注:
• cardiovascular activity:心臓血管の働き
• bed-ridden:寝たきりの
• Alzheimer's disease patients:アルツハイマー病の患者

Pet owners of all ages are familiar with the joys of raising animals. For senior-citizens, caring for a cat or dog $\fbox{18}$ an especially important role since it has both emotional and physical advantages. In fact, so much data $\fbox{19}$ confirming the benefits of pet ownership that “pet therapy” is now a well-established healthcare practice. Whether seniors own a pet or spend some time with an animal, they can experience a noticeable improvement in their $\fbox{20}$ of life.

For elderly people, interacting with animals has several medical benefits such as [    イ    ] blood pressure, [    ロ    ] heart rate, and decreased stress. The act of caring for a pet, including feeding, patting, and walking it, establishes a regular physical routine that helps to $\fbox{21}$ flexibility and blood flow through increased cardiovascular activity. There are also emotional benefits such as lower levels of depression, decreased loneliness, and a stronger sense of purpose and confidence.

If a senior citizen is unable to own an animal, volunteer organizations can provide pet-therapy services. These groups bring cats, dogs, birds, and other animals to hospitals and retirement homes. Since 1986, the Japanese Animal Hospital Association and their cute animals $\fbox{22}$ to the faces of many elderly hospital patients. [    ハ    ], in the USA, groups like Pets on Wheels ensure that even seniors who are house-bound or bed-ridden can enjoy the comfort of a loving animal.

Typically, smaller dogs and cats are involved since they are light and can $\fbox{23}$ a senior's lap. Smaller animals also make ideal pet candidates for seniors who want an animal of their own. Experts suggest that elderly people adopt mature animals, since older pets' behavior is well-established and predictable. Yet there is no reason to $\fbox{24}$ one's choices to dogs or cats. Indeed, a Purdue University study showed that caring for fish in an aquarium was beneficial to Alzheimer's disease patients, while another study in Italy $\fbox{25}$ raising canaries led to lower levels of depression.

Pet-supply companies $\fbox{26}$ the pet-therapy phenomenon and are producing a variety of devices to help seniors raise animals. [    ニ    ], electronic feeders release a certain amount of food at set times of the day. There are also watering machines which automatically clean the pet's bowl and add fresh water. Mini pet-walkers (basically treadmills for dogs) make sure pets get enough $\fbox{27}$ if their owners have mobility problems. Another device throws tennis balls to make it easier to play $\fbox{28}$ with a dog.

And now, there is even a generation of robot pets $\fbox{29}$ companies like Sony and Matsushita Electric and increasingly life like, these cute robots show a range of emotions and interact extensively with their owners. Some, such as the “Robobear,” have impressive functions. $\fbox{30}$ with voice-recognition technology, Robobear immediately $\fbox{31}$ an emergency response center when it hears its “owner” say phrases like, “I am sick.” For seniors unable to own pets or afford full-time medical care, these super-intelligent robot pets could provide a “best of both worlds” solution. Indeed, whether it barks, meows, or recharges in a wall socket, a pet can be a great companion for a senior citizen.

• A. 上の英文の$\fbox{18}$～$\fbox{31}$に入る最も適当な語または語句を下の(1)から(17）の中から1つずつ選びなさい。ただし、文頭に入る場合でも最初の文字は小文字になっています。
  • (1) can play
  • (2) catch
  • (3) contacts
  • (4) developed by
  • (5) equipped
  • (6) exercise
  • (7) fit on
  • (8) have brought smiles
  • (9) have taken note of
  • (10) has been collected
  • (11) improve
  • (12) intended that
  • (13) limit
  • (14) quality
  • (15) refer to
  • (16) require
  • (17) revealed that
• B. 上の英文の[    イ    ]に入る最も適当な語を下の(1)～(4)の中から1つ選びなさい。
  • $\fbox{32}$
    • (1) deeper
    • (2) higher
    • (3) lower
    • (4) shallower
• C. 上の英文の[    ロ    ]に入る最も適当な語を下の(1)～(4)の中から1つ選びなさい。
  • $\fbox{33}$
    • (1) faster
    • (2) harder
    • (3) slower
    • (4) softer
• D. 上の英文の[    ハ    ][     ニ    ]に入る最も適当な語または語句を下の(1)～(6)の中から1つずつ選びなさい。
  • $\fbox{34}$
    • ([    ハ    ])
  • $\fbox{35}$
    • ([    ニ    ])
  • • (1) For example
    • (2) However
    • (3) Likewise
    • (4) Nevertheless
    • (5) Otherwise
    • (6) Therefore
• E. $\fbox{36}$から$\fbox{38}$のそれぞれ3つの文章には上の英文の内容と合っているものが1つずつあります。その文章を選び、番号で答えなさい。
  • $\fbox{36}$
    • (1) Interaction with their owners can improve the blood pressure of the pets.
    • (2) Elderly people can gain self-esteem through caring for pets.
    • (3) Pet-therapy was established first in Japan. Then the concept was adopted and became popular in the USA.
  • $\fbox{37}$
    • (1) Experts say that the smaller the pets are, the better they behave.
    • (2) The act of fishing has been known for its healthy effect on the states of mind of fishermen since centuries ago.
    • (3) According to a study in Italy, caring for birds improved the condition of people with certain mental problems.
  • $\fbox{38}$
    • (1) One of the problems of robot pets is that they cannot show their own emotions.
    • (2) Robobear sends an alert to an emergency response center immediately when it acknowledges its owner's silent emotions.
    • (3) Thanks to pet-supply companies, physically disabled seniors can give training to their pets by using mini pet-walkers.