慶英会 塾長｜慶應義塾大学卒・英検1級
中高一貫校の学校英語・NEW TREASURE・英検対策を専門とするオンライン個別指導塾です。塾長紹介
結論：英検1級の二次面接で「What exactly do you mean by…?」「How would you define…?」と質問されたら、抽象語を繰り返すだけではなく、①短く定義→②その語に含むものと含まないものを区別→③具体的な判断基準を示す順で答えると論旨が明確になります。慶英会の独自10テーマ・全30問には、英語の模範応答、日本語による説明、追加練習を掲載しました。
英検1級二次試験は英語面接約10分で、5つのトピックから1つを選び、1分間の考慮時間の後に2分間のスピーチと関連Q&Aを行います。これは英検協会の公式試験内容に基づく説明です。ただし、本記事の30問は慶英会のオリジナル想定質問であり、公式面接の出題を予告・再現するものではありません。
二次面接の抽象語定義から意見英作文へ：fairness・privacy・accountabilityを定義して書く独自36問と模範2篇。意味の定義・理由・結論を整合させ、話の途中で判断基準が変わらないように練習できます。
抽象的な議論から実施可能な代案を示す：代案・実施条件・評価指標を話す独自30問。定義を説明した後に具体的な政策へつなげられます。
抽象語を説明する英語の3段階
- 定義：By X, I mean … と具体的な意味を定める。
- 境界：I do not mean that … / Not necessarily. で誤った一般化を否定する。
- 評価基準：I would evaluate … by … / It depends on … と事実・条件につなぐ。
- 30〜45秒の学習目標：最初の一文で直接答え、残りで理由・具体例を述べる。実際の試験で回答時間が固定されているという意味ではありません。
例えば「fairnessとは何か」と聞かれてFairness means being fair.と答えても、実質的な情報は増えません。Fairness means removing avoidable barriers so people with different needs can participate.と説明すれば、何を公平とみなすかが伝わります。逆に統計や法律を記憶だけで捏造して説明する必要はありません。
独自30問｜質問を見てから模範回答を隠して声に出す
1｜Digital divide（デジタル格差）
想定スピーチの一節：Technology should make public services more accessible.
Q1. What exactly do you mean by the digital divide?
Model answer: I mean differences in people’s ability to use digital services effectively, not merely whether they own a device. Reliable connectivity, accessible design, and the skills needed to complete a task all matter.
慶英会の解説：所有率だけでなく利用可能性・技能・障害への配慮を含む定義へ限定。
Q2. Would providing everyone with a smartphone eliminate that divide?
Model answer: Not necessarily. A phone does not guarantee affordable internet access or the ability to navigate a complicated application. Public policy should evaluate whether people can actually use essential services.
慶英会の解説：端末配布は手段、サービス利用は成果。
Q3. Does that mean public offices should abandon online services?
Model answer: No. Digital services can be convenient, but alternatives should remain available for people who cannot use them. The goal is broader access rather than replacing one barrier with another.
慶英会の解説：デジタル化否定ではなく、代替窓口を維持する条件付き推奨。
2｜Sustainability（持続可能性）
想定スピーチの一節：Public investment should be sustainable.
Q4. How would you define sustainable investment?
Model answer: I would define it as spending that continues to provide benefits without imposing unreasonable financial, environmental, or social costs on future generations. The definition requires a time horizon, not just an attractive initial price.
慶英会の解説：短期費用と長期影響を区別。
Q5. Does sustainable always mean environmentally harmless?
Model answer: No policy is completely free of environmental effects. I would compare realistic alternatives and examine whether their long-term benefits justify their costs rather than assume that one label guarantees sustainability.
慶英会の解説：sustainable≠impact-free。比較対象も明示。
Q6. Could a project with a high initial cost still be sustainable?
Model answer: Yes, if its long-term benefits and operating requirements justify the investment. However, officials should test the assumptions carefully and explain who pays the costs and who receives the benefits.
慶英会の解説：初期費用が高い＝非持続的ではない。費用負担も確認。
3｜Critical thinking（批判的思考）
想定スピーチの一節：Schools should teach critical thinking.
Q7. What do you mean by critical thinking?
