JLPT N3 - Practice Test 2 (Grammar & Reading)
JLPT N3 - Grammar & Reading
Test your Japanese skills with this JLPT N3 mock exam, featuring JLPT-style questions covering grammar and reading. When you're ready, click the Start Test button below to begin.
問題１つぎの文の（ ）に入れるのに最もよいものを、1・2・3・4から一つ選びなさい。
A「初めての一人旅だから、高いカメラを買ったほうがいいかな。」 B「写真なら今のスマートフォンでも十分きれいに撮れるよ。わざわざ買う（ ）と思う。」
1. Question Intent
This question tests the ability to distinguish Japanese grammatical expressions related to necessity, obligation, and advice. The key is recognizing that speaker B believes the smartphone is already sufficient, so buying an expensive camera is unnecessary.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. しかない — Incorrect
しかない expresses that there is no alternative or no choice but to do something. The pattern V dictionary form + しかない would imply that buying the camera is the only available option. This contradicts B's statement that the smartphone can already take good pictures.
Trap: Confusing the lack of alternatives expressed by しかない with the absence of necessity expressed by ことはない.
2. べきだ — Incorrect
べきだ expresses what someone should do based on advice, duty, or what is considered appropriate. 買うべきだ would mean that buying the camera is advisable. However, B is discouraging the purchase rather than recommending it.
Trap: Both べきだ and ことはない can be used when giving advice, but they express different judgments about whether an action is necessary or appropriate.
3. ことになっている — Incorrect
ことになっている indicates an established rule, arrangement, or predetermined situation. 買うことになっている would suggest that buying the camera has already been decided or is required by an arrangement. Nothing in the conversation indicates such a rule or decision.
Trap: Do not confuse an established arrangement with a speaker's personal opinion about what someone should do.
4. ことはない — Correct
V dictionary form + ことはない expresses that there is no need to perform an action. It is commonly used to reassure someone or advise against doing something unnecessary.
写真なら今のスマートフォンでも十分きれいに撮とれるよ。
B explains that the current smartphone already takes sufficiently good pictures. Therefore, わざわざ買うことはないと思う naturally expresses B's opinion that there is no need to go out of one's way to buy an expensive camera. The adverb わざわざ reinforces this meaning by emphasizing unnecessary effort or trouble.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Identify the speaker's reasoning: Expressions such as 十分 indicate that something is already sufficient. This often supports advice using ことはない rather than expressions of obligation.
- Recognize common patterns: わざわざ + V dictionary form + ことはない frequently communicates that taking the trouble to do something is unnecessary. Distinguish this from しかない (no alternative) and べきだ (should do).
この時計は、時間が分かる（ ）、歩いた歩数や眠った時間も調べられる。
1. Question Intent
This question tests the distinction between grammatical expressions containing ばかり and だけ. The key is recognizing an additive relationship: the watch does more than simply tell the time; it can also track steps and sleep duration. The structure requires an expression meaning "not only A, but also B."
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. ばかりでなく — Correct
ばかりでなく means "not only ... but also ..." and introduces additional information beyond what was initially mentioned.
The common pattern is A + ばかりでなく + Bも.
時間が分かるばかりでなく、歩いた歩数ほすうや眠った時間も調べられる。
The watch can not only tell the time but also check the number of steps taken and the amount of time slept. The particle も reinforces the addition of further capabilities, making ばかりでなく the natural choice.
2. ばかりに — Incorrect
ばかりに expresses that something happened because of a particular reason, usually leading to an undesirable or regrettable consequence. For example:
少し遅れたばかりに、電車に乗れなかった。
Here, being slightly late caused the unfortunate result of missing the train. In the question, however, the watch's additional functions are not negative consequences of its ability to tell time.
Trap: Both ばかりでなく and ばかりに contain ばかり, but the former adds information, while the latter expresses a cause associated with an unfortunate result.
3. だけあって — Incorrect
だけあって means "as expected of ..." or "being ... as one would expect." It indicates that a result is consistent with someone's characteristics, experience, or reputation.
高い時計だけあって、機能が多い。
As expected of an expensive watch, it has many functions. The original sentence does not express an expectation based on the watch's qualities. Instead, it lists additional capabilities.
Trap: だけあって can introduce a positive evaluation, but it does not function as a direct equivalent of "not only ... but also ..."
4. だけに — Incorrect
だけに expresses "precisely because ..." or "all the more because ...", emphasizing that a particular circumstance makes the following result understandable or significant.
高い時計だけに、性能もいい。
Precisely because the watch is expensive, its performance is also good. The question does not establish such a causal relationship between telling time and tracking steps or sleep.
Trap: The particle も can appear with だけに, but it does not automatically indicate an additive construction. The logical relationship between the two clauses determines the correct grammar.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Look for additive clues: When the second clause introduces another feature and contains も, consider expressions such as ばかりでなく, だけでなく, and のみならず.
- Identify the relationship between clauses: ばかりでなく adds information, ばかりに indicates an often unfortunate cause, だけあって expresses an expected result, and だけに emphasizes a reason. Choosing by logical meaning is more reliable than focusing only on similar-looking grammar.
今朝は時間がなかったので、朝ご飯を食べず、顔も洗わず、何も（ ）家を出てしまった。
1. Question Intent
This question tests the correct formation of the negative grammatical pattern Vずに, meaning "without doing something." It focuses specifically on the irregular verb する, which becomes せずに, not しずに. The repeated negative expressions establish a sequence of actions the speaker skipped before leaving home.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. しないに — Incorrect
しない is the ordinary negative form of する, but adding に directly does not produce a valid grammatical expression meaning "without doing."
The correct alternative using the ない form would be 何もしないで.
Trap: Although しない is a valid negative form, しないに is not equivalent to しないで or せずに.
2. しずに — Incorrect
The pattern Vずに is generally formed by replacing the final ない of the negative form with ずに. However, する is irregular and must become せずに, not しずに.
Trap: Applying the regular formation rule to する produces an incorrect form. Remember that する → せずに and 来る → 来ずに（こずに） are irregular.
3. しなくに — Incorrect
しなく resembles the negative connective form used in expressions such as しなくても and しなくて, but it cannot be followed directly by に to express "without doing."
For example, 何もしなくて is grammatically possible in an appropriate context, but 何もしなくに is not.
