold/carry (under the arm)' or 'to be burdened with (a problem, debt, etc.)'. It does not mean 'to support'.
• 2こらえて is the reading of 堪える, meaning 'to endure, suppress, hold back (tears, anger, etc.)'. It does not fit the context of supporting someone.
• 4つかえる is the reading of 仕える, meaning 'to serve (a master, a lord)'. While it involves a relationship, it is not the reading of 支える and does not mean 'to support'.

• 支ささえる — to support, to prop up, to back
• 抱かかえる — to hold under the arm, to be burdened with
• 堪こらえる — to endure, to suppress, to hold back
• 仕つかえる — to serve (someone of higher status)

賢明 is read けんめい, meaning 'wise, sensible, judicious'. 賢明な妻 means 'a wise wife'. Option 1 けんめいな is the correct reading.

• 2こうめいな could be 公明な (fair, impartial) or 高名な (famous, renowned). Neither matches the kanji 賢明.
• 3せんめいな is the reading of 鮮明な, meaning 'clear, vivid'. Different kanji and different meaning.
• 4そうめいな is the reading of 聡明な, meaning 'bright, intelligent'. Although close in meaning to 賢明, it is not the correct reading of the kanji 賢明.

• 賢明けんめい — wise, sensible, judicious
• 公明こうめい — fair, impartial
• 高名こうめい — famous, renowned
• 鮮明せんめい — clear, vivid
• 聡明そうめい — bright, intelligent

込める is read こめる, meaning 'to put into, to concentrate (one's heart/effort) into something'. 心を込めて means 'with all one's heart, sincerely'. Option 1 こめて is correct.

• 2ためて is the reading of 貯める/溜める, meaning 'to save, to accumulate, to store up'. 心をためて is not a natural expression.
• 3ふくめて is the reading of 含める, meaning 'to include, to enclose'. 心をふくめて is not idiomatic.
• 4まとめて is the reading of まとめる, meaning 'to organize, to put together, to summarize'. It does not collocate with 心を.

• 込こめる — to put into, to concentrate (feeling/effort) into
• 貯める/溜める（ためる） — to save, to accumulate
• 含ふくめる — to include, to enclose
• 纏まとめる — to organize, to put together, to summarize

気配 is read けはい in this context, meaning 'sign/indication/atmosphere (of something approaching)'. Here 秋の気配 = 'the signs of autumn'. The reading けはい is used when referring to an atmospheric sign or mood. (Note: 気配 can also be read きはい in financial/market contexts meaning 'market tone/indication', but that is not the meaning here.)

• 1きはい is the reading used in financial contexts (e.g., 市場の気配), not for the atmospheric 'sign/feeling' sense required here.
• 2きばい is not a standard reading for 気配; it misreads 配 as ばい with voicing.
• 4けばい is not a standard reading; it incorrectly voices 配 as ばい instead of はい.

• 気配けはい — sign, indication, atmosphere (of a season or situation approaching)

漂い is the masu-stem (連用形) of 漂う(ただよう), meaning 'to drift/float (in the air or water)'. The stem form 漂い is used before 始め to form 漂い始める 'to begin to drift/linger'. The reading is ただよい.

• 1さまよい comes from さまよう 'to wander/roam', which is a different verb and does not fit the nuance of an atmosphere drifting/lingering.
• 3うるおい comes from 润う/潤う(うるおう) 'to be moistened/benefited', an unrelated verb.
• 4よそおい comes from 装う(よそおう) 'to dress up/pretend', an unrelated verb.

• 漂ただよう — to drift, float, linger (in the air); to be in the air

草花 is read くさばな, meaning 'wildflowers / grasses and flowers.' It combines 草(くさ, grass) + 花(はな→ばな, flower) with rendaku voicing on the second element.

• 1くさか would require 花 to be read か, which is not a valid reading here.
• 2そうか wrongly applies on-yomi そう to 草; 草 has no そう reading in this compound.
• 3そうはな mixes an incorrect on-yomi そう for 草 with the kun-yomi はな for 花; this hybrid is not a real reading.

• 草花くさばな — wildflowers, grasses and flowers
• 気配けはい — sign, atmosphere, indication
• 漂ただよう — to drift, hang in the air
• 名残なごり — trace, remnant, lingering memory

名残 is read なごり, meaning 'remnant, trace, lingering memory.' 名残を惜しむ is a set expression meaning 'to be reluctant to part with / regret the passing of (something).'

• 2なのこり is an over-literal misreading: 名(な)+残り(のこり). The word is not read this way.
• 3めいさん is an on-yomi attempt (めい+さん) that does not exist as a reading for 名残.
• 4めいざん is another fabricated on-yomi combination; not a valid reading.

• 名残なごり — remnant, trace, lingering memory
• 惜おしむ — to regret, be reluctant to part with

惜しんで is the te-form of 惜しむ(おしむ), read おしんで. It means 'to regret / be reluctant to part with.' In the sentence, 夏の名残を惜しんでいた means 'were reluctant to let go of the remnants of summer.'

• 1かなしんで is from 悲しむ(かなしむ, to be sad) — wrong meaning and wrong kanji.
• 2さびしんで is from 寂しむ/寂しがる(さびしむ, to feel lonely) — wrong word.
• 4あやしんで is from 怪しむ(あやしむ, to find suspicious) — wrong meaning.

• 惜おしむ — to regret, be reluctant to part with, grudge