Extract 1
    I suppose we’ve always wondered to ourselves what happens once the happily-ever-after marriage is over and the fancy frocks have been stored away. Well, cast aside the infant fairy tales, and literature has got a lot to offer. Of course, few of us are interested in eavesdropping upon a contented household of marital bliss when we can get far more perverse satisfaction from seeing a holy union hurtle inexorably towards its inevitable breakdown. But although there is a wealth of fiction portraying bad marriages, it takes real flair to spawn a dysfunctional union worthy of classic status.    Of course modern literature lacks the impact of that of the 19th century, since nowadays it is at least possible to escape the misery of finding out that you have made the biggest mistake of your life without becoming a social outcast, unlike 150 or so years ago when the only escape from the unremitting callousness stroke violence stroke boredom was the death of one or other of the parties involved. Madame Bovary is a perfect example of the genre. The character’s response to her mistaken union is to forge for herself a voyage of self-destruction, squeezing in multiple affairs and bankruptcy before finding ultimate release in suicide. The most vicious, modern-day, divorce court dramas can’t beat the self-inflicted turmoil of a tortured wife whose only reprieve is the grave.  
Extract 2    
    Like every little girl I longed to be a bridesmaid and be a princess for the day, but my dream was not to be. The wheelchair had nothing to do with it, it was just that none of our circle of acquaintances was tying the knot at the time. Ten years down the line, my brother was getting hitched and they thought it would be nice for me to carry out my childhood fantasy. Trouble was that by then I was a jaded teenage cripple with a chip on her shoulder who viewed marriage as an oppressive institution.  But the family twisted my arm and the big day found me wheeling up the aisle with a posy between my thighs, making feeble attempts at throwing confetti and trying to avoid making tyre marks on the wedding dress train.    After that day, I came to the conclusion that weddings were things best left avoided. I was just taking attention away from the happy couple for all the wrong reasons. I did go to a friend’s wedding recently, and I must say that they pulled out all the stops to make sure that I was adequately catered for. They laid on a special disabled bus to take me to the venue and there were ramps in all the right places. I mean, the whole thing must’ve cost them a fortune. But while I was no longer stealing the limelight for blocking the gangways and generally getting in the way, I was still a central figure as far as the couple’s bank balance were concerned, and that sort of think weighs on your conscience. I mean, when does it stop? Should the disabled go the whole hog and demand Braille orders of service, wider aisles and interpreters to sign the ceremony? For my part, I’m sticking with the avoidance strategy, so pardon me if I choose to live in sin.
Extract 3
    It’s not news that economic hardship can put pressure on marital relationships, and the current economic downturn is no different. With one-third of Americans struggling to pay bills, 12% facing home foreclosure and over a quarter experiencing lower wages, it’s no surprise that marital harmony is waning for many. But in a recent study, demographers have noticed that despite the stresses, there has been a downward trend in the divorce rate. Couples on the verge of splitting up are reassessing their personal situations. On the one hand, this is not unprecedented. A similar pattern emerged during the Great Depression. The costs of lawyers and maintaining two households are prohibitive, especially in this economic climate, so couples choose to delay the break-up.    Is this a good thing? While decreasing divorce figures may look good from a statistical point of view, delaying a divorce carries with it negative consequences including increased domestic violence, alcoholism and desertion, while conflict and resentment between parents, can be just as hard for kids than divorce, if not more so. Researchers have noticed a silver lining, however. For about a third of the married individuals surveyed, the recession has led them to a deepening commitment towards their marriage. It is possible that the downturn may have prompted some to view marriage less as a quest for the perfect partner, but more in terms of economic stability and parental duty.