Model answer: I mean examining the evidence behind a claim, considering alternative explanations, and revising a judgment when better information becomes available. It is not the habit of rejecting every argument automatically.
慶英会の解説：批判＝何でも否定ではなく根拠を検証する思考。
Q8. How could a school measure that skill?
Model answer: Instead of asking students to repeat an approved opinion, teachers could give them unfamiliar evidence and assess whether they identify assumptions, explain uncertainty, and justify their conclusions.
慶英会の解説：意見への同意でなく検証の質を評価。
Q9. Would this skill make students distrust experts?
Model answer: It should encourage informed trust rather than blind acceptance or automatic suspicion. Students can respect expertise while checking whether a specialist’s evidence is relevant to the claim being made.
慶英会の解説：専門性への敬意と無批判な受容は異なる。
4｜Equity（公平性）
想定スピーチの一節：Public services should be evaluated for equity.
Q10. How is equity different from equality?
Model answer: Equality often describes giving everyone the same resources, while equity considers whether people with different needs have a fair opportunity to benefit. Identical support may not produce comparable access.
慶英会の解説：同じ資源の配分と必要に応じたアクセスを区別。
Q11. Does equity require identical outcomes for every person?
Model answer: No. I would focus on removing avoidable barriers and ensuring reasonable opportunities, not guaranteeing that everyone’s final result will be the same. Individual choices and circumstances still matter.
慶英会の解説：機会の改善と結果の完全一致は別。
Q12. Should fairness always override efficiency?
Model answer: I would resist an automatic rule. Governments should examine both the distribution of benefits and the resources required. A policy that appears efficient overall may overlook people with substantial needs.
慶英会の解説：二者択一を避け、分配と効率の両面を評価。
5｜Scientific uncertainty（科学的な不確実性）
想定スピーチの一節：Scientific uncertainty should influence public policy.
Q13. What does uncertainty mean in your argument?
Model answer: It means that the available evidence leaves more than one plausible outcome or explanation. It does not mean scientists know nothing or that every interpretation has equal support.
慶英会の解説：不確実≠無知・全説同等。
Q14. Would you postpone all action until research is conclusive?
Model answer: No. The urgency and potential consequences of delay matter. Authorities may need to act on incomplete evidence while monitoring outcomes and being prepared to revise their decisions.
慶英会の解説：情報不足でも被害・遅延コストを踏まえて行動。
Q15. How should officials communicate uncertainty?
Model answer: They should separate observations from predictions, explain important assumptions, and state what further evidence could change their assessment. This is clearer than either promising certainty or exaggerating doubt.
慶英会の解説：観測・予測・前提・再評価条件を分離。
6｜Economic opportunity（経済的な機会）
想定スピーチの一節：Education can expand economic opportunity.
Q16. What do you mean by economic opportunity?
Model answer: I mean people’s realistic ability to obtain useful skills, enter work, and improve their circumstances. It is broader than current income and depends partly on access to education, networks, and transport.
慶英会の解説：現在所得よりも選択肢と参入条件の話。
Q17. Does a higher education budget necessarily increase opportunity?
Model answer: Not necessarily. The spending should reach people facing obstacles and improve learning or access. The amount allocated matters less than whether the program changes the opportunities available to learners.
慶英会の解説：予算投入と成果を混同しない。
Q18. What about people who prefer vocational training?
Model answer: They should not be excluded. Economic opportunity should include academic, technical, and vocational routes. Different pathways can be valuable if they provide credible skills and access to employment.
慶英会の解説：大学進学だけに限定しない。
7｜Cultural preservation（文化の継承）
想定スピーチの一節：Governments should help preserve cultural heritage.
Q19. How would you define cultural preservation?
Model answer: I would describe it as supporting the transmission and meaningful use of cultural knowledge, practices, and objects. It is not simply keeping every tradition unchanged in a display case.
慶英会の解説：保存＝凍結ではなく伝承と活用。
Q20. Should public funds preserve every tradition equally?
Model answer: Funding is limited, so decisions should consider the significance of a tradition, community priorities, and the risks of irreversible loss. That does not justify treating popularity as the only measure of value.
