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N1 · AdvancedShort passagePassage #217
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私わたしたちは、古ふるいものを捨すてることが進しん歩ぽだと信しんじてきた。伝でん統とう的てきな生いき方かたを尊そん重ちょうし、誇ほこりを持もつことより、もっと便べん利りなもの、効こう率りつのよいものを生せい活かつ様よう式しきの中なかに取とり入いれ続つづけてきた。・・・時じ間かん換かん算さんされた仕し事ごとをこなすために、遠とおい職しょく場ばまで通かよいつめ、流りゅう行こうとされている服ふくを何なん度ども買かいなおし、楽たのしい時じ間かんをすごすために、速はや道どう路ろを車くるまで飛とばし、レストランに通かよい、ビデオを見みて暮くらしている。いらなくなったものは、ゴミとしてビニール袋ぶくろに詰つめ込こんで家いえの前まえに出だしておけばそれでよい。一見いっけん豊ゆたかそうに見みえる私わたしたちの暮くらしだけれど、果はたしてそうなのだろうか。

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  1. 1筆者が一番言いたいことは何か。

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Vocabulary3 words
  • 効率こうりつ
    • ·efficiency
    N1
  • 換算かんさん
    • ·conversion (e.g. yen to dollars); change; exchange; translation (numerical)
    N1
  • 果たしてはたして
    • ·as was expected; just as one thought; sure enough
    • ·really; actually; ever
    N1
Other levels41 words
  • 古いふるい
    • ·old; aged; ancient; antiquated; antique; timeworn
    • ·long; since long ago; time-honored
    • ·of the distant past; long-ago
    • ·stale; threadbare; hackneyed; corny
    • ·old-fashioned; outmoded; out-of-date
    N5
  • もの
    • ·thing; object; article; stuff; substance
    • ·one's things; possessions; property; belongings
    • ·things; something; anything; everything; nothing
    • ·quality
    • ·reason; the way of things
    • ·used to emphasize emotion, judgment, etc.; used to indicate a common occurrence in the past (after a verb in past tense); used to indicate a general tendency; used to indicate something that should happen
    • ·item classified as ...; item related to ...; work in the genre of ...
    • ·cause of ...; cause for ...
    • ·somehow; somewhat; for some reason
    • ·really; truly
    N5
  • するAs it appears here: し
    • ·to do; to carry out; to perform
    • ·to cause to become; to make (into); to turn (into)
    • ·to serve as; to act as; to work as
    • ·to wear (clothes, a facial expression, etc.)
    • ·to judge as being; to view as being; to think of as; to treat as; to use as
    • ·to decide on; to choose
    • ·to be sensed (of a smell, noise, etc.)
    • ·to be (in a state, condition, etc.)
    • ·to be worth; to cost
    • ·to pass (of time); to elapse
    • ·to place, or raise, person A to a post or status B
    • ·to transform A to B; to make A into B; to exchange A for B
    • ·to make use of A for B; to view A as B; to handle A as if it were B
    • ·to feel A about B
    • ·verbalizing suffix (applies to nouns noted in this dictionary with the part of speech "vs")
    • ·creates a humble verb (after a noun prefixed with "o" or "go")
    • ·to be just about to; to be just starting to; to try to; to attempt to
    N5
  • 持つもつ
    • ·to hold (in one's hand); to take; to carry
    • ·to possess; to have; to own
    • ·to maintain; to keep
    • ·to last; to be durable; to keep; to survive
    • ·to take charge of; to be in charge of
    • ·to hold (meeting, etc.); to have (opportunity, etc.)
    • ·to have "it"; to have that special something; to be blessed with good luck
    N5
  • 便利べんり
    • ·convenient; handy; useful
    N5
  • よい
    • ·good; excellent; fine; nice; pleasant; agreeable
    • ·sufficient; enough; ready; prepared
    • ·profitable (deal, business offer, etc.); beneficial
    • ·OK; all right; fine; no problem
    • ·easy to ...
    N5
  • 中なか
    • ·inside; interior
    • ·among; within
    • ·middle; center; centre
    • ·during; while; middle; midst; amid
    • ·interval; gap
    • ·mean; average
    • ·second (of three, e.g. sons, volumes); middle
    • ·medium grade; medium quality
    • ·red-light district
    N5
  • 時間じかん
    • ·time
    • ·hour
    • ·period; class; lesson
    N5
  • するAs it appears here: された
    • ·to do; to carry out; to perform
    • ·to cause to become; to make (into); to turn (into)
    • ·to serve as; to act as; to work as
    • ·to wear (clothes, a facial expression, etc.)
    • ·to judge as being; to view as being; to think of as; to treat as; to use as
    • ·to decide on; to choose
    • ·to be sensed (of a smell, noise, etc.)
    • ·to be (in a state, condition, etc.)
    • ·to be worth; to cost
    • ·to pass (of time); to elapse
    • ·to place, or raise, person A to a post or status B
    • ·to transform A to B; to make A into B; to exchange A for B
