N2 Grammar · Test 15

とか is used here to quote speech in a casual, non-exhaustive way: もうだめとか言う means 'say things like "it's no good."' The speaker B is complaining that A keeps saying defeatist things. とか after a phrase quotes it loosely, as if to say 'something like ~.' This fits the conversational, slightly exasperated tone perfectly.

• 1を would make もうだめを言う, but もうだめ is not a noun object that 言う takes. This is ungrammatical.
• 2は would make もうだめは言う, which is grammatically awkward and does not convey the quoting nuance needed here. は as a topic marker does not fit this structure.
• 4とは would make もうだめとは言う, which sounds like a formal, definitive quotation ('to say that it's no good'). It is too stiff and emphatic for this casual conversation, and does not carry the soft 'things like ~' nuance of とか.

• とか — among other things; things like ~ (used to quote speech or list examples casually)
• 無理むり — impossible; can't do it

すえに attaches to the た-form of a verb and means 'after doing ~ (for a long time / with difficulty), in the end / finally.' あれこれ悩んだすえに = 'after worrying about this and that, in the end.' This perfectly describes a process of deliberation that led to a final decision.

• 1さきに (〜先に) means 'before doing ~' or 'ahead of,' which would imply deciding on ABC University *before* worrying — the opposite of the intended meaning.
• 3ところに means 'just when ~' or 'at the point/time of ~,' indicating timing. It does not convey the 'after much deliberation, finally' nuance needed here.
• 4とおりに (〜通りに) means 'as ~' or 'in the way that ~,' which would require a noun or た-form referring to a manner, not a process of deliberation leading to a result.

• 〜すえに — after doing ~ (for a long time / with much effort), in the end; finally
• あれこれ — this and that; various things
• 悩なやむ — to worry; to be troubled; to agonize over a decision
• 志望校しぼうこう — school of one's choice; target school

The correct order is 4→1→2→3, forming: 彼に「もし、またミスをしたら」というプレッシャーは相当あったはずだ。The phrase 「もし、またミスをしたら」(quoting the worry 'if I make another mistake') modifies プレッシャーは (pressure) via という, meaning 'the pressure called ~'. ★ is in the third slot, so the answer is 2 (という).

• 1したら belongs in the second slot, completing the quoted condition 「もし、またミスをしたら」. It must come before という, not at ★.
• 3プレッシャーは belongs in the fourth slot, as the head noun that the quote modifies. It comes after という.
• 4「もし、またミスをしたら」 belongs in the first slot right after 彼に, establishing the quoted thought. It cannot be at ★.

• プレッシャー — pressure
• 不調ふちょう — poor condition, slump
• 〜という〜 — called/named ~; the ~ that is described as

The correct order is 2→4→1→3, forming: ただ、残念なのは、すっぱいのが苦手だなんていう若者が最近増えていることだね。Here なんていう connects the clause すっぱいのが苦手だ ('dislikes sour things') to 若者 ('young people'), meaning 'young people who say things like ~'. ★ is in the third slot, so the answer is 1 (なんていう).

• 2残念なのは belongs in the first slot, setting up 'what's regrettable is ~'. It comes right after ただ、.
• 3若者が最近 belongs in the fourth slot, as the subject of 増えている ('are increasing'). It must come after なんていう.
• 4すっぱいのが苦手だ belongs in the second slot, describing what kind of young people are increasing. It comes before なんていう.

• 苦手にがて — weak at, not good with, dislike
• すっぱい — sour
• 〜なんていう〜 — such ~ that say/do ~ (colloquial quoting + modifier)

The correct order is 2→3→4→1, forming: 苦しい生活の中、どんな思いで買ってくれたのかと思うとそれだけで涙が出ます。The pattern 〜と思うと ('when I think that ~') connects the contemplation どんな思いで買ってくれたのかと ('wondering with what feelings they bought it for me') to the emotional result それだけで涙が出ます ('just that makes tears come'). ★ is in the third slot, so the answer is 4 (思うと).

• 1それだけで belongs in the fourth slot, meaning 'just from that alone'. It follows 思うと and precedes 涙が出ます.
• 2どんな思いで belongs in the first slot, meaning 'with what kind of feelings'. It starts the embedded question.
• 3買ってくれたのかと belongs in the second slot, completing the indirect question 'wondering how/with what feelings they bought it for me'. It follows どんな思いで.

• 〜と思うと（〜とおもうと） — when I think that ~ (triggers an emotional reaction)
• どんな思いで（どんなおもいで） — with what kind of feelings/thoughts
• 苦くるしい — painful, difficult, harsh

The correct order is 1→4→3→2, forming: わたしは、子どもがしたいと思うことはやらせてやりたいと思っている。Here やらせて (causative te-form of やる, 'to let someone do') connects to やりたい ('want to do (for them)'), together meaning 'I want to let them do what they want to do'. The pattern is やらせてやりたい = 'want to let (the child) do it'. ★ is in the third slot, so the answer is 3 (やらせて).

• 1したい belongs in the first slot, forming 子どもがしたい ('what the child wants to do'). It modifies と思うことは.
• 2やりたい belongs in the fourth slot, completing やらせてやりたい ('want to let them do it'). It cannot stand alone at ★.
• 4と思うことは belongs in the second slot, meaning 'what (the child) thinks s/he wants to do'. It connects したい to the main predicate.

• やらせてやりたい — want to let (someone) do it (causative te-form + verb of giving/favor)
• 〜と思うことは（〜とおもうことは） — the things that (one) thinks/wants to

The correct order is 2→4→3→1, forming: 国民の、政治に対する信頼があって初めて政治家は指導力を発揮できるのだ。The pattern 〜があって初めて〜 ('only when there is ~ can ~ happen') connects 信頼 (trust) to the main clause. The full meaning: 'Only when there is citizens' trust in politics can politicians exercise leadership.' ★ is in the third slot, so the answer is 3 (があって).

• 1初めて belongs in the fourth slot, completing the pattern 〜があって初めて ('only when ~ exists, for the first time ~'). It must follow があって.
• 2に対する belongs in the first slot, forming 政治に対する信頼 ('trust toward politics'). It modifies 信頼.
• 4信頼 belongs in the second slot, as the head noun modified by 政治に対する. It precedes があって.

• 〜があって初めて（〜があってはじめて） — only when ~ exists, for the first time ~ can happen
• に対する（にたいする） — toward, directed at (modifying a noun)
• 信頼しんらい — trust, confidence
• 発揮はっき — demonstration, exercise (of ability/power)