English reading for Japanese high school students: the Common Test for University Admissions in 2013 DAY 1

Section 3A

Read the sentence of the next question (Question 1 and Question 2), guess the meaning of the underlined words from each sentence and choose the ones that are most appropriate ones for 27 and 28.

No.1

Judy: Hi, Luke. Where’s Bob? I thought he wanted to help us clean up the beach.

Luke: I decided not to ask him to come.

Judy: Really? Why not?

Luke: He always thinks he should be the one to call the shots whenever we do anything like this. If someone suggests a different idea, Bob always ignores it or gets angry.

In this situation, to call the shots means to 27.

1. ask questions

2. avoid trouble

3. have control

4. make friends

No.2

In my high school years, my friend and I felt that Mr. Bell was the epitome of a good high school PE teacher. He was not tall or well-built, but he was able to teach sports which often required a lot of strength and endurance. Furthermore, he had the ability to make us do our best and never give up. Even today I believe I have never met a better PE teacher.

In this situation, the sepitome of a good PE teacher is one who is the 28.

1. athletic kind

2. perfect example

3. practical sort

4. strict type

Answer

No.1 27 3

No.2 28 2

Section 3B

The following text is part of a scene in a town in the United States where residents gather to discuss the use of a vacant lot next to a library parking lot. Choose the most appropriate ones from 1 to 4 for 29 to 31.

Bob: OK. Let’s get started. I see we have well over a dozen people here to discuss what to do with the area next to the library parking lot. Would anyone like to start with some suggestions? … Yes, Jack?

Jack: I think there’s enough space for a small park with at least one tree, maybe two … and a lawn of beautiful green grass. Maybe we can put a bench there as well. Along one side, we could leave some space for flowers. The park could be an ideal place to sit and read a book.

Bob: That’s pretty much what I imagined, too — a kind of miniature park that 29.

1. can be used for community events

2. creates a comfortable and peaceful atmosphere

3. suits the architecture of the new library

4. would be a good place to park a car

Jack: That’s right.

Anne: But Jack, do you know how much money it would cost to do what you propose? We would need to hire somebody to take care of the flowers, trees, and lawn and also clean up the leaves.

Bob: So, Anne, what do you have in mind?

Anne: Well, last year my husband and I decided to change our lawn into a desert-style rock garden, so we hired an expert to make one for us. It looks great, but more importantly, doesn’t need much care.

Bob: So what you’re saying, Anne, is 30.

1. a desert-style garden is better because it is more economical

2. a park with a lawn would help create jobs for residents

3. we can create a desert-style garden which looks professional

4. we have enough money to maintain a lawn and a garden

Jack: Anne, can you explain it in more detail?

Anne: Well, I’ve invited the person who designed our yard. This is Carol Jones. She can explain this better than I can.

Carol: Hello, everyone. We all know that we don’t get much rain here in the Southwest. A desert-style rock garden basically creates a scene we might see in deserts by using sand and rocks of various sizes and colors. It uses plants that don’t require much water, such as cactuses and other desert plants.

Jack: Hmmm. I have an image of deserts being really hot and uncomfortable, not relaxing.

Carol: It doesn’t have to be that way. We could choose a variety of rocks and plants. For instance, we could use rocks that are green and smooth pebbles from river bottoms to create a cooler impression. Some desert plants offer shade as well as beauty.

Anne: So, Carol and I think that 31.

1. a rock garden cannot be as comfortable as a garden full of plants

2. a rock garden would go well with the atmosphere of the town

3. it is difficult to choose the right materials for a rock garden

4. it is possible to create a refreshing space with a rock garden

Bob: OK, so we have two choices so far: a rock garden, or the small park that Jack recommended. If there are no more suggestions, shall we take a vote?

Answer

29 2
30 1
31 4

Section 3C

In the following text, Choose the most appropriate ones from 1 to 4 for 32 to 34

The United States is a vast country. From the East Coast to the West Coast, there are four different time zones. In addition, many parts of the country observe daylight saving time (DST) as well. In areas that adopt DST, the clock is moved one hour forward for the summer. Thus, the local time varies across different areas of the country, depending on which time zone the area is in and whether DST is adopted.

The state of Indiana, shown in the map below, is known for its 32. For decades, both the Eastern Time Zone and Central Time Zone have existed within the state. Many areas in the state have switched back and forth between Eastern Time and Central Time. Furthermore, until very recently, policy concerning DST differed from one place to another. Most areas in the Eastern Time Zone did not adopt DST, and the time stayed the same throughout the year; while in other areas, where DST was adopted, the clock was moved forward by one hour for the summer. In 2006, however, the entire state started to observe DST.

Some have argued that the time system in Indiana 33. For example, a company in Indiana once scheduled a phone conference with companies in other states.

When the meeting started, only half of the out-of-state participants were on the line. This was because the participants who missed the conference did not know in which time zone the company was located.

It is not easy to resolve this issue because being in a particular time zone has important consequences for Indiana residents. Local businesses may benefit from being in the Eastern Time Zone where the financial center of the entire country, Wall Street in New York City, is located. Meanwhile, this may not be convenient for residents in the western parts of Indiana who commute to major cities in the Central Time Zone, like Chicago, just across the state border.

The controversy over time in Indiana was partly resolved in 2006, when the entire state started to observe DST. 34 This debate may continue as long as people living in different parts of the state have different needs.

32

1. complex time system that has been changed many times over the years

2. convenient time system that has attracted new businesses to the state

3. flexible time system that allows workers to choose their own working hours

4. traditional time system that is a good model for the rest of the country

33

1. discourages communication between government and businesses

2. harms local businesses working with companies outside of Indiana

3. is understood and accepted by companies in other areas of the country

4. strengthens relationships among businesses in the state and those elsewhere

34

1. However, residents agree that Indiana should adopt a single statewide time zone.

2. However, there is still disagreement about having two different time zones in the state.

3. Thus, this new change made the problem in the state more serious than before.

4. Thus, whether or not Indiana should have two time zones is no longer an issue.

Answer

32 1

33 2

34 2