According to the passage regarding the socio-economic impacts of the Green Revolution in India, what was a primary criticism concerning the distribution of its benefits?
Environmental groups argued that the revolution relied too heavily on traditional labor-intensive methods rather than technology.
It exacerbated the wealth gap because only affluent landowners could afford the necessary irrigation and chemical fertilizers.
The initiative failed to introduce high-yielding varieties of wheat, leading to a nationwide shortage of staple crops.
Small-scale farmers were mandated to export all their produce, resulting in local food insecurity despite high yields.
The government focused exclusively on organic farming techniques that were unsuitable for large-scale production.
解答と解説を見る
正解: It exacerbated the wealth gap because only affluent landowners could afford the necessary irrigation and chemical fertilizers.
正解は「It exacerbated the wealth gap because only affluent landowners could afford the necessary irrigation and chemical fertilizers.」です。本文では、緑の革命がもたらした技術革新(高収量品種や化学肥料)は多額の初期投資を必要としたため、資金力のある大規模農家が恩恵を受ける一方で、貧困層の農家は取り残され、結果として農村部での格差が拡大したことが批判の対象となっていることが述べられています。他の選択肢は、輸出の強制や有機農法への固執など、本文の事実関係と矛盾しています。このように、経済的参入障壁が社会的な不平等を助長したという点が、英検1級の読解問題でよく問われるクリティカルな視点です。
例題2
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the text as a characteristic of the psychological 'flow' state?
An autotelic experience where the activity is intrinsically rewarding.
The merging of action and awareness, leading to a loss of self-consciousness.
clear set of goals and immediate feedback on one's progress.
heightened awareness of external physical dangers and social surroundings.
distorted sense of time where hours can seem to pass in minutes.
解答と解説を見る
正解: heightened awareness of external physical dangers and social surroundings.
正解は「A heightened awareness of external physical dangers and social surroundings.」です。フロー状態(没入状態)の特徴として、時間の歪み、自意識の喪失、明確な目標、活動自体の報酬性(自己目的的経験)などが本文で挙げられています。しかし、フローに入っている間は周囲の状況や外部の危険に対する意識はむしろ低下し、特定のタスクに全神経が集中するため、「外部への意識が高まる」という記述は内容と矛盾します。英検1級の『NOT』問題では、定義や特徴の一部を正反対に記述した選択肢を見分ける能力が求められます。この選択肢は、集中力の定義を誤解させる典型的なひっかけとなっています。