2E1

2024年度
英語入試問題（2024年２月22日実施）
座 席 番 号

［注意］

1．試験監督者の指示があるまで，問題冊子や筆記用具に触れてはいけません。
触れた場合は，不正行為とみなすことがあります。
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【１】 以下の英文を読み、各設問に答えなさい。
When Adrian Black met his Italian partner 10 years ago, he was determined to learn her homelanguage. Having successively picked up French a decade earlier when he lived in France, he felt thechallenge was attainable*.
“I was blown away* by how hard it was to learn French, but I came back speaking it pretty well,”says Black, who is now 50. But getting to grips with* Italian has been a much tougher process, heexplains: “I feel like French is deep down in my head somewhere, but with Italian it will take a lot
more effort for me to get to that level. “I’ve noticed that my brain isn’t as good as it was, and I’mpretty sure I don’t retain stuff as well as I used to. It just doesn’t all click* as easily as it used to.”It’s often said that A you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Actually this proverb is, for the mostpart, not true. For much of the history of modern neuroscience*, the adult brain was believed to be a
fixed structure that, once damaged, could not be repaired. But research published since the 1960s has
challenged B this assumption, showing that it is actually a highly dynamic structure, which changes
itself in response to new experiences, and adapts to injuries – a phenomenon referred to asneuroplasticity*.
Collectively*, this body of research suggests that one can never be too old to learn something
new, but that the older they are, the harder it is for them to do so. This is because neuroplasticity
generally decreases as a person gets older,（1）the brain becomes less able to change itself in

response to experiences.
Some aspects of language learning become progressively* more difficult with age, others may geteasier. “Older people have larger vocabularies than younger ones, so（2）your vocabulary will

be as large as a native,” says Albert Costa, a professor of neuroscience who studies bilingualism at
the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona. Picking up a new language’s vocabulary is much easier
for adults than learning the rules that govern* its grammar or syntax. This is because new words canbe easily mapped on to a learner’s pre-existing* knowledge. But older learners are less likely to havegood pronunciation or accent, since the phonemes*, or sounds, of a language are picked up naturally
by children.
Learning a new language may not always be easy for adults, but there is research to suggest thatdoing so is beneficial for brain health. As we get older, most of us experience an age-related decline
in mental functions such as attention and memory, and in some people the acceleration* of thisprocess leads to the development of Alzheimer’s disease* or some other form of dementia*. A numberof recent studies suggest that learning a foreign language can slow this inevitable* age-related
cognitive decline or perhaps even delay the onset* of dementia.
In the largest study of its kind to date*, researchers at Edinburgh University examined the−1−medical records of 648 Alzheimer’s patients in the Indian city of Hyderabad. They found that thebilinguals developed dementia later than monolinguals, by an average of four-and-a-half years.
We know that education can also delay the onset of dementia, but the researchers also took thatinto account. “A large part of the population in Hyderabad is bilingual but illiterate*, so we comparededucated bilinguals with bilinguals who never went to school,” says lead researcher, Thomas Bak.
The study found that dementia was delayed by an average of six years in uneducated bilinguals,（ 3）four years in educated bilinguals.

“Learning a language later on in life might be more beneficial than learning it earlier,（ 4 ）
it takes more effort,” Bak continues. “It has parallels* with physical exercise – a stroll is good for yourhealth, but not as beneficial as a run.”
Learning – and using – a foreign language seems to improve what psychologists andneuroscientists call executive function*, which refers to a hypothetical* set of mental processes（ ⓐ us ⓑ enable ⓒ vary ⓓ that ⓔ to ）our thoughts and behaviors from one moment to theC

next, depending on the task at hand.
“Using two languages seems to have consequences not only for executive functions, but also forother processes,” says Costa. “It’s like learning to juggle*, the idea being that you have to juggle twoballs every time you speak. Some of the work is controversial*, so we need more data to have adefinite answer.”（ 5 ） the difficulties, Black regards learning foreign languages as fun, and treats theendeavor* like a puzzle that has to be solved. “I’m doing it partly to keep my brain active,” he says.
“When you have some success and can express yourself, it feels like you’re using different parts ofyour brain that you weren’t using before.”
Indeed, research shows that bilingual children use the same brain regions for both languages ifthey are learned during childhood, whereas learning a second language later on in life recruits
different regions from those involved in using one’s mother tongue. And learning a foreign language,
much like learning to play a musical instrument, does indeed appear to be a good way of exercising
one’s brain, and keeping it healthy, throughout life.

