VIEN
All passages
N2 · Upper intermediateMedium passagePassage #511
2

「鉛えん筆ぴつでかいたのになぜ消きえないの。」

小学校しょうがっこうの写しゃ生せい大たい会かいで、画が用よう紙しに鉛えん筆ぴつで下した書がきをし、水すい性せい絵えの具ぐで色いろをぬった後のち、下した書がきを消けしゴムで消けそうとしたのに消きえなかったときに思おもったことだ。不ふ思し議ぎだと思おもうと同どう時じに、絵えが思おもったように仕し上あげられずがっかりした。

この疑ぎ問もんに対たいする答こたえを、最さい近きん、あるホームページで見み付つけた。そのページには、まず普ふ通つうの鉛えん筆ぴつは消けしゴムで消けせるのに、なぜ色いろ鉛えん筆ぴつは消けせないのかという説せつ明めいが書かいてあった。

その説せつ明めいによると、それは普ふ通つうの鉛えん筆ぴつと色いろ鉛えん筆ぴつの芯しんの材ざい料りょうが異ことなっているためだそうだ。鉛えん筆ぴつは黒こく鉛えんと粘ねん土どから、色いろ鉛えん筆ぴつは顔がん料りょうとロウ（油ゆ分ぶん）からできている。黒こく鉛えんと顔がん料りょうは、色いろの元もとになるものである。紙かみに書かかれた文字もじの状じょう態たいをそれぞれ簡かん単たんに説せつ明めいすると、前ぜん者しゃは細こまかくくだかれた黒こく鉛えんが紙かみの表ひょう面めんにくっついている状じょう態たいであり、後こう者しゃは顔がん料りょうが紙かみの中なかに油あぶらとともにしみ込こんでいる状じょう態たいだそうだ。したがって、表ひょう面めんにくっついているだけの黒こく鉛えんは、消けしゴムでこすることで、紙かみから引ひき離はなすことができる。一方いっぽう、しみ込こんだ顔がん料りょうは引ひき離はなすことができない。

そして最さい後ごに、鉛えん筆ぴつの下した書がきが水すい性せい絵えの具ぐで色いろをぬった後のちに消けせない理り由ゆうが説せつ明めいされていた。鉛えん筆ぴつの下した書がきが消けせないのは、水すい性せい絵えの具ぐを溶とかすのに使つかう水みずのせいだそうだ。この水みずが、色いろ鉛えん筆ぴつの芯しんの油ゆ分ぶんと同おなじ役やく割わりを果はたすという。水みずも油あぶらも紙かみにしみ込こみやすいのだ。

Questions

0/3 answered
  1. 1がっかりしたとあるが、なぜか。
  2. 2普通の鉛筆で書いた文字を消しゴムで消すとは、どうすることか。
  3. 3水性絵の具で色をぬった後に、鉛筆の下書きが消せないのはなぜか。

