【大問1 ― 短文語句補充は「知識」と「戦略」で勝負！】
英検準1級のリーディング問題の冒頭に登場する**大問1（語句空所補充問題）**は、全25問というボリュームながら、**1問1点の配点で高得点が狙える「得点源」**です。
このセクションでは、短文の空欄に最も適した語句を4つの選択肢から選ぶ形式で、問われているのは主に「単語力」と「熟語力」。しかし、知識だけではなく、時間配分と戦略的な解き方がカギになります。
ここでは、スコアアップのための3つのポイントをご紹介します。
✅ ポイント①：問われているのは「意味」ではなく「使い方」
**この問題の本質は、「語彙の意味」だけでなく「語彙の文脈的な使われ方」**を理解しているかどうかにあります。
- 単語の意味を知っていても、それが自然にその文で使えるかどうかが問われます。
- 特に注意が必要なのは、コロケーション（語の組み合わせ）や語義のニュアンス。
- 例：acknowledge（認める）と admit（しぶしぶ認める）は似ていても使い方が異なる。
🔍【対策】
- 単語を「意味だけ」で覚えず、例文と一緒に覚える習慣を。
- 熟語問題（put forth, bring out, shake up など）は、構造と意味の両面から理解しておく。
✅ ポイント②：消去法を使って確実に正答率を上げる
4択問題で迷ったときに有効なのが「消去法」。
わからない語があっても、「これは絶対に違う」という選択肢を除外すれば、正答率は25％→50％以上に上がることも。
- 明らかに文法的に不自然なもの、文の意味に合わない語を1つでも削れると有利。
- 知らない単語が2つ以上あっても、「違和感がない方」を選ぶという発想が有効。
🕐【対策】
- 各問題に時間をかけすぎず、「10〜15秒以内で答える」練習を。
- 迷ったら、「これっぽい」と感じた方で即決し、深追いしない勇気も大切。
✅ ポイント③：知っている語を増やすには「精読」と「反復」
大問1は、「知っていれば瞬時に正解、知らなければ当てずっぽう」。
だからこそ、1日数語でも確実にストックすることが最大の近道です。
📚【おすすめの学習法】
- 過去問25問を1日1セット解いて、「わからなかった語をまとめて復習」。
- 英検準1級の単語帳で、動詞・名詞・形容詞・副詞・熟語をカテゴリ別に学習。
- 必ず例文ごと確認し、意味・使い方・コロケーションを押さえる。
🏁 まとめ：大問1は“知識×スピード”の勝負！
| 要素 | 解説 |
|---|---|
| 内容 | 単語・熟語の空所補充（25問） |
| 配点 | 各1点 × 25問 = 25点 |
| 時間配分 | 1問あたり約1分以内（全体で25分以内） |
| 対策 | 意味＋用法で語彙を覚える／消去法を活用／迷ったらすぐ勘で決める |
大問1で確実に高得点を取ることは、Reading全体の成功に直結します。
毎日コツコツと語彙を積み重ね、時間管理と選択判断のトレーニングを重ねれば、25問中23問以上正解も夢ではありません。
過去問 2019 (2)
To complete each item, choose the best word or phrase from
among the four choices. Then, on your answer sheet, find the
number of the question and mark your answer.
(1) The new employee impressed his colleagues by working
( ). He finished every one of his assignments ahead of
time.
1 incompetently
3 diligently
2 mischievously
4 passively
(2) It took the scientist two weeks to get to the jungle village where
he would be doing research. The last ( ) of the voyage
was a long ride up a river in a small boat.
1 segment 2 maze 3 accent 4 elegance
(3) The ( ) in the nation’s economy led to a sudden increase
in the unemployment rate. “Times are difficult for everyone,”
said the president.
1 influx
2 humidity
3 downturn
4 lantern
(4)The article on Isaac Newton contained a few ( ）details,
such as hjs place of birth and his schooling,
mainly on his scientific discoveries.
1 theological
2 biographjcal
3 proportional
4 horizontal
(5) At first, Don was scared of his friend’s dog, but when it sat
down and began to ( ) its tail, he realized it was friendly.
