大学入学共通テスト（英語） 過去問
令和6年度（2024年度）追・再試験
問40 (＜旧課程＞英語リーディング（第6問） 問2)
問題文
次の英文を読み、最も適当な選択肢を選びなさい。
Your English teacher has assigned this article to you. You need to prepare notes to give a short talk.
Belief Perseverance
There may be some out−of−date rules at your school. If you ask your teachers to update these rules， your ideas may be rejected. Of course， most of their objections will be reasonable， but some may be caused by belief perseverance， the psychological characteristic of maintaining an existing belief despite any new information. Although this tendency itself is neither good nor bad， it may cause conflicts ranging from personal problems to social phenomena.
A study published in 1980 by Craig A. Anderson and his colleagues describes this human tendency. In the first stage of their experiment， the participants were presented with evidence that led them to conclude that firefighters who were willing to take risks performed their jobs better. Surprisingly， even after the participants were told that the evidence was false， they were reluctant to change their conclusions. Why is it difficult to change our beliefs？ This is partly because we have confirmation bias， a psychological tendency to look for information consistent with our existing beliefs. Also， in some cases， the more others attempt to prove our beliefs wrong， the more firmly we stick to them， which is called the backfire effect.
The case of Ignaz Philip Semmelweis demonstrates belief perseverance in one group in society. He was a 19th−century physician who wondered why more women died from a fever after giving birth in one place than in another. His data apparently indicated that handwashing could reduce the number of occurrences of the deadly fever. However， at that time， handwashing was not common among doctors. His potentially life−saving idea was ignored by the medical community， and many doctors rejected it and even harassed him. Semmelweis’ claim was eventually accepted long after his death. This episode demonstrates how a group of people with belief perseverance can become aggressive towards innovators and ground−breaking ideas. This social reaction was named the Semmelweis reflex after this incident.
Understanding belief perseverance can give us insights into the ways people behave. Imagine that you want to study abroad， and your family strongly opposes it because they believe that the city you plan to live in is dangerous. Even after showing them data on the city’s crime rate， you may find out that your efforts end up only adding fuel to the fire. If you encounter this backfire effect， an alternative approach might be needed. You could ask your teacher to speak with your family on your behalf， taking advantage of a related behavior that people tend to trust the opinions of an authority.
If someone presents you with hard−to−believe information， be careful not to reject it immediately. If your internal voice warns you not to act on that information， it is time to remind yourself of belief perseverance. To be stubborn may not be good for you. However， in many cases， the persistence of existing beliefs is desirable or even necessary these days. Remember that the Internet conveys not only accurate but also unreliable information. Belief perseverance can also protect you from potentially fake information. In other words， take time to find out more before accepting new information. After all， we humans have developed belief perseverance over time to ensure our survival. Understanding human nature is one of the keys to keeping your life balanced.
Your notes：
Belief Perseverance（BP）
BP：
● is a tendency to maintain an existing belief despite any new information.
● can be（ 39 ）.
Outline by paragraph
1. Introduction to BP
2. Experiment and explanation
3.（ 40 ）
4.（ 41 ）
5. Final remarks
Stories mentioned in the article
● The firefighters story shows us that（ 42 ）.
● The Semmelweis story tells us that even a truly innovative idea with sufficient evidence can be initially rejected.
Practical lessons from the article
Learning about the nature of human psychology helps us to（ 43 ）.
Choose the best option for（ 40 ）.
Your English teacher has assigned this article to you. You need to prepare notes to give a short talk.
Belief Perseverance
There may be some out−of−date rules at your school. If you ask your teachers to update these rules， your ideas may be rejected. Of course， most of their objections will be reasonable， but some may be caused by belief perseverance， the psychological characteristic of maintaining an existing belief despite any new information. Although this tendency itself is neither good nor bad， it may cause conflicts ranging from personal problems to social phenomena.
A study published in 1980 by Craig A. Anderson and his colleagues describes this human tendency. In the first stage of their experiment， the participants were presented with evidence that led them to conclude that firefighters who were willing to take risks performed their jobs better. Surprisingly， even after the participants were told that the evidence was false， they were reluctant to change their conclusions. Why is it difficult to change our beliefs？ This is partly because we have confirmation bias， a psychological tendency to look for information consistent with our existing beliefs. Also， in some cases， the more others attempt to prove our beliefs wrong， the more firmly we stick to them， which is called the backfire effect.
