〔2023A〕

英語

コミュニケーション英語Ⅰ・Ⅱ・Ⅲ
英語表現Ⅰ・Ⅱ（注意事項）

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4．試験終了後は問題冊子を持ち帰りなさい。

英語Part 1 Read the text below and answer the questions that follow.
The "Exciting" Pufferfish
1.

There is one fish on seafood menus that can create a sense of nervousness and excitement inrestaurant diners – the pufferfish, also known as globefish or blowfish. In Japanese, this delicacy
is called fugu. Many people in the USA, India, Europe, and other places might think twice before
they eat pufferfish. This is because various organs in the body of this fish contain a highly toxic
and lethal poison. A single pufferfish contains enough of this to kill over 30 people. It can takeunder 20 seconds to kill. Despite this, pufferfish is very popular in Korea and China, where itis eaten in many different regions. In Japan, it is a unique ingredient of the nation's cuisine andcooking tradition.
2.

The restaurant preparation of pufferfish is strictly controlled by laws in Japan. Only qualified

chefs who have had three or more years of extensive training are allowed to prepare the fish.
They spend hours and hours studying and concentrating on how to remove the liver and otherorgans in the fish that contain toxins. The pufferfish's toxicity means chefs must carefully remove
all poisonous parts to avoid contaminating the meat of the fish. Some people consider the fish'sliver to be its tastiest part, but it is also the deadliest. After a number of near fatalities in the early
1980s, serving this in restaurants was banned. Stricter regulation brought safer eating.
3.

The name of the poison contained in pufferfish is "tetrodotoxin". Organs of the fish such as

the liver, ovaries, eyes, and skin contain high levels of it. Tetrodotoxin paralyzes the muscles ofanyone who consumes this poison almost instantly. Throughout the paralysis, the victims stayfully awake and conscious, but cannot move and are unable to breathe. They are in a state ofextreme distress until the end. Pufferfish poison is one of the most toxic compounds known toscientists. It is roughly 1,200 times stronger than the poison cyanide. Unfortunately, there is noknown antidote to tetrodotoxin. Once a sufficient amount of it has been consumed, there is little
hope for the victim.
4.

Records show that Japanese people have eaten pufferfish for at least 2,800 years. TheTokugawa shogunate (1603–1868) prohibited its consumption in what is now present-day
Tokyo. However, in most western regions of Japan at that time, the government's influence
was weaker and the fish was easier to purchase and consume. Various cooking methods weredeveloped 300-400 years ago to prepare pufferfish so people could eat it with a reducedchance of being poisoned. Many of these are still used in restaurants and kitchens around theworld today. As a result, the number of fatalities from consuming this fish has decreased.
5.

In the past few decades, researchers and marine biologists have been breeding pufferfish that―1―

英語
do not contain any tetrodotoxin. Since the 1980s, they have been intent on producing the safest
pufferfish possible. Scientists have had considerable success and can now produce "poison-freefugu". However, not everyone is in favor of this harmless, risk-free variety. Takeshi Yamasuge,
the owner of a popular and well-frequented fugu restaurant near Kyoto, said: "I'm not sure whyanyone would want to remove the poison. That's why people eat fugu. They eat it because it'sdangerous." Mr Yamasuge poses the question: "Do people want to eat pufferfish for the taste, orthe excitement?"(Adapted from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugu under a Creative Commons AttributionShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Accessed 31 August 2022.)
1. The word "diners" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ______.
a.

evening meals

b. customersc.

snacksd. waiters
2. Americans or Europeans might "think twice" before eating pufferfish because ______.
a.

they might be fullb. it is poisonousc.

they might prefer chicken

d. it isn't as delicious as other kinds of fish
3. How many pufferfish could kill more than 30 people?
a.

A variety of pufferfish.

b.

The writer does not give this information.

c.

Just one.

d.

More than a few.

4. Where is pufferfish a special part of the food culture?
a.

Japanb.

India

c.