Extract 4
    Why the institute of marriage began, and even more interestingly, why it stuck and spread throughout the world to become the status quo, is a fascinating topic for anthropologists and behavioural evolutionists alike. Part of the problem in tracing its origins is the difficulty in defining what it actually is. The idea of it being a life-long form of monogamous male-female pair bonding is simplistic in that taking on multiple wives and concubines has been commonplace throughout history, and still is the norm in many places around the global.    Based on fossil evidence and comparative biology, it is likely that our earliest hominid ancestors did not engage in marriage, at least not as we know it today. Probably the most powerful and dominant males had open access to multiple female partners. Females, being considerably smaller, would have taken on a submissive and compliant role. As sexual dimorphism between the sexes decreased in later hominids, a greater level of equality emerged, and it is likely that this saw the beginnings of what we now call marriage.    What brought our ancestors together to form committed relationships, however, is hotly debated. It could have begun as a reciprocal relationship – an exchange of protection provided by the male in return for progeny by the female; or the cementing of tribal alliances. Whether or not love played a part is unknown. Certainly, by ancient Greek times, proclamations of romantic love had little to do with the relationship between man and wife. Marriage was considered a social arrangement for the consolidation of status and resources, and the begetting of heirs. Love was an entirely separate matter.
Part 2
    Architecture, chemical processes, material sciences – all these faculties are beginning to be touched by ideas which are inspired by nature. Where in, the past, man’s inventions have been considered all-powerful, engineers are now turning to nature, over the last 3.8 billion years, has developed a wealth of successful innovations. So, over the last decade there has been a new wave of scientific interest in Biomimicry, measures which emulate nature’s genius. And we are not restricted to copying the structures found in nature. We can also imitate its processes and its systems.     One of the most famous products inspired by nature is the sticky fastening, Velcro, invented in 1941 by the Swiss engineer George de Mestral, who noticed how the seed heads of burdock got tangled in his clothes and his dog’s coat. Meanwhile, engineers at the Centre of Biomimetics at Reading University, have developed a material based on the properties of wood. One of the reasons why wood is so useful to us is that its ability hold nails when they are driven into it. This property is down to the structure of hollow cells, and fibres which hold the nail in place. The new material uses equivalent fibres made of glass fibres, and resin to hold everything in place. The result is a material with the same geometric arrangement as wood, but which has none of the disadvantages of wood – that it changes shape according to moisture levels and temperature. The substitute wood has been developed for the post office. They wanted a container which could contain threatening packages, directing the blast safely and holding any explosive fragments.     But the second realm of Biomimetic is imitating not the just physical form of natural substances, but also the processes that take place in nature. A perfect example of this is the Sahara Forest Project, which has utilised a processed used by the Namibian Fog Basking Beetle. This beetle is able to live in very harsh, desert conditions using its ability to harvest moisture from the air. The beetle comes out into the desert only at night and, due to its black shell, is able to maintain a temperature cooler than that of its surroundings. The moist breeze blows in from the sea, and droplets of water condense on the beetles shell. At sunrise, the beetle lifts its shell, drinks and returns to its hole. What is even more interesting is that the beetle has hydrophilic bumps on its shell which attract water, separated by a waxy finish which repels water. Consequently, the water gathers in tight, spherical droplets, so that hardly any water is wasted. The Sahara Forest Project uses a process which is, in effect, identical to that of the beetle. Seawater evaporates from the front wall of the greenhouse to create ideal cool growing conditions, and condenses to form fresh water on the downwind side of the greenhouse.     However, just mimicking the structure and processes in nature is not enough, if, in doing so, we create tonnes of waste. Human designs are linear. We take resources from the earth, use what we need, and the rest goes to waste. But in the natural world, systems are cyclical. Waste from one organism goes on to become nutrients for another. One scheme which has taken advantage of nature’s cyclical design is ‘the Able Project’ based in Wakefield, Yorkshire. Here, everything is recycled and reintegrated into the system. Consequently the project is able to turn cardboard into caviar. The cardboard is used as animal bedding, and is then composted using vermiculture. The worms are then used to feed fish. Excrement from the fish is collected and recycled into the system.     The age of Biometry is still in its infancy. The novel and yet proven ideas which are inspired by nature are attractive to industries. But we need to be careful. As we lose more animal habitats to development, extinction rates are increasing. And with this we lose the wisdom and ideas embodied in these species. Already, we’ve seen the loss of the Gastric Brooding Frog, an animal able to turn off its production of stomach acid. Had we been able to study this animal before its demise, we could have found a way to alleviate the problems experienced by many sufferers of excess stomach acid.