    • ·to make use of A for B; to view A as B; to handle A as if it were B
    • ·to feel A about B
    • ·verbalizing suffix (applies to nouns noted in this dictionary with the part of speech "vs")
    • ·creates a humble verb (after a noun prefixed with "o" or "go")
    • ·to be just about to; to be just starting to; to try to; to attempt to
    N5
  • 仕事しごと
    • ·work; job; labor; labour; business; task; assignment; occupation; employment
    • ·work
    N5
  • 遠いとおい
    • ·far; distant; far away; a long way off; in the distance
    • ·distant (past); remote (in time); remote; far-removed (in time)
    • ·distant (relationship or kinship); having little to do (with someone)
    • ·far (from something else in quality, degree, etc.); not similar; way off
    • ·hard (of hearing)
    • ·nearsighted
    N5
  • するAs it appears here: されて
    • ·to do; to carry out; to perform
    • ·to cause to become; to make (into); to turn (into)
    • ·to serve as; to act as; to work as
    • ·to wear (clothes, a facial expression, etc.)
    • ·to judge as being; to view as being; to think of as; to treat as; to use as
    • ·to decide on; to choose
    • ·to be sensed (of a smell, noise, etc.)
    • ·to be (in a state, condition, etc.)
    • ·to be worth; to cost
    • ·to pass (of time); to elapse
    • ·to place, or raise, person A to a post or status B
    • ·to transform A to B; to make A into B; to exchange A for B
    • ·to make use of A for B; to view A as B; to handle A as if it were B
    • ·to feel A about B
    • ·verbalizing suffix (applies to nouns noted in this dictionary with the part of speech "vs")
    • ·creates a humble verb (after a noun prefixed with "o" or "go")
    • ·to be just about to; to be just starting to; to try to; to attempt to
    N5
  • 服ふく
    • ·clothes (esp. Western clothes); clothing; dress; costume; suit; outfit
    • ·counter for doses of medicine, gulps of tea, puffs of a cigarette, etc.
    N5
  • 買うかうAs it appears here: 買い
    • ·to buy; to purchase
    • ·to value (highly); to think highly of; to have a high opinion of; to appreciate; to recognize
    • ·to incur (someone's anger, displeasure, etc.); to elicit (e.g. sneers); to invite (e.g. scorn); to evoke; to arouse; to win (someone's favour)
    • ·to accept; to take on; to take up
    • ·to pay for (a prostitute, geisha, etc.)
    N5
  • 楽しいたのしい
    • ·enjoyable; fun; pleasant; happy; delightful
    N5
  • 速いはやいAs it appears here: 速
    • ·fast; quick; rapid; swift; speedy; brisk; prompt
    • ·early; soon; earlier than usual
    • ·premature; too soon; too early
    • ·easy; simple; quick; fast
    • ·as soon as ...; the moment ...; the instant ...
    N5
  • 車くるま
    • ·car; automobile; vehicle
    • ·wheel; castor; caster
    N5
  • 見るみるAs it appears here: 見て
    • ·to see; to look; to watch; to view; to observe
    • ·to examine; to look over; to assess; to check; to judge
    • ·to look after; to attend to; to take care of; to keep an eye on
    • ·to experience; to meet with (misfortune, success, etc.)
    • ·to try ...; to have a go at ...; to give ... a try
    • ·to see (that) ...; to find (that) ...
    N5
  • いるAs it appears here: いらなく
    • ·to be (of animate objects); to exist
    • ·to stay
    • ·to be ...-ing
    • ·to have ...-ed; to be ...-ed
    N5
  • なるAs it appears here: なった
    • ·to become; to get; to grow; to turn; to reach; to attain
    • ·to result in; to turn out; to end up; to prove (to be)
    • ·to consist of; to be composed of; to be made up of
    • ·to be completed; to be realized; to succeed; to be attained; to be accomplished
    • ·to change (into); to turn (into); to transform
    • ·to come (to do); to begin (to do); to grow (to do)
    • ·to come to; to amount to; to add up to; to make
    • ·to play (the part of); to act as
    • ·to be used for; to be useful for; to serve as
    • ·to be promoted
    • ·to do ...
    N5
  • 家いえ
    • ·house; residence; dwelling; home
    • ·family; household
    • ·lineage; family name
    N5
  • 前まえ
    • ·in front (of); before (e.g. a building)
    • ·before; earlier; previously; prior; ago; (minutes) to (the hour)
    • ·(the) front; frontal part; fore; head (e.g. of a line)
    • ·forward; ahead
    • ·(in the) presence (of); in front (of someone)
    • ·previous (e.g. page); prior (e.g. engagement); first (e.g. half); former (e.g. example)