Trap: Do not confuse the negative なくて construction with the separate ずに pattern.
4. せずに — Correct
せずに is the correct negative ずに form of する. It indicates that an action was not performed before or while another action took place.
朝ご飯を食べず、顔も洗わず、何もせずに家を出てしまった。
The speaker left home without eating breakfast, washing their face, or doing anything else. The earlier expressions 食べず and 洗わず establish the same negative pattern, making せずに the natural continuation.
The ending 出てしまった also suggests that leaving in this condition was unfortunate or regrettable.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Memorize irregular ずに forms: する → せずに and 来る → 来ずに（こずに）. For regular verbs, use the ない-form stem: 食べない → 食べずに, 行かない → 行かずに.
- Use parallel structures as clues: When a sentence repeats forms such as 食べず and 洗わず, look for another correctly formed ず expression. The JLPT frequently tests irregular conjugations within otherwise familiar patterns.
A「水道の水、出した（ ）だよ。もう使っていないなら止めて。」 B「あ、ごめん。止めるのを忘れていた。」
1. Question Intent
This question tests the distinction between grammatical expressions describing an action's completion, continuation, or immediate consequence. The key is recognizing that the water was turned on and has been left running. The pattern Vます-stem + っぱなし describes a state that continues after an action, often implying carelessness or an undesirable situation.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. きり — Incorrect
Vた + きり can indicate that something has not changed or that an expected subsequent action has not occurred since an earlier event. For example:
彼は家を出たきり、帰ってこない。
He left home and has not returned. Although this meaning may seem related to leaving the water running, the expression normally requires the past form before きり. The question uses 出した, but 出したきりだ does not naturally express the intended complaint in this context. A construction such as 出したきり、止めていない would be more appropriate.
Trap: Both きり and っぱなし can describe situations that remain unchanged, but っぱなし directly emphasizes leaving something in a continuing state.
2. っぱなし — Correct
Vます-stem + っぱなし indicates that an action or its resulting state continues without being stopped or corrected. It frequently conveys criticism or concern about something left unattended.
水道の水、出したっぱなしだよ。もう使っていないなら止めて。
The expression 出したっぱなし means that the water has been left running. The request 止めて confirms that the speaker wants the other person to stop the water. B's response also supports this interpretation:
止めるのを忘れていた。
B admits forgetting to turn it off, confirming that the water was unintentionally left running.
3. ばかり — Incorrect
Vた + ばかり indicates that an action has just been completed or that relatively little time has passed since it happened.
水を出したばかりだ。
This means the water was turned on only recently. However, A is not emphasizing when the water was turned on. The problem is that it remains running unnecessarily.
Trap: 出したばかりだ is grammatically valid, but it emphasizes recency rather than an unattended continuing state.
4. とたん — Incorrect
Vた + とたん（に） means "the moment ..." or "as soon as ..." and introduces an event occurring immediately after another action.
水を出したとたん、電話が鳴った。
This describes the phone ringing immediately after the water was turned on. In the question, no immediate subsequent event is being described. Also, 出したとたんだ does not form the intended construction.
Trap: とたん emphasizes the immediate timing of a subsequent event, not the continuation of a state.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Recognize the continuing-state pattern: Vます-stem + っぱなし often describes something unintentionally left in a particular condition, such as 電気をつけっぱなしにする or ドアを開けっぱなしにする.
- Pay attention to the verb form: The standard pattern uses the ます-stem, as in 出しっぱなし, not 出したっぱなし. Therefore, although option 2 is clearly the intended answer, the original question contains a grammatical error. To make it valid, change 出した（ ）だよ to 出し（ ）だよ.
弟は、自分では部屋を全然掃除しない（ ）、私には「もっときれいにして」と文句を言う。
1. Question Intent
This question tests grammatical expressions of contrast, criticism, and cause. The key is recognizing the contradiction between the younger brother's behavior and his criticism of someone else. The speaker is annoyed because the brother does not clean his own room but still complains about cleanliness. The pattern くせに expresses this kind of contrast with a critical or disapproving attitude.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. おかげで — Incorrect
おかげで means "thanks to" or "because of" and usually introduces a positive result caused by a person, action, or situation.
友達が手伝ってくれたおかげで、早く終わった。
The sentence describes criticism and hypocrisy rather than a beneficial result. The brother's failure to clean his room is not presented as something that positively enables his complaints.
Trap: おかげで expresses causation, usually with a positive evaluation, whereas the question requires a contrast between behavior and criticism.
2. くせに — Correct
くせに means "even though" or "despite" and expresses criticism, frustration, or disapproval when someone's behavior contradicts what would normally be expected.
自分では部屋を全然掃除そうじしないくせに、私には「もっときれいにして」と文句を言う。
The brother does not clean his own room at all, yet he tells the speaker to keep things cleaner. This contradiction makes くせに particularly appropriate because it conveys the speaker's annoyance at the brother's hypocritical behavior.
The pattern is plain-form verb + くせに. Therefore, しないくせに is grammatically correct.
3. とおりに — Incorrect
とおりに means "according to" or "just as" and indicates that an action follows instructions, an example, or an expected pattern.
先生が教えたとおりに、やってください。
The question does not describe an action performed according to instructions or following an example. Instead, it highlights contradictory behavior.
Trap: とおりに establishes correspondence between actions or information, not criticism of inconsistent behavior.
4. せいで — Incorrect
せいで means "because of" and usually identifies the cause of an undesirable result.
雨が降ったせいで、試合が中止になった。
Although the question expresses a negative attitude, it does not say that the brother's failure to clean causes him to complain. The speaker is criticizing the inconsistency between his behavior and his demands.
Trap: Both せいで and くせに can appear in negative contexts, but せいで emphasizes an undesirable cause-and-effect relationship, while くせに emphasizes contradiction and disapproval.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Look for hypocrisy or criticism: When someone does not follow the same standards they demand from others, くせに is a strong candidate. Expressions such as 全然～ない followed by criticism often provide useful contextual clues.
- Distinguish contrast from causation: くせに expresses a critical contrast, おかげで typically introduces a beneficial cause, and せいで introduces an undesirable cause. Identify the logical relationship between clauses before choosing the answer.
