My take on the poem is that sometimes the truth can be too harsh to take. It can just be overwhelming if you're presented with it all at once. So when you tell people a difficult truth, you should break it to them gradually and gently, through implication and innuendo. Eventually they will understand.
It reminds me of this guy at my dad's riding center. Let's say his name was Taro. Taro loved riding, and above all, he loved horses. He took care of them and he was quite good at training them. But when it came to riding in horse-riding shows, he just didn't have that special something. It was nerves. He was just crippled byanxiety when performing in competitions. He would forget his routine and he would never finish in time.
My dad is very strict, but he tried to help Taro. He spent a lot of time talking to him. He suggested meditation and sent him to do Zen meditation at a local temple. He even found him a counselor to help him, but it was to no avail. Soon, my dad realized that Taro wasn't cut out for competition.
Telling Taro this straight out would have destroyed him. He lived for horses and horse riding. My dad realized this, so he never directly told Taro that he didn't have it in him to ever be a top-class competitive rider. Instead, through various hints and suggestions over a long period of time, he tried to guide Taro into thinking of horse riding as more of a hobby he could do at his leisure.
It worked, and fortunately this story has a happy ending. Taro changed to a different career and now he's a doctor with a very popular clinic.
Q1 "Tell all the Truth but tell it slant," because:
A1) Bluntly telling people the truth could hurt them, even if you mean well.
A2) It's more fun telling lies than telling the truth.
A3) People usually don't believe you if you tell them the real stuff.
正解: A1) Bluntly telling people the truth could hurt them, even if you mean well.
Q2 Kana's dad tried to help Taro do better in competitions by:
A1) Suggesting ways to overcome his nervousness.
A2) Telling him he should make horse racing his hobby.
A3) Introducing him to a veterinarian.
正解: A1) Suggesting ways to overcome his nervousness.