「もったいない」を、判断材料にしない

Vocabulary Check

1. "The reasoning sounds almost unassailable" — here, "unassailable" is closest to —

   1. obviously false
   2. impossible to argue against
   3. confusing
   4. outdated
   答えを見る

   正解：B．impossible to argue against

2. As used in the passage, "thrift" is closest to —

   1. carelessness with money
   2. the careful, sparing use of money
   3. generosity
   4. a financial investment
   答えを見る

   正解：B．the careful, sparing use of money

3. "...poured three years and considerable capital into a failing product" — here, "capital" means —

   1. a city's main office
   2. invested money or resources
   3. employee effort
   4. legal permission
   答えを見る

   正解：B．invested money or resources

4. "...abandoning the project would mean admitting..." — here, "abandoning" is closest to —

   1. improving
   2. giving up on completely
   3. reviewing carefully
   4. expanding
   答えを見る

   正解：B．giving up on completely

5. "...has poured three years...into a failing product" describes a company that has —

   1. briefly considered the product
   2. invested heavily and continuously in the product
   3. sold the product to a competitor
   4. tested the product on a small scale
   答えを見る

   正解：B．invested heavily and continuously in the product

6. "...in place of an honest look at what happens next" means —

   1. in addition to
   2. instead of
   3. because of
   4. in spite of
   答えを見る

   正解：B．instead of

7. The writer calls the "I already paid for this" reasoning "exactly backwards" because —

   1. it leads to the opposite of the sound conclusion
   2. it is grammatically incorrect
   3. it applies only to old-fashioned businesses
   4. it was proven wrong by a recent study
   答えを見る

   正解：A．it leads to the opposite of the sound conclusion

Comprehension

1. According to the passage, why is "I already paid for this" flawed reasoning for continuing the course?

   1. Because the course might actually improve later.
   2. Because the $200 cannot be recovered either way, so it should not affect the decision going forward.
   3. Because $200 is not a large amount of money.
   4. Because online courses are generally unreliable.
   答えを見る

   正解：B．Because the $200 cannot be recovered either way, so it should not affect the decision going forward.

   第2段落が明示する通り、$200はどちらの選択をしても戻ってこない。よって「すでに払った」という事実は、これからの判断材料にはならない、というのが本文の論理。

2. How does the passage define a "sunk cost"?

   1. A cost that will be paid in the future.
   2. A cost that has already been paid and cannot be recovered by any future choice.
   3. A cost that is always a mistake to pay.
   4. A cost shared between two or more people.
   答えを見る

   正解：B．A cost that has already been paid and cannot be recovered by any future choice.

   第2段落の定義文をそのまま問う設問。"a cost that has already been paid and cannot be recovered by any future choice"がそのまま定義。

3. According to the passage, why does sunk-cost reasoning often go unnoticed?

   1. Because it is illegal to discuss openly.
   2. Because it disguises itself as virtues like loyalty or discipline.
   3. Because most people are unaware that money exists.
   4. Because companies never make this mistake.
   答えを見る

   正解：B．Because it disguises itself as virtues like loyalty or discipline.

   第3段落：「loyalty, discipline, or simple thrift」という美徳のように見える形で現れるため、罠だと気づきにくい、という説明。

4. According to the new sports-team example, what should determine whether the team changes its strategy?

   1. How much practice time has already been spent on the current strategy.
   2. Which strategy gives the team the best chance of winning going forward, since the practice time is spent either way.
   3. Whether the coach feels embarrassed about admitting a mistake.
   4. How many games are left in the season.
   答えを見る

   正解：B．Which strategy gives the team the best chance of winning going forward, since the practice time is spent either way.

   追加した段落の要点。すでに費やした練習時間はどちらの選択をしても戻ってこない。判断基準はこれから先、どの戦略が一番勝てるかだけである、という論理。

5. What is the writer's overall position on finishing what you start?

   1. You should always finish what you start, no matter what.
   2. Finishing has its own value, but a past cost should not be the reason for continuing.
   3. Finishing what you start is always a waste of time.
   4. Only companies, not individuals, need to worry about this.
   答えを見る

   正解：B．Finishing has its own value, but a past cost should not be the reason for continuing.

   最終段落：「finishing what you start is worthless」とは言っていない（persistence has its own value）。ただし、その理由が"すでに払ったから"であってはならない、という一線を引いている。

Summary Writing

Summarize the passage in 90–110 words.

Your Turn

Some people say that once you have spent money or time on something, you should always finish it rather than "wasting" what you already put in. Do you agree or disagree with this opinion? Write your opinion in English, using 150–190 words.

最初の1文で賛成・反対を明示する。理由は2つ、譲歩（Admittedly, ...）を1文挟むと1級レベルの構成に近づく。

使える型

• I disagree with this opinion for two reasons.
• First, ... Second, ...
• Admittedly, ..., but ...
• For these reasons, I believe that ...