英検2級無料模試【第14セット】Reading31問＋Writing2題｜独自33題・全解答と日本語解説

A secondary school wanted to reduce the number of disposable cups used at its sports events. The student council suggested offering reusable cups that could be returned after games. The idea sounded simple, but teachers worried that washing large numbers of cups would require additional work. (18) ___, the school decided to test the plan at one small event rather than introduce it everywhere at once.

At the trial event, visitors paid a small deposit when receiving a reusable cup. They received the money back (19) ___ they returned the cup to a collection point. Student volunteers counted the cups before and after the event, while staff checked how long washing took.

The trial reduced the number of cups thrown away, but some visitors left without returning theirs. The school plans to make the collection points easier to find and repeat the trial. (20) ___, it will compare the environmental benefits with water use and cleaning costs before making a permanent decision.

A town library began offering short online study sessions for teenagers who could not easily travel to the building. Volunteer tutors answered questions about homework and explained study methods. (21) ___, attendance was low during the first month, even though the library had advertised the service on its website.

Staff spoke with several students and discovered that many did not know whether they needed to book a session in advance. Others worried about showing their faces on camera. The library (22) ___ the instructions to explain how to reserve a place and how participants could ask questions by text.

Attendance increased in the following month. The staff were encouraged, but they had not yet studied whether the sessions improved students’ grades. (23) ___, they decided to collect feedback over a longer period before expanding the program.

Subject: Information for Friday’s Science Center Visit

Dear Teachers,

Thank you for registering your classes for the Greenfield Science Center visit on Friday, November 6. The main presentation about renewable energy will begin at 10:00 a.m. and last forty minutes. Your group should arrive at the east entrance by 9:40 a.m. so that staff can check the attendance list before the presentation.

Unfortunately, the solar energy demonstration in the outdoor garden will not take place that day because the equipment is being repaired. Instead, students will participate in an indoor experiment about reducing heat loss in buildings. This activity will use materials provided by the center, so students do not need to bring laboratory equipment.

Students should bring a notebook and a pencil. Lunch will be available in the cafeteria for those who ordered it when they registered. Students who did not order lunch should bring their own meals because same-day orders cannot be accepted.

If your class needs an accessible entrance or a quiet waiting space, please contact our office by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. We will send a confirmation email the next morning. The visit itself is free, although participants are responsible for their transportation costs.

Best regards,
Olivia Harris
Education Programs Coordinator

During hot summers, some streets become much warmer than nearby parks. Researchers explain that roads and buildings can absorb sunlight during the day and release heat slowly. Trees may help people feel cooler by providing shade. They also release water vapor through their leaves, although the amount depends on the weather and the type of tree.

To learn whether planting trees would improve conditions along a shopping street, a group of university students collected temperature readings. They compared one section with several mature trees and another section with few trees. Their first results showed lower temperatures in the shaded section. However, the students had taken measurements at different times, and the streets had different traffic levels. They realized that these differences might have affected the readings.

The students then designed a second study. They used matching thermometers, recorded temperatures at the same times, and noted whether the sidewalks were shaded. They also asked people using wheelchairs and parents with strollers whether tree roots made the paths difficult to use. These comments revealed that choosing the location of new trees was just as important as the number planted.

The city government is considering a small trial rather than immediately planting trees along the entire street. Maintenance costs, access to underground pipes, and the space needed for pedestrians must be considered. Officials plan to measure conditions over several seasons and publish the results. Even if the trial is successful, they say that tree planting should be combined with other measures, such as providing drinking water and improving access to public buildings during extreme heat.