慶英会の解説：予算制約と不可逆的損失の双方を認識。
Q21. Could modernization itself help preserve culture?
Model answer: Yes. Digital archives and new forms of teaching can widen access, provided communities retain a say in how their heritage is represented. Technology should support cultural participants rather than replace their authority.
慶英会の解説：現代化と継承は必ずしも対立しない。
8｜Public safety（公共の安全）
想定スピーチの一節：Cities should invest in public safety.
Q22. What do you mean by public safety in this context?
Model answer: I mean reducing preventable harm in shared spaces, including traffic injuries and risks from poorly maintained infrastructure. I am not defining safety solely as the number of crimes reported.
慶英会の解説：概念の範囲を犯罪統計だけに限定しない。
Q23. Would more surveillance always make a city safer?
Model answer: Not necessarily. Cameras may help in some settings, but effectiveness, privacy, oversight, and alternative measures must be considered. More equipment is not itself proof of better outcomes.
慶英会の解説：監視設備の量と安全成果を区別。
Q24. How would you assess a safety program?
Model answer: I would examine whether specific harms declined, whether the change could plausibly be attributed to the program, and whether costs or unintended effects were acceptable.
慶英会の解説：成果・因果・副作用を評価。
9｜Privacy（プライバシー）
想定スピーチの一節：Privacy matters in a digital society.
Q25. How do you define privacy?
Model answer: I mean individuals’ ability to exercise meaningful control over personal information and aspects of their private lives. It includes knowing how data are used, not merely keeping everything secret.
慶英会の解説：秘密保持だけでなく情報利用へのコントロール。
Q26. Is privacy more important than every other public goal?
Model answer: I would not treat it as an absolute that automatically overrides all other concerns. Any restriction should have a clear purpose, be proportionate, and include appropriate safeguards.
慶英会の解説：無条件最優先ではなく目的・比例性・保護措置を示す。
Q27. Does consenting to an app mean users no longer need protection?
Model answer: No. Consent may be poorly informed or difficult to refuse. Organizations should still minimize unnecessary collection and explain data practices clearly.
慶英会の解説：同意だけであらゆる収集が正当化されるわけではない。
10｜Accountability（説明責任）
想定スピーチの一節：Public institutions need accountability.
Q28. What do you mean by accountability?
Model answer: I mean that decision-makers should explain their choices, show relevant evidence, and face meaningful review when outcomes differ from expectations. Publishing a statement alone is not sufficient.
慶英会の解説：声明の公開と検証可能な説明責任を区別。
Q29. Would transparency by itself guarantee good decisions?
Model answer: No. Open data help only when the information is understandable and decision-makers can be questioned. Accountability also requires correcting errors and responding to justified concerns.
慶英会の解説：透明性と実効的な是正手段は別。
Q30. How would you know whether accountability improved?
Model answer: I would look for timely explanations, independent review, and evidence that institutions changed faulty practices. Counting reports is less informative than examining whether problems were addressed.
慶英会の解説：報告書数＝説明責任の達成ではない。
回答を長くしすぎずに仕上げる｜悪い例と改善例12組
修正1：不十分な答え：Sustainability means being sustainable. →改善：It means creating benefits that can be maintained without unacceptable long-term costs. 理由：同語反復を避け、維持可能性の判断基準を提示。
修正2：不十分な答え：Equity means everyone gets identical results. →改善：Equity means addressing avoidable barriers to meaningful opportunity. 理由：公平性を結果の完全一致にしない。
修正3：不十分な答え：Critical thinking means criticizing everything. →改善：Critical thinking means examining claims and evidence before reaching a judgment. 理由：批判＝否定という誤訳を修正。
修正4：不十分な答え：Privacy means no data can ever be collected. →改善：Privacy requires appropriate limits and meaningful control over personal data. 理由：全データ収集禁止に拡大しない。
修正5：不十分な答え：Access means there is a website. →改善：Access means people can actually use the service, including those with limited devices or skills. 理由：設置と利用成果を区別。
修正6：不十分な答え：All scientific uncertainty makes research useless. →改善：Research can guide decisions even while uncertainty remains. 理由：証拠が不完全でも有用性は残る。
修正7：不十分な答え：A popular tradition must be preserved forever. →改善：Preservation decisions should consider significance, community priorities and resources. 理由：人気＝政策義務の飛躍を避ける。
修正8：不十分な答え：Higher spending always improves safety. →改善：Spending should be judged by whether preventable harm is reduced. 理由：投資額と成果を区別。
修正9：不十分な答え：All regulations are equally useful. →改善：Regulations should be evaluated in light of their goals, enforcement and unintended effects. 理由：全面一般化を修正。
修正10：不十分な答え：Transparency means publishing many reports. →改善：Transparency requires making information understandable and open to scrutiny. 理由：量と情報の有用性は別。
修正11：不十分な答え：Online learning always creates equality. →改善：Online learning can widen access if connectivity and support are available. 理由：技術の便益と導入条件を分離。
修正12：不十分な答え：Every public service should be free. →改善：Affordability matters, but funding and service quality also need consideration. 理由：価格だけでなく財源とサービス品質を含める。
独自ミニ模擬面接｜スピーチから定義質問へ
模擬1｜Should schools teach critical thinking?