Study this passage

Vocabulary10 words
  • かくAs it appears here: かいた
    • ·to scratch
    • ·to perspire
    • ·to shovel; to paddle
    N2
  • 写生しゃせい
    • ·sketching; drawing from nature; portrayal; description
    N2
  • 下書きしたがき
    • ·draft; rough copy
    N2
  • 絵の具えのぐ
    • ·paint; coloring materials; colors; colours
    N2
  • 見付けるみつけるAs it appears here: 見付けた
    • ·to find; to discover; to come across; to spot; to catch (someone doing)
    • ·to be used to seeing; to be familiar with
    N2
  • 芯しん
    • ·wick; marrow; staple (for stapler); (pencil) lead; stuffing; pith
    • ·core; heart; centre; center
    • ·pistil (of a flower)
    • ·stamen
    N2
  • くだくAs it appears here: くだかれた
    • ·to break (into pieces); to smash; to crush; to shatter; to grind (into powder); to pound
    • ·to shatter (someone's hopes, confidence, etc.); to crush; to frustrate
    • ·to simplify; to make easy to understand
    N2
  • くっつくAs it appears here: くっついて
    • ·to adhere to; to stick to; to cling to
    • ·to keep close to; to go along with
    • ·to get involved with; to be thick with; to become intimate
    N2
  • こする
    • ·to rub; to scrub; to scrape
    • ·to repeatedly reuse (a joke, a topic of conversation, etc.); to milk; to keep getting mileage out of
    • ·to mash (a button); to spam (a move)
    N2
  • 溶かすとかす
    • ·to melt; to liquefy; to thaw
    • ·to dissolve (in a liquid); to bring into solution
    • ·to lose (money; through gambling, etc.); to squander
    N2
Other levels66 words
  • 鉛筆えんぴつ
    • ·(wooden) pencil
    N5
  • なぜ
    • ·why; how; for what reason
    N5
  • 消えるきえるAs it appears here: 消えない
    • ·to disappear; to vanish; to go out of sight; to go away; to become lost
    • ·to go out (of a fire, light, etc.); to die; to turn off (e.g. of a TV screen)
    • ·to fade (of a feeling, impression, etc.); to vanish (e.g. of hope)
    • ·to go away (e.g. of a smell, itchiness, sleepiness); to disappear; to fade away (e.g. of footsteps)
    • ·to wear away (e.g. of an inscription); to rub out (of writing); to fade (e.g. of ink)
    • ·to be lost (e.g. of a tradition); to die out; to disappear
    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
  • 色いろ
    • ·colour; color; hue; tint; tinge; shade
    • ·complexion; skin colour; skin color
    • ·look (on one's face); expression
    • ·appearance; air; feeling
    • ·personality; character
    • ·tone (of one's voice, etc.); tune; sound; ring
    • ·love; lust; sensuality; love affair
    • ·lover; paramour
    • ·beauty; sexiness; physical appeal
    • ·kind; type; variety
    N5
  • 消すけすAs it appears here: 消そう
    • ·to erase; to rub out; to rub off; to cross out; to delete
    • ·to turn off (a light, TV, heater, etc.); to switch off
    • ·to extinguish (a fire, candle, etc.); to put out
    • ·to remove (a smell, pain, etc.); to eliminate; to get rid of; to relieve (pain, anxiety, etc.); to neutralize (poison)
    • ·to drown out (a sound); to deaden; to absorb; to muffle
    • ·to kill; to murder; to bump off; to rub out
    N5
  • するAs it appears here: した
    • ·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
  • 消えるきえるAs it appears here: 消えなかった
    • ·to disappear; to vanish; to go out of sight; to go away; to become lost
    • ·to go out (of a fire, light, etc.); to die; to turn off (e.g. of a TV screen)
    • ·to fade (of a feeling, impression, etc.); to vanish (e.g. of hope)
    • ·to go away (e.g. of a smell, itchiness, sleepiness); to disappear; to fade away (e.g. of footsteps)
    • ·to wear away (e.g. of an inscription); to rub out (of writing); to fade (e.g. of ink)
    • ·to be lost (e.g. of a tradition); to die out; to disappear
    N5
  • 絵え
    • ·picture; drawing; painting; sketch
    • ·image (TV, film, etc.); picture; footage
    N5
  • この
    • ·this
    • ·last (couple of years, etc.); these; past; this
    • ·you (as in "you liar")
    N5
  • その
    • ·that; the
    • ·part (as in "part two")
    • ·um ...; er ...; uh ...
    N5
  • ページぺーじ
    • ·page
    • ·nth page; page ...
    N5
  • 消せるけせる
    • ·to erase; to rub out; to rub off; to cross out; to delete
    • ·to turn off (a light, TV, heater, etc.); to switch off
    • ·to extinguish (a fire, candle, etc.); to put out
    • ·to remove (a smell, pain, etc.); to eliminate; to get rid of; to relieve (pain, anxiety, etc.); to neutralize (poison)
    • ·to drown out (a sound); to deaden; to absorb; to muffle
    • ·to kill; to murder; to bump off; to rub out
    N5
  • 消せるけせるAs it appears here: 消せない
    • ·to erase; to rub out; to rub off; to cross out; to delete