この美容院では、髪を切ってもらう（ ）、次に使える割引券を必ず一枚ずつくれる。五回通ったので、もう五枚も集まった。
1. Question Intent
This question tests the distinction between grammatical expressions describing repetition, timing, and the duration of an activity. The key is recognizing that the customer receives a discount coupon every time they get a haircut. The final sentence confirms this repeated pattern: five visits resulted in five coupons.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. 途中で — Incorrect
途中で means "in the middle of" or "on the way" and indicates that something happens while an activity or process is underway.
学校に行く途中で、友達に会った。
It describes encountering a friend on the way to school. In the question, the focus is not on something happening during a haircut but on receiving a coupon on each visit. Also, the natural construction would be 髪を切ってもらう途中で, not 髪を切ってもらう途中で as a substitute for expressing repetition.
Trap: 途中で indicates when something occurs during a process, not how frequently it happens.
2. 最中に — Incorrect
最中に means "right in the middle of" an ongoing activity. It emphasizes that another event occurs while the first action is in progress.
食事の最中に、電話が鳴った。
The phone rang during the meal. The question does not emphasize receiving a coupon while the haircut is taking place. Furthermore, 最中に normally follows Vている or a noun + の, so 髪を切ってもらう最中に is not the standard construction.
Trap: 最中に describes simultaneous timing, while たびに indicates repeated occurrences.
3. たびに — Correct
たびに means "every time" or "whenever." It expresses that one event consistently occurs each time another event takes place.
The grammatical pattern is V dictionary form + たびに or Noun + の + たびに.
髪を切ってもらうたびに、次に使える割引券わりびきけんを必ず一枚ずつくれる。
Every time the customer gets a haircut, the salon gives them one discount coupon for their next visit. The adverbs 必ず and 一枚ずつ reinforce the regular, repeated nature of the action.
五回通ったので、もう五枚も集まった。
This provides direct confirmation: the customer visited five times and collected five coupons. The one-to-one relationship between visits and coupons makes たびに the correct choice.
4. うちに — Incorrect
うちに means "while" or "before a situation changes." It often expresses doing something during a limited period or experiencing a gradual change.
日本にいるうちに、京都へ行きたい。
This expresses wanting to visit Kyoto while still in Japan. In the question, however, receiving a coupon is a recurring benefit associated with each haircut, not something that must happen before a condition changes.
Trap: うちに focuses on an available period or a developing situation, whereas たびに focuses on repetition.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Look for numerical evidence of repetition: 五回 and 五枚 establish a clear relationship between repeated visits and repeated rewards. When each occurrence of A produces B, consider たびに.
- Distinguish frequency from timing: たびに means "every time," 途中で means "during a process," 最中に emphasizes the middle of an ongoing action, and うちに means "while a condition remains" or "before it changes."
このカードは、一人に二枚（ ）配ってください。十人いるので、全部で二十枚必要です。
1. Question Intent
This question tests expressions of distribution, approximation, and intervals. The key is recognizing that each person should receive exactly two cards. The expression ずつ indicates an equal quantity distributed to each recipient.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. ずつ — Correct
ずつ means "each" or "at a time" and expresses equal distribution or repeated quantities. It typically follows a number and counter.
一人に二枚ずつ配ってください。
This instructs someone to distribute two cards to each person. The following sentence confirms the intended distribution:
十人いるので、全部で二十枚必要です。
There are ten people, and twenty cards are needed in total. This corresponds exactly to two cards per person. The pattern quantity + ずつ is therefore the correct choice.
2. ほど — Incorrect
ほど can indicate an approximate quantity, degree, or extent. When following a number, it often means "approximately" or "about."
二十枚ほど必要です。
This means approximately twenty cards are needed. However, the question specifies an exact distribution of two cards per person, not an approximate quantity.
Trap: Both ほど and ずつ can follow numbers and counters, but ほど expresses approximation, while ずつ expresses equal distribution.
3. ごとに — Incorrect
ごとに means "every" or "for each" and identifies a repeated unit, occasion, or interval.
一人ごとに二枚配ってください。
This can express distributing two cards for each person, although 一人に二枚ずつ is more natural for emphasizing the quantity each person receives. In the original sentence, however, placing ごとに after 二枚 would produce 二枚ごとに配ってください, which means distributing in groups of two cards rather than explicitly assigning two to each person.
Trap: ごとに identifies the unit at which something repeats, while ずつ directly specifies the amount allocated to each recipient.
4. おきに — Incorrect
おきに indicates regular intervals in time, space, or a sequence. For example:
一時間おきに休憩します。
This means taking a break at one-hour intervals. In the question, 二枚おきに would suggest intervals involving two cards, not distributing exactly two cards to every person.
Trap: おきに expresses spacing or intervals, whereas ずつ expresses an equal quantity given or handled at a time.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Look for equal distribution: When a sentence gives a total number of people and items, check whether the quantity per person is fixed. Expressions such as 一人に二枚ずつ and 三人に一個ずつ are common distribution patterns.
- Distinguish quantity from intervals: ずつ indicates equal amounts, ほど indicates approximation, ごとに identifies recurring units, and おきに indicates intervals. Pay attention to which number and counter immediately precede the grammatical expression.
A「救急車の音、さっきより大きくなったね。」 B「うん。こちらに近づいて（ ）ね。道の端によろう。」
1. Question Intent
This question tests the distinction between auxiliary verbs following the Vて form, particularly てくる and ていく. The key is recognizing that the ambulance is approaching the speakers, as indicated by the increasing volume of its siren. The expression Vてくる can describe movement toward the speaker or a change developing up to the present moment.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. いく — Incorrect
Vていく can describe movement away from the speaker or a change continuing into the future.
救急車が遠くへ走っていく。
This describes an ambulance moving away. In the question, however, the siren is becoming louder, and the speakers believe the ambulance is approaching them.
救急車きゅうきゅうしゃの音、さっきより大きくなったね。
Trap: Both ていく and てくる can describe movement or change, but their direction and temporal perspective differ. The expression 近づいていく is grammatically possible, but it does not fit the speaker-centered perspective as naturally as 近づいてくる.
2. おく — Incorrect
Vておく means doing something in advance as preparation or deliberately leaving something in a particular state.
