次の英文を読み、問1～3は文を完成させ、問4～9は問いに答えなさい。答えは最も適切なものを、それぞれア～エの中から一つ選びなさい。
問10は指示に従ってTかFを選びなさい。

In many countries, analgesic painkillers are available in many retail outlets, from the downtown pharmacy to the neighborhood corner store, and even in some supermarkets. Over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers are those drugs that can be self-administered for short periods of time without the direction of a doctor. Accessible, inexpensive and easy to take, OTCs have their advantages, but there are drawbacks as well.

The most widely used analgesic medication in the world today is the OTC painkiller, aspirin. The active ingredient in aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid^*1, an estimated 40,000 tons of which is consumed each year, ranking it second only to alcohol as the most consumed drug in the world.

Aspirin is used to relieve minor aches and pains, to reduce fever, and as a medication to decrease swelling. As it serves as a type of blood thinner, aspirin is also used long-term, at low doses, to help prevent heart attacks in people at high risk.

This drug was first isolated by Felix Hoffmann, a chemist with the German company, Bayer, in 1899. The name “aspirin” was created by Bayer, and derived from Spiraea ulmaria, the botanical name for the herbal plant known as meadowsweet in English. Hoffmann discovered that this plant was a good source of acetylsalicylic acid.

Plant extracts had been used to treat headaches, pains, and fevers since, antiquity. For example, the father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, who lived between 460 BC and 377 BC, left historical records describing the use of powders made from the bark and leaves of the willow tree to treat these symptoms.

Hoffmann’s drug rapidly proved popular in the first half of the 20th century, but its profitability scented to fierce competition, and Its market Share declined after the introduction of its main rivals, paracetamol^*2 in 1956, and ibuprofen^*3 in 1969. Aspirin sales revived considerably in the last decades of the 20th century, and remain strong in the 21st century, largely because of its widespread use as a preventive treatment for heart attacks. It has also been suggested that taking aspirin before air travel may decrease the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This condition is caused by the long period of sitting without exercise, not the air travel itself.

[    1    ], fresh evidence suggests that the over-the-counter pain reliever may be a powerful tool in cancer prevention as well. A 2010 study by Oxford University, involving over 25,000 patients, showed that taking a small daily dose of aspirin for four to eight years substantially reduces mortality from a range of common cancers by at least 20%.

[    2    ], despite its many apparent benefits, consumers need to be careful about taking too much aspirin, as they should be about any other painkiller, as it has proven side effects. Taking overly large doses too often can lead to stomach problems, as well as dizziness and excessive sweating.

• *1 acetylsalicylic acid アセチルサリチル酸
• *2 paracetamol パラセタモール(鎮痛解熱剤)
• *3 ibuprofen イブプロフェン(消炎鎮痛剤)

• 問1 The main idea of the second paragraph is to explain          .
  • ア. how popular aspirin is
  • イ. who uses aspirin
  • ウ. why aspirin is consumed
  • エ. when aspirin is most used
• 問2 The main idea of the third paragraph is to          .
  • ア. illustrate the types of medicine with which aspirin is used
  • イ. explain the uses of aspirin for certain illnesses
  • ウ. point out the drawbacks of aspirin for minor aches and pains
  • エ. suggest better long-term uses of aspirin for general illnesses
• 問3 In the fourth paragraph, the writer mainly talks about          .
  • ア. the process of making aspirin
  • イ. the changes to aspirin
  • ウ. the results of aspirin
  • エ. the origin of aspirin
• 問4 In the fifth paragraph, which words best replace the term "antiquity" ?
  • ア. the recent past
  • イ. ancient times
  • ウ. last century
  • エ. their discovery
• 問5 What caused the relative reduction in aspirin sales at one time?
  • ア. Some similar painkillers were made and sold.
  • イ. Users had to purchase aspirin from a doctor.
  • ウ. Aspirin did not work for certain diseases.
  • エ. People were considerably healthier at that time.
• 問6 According to the passage, why is it good to take aspirin before air travel?
  • ア. Aspirin helps you sleep on the plane.
  • イ. Aspirin is supposed to lower the possibility of DVT.
  • ウ. Aspirin is effective when you are afraid of flying.
  • エ. Aspirin keeps passengers alert while flying.
• 問7 Which word best replaces [    1    ] in the passage?
  • ア. Conversely
  • イ. Recently
  • ウ. Absolutely
  • エ. Unfortunately
• 問8 Which word best replaces [    2    ] in the passage?
  • ア. Previously
  • イ. To repeat
  • ウ. In brief
  • エ. However
• 問9 Which would be the most suitable title for this passage?
  • ア. The Most Popular OTC painkiller
  • イ. Aspirin's Side Effects
  • ウ. The History of OTC Medicine
  • エ. Bayer's Top Chemist
• 問10 Based on the passage, which of the following is true or false?
  Mark "T" if the statement is true, mark "F" if the statement is false.
  • 1. Aspirin is no longer popular in the 21st century
  • 2. Researeh has shown aspirin can be a treatment for cancer
  • 3. Aspirin is now said to be the second most consumed drug in the world.
  • 4. Aspirin does not reduce the risk of heart attacks
  • 5. The English name of the plant from which aspirin was made is meadowsweet.