    • ·to turn off (a light, TV, heater, etc.); to switch off
    • ·to extinguish (a fire, candle, etc.); to put out
    • ·to remove (a smell, pain, etc.); to eliminate; to get rid of; to relieve (pain, anxiety, etc.); to neutralize (poison)
    • ·to drown out (a sound); to deaden; to absorb; to muffle
    • ·to kill; to murder; to bump off; to rub out
    N5
  • 書くかくAs it appears here: 書いて
    • ·to write; to compose; to pen
    • ·to draw; to paint
    N5
  • それ
    • ·that; it
    • ·then; that point (in time); that time
    • ·there
    • ·you
    N5
  • できるAs it appears here: できて
    • ·to be able to do; to be possible; to be permitted (to do)
    • ·to be good at; to do well; to be proficient (in); to be capable
    • ·to come into existence; to form; to appear; to come up (of a matter); to be born; to make (a friend); to get (a girlfriend, free time, etc.)
    • ·to be made; to be built; to be constructed; to be formed; to be established; to be set up
    • ·to be finished; to be completed; to be done; to be ready
    • ·to grow (of a crop); to be produced
    • ·to be mature and well-balanced; to be of fine character
    • ·to be by nature; to be born ...
    • ·to become (sexually) involved (with); to become intimate (with); to take up (with someone)
    • ·to get pregnant
    N5
  • なる
    • ·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
  • 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
  • 紙かみ
    • ·paper
    N5
  • 書くかくAs it appears here: 書かれた
    • ·to write; to compose; to pen
    • ·to draw; to paint
    N5
  • する
    • ·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
  • 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
  • できる
    • ·to be able to do; to be possible; to be permitted (to do)
    • ·to be good at; to do well; to be proficient (in); to be capable
    • ·to come into existence; to form; to appear; to come up (of a matter); to be born; to make (a friend); to get (a girlfriend, free time, etc.)
    • ·to be made; to be built; to be constructed; to be formed; to be established; to be set up
    • ·to be finished; to be completed; to be done; to be ready
    • ·to grow (of a crop); to be produced
    • ·to be mature and well-balanced; to be of fine character
    • ·to be by nature; to be born ...
    • ·to become (sexually) involved (with); to become intimate (with); to take up (with someone)
    • ·to get pregnant
    N5
  • できるAs it appears here: できない
    • ·to be able to do; to be possible; to be permitted (to do)
    • ·to be good at; to do well; to be proficient (in); to be capable
    • ·to come into existence; to form; to appear; to come up (of a matter); to be born; to make (a friend); to get (a girlfriend, free time, etc.)
    • ·to be made; to be built; to be constructed; to be formed; to be established; to be set up
    • ·to be finished; to be completed; to be done; to be ready
    • ·to grow (of a crop); to be produced
    • ·to be mature and well-balanced; to be of fine character
    • ·to be by nature; to be born ...
    • ·to become (sexually) involved (with); to become intimate (with); to take up (with someone)
    • ·to get pregnant
    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
  • 使うつかう
    • ·to use (a tool, method, etc.); to make use of; to put to use
    • ·to use (a person, animal, puppet, etc.); to employ; to handle; to manage; to manipulate
    • ·to use (time, money, etc.); to spend; to consume
    • ·to use (language); to speak
    N5
  • 水みず
    • ·water (esp. cool or cold)
    • ·fluid (esp. in an animal tissue); liquid
    • ·flood; floodwaters
    • ·water offered to wrestlers just prior to a bout
    • ·break granted to wrestlers engaged in a prolonged bout
    N5
  • 同じおなじ
    • ·same; identical; equal; alike; equivalent
    • ·anyway; in any case; if one must ...; if one has to ...; as long as ...
    N5
  • いう
    • ·to say; to utter; to declare
    • ·to name; to call
    • ·to go (e.g. "the alarm went ping"); to make a noise
    N5
  • 小学校しょうがっこう
    • ·primary school; elementary school; grade school
    N4
  • ぬるAs it appears here: ぬった
    • ·to paint; to spread; to plaster; to apply (cream, lotion); to smear; to lacquer; to varnish; to put up (wallpaper)
    N4
  • 消しゴムけしごむ
    • ·eraser; rubber
    N4
  • 思うおもうAs it appears here: 思った
    • ·to think; to consider; to believe; to reckon
    • ·to think (of doing); to plan (to do)
    • ·to judge; to assess; to regard
    • ·to imagine; to suppose; to dream
    • ·to expect; to look forward to
    • ·to feel; to be (in a state of mind); to desire; to want
    • ·to care (deeply) for; to yearn for; to worry about; to love
