N2 Reading · Test 16

Option 2 is correct. In the passage, the author discusses how information written in text (books, internet) exists 'outside oneself' (自分の外側にある). The phrase 'そのほとんど' refers back to 'そこに文字として書かれているもの' — things written in text that you can look up or search. If you lose access to them (books burn, power outage), most of that look-up-able information becomes unrelated to you. Option 2, '調べればわかることのほとんど' (most of what can be found out by searching), correctly captures this meaning.

• 1'自分自身の知識のほとんど' (most of one's own knowledge) is wrong because the passage explicitly states that text-based information is NOT one's own knowledge: 'それは自分自身の知識が増えたわけではない.'
• 3'検索するための手段のほとんど' (most of the means for searching) is wrong because 'そのほとんど' refers to the content/information itself, not the tools or methods used to search.
• 4'文字によって覚えたことのほとんど' (most of what was memorized through text) is wrong because the passage says text-based information is outside yourself and is not truly memorized/learned — it is merely accessible.

• そのほとんど — most of that (referring to things written in text)
• 無縁むえん — unrelated, having no connection
• アクセス（あくせす） — access

Option 2 is correct. The passage states: 'そういう文化の中で育っていない人たちにとっては、その瞬間を逃したらそれまでであって、同じ人から同じ話を聞く機会はもう二度ない。そのような気持ちで人のことばを聞くことによって培われた力が、記憶する力となっているのであろう。' This means that people without literacy culture listen with the understanding that they will never get another chance to hear the same story, and this mindset cultivates their memory ability. Option 2, '同じ話を二度と聞けないと考えて、集中して聞く' (thinking they cannot hear the same story again, they listen attentively), matches this exactly.

• 1'自分の覚えたい話しか興味を持って聞かない' (they only listen with interest to stories they want to remember) is wrong — the passage says they listen intently because they cannot hear it again, not because they selectively choose what interests them.
• 3'話を記憶できなければ、もう一度聞き直す' (if they cannot remember a story, they ask to hear it again) is wrong — the passage explicitly says '同じ人から同じ話を聞く機会はもう二度ない' (there is no second chance to hear the same story).
• 4'話は何度も聞けないので、忘れてしまいがちである' (since they cannot hear stories repeatedly, they tend to forget) is wrong — the passage says the opposite: their mindset of not being able to hear again actually cultivates strong memory ability.

• 逃のがしたらそれまで — once you miss it, it's over
• 培つちかわれた — cultivated, nurtured
• 記憶する力（きおくするちから） — ability to remember

Option 1 is correct. The passage states: '自分が記憶していないものは、存在していないのと同じ' (what you have not memorized is the same as something that does not exist) and concludes: '文字を学び、書かれたものを読む能力は、人間の取得可能な知識の範囲を格段に広げたことは事実である。しかし、それは取得した知識が増えたことを、なんら意味してはいない。' (Learning letters and reading written material greatly expanded the range of acquirable knowledge. However, that does not mean at all that acquired knowledge has increased.) This means that without memorization, you cannot truly be said to have acquired knowledge. Option 1, '記憶していなければ、知識を得たとはいえない' (if you haven't memorized it, you can't say you've acquired knowledge), captures this core argument.

• 2'知識が増えるにしたがって、記憶する力も伸びる' (as knowledge increases, memory ability also grows) is wrong — the passage does not suggest this causal relationship; rather, it contrasts external knowledge access with internal memorization.
• 3'文字を学ばなければ、知識は増えない' (without learning letters, knowledge will not increase) is wrong — the passage acknowledges that literacy expands the 'range of acquirable knowledge,' but argues that this doesn't mean actual acquired knowledge increases. The author does not claim knowledge is impossible without literacy.
• 4'文字の使用の有無にかかわらず、記憶する力は変わらない' (regardless of whether writing is used, memory ability does not change) is wrong — the passage implies that people without writing culture develop stronger memory ability because they must remember everything in the moment, suggesting memory ability DOES differ.

• 取得可能しゅとくかのう — acquirable, obtainable
• 格段かくだんに — remarkably, greatly
• なんら — any (used with negative: not at all)

Option 4 correctly captures how each author describes today's young people. In passage A, the author states that young people who just started working '仕事で失敗して上司からしかられることをとても恐れている' (are very afraid of making mistakes at work and being scolded by their boss). In passage B, the author states that today's young people, having received education that affirms individuality, will even 'たとえ上司の命令でも反論する' (argue against even a boss's orders) if something doesn't match their own thinking — in other words, they assert their own opinions clearly. Option 4 accurately summarizes both descriptions.

• 1Neither passage says young people 'don't honestly listen to their boss.' A says they ask many questions out of fear of failure, not that they disobey. B says they may argue against orders that don't match their thinking, but this is not the same as 'not honestly listening' in general, and A does not mention this at all.
• 2Only A mentions anxiety (不安) and asking many questions. B does not discuss anxiety or frequent questioning of bosses, so this is not common to both.
• 3A does NOT say young people are actually passive (消極的) or dislike working. A says that if you don't understand their feelings, you might MISUNDERSTAND them as passive. A's actual point is that they fear failure. This option misattributes a potential misunderstanding as A's own assertion.

• 不安を抱える（ふあんをいだえる） — to harbor anxiety / to feel uneasy
• しかられる — to be scolded
• 消極的しょうきょくてき — passive, negative (in attitude)
• 歩み寄る（あゆみよる） — to compromise, to meet halfway, to approach someone
• 個性を肯定する（こせいをこうていする） — to affirm individuality
• 反論はんろんする — to argue back, to raise an objection
• 納得なっとくする — to be convinced, to understand and accept

Option 1 correctly identifies the common point between A and B. Passage A states: '若者の考え方が自分と違うのはしかたない。彼らの気持ちを理解するには、自分から歩み寄ることが必要だ' — it can't be helped that young people think differently from you, and you need to approach them yourself to understand their feelings. Passage B states: '自分との違いを認め、その溝を埋める努力をしてみよう' — acknowledge the differences from yourself and try to bridge that gap. Both passages share the message: recognize the differences between you and young people, and make an effort to understand them.

• 2Only A mentions young people's anxiety (不安). B does not discuss relieving anxiety or making work easier, so this is not common to both.
• 3Only B mentions individuality (個性) — '個性を肯定する教育を受けた今の若者.' A does not discuss affirming individuality, so this is not a shared point.
• 4Only B mentions that young people have their good points: '若者には若者のいいところがある.' A does not suggest learning from young people's strengths, so this is not common to both.

• 歩み寄る（あゆみよる） — to approach someone, to meet halfway, to compromise
• 溝を埋める（みぞをうめる） — to bridge a gap, to fill in a divide
• 共通きょうつうして — commonly, in common
• 認みとめる — to acknowledge, to recognize, to accept