英検準2級プラスの再生可能エネルギー長文｜太陽光・風力・水力・蓄電の独自40問【全訳】

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

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英検準2級プラスの科学・環境の長文では、renewable energy（再生可能エネルギー）・solar power（太陽光）・wind power（風力）・hydropower（水力）・battery storage（蓄電）・power grid（電力網）などの語を正確に読むことが重要です。特に発電するgenerateと蓄えるstoreを区別すると、太陽光パネルと蓄電池の役割を誤読しません。慶英会が独自制作した40問（空所12・書き換え12・4長文16問）で環境分野の英語を学びます。全解答・全文和訳付きです。

結論｜発電・蓄電・供給を別々に考える

• generate electricity：発電する。太陽光は十分な光があるとき、風力は風の条件に応じて発電量が変わる。
• store electricity / battery storage：すでに生み出した電力を後で使えるよう保存する。蓄電池が無からエネルギーを作るわけではない。
• renewable / nonrenewable：自然に補充される資源を利用するか、限りある燃料などに依存するかの区別。
• hydropower：水の流れを利用してタービンなどを動かし発電する。地域や河川への影響も別に検討する必要がある。
• power grid / demand：電力網と電力需要。どの時間帯にどれだけ電力が必要かは発電設備の最大定格出力とは異なる。

再生可能エネルギーであれば環境への影響がゼロというわけではありません。また太陽光や風力の設備に示される最大出力が、常に実際の発電量となるわけでもありません。内容一致では可能性と確定事項、設備能力と実際の発電、発電と蓄電を区別します。

公式試験形式と本教材の位置付け

日本英語検定協会の準2級プラスは、社会的な話題の概要・要点・詳細を読み取る級であり、Readingには短文語句空所補充17問、長文語句空所補充6問、長文内容一致8問が含まれます。自然・環境・科学・テクノロジーが題材です。公式試験内容。ここに示す英文と数値は慶英会の独自演習であり、公式過去問ではありません。

Part 1｜環境・エネルギーの英単語12問

括弧の指定語を空欄に入れ、どの行為が発電・蓄電・使用に該当するか確認しましょう。

問1

Solar panels ___ electricity when sunlight reaches them.（generate）

問2

Wind turbines use moving air to produce ___.（electricity）

問3

A battery can ___ electricity produced earlier for later use.（store）

問4

Coal is usually described as a ___ energy resource because it is finite.（nonrenewable）

問5

Power made by moving water is often called ___.（hydropower）

問6

Solar and wind are examples of ___ energy sources.（renewable）

問7

A solar panel normally produces less electricity at night because there is no ___.（sunlight）

問8

Electricity ___ changes when demand rises in the evening.（demand）

問9

Electricity supply and demand must be managed across the power ___.（grid）

問10

A school installed a system to ___ extra solar electricity in batteries.（store）

問11

A power station’s maximum rated capacity does not tell us how much electricity it produced over a day; we must measure its actual ___.（generation）

問12

Wind power output can vary with wind ___.（conditions）

Part 2｜環境情報を正確に言い換える12問

指定語句を用いて、科学的な説明と原文の確定度を保ちながら英文を書き換えます。模範解答は一例です。

問13

The solar panels produce electricity during sunny hours. Use generate.

問14

The battery keeps unused electricity for later. Use store.

問15

Wind is naturally replenished and can support electricity production. Use renewable.

問16

Coal is a limited fuel resource. Use nonrenewable.

問17

Moving water generates electricity at the plant. Use hydropower.

問18

The need for electricity rises after sunset. Use demand.

問19

The battery stores energy rather than creating it from nothing. Use store.

問20

The connected system carrying power to buildings is a grid. Use power grid.

問21

Solar output changes according to the amount of sunlight. Use depend on.

問22

A strong wind does not continue at the same speed all day. Use vary.

問23

During the test, the turbine’s actual power output was lower than its rated maximum. Use differ.

問24

Renewable energy systems still need careful planning. Use require.

Part 3｜太陽光・風力・水力・電力需要の4長文16問

4つの独自説明文を読み、何が実際に発電し、何が電気を貯め、何がまだ計画段階かを確認してください。本文にない発電量・費用・結果を勝手に補わないことが大切です。

長文1｜学校の太陽光パネル｜発電と蓄電は別

Reading passage（慶英会オリジナル）

A junior high school installed solar panels on the roof of a classroom building. On sunny days, the panels generated electricity during daylight hours. The school also placed a battery in a secure equipment room so that some electricity could be stored for later use. Students sometimes said that the battery made electricity at night, but their teacher explained that it stored energy produced earlier rather than creating energy from nothing. The school compared electricity use during a sunny afternoon with use after sunset. Its report showed that the panels produced electricity only when enough light was available, while the building still needed power in the evening. The project team planned to study how much stored electricity could be used during different seasons. They did not promise that the school would no longer need any connection to the power grid. The teacher asked students to explain the difference between generation, storage and consumption in their final report.

問25. When do the school’s solar panels generate electricity?

A. Only at midnight ／ B. When enough sunlight is available ／ C. Only during heavy rain ／ D. After the battery is empty

問26. What is the battery’s role?

A. Producing energy from nothing ／ B. Changing coal into sunlight ／ C. Storing electricity for later use ／ D. Canceling electricity demand

問27. What did the school still need after sunset?

A. Electricity for the building ／ B. More daylight hours ／ C. New windows for every room ／ D. A second school

問28. What did the school NOT promise?

