英検1級1次試験の要約問題対策―一般化とパラフレージング

2025年2月14日2025年2月21日

元の文の構成

英検の要約問題は2025年2月時点で3回出題されており、英検1級の場合、いずれも次の構成になっています。

第1パラグラフ　現状の推移
第2パラグラフ　生じた問題
第3パラグラフ　そうした問題への対策とその結果

英語のパラグラフは通常、Point（主張）、Reason（理由）、Example（具体例）の順に書かれることが多いですが（「英検1級1次試験の英作文問題対策―PREPとキーワード」をご参照ください）。英検の要約問題はそうなっていないので（敢えてそうしているのでしょうが）注意して読む必要があります。

この現状、問題、対策、結果は、「英検1級1次試験要約サンプル　Poyang Lake is China’s biggest freshwater lake.」の元の文では次のようになっています。

Poyang Lake is China’s biggest freshwater lake. Although people have fished it for generations, these days, a new resource is being removed-sand. Up to 10,000 tons of sand are dug up from the lake floor per hour, making this the world’s largest sand mine. Much of the sand is shipped to Shanghai-a city whose population has risen by 7 million since 2007-where it is used in the construction of high-rises, roads, and other structures. Massive mining operations exist not only in China but also in other nations, including Australia and the United States. Globally, the largest importer of sand is Singapore, which has used the resource to increase its territorial landmass by 20 square miles.

The consequences of sand mining are a major concern. Removing sand from water bodies increases water sediment, blocking out sunlight; this interferes with underwater plants’ production of oxygen, making survival for fish and other organisms difficult. In the case of Poyang Lake, sand removal has made the channels leading out of the lake much deeper and wider, doubling the amount of water flowing outward. Consequently, the lake’s water level has dropped dramatically. This threatens the water supply to neighboring wetlands, which are home to numerous bird species and other wildlife.

Many countries are becoming increasingly aware of the damage caused by sand mining. Demand for the resource has taken a toll on Indonesia, Malaysia, and Cambodia, which have banned sand exports in efforts to preserve local ecosystems. However, increasing demand means that when mining stops in one area, other areas take on the burden of supply. China’s Yangtze River, for example, was formerly a major sand-mining site, but by the late 1990s so much had been removed that bridges collapsed along with large sections of the riverbank. When sand mining was banned on the Yangtze in 2000, operations shifted to Poyang Lake.

これらをそれぞれ1文にまとめると、次の要約になります。

Now, sand from lakes is seen as a new resource, excavated and transported both nationally and internationally, and used as a material for construction around the world.

As a result, sand mining causes a variety of problems; for example, creatures in the water or on adjacent land struggle to survive due to the lack of oxygen or the decrease in the lake’s water level.

Most nations recognize the seriousness of this issue, so they have started prohibiting sand exports or sand mining to protect the environment. Nevertheless, it simply contributes to the movement of mining operations because of more needs.

2文目は”As a result, sand mining causes a variety of problems”だけだとワード数が足りないため、”for example”以下で具体例を入れています。

注意点とコツ

短縮形を使用しない

フォーマルな文章にするため、英検のライティングでは短縮形を使用しないようにしましょう。例えばisn’tではなくis notにします。

書き出す前にワード数が足りなそうだと感じたら、関係代名詞やthat節のthatを省略しないで書いておきましょう。

一般化

固有名詞や細かい数字は出さず、個別のものを一般化しましょう。具体的には、

さまざまな国をsome countriesとひとまとめにする
数字の動きをincrease、decrease、remain unchangedで表す

などです。

上位概念の言葉で表現もします。

dog, catをanimal、さらに上位ならorganism

といった具合です。

要約では、次のようにしています（品詞を変えている場合があります）。

第1パラグラフ

China, Australia, the United States, and Singapore→both nationally and internationally、around the world
in the construction of high-rises, roads, and other structures→for construction

第2パラグラフ

fish and other organisms→creatures in the water
making survival for fish and other organisms difficult、This threatens the water supply to neighboring wetlands→struggle to survive
neighboring wetlands, which are home to numerous bird species and other wildlife→creatures on adjacent land

第3パラグラフ

mining stops in one area, other areas take on the burden of supply、When sand mining was banned on the Yangtze in 2000, operations shifted to Poyang Lake.→it simply contributes to the movement of mining operations

パラフレージング

元の文の丸写しは避け、可能な限り言い換えるようにしましょう。

要約では、次のようにしています（品詞を変えている場合があります）。

第1パラグラフ

dug up→excavated
shipped→transported

第2パラグラフ

a major concern→a variety of problems
this interferes with underwater plants’ production of oxygen→due to the lack of oxygen
the lake’s water level has dropped dramatically→due to the decrease in the lake’s water level

第3パラグラフ

many countries→most nations
are becoming increasingly aware of→recognize
the damage caused by sand mining→the seriousness of this issue
banned→prohibiting
preserve local ecosystems→protect the environment
however→nevertheless
increasing demand→more needs
shifted→movement

英語の分類語彙辞典（シソーラスと言います）で類義語や対義語を探すのもいいでしょう。

基本的なものは、佐藤誠司『ビミョウな違いがイラストでわかる！　英単語類義語事典』（西東社、2020年）に書かれています。例えば「示す」に対応する英語として、show、demonstrate、point、display、designate、represent、express、indicate、suggestが挙げられています。