救急車が通れるように、道を空けておく。
This means keeping the road clear so an ambulance can pass. In the question, however, the speaker is describing the ambulance's movement, not a preparatory action.
Trap: The following instruction to move to the side of the road involves a precaution, but the blank describes what the ambulance is doing, not what the speakers should prepare.
3. ある — Incorrect
Vてある describes a state resulting from an intentional action, commonly involving a transitive verb.
ドアが開けてある。
This indicates that someone has intentionally left the door open. The verb 近づく is intransitive, and the sentence describes movement currently approaching the speakers rather than a deliberately established state.
Trap: てある emphasizes the resulting state of an intentional action, whereas てくる can describe movement toward the speaker.
4. くる — Correct
Vてくる describes movement toward the speaker or their reference point. It can also describe a change that has developed toward the present.
こちらに近づいてくるね。道の端はしによろう。
The ambulance is approaching the speakers, so they decide to move to the side of the road. The directional expression こちらに clearly establishes movement toward their location.
The earlier observation that the siren has become louder supports this interpretation. Therefore, 近づいてくる is the most natural expression.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Identify the direction relative to the speaker: てくる commonly describes movement toward the speaker, while ていく often describes movement away. Directional clues such as こちらに, こっちへ, and あちらへ can help determine the correct answer.
- Use surrounding evidence: The louder siren and the decision to move aside indicate that the ambulance is approaching. In JLPT questions, connect physical observations with the grammatical perspective rather than choosing an auxiliary verb based only on its dictionary meaning.
今朝の天気予報（ ）、午後から風が強くなるそうです。
1. Question Intent
This question tests the distinction between grammatical expressions used to indicate a source of information, perspective, contrast, or cause. The key is recognizing that the speaker is reporting information from a weather forecast. The pattern によると introduces the source of reported information and is commonly used with expressions such as そうです.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. にとって — Incorrect
にとって means "for" or "from the perspective of" and indicates the person or group whose viewpoint is being considered.
私にとって、日本語の勉強は大切です。
This expresses the importance of studying Japanese from the speaker's perspective. In the question, 天気予報 is a source of information, not someone whose personal perspective is being described.
Trap: にとって introduces a viewpoint or standard of evaluation, whereas によると introduces a source of reported information.
2. に対して — Incorrect
に対して means "toward," "in response to," or "in contrast to," depending on the context. It can indicate the target of an action or establish a contrast.
先生の質問に対して、学生が答えた。
This describes a student responding to a teacher's question. The original sentence is not describing a response to the weather forecast or contrasting it with other information.
Trap: に対して can introduce something being addressed or compared, but it does not normally identify the source of information being reported.
3. によって — Incorrect
によって has several meanings, including "by," "because of," "depending on," and "through." It can express an agent, cause, means, or variation.
地域によって、天気が違います。
This means the weather differs depending on the region. In the question, however, the weather forecast is not presented as the cause or means of the wind becoming stronger. It is simply the source of the prediction.
Trap: によって and によると look similar, but they serve different functions. によって often indicates cause, means, or variation, while によると introduces information attributed to a source.
4. によると — Correct
Noun + によると means "according to" and is used to introduce the source of information that the speaker has heard, read, or learned.
今朝の天気予報によると、午後から風が強くなるそうです。
The speaker reports that, according to this morning's weather forecast, the wind is expected to become stronger in the afternoon.
The ending そうです is particularly important because it indicates reported information rather than the speaker's direct observation.
The combination によると + ～そうです is a common pattern for reporting news, forecasts, and statements from other sources.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Look for reporting expressions: When a sentence contains そうです, ということです, or らしいです and mentions a source such as ニュース, 天気予報, or 先生の話, consider によると.
- Distinguish information sources from causes: によると identifies where information comes from, while によって often indicates what causes an event, how something happens, or what it depends on. In this question, the weather forecast predicts stronger wind; it does not cause the wind to become stronger.
夕方になり、空が暗くなる（ ）、湖の向こうの山もだんだん見えにくくなってきた。
1. Question Intent
This question tests grammatical expressions that describe relationships between two situations, particularly につれて, which indicates that one change occurs alongside another. The key is recognizing that as the sky gradually becomes darker, the mountains become increasingly difficult to see.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. について — Incorrect
について means "about" or "concerning" and introduces the topic of a discussion, explanation, or investigation.
日本の文化について勉強しています。
This means studying Japanese culture. In the question, the speaker is not discussing the topic of the sky becoming darker. Instead, the sentence describes two changes occurring together.
Trap: について and につれて look similar, but について introduces a topic, while につれて expresses a relationship between changing situations.
2. に対して — Incorrect
に対して means "toward," "in response to," or "in contrast to." It can indicate the target of an action or establish a contrast between two situations.
兄は運動が好きなのに対して、弟は読書が好きです。
This contrasts the older brother's preference for exercise with the younger brother's preference for reading. In the question, the sky becoming darker and the mountains becoming harder to see are not contrasting developments. They occur together in a related progression.
Trap: に対して can connect two contrasting situations, but it does not express one gradual change accompanying another.
3. につれて — Correct
につれて means "as ..." or "in proportion as ..." and indicates that one situation changes alongside another. It commonly connects two gradual or continuous changes.
The grammatical pattern is V dictionary form + につれて or Noun + につれて.
空が暗くなるにつれて、湖みずうみの向こうの山もだんだん見えにくくなってきた。
As the sky becomes darker, the mountains across the lake gradually become more difficult to see. The two changes are closely related: decreasing daylight makes the mountains less visible.
The expressions だんだん (gradually) and 見えにくくなってきた (have gradually become harder to see) reinforce the progressive relationship required by につれて.
4. に比べて — Incorrect
に比べて means "compared with" and is used to compare people, things, or situations.
昨日に比べて、今日は寒いです。
This compares today's temperature with yesterday's. In the question, however, the speaker is not comparing the darkness of the sky with the visibility of the mountains. The sentence describes how their conditions change together.
Trap: に比べて establishes a comparison, while につれて establishes parallel changes over time or in degree.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Look for two developing changes: When one clause describes something increasing, decreasing, or gradually changing, and the following clause describes another related change, consider につれて. Common clues include だんだん, 少しずつ, 増える, 減る, and ～くなる.