A. To study seasonal storage ／ B. To install equipment securely ／ C. To teach electricity terms ／ D. That no power-grid connection would ever be needed

長文2｜地域の風力発電｜設備の能力と実際の出力

Reading passage（慶英会オリジナル）

A small town was considering wind turbines on a hill outside the residential area. At a public meeting, a researcher explained that the amount of electricity produced by a turbine can change as wind conditions change. A large maximum output printed in a brochure does not mean the machine produces that amount every hour. The town collected information about local wind patterns and studied where turbines could be installed safely. Some residents supported the plan because they wanted more renewable electricity, while others asked questions about noise and the effect on the local landscape. The council agreed to investigate these issues before making a final decision. It did not say that every concern had already been solved. Students at a nearby school wrote a report comparing expected benefits with questions that still needed answers. The report emphasized that a proposal is different from an approved construction project.

問29. Why does actual wind electricity output change?

A. Wind conditions vary ／ B. The school changes its timetable ／ C. Every turbine has a fixed daily output ／ D. A brochure contains no numbers

問30. What does maximum rated output NOT guarantee?

A. A turbine can have a listed capacity ／ B. The town can collect data ／ C. That the turbine produces the maximum every hour ／ D. The researcher can explain output

問31. What concerns did some residents raise?

A. Library opening hours ／ B. Noise and effects on the landscape ／ C. English examination fees ／ D. School bus capacity

問32. What had the council NOT yet done?

A. Collected information ／ B. Held a public meeting ／ C. Discussed the proposal ／ D. Made a final construction decision

長文3｜水力発電と川の環境｜利点と制約

Reading passage（慶英会オリジナル）

A regional science museum presented a model of a hydropower station. The model showed moving water turning a turbine that was connected to a generator. The guide explained that this type of system uses the movement of water to generate electricity. Students asked whether hydropower was renewable. The guide said that it generally relies on the water cycle, but that a real project also needs to consider river conditions, wildlife and local communities. For example, changing the flow of water may affect fish and the activities of people living nearby. The museum did not claim that renewable sources have no environmental effects. Visitors were also shown a storage battery, and the guide emphasized that a battery stores electricity rather than serving as the moving-water source that drives a hydropower turbine. The group finished by comparing how solar, wind and hydropower depend on different natural conditions.

問33. What turns the turbine in the hydropower model?

A. Electricity stored in a battery ／ B. Moving water ／ C. A classroom fan ／ D. Solar panels

問34. Which environmental issue did the guide mention?

A. Only the size of school books ／ B. The museum’s opening time ／ C. Effects on fish and nearby communities ／ D. The price of tourist maps

問35. What does the museum NOT claim about renewable energy?

A. That it has no environmental effects at all ／ B. That moving water can produce electricity ／ C. That river conditions matter ／ D. That natural resources differ

問36. What did the guide say about batteries?

A. They are the source of every river ／ B. They produce all energy from nothing ／ C. They always replace turbines ／ D. They store electricity

長文4｜地域の電力計画｜再生可能電力と需要

Reading passage（慶英会オリジナル）

A town planned a new project to improve its electricity system. A public report explained that electricity demand often rises during certain busy periods, while the output from solar and wind systems changes with sunlight and wind conditions. The town considered adding batteries to store some electricity produced when supply was high. It also examined how electricity could be delivered through the existing power grid. During a meeting, one resident assumed that buying batteries would automatically increase the amount of electricity generated by the solar panels. An engineer explained that storage can help move electricity use from one time to another, but batteries do not make sunlight stronger. Other residents asked how the costs would be shared. The council promised to publish a more detailed cost plan before making a final investment decision. The report avoided claiming that any single source could solve every local energy problem by itself.

問37. What can make electricity demand rise?

A. The color of solar panels ／ B. Certain busy periods ／ C. The name of a library ／ D. The length of a museum tour

問38. Why did the town consider batteries?

A. To make sunlight stronger ／ B. To replace all power lines immediately ／ C. To store some electricity for use at another time ／ D. To cancel every electricity bill

問39. What did the engineer explain about batteries?

A. They do not make sunlight stronger ／ B. They create unlimited energy ／ C. They cannot store any electricity ／ D. They always increase solar-panel output

問40. What must happen before the council’s final investment decision?

A. The entire project is automatically approved ／ B. All residents agree without discussion ／ C. All turbines are installed ／ D. A more detailed cost plan is published

復習｜英語で発電と蓄電を説明する

• generate electricityとstore electricityの主語・目的語を区別して例文を作る。
• solar、wind、hydropowerそれぞれの自然条件を英文で説明する。
• 最大出力（maximum output）と実際の発電（actual generation）を混同しない。
• 住民の懸念が挙がったことと計画が中止・承認されたことは異なると理解する。
• 翌日と一週間後に4長文を再演習し、誤答の原因を本文の表現から説明する。

FAQ

batteryは電気をgenerateするのですか？

通常の蓄電池は電気を後で使えるよう蓄える装置です。太陽光パネルなどが発電し、蓄電池はその電力を保存・放出します。

renewable energyなら環境への影響はありませんか？

そうとは限りません。水力による河川環境、風力設備の立地など、発電方法によって異なる影響や課題があります。

設備の最大出力と実際の発電量は同じですか？

同じではありません。最大出力は一定条件下の能力を表しますが、実際の発電は光・風・水流などに左右されます。

関連する慶英会の無料教材

• reduce・reuse・recycle・repair｜環境と3Rの独自40問
• preserve・protect・conserve・maintain｜自然の保護の独自40問
• 調査結果の相関と因果｜独自40問

英検準2級プラスの科学・環境長文と中高一貫校のNEW TREASURE英語を合わせて学習したい方は、慶英会の最大1か月無料体験・学習相談をご確認ください。無料教材は申込不要です。

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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