共通テスト英語 2025年度（令和7年度） 追再試験 第6問
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My Adventure Going to Touira

My name is Hiroki and I’m 10 years old. I’m from Shinayama City, which is two hours away by super express train from Touira, a small town where my grandparents live. Last month, my dad asked me if I wanted to visit my grandparents by myself this summer. I was really excited but also nervous; I had never been on a trip by myself!

The day of my trip came. After we arrived at the station, I bought a box of my favorite cookies for my grandparents. My parents then accompanied me to the train and made sure I was sitting in the right place. My parents told me to be careful of strangers before they left.

The tall buildings of Shinayama flashed by and suburban houses started to appear, then rice fields took over. The train stopped and some passengers got on. Suddenly, I heard, “Excuse me!”

I turned and saw a middle-aged woman pointing at the seat next to me. I moved my backpack from the aisle seat. As she sat down, she spread her arms and legs into the space I had occupied before. I retreated away from the left armrest and shifted my body toward the window.

“Are you traveling alone?” she asked me. I nodded in reply. “Wow! Where are you going?” I didn’t know whether to respond because my parents had told me to be cautious of strangers. So, I just said, “Touira.” The woman’s eyes widened. “Touira! I have a friend living there! I love visiting her.” She started digging around in her bag.

I saw her pull out a box of fancy chocolates. “Would you like one?” she asked. I was tempted to take one, but I remembered what my parents had told me. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to go against my parents’ wishes, but I also thought it would be rude to refuse. I thought for a moment and said, “No, thank you, ma’am.” But she replied, “Oh, don’t be shy! Help yourself!” I breathed in and said, “I really don’t want any, but thank you for asking.”

The chocolate woman looked sad and softly said, “All right.” For a minute, there was an uncomfortable silence, then she took out her phone and started tapping on it. The tension eased a little, but I felt I couldn’t end the conversation this way. So I said, “I’m sorry about the chocolate. I just can’t take one.” “That’s fine, dear,” she said. “You’ve handled this situation in a way that’s beyond your age.” After that, we sat in silence and enjoyed the train ride.

“We are now arriving at Touira station. We will be stopping for five minutes,” said the announcement. As the train pulled into the station, I could see my grandparents waving. The chocolate woman asked me with surprise, “Are those your grandparents?” When I said yes, she said, “How about that! It’s a small world!” Then she hurriedly began writing something on a piece of paper. I stayed in my seat waving to my grandparents for a little bit; I wanted to show them I was on the train by myself!

As I was leaving my seat, the woman handed me the box of chocolates with a note on it. She said, “Please share this with Michiko, and tell her I said hello. I don’t want to interfere with your reunion.” I wondered how the chocolate woman knew my grandmother’s name, but I really didn’t have time to ask her. I rushed off the train, and ran toward my grandparents on the platform.

When I met them, I said, “I brought some cookies, and some chocolates from a woman sitting next to me. Maybe we shouldn’t eat them though, because she’s a stranger.” As the train began to leave, we saw the chocolate woman waving to us. “Junko!” my grandmother said. Then she looked at the box of chocolates and read the note on it.