01_CPE Listening Part 1- short extracts - free practice test (1)
frock～にフロックを着せる（女性用）ドレス、ゆったりした仕事着、修道服、僧服
store awayしまっておく、蓄える、退蔵する、取っておく、心にとどめておく
cast aside投げ捨てる、放棄する、排斥する〔人を〕見捨てる〔不安などを〕払拭する
eavesdrop盗み聞きする、盗聴する、立ち聞きする、聞き耳を立てる、傍受する
marital bliss結婚（生活）の喜び
bliss 至福を味わう至福、無上の［この上ない］喜び《宗教》霊的な喜び、天福
perverse〔人（の性格）が〕つむじ曲がりの、ひねくれた、あまのじゃくな邪悪な思い通りにならない、道理に反するうそつきの
inexorably 厳然と、無情に、容赦なく、冷酷に文例
hurtle音を立てて行く、高速で動く、急速に進行する、突進する、激しくぶつかる、衝突する～をピューと投げる文例衝突
union〔男女が〕結ばれること、〔性的な〕結合
wealth of《a ～》大量の、多量の、大量の、豊富な、豊かな、多様な
flair天賦［生まれつき］の才能直観的識別力〔獲物の〕臭跡、遺臭〔猟犬の〕臭覚優雅な様式［スタイル］、しゃれていること
callousness冷淡、無神経（さ）
unremitting絶え間（の）ない
boredom退屈、ものぐさ、けん怠
forge少しずつ［ゆっくり］前進する〔着実に〕少しずつ進歩する

02_CPE Listening Part 1- short extracts - free practice test (2)
bridesmaid 花嫁介添人［付添人］
circle of concern 《the ～》関心を持つ人たち
live together without tying the knot婚姻関係を結ばずに一緒に生活をする、同棲するknot-tying〔手術における縫合時の〕糸結び
at the timeあの時、その頃、当時は、当時の、その時点で
down the lineライン沿いに〔通路などを〕真っすぐ行った所に町の中心に［へ］〈話〉そのうちに
get hitched結婚する◆【同】get marriedget hitched to～と結婚する
jaded疲れ切った、疲れ果てた〔過度にふけることで〕飽き飽きした、うんざりした無情な、無感覚な
chip on one's shoulder 《a ～》けんか腰、不満、不満の原因◆【語源】昔、肩の上に木片（chip）をおいて「これを落としてみろ」と相手にけんかをふっかけたことから。
crippled with fear《be ～》恐怖で縮み上がる
twist someone's arm（人）の腕をねじり上げる、（人）に圧力をかける、（人）に無理強いをする
big day重要な日big day in one's life人生の記念すべき日
wheeling回ること、回転〔台車などで〕運ぶこと、運搬〔車の通行に適した〕道路の状態
posy花束◆【同】bouquet
thighもも、大腿部
confetti紙吹雪、キャンディ、糖菓
tyre mark〈英〉→ tire mark
disabled bus pass障害者用バス無料乗車証
venue開催地、発生地、現場、会場
ramp斜面、傾斜台、傾斜路〈米〉〔高速道路への〕出入道路〈英俗〉〔商品の価格を引き上げるための〕詐欺、かたり
steal the limelight脚光を浴びる
gangway【間投】どいたどいた、道をあけろ、どけ【名】《海事》舷門、舷墻出入り口◆乗降のために上甲板の両側の舷墻（bulwark）に空けられた出入り口《海事》＝gangplank〔鉄道の〕貫通路◆車両同士を結ぶ通路〔板を渡した〕狭い通路鉱山の主な坑道〈英〉〔下院の〕左右を分ける通路、前列と後列を分ける通路◆議長席の右が政府および与党、左が野党席で、前列にはそれぞれの幹部議員が着席する。両者の間の通路がgangwayでその距離はtwo and a half swords lengths wideと決められている。the Floor of the Houseとも呼ばれる。また、左右の5列からなら座席の前列と後列を分ける通路、従って幹部議員と若手議員を分ける通路を指すこともある。〈英〉〔劇場の〕座席のブロック間の通路
bank balance銀行（預金）残高、交換尻
weigh on～に重くのしかかる、～の重荷になる〔経営などを〕圧迫する〔価格などを〕下落させる
conscience良心、善悪の判断力、自制心、誠実さ、道義心【文例】
take attention away from～から人の注意をそらす、～を目立たなくする
