One day during winter vacation, my aunt visited my house.
I said to her, “Last week, I read a newspaper about some children ①(live) in a foreign country.
They have to work for their lives.
After I learned that, I became interested in *social problems in the world.”
My aunt said, “I see.
Then, you may want to know about this man.
Look at this website.
It’s about a Japanese man who started a company to solve a social problem in another country.”
I said, “I want to read this website. Thank you for telling me.”
After that, I read it.
In that country, some *small-scale farmers worked hard to *grow a kind of plant for many years.
They had to use a lot of *pesticides to grow the plant.
These pesticides were expensive.
Also, the *price of the plant was not *stable.
So, it was difficult for the farmers to get enough money from their plant,
and their lives were very hard.
However, they didn’t know how to improve their lives.
【 Ａ 】
When a Japanese man learned about the small-scale farmers,
he wanted to help them, and went to see them.
He thought they needed to get enough money for their lives *by themselves.
He also thought they should try to grow something different.
Then, he ②(choose) *herbs.
There are many kinds of herbs, and there are ways to grow some of them without pesticides.
【 Ｂ 】
Also, some kinds of herbs have *benefits to our health.
Then, the man thought that he could create *attractive *products [ ③ ] such herbs.
First, the Japanese man wanted to know what kinds of herbs the small-scale
farmers
could grow in their area.
So, some members of his company started staying there and growing many kinds of herbs.
The members often talked with the farmers to know more about their lives.
Some of the farmers became interested in the members.
The next year, the Japanese man found some good kinds of herbs.
After that, he asked the small-scale farmers, “Why don’t we work together to improve your lives?
Will you start growing these herbs without pesticides?”
He also told them about his plan to continue buying all the herbs from them *at a stable price.
④The man wanted many farmers to say yes, but at first, just a few farmers agreed with him.
Those farmers started growing the herbs with the Japanese man.
His company supported the farmers.
For example, the members of his company taught the farmers
how to grow the herbs without pesticides.
The farmers and the members worked together, and they looked happy to grow the herbs.
After seeing this, other farmers also thought they could improve their
lives
by growing the herbs with the Japanese man.
【 Ｃ 】
When the Japanese man decided to grow herbs,
he was also thinking about new attractive products which could use the herbs.
He needed an idea for attractive products
⑤[(ア) times / (イ) people / (ウ) to / (エ) buy / (オ) many / (カ) want] .
The products to improve the lives of the farmers needed to be more expensive
than other kinds of products. Then, *herbal tea sounded good.
He thought the new attractive herbal tea should have some good points.
First, it should be from herbs which we can grow without pesticides.
Second, it should not have any *caffeine in it, so people who don’t want caffeine can enjoy it.
Third, it may help people relax and make their *physical condition better.
From these points, people worrying about their health may like it.
Of course, the herbal tea should be delicious.
[ ⑥ ] , he made some kinds of herbal tea.
After that, he asked some people to visit his company.
They drank the kinds of herbal tea, and he got their opinions.
He made them again and again.
He continued improving them for six months.
【 Ｄ 】
Finally, he found how to create an attractive one, and his company started to sell it.
The man needed about three years to make the attractive herbal tea popular.
Many people drink the herbal tea now.
On the website, he said, “I go to see the farmers every year, and they are improving their lives.”
They can grow herbs and get enough money for their lives by themselves.
They say they are happy to ⑦do this.
I’m very *impressed that the Japanese man has been trying hard to improve
the lives
of the small-scale farmers.
I learned that two things are important if we really want to help people like the farmers.
First, they should have stable lives by themselves.
And second, they should be proud of their jobs. |
英語（文章題） 令和7年(2025年)