A Host Family's Hike Message: Choosing Among と, ば, たら, なら
Miki is staying with a host family in Nagano. The host mother sends a short message about a weekend hike: 「土曜日に山に行きます。雨が＿＿、教えてください。春に＿＿、この山は花がきれいです。Mikiさんが写真を＿＿、見せてください。Mikiさんがカメラが＿＿なら、このコースがいいです。」 The four blanks offer と／ば／たら／なら, and the same form may not be used twice. Miki's teacher says the second half of each sentence decides the answer, and that one blank is impossible with と because a request follows. Miki also wants to ask politely whether she should make her lunch the day before.
1. Fill the four blanks and state the clue in the second half that decides each choice.
Read the worked answer
- 雨が降ったら、教えてください - the second half is a request, which と cannot precede.
- 春になると、この山は花がきれいです - a seasonal, regular consequence; と marks automatic natural results.
- 写真をとったら、見せてください - the showing happens after the taking is complete; たら expresses completion followed by the next action.
- カメラが好きなら、このコースがいいです - なら takes information already known about Miki as a premise and then gives advice. The form is chosen by what the second clause does: request, natural law, sequence, or advice from a premise.
2. Why is と impossible in the first blank even though 「雨が降ると、中止です」 is acceptable?
Read the worked answer
と marks an automatic or natural consequence and cannot be followed by a request, invitation, intention, or offer such as ください、ましょう、つもりです. 教えてください is a request, so と is blocked. 中止です is a statement about a decision, which is why it can sound acceptable with と, but even there たら is safer when the speaker is deciding. The clause type, not the meaning of 雨が降る, controls the grammar.
3. Miki wants to ask politely whether she should make her lunch the day before. Write the question using ておく and explain the politeness choice.
Read the worked answer
「お弁当は前の日に作っておきましょうか。」 ておく adds the meaning of doing something in preparation for later, which matches making lunch before the hike. ましょうか offers to do something or asks about doing it, so it is polite and suited to a host family. A softer request for advice is 「作っておいたほうがいいですか」, which asks the host mother to judge rather than offering. Both keep ておく because the timing, not the politeness, is the core meaning.