2007年(平成19年)センター試験英語第4問A「図表読解」問3

次の文章とグラフを読み、下の問いに対する答えとして最も適当なものを、下の1〜4のうちから1つ選べ。

　What do you like to drink when you get thirsty? Since 1987, the popularity of different types of packaged soft drinks in Japan has changed considerably. During the late 80s, carbonated drinks of all sorts (such as sodas and colas) were the leaders in popularity, with fruit juices a close second and coffee-based drinks a bit further back in the competition. By 2004, however, those drinks had lost their lead to the newest entry into this market: tea-based drinks of all types. Tea drinks, which include green teas, took the lead over both carbonated drinks and coffee-based drinks. The total production of tea-based drinks was nearly double that of the nearest competitors: carbonated drinks and coffee drinks. Fruit juices had fallen to fourth in popularity with a drop in production of nearly one fourth since their highest levels in the late 80s. Fifth place was held by sports drinks, which in 1987 were in fourth place ahead of tea drinks. At about the same time that green tea became a packaged product, vegetable juices also began to appear on the market. They have had a very small but relatively consistent place in the market since then.

　One of the reasons for the popularity of tea-based drinks might be that many people like to have a non-sweetened green tea drink with the rice balls that they but at convenience stores. Many other types of packaged soft drinks contain some amount of sugar which doesn't really fit people's taste when eating rice.

問3　
Which statement would the writer agree with?

1. Tea-based drinks are the oldest kind of packaged drinks in the market.
2. Overall production of soft drinks has decreased since 1987.
3. Green teas have become popular because they aren't sweetened.
4. Vegetable juices will gain populatiry in the near future.