    • ·portion; helping
    • ·front (of one's body or clothing); breast (of a coat, kimono, etc.)
    • ·privates; private parts
    • ·criminal record; previous conviction; (a) prior
    N5
  • 出すだすAs it appears here: 出して
    • ·to take out; to get out
    • ·to put out; to reveal; to show
    • ·to submit (e.g. thesis); to turn in
    • ·to publish; to make public
    • ·to send (e.g. letter)
    • ·to produce (a sound); to start (fire)
    • ·to serve (food)
    • ·... out (e.g. to jump out, to carry out)
    • ·to begin ...; to start to ...; to burst into ...
    N5
  • 捨てるすてる
    • ·to throw away; to cast away; to dump; to discard
    • ·to abandon; to desert; to leave
    • ·to give up; to resign
    • ·to sacrifice (stones)
    N4
  • ため
    • ·good; advantage; benefit; welfare
    • ·sake; purpose; objective; aim
    • ·consequence; result; effect
    • ·affecting; regarding; concerning
    N4
  • 通うかようAs it appears here: 通い
    • ·to go to and from (a place); to go back and forth between; to run between (e.g. bus, train, etc.); to ply between
    • ·to go to (school, work, etc.); to attend; to commute; to frequent
    • ·to circulate (e.g. blood, electricity); to be communicated (e.g. thought)
    • ·to resemble
    N4
  • それで
    • ·so; therefore; and; (and) then
    N4
  • 見えるみえる
    • ·to be seen; to be visible; to be in sight
    • ·to look; to seem; to appear
    • ·to come
    N4
  • こと
    • ·thing; matter
    • ·incident; occurrence; event; something serious; trouble; crisis
    • ·circumstances; situation; state of affairs
    • ·work; business; affair
    • ·after an inflectable word, creates a noun phrase indicating something the speaker does not feel close to
    • ·nominalizing suffix
    • ·pretending to ...; playing make-believe ...
    • ·alias; also known as; otherwise known as; or
    • ·necessity; need
    • ·you should ...; I advise that you ...; it's important to ...
    N3
  • 進歩しんぽ
    • ·progress; advance; improvement; development
    N3
  • 信じるしんじるAs it appears here: 信じて
    • ·to believe; to believe in; to place trust in; to confide in; to have faith in
    N3
  • 尊重そんちょう
    • ·respect; esteem; regard
    N3
  • 誇りほこり
    • ·pride; boast; credit (to)
    N3
  • 流行りゅうこう
    • ·fashion; trend; vogue; craze; fad; popularity
    • ·prevalence (of a disease); epidemic
    N3
  • すごす
    • ·to spend (time); to pass; to lead (a life); to live
    • ·to overdo (esp. alcohol consumption); to drink (alcohol); to carry too far; to carry to excess
    • ·to take care of; to support
    • ·to overdo; to do too much
    • ·to ... without acting on it; to ... without getting involved
    N3
  • 道路どうろ
    • ·road; highway
    N3
  • 飛ばすとばすAs it appears here: 飛ばし
    • ·to let fly; to make fly; to send flying; to blow off (e.g. in the wind); to launch; to fire; to hurl; to shoot
    • ·to skip over; to leave out; to omit; to drop (e.g. a stitch); to fast-forward
    • ·to run fast; to drive fast; to gallop
    • ·to spray; to splash; to spatter
    • ·to say without reservation; to call out (e.g. a jeer); to rattle off (e.g. a joke)
    • ·to spread (e.g. a rumour); to circulate; to send out (a message); to issue (e.g. an appeal)
    • ·to transfer (to a less important post); to send away (e.g. to a provincial branch); to demote
    • ·to dispatch quickly (e.g. a reporter)
    • ·to get rid of; to burn off (alcohol)
    • ·to attack (e.g. with a leg manoeuvre)
    • ·to do vigorously; to do roughly; to do energetically
    N3
  • 暮らすくらすAs it appears here: 暮らして
    • ·to live (on, by, etc.); to lead a life; to get along; to get by
    • ·to make a living; to earn a livelihood
    • ·to spend one's time (doing); to pass one's days (doing); to live; to get on (doing)
    • ·to do daily; to do all day long; to continue doing
    N3
  • 豊かゆたか
    • ·abundant; plentiful; rich; ample
    • ·rich; wealthy; affluent; well-off
    • ·open (mind); relaxed; easy
    • ·plump (e.g. breasts); full; ample
    • ·(well) over; (easily) in excess of
    N3
  • 暮らしくらし
    • ·(way of) life; lifestyle; living; life circumstances; livelihood; day-to-day life
    N3
  • 取り入れるとりいれるAs it appears here: 取り入れ
    • ·to take in; to gather in
    • ·to adopt (e.g. an idea); to accept (e.g. advice); to introduce (e.g. technology); to borrow (e.g. a word)
    • ·to harvest; to reap; to gather in
    N2
Grammar2 patterns

