英検1級二次試験スピーチのサンプル例文『Is tradition always worth preserving?』

日本英語検定協会の英検1級二次試験サンプル問題(『Should students be asked to evaluate their teachers?』)の解答例文です。コーチNo.1のオリジナルとネイティブ講師No.1の添削(てんさく)後を掲載しております。なお、弊社では英文の添削もお受けする予定です。現在はシステムや価格などを検討中です。チケット制ですが回数は少なくして英検の直前対策としてのニーズにお応えできるようにする予定です。

課題:Is tradition always worth preserving?


こちらはコーチNo.1の解答例文です。添削前です。

I firmly believe that tradition is always worth preserving. I have a few reasons for this.

First, In Japan there are some good traditions such as the tea ceremony and flower arrangement which represent the Spirits of Zen Buddhism. These traditional arts can enlighten people to understand the importance of harmony, respect and tranquility while getting along with others.

Send, preserving traditions can deepen the understanding of cultures. Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture, for example, is a historical village, where unique traditional farmhouses survive. At the request of the locals, this village is well preserved to make more people know the architectural style called Gassho-zukuri which is characterized by steep-pitched thatched roofs designed to shed heavy snow of this region.

Finally, keeping and appreciating traditions help people cultivate aesthetic sensibilities. The tea ceremony can calm one’s mind and make people reflect on life. People also may be aware of austere elegance through learning the flower arrangement.

For the reasons mentioned above, I maintain that mankind should preserve tradition.


こちらがネイティブ講師No.1による添削後です。

I firmly believe that tradition should be preserved at all costs. I have a few reasons for this.

Firstly, In Japan there are some treasured traditions such as the tea ceremony, flower arrangement and origami – which represent the spirit of Zen Buddhism. These traditional arts inform – and may even enlighten people’s understanding of the importance of harmony, respect and tranquillity while getting along with others.

Secondly, preserving age-old traditions enhances our understanding of different cultures. Shirakawa-go in Gifu Prefecture, for example, is a historical village where unique traditional farmhouses have survived the ravages of time. By popular request of the locals, this village is preserved so the general public may experience for themselves the unique architectural style named Gassho-zukuri, which is characterized by steep-pitched thatched roofs designed to shed the heavy snow of this region.

Finally, preserving and appreciating traditions (apart from the educational benefit) helps people enjoy the aesthetic experience itself. The tea ceremony can calm one’s mind and help people reflect upon life. People may also become aware of the austere elegance of learning traditional flower arrangement.

For the above mentioned reasons, I maintain that mankind should preserve tradition.



ちなみに、侘び・寂び(austere elegance)については以下のコメントがありました。

I’m not sure exactly what ‘austere elegance’ means but it is an interesting word combination that seems intriguing and also is a lovely description – so nice to leave it in!