    • ·to recall; to remember
    N4
  • 思うおもう
    • ·to think; to consider; to believe; to reckon
    • ·to think (of doing); to plan (to do)
    • ·to judge; to assess; to regard
    • ·to imagine; to suppose; to dream
    • ·to expect; to look forward to
    • ·to feel; to be (in a state of mind); to desire; to want
    • ·to care (deeply) for; to yearn for; to worry about; to love
    • ·to recall; to remember
    N4
  • 最近さいきん
    • ·recently; lately; these days; nowadays; right now
    • ·nearest; closest
    N4
  • 普通ふつう
    • ·normal; ordinary; regular; usual; common; average
    • ·normally; ordinarily; usually; generally; commonly
    • ·local train; train that stops at every station
    N4
  • 説明せつめい
    • ·explanation; exposition; description; account; caption; legend
    N4
  • ため
    • ·good; advantage; benefit; welfare
    • ·sake; purpose; objective; aim
    • ·consequence; result; effect
    • ·affecting; regarding; concerning
    N4
  • 簡単かんたん
    • ·simple; easy; uncomplicated
    • ·brief; quick; light
    N4
  • 細かいこまかいAs it appears here: 細かく
    • ·small
    • ·fine; minute
    • ·minor; trivial
    • ·sensitive; attentive
    • ·careful; frugal; stingy
    N4
  • 最後さいご
    • ·end; conclusion
    • ·last; final; latest; most recent
    • ·no sooner than; once; right after (often having negative consequences)
    • ·one's final moments
    N4
  • 理由りゆう
    • ·reason; grounds; pretext; excuse; motive
    N4
  • 大会たいかい
    • ·mass meeting; convention; rally; conference; assembly; gathering
    • ·tournament; competition; contest; meet
    • ·grand event
    N3
  • 後のち
    • ·later; afterwards
    • ·future
    • ·after one's death
    • ·descendant
    N3
  • とき
    • ·time; hour; moment
    • ·occasion; case
    • ·chance; opportunity; season
    • ·the times; the age; the day
    • ·tense
    N3
  • 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
  • 不思議ふしぎ
    • ·wonderful; marvelous; strange; incredible; amazing; curious; miraculous; mysterious
    • ·strangely enough; oddly enough; for some reason; curiously
    N3
  • よう
    • ·appearing ...; looking ...
    • ·way to ...; method of ...ing
    • ·form; style; design
    • ·like; similar to
    • ·thing (thought or spoken)
    N3
  • 疑問ぎもん
    • ·doubt; question; suspicion; dubiousness
    N3
  • まず
    • ·first (of all); firstly; to begin with; before anything else
    • ·probably; most likely; almost certainly; virtually
    • ·more or less (satisfactory); on the whole; reasonably
    • ·anyway; at any rate; for now (at least); for the time being
    N3
  • 材料ざいりょう
    • ·materials; ingredients
    • ·material (for a novel, experiment, etc.); subject matter
    • ·grounds (for a decision, judgement, etc.); basis; evidence; data
    • ·(market) factor
    N3
  • 異なることなるAs it appears here: 異なって
    • ·to differ; to be different; to disagree; to vary; to diverge
    N3
  • 元もと
    • ·origin; source; beginning
    • ·basis; base; foundation; root
    • ·cause
    • ·(raw) material; ingredient; base; mix (e.g. for a cake); (soup) stock
    • ·(one's) side
    • ·capital; principal; cost price
    • ·root (of a plant); (tree) trunk
    • ·part (of a brush, chopsticks, etc.) one holds (with the hand)
    • ·first three lines of a waka
    • ·counter for plants or trees
    • ·counter for falcons (in falconry)
    N3
  • 文字もじ
    • ·letter (of an alphabet); character
    • ·writing
    N3
  • 状態じょうたい
    • ·state; condition; situation; appearance; circumstances
    N3
  • 前者ぜんしゃ
    • ·the former; the first
    N3
  • 表面ひょうめん
    • ·surface; face
    • ·outside; exterior
    • ·appearances; superficiality
    N3
  • 後者こうしゃ
    • ·the latter; the second
    • ·successor; descendant
    N3
  • 油あぶら
    • ·oil
    N3
  • したがって
    • ·therefore; consequently; accordingly
    N3
  • 一方いっぽう
    • ·one (esp. of two); the other; one way; the other way; one direction; the other direction; one side; the other side; one party; the other party
    • ·on the one hand; on the other hand
    • ·whereas; although; but at the same time; meanwhile; in turn
    • ·just keeps; being inclined to ...; tending to be ...; tending to do ...; continuously ...; just keeps on ...ing; only
    N3
  • せい
    • ·consequence; outcome; result; blame; fault
    N3
  • 仕上げるしあげるAs it appears here: 仕上げられ
    • ·to finish up; to complete; to finish off; to get through; to polish off
    N1
  • 答えこたえ
    • ·answer; reply; response
    • ·answer; solution; result
    N1
  • やすい
    • ·easy
    • ·likely to ...; have a tendency to ...
    • ·easy to ...
    N1
Grammar1 patterns