- Recognize the pattern: Aにつれて、Bも変化する expresses that B changes as A changes. Distinguish this from について (topic), に対して (target or contrast), and に比べて (comparison).
階段で足が滑り、もう少しで（ ）が、手すりにつかまったので、けがをせずに済んだ。
1. Question Intent
This question tests the distinction between expressions using ところだった, especially the pattern V dictionary form + ところだった, which can describe an event that almost happened but was avoided. The key clues are もう少しで ("almost") and the fact that the speaker grabbed the handrail and escaped injury.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. 転んでいたところだった — Incorrect
Vていた + ところだった would describe being in the middle of an ongoing situation at a particular past moment. However, 転ぶ ("to fall") describes a change of state, and 転んでいた normally indicates that someone was already in a fallen state.
The sentence instead describes a fall that was about to happen but was prevented.
Trap: Do not confuse a state that already exists with an event that almost occurred.
2. 転ぶところだった — Correct
V dictionary form + ところだった, especially when used with もう少しで, expresses that something was very close to happening but ultimately did not happen.
もう少しで転ぶところだった
This means "I almost fell." The speaker slipped on the stairs but managed to avoid falling by grabbing the handrail.
手すりにつかまったので、けがをせずに済んだ。
This confirms that the speaker avoided injury. The expression けがをせずに済んだ means that the speaker managed to get through the situation without being injured.
The combination もう少しで + V dictionary form + ところだった is particularly common when describing a narrowly avoided accident or undesirable event.
3. 転んだところだった — Incorrect
Vた + ところだった describes a point immediately after an action has been completed.
ちょうど食事が終わったところだった。
This means the meal had just finished. Similarly, 転んだところだった would indicate that the fall had already occurred. That does not express the near-miss situation described in the question.
Trap: 転ぶところだった means "was about to fall," while 転んだところだった indicates a point just after falling. The difference between the dictionary form and the た form is essential.
4. 転んでいるところだった — Incorrect
Vている + ところだった describes an action or situation that was in progress at a particular moment in the past.
その時、ちょうど本を読んでいるところだった。
This means someone was in the middle of reading a book at that moment. In the question, however, the speaker was not describing a fall already in progress. The intended meaning is that a fall was imminent but avoided.
Trap: ているところ describes an ongoing situation, whereas V dictionary form + ところだった can describe something that nearly happened.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Memorize the three main ところ patterns: V dictionary form + ところ indicates an action is about to happen; Vている + ところ indicates an action is in progress; and Vた + ところ indicates an action has just been completed. With もう少しで and ところだった, the dictionary form often expresses a narrowly avoided event.
- Identify the actual outcome: The expressions 手すりにつかまった and けがをせずに済んだ show that the speaker escaped a dangerous situation. When the context describes something that almost happened, look for もう少しで + V dictionary form + ところだった.
このひもでは短すぎるので、この二倍ぐらいの（ ）のものを買ってきてください。
1. Question Intent
This question tests the distinction between different forms of an い-adjective, particularly the noun form created with ～さ. The key is recognizing that the sentence specifies a measurable property: the length of the string. The expression 二倍ぐらいの長さ means "approximately twice the length."
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. 長く — Incorrect
長く is the adverbial form of 長い, created by replacing the final い with く. It can modify verbs or connect certain grammatical structures.
ひもをもっと長くしてください。
Here, 長く describes how the string should be changed. In the question, however, the blank must form a noun phrase after 二倍ぐらいの. The adverbial form 長く cannot directly fulfill this function.
Trap: 長く describes an action or change involving length, while 長さ names the measurable property itself.
2. 長さ — Correct
長さ is the noun form of 長い and means "length." It is formed by replacing the final い of the adjective with さ.
この二倍ぐらいの長さのものを買ってきてください。
The speaker asks someone to buy an item approximately twice the length of the current string.
The structure is quantity + の + measurable property + の + もの. Here, 二倍ぐらい indicates the approximate proportion, 長さ identifies the property being measured, and のもの refers to an item with that property.
このひもでは短すぎるので
This explains why a longer string is needed: the current one is too short. Therefore, 長さ is both grammatically and contextually correct.
3. 長くて — Incorrect
長くて is the て-form of 長い. It connects descriptions or expresses a reason, depending on the context.
このひもは長くて、使いやすいです。
This describes a string that is long and easy to use. In the question, however, 長くて cannot be followed directly by のもの to express a particular length.
Trap: The て-form connects clauses or descriptions, but it does not turn an adjective into a noun expressing a measurable quantity.
4. 長い — Incorrect
長い is the dictionary form of the い-adjective meaning "long." It can directly modify a noun, as in 長いひも.
However, この二倍ぐらいの長いのもの is not a natural or grammatically appropriate construction. The sentence requires the noun 長さ between the two の particles to specify a measurable dimension.
Trap: Although 長い can describe a long object, 長さ is needed when referring to the object's length as a measurement. Compare 長いひも ("a long string") with 二倍の長さのひも ("a string twice the length").
3. JLPT Strategy
- Recognize adjective-to-noun transformations: Many い-adjectives form nouns by replacing い with さ, such as 長い → 長さ, 高い → 高さ, 重い → 重さ, and 深い → 深さ. These noun forms are especially common when describing measurements or degrees.
- Identify the structure surrounding the blank: In expressions such as 二倍ぐらいの（ ）のもの, the two の particles indicate that a noun describing a property fits naturally between them. Use the grammatical structure to eliminate adjective and adverb forms.
子どものころ、姉がピアノの練習を嫌がると、母は私にも隣で歌うように命じた。私も歌いたくなかったが、断ると母に怒られるので、姉の練習が終わるまで毎日（ ）。
1. Question Intent
This question tests the distinction between causative, causative-passive, and giving/receiving expressions. The key is identifying who required the action, who performed it, and whether the action was voluntary. The speaker did not want to sing, but their mother ordered them to do so. Therefore, the sentence requires the causative-passive form, which expresses being made or forced to do something.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. 歌わせてあげた — Incorrect
歌わせてあげた combines the causative form 歌わせる with てあげる. It means that the speaker allowed or arranged for someone else to sing, typically as a favor.
However, the speaker was the one required to sing. They were not allowing someone else to sing.
Trap: The causative form 歌わせる means "make or let someone sing," but adding てあげる introduces the perspective of doing something for someone else's benefit. This reverses the roles described in the passage.