Example sentences are translated by AI.

  • とされるN1

    States that something is generally considered or held to be the case — 'is regarded as…', 'is said to be…'.

    ・・・時間換算された仕事をこなすために、遠い職場まで通いつめ、流行とされている服を何度も買いなおし、楽しい時間をすごすために、速道路を車で飛ばし、レストランに通い、ビデオを見て暮らしている。

    …To get through work measured in units of time, we commute repeatedly to distant workplaces, keep buying clothes said to be fashionable, and, in order to enjoy ourselves, speed along expressways, go to restaurants, and spend our time watching videos.

  • だの～だのN1

    Reduplicated listing particle citing examples with a tone of complaint or exasperation ("what with X and Y and all that").

    一見豊かそうに見える私たちの暮らしだけれど、果たしてそうなのだろうか。

    Our lives may look affluent at first glance, but are they really?

Other levels13 patterns
  • 的（てき）N3

    A suffix turning a noun into a na-adjective meaning "relating to / -like / -ical" (一般的, 科学的).

    伝統的な生き方を尊重し、誇りを持つことより、もっと便利なもの、効率のよいものを生活様式の中に取り入れ続けてきた。

    Rather than respecting and taking pride in traditional ways of life, we have continued to introduce more convenient and efficient things into our lifestyles.

  • ためにN32 times in this passage

    marks a purpose ('in order to') or a cause ('because of / owing to').

    ・・・時間換算された仕事をこなすために、遠い職場まで通いつめ、流行とされている服を何度も買いなおし、楽しい時間をすごすために、速道路を車で飛ばし、レストランに通い、ビデオを見て暮らしている。

    …To get through work measured in units of time, we commute repeatedly to distant workplaces, keep buying clothes said to be fashionable, and, in order to enjoy ourselves, speed along expressways, go to restaurants, and spend our time watching videos.

