N2 Vocabulary · Test 62

契機（けいき）means 'opportunity,' 'turning point,' or 'trigger (for a new action/decision).' The sentence says the international event two years ago was the trigger/opportunity for the company to consider expanding overseas. 「～する契機となった」is a standard expression meaning 'became the opportunity/trigger for ~.'

• 2先端（せんたん）means 'tip' or 'forefront/cutting edge' (e.g., 技術の先端). It does not mean 'opportunity' or 'trigger.'
• 3始発（しはつ）means 'first departure' (of a train/bus) or 'starting station.' It is a transportation term and does not fit this context.
• 4合図（あいず）means 'signal' (a gesture or sign indicating something). While an event could be a kind of signal, 合図 is used for immediate, physical signals (e.g., 手で合図する), not for a turning point that leads to a major business decision.

• 契機けいき — opportunity, turning point, trigger
• 先端せんたん — tip, forefront, cutting edge
• 始発しはつ — first departure, starting station
• 合図あいず — signal, sign

ひそひそ (ひそひそ) means 'in a whisper / secretly / in hushed tones'. The second clause says '他人に聞かれては困る話なのだろうか' (is it something that would be troublesome if overheard by others?), which strongly implies they are speaking quietly so others cannot hear. Thus ひそひそ話している ('talking in whispers') fits perfectly.

• 1ぐっすり (ぐっすり) means 'soundly / deeply', used with sleeping (ぐっすり眠る). It cannot modify 話している ('talking').
• 2うろうろ (うろうろ) means 'restlessly / wandering about aimlessly'. It describes walking or behaving anxiously, not the manner of talking.
• 4ぱっさり is not a standard adverb for talking. Words like ぱさぱさ (dry) exist, but ぱっさり does not fit the context of speaking quietly.

• ひそひそ — in a whisper; secretly; in hushed tones
• ぐっすり — soundly; deeply (sleeping)
• うろうろ — restlessly; wandering about aimlessly
• 他人に聞かれては困る（たにんにきかれてはこまる） — it would be troublesome if overheard by others

打ち消した (うちけした, denied/refuted) is correct. うわさを打ち消す means 'to deny a rumor (by showing evidence to the contrary).' The politician appeared energetic at a press conference to refute the rumor that he was ill.

• 1入れ替えた (いれかえた, replaced/swapped) means to swap one thing for another; you don't 入れ替える a rumor in this context.
• 3追い返した (おいかえした, sent back / turned away) means to make someone go back (e.g., turn away a visitor); it does not collocate with うわさ.
• 4差し引いた (さしひいた, deducted/subtracted) is used for amounts or quantities, not for dispelling a rumor.

• 打ち消す（うちけす） — to deny / refute / cancel out
• 入れ替える（いれかえる） — to replace / swap
• 追い返す（おいかえす） — to send back / turn away
• 差し引く（さしひく） — to deduct / subtract
• 記者会見きしゃかいけん — press conference

そそっかしい (4) means 'careless', 'thoughtless', or 'absent-minded'. The context of the sentence is that Yamaguchi-san forgot his wallet when going shopping, which is a classic example of a careless or absent-minded mistake. Therefore, this is the perfect fit for the blank.

• 1たのもしい (頼もしい) means 'reliable' or 'dependable'. Forgetting one's wallet is the opposite of being reliable, so this does not fit the context.
• 2そうぞうしい (騒々しい) means 'noisy' or 'boisterous'. Forgetting a wallet has nothing to do with being noisy, making this option incorrect.
• 3あつかましい (厚かましい) means 'shameless', 'brazen', or 'impudent'. While forgetting a wallet might be inconvenient, it does not necessarily mean the person is shameless or rude, so this is not the best fit.

• そそっかしい — careless, thoughtless, absent-minded
• 頼たのもしい — reliable, dependable
• 騒々そうぞうしい — noisy, boisterous
• 厚あつかましい — shameless, brazen, impudent