2. 歌ってもらった — Incorrect
Vてもらう means having someone perform an action for the speaker or receiving the benefit of another person's action.
歌ってもらった would indicate that the speaker had someone else sing for them. However, the speaker personally performed the singing.
母は私にも隣となりで歌うように命じた。
The mother ordered the speaker to sing alongside their older sister. Therefore, the speaker is the person carrying out the action, not the recipient of someone else's singing.
Trap: てもらう focuses on receiving an action or favor, not being forced to perform an action.
3. 歌わせてもらった — Incorrect
Vさせてもらう combines the causative form with てもらう and commonly expresses receiving permission or an opportunity to do something.
歌わせてもらった would suggest that the speaker was allowed to sing or given the opportunity to sing.
私も歌いたくなかったが、断ると母に怒られるので
This explicitly states that the speaker did not want to sing but feared being scolded for refusing. The situation involves pressure rather than permission or a welcome opportunity.
Trap: 歌わせてもらった and 歌わされていた both involve another person's influence over the action. However, the former generally presents the action as something the speaker was allowed to do, while the latter emphasizes being made to do it.
4. 歌わされていた — Correct
歌わされていた is the causative-passive form of 歌う, followed by ていた. It means "was being made to sing" or "used to be forced to sing."
The causative-passive form is used when someone is compelled to perform an action, often against their wishes.
母は私にも隣となりで歌うように命じた。
The mother ordered the speaker to sing.
私も歌いたくなかったが、断ると母に怒られるので
The speaker did not want to sing but complied to avoid being scolded.
姉の練習が終わるまで毎日（ ）。
The expression 毎日 indicates that this was a repeated situation. The ending ていた naturally describes a habitual experience in the past.
The conjugation is 歌う → 歌わせる → 歌わせられる → 歌わせられていた. For this godan verb, the shorter causative-passive form 歌わされる is also common, producing 歌わされていた.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Identify who controls the action: If someone voluntarily allows another person to act, consider Vさせてあげる. If the speaker receives permission, consider Vさせてもらう. If the speaker is compelled to act against their wishes, consider the causative-passive form Vさせられる.
- Look for emotional and contextual clues: Expressions such as 歌いたくなかった, 命じた, and 怒られる indicate unwanted obligation. Also, 毎日 supports the habitual past form ていた. Together, these clues strongly favor 歌わされていた.
問題２つぎの文の★に入る最もよいものを、1・2・3・4から一つ選びなさい。
姉は、私が __ __ ★ __ いた。
1. Answer Choice Analysis
Correct order: 3 → 2 → 1 → 4
Correct answer (★): 1
Completed sentence:
姉は、私が留守の間に届いた荷物を預かってくれていた。
English translation: My older sister had kindly received and kept a package that arrived while I was away.
3 → 2: 留守の + 間に
Grammar: Nの間に (during / while).
留守 means being away from home or absent. The expression 留守の間に means "while someone is away." Here, 私が establishes whose absence is being described.
私が留守の間に
This means "while I was away."
Why this order? 留守の modifies 間, forming the time expression 留守の間に. The particle の connects the noun 留守 to 間, while に indicates the time during which an event occurs. Reversing these fragments would destroy this grammatical relationship.
2 → 1: 間に + 届いた荷物を
Grammar: Time expression + relative clause + object marker を.
The verb 届いた is the past form of 届く (to arrive or be delivered). It directly modifies 荷物 (package), forming a relative clause.
留守の間に届いた荷物を
This means "the package that arrived while I was away." Notice that 間に specifies when the package arrived, rather than necessarily when the sister kept it.
Why this order? The time expression 留守の間に naturally precedes 届いた, which modifies 荷物. The particle を marks the entire noun phrase as the object of the following verb 預かる. Placing 届いた荷物を before 間に would not produce the intended relative-clause structure.
1 → 4: 届いた荷物を + 預かってくれて
Grammar: Nを預かる + てくれる + ている.
預かる means "to take care of," "to keep," or "to hold something for someone." It takes the particle を to mark the item being kept.
届いた荷物を預かってくれていた
The expression 預かってくれる indicates that someone keeps something as a favor for the speaker. The complete form 預かってくれていた combines this benefactive meaning with ていた, describing a past ongoing state or action.
Why this order? 届いた荷物を provides the direct object required by 預かる. The verb phrase 預かってくれて must follow this object and connect to the fixed ending いた. Together, 預かってくれていた expresses that the older sister was keeping the package for the speaker.
2. JLPT Strategy
In sentence-ordering questions, identify fixed grammatical combinations first. Here, 留守の間に forms a time expression, while 預かってくれて connects directly to the sentence ending いた. These two relationships establish much of the sentence structure.
Also pay attention to relative clauses: 届いた modifies 荷物, and 留守の間に tells you when the delivery happened. Recognizing this relationship helps you determine why 届いた荷物を must appear between the time expression and the final verb.
私は、医者に __ __ ★ __ お菓子を買わなくなった。
1. Answer Choice Analysis
Correct order: 4 → 1 → 3 → 2
Correct answer (★): 3
Completed sentence:
私は、医者に甘いものを食べるのを控えるように言われてからお菓子を買わなくなった。
English translation: Since my doctor told me to cut back on eating sweet things, I have stopped buying sweets.
4 → 1: 甘いものを + 食べるのを
Grammar: Nを + Vる + の (verb nominalization).
甘いもの means "sweet things," and the particle を marks it as the object of 食べる (to eat). The particle の after 食べる nominalizes the entire action, turning "eating sweet things" into a noun-like expression.
甘いものを食べるのを
This means "eating sweet things" as the object of another verb. The second を marks the nominalized action as the object of 控える, which appears later in the sentence.
Why this order? 甘いものを must precede 食べる because it identifies what is being eaten. The sequence 食べるのを then allows the entire action to become the object of 控える. The two を particles have different functions: the first marks what is eaten, while the second marks the activity being restricted.
1 → 3: 食べるのを + 控えるように
Grammar: Vるのを控える + ように.
The expression Vるのを控える means "to refrain from doing something" or "to reduce doing something." Here, 食べるのを控える means "to refrain from eating" or "to cut back on eating."
