正解の解説

[PASSAGE] Factions emerge within the regime, most notably "soft-liners" who believe some degree of political liberalization is necessary for survival, and "hard-liners" who oppose any reform. [WHY CORRECT] The passage explicitly states that soft-liners believe "some degree of political liberalization is necessary for survival." This directly supports option 1, as their motivation is a pragmatic concern for the regime's continued existence, not an ideological commitment to democracy. [TRAPS] Option 2 is wrong because the passage only mentions their desire for "survival," not a secret commitment to democracy. Option 3 is wrong because the passage states soft-liners are involved in negotiations ("find common ground and decide to negotiate"). Option 4 is wrong because there's no indication soft-liners are more radical than opposition moderates; in fact, they seek "common ground." [TIP] When answering inference questions, look for direct statements in the text that subtly suggest a motive, reason, or outcome. Avoid bringing in outside information or making assumptions not grounded in the passage.

誤答の理由

• Option B (“secretly committed democrats hoping to fully transform the system.”) goes beyond what the evidence logically supports.
• Option C (“unwilling to negotiate with any members of the democratic opposition.”) relies on outside knowledge the passage never states.
• Option D (“more radical in their demands for change than the opposition moderates.”) reverses the relationship described in the text.

文脈の重要表現

Watch how academic vocabulary around Political Science signals meaning. TOEFL inference items reward readers who track tone, transitions, and precise word choice rather than surface keywords.

学習ポイント

Trace each candidate answer back to a line that forces it to be true.