N4 Reading · Test 25

The sentence says 'I swim at the pool every week. (21), until half a year ago I couldn't swim.' The first clause states a current positive fact (swimming every week), and the second clause states a past negative fact (couldn't swim). This is a contrast/contradiction, so しかし (but/however) fits perfectly: 'However, until half a year ago I couldn't swim.'

• 2だから means 'so/therefore' and expresses cause-and-effect. The relationship here is not cause-and-effect; it's a contrast between 'I swim now' and 'I couldn't swim before.'
• 3たとえば means 'for example.' There is no example being given here; the sentence presents a contrasting fact.
• 4それに means 'besides/in addition' and adds more information in the same direction. The second sentence contradicts the first, so addition is wrong.

• しかし — but, however (conjunctive used to express contrast)
• だから — so, therefore
• たとえば — for example
• それに — besides, in addition

The sentence is 'けれども、私（22）泳げませんでした' — 'But I couldn't swim.' The contrastive は marks 私 as the topic while also implying contrast with the friend who swam far. The friend swam, but as for me, I couldn't swim. 私は is the natural and correct choice.

• 1なら is a conditional ('if'). 私なら would mean 'if it were me,' which doesn't fit the past-tense statement 泳げませんでした.
• 3より means 'than' and is used for comparisons (AよりB). There is no comparison structure here; the sentence simply states 'I couldn't swim.'
• 4でも means 'even' as in 私でも ('even I'). While 'even I couldn't swim' is grammatically possible, the sentence already has けれども (but) providing the contrast, so the plain topic marker は is the intended and most natural answer.

• は — topic marker (also used contrastively)
• なら — if (conditional)
• より — than (comparison marker)
• でも — even (particle for emphasis)

The sentence is '水泳の上手なともだちに泳ぎ方を（23）' — the writer (私) is the one who received the teaching from a skilled friend. The particle に marks the friend as the giver of the action. With ～てもらいました, the structure is (giver)に (action)てもらいました, meaning 'I had (someone) do (action) for me.' So 教えてもらいました means 'I had my friend teach me how to swim,' which matches the writer's perspective.

• 1教えていました means '(the friend) was teaching' — this describes an ongoing past action but doesn't capture the receiver's perspective. With に marking the friend, this form is unnatural here.
• 2教えてくれました means '(the friend) taught (me)' from the giver's perspective. While grammatically possible, the standard pattern with に is ～てもらう (receiver's perspective). The sentence structure ともだちに…を points to もらいました as the intended answer.
• 3教えてあげました means '(I) taught (the friend)' — this reverses the roles. The writer is the learner, not the teacher, so this is wrong.

• てもらう — to have someone do something for me (receiver's perspective)
• てくれる — someone does something for me (giver's perspective)
• てあげる — I do something for someone (giver's perspective, I am the giver)
• 教おしえる — to teach

The sentence is 'それで少しずつ（24）' — 'So gradually I became able to swim.' The context is: the writer practiced every week, and as a result, gradually acquired the ability to swim. ～ようになる expresses a change of state/ability, so 泳げるようになりました means 'I became able to swim.' This perfectly matches the narrative of progressing from not being able to swim to being able to swim.

• 1泳いでおきました means 'I swam (in preparation)' — ～ておく means doing something in advance/preparation. This doesn't express acquiring a new ability.
• 2泳いでしまいました means 'I ended up swimming / swam completely' — ～てしまう expresses completion or regret. It doesn't convey becoming able to swim.
• 3泳げることになりました means 'it was decided that I could swim' — ～ことになる expresses a decision or arrangement. Becoming able to swim through practice is not a decision, so this is unnatural.

• ようになる — to become able to (expresses a change of state or ability)
• ことになる — it is decided that~ (expresses a decision/arrangement)
• ておく — to do something in advance/preparation
• てしまう — to finish/completely do; to end up doing (sometimes with regret)

The sentence is '次に海に行くまでにたくさん（25）' — 'Before I go to the sea next time, I want to practice a lot.' The writer expresses their intention/desire for the future, so 練習したいです ('want to practice') is correct. The structure までに ('by the time') sets a deadline, and the writer's volition to practice a lot before then is the natural completion.

• 2練習するためです means 'it is for the purpose of practicing.' This would answer a 'why' question, but the sentence needs a main verb expressing the writer's desire/intention, not a reason.
• 3練習したようです means 'it seems (I) practiced' — ～ようだ expresses appearance/conjecture. This doesn't fit the writer's forward-looking intention.
• 4練習するそうです means 'I hear (someone) will practice' — ～そうだ(伝聞) expresses hearsay. The writer is stating their own intention, not reporting hearsay.

• たい — want to do (expresses desire)
• ため — for the purpose of
• ようだ — it seems that~ (conjecture based on appearance)
• そうだ(伝聞) — I hear that~ / it is said that~ (hearsay)