甘いものを食べるのを控えるように
The addition of ように prepares the expression to be connected to a verb of instruction or request. In this sentence, it introduces the behavior the doctor instructed the speaker to adopt.
Why this order? 食べるのを identifies the activity that should be restricted, so it must come before 控える. The expression 控えるように then introduces the content of the doctor's instruction. Reversing these fragments would break the intended object–verb relationship.
3 → 2: 控えるように + 言われてから
Grammar: Vるように言われる + てから.
The pattern Vるように言われる means "to be told to do something." It combines ように, which introduces the requested or instructed behavior, with the passive form 言われる (to be told).
医者に甘いものを食べるのを控えるように言われてから
This means "since being told by the doctor to cut back on eating sweet things."
The particle に after 医者 identifies the person who gave the instruction. The passive form 言われて indicates that the speaker received that instruction.
The expression てから means "after" and establishes a chronological relationship. The final clause, お菓子を買わなくなった, describes the subsequent change in the speaker's behavior.
Why this order? 控えるように must precede 言われて because it specifies what the speaker was told to do. The ending 言われてから then links the doctor's instruction to the subsequent change. The fragments cannot be reversed without disrupting the construction Vるように言われる.
2. JLPT Strategy
1. Recognize nested grammatical structures. This question combines three important patterns: Vるのを控える (refrain from doing something), Vるように言われる (be told to do something), and Vてから (after doing something). Identify these smaller units before arranging the fragments.
2. Use the fixed sentence ending. The phrase お菓子を買わなくなった means "stopped buying sweets." The pattern Vなくなる describes a change in behavior or state. This helps establish that the doctor's instruction came first and the behavioral change followed, making 言われてから the fragment that must connect directly to the final clause.
この絵は、上下を __ __ ★ __ そうだ。
1. Answer Choice Analysis
Correct order: 3 → 4 → 1 → 2
Correct answer (★): 1
Completed sentence:
この絵は、上下を逆にして初めて描かれているものが何なのか分かるそうだ。
English translation: Apparently, you can only tell what is depicted in this picture after turning it upside down.
3 → 4: 逆にして初めて + 描かれているものが
Grammar: Vて初めて (only after doing something / not until).
上下を逆にする means "to turn something upside down." The expression Vて初めて indicates that something becomes possible, understandable, or realized only after a particular action or experience.
上下を逆にして初めて描かれているものが
Here, turning the picture upside down is the necessary step before the viewer can recognize what is depicted. 描かれている is the passive progressive/resultative form of 描く (to draw or depict), and it modifies もの (thing). The particle が marks this noun phrase as the subject of the embedded question that follows.
Why this order? 逆にして初めて establishes the condition for recognizing the image. 描かれているものが then introduces what needs to be identified. Their sequence naturally connects the required action with the discovery that follows. The important grammatical dependency is that して初めて must precede the eventual realization, 分かる.
4 → 1: 描かれているものが + 何なのか
Grammar: Nが何なのか (what something is).
The structure 何なのか forms an embedded question meaning "what it is." It consists of 何 (what), な (the attributive form of the copula だ), の (explanatory nominalizer), and か (question marker).
描かれているものが何なのか
This means "what the depicted thing is" or "what is being depicted."
Notice that 描かれているものが identifies the subject of the embedded question, while 何なのか asks about its identity. The sentence is not simply asking whether something was drawn, but what the drawing represents.
Why this order? 描かれているものが must come before 何なのか in the intended construction because it introduces the thing whose identity is unknown. The expression 何なのか then completes the embedded question, which becomes the content of 分かる. Reversing the fragments would not preserve this intended clause structure.
1 → 2: 何なのか + 分かる
Grammar: Question word + か + 分かる (to know or understand an embedded question).
The verb 分かる can follow an embedded question ending in か to express understanding or discovering an answer.
描かれているものが何なのか分かる
This means "to understand what is depicted."
The expression 何なのか does not function as a direct question addressed to someone. Instead, it forms an indirect question embedded within the larger sentence.
The sentence ends with 分かるそうだ. Here, そうだ expresses reported information or hearsay, meaning "apparently" or "I heard that."
Why this order? 何なのか must precede 分かる because it specifies what becomes understandable. The fixed ending そうだ attaches to 分かる, producing 分かるそうだ. Placing 分かる before 何なのか would break the intended embedded-question construction and prevent the fragments from connecting correctly to the sentence ending.
2. JLPT Strategy
1. Recognize the pattern Vて初めて. This construction is a strong ordering clue. When you encounter 初めて after a verb in the て-form, look for a subsequent realization, discovery, or change. Here, 上下を逆にして初めて establishes that recognition becomes possible only after turning the picture upside down.
2. Identify embedded questions before arranging fragments. Expressions such as 何なのか, どうするか, and どこにあるか commonly precede verbs like 分かる, 知る, or 考える. Recognizing 何なのか分かる immediately establishes the final two fragments, helping you determine the correct position of ★ without translating every word.
この箱は、__ __ ★ __ 大きさです。
1. Answer Choice Analysis
Correct order: 1 → 3 → 2 → 4
Correct answer (★): 2
Completed sentence:
この箱は、本を入れるのにちょうどいい大きさです。
English translation: This box is just the right size for putting books in.
1 → 3: 本を + 入れる
Grammar: Nを + transitive verb.
本 means "book" or "books," and 入れる means "to put something inside." The particle を identifies 本 as the direct object of 入れる.
本を入れる
This means "to put books inside."
Why this order? 本を must precede 入れる because it specifies what is being placed inside the box. Together, these fragments form the verb phrase that will be nominalized by の in the following fragment.
3 → 2: 入れる + のに
Grammar: Vる + のに (for doing something / for the purpose of).
The structure Vるのに can describe the purpose or intended use for which something is suitable, necessary, or useful.
本を入れるのに
This means "for putting books inside."
Here, の nominalizes the action 入れる, while に connects that action to the following evaluation, ちょうどいい.
Important distinction: のに can also mean "although" or "even though," but that is not its function here. In this sentence, it expresses the activity for which the box is suitable.
Why this order? 入れる must directly precede のに to form the construction Vるのに. The phrase 本を入れるのに identifies the intended use of the box, making it possible to evaluate whether its size is appropriate.