Mini speech: I support teaching critical thinking because students need to assess evidence, compare explanations and recognize uncertainty. Those skills are valuable beyond examinations.
Follow-up: When you say critical thinking, do you mean students should challenge teachers?
Answer: Not necessarily. I mean students should ask for reasons and examine evidence respectfully, including evidence offered by authorities. The goal is sound reasoning, not confrontation.
解説：敬意ある検証と権威への反抗を分ける。
模擬2｜Should cities prioritize digital services?
Mini speech: Digital services can reduce waiting times and improve convenience, but cities should not leave residents unable to access essential support.
Follow-up: What counts as access to a digital service?
Answer: For me, access means being able to complete an essential task successfully. A website alone is insufficient if the interface is inaccessible or internet connections are unreliable.
解説：サービスの存在と実利用の違いを示す。
模擬3｜Should environmental policies consider economic effects?
Mini speech: Yes. Environmental goals are essential, but poorly designed measures may impose costs that make a policy difficult to maintain.
Follow-up: What exactly do you mean by sustainable?
Answer: I mean that the policy can achieve environmental improvements over time without requiring resources that are unrealistic to maintain. The question is not simply the initial price.
解説：短期価格と長期持続性を区別。
自己評価｜30問を採点せずチェックする5項目
- 最初の一文で質問に直接答えている。
- 抽象語を同じ語で言い換えただけになっていない。
- 定義の対象者・範囲・時間軸が明確である。
- every / never / alwaysを根拠なく使っていない。
- 質問と立場が一致し、1つの例か判断基準を説明できる。
7日間の反復学習
1日目はQ1〜6、2日目はQ7〜12、3日目はQ13〜18、4日目はQ19〜24、5日目はQ25〜30を録音して各回答の最初の一文を点検します。6日目は12の修正例を日本語から英語へ再現し、7日目は3つの模擬面接を、回答例を隠して声に出しましょう。1回目より短く明確に答えられるかを検証します。
よくある質問
英語で専門用語の厳密な定義を暗記する必要がありますか？
辞書的な説明を完全に再現することよりも、質問の文脈で自分が何を意味しているかを明確にすることが重要です。専門用語を自分で使ったなら、その語の範囲と根拠を説明できるようにしてください。
質問を聞き返すことと、意味を定義して答えることは同じですか？
異なります。聞こえなかった場合の確認と、聞き取った質問で使われた概念を説明することは別の技能です。聞き返し自体は不自然な連発を避け、確認後は質問に直接答えましょう。
知識のない社会問題が出たら統計を作ってもよいですか？
根拠のない数字を実際の統計として示すべきではありません。代わりに条件付きの説明、架空の例であることが明確な想定例、評価指標などを使います。
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参考にした主な公式情報
掲載した質問、想定スピーチ、回答、解説は慶英会独自の教育用素材です。英検協会の実際の質問や公式採点例ではありません。
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慶英会 塾長｜慶應義塾大学卒・英検1級。中高一貫校の学校英語・NEW TREASURE・英検対策を専門としています。塾長の経歴・指導方針を確認する