III. Reading Comprehension: 40 points  Please read the following excerpts/passages closely and then choose the best answer to each
question accordingly.
    In 2017, Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs designated Yuasa a Japan Heritage Site for being the birthplace of Japanese soy sauce, which is said to have been first made here in the late 13th century.
The now-beloved condiment came about soon after a Japanese Buddhist monk named Shinchi
Kakushin returned from a trip to China and became the abbot at Kokoku-ji Temple near Yuasa. He
brought with him a recipe for making Kinzanji miso, a uniquely chunky type of miso made from
whole soybeans, various other grains (such as barley and rice) and vegetables.
    Yuasa’s townsfolk soon discovered that the small amount of liquid pooling in tubs of fermenting
Kinzanji miso, as its ingredients were pressed down with heavy stones, was in itself delicious. This
by-product, called tamari (a generic word that means “to accumulate”), became the basis for soy sauce
as we know it today. Within years, Yuasa was transformed from being a _____________ on the
Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route that leads to the renowned temples and shrines on nearby Mt. Koya,
into Japan’s most important soy sauce brewing center.
    Today, the town’s historical district is protected by Japanese law. It is an extensive area
encompassing 323 houses and other hongawara-buki (traditional buildings) recognized for their
immense cultural value. Many of them still have their traditional lattice windows and curved tile roofs,
architectural features that were symbols to passers-by of the owners’ prosperity. Visiting them tells
the remarkable story of the intertwined fortunes of Kinzanji miso and soy sauce.
【題組】31. What is the main purpose of the passage?
(A) To tell the story of Shinchi Kakushin.
(B) To explain the production process of miso.
(C) To introduce the birthplace of Japanese soy sauce.
(D) To illustrate the importance of Japanese soy sauce.
(E) To compare and contrast Kinzanji miso and Japanese soy sauce.