The case of Ignaz Philip Semmelweis demonstrates belief perseverance in one group in society. He was a 19th−century physician who wondered why more women died from a fever after giving birth in one place than in another. His data apparently indicated that handwashing could reduce the number of occurrences of the deadly fever. However， at that time， handwashing was not common among doctors. His potentially life−saving idea was ignored by the medical community， and many doctors rejected it and even harassed him. Semmelweis’ claim was eventually accepted long after his death. This episode demonstrates how a group of people with belief perseverance can become aggressive towards innovators and ground−breaking ideas. This social reaction was named the Semmelweis reflex after this incident.
Understanding belief perseverance can give us insights into the ways people behave. Imagine that you want to study abroad， and your family strongly opposes it because they believe that the city you plan to live in is dangerous. Even after showing them data on the city’s crime rate， you may find out that your efforts end up only adding fuel to the fire. If you encounter this backfire effect， an alternative approach might be needed. You could ask your teacher to speak with your family on your behalf， taking advantage of a related behavior that people tend to trust the opinions of an authority.
If someone presents you with hard−to−believe information， be careful not to reject it immediately. If your internal voice warns you not to act on that information， it is time to remind yourself of belief perseverance. To be stubborn may not be good for you. However， in many cases， the persistence of existing beliefs is desirable or even necessary these days. Remember that the Internet conveys not only accurate but also unreliable information. Belief perseverance can also protect you from potentially fake information. In other words， take time to find out more before accepting new information. After all， we humans have developed belief perseverance over time to ensure our survival. Understanding human nature is one of the keys to keeping your life balanced.
Your notes：
Belief Perseverance（BP）
BP：
● is a tendency to maintain an existing belief despite any new information.
● can be（ 39 ）.
Outline by paragraph
1. Introduction to BP
2. Experiment and explanation
3.（ 40 ）
4.（ 41 ）
5. Final remarks
Stories mentioned in the article
● The firefighters story shows us that（ 42 ）.
● The Semmelweis story tells us that even a truly innovative idea with sufficient evidence can be initially rejected.
Practical lessons from the article
Learning about the nature of human psychology helps us to（ 43 ）.
Choose the best option for（ 40 ）.
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問題
大学入学共通テスト（英語）試験 令和6年度（2024年度）追・再試験 問40（＜旧課程＞英語リーディング（第6問） 問2） （訂正依頼・報告はこちら）
次の英文を読み、最も適当な選択肢を選びなさい。
Your English teacher has assigned this article to you. You need to prepare notes to give a short talk.
Belief Perseverance
There may be some out−of−date rules at your school. If you ask your teachers to update these rules， your ideas may be rejected. Of course， most of their objections will be reasonable， but some may be caused by belief perseverance， the psychological characteristic of maintaining an existing belief despite any new information. Although this tendency itself is neither good nor bad， it may cause conflicts ranging from personal problems to social phenomena.
A study published in 1980 by Craig A. Anderson and his colleagues describes this human tendency. In the first stage of their experiment， the participants were presented with evidence that led them to conclude that firefighters who were willing to take risks performed their jobs better. Surprisingly， even after the participants were told that the evidence was false， they were reluctant to change their conclusions. Why is it difficult to change our beliefs？ This is partly because we have confirmation bias， a psychological tendency to look for information consistent with our existing beliefs. Also， in some cases， the more others attempt to prove our beliefs wrong， the more firmly we stick to them， which is called the backfire effect.
The case of Ignaz Philip Semmelweis demonstrates belief perseverance in one group in society. He was a 19th−century physician who wondered why more women died from a fever after giving birth in one place than in another. His data apparently indicated that handwashing could reduce the number of occurrences of the deadly fever. However， at that time， handwashing was not common among doctors. His potentially life−saving idea was ignored by the medical community， and many doctors rejected it and even harassed him. Semmelweis’ claim was eventually accepted long after his death. This episode demonstrates how a group of people with belief perseverance can become aggressive towards innovators and ground−breaking ideas. This social reaction was named the Semmelweis reflex after this incident.
Understanding belief perseverance can give us insights into the ways people behave. Imagine that you want to study abroad， and your family strongly opposes it because they believe that the city you plan to live in is dangerous. Even after showing them data on the city’s crime rate， you may find out that your efforts end up only adding fuel to the fire. If you encounter this backfire effect， an alternative approach might be needed. You could ask your teacher to speak with your family on your behalf， taking advantage of a related behavior that people tend to trust the opinions of an authority.
If someone presents you with hard−to−believe information， be careful not to reject it immediately. If your internal voice warns you not to act on that information， it is time to remind yourself of belief perseverance. To be stubborn may not be good for you. However， in many cases， the persistence of existing beliefs is desirable or even necessary these days. Remember that the Internet conveys not only accurate but also unreliable information. Belief perseverance can also protect you from potentially fake information. In other words， take time to find out more before accepting new information. After all， we humans have developed belief perseverance over time to ensure our survival. Understanding human nature is one of the keys to keeping your life balanced.