1 wag
2 stroke
3 peel
4 grind
(6) The bookshelf was very ( ), so Ed knew it could support
the weight of all of his heavy medical textbooks without
breaking.
1 sturdy
2 harsh
3 barren
4 vigilant
(7) Police have been making ( ) into the man’s whereabouts
on the night of the theft. They asked his family and friends
where he was that night.
1 schemes
2 analogies
3 glaciers
4 inquiries
(8) Sara’s boss was on the phone when she entered his office. He
( ) her presence with a small nod but did not interrupt his
conversation to speak to her.
1 launched
3 accelerated
2 imitated
4 acknowledged
(9) Most of the world’s energy resources are ( ). Gas and oil,
for example, are expected to run out sometime this century.
1 ferocious
2 ruthless
3 finite
4 migratory
(10) A: Craig, did they manage to fix that burst pipe at the
construction site down the street?
B: Yes, thank goodness. It was ( ) so much water I
thought the entire neighborhood would flood!
1 fizzing
2 gushing
3 howling
4 puffing
(11) After drinking several glasses of wine, Meg began to feel a bit
( ). She decided to go outside into the fresh air until her
stomach felt better.
1 nauseated
2 aligned
3 dispatched
4 corroded
(12) Although many people are afraid of being attacked by a shark in the ocean, the danger is greatly ( ). The truth is that you are more likely to be struck by lightning.
1 deflated
2 oppressed
3 complemented
4 overstated
(13) Morgan’s Department Store will hold a special sale at the end of the year. If a
customer spends over $100, the store will ( ) 10 percent from the total.
1 sway
2 deduct
3 charm
4 foster
(14) These days, low-fat milk is popular, but some people will only drink regular milk. They say the low-fat version is no ( ) for the real thing.
1 denial
2 grin
3 substitute
4 tremor
(15) There are some disadvantages to Larry’s plan for outsourcing production to a foreign country, but the ( ) is that it would save a lot of money.
1 pact
2 upside
3 mold
4 handout
(16) A: What are you doing ( ) down the stairs at this hour,
Reggie?
B: I just wanted to get some water, Mom, but I was trying not to
wake anyone. I didn’t know you were still up.
1 sneaking
2 compressing
3 barking
4 kneeling
(17) Julietta has won the company’s outstanding salesperson award
for five ( ) years. The other staff members are impressed
that she continues to win it year after year.
1 medieval
2 consecutive
3 vacant
4 feeble
(18) After receiving an expensive Christmas present from her
neighbors, Cassandra felt ( ) to give them something in
return, so she bought them a nice vase.
1 obliged
2 wrinkled
3 strangled
4 scattered
(19) T he man’s experience living in Italy had been so interesting
that, in his later years, he decided to write a ( ) of his life
during that time.
1 suite
2 pageant
3 web
4 narrative
(20) A major accident caused serious ( ) on the highway, as
two lanes of traffic were closed for over an hour.
1 testimony
2 visibility
3 congestion
4 drainage
(21) Bailey had been unhappy at his old school, so his mother was
relieved when he began to ( ) in his new one. His grades
improved, and he made friends easily.
1 ruin
2 despair
3 suppress
4 thrive
(22) When Tom first ( ) his idea for a new product, his boss
did not seem to like it. He was therefore surprised the next day
to hear that his proposal had been accepted.
1 put forth
2 backed off
3 fell under
4 piled up
(23)
A: I know the new CEO was hired to ( ) our business, but
I think he’s moved too many people around.
B: I agree. I hope it won’t hurt the company’s performance.
Over half of the staff have been moved to new departments.
1 pin down
2 give off
3 track down
4 shake up
(24) Shelly said the cat had knocked the glass off the table, but her
father immediately ( ) her story. It was obvious she was
lying.
1 saw through
2. told on
3. won over
4 rounded up
(25) In order to ( ) the best in its employees, the company is
offering cash bonuses to those who perform well.
1 level off
2 bring out
3 case into
4 force down
