・122.0 In the mid-nineties, two ...
次の英文を読んで、問１～問８の解答としてもっとも適切な選択肢を①～④から一つ選びなさい。
In the mid-nineties, two language researchers conducted an interesting experiment with a group of English language students in Japan. These students were retaking compulsory English courses they had previously failed. On language tests, these students were far behind the regular university students. Since most of these students disliked studying English, few expected much 1 improvement.
The researchers put these students in a special class for the second semester of the English course. The class met for the same amount of time as the regular English courses, but the instruction was very different. At the end of the semester, the students took another language test and the results were [ 1 ]. In just one semester, the students in the special class improved so much that their scores on the new tests were almost as high as the regular English students. Not only had their English ability improved greatly, but many of these students, who used to 2 dread English study, enjoyed the class.
What was this “secret method” that produced such dramatic results on these previously 3 reluctant learners? The class was an extensive reading course. Extensive reading is simply reading a lot of English (reading almost every day) at a fairly easy level (being able to understand the text without needing a dictionary). The students in the course mentioned above spent almost all of their class time simply reading enjoyable books.
In study after study, researchers are finding that extensive reading can play a big role in language learning success. In fact, one study investigating language-learning strategies found reading for pleasure and seeking opportunities to read in English as the two most strongly related factors to successful language learning.
It should come as no surprise that extensive reading helps [ 2 ] skills. Several studies have shown that students doing extensive reading for more than one year were almost always better readers than students who did the usual “difficult” readings in the classroom. Extensive reading also allows students to improve reading speed much more quickly than by reading difficult texts. In short, people can learn to read well simply by reading a lot at an appropriate level.
What is more surprising is how much extensive reading improves students’ writing skills. In one study on extensive reading, students in extensive reading programs were evaluated as 2-3 times better in writing when compared with students who did not read much yet actually practiced writing more! Many other researchers have come to similar conclusions. Students who just read a lot can make equal or better progress in writing skills than students who actually practice writing, at least in regards to beginner and intermediate students.
Surprisingly, extensive reading can also help speaking skills, as well as listening skills to a lesser extent. One study on learning strategies found reading outside of the classroom to be the most significant predictor of oral communicative ability. Students who read a lot are more likely to speak well. Other researchers have found that students just reading graded readers (simplified books especially made for language students) improved in both fluency and accuracy of expression in their speaking, even though the students did very little speaking during the course of the study.
Do you want to have a good TOEFL or TOEIC score? Maybe you should start thinking about extensive reading. Researchers have found that students who often read in English in their free time tend to have high TOEFL scores, while those who do not, tend to have low scores. They found that reading was a better predictor of TOEFL performance than even the number of years studying English and living in English-speaking countries. Another study showed that students who only read enjoyable books made consistent [ 3 ] on their TOEFL scores, averaging 3-4 points on the test each week.
How is it that just reading alone can bring all of these benefits? Extensive reading allows students to see a lot of the language in context over and over again, giving them the exposure they need to understand, organize, remember, and use it. It builds and strengthens fundamental vocabulary, and grammar knowledge. In short, extensive reading provides a very strong foundation on [ 4 ] to build all language skills.
Extensive reading is not the only way to learn a language. Most language scholars would agree that language students still need to spend a lot of time practicing speaking, listening, writing, and so on in order to become advanced in the language. However, adding extensive reading to your private study can certainly do some great things for your language ability. Not only is extensive reading effective, but it can be a very enjoyable way to learn a new language. Give it a try and see what it will do for you! （※784 words）
(Scott Miles, Essential Reading: Student Book 3. Macmillan Publishers Limited, 2008.)
問1 下線部1 “improvement” の“o” の部分（improvement の下線が引いてある“o” の部分）と同じ発音を持つ単語を次の①～④より一つ選びなさい。なお、それぞれの選択肢には、対象となる箇所に下線が引いてあります。
① glove
② program
③ foot
④ roof
問2 空欄 [ 1 ] に入るもっとも適切な語句を次の①～④より一つ選びなさい。
① surprised
② to be surprised
③ to surprise
④ surprising
問３ 下線部 2 “dread” の本文中の意味にもっとも近い表現を次の①～④より一つ選びなさい。
① to be very interested in something
② to be very longing to do something
③ to be very afraid of something
④ to be very sorry about something
問４ 下線部 3 “reluctant” の本文中の意味にもっとも近い語を次の①～④より一つ選びなさい。
① unwilling
② unexpected
③ uneasy
④ unreasonable
問５ 空欄 [ 2 ] に入るもっとも適切な語句を次の①～④より一つ選びなさい。
① to improve reading students
② improve students to read
③ students improve reading
④ students improving to read
問６ 空欄 [ 3 ] に入るもっとも適切な語句を次の①～④より一つ選びなさい。
① values
② profits
③ gains
④ steps
問７ 空欄 [ 4 ] に入るもっとも適切な語句を次の①～④より一つ選びなさい。
① which
② who
③ where
④ what
問８ 次の英語の質問(1)～(3)にたいしてもっとも適切な解答をそれぞれ①～④より一つずつ選びなさい。
(1) According to the passage, what was done in the “secret method?”
① The Japanese students were taught how to read a great many English books using dictionaries every day.
② The Japanese students were instructed to read relatively difficult English books every day.
③ The Japanese students were told to read a lot of rather easy English every day.
④ The Japanese students were instructed how to enjoy easy English books.
(2) According to the passage, which of the following is true?
① Extensive reading helps improve students’ speaking skills but not so much as their listening skills.
② Extensive reading helps students to improve writing skills as well as reading skills.
③ Extensive listening strengthens students’ language ability far more than extensive reading.
④ Extensive reading helps to build students’ self-confidence, but reading for pleasure does not have the same positive effects on them.
(3) According to the passage, what does the author say as a conclusion?
① The author believes TOEFL or TOEIC can be used to see if extensive reading affects these test scores.
② The author believes there is no other way to improve English than extensive reading.
③ The author believes students who read a lot of simplified English books improve in speaking and listening, but not in writing.
④ The author believes in extensive reading, as well as in training other skills, such as speaking and listening. in order to be advanced learners of English.