Example sentences are translated by AI.

  • と同時にN2

    Marks two events as occurring at the same moment, or adds a concurrent second aspect — "at the same time as ~", "simultaneously; and also".

    不思議だと思うと同時に、絵が思ったように仕上げられずがっかりした。

    I found it strange, and at the same time I was disappointed because I could not finish the picture the way I had wanted.

Other levels17 patterns
  • ようとするN3

    Describes attempting to do something or being on the verge of doing it — 'try to…', 'be about to…'.

    小学校の写生大会で、画用紙に鉛筆で下書きをし、水性絵の具で色をぬった後、下書きを消しゴムで消そうとしたのに消えなかったときに思ったことだ。

    That was what I thought at an elementary-school sketching contest when, after making a pencil sketch on drawing paper and coloring it with water-based paint, I tried to erase the sketch with an eraser but could not.

  • に対してN3

    Marks the target or object an action is directed at, or sets up a contrast between two things, 'toward / with regard to / in contrast to'.

    この疑問に対する答えを、最近、あるホームページで見付けた。

    Recently, I found the answer to this question on a website.

  • というN32 times in this passage

    Quotative marker plus 'say' that introduces a name, definition, or reported content — 'called', 'known as', 'that (one) says'.

    そのページには、まず普通の鉛筆は消しゴムで消せるのに、なぜ色鉛筆は消せないのかという説明が書いてあった。

    The page first explained why ordinary pencil marks can be erased with an eraser whereas colored-pencil marks cannot.

  • によると/によればN3

    Cites the source of reported/hearsay information, typically paired with a hearsay ending; 'according to'.

    その説明によると、それは普通の鉛筆と色鉛筆の芯の材料が異なっているためだそうだ。

    According to the explanation, this is because ordinary pencils and colored pencils use different materials for their cores.

  • ためにN3

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

    その説明によると、それは普通の鉛筆と色鉛筆の芯の材料が異なっているためだそうだ。

    According to the explanation, this is because ordinary pencils and colored pencils use different materials for their cores.

