現代文読解 - Expository and Logical Prose
Expository and logical prose
In 説明的文章, read for the writer’s question, claim, and supporting structure. Identify the topic sentence, definitions, examples, comparisons, causes, and conclusions. Distinguish the author’s assertion from an illustration or a quoted opposing view. Track referents such as これ, それ, and このこと: a pronoun usually points to a nearby noun phrase or to the preceding sentence’s content, not to your general knowledge.
Traps include choosing an answer that is true in the world but not stated in the text, mistaking an example for the main claim, and ignoring scope words such as すべて, 必ず, 主に, and とは限らない. Contrast markers (しかし, 一方) often signal the author’s real point; additive markers (また, さらに) signal support. Do not paraphrase so loosely that a necessary condition disappears.
Worked example: a passage says, 「都市の公園は災害時に避難場所となる。しかし、日常の役割は交流の場である。」 The contrast does not deny the disaster function; it adds a second function. A correct summary must keep both, while a wrong option may say the park’s main role is only disaster prevention.
Rule of thumb: after each paragraph, write a five-word label such as “definition,” “counterexample,” or “conclusion.” Then match the question to the paragraph’s function, and verify the answer against the exact sentence and its scope.