センター予想問題 — 問3C・英語での講義

この1ヶ月ほどずっと予想問題を書いているセンター試験は、問1～問3が文法・会話問題、問4～問6が長文読解という構成です。過去に作ったセンター試験の予想問題は、このフォルダにまとめて入れています。

medicpress-harada.hatenablog.com解説はこちらです。

センター試験予想問題の解答・解説 カテゴリーの記事一覧 - 医学部合格応援団！英語で満点を取るための演習ブログ

今日は、問3最後のパターンCの問題を書きます。大学教授と学生の長めの会話という形で長めの会話文を出題し、3か所を空欄補充させるという問題です。

センター本番で、この予想問題と似た内容の講義内容が取り上げられることはないでしょう。この予想問題を解く意義はそこではなく、長めの文章をいかに早く読み、適切な選択肢を素早く選び、精神的ダメージを受けずに次の読解問題につなげるかという点にあります。

長文読解問題と同じく①まず長さを確認する、②選択肢をざっと読む、③最初の段落と最後の段落をまず読む、という準備体操をしてから始めてください。制限時間は10分です。頑張りましょう。

問３C　次の文章は、飲食店の利益構造をテーマとして、ある大学で行われた授業でのやりとりの一部である。空欄A～Cに入れるのに最も適当なものを、それぞれ下の①～④から一つずつ選べ。

Professor: Last time, we went through a few samples of profit and loss statements of the manufacturing business.  Here, the key to increase the bottom line was how to maximize the gross profit, which is the difference between the gross sales and costs of ingredients.  This was because the cost of ingredients can often comprise more than half of the gross sales.  Today, we`ll move on to discuss the restaurant business to               A                 How to make money with this business significantly differs from the manufacturing business.  Does anyone want to guess why?  Susan?

① make money by running a restaurant of our own.

② start a restaurant and earn as much as possible.

③ find out ways to direct staff and have fun.

④ learn how restaurant owners can maximize their net profits.

Susan: Maybe the cost of ingredients is much smaller with the restaurant business?

Professor: Correct.  Typically, the cost of ingredients for the restaurant busienss is about half of those of the manufacturing business.  Then what else could be a few other big costs?  Where do you need to spend money to successfully run a restaurant?  I am sure some of you have been part of it.  Any guess, David? 

David: We being a part of it... Ah,                 B                   Another factor I can think of is the rent.

① one factor should be the cost of waiter`s uniforms.

② it should relate to wages for waiters and maybe chefs.

③ probably one factor should be the proportion of male and female.

④ I know that.  What about the cost of food staff consume behind the counter?

Professor: Precisely.  Two key factors are the costs relating to people and place.  Maybe you have heard of 4P of marketing: product, price, promotion, and place.  Among these, the last one, the place, plays a key role in determining if your restaurant would be a success.  Firstly, it can typically comprise about 30 - 40% of the sales.  This is huge and can make or break your business.               C               Can anyone explain it by using one of the key marketing factors? Yes, Lynsey?

① Why else do you think the place matters? 

② Secondly, what can make a difference when deciding where to open your restaurant?

③ Then, what can you do to minimize rent?

④ Next, how should you decide on the place to open a restaurant?

Lynsey: Well, if your restaurant is on a ground floor with an easy access, then customers may randomly walk in.  If it is not very visible from the street and you need to know the exact place to get there, you can not expect new customers without promotion.           

Professor:  Excellent.  That is exactly my point.  If you want to secure a great access to your restaurant, the rent would be higher.  If you compromise on the place, then you need to spend money on promotion.  That is the fine balance you need to strike.