要約問題/1973年

　次の(A)~(D)を読み、以下の設問に答えよ。

(A) And it was an odd thing that whenever one of the employees was in trouble or needed advice, of all the people working in the place on whom he or she could have unburdened themselves it was invariably Robert who was singled out. Perhaps the secret lay in his ability to listen with his complete attention, as though your trouble was actually his, and the most important thing in the world at that very moment was for him to help you in your struggle against it.

(B) The tailor had two men and four women in his pay. The job was not a difficult one and I enjoyed (1)the mixed company. Soon I found that Robert was almost a necessity to the smooth running of the business.

(C) As often as not the complainer would leave without waiting for Robert's comments -- almost as though it had been enough to be allowed to talk without interruption, and the answer to one's problem had come easily and unhurriedly from within oneself, merely through the effort of expressing it to Robert.

(D) At that time I lived next door to Robert Furbank, and it was he who came to my rescue when the rent was too overdue to be comfortable. Robert worked for a tailor, and (2)he put in a good word to his employer who gave me a part-time and very welcome job.

a. (A)の部分に述べられていることの大要を、60～80字の範囲の日本文でしるせ。ただし句読点も字数に数える。

b. (A)、(B)、(C)、(D)が一貫した内容の文章になるためには、これらをどのような順序に配列すればよいか。次の中からもっとも適当なものを選び、イ、ロ、ハ、などでしるせ。
　イ、(A)(C)(B)(D)
　ロ、(A)(D)(B)(C)
　ハ、(B)(D)(C)(A)
　ニ、(C)(A)(D)(B)
　ホ、(D)(B)(A)(C)
　ヘ、(D)(C)(B)(A)

c. 下線部(1)、(2)の意味を日本語で簡単に説明せよ。