2018 Hitotsubashi University / Japanese / Question 3 (Summary) / Answer Explanation
[Hitotsubashi University / 2018 / Japanese / Question 3 / Answer Explanation]
#HitotsubashiUniversity #200CharacterSummary #ShozoFujita #AnEraOfHistoricalTransformation #AnswerComparison #Sundai #Kawaijuku #Yozemi #Toshin #UniversityEntranceExam #PrepSchool #Okinawa #GreatVoyage #KingOfJapanese☠️
Hello, this is Oiwa from GV. Following the explanation of the first question from the other day, I will now provide an explanation for this year's third question (200-character summary) at Hitotsubashi University. You can find the explanation for the first question here. ↓↓↓
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=802303783293977&id=156247554566273
Summary questions test objective reading based on form, as well as the ability to express content and the structure of the text derived from that reading. In that sense, it can be said that it directly tests academic ability in modern Japanese. Therefore, even for those not taking the Hitotsubashi University entrance exam, practicing summaries of about 100 to 200 characters and receiving precise correction guidance is a good opportunity to develop academic skills.
The basic procedure for creating a summary is as follows.
1️⃣ Focus on the expressions in the text to extract important points (micro-reading).
2️⃣ Divide the text into several meaning blocks and consider their logical structure (macro-reading).
3️⃣ Based on the logical structure of the text, determine the skeleton of the logical structure of the summary (for example, if the text is divided into two parts, it is generally better to compose the summary in two sentences).
4️⃣ Incorporate additional elements that were left out of the skeleton without breaking the syntax to finish.
The source is Shozo Fujita's "An Era of Historical Transformation." A summary of 200 characters or less is required without conditions.
1️⃣ Paragraph ①. The so-called "Meiji Era" was an era in the sense that it was a historical structure with a common spirit and form of action (a). Moreover, it was an era in which a common goal and spirit lived through various aspects (b).
Paragraph ②. That "Meiji Era," in the sense of a historical structure, begins with the Meiji Restoration and ends with the Russo-Japanese War (c). There is a positive reason beyond mere convenience for using the name "Meiji" there (d).
Paragraph ③. The title "Meiji" was generated as a result of the social changes of the Restoration (e). Furthermore, it was chosen as the result of the autonomous social activities of spontaneous social forces that emerged from within society (f). In that respect, the era name "Meiji" was exceptional and special in the world of era names as far as the circumstances of its establishment were concerned (g).
Paragraph ④. On top of these circumstances, the "Meiji Era" had the character of a historical structure as mentioned earlier (h). These are the two reasons why it is not inappropriate to call it the "Meiji Era" (i). And I would like to call that era by another name, the "Era of Nation-Building" (j).
Paragraph ⑤. (Of course, it is not that there was no change throughout the "Meiji Era"). However, in the "Meiji Era," one major goal continued to work as an existence that lived through the entire society, and through that "pillar," various aspects were integrated into a historical structure (k).
Paragraph ⑥. That goal was the pursuit of Japan's "independence" against the international powers (l). Regarding that goal alone, it was consistent across all opposing positions (m). The intersection of "civil rights" and "national rights," and the mixture of "nationalist independence" and "statist independence" (which speaks to the incompleteness of "freedom from the state," etc.) showed on the other hand how much the goal of creating an "independent state" against the powers had spread throughout society (n).
2️⃣ If you focus on the description of (h) in paragraph ④, you can see the logical structure of the text. In other words, after consolidating what was stated in paragraphs ② and ③ (positive reason A for using "Meiji") into "these circumstances," it returns to the point stated in paragraph ① (B, the "Meiji Era" as a historical structure) as "as mentioned earlier." In the next sentence (i), these two points are treated as the characteristics of the "Meiji Era," and from then on, the argument of B is developed to the end, and (a) and (b) of paragraph ① are concretized.
3️⃣ From here, you can incorporate the elements of paragraph ① into paragraph ④ and beyond, separate the text into two parts: point A of paragraphs ② and ③ and point B of paragraphs ① and ④-⑥, and summarize the era characteristics of the Meiji Era by dividing them into two sentences, with the emphasis on B.
A: "The 'Meiji Era' was a unique era worthy of the era name 'Meiji' (g) in terms of (e) and (f)."
B: "The 'Meiji Era' was an 'Era of Nation-Building' (j) that was a historical structure (k) with the goal of pursuing 'independence' from international powers (l)."
4️⃣ Since the author's definition of the "Meiji Era" in parentheses is different from the general definition based on chronologies, etc., add the element of paragraph ② (c) to the beginning of A.
Substitute paragraph ⑥ (n) into part (l) of B to flesh it out. The intersection of "civil rights" and "national rights" and "nationalism" and "statism" in (n) are not just concrete examples, but two poles that inevitably appear in the Meiji "independence" movement, so it can be said that they are elements that must be written in to show that the goal of "independence" was widespread.
<GV Answer Example>
The "Meiji Era," which began with the Restoration and ended with the Russo-Japanese War, was a unique era worthy of the era name "Meiji" in that it was chosen as the result of the autonomous social activities of spontaneous social forces that emerged from within society, the Restoration. And as the intersection of "civil rights" and "national rights," and "nationalism" and "statism" shows, it was an "Era of Nation-Building" as a historical structure in which the goal of creating an "independent state" against the powers permeated the entire society. (200 characters)
<Reference: S-dai Answer Example>
The "Meiji Era" was an "era" that possessed the substance of a historical structure with a common spirit and style of action, unlike era names that simply followed the convenient custom of signifying the succession of the Imperial family, such as Showa or Taisho. The basis for this judgment is, first, that "Meiji" was born as a result of autonomous activities from within society, and second, that as a historical structure, the grand goal of pursuing Japan's independence against the powers permeated the entire society beyond political positions. (119 characters)
<Reference: K-juku Answer Example>
The "Meiji Era," which refers to the period from the Restoration to the Russo-Japanese War, was a historical structure with a common spirit and style of action. My use of the name "Meiji" is due to the recognition that it is not only the result of the autonomous activities of spontaneous social forces, but also that the era itself is a historical structure. And I would like to call this era the "Era of Nation-Building." Of course, there was fluidity and diversity in "Meiji," but there was a consistent spirit of pursuing Japan's "independence" against the powers. (200 characters)
<Reference: Y-zemi Answer Example>
The Meiji Era was undoubtedly an era in the sense that it was a historical structure with a common spirit and form of action. "Meiji" can be a typical era name because its title was chosen as the culmination of autonomous social movements born from within society, and it also clearly possessed the character of a historical structure. There, the national goal of establishing an independent state called Japan against international powers had penetrated deeply into all elements of society. (119 characters)
<Reference: T-shin Answer Example>
If an era is a historical structure with a common spirit and form of action, the period from the Restoration to the Russo-Japanese War can be called the "Meiji Era." Although "Meiji" is an era name, it is suitable for the name of an era because it was chosen as the result of endogenous social change, not for the convenience of the court. Regardless of differences in position, the goal of independence from the powers permeated the entire society of the "Meiji Era." The fact that the two positions of nationalist independence and statist independence were mixed while opposing each other is proof of this. (119 characters)