go whole-hog極端に走る、とことんまでやる、本腰を入れる、徹底的にやる、完璧にやる
Braille（ブライユ）点字（法）◆フランスの視覚障害者ルイ・ブライユ（Louis Braille）が1821年に考案した、世界の標準となった点字法。従来の12個の点から、6個の点（2の6乗-1=63種類の文字種が表現できる）で一つの文字（cell）を表すように改良したもの。brailleとも表記。
order of service〔儀式の〕式次第
aisle〔スーパーや倉庫などの〕通路◆両側に商品や在庫品などの棚がある通路。〔教会の〕側廊◆中央部の身廊（nave）の両側にある柱で区切られた通路。
pull out all the stops最大限の努力をする、全力を尽くす、少しも遠慮しない
lay on～の上に置く〔食事を〕用意する、準備する
train 〔ガウンなどの〕トレーン◆後ろに長く引きずる部分。
pull out all the stops (検索結果：undefined, 検索クエリ："pull out all the stops")最大限の努力をする、全力を尽くす、とことんまで頑張る◆【同】pull all the stops out◆【語源】オルガンのストップ・レバーを全て引くと、あらゆる種類の音を最大の音量で出せることから。
lay on 〔食事を〕用意する、準備する
live in sin 同棲する
03_CPE Listening Part 1- short extracts - free practice test (3)
prohibitive〔行為などを〕禁止する（ための）〔購入できないほどに値段が〕高額に設定された、ひどく高い、法外な
desertion《軍事》脱走、任務放棄《法律》〔子どもなどの〕遺棄〔人を〕見捨てること
as important, if not more so, than《be ～》～よりさらに重要かは分からないがそれと同じくらいに重要だ、〔主語の〕重要性は～の重要性に勝るとも劣らない

04_CPE Listening Part 1- short extracts - free practice test (4)
monogamous一夫一婦の《動物》一雄一雌の
concubine内縁の妻、内妻、〔妻以外の〕愛人〔古代の男性の〕性の奴隷子孫繁栄の道具としての女性〔社会で認知された〕第二夫人、第一夫人以外の妻〔王や貴族の〕側室
hominidヒト科の動物
dimorphism二形性
progeny〈文〉子孫、跡継ぎ◆【用法】単数・複数扱い〔努力の後の〕結果、成果、産物
proclamation宣言、声明、布告、公表
beget～を生じさせる、引き起こす、来たす、父親が（子）をもうける

05_CPE Listening Part 2- sentence completion - free practice test 
burdock《植物》ゴボウ
driven deep into the soil《be ～》〔杭などが〕地中深くに打ち込まれる
property特性、性質
hold ~ in place～を適切な位置で支える、～を適所に保つ
resin～を樹脂加工する、～に樹脂を塗る樹脂（製品）、松やに【レベル】10、【発音】rézin、【＠】レジン、レズン、
geometric幾何学的な、幾何学の、幾何学的図形の
geometric arrangement幾何学的配置
breeze そよ風、微風
blow in風が吹き込む、噴き出し始める、送風する
droplet小滴、水滴、溶滴、飛沫、液滴
condense《物理》液化する、凝結する
hydrophilic《化学》親水性の、水を吸収しやすい◆水になじみやすいこと。
bump〔平らな表面の〕突起、隆起〔体の〕瘤、腫れ物文例〔道路の〕凸凹、へこみ〈話〉〔価格などの〕上昇、増加
waxyろうの（多い）、ろう引きの、ろう質の、ろう状変性にかかった、ろう製のカッとなった、柔軟な、青白い、怒った
spherical球の、球体に関する球形の、球状の《天文》天体の
downwind風下の、追い風の、順風の風下に、追い風で、順風で
go on to～へ進む、～に移る、～に進学する、～になる、採用する～に取り掛かる、（続けて）次に～する、～を始める文例文例
caviarキャビア◆通常チョウザメの卵の塩漬けで、オードブルなどで用いられる高級食材。最高級品はカスピ海で捕れるbeluga, osetra, sevrugaの3種類のチョウザメのキャビアとされる。
vermicultureミミズ養殖
excrement排せつ物、糞便余計なもの、副産物エクスクレメント

--end