Your notes：
Belief Perseverance（BP）
BP：
● is a tendency to maintain an existing belief despite any new information.
● can be（ 39 ）.
Outline by paragraph
1. Introduction to BP
2. Experiment and explanation
3.（ 40 ）
4.（ 41 ）
5. Final remarks
Stories mentioned in the article
● The firefighters story shows us that（ 42 ）.
● The Semmelweis story tells us that even a truly innovative idea with sufficient evidence can be initially rejected.
Practical lessons from the article
Learning about the nature of human psychology helps us to（ 43 ）.
Choose the best option for（ 40 ）.
Your English teacher has assigned this article to you. You need to prepare notes to give a short talk.
Belief Perseverance
There may be some out−of−date rules at your school. If you ask your teachers to update these rules， your ideas may be rejected. Of course， most of their objections will be reasonable， but some may be caused by belief perseverance， the psychological characteristic of maintaining an existing belief despite any new information. Although this tendency itself is neither good nor bad， it may cause conflicts ranging from personal problems to social phenomena.
A study published in 1980 by Craig A. Anderson and his colleagues describes this human tendency. In the first stage of their experiment， the participants were presented with evidence that led them to conclude that firefighters who were willing to take risks performed their jobs better. Surprisingly， even after the participants were told that the evidence was false， they were reluctant to change their conclusions. Why is it difficult to change our beliefs？ This is partly because we have confirmation bias， a psychological tendency to look for information consistent with our existing beliefs. Also， in some cases， the more others attempt to prove our beliefs wrong， the more firmly we stick to them， which is called the backfire effect.
The case of Ignaz Philip Semmelweis demonstrates belief perseverance in one group in society. He was a 19th−century physician who wondered why more women died from a fever after giving birth in one place than in another. His data apparently indicated that handwashing could reduce the number of occurrences of the deadly fever. However， at that time， handwashing was not common among doctors. His potentially life−saving idea was ignored by the medical community， and many doctors rejected it and even harassed him. Semmelweis’ claim was eventually accepted long after his death. This episode demonstrates how a group of people with belief perseverance can become aggressive towards innovators and ground−breaking ideas. This social reaction was named the Semmelweis reflex after this incident.
Understanding belief perseverance can give us insights into the ways people behave. Imagine that you want to study abroad， and your family strongly opposes it because they believe that the city you plan to live in is dangerous. Even after showing them data on the city’s crime rate， you may find out that your efforts end up only adding fuel to the fire. If you encounter this backfire effect， an alternative approach might be needed. You could ask your teacher to speak with your family on your behalf， taking advantage of a related behavior that people tend to trust the opinions of an authority.
If someone presents you with hard−to−believe information， be careful not to reject it immediately. If your internal voice warns you not to act on that information， it is time to remind yourself of belief perseverance. To be stubborn may not be good for you. However， in many cases， the persistence of existing beliefs is desirable or even necessary these days. Remember that the Internet conveys not only accurate but also unreliable information. Belief perseverance can also protect you from potentially fake information. In other words， take time to find out more before accepting new information. After all， we humans have developed belief perseverance over time to ensure our survival. Understanding human nature is one of the keys to keeping your life balanced.
Your notes：
Belief Perseverance（BP）
BP：
● is a tendency to maintain an existing belief despite any new information.
● can be（ 39 ）.
Outline by paragraph
1. Introduction to BP
2. Experiment and explanation
3.（ 40 ）
4.（ 41 ）
5. Final remarks
Stories mentioned in the article
● The firefighters story shows us that（ 42 ）.
● The Semmelweis story tells us that even a truly innovative idea with sufficient evidence can be initially rejected.
Practical lessons from the article
Learning about the nature of human psychology helps us to（ 43 ）.
Choose the best option for（ 40 ）.
- A story of a doctor who rejected handwashing
- An example of the social consequences of BP
- An example showing the difficulty of understanding others
- Application of BP knowledge when convincing others
- Strategies for effectively countering new information
- Tendency to search for advice from specialists
正解！素晴らしいです
残念...