  • としてN3

    Marks the role, capacity, or status in which someone or something acts — "as (a doctor / a rule / etc.)".

    いらなくなったものは、ゴミとしてビニール袋に詰め込んで家の前に出しておけばそれでよい。

    Things that are no longer needed can simply be stuffed into plastic bags as garbage and left in front of the house.

  • 〜てくるN42 times in this passage

    Verb te-form plus 来る, marking motion toward the speaker or the gradual onset of a state — 'come to do' / 'start to / become'.

    私たちは、古いものを捨てることが進歩だと信じてきた。

    We have believed that throwing away old things is progress.

  • よりN4

    Particle marking the standard in a comparison (also a starting point), "than / (more) than; from".

    伝統的な生き方を尊重し、誇りを持つことより、もっと便利なもの、効率のよいものを生活様式の中に取り入れ続けてきた。

    Rather than respecting and taking pride in traditional ways of life, we have continued to introduce more convenient and efficient things into our lifestyles.

  • 続ける（つづける）N4

    Attaches to a verb stem to mean keep doing / continue doing the action ('keep ~ing').

    伝統的な生き方を尊重し、誇りを持つことより、もっと便利なもの、効率のよいものを生活様式の中に取り入れ続けてきた。

    Rather than respecting and taking pride in traditional ways of life, we have continued to introduce more convenient and efficient things into our lifestyles.

  • 〜ておくN4

    Verb te-form plus 置く, doing something in advance as preparation or leaving it done for later — 'do ... in advance'.

    いらなくなったものは、ゴミとしてビニール袋に詰め込んで家の前に出しておけばそれでよい。

    Things that are no longer needed can simply be stuffed into plastic bags as garbage and left in front of the house.

  • に見える（にみえる）N4

    Expresses how something appears or seems to an observer, 'to look ~ / to seem ~.'

    一見豊かそうに見える私たちの暮らしだけれど、果たしてそうなのだろうか。

    Our lives may look affluent at first glance, but are they really?

  • までN5

    Particle marking the spatial, temporal, or extent limit of an action — "until / up to / as far as."

    ・・・時間換算された仕事をこなすために、遠い職場まで通いつめ、流行とされている服を何度も買いなおし、楽しい時間をすごすために、速道路を車で飛ばし、レストランに通い、ビデオを見て暮らしている。

    …To get through work measured in units of time, we commute repeatedly to distant workplaces, keep buying clothes said to be fashionable, and, in order to enjoy ourselves, speed along expressways, go to restaurants, and spend our time watching videos.

  • 〜ているN5

    Describes an action in progress or the state that remains after an action happened — “is doing” or “is in the state of having done”.

    ・・・時間換算された仕事をこなすために、遠い職場まで通いつめ、流行とされている服を何度も買いなおし、楽しい時間をすごすために、速道路を車で飛ばし、レストランに通い、ビデオを見て暮らしている。

    …To get through work measured in units of time, we commute repeatedly to distant workplaces, keep buying clothes said to be fashionable, and, in order to enjoy ourselves, speed along expressways, go to restaurants, and spend our time watching videos.

  • 前に（まえに）N5

    Marks that something happens before an action or in front of a place — "before (doing) / in front of."

    いらなくなったものは、ゴミとしてビニール袋に詰め込んで家の前に出しておけばそれでよい。

    Things that are no longer needed can simply be stuffed into plastic bags as garbage and left in front of the house.

  • けれどもN5

    More formal contrastive conjunction linking two clauses — "but / however / although."

    一見豊かそうに見える私たちの暮らしだけれど、果たしてそうなのだろうか。

    Our lives may look affluent at first glance, but are they really?

  • だろうN5

    Presumptive expressing conjecture — 'probably', 'I think', or seeking agreement 'right?'; plain だろう / polite でしょう.

    一見豊かそうに見える私たちの暮らしだけれど、果たしてそうなのだろうか。

    Our lives may look affluent at first glance, but are they really?

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