こんにちは。トモです。
今回は英検準1級の面接問題のうち、
「面接官からの質問に答えるパート」の問題パターンとその回答例をまとめて紹介します。
英検準1級の二次試験の全体的なまとめは以下のページで紹介しています。まだご覧になっていない方はまずはこちらからどうぞ。
＞＞＞英検準1級「二次試験（面接・ｽﾋﾟｰｷﾝｸﾞ）」の勉強法を徹底解説
面接官の質問
英検準1級の面接では、面接官からの質問はさまざまな内容のものがありますが
一番のポイントは「英会話力は求められていない」ということです。
というのも、
面接官の質問に対して受験者は自分の意見を述べるのですが
自分が述べた意見について、面接官からさらに深堀りの質問がされることはないのです。
これは、何を意味すると思いますか？
ようするに、一方的に自分の考えが主張できさえすれば、点がもらえるということなんです。
そのうえで、
質問の「基本のパターン」や「型」はある程度決まっています。
具体的には
- 「Should parents be 〜?」のような「(主語)は〜すべきか？」型
- 「Do you think 〜?」型のような「あなたは〜だと思いますか」型
- 回答は、それぞれの質問に「最低2文（接続詞を含む場合は1文でも可）」で答える
というものです。
もちろんこれがすべてではないのですが
まずは、この「パターンがある」という事実を知ることが第一ステップになります。
そのうえで、主なパターンは決まっているのですから
この基本パターン・型に沿った質問・回答の練習をすることで、じっさいの面接をかなり有利にすすめることができます。
のちほど、質問パターン集をまとめていますので参考にしてくださいね。
模範回答例
次に答え方の模範例です。
さきほど、「Should 〜?型」「Do 〜?型」いずれの質問にも
- 「最低2文（接続詞を含む場合は1文でも可）」で答える
のが、ポイントだとお話しました。
ここをもう少し具体的に見ていきましょう。
以下は、じっさいの質問と模範解答の例です。
【質問（Should〜型）】
Should utilities such as gas and water be run by the government?
【回答例】
Yes.
→Most people can’t live without such necessities. Private companies are often only interested in profits, so they might try to raise the price of utilities.
No.
→Private companies know how to run a business well, so they can provide such services more efficiently.
上記の例は「Should 〜型」の質問に対する答えですが、
「Yes」「No」どちらの回答でも「2文で（接続詞を含む場合は1文でも可）」答えているのがわかりますか？
このように、満点をとるためには、1文でなくある程度の分量の英語で答えることが求められるんです。
最初は難しいと思いますが、何度か練習していれば慣れてきます！
ちなみに
「Yes」と「No」は、どちらで答えてもまったく問題ありません。
自分がうまく答えられそうな方を選びましょう。
具体的な練習方法
出題パターンがわかったら、あとは過去問を分析した以下の問題で何度も練習するのみです。
練習で意識してほしいことは以下の2つです。
- 質問サンプル、回答例を見ながら音読する
- 例を暗記するぐらい、声に出してリピート練習をする
これができれば、面接合格に必要な「共通の型・視点」が身につきますので、
面接当日に違うトピックの質問がきても「単語を入れ替える」だけでカンタンに対応できます。
ではさっそくはじめましょう。
英検準1級面接：質問サンプルと回答例
（1）Should parents be stricter with their children?
Yes.
→Parents are more lenient than in the past, so children don’t show respect to their elders anymore.
No.
→It’s important for children to have rules, but I read that if children are disciplined too much, they become less able to make their own decisions as adults.
（2）Do you think that society is more dangerous today than it was in the past?
Yes.
→People used to feel safe, but violence and crime have become common in society today. Nowadays, many people are afraid to go out alone at night.
No.
→The media often focuses on crime, but crime rates are no worse than they were in the past.
（3）Should the government ban development in areas of natural beauty?
Yes.
→Areas of natural beauty should be preserved for future generations. Careful management of these areas also makes sense economically, as tourism can provide income for local people.
No.
→Of course we should try to protect the environment, but we should do so in ways that don’t discourage economic development.
（4）Do you think that Japanese people put too much priority on work?
Yes.
→Company employees in Japan work very long hours. This causes stress related health problems and prevents people from spending time with their families.
No.
→It’s important for people to work hard so that Japanese companies can compete internationally.
（5）Should children be taught more about economics in high school?
Yes.
→Most parents can’t explain economics to their children, so it’s important for children to learn about it in high school.
No.
→Schools should teach core subjects such as math and English, as these are useful for everyone. Students who want to study economics can do so at college.
（6）Do you think that companies are making enough effort to protect the environment?
Yes.
→Companies have to follow strict environmental laws. Many also donate money to environmental charities, which helps ensure that nature is protected.
No.
→Some companies dump waste in rivers or the ocean, even though it’s illegal for them to do this.
（7）Were people in the past more in touch with nature than people are today?
Yes.
→Most people living in cities today lead more demanding lives. Even when they do have free time, they’re too tired to plan visits to areas of natural beauty.
No.
→Outdoor activities like hiking are becoming more and more popular, and facilities for these activities are being improved.
（8）Do you think that the government should do more to promote renewable energy?
Yes.
→Supporting clean energy technology is in the government’s interest. Non renewable energy sources create a lot of pollution, which is expensive for the government to clean up.
No.
→The economy is suffering now, so the government should focus on more urgent issues, such as creating more jobs.
（9）Is it a good idea for companies to recruit new employees who have just graduated from university?
Yes.
→Recent graduates are more enthusiastic about working than those with experience. They’ll bring fresh ideas to the company.
No.
→It’s risky to hire people with no work experience. Experienced workers need less training, and they’re more likely to be able to perform their duties effectively.
（10） Do you think that people should socialize with their co-workers after work?
Yes.
→Socializing after work builds stronger relationships between co-workers, which creates a positive working environment.
No.
→People spend long hours working at their offices, so they just want to spend time with their families after work.
（11）Is there too much pressure on people to be healthy these days?
Yes.
→There are too many ads on TV. They try to persuade people to buy products that don’t have any real effect.
No.
→People need to be made aware of the benefits of a good diet and regular exercise. If they are careful about their health now, they’ll be able to stay active later in life.
（12）Should local governments limit the amount of garbage that people can throw out?
Yes.
→Most cities are running out of places to put garbage. People who produce too much garbage should be taxed. Otherwise, governments will be left with an unmanageable amount of waste in the future.
No.
→Most people make a conscious effort to recycle their garbage. It would be unfair to ask them to do even more.
（13）Do you think that treating a pet like a member of the family is a good thing?
Yes.
→Yes. Pets provide valuable companionship for people all over the world. Because pets are unable to look after themselves, their owners have a duty to care for them.
No.
→Some people take treating pets like family members too far. They spend too much money buying useless items for them.
（14）Are people today less involved in their local community than people were in the past?
Yes.
→People often move away from their hometown in search of employment. They don’t feel a strong connection with their new community, so they aren’t likely to participate in events.
No. →Most people think it’s important to be involved in their local community, so they volunteer their time for local activities.
（15）Do you think that it is a good idea for companies to have a mandatory retirement age?
Yes.
→Mandatory retirement helps younger workers. Without it, they’d find it impossible to get promoted.
No.
→There are some industries that depend heavily on older workers. If companies had to force their workers to retire, they would see a drop in productivity.
問題サンプルと回答例は以上です。
繰り返しになりますが、
- 質問サンプル、回答例を見ながら音読する
- 例を暗記するぐらい、声に出してリピート練習をする
を徹底することで、型が自然と身につくようにできています。
