CRITICAL READING TRAINING

Target: Scanning a Newspaper Story

Lesson 7 のような物語文では，複数の登場人物や，時間軸の異なる出来事を把握することが必要になります。次の新聞記事を読み，情報の基本的な要素である５Ｗ１Ｈを探す訓練を行いましょう。新聞記事は，第１段落を読めば，記事内容がほぼわかるように書かれています。第２段落以降では，重要な記事から順に書かれており，徐々に具体的な情報が増えていきます。

　Read the newspaper article below and answer the following questions.

A man has been charged with the murder of Alan Rice, who died outside his home on Friday night. The man charged is Mr. Rice’s nephew, Christopher Johnson. The two men had apparently argued about a loan. Johnson maintains that he is not guilty.

Mr. Rice was found by a neighbor at 11 p.m. Friday. He was bleeding from the head and was unconscious. The neighbor immediately called the police, but by the time they arrived, Mr. Rice had died from his wounds.

Responding to police questions on Saturday, several neighbors said that they had seen Johnson’s car parked near Mr. Rice’s house on Friday. The police have established that Johnson visited his uncle that evening to ask for a loan and that Mr. Rice had refused. Having spent several hours in the local pub, Johnson apparently returned to his uncle’s house and it seems that he got into an argument with Mr. Rice.

If Johnson is found guilty, he faces a maximum of thirty years in prison.

(1) Who is the suspect?

  1. Johnson.
  2. Johnsonʼs uncle.
  3. One of the neighbors.

(2) Where was Mr. Rice found by his neighbor?

  1. In the neighborʼs garden.
  2. Outside his home.
  3. In the local pub.

(3) When was Mr. Rice attacked?

  1. Before 11 p.m. on Friday.
  2. After 11 p.m. on Friday.
  3. Sometime on Saturday.
  4. Impossible to say.

(4) Based on the police report, put the following sentences in time order.

　Johnson visited Mr. Rice. →（ d ）→（ a ）→（ b ）→（ c ）

  1. Johnson went to the local pub to drink.
  2. Johnson visited Mr. Rice again.
  3. Mr. Rice and Johnson argued.
  4. Mr. Rice declined Johnsonʼs request.

(5) Which is the best title for this article?

  1. Car Parked near the House
  2. Man Charged with Murder of Uncle
  3. Two Men Argue about a Loan
  4. Man Dies Outside Home