【出典】
Copyright Guardian News & Media Ltd 2024
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/sep/13/am-i-too-old-to-learn-a-language
最終アクセス日：2023年8月10日（原文のイギリス英語綴りをアメリカ英語綴りに変えています。）−2−注）attainable* 到達できる

was blown away*< blow away 負かす、ぶちのめす

getting to grips with*< get to grips with ～に真剣に取り組む、コツコツと努める
click* 分かる、ピンとくる

neuroscience* 神経科学    neuroplasticity* 神経可塑性Collectively* まとめると、合わせてgovern* 支配する、統御する
acceleration* 加速（すること）

progressively* 次第に、漸次    pre-existing* 前から存在する、既存のphonemes* 音素Alzheimer’s disease* アルツハイマー病

inevitable* 避けられない、免れない
illiterate* 読み書きのできない、無学のonset* 始まり、兆候、発病dementia* 認知症

to date* 現在まで

parallels*< parallel 類似（点）、匹敵（する点）

executive function* 実行機能（ある課題を実行するための一連の心的機能）
hypothetical* 仮説の、仮定のjuggle* ジャグリングする、〔空中に投げた複数の物を〕手でさばくcontroversial* 議論を引き起こす、議論の余地のある

問１

endeavor* 努力、試み、企て

空所⑴～⑸に入れるのに最も適切なものを、それぞれ下の①〜④から一つずつ選び、番号で答えなさい。

1⑴①you mean②meaning③

what it is meant④

to mean2⑵①by chance②

as chance would have it     

③there is no chance that④

the chances are

3⑶①

compared to②related to

③

as to

④

shorter than

②

so③

once

④

because②

Along with③

Despite④

With regard to4⑷①after5⑸①

Through−3−

問２

次の⑴～⑻について、本文の内容と一致するように下線部に入る最も適切な語（句）を、それぞれ下の①〜④から一つずつ選び、番号で答えなさい。

⑴

Adrian Black learned Italian ten years

①

⑵

after

②

6

he learned French.

earlier③

before④

Adrian Black realized that learning Italian wasuntil

learning French.

①

as difficult as②

much more difficult than③

as easy as④

a lot easier than7⑶ No matter how old we are, we are never too old to learn a new language, but our brain’s ability
to adapt and change

⑷

8.

①

disappears before long②

is restored in a little while③

increases over the course of time④

decreases over time

It has been long argued that perhaps the most crucial influence on the relative difficulty oflearning a new language is

⑸

.

9

①

the physical condition②

the learning experience    ③

the age factor④

the education factor

Due to their existing background knowledge, older learners tend to have the ability to  between their mother language and a new language.

⑹

10

①

learn the grammatical differences②

distinguish the speech sounds    ③

make a sharp distinction④

make connections with vocabulary

Studies that include

have tended to show that young learners are

particularly good at achieving closer to native-like competence.

11①

the learning of pronunciation②

the bilingualism and multilingualism    ③

the learning of syntax④

the learner’s pre-existing knowledge

−4−

⑺

A group of researchers from the University of Edinburgh found that the bilingual patients had
developed dementia, on average,

than the monolingual ones, strongly

suggesting that bilingualism has a deep impact on neurological structures and processes.

①

six years later②

four and a half years later    ③

five years earlier④

four years and six months earlier

12⑻ A study revealed that children who learn a second language early on store it together with theirnative language, while in adult learners it is saved①

in the fore part②

in the same area   

③

in a different area④in the right half

問３of the brain.

13

下線部Aの諺（ことわざ）と同じような意味をもつ諺を次の①〜④から一つ選び、番号で答えなさい。

14①

Killing two birds with one stone.

②

Slow but steady wins the race.

③

Strike while the iron is hot.

④

Rome was not built in a day.

問４ 下線部B this assumption が示す内容として最も適切なものを、次の①〜④から一つ選び、番号で答えなさい。

①

15

It was believed that the adult brain was a fixed structure and there was no way to repair
the brain after it suffered from injury.

②

It was thought that it was possible for the brain to change throughout life.

③

Scientists think that the brain never stops changing as a response to different experiences.

④

The results of the studies on the brain before and after 1960s have been almost the same.

−5−

問5

本文の内容に合うように下線部Cのⓐ～ⓔの語を並べ替えるとき、前から２番目と４番目にくるものの最も適切な組み合わせを、下の①～④から一つ選び、番号で答えなさい。

C（ ⓐ us①

問６ⓑ enableⓑ−ⓔⓒ vary②ⓓ thatⓒ−ⓑ16ⓔ to ）③ⓐ−ⓒ④ⓒ−ⓓ

次の英語の質問に対する答えとして最も適切なものを、下の①～④から一つ選び、番号で答えなさい。

17Question: Which of the following statements is NOT true about language learning as explainedin this article?

① Some support for the notion of neuroplasticity comes from studies of people with brain
damage which can result from injury.
② Modern theories of learning rely on something called neuroplasticity and our brains  becomeless flexible with age, which may explain why it seems more difficult to learn as we age.
③ Although learning a new language may not always be easy for older adults, researchsuggests it can help slow down age-related cognitive decline.
④ According to the first study reporting a bilingual advantage in those who are illiterate,  education is a sufficient explanation for the observed difference.

