N2 Grammar · Test 16

Option 2 (も) is correct. 何人も (なんにんも) is a fixed expression meaning 'a large number of people / many people.' The sentence means: 'I have been asked by many people about the reasons for my success, but it is not that I have done anything special.' The particle も emphasizes the large quantity, and 何人もの人 means 'many people (so many that I can't count).'

• 1と does not form a meaningful compound with 何人 here. 何人との人 is ungrammatical and conveys no idiomatic sense.
• 3だけ means 'only.' 何人だけの人 would imply 'only a certain number of people,' which contradicts the context where the speaker has been asked by many people.
• 4きり means 'only / just (and no more).' 何人きりの人 would mean 'only a few people,' which again contradicts the intended meaning of 'many people.'

• 何人なんにんも — many people, a large number of people (with a counter + も, emphasizing abundance)
• 決して〜ない（けっして〜ない） — never, by no means (used with a negative to express strong denial)

Option 1 (すら) is correct. 〜すら means 'even,' marking something that should be basic or expected but was not achieved. The pattern 〜どころか ('far from / let alone') sets up a downward escalation: the minister could not even give a satisfactory answer, and 〜どころか intensifies this by saying he could not すら (even) understand the content of the questions. 質問の内容すら理解できていなかった = 'could not even understand the content of the questions.'

• 2こそ means 'precisely / exactly,' emphasizing one thing above others. It does not pair naturally with 〜どころか, which requires a particle expressing a minimal/low expectation like すら.
• 3のみ means 'only.' 質問の内容のみ理解できていなかった would mean 'only the question content was not understood,' which is illogical with 〜どころか.
• 4ほど means 'to the extent of / about.' 質問の内容ほど理解できていなかった is ungrammatical and meaningless in this context.

• 〜どころか — far from ~, let alone ~ (indicates the actual situation is even more extreme than the stated negative)
• すら — even (used to highlight that something minimal/expected was not achieved; similar to さえ)
• 追及ついきゅう — pursuit, pressing (someone for answers/accountability)

Option 4 (くらい) is correct. 〜くらい（に） expresses a low degree or dismissive estimation: 'to the extent/level of ~ (and no more).' 子供の遊びくらいに思っていた means 'I thought of it as merely child's play / nothing more than a child's game.' The sentence says: 'I had thought video games were nothing more than child's play, but when I tried them, they were so fun I got absorbed.'

• 1まで means 'even.' 子供の遊びまでに思っていた is unnatural and does not convey the dismissive 'merely' nuance needed here.
• 2ぬき means 'without.' 子供の遊びぬきに思っていた is ungrammatical and nonsensical in this context.
• 3どおり means 'exactly as / according to.' 子供の遊びどおりに思っていた would mean 'thought of it exactly as child's play,' which is grammatically odd and does not convey the intended dismissive tone.

• 〜くらい — to the extent/degree of ~; when used with a dismissive tone, means 'merely ~, nothing more than ~'
• 夢中むちゅうになる — to become absorbed in, to be crazy about

Option 2 (どうも) is correct. どうも is used with expressions of uncertainty (such as 〜ようだ, 〜みたいだ, 〜らしい) to mean 'it seems somehow / apparently.' どうも間違っていたようです = 'it seems there was somehow a mistake.' Yamada is reporting uncertainly that the numbers in the table appear to be wrong, which fits the apologetic context perfectly.

• 1どうか means 'somehow / by some means' or is used in requests ('please'). It does not pair with 〜ようだ to express uncertain speculation.
• 3どうにか means 'somehow / managing to.' It implies effort to achieve something and does not fit with 〜ようだ in this speculative context.
• 4どうでも means 'anyway / regardless.' どうでも間違っていたようです would imply the mistake doesn't matter, which contradicts the apologetic tone.

• どうも — somehow, apparently (used with ようだ/みたいだ/らしい to express uncertain speculation); also used as an intensifier in greetings
• ようだ — it seems that ~, it appears that ~ (conjectural expression based on sensory evidence)

Option 3 (こたえて) is correct. 〜にこたえて means 'in response to ~ / answering ~.' 利用者の声にこたえて = 'in response to users' feedback/voices.' The museum is extending its summer hours because it listened to and acted upon user requests. This is a common N2 grammar pattern for responding to expectations, requests, or feelings.

• 1いたって (〜にいたって) means 'reaching the point of ~ / when it comes to ~.' 利用者の声にいたって is grammatically possible but means 'when it reaches users' voices,' which does not fit the context of responding to feedback.
• 2むけて (〜にむけて) means 'toward / aimed at.' 利用者の声にむけて would mean 'toward users' voices,' which is directionally odd and does not convey 'in response to.'
• 4かかわって (〜にかかわって) means 'related to / concerning.' 利用者の声にかかわって would mean 'concerning users' voices,' which lacks the causal 'responding to' nuance needed here.

