英検1級の長文では、原因と結果だけでなく「いつ起きたか」を正確に読む必要があります。before、after、until、by the time、initially、eventuallyなどの時間表現を読み違えると、出来事の順番が逆転してしまいます。この記事では、長文の時系列を独自30問で確認します。
4つの時間表現を固定する
- before：基準となる出来事より前
- after：基準となる出来事より後
- until：ある時点まで継続
- by the time：ある時点までに完了
独自30問
- The researchers changed the method after the first trial failed.
- The city had completed the project before winter began.
- The policy remained in place until new regulations were introduced.
- By the time the report was published, the company had already changed its strategy.
- Initially, residents opposed the plan, but they eventually accepted a revised version.
- The museum had reopened before visitor numbers began to recover.
- The government waited until the evidence became clearer.
- After several years of decline, the population began to increase.
- By the time the committee met, several alternatives had been considered.
- The program continued until funding was exhausted.
- The company first planned to expand locally and later moved overseas.
- The new system had been tested before it was introduced nationwide.
- After receiving complaints, the organization revised its policy.
- Initially, the results appeared positive, but later analysis revealed limitations.
- The researchers had completed the survey by the time the storm arrived.
- The old policy remained effective until the new law came into force.
- The city launched the campaign after public concern had increased.
- By the time the project ended, costs had risen substantially.
- The company eventually abandoned a plan it had proposed two years earlier.
- The museum changed its admission policy before the summer season.
- The researchers observed a decline after the intervention ended.
- The government did not act until several independent reports were published.
- By the time the new system was available, most staff had completed training.
- Initially, the policy affected only large firms, but its scope was later expanded.
- The project started after the city had secured funding.
- The service remained unavailable until technical problems were resolved.
- After the first model failed, the researchers developed a second one.
- By the time the public consultation began, the basic design had already been fixed.
- The organization gradually changed its approach after several evaluations.
- Eventually, the communities reached an agreement that had seemed unlikely at first.
設問で時系列を聞かれたら
「What happened before…?」「What happened after…?」「Why did X happen later?」のような設問では、本文に戻って2つの出来事を並べ、矢印で順序を確認してください。英語の時制だけで判断せず、beforeやuntilなどの接続関係を優先します。
英検1級のリーディングでは長文の内容一致選択が7問あります。時系列を整理すると、原因と結果を逆転させた選択肢や「最初の計画」を「最終決定」として扱う選択肢を見抜きやすくなります。
参考にした主な公式情報
- 公益財団法人 日本英語検定協会「1級の試験内容」
- 公益財団法人 日本英語検定協会「1級の過去問・試験内容」