Chinad.

the USA―2―

英語
5. The liver is one of the pufferfish's _____.
a.

toxinsb. fatalitiesc.

instruments

d. organs
6. The word "avoid" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _____.
a.

prepare forb. make sure ofc.

keep away fromd. increase the chances of
7. The word "this" in paragraph 2 refers to _____.
a.

liver

b. meatc.

high toxicity

d. a fatality
8. The main idea of paragraph 2 is to ______.
a.

advise people never to eat pufferfish

b. teach the reader how to remove the poison from the pufferfishc.

describe how chefs are trained to spot poisons in pufferfish

d. provide some information on how the consumption of pufferfish is regulated
9. The word "it" in paragraph 3 refers to _____.
a.

the poisonb. an organc.

pufferfish

d. liver―3―

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10. Someone who is paralyzed after consuming tetrodotoxin ______.
a.

is awake and can move their bodyb. is awake but cannot move their bodyc.

is not awake but are able to move their bodyd. is not awake and cannot move their body
11. Tetrodotoxin is ______.
a.

the second most lethal toxin we are aware ofb. just as dangerous as cyanidec.

among the most poisonous compounds in the world

d. the deadliest poison that scientists know of
12. If there was an antidote to tetrodotoxin, it is likely that ______.
a.

it would remove all hope from the victim

b. more pufferfish would diec.

fewer people might die

d. people would poison more pufferfish
13. It is probable that the Japanese have eaten pufferfish for ______.
a.

exactly 2,800 years

b. 2,800 years or morec.

around 2,800 years

d. less than 2,800 years
14. The word "consume" in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to _____.
a.

eat

b. preparec.

cookd. wash

―4―

英語
15. Safer methods of preparing pufferfish were developed _____.
a.

three to four millennia ago

b. three to four decades agoc.

three to four eras ago

d. three to four centuries ago
16. The word "these" in paragraph 4 refers to _____.
a.

regionsb. chances of being poisoned
c.

years

d. ways of cooking
17. The word "they" in paragraph 5 refers to _____.
a.

scientists

b. pufferfish
c.

fishermend. the 1980s
18. The word "considerable" in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to _____.
a.

thoughtful

b. almost zeroc.

countedd. a lot of
19. What does the restaurant owner Takeshi Yamasuge think of "safe fugu"?
a.

He loves it.

b. He really hates.
c.

He's not really in favor of it.

d. He has no opinion.

―5―英語
20. The main idea of paragraph 5 is to ______.
a.

inform readers that fugu is free in a restaurant near Kyotob. say what has been happening in the pufferfish industryc.

explain that a restaurant owner is unhappyd. tell readers that excitement is better than taste when eating blowfish

―6―

英語

Part 2 Writing Task
Next month, a homestay student (Alex) from the USA will stay with you in your hometown.
She will stay in your house for one week. Write to Alex to tell her about your hometown. Tell her
where you will take her, and explain why she will like your hometown. You need to write 150
words or more.

―7―

英語

Part 3 Look at Yuki's answers to Sakura's questions.
Write Sakura's questions to complete the conversation.
Sakura: ① _______________________________________________Yuki:

I'd take the bus if I were you.

Sakura: ② _______________________________________________
Yuki:

There is a bus that stops near the hotel.

Sakura: ③ _______________________________________________
Yuki:

About thirty minutes, I guess.

Sakura: ④ _______________________________________________
Yuki:

Wait a minute. I'll check it for you.
Oh, it's just at the Grand Palace Hotel stop.

―8―英語Part 4 Read the article below and answer the question that follows (80~100 words).
What is Happiness?
Finland was ranked the happiest country in the world, followed by Denmark, in the World
Happiness Report 2022 published by a U.N.-related organization. Of course, it is difficult tomeasure happiness. Rankings might change depending on the indicators adopted. This report isbased on how people evaluate their own lives.
In Ukraine, numerous civilians are being killed in a merciless war. We are confronting harshrealities that are threatening to destroy the basic assumptions for discussions on happiness. While
any word we utter may sound hollow, we should ask ourselves what happiness is. This question is
all the more important in the world filled with sorrow.
(Adapted from Asahi Newspaper, April 4, 2022)

What is happiness and how can we achieve it?

―9―