英検準1級の英文要約はどう練習する？自作5題と解答例

2026年10月2日 ／ 士心塾 オンライン校

英検準1級の英文要約は、3段落の要点をつなぎ、60〜70語でまとめる練習を自作5題で進めましょう。要点表で本文全体の関係を整理し、書き終えてから解答例と訳を開いて照合します。

この級（準1級）の単語テスト（無料）

出典：日本英語検定協会「About EIKEN Grade Pre-1」の試験構成表。英文要約の課題を確認。引用：「Summarize the content of the text in English.」https://www.eiken.or.jp/eiken/en/grades/grade_p1/

出典：同協会の同ページ、English Summaryの語数欄。指定語数を確認。引用：「60-70 word summary」https://www.eiken.or.jp/eiken/en/grades/grade_p1/

1. 要点を3段階でまとめる

この練習では、本文にある情報を選び、その関係を短い英文で表します。利点と課題を述べる本文、課題への対応まで述べる本文の両方で、各段落の役割を確かめましょう。

2. オリジナルの本文5題を要約する

各本文の内容を60〜70語の英語で要約します。まず本文を読み、自分で要点表を作ってから下の表と比べましょう。解答例は一つのまとめ方です。本文約200語という長さは、この教材の設計です。

問題1：研究機器の共同利用

Some universities are establishing shared facilities where researchers from different departments can use expensive scientific equipment. Instead of each department purchasing a separate machine, the university provides a central laboratory with trained technical staff. Researchers reserve equipment through a common system. The arrangement is intended to make advanced research tools available to groups whose budgets would otherwise limit the kinds of investigations they could undertake.

Supporters argue that sharing equipment can reduce unnecessary purchases and allow universities to spend more on other research needs. The presence of technical staff may also improve maintenance, since responsibility for each machine is clearly assigned. Furthermore, researchers who visit the same facility sometimes encounter colleagues working on related questions. Such contact can lead to cooperation between departments that would normally conduct their projects separately, potentially combining knowledge from different fields.

However, demand for popular equipment can create long waiting lists, particularly when several projects face similar deadlines. Researchers may also need methods that differ from the standard procedures used at the shared facility. To address these difficulties, some universities reserve part of the schedule for urgent experiments and allow researchers to discuss special requirements with technical staff. They review booking records regularly to decide whether additional equipment is needed.

本文（205語）

問題2：博物館資料の市民分類

Some museums are inviting members of the public to help describe photographs in their digital collections. Volunteers examine images online and add information about visible objects, locations, or activities. Museums explain what makes a useful description. The aim is to make large collections easier to search, especially when staff members have limited time to examine every photograph and prepare a detailed description themselves.

Supporters believe that public participation can reveal knowledge that museum staff do not possess. A person familiar with a particular town, for example, may recognize a building that appears in an old photograph. Volunteers can also describe many images in a short period, potentially accelerating the cataloging process. Participation may strengthen people's interest in local history because they become directly involved in preserving and interpreting material rather than simply viewing a finished exhibition.

Nevertheless, contributions vary in accuracy, and an incorrect location or date can mislead future users. Museums must therefore decide how to check information without creating more work than the project saves. Some institutions ask several volunteers to describe the same image and mark uncertain details for staff review. They display confirmed information separately from suggestions, allowing users to understand which descriptions have been verified and which still require further investigation.

本文（206語）

問題3：配送予約時間の柔軟化

Some delivery companies offer customers a discount if they choose a broad delivery window rather than a precise arrival time. Customers who can remain at home for several hours allow drivers greater freedom to decide the order of their stops. The companies use this flexibility to group nearby deliveries together. Narrower time windows remain available for customers with less flexible schedules.

Advocates argue that broader windows can reduce the distance traveled between deliveries because drivers can follow more efficient routes. This may lower fuel use and operating costs. Fewer unnecessary trips may also reduce traffic on residential streets. Customers with flexible schedules receive a financial benefit, while drivers can respond more easily to unexpected congestion. These advantages depend partly on how many households choose the option and how effectively the company coordinates their orders.

Critics point out that the option may be less useful to people who cannot control their working hours. Even customers who accept a broad window may feel frustrated if they receive little information about progress. Some companies therefore send updated arrival estimates during the day and let customers redirect packages to collection points. They also compare route savings with customer feedback before deciding whether to extend the service to more areas.

本文（205語）

問題4：公共文書の平易化

Some local governments are rewriting public information in simpler language. They replace long sentences with shorter ones, explain technical terms, and organize instructions around the actions residents need to take. The project may include notices about waste collection, applications for public services, or arrangements for community events. Rather than changing the underlying rules, the governments aim to make existing information easier to understand for people with different reading abilities and language backgrounds.

Supporters argue that clear documents can help residents complete procedures more independently. Staff may receive fewer requests to explain basic instructions, allowing more time for complex questions. Simpler wording can also help people who read notices quickly on small phone screens. Some governments invite residents to test draft documents and describe where they become confused. This process may reveal difficulties that officials overlook because they already understand the procedures.

However, simplifying a document can remove qualifications that are important for understanding who is eligible or when a rule applies. A short explanation may therefore need additional detail. Some governments publish a simple overview alongside a complete version and provide clear links between them. They ask specialists to check that important conditions remain accurate, while residents assess readability. The intention is to balance convenient access with the precision required for public decisions.

本文（213語）

問題5：楽器製作者の見習い制度

Some organizations are creating apprenticeship programs to pass traditional instrument making skills to younger people. Experienced makers teach apprentices how to select materials, shape individual parts, and adjust the finished instrument. Training takes place in working workshops rather than only in classrooms. The programs are intended to preserve practical knowledge that can be difficult to capture in written instructions, such as judgments about materials and sound.

Supporters believe that apprenticeships can keep specialized skills alive while giving young people a possible route into skilled employment. Learning beside an experienced maker allows apprentices to observe small adjustments and ask questions immediately. Workshops may also benefit from fresh ideas about design or communication with customers. In some programs, apprentices help document the techniques they learn, potentially producing records that can support future training while still recognizing the importance of direct practical experience.

However, teaching reduces the time makers can spend completing orders, and apprentices may need several years before they work independently. Small workshops can therefore struggle to support trainees financially. Some organizations provide grants that cover part of the training cost and arrange shared lessons for skills used across different workshops. They monitor both learning progress and workshop finances, seeking a model that preserves craftsmanship without placing an unsustainable burden on the people providing instruction.

本文（214語）

3. 書いた要約を4項目で照合する

この教材の語数表示は空白で区切った語を数えた値です。自分の要約も空白ごとに数え、内容と語数を一緒に確かめましょう。

4. 4週間で読む・書く・照合を練習する

時間配分は協会の指定ではなく、練習で使う目安です。読んだ内容と書いた要約を照合する時間も計画に入れましょう。

関連：英検準1級の英文要約の書き方 ／ 英検準1級の英作文の書き方