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41 (＜旧課程＞英語リーディング（第6問） 問3)
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（ 41 ）.
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（ 41 ）.
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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41（＜旧課程＞英語リーディング（第6問） 問3） （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（ 41 ）.
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（ 41 ）.
- 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念頭において解きましょう。
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
４段落の一行目（understanding~）にBPを理解することは、人々の行動の仕方について深い洞察力を与えてくれます。とあることから、BPの知識の利用について述べた段落だと言えます。
よって、Application of BP knowledge when convincing others
が正しいです。
不正解です。
不正解です。
不正解です。
正解です。
不正解です。
不正解です。
adding fuel to the fire（火に油を注ぐ） backfire effect（バックファイア効果）など、見慣れない単語が出てきますが、パラグラフの概要を説明した部分を見つけて意味をつかみようにしましょう。
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。
（ 41 ）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4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、第3段落に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。
第３段落の説明のため、誤りです。
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
第4段落に以下の記載があります。
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。
この内容は、第4段落の説明としてふさわしいため、この選択肢が正解です。
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4に該当する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
第3段落の内容です。
→間違い
第3段落（ゼンメルワイスの例）に出てくる内容です。
→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。
→正しい
この段落では、「留学に反対する家族」という具体的な状況を想定し、どうすれば相手を納得させられるかを説明しています。
データを提示しても逆効果（バックファイア効果）になる場合、「先生（権威）に代わりに話してもらう」という別の戦略を提案しています。
これは、心理学的なBPの知識を「日常生活で他人を説得するため（convincing others）に応用（Application）」している内容です。
→間違い
文脈が逆です。「新しい情報を拒絶する（対抗する）」ための戦略ではなく、相手の「拒絶（BP）」をどう突破するかという戦略を述べています。
→間違い
本文に「権威者の意見を信頼する傾向（trust the opinions of an authority）」という記述はありますが、
それは説得の手段としての言及であり、段落全体のテーマは「BPの知識をどう役立てるか（応用）」にあります。
参考になった数0
この解説の修正を提案する
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