  • と共に（とともに）N3

    Links two things that happen together or change at the same time — "together with; along with; as ~ does".

    紙に書かれた文字の状態をそれぞれ簡単に説明すると、前者は細かくくだかれた黒鉛が紙の表面にくっついている状態であり、後者は顔料が紙の中に油とともにしみ込んでいる状態だそうだ。

    To put the state of the marks on the paper simply, in the former case finely crushed graphite adheres to the surface of the paper, while in the latter case the pigment soaks into the paper together with the oil.

  • 〜のにN44 times in this passage

    Links two clauses so the result contradicts what the first clause leads you to expect — "even though ~ / although ~".

    「鉛筆でかいたのになぜ消えないの。」

    “I drew it in pencil, so why won’t it erase?”

  • ときN4

    Marks the time at which something happens — "when X, Y."

    小学校の写生大会で、画用紙に鉛筆で下書きをし、水性絵の具で色をぬった後、下書きを消しゴムで消そうとしたのに消えなかったときに思ったことだ。

    That was what I thought at an elementary-school sketching contest when, after making a pencil sketch on drawing paper and coloring it with water-based paint, I tried to erase the sketch with an eraser but could not.

  • と思う（とおもう）N4

    Quotative plus 'think', stating the speaker's opinion or guess — 'I think that'.

    不思議だと思うと同時に、絵が思ったように仕上げられずがっかりした。

    I found it strange, and at the same time I was disappointed because I could not finish the picture the way I had wanted.

  • そうだN43 times in this passage

    Reports information the speaker heard from another source, attached to a plain form — "I hear that…, they say…, apparently."

    その説明によると、それは普通の鉛筆と色鉛筆の芯の材料が異なっているためだそうだ。

    According to the explanation, this is because ordinary pencils and colored pencils use different materials for their cores.

  • 〜ていたN4

    The past progressive/continuous — an action that was ongoing or a state that held in the past — 'was (do)ing'.

    そして最後に、鉛筆の下書きが水性絵の具で色をぬった後に消せない理由が説明されていた。

    Finally, the page explained why a pencil sketch cannot be erased after it has been painted over with water-based paint.

  • やすいN4

    Attaches to a verb stem to mean the action is easy to do ('easy to ~').

    水も油も紙にしみ込みやすいのだ。

    Both water and oil soak easily into paper.

  • 〜てあるN5

    Describes a state that persists because someone deliberately did something to bring it about — “has been done (and still is)”.

    そのページには、まず普通の鉛筆は消しゴムで消せるのに、なぜ色鉛筆は消せないのかという説明が書いてあった。

    The page first explained why ordinary pencil marks can be erased with an eraser whereas colored-pencil marks cannot.

  • 〜ているN54 times in this passage

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

    その説明によると、それは普通の鉛筆と色鉛筆の芯の材料が異なっているためだそうだ。

    According to the explanation, this is because ordinary pencils and colored pencils use different materials for their cores.

  • だけN5

    Limiting particle marking 'only / just' — restricts to the stated amount, degree, or item.

    したがって、表面にくっついているだけの黒鉛は、消しゴムでこすることで、紙から引き離すことができる。

    Therefore, graphite, which is merely attached to the surface, can be separated from the paper by rubbing it with an eraser.

  • 〜ことができるN52 times in this passage

    States that someone is able to do something — “can do” / “is able to do”.

    したがって、表面にくっついているだけの黒鉛は、消しゴムでこすることで、紙から引き離すことができる。

    Therefore, graphite, which is merely attached to the surface, can be separated from the paper by rubbing it with an eraser.

  • そしてN5

    Additive/sequential conjunction joining clauses, 'and / and then'.

    そして最後に、鉛筆の下書きが水性絵の具で色をぬった後に消せない理由が説明されていた。

    Finally, the page explained why a pencil sketch cannot be erased after it has been painted over with water-based paint.

Share:

Comments

Another passageAll passages