N2 Reading · Test 17

The passage states: '人口が増えれば、必要とされる食物や生活物資の量も増える。…人間は、食物の栽培や物資の生産を始めた。そして、その生産（農業生産や工業生産）の拡大によって、自然界の限界を乗り越え、人口を拡大していった。' This means humans began cultivating food and producing goods, and through the expansion of that production, they overcame nature's limits and expanded their population. Option 4 ('食物や生活物資を作り出すことによって、人口を増やしていった。') accurately summarizes this point.

• 1The passage does not say humans consumed natural food 'to the limit' (限界まで消費). Rather, humans overcame nature's limits by starting production (cultivation and manufacturing), not by merely consuming what nature provided.
• 2The passage never mentions natural disasters (自然災害). What humans overcame was '自然界の限界' (nature's limits) through production, not disasters.
• 3The passage does not mention fighting or competing with other animals for food (他の動物と争い). Humans formed large groups for protection and food acquisition, but the key to population growth was production, not conflict.

• 拡大かくだい — expansion, enlargement
• 乗り越える（のりこえる） — to overcome, to surmount
• 栽培さいばい — cultivation
• 物資ぶっし — goods, supplies, materials

The passage contrasts normal animals with humans: 'ふつうの動物であれば…ある時点で集団の分裂がおこる。しかし、体に武器というものを持たない動物であった人間は、どうやら100人、200人を超える大集団を作って生活し…そして、そのような大集団をなんとか維持する個体間関係を保つことが可能でもあった。' Normal animals' groups split when numbers grow, but humans could maintain large groups by preserving interpersonal relationships. Option 2 ('個体間関係を保ちながら、大集団を維持していった点') captures this distinction precisely.

• 1The passage does not mention large groups learning from each other (大集団同士が学び合って). Learning happens within a single large group (子どもたちもその大集団の中で育ち…学びとって), not between multiple groups.
• 3The passage explicitly states humans did NOT have weapons on their bodies ('体に武器というものを持たない動物であった人間'). Option 3 contradicts the text by saying humans made weapons (武器を作って).
• 4The passage does not mention avoiding battles between large groups (大集団同士の戦いを避けて). While humans lacked physical weapons, they formed large groups for protection, but avoiding inter-group conflict is not discussed.

• 分裂ぶんれつ — splitting, division
• 個体間関係こたいかんかんけい — inter-individual relationships
• 維持いじ — maintenance, preserving
• 獲得かくとく — acquisition, obtaining

The passage concludes: 'それには人間が自然というものをもっとよく知り、環境とは何か、それぞれの生きものにとっての環世界というものは何かをもっと深く知るほかはあるまい。' The author says humans should better understand nature, what environment means, and what the surrounding world (環世界) means for each living creature. Option 3 ('自然や個々の生きものにとっての環境をよく理解する。') directly paraphrases this recommendation.

• 1The passage does not discuss thinking about humans' role toward other creatures (人間の役割). The focus is on understanding nature and environments, not on defining human roles.
• 2The passage explicitly states that changing humans' way of dominating nature is impossible: '自然を支配して生きていこうという人間の生きかたを、今さら変えることは無理だろう。' Option 2 contradicts the author's position.
• 4While the passage mentions understanding nature, it does not say to 'change humans' way of living' (人間の生きかたを変える). The author explicitly says changing the way of living is impossible (無理). Instead, the solution is to understand nature and environments more deeply.

• 環世界かんせかい — surrounding world, umwelt (each organism's perceived environment)
• 支配しはい — domination, control
• 今いまさら — at this late point, now (implying it's too late)
• 〜ほかはあるまい — there is nothing else but ~; one can only ~

Wan wants the lightest possible suitcase, needs at least 60 liters, and travels for 10 days. The ファスナータイプ (zipper type) is described as lighter than the フレームタイプ (frame type), so she should choose ファスナータイプ. For capacity, S=50L is too small, M=64L is sufficient, and L=81L is unnecessarily large, so Mサイズ is the best fit. Her 10-day trip falls in the '15日間まで' fee bracket. Looking at the ファスナータイプ table: Mサイズ, 15日間まで = 4,000円. Therefore option 3 is correct.

• 12,800円 is the ファスナータイプ Mサイズ fee for '7日間まで'. Wan's trip is 10 days, which exceeds 7 days, so this is the wrong fee bracket.
• 23,600円 is the ファスナータイプ Sサイズ fee for '15日間まで'. Sサイズ is only 50 liters, which is less than the 60 liters Wan needs, so this size is too small.
• 45,200円 is the フレームタイプ Mサイズ fee for '15日間まで'. The frame type is heavier than the zipper type, so it does not meet Wan's requirement for the lightest possible suitcase.

• ファスナータイプ — zipper-type suitcase (lighter, easier to use)
• フレームタイプ — frame-type suitcase (sturdy, high safety)
• 容量ようりょう — capacity (volume)
• 頑丈がんじょう — sturdy, durable

Tanya wants delivery 3 days before departure, and today is 6 days before departure. First, check the Internet deadline: Internet applications are accepted up to 7 days before departure (ご出発日の7日前まで). Since today is only 6 days before, the Internet deadline has already passed. So she must use the phone. Note *2 states that if you want delivery 3 days before departure (ご出発日の3日前までのお届け), you must apply by phone by 1pm on 5 days before departure (ご出発日の5日前の午後1時までにお電話ください). Since today is 6 days before, tomorrow is 5 days before. Therefore, she must call by tomorrow (5 days before departure) by 1pm. Option 3 matches this exactly.

• 1Internet applications are accepted only up to 7 days before departure. Today is 6 days before, so the Internet window has already closed. Applying online today is not possible.
• 2Same issue: the Internet deadline (7 days before departure) has already passed. Even though the timing (tomorrow by 1pm) matches the phone requirement, the Internet channel is no longer available.
• 4If Tanya applies by phone 3 days before departure, note *2 says delivery would be on the day before departure (ご出発日の前日), not 3 days before. To get delivery 3 days before, she must apply by 1pm on 5 days before departure, not by 6pm on 3 days before.

• 出発日しゅっぱつび — departure date
• お届け（おとどけ） — delivery
• 直前ちょくぜん — just before, right before (here: last-minute)
• 翌日よくじつ — the next day