英語塾ファンタジスタ - テキストサンプル

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（問題）
次の英文は、仏教のある高僧の講話の一部である。これを読んで後の問いに答えよ。

Although it is possible to achieve happiness, happiness is not a simple thing. There are many levels. (1)In Buddhism, for instance, there is a reference to the four factors of fulfillment, or happiness: wealth, worldly gratification, spirituality, and enlightenment. Together they embrace the totality of an Individual's quest for happiness.
Let us leave aside for a moment ultimate religious or spiritual aspirations like perfection and enlightenment and deal with joy and happiness as we understand them in an everyday or worldly sense. (2)Within this context, there are certain key elements that we conventionally acknowledge as contributing to joy and happiness. For example, good health is considered to be one of the necessary factors for a happy life. Another factor that (3)[source, regard, happiness, a, we, as, of] our material facilities, or the wealth that we accumulate. An additional factor is to have friendship, or companions. We all recognize that in order to enjoy a fulfilled life, we need a circle of friends with whom we can relate emotionally and trust.
Now, all of these factors are, in fact, sources of happiness. (4)But in order for an individual to be able to fully utilize it towards the goal of enjoying a happy and fulfilled life, your state of mind is key. It's crucial.
(5)If we utilize our favorable circumstances, such as our good health or wealth, in positive ways, in helping others, they can be contributory factors in achieving a happier life. And of course we enjoy these things — our material facilities, success, and so on. But without the right mental attitude, without attention to the mental factor, these things have very little impact on our long-term feelings of happiness.
(6)( 　 　　　　　　　)
At that moment your possessions mean nothing. Today there are societies that are very developed materially, yet among them there are many people who are not very happy. (7)Just underneath the beautiful surface of wealth there is a kind of mental unrest, leading to frustration, unnecessary quarrels, reliance on drugs or alcohol, and in the worst case, suicide. So there is no guarantee that wealth alone can give you the joy or fulfillment that you are seeking. The same can be said of your friends too. When you are in an intense state of anger or hatred, even a very close friend appears to you as somehow sort of frosty, or cold, distant, and quite annoying.
All of this indicates the tremendous influence that the mental state, the mind factor, has on our experience of daily life. Naturally, then, we have to take that factor very seriously.
(8)So, leaving aside the perspective of spiritual practice, even in worldly terms, in terms of our enjoying a happy day-to-day existence, the greater the level of calmness of our mind, the greater our peace of mind, the greater our ability to enjoy a happy and joyful life.
I should mention that when we speak of a calm state of mind or peace of mind we shouldn't confuse that with a totally (9)apathetic state of mind. Having a calm or peaceful state of mind doesn't mean being totally spaced out or completely empty. Peace of mind or a calm state of mind is rooted in affection and compassion. There is a very high level of sensitivity and feeling there.
As long as there is a lack of the inner discipline that brings calmness of mind, no matter what external facilities or conditions you have, they will never give you the feeling of joy and happiness that you are seeking. (10)On the other hand, if you possess this inner quality, a calmness of mind, a degree of stability within, then even if you lack various external facilities that you would normally consider necessary for happiness, it is still possible to live a happy and joyful life.



(1) 下線部(1)を和訳せよ。

(2) 下線部(2)の内容を30字以内の日本語で説明せよ。句読点も字数に含める。

(3) 括弧(3)の語を並び替えて正しい英文を作成した場合足りない一語がある。それを解答欄に示せ。

(4) 下線部(4)には文法上あるいは文脈上、誤った語が一語ある。それを指定訂正し解答欄に示せ。

(5) 下線部(5)を和訳せよ。

(6) ４段落中の空所(6)には次の四つの文が入る。それらを適切な順に並び替えて、解答欄に記号を示せ。

ア On the other hand, if you can maintain a calm, peaceful state of mind, then you can be a very happy person even if you have poor health.

イ Or, even if you have wonderful possessions, when you are in an intense moment of anger or hatred, you feel like throwing them, breaking them.

ウ For example, if you harbor hateful thoughts or intense anger somewhere deep down within yourself, then it ruins your health; thus it destroys one of the factors.

エ Also, if you are mentally unhappy or frustrated, then physical comfort is not of much help.

(7) 下線部(7)を和訳せよ。

(8) 下線部(8)を和訳せよ。

(9) 下線部(9)を30字以内の日本語で説明せよ。句読点も字数に含める。

(10) 下線部(10)を日本語に訳せ。

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