−6−

【２】 次の⑴～⑸の会話文の空所に入れるのに最も適切なものを、それぞれ下の①～④から一つずつ選び、番号で答えなさい。

18⑴

Ａ：I’m going to go to the supermarket this afternoon.  Do you want anything?
Ｂ：Oh, yes, I’d like some toothpaste.
Ａ：A tube of toothpaste.  OK.                           Ｂ：No, that’s all, thanks.

①Can you give me a ride?

②Do you need anything else?

③Are you coming with me?

④

I’m not sure I like the idea.

19⑵Ａ：What’s your favorite coffee shop?
Ｂ：My favorite one is The Coffee House, a local coffee shop in my neighborhood.
Ａ：How often do you visit that coffee shop?
Ｂ：                          The Coffee House is always our first choice.

①

I usually go there around 5:00 in the evening.

②

I often order coffee and a piece of cake.

③

Every weekend when I hang out with my friends.

④The coffee they serve is excellent.

−7−20⑶Ａ：I give up! I simply can’t learn Spanish!
Ｂ：Why do you say that? I think you’re making a lot of progress.
Ａ：No, I’m not. I try and try and I still can’t speak it very well.
Ｂ：Learning any language takes a lot of effort. But don’t give up.                          Ａ：Good idea. That just might help.

①

Why don’t you study much harder than now?

②

How long have you been studying Spanish?

③

How about studying French instead?

④

Why don’t we practice those dialogs together?

21⑷

Ａ：Excuse me, is this seat taken?
Ｂ：No, it isn’t.
Ａ：                         , so my friend and I can sit together?
Ｂ：No, not at all.
Ａ：Thanks a lot.

①

Do you know where the restroom is②

Would you mind moving over one③

Do you mind showing us your seat number④

Would you please give me your seat

22⑸

Ａ：You know. Should I take this new job? Or do I stick with my current one?
Ｂ：Well, I think it’s time for a change.  They pay you late and you are unhappy.
Ａ：Do you really think so?
Ｂ：I know so.                            Trust me. Take the new job. What do you have to lose?

①I’ve been listening to you complain for over a year now.

②

I know you’ve had nothing to complain of.

③

When did you apply for the new job?

④

You should have told me about it earlier.

−8−【３】 次の⑴～⑸について、与えられた日本文の意味になるように（）の語（句）を並べ替えるとき、２番目と４番目にくるものを、それぞれ下の①～⑤から一つずつ選び、番号で答えなさい。ただし、文頭にくる語（句）も小文字にしています。

⑴

どうしてそんなに一人が嫌なのですか。
Why is it that（ ①⑵

23

2番目：
can’t

②

alone

③you

④stand⑤

4番目：

24being ）?

その昔ちょうどここには川が流れていました。


2番目：（ ① to② there③ be④ used25

4番目：

26

⑤ a river ）running right here a long timeago.

⑶

10分歩いたら海辺に着きました。
（ ①⑷2番目：brought

②walk

③

me④ten⑤4番目：

28minutes’ ）to the shore.

これは逃してはならない絶好の機会だとトムは思いました。


2番目：

Tom felt that this was（ ①⑸

27

too

②

to③

good④

miss

29

4番目：

⑤30

a chance ）.

アジアはヨーロッパのほぼ４倍の大きさです。

Asia is roughly（ ①2番目：
the size②times−9−③Europe④of31

4番目：⑤four ）.

32

【４】 次の⑴～⑽の英文中の空所に入れるのに最も適切なものを、それぞれ下の①～④から一つずつ選び、番号で答えなさい。

⑴

Thanks to your support, the project will be finished（①⑵⑶ahead of②

hopeswishes③watch

②

face

③

shoes

②

pants

overlook

Why not②

What aboutaccount

②

③

③for

②

overThey’re always together; you（①often②

separately④

expectations35

accident

neglect

36④

How come

As you have a high fever, we cannot rule（①）.

chair）of a heavy storm.

scale

until④）you didn’t tell me I had my sweater on inside out?

The event was canceled on（①③④）reality.

It is important to put yourself in the other person’s（3334

concerns

No matter how hard the situation is, we must（①⑻

③

①⑸ （⑺

above）about water shortages this summer.

①⑹②There are（①⑷behind）schedule.

foot37④

For whatever reason④case38）the possibility of influenza.

③④out）see one without the other.

40

③

on

rarely−10−④

jointly39

⑼I am not interested in it, but if you（）,I will do it.

①③insist⑽ The workshop（①provides②

assumeinvolve

41④imagine）children with the opportunity to learn more about social media.

②

prevents

③

holds

−11−

④

interrupts42英語（20240222）
大問

１２３４

解答
番号
１２３４５６７８
９1011
12
13
1415
16
17
18
1920
21
2223
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42

正解
②
④
①④③
①②④
③
④
①②③③
①
①④②
③
④②
①

①
⑤④
③
⑤
①
③②②④

完
解
完
解
完
解
完
解
完
解
③③②
①③①④
③
①①

解答一覧