この過去問の解説 （3件）
01
各段落につける見出しとしてふさわしいものを選びます。
大問6のような説明文では、大まかに序論→本論→結論で構成されていることを意識しながら解きましょう。
選択肢の和訳
・手洗いを採用しなかった医者の話
・BPの社会的な結果の例
・他人を理解することの難しさを示す例
・他人を納得させるときのBPの知識の利用
・新しい情報を効果的に対抗するための戦略
・専門家からアドバイスを調べる時の傾向
3段落目では、手洗いの効能が明らかになったにも関わらず、医学界で採用されなった出来事について描写があります。一見 A story of a doctor who rejected handwashing が正しそうに見えますが、あくまでもBPが社会で発生した具体例の一つであり、見出し（構成の説明）としてより適切なものは、An example of the social consequences of BP であると考えます。
不正解です。
正解です。
不正解です。
不正解です。
不正解です。
不正解です。
参考になった数0
この解説の修正を提案する
02
問の訳は以下の通りです。
（ 40 ）に最もふさわしい選択肢を選びなさい。
段落ごとの概要
1. BPの概説
2. 実験と説明
3.（ 40 ）
4.（ 41 ）
5. まとめ
この問いでは、本文全体の段落ごと内容理解が必要となります。
ここで、本文の構成を整理しましょう
１．Belief perseveranceとは何かについて
２．実験による証明と関連する心理現象の説明
３．Semmelweisのケースを取り上げて具体例を紹介
４．人の行動様式について、日常的の例を挙げて紹介
５．Belief perseveranceのメリットとデメリット
この問いでは、第3段落の意として適切な内容の選択肢を選ぶ必要があります。
これを踏まえて、各選択肢を見てみましょう。
訳:手洗いを拒否した医師の事例
Semmelweisのケースのことを示していますが、彼は手洗いを推奨しているため、文意に合いません。よって、この選択肢は誤りです。
訳:BPの社会的影響を示す事例
Semmelweisのケースの紹介にあたり、以下の記載があります。
This episode demonstrates how a group of people with belief perseverance can become aggressive towards innovators and ground−breaking ideas.
このエピソードは、信念の固執を持つ集団が、革新者や画期的なアイデアに対して攻撃的になる過程を示している。
これは、BPの社会的影響を示す事例と言えるため、この選択肢が正解です。
訳:他者を理解することの難しさを示す事例
Semmelweisのケースで紹介されているエピソードは、他社を理解することの難しさとしてではなく、BPによって新しい考えを受け入れることができない例、Semmelweis reflex（ゼンメルワイス反射）として紹介されています。よって誤りです。
訳:他者を説得する際のBP知識の応用
この内容は第4段落の以下の記載に当てはまるものです。
You could ask your teacher to speak with your family on your behalf， taking advantage of a related behavior that people tend to trust the opinions of an authority.
先生に、あなたの代わりに家族と話してもらうよう頼むこともできます。これは、人々が権威者の意見を信頼する傾向にあるという関連行動を利用したものです。
これは第３段落の内容ではないため、誤りです。
訳:新たな情報に効果的に対処する戦略
Semmelweisのケースは、BPによる批判が結果として、人的被害を容認する形になってしまったため、効果的に対処する戦略というのは無理がある。よって、この選択肢は誤りです。
訳:専門家に助言を求める傾向
Semmelweisのケースは、BPにより専門家は新しいアイデアを受け入れることができませんでした。よって、この選択肢は誤りです。
参考になった数0
この解説の修正を提案する
03
パラグラフ構成の第3段落に合う選択肢を選びましょう。
選択肢の日本語訳
A story of a doctor who rejected handwashing
（手洗いを拒絶したある医師の物語）
An example of the social consequences of BP
（BP（信念の固執）がもたらす社会的な帰結の一例）
An example showing the difficulty of understanding others
（他者を理解することの難しさを示す一例）
Application of BP knowledge when convincing others
（他者を説得する際の、BPの知識の応用）
Strategies for effectively countering new information
（新しい情報に効果的に対抗するための戦略）
Tendency to search for advice from specialists
（専門家からの助言を求める傾向）
→間違い
ゼンメルワイスは手洗いを推奨した側であり、拒絶した側ではありません。内容が逆です。
→正しい
この段落では、医師ゼンメルワイスが「手洗いの重要性」という画期的な発見をしたにもかかわらず、当時の医学界（社会的な集団）がそれを拒絶し、彼を攻撃した事例が語られています。
筆者はこのエピソードを通じて、BPが単なる個人の心理にとどまらず、集団が新しいアイデアに対して攻撃的になるという「社会的反応（social reaction）」を引き起こすことを説明しています。そのため「社会的な帰結（結果）」という表現が最も適切です。
→間違い
他者理解の難しさというよりは、「集団が新しい知識をどう拒絶するか」というBPの仕組みに焦点を当てています。
→間違い
これは第4段落の内容（留学の説得に先生を介在させるなど）にあたります。
→間違い
「新しい情報に対抗する（拒む）」ための戦略を教える内容ではありません。
→間違い
これも第4段落の「権威（authority）を信頼する傾向」に関連する一部の記述であり、第3段落の全体像を表すものではありません。
参考になった数0
この解説の修正を提案する
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