• 〜にこたえて — in response to ~, answering to ~ (used when acting on requests, expectations, or feelings)
• 利用者の声（りようしゃのこえ） — users' voices/feedback
• 開館時間かいかんじかん — opening hours (of a museum/library/etc.)

The correct order is 3→1→4→2, making the sentence: もう秋になるのに、今日の暑さはまるで眞夏に戻ったかのようでエアコンをつけた家も多かったらしい。The ★ is in the third position, so the answer is 4 (に戻ったか). The structure is まるで～かのようで ('as if ~'), describing today's heat as if summer had returned.

• 1眞夏 (1) goes in the second slot, right after まるで: まるで眞夏に戻ったかのようで. It is the noun embedded inside the simile.
• 2のようで (2) goes in the final slot, completing the pattern まるで～かのようで ('as if ~').
• 3まるで (3) goes in the first slot, starting the simile pattern まるで～かのようで.

• まるで～かのようだ — as if ~; just like ~ (used to describe something that resembles another situation)
• 眞夏まなつ — midsummer; the height of summer
• 戻もどる — to return; to go back

The correct order is 2→1→4→3, making the sentence: 事前にリストをしっかり確認さえしておけば防げるミスでしたのに申し訳ありません。The ★ is in the third position, so the answer is 4 (防げる). The grammar pattern is ～さえ～ば ('if only ~'), and the full clause 確認さえしておけば防げる modifies ミス ('a mistake that could have been prevented if only I had checked').

• 1しておけば (1) goes in the second slot: 確認さえしておけば ('if only I had done the checking'). It is the conditional verb in the さえ～ば pattern.
• 2確認さえ (2) goes in the first slot, right after しっかり: 確認さえしておけば ('if only I had checked'). さえ means 'even/just' and pairs with ば.
• 3ミスでした (3) goes in the final slot: 防げるミスでしたのに ('it was a mistake that could have been prevented, yet...'). It is the noun phrase that the relative clause modifies.

• ～さえ～ば — if only ~; as long as ~ (sufficient condition)
• 確認かくにん — confirmation; checking
• 防ふせげる — can prevent; can avoid (potential form of 防ぐ)

The correct order is 3→4→1→2, making the sentence: 今回失敗したことは仕方ないとしても、今後必ずこの経験を生かしてほしい。The ★ is in the third position, so the answer is 1 (としても). The pattern ～ことは仕方ないとしても means 'even if we accept that ~ is unavoidable,' setting up the contrast with the encouragement that follows.

• 2今後 (2) goes in the final slot: 今後必ずこの経験を生かしてほしい ('from now on, I want you to definitely make use of this experience').
• 3ことは (3) goes in the first slot: 今回失敗したことは ('as for failing this time'), marking the topic.
• 4仕方ない (4) goes in the second slot: 失敗したことは仕方ない ('failing is unavoidable'), which is then followed by としても.

• ～としても — even if ~; even assuming ~ (concessive conditional)
• 仕方しかたない — it cannot be helped; it is unavoidable
• 生いかす — to make use of; to put to good use

The correct order is 2→4→3→1, making the sentence: もっと強くなるためなら、どんな厳しい練習にだって耐えようと思います。The ★ is in the third position, so the answer is 3 (厳しい練習に). The structure is ためなら ('if it's for the purpose of') + どんな～だって ('no matter what ~') + 耐えよう ('I will endure').

• 1だって (1) goes in the final slot: どんな厳しい練習にだって耐えよう ('I will endure no matter how harsh the practice'). だって emphasizes 'even/any.'
• 2なら (2) goes in the first slot: もっと強くなるためなら ('if it's for the purpose of becoming stronger'). なら attaches to ため to form a conditional.
• 4どんな (4) goes in the second slot: どんな厳しい練習にだって ('no matter how harsh the practice'). どんな～だって means 'no matter what kind of ~.'

• ためなら — if it is for the purpose of ~
• どんな～だって — no matter what kind of ~; any ~ at all
• 耐たえる — to endure; to bear; to withstand
• 厳きびしい — strict; harsh; severe

The correct order is 4→2→1→3, making the sentence: 風邪をひかないのは、毎朝しているジョギングのおかげだ。The ★ is in the third position, so the answer is 1 (ジョギングの). Here, 毎朝している ('that I do every morning') is a relative clause modifying ジョギング, and then のおかげだ ('it's thanks to ~') completes the sentence. The の links ジョギング to おかげだ.

• 2している (2) goes in the second slot: 毎朝しているジョギング ('the jogging I do every morning'). It is the verb in the relative clause modifying ジョギング.
• 3おかげだ (3) goes in the final slot: ジョギングのおかげだ ('it's thanks to jogging'). おかげだ expresses gratitude for a cause.
• 4毎朝 (4) goes in the first slot: 毎朝しているジョギング ('the jogging I do every morning'). It is the time adverbial inside the relative clause.

• ～のおかげだ — it is thanks to ~; ~ is the reason for (a positive outcome)
• ジョギング — jogging
• 風邪かぜをひく — to catch a cold