2 → 4: のに + ちょうどいい
Grammar: Vるのにちょうどいい (just right for doing something).
The expression ちょうどいい means "just right," "exactly suitable," or "appropriate." When combined with Vるのに, it describes something that is well suited to a particular activity.
本を入れるのにちょうどいい大きさ
This means "a size that is just right for putting books inside."
Notice that ちょうどいい directly modifies 大きさ (size). The entire expression describes the suitability of the box's dimensions for holding books.
Why this order? のに introduces the activity being evaluated, and ちょうどいい expresses suitability for that activity. The phrase ちょうどいい must appear immediately before the fixed noun 大きさ because it modifies that noun. Therefore, のにちょうどいい大きさ completes the intended grammatical structure.
2. JLPT Strategy
1. Recognize the complete pattern Vるのにちょうどいい. This is a useful construction for describing suitability. Similar expressions include Vるのに便利 (convenient for doing something) and Vるのに必要 (necessary for doing something). Recognizing these combinations helps you arrange fragments without translating the entire sentence.
2. Work backward from the fixed ending. Since the sentence ends with 大きさです, look for the fragment that naturally modifies 大きさ. The phrase ちょうどいい大きさ is a natural combination meaning "just the right size." This places option 4 last. Then recognize 入れるのにちょうどいい, which establishes the order 3 → 2 → 4 and leaves 本を in the first position.
私は、友人から __ __ ★ __ 出かけた。
1. Answer Choice Analysis
Correct order: 1 → 3 → 2 → 4
Correct answer (★): 2
Completed sentence:
私は、友人から借りたままになっていた傘を返すために出かけた。
English translation: I went out to return an umbrella that I had borrowed from a friend and had kept without returning.
1 → 3: 借りたままに + なっていた
Grammar: Vたままになる (to remain in a state resulting from an action).
借りた is the past form of 借りる (to borrow). The pattern Vたまま indicates that a state continues without changing. When combined with になる, it expresses that something has ended up remaining in that state.
友人から借りたままになっていた
This means "had remained borrowed from a friend," implying that the speaker had not returned the borrowed item.
The form なっていた adds a past perspective, indicating that this situation had continued up to a point in the past.
Why this order? 借りたままに must directly precede なっていた to form 借りたままになっていた. The particle に connects the continuing state expressed by まま to なる. Reversing these fragments would break this construction.
3 → 2: なっていた + 傘を返す
Grammar: Relative clause + noun + を + verb.
Japanese relative clauses appear before the nouns they modify. Here, the entire expression 友人から借りたままになっていた describes 傘 (umbrella).
友人から借りたままになっていた傘を返す
This means "to return the umbrella that had remained borrowed from a friend."
The particle を marks 傘 as the direct object of 返す (to return something). The speaker is returning the umbrella, not the friend.
Why this order? なっていた completes the relative clause describing 傘, so it must appear before that noun. The fragment 傘を返す then introduces the action of returning the umbrella. In the intended sentence, placing 傘を返す before なっていた would prevent the descriptive clause from correctly modifying 傘.
2 → 4: 傘を返す + ために
Grammar: Vるために (in order to / for the purpose of).
The pattern Vるために expresses the purpose of an intentional action. It connects an intended goal to an action performed to achieve that goal.
傘を返すために出かけた
This means "went out in order to return the umbrella."
返す is in the dictionary form because it precedes ために. The final verb 出かけた describes the action performed to accomplish that purpose.
Why this order? 傘を返す must precede ために because it specifies the purpose of going out. The phrase ために then connects directly to the fixed ending 出かけた. Reversing the fragments would break the intended purpose construction.
2. JLPT Strategy
1. Identify complete grammatical patterns before arranging fragments. This question contains two particularly important constructions: Vたままになる (to remain in a particular state) and Vるために (in order to do something). Recognizing 借りたままになっていた and 返すために establishes the two main grammatical units.
2. Use the fixed ending and relative-clause structure. The sentence ends with 出かけた (went out), which naturally combines with a purpose expressed by ために. This places option 4 last. Then recognize that 借りたままになっていた modifies 傘, rather than being a separate main action. The complete structure is [description of the umbrella] + 傘を返すために + 出かけた.
問題３つぎの文章を読んで、文章全体の内容を考えて、ⒶからⒺの中に入る最もよいものを、1・2・3・4から一つ選びなさい。
途中で、犬が空っぽの建物の前で止まった。以前はパン屋だったそうだ。祖母は去年までそこで働いていたが、店が閉まったときに仕事を辞めた。つまり、そこは祖母が（Ⓑ）店だった。
入り口には看板もなく、パンのにおいもしない。（Ⓒ）、犬はドアの前に座り、誰かが出てくるのを待つように中を見ていた。しばらくすると立ち上がり、また歩き始めた。
家に帰ってその話をすると、祖母は「昔は夕方になると、おじいさんが犬と一緒に店まで来たのよ。私の仕事が終わるのを待って、三人で帰ったの」と話した。犬にとって、そこは散歩の途中で祖母と（Ⓓ）場所だったのだ。
犬が今も店の前に座る理由は、はっきりとは分からない。ただ、祖母の話を聞くと、犬は一緒に帰ったころのことを（Ⓔ）。次に散歩するときも、あの場所で少し待ってみようと思う。
Ⓐ
1. Question Intent
This question tests the distinction between ～たい and ～たがる when expressing desires, particularly when describing what another person or animal appears to want. It also requires recognizing how the grammatical form connects to the dog's observable behavior.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. たいので — Incorrect
～たい expresses the speaker's own desire, while ので introduces a reason. Although ～たい can sometimes describe another person's desire in appropriate contexts, it is not the natural choice here because the narrator is describing the dog's desire based on its behavior.
Trap: The sentence describes a desire, making ～たい seem appropriate, but the JLPT tests the distinction between expressing one's own feelings and observing someone else's feelings.
2. たがっていて — Correct
～たがる expresses another person's or animal's desire as inferred from observable behavior. The form ～たがっている indicates an ongoing manifestation of that desire, and ～て connects it to the following action.
祖母の犬が散歩に行き（Ⓐ）、玄関の前を何度も行ったり来たりしていた。
The dog repeatedly pacing in front of the entrance provides observable evidence that it wanted to go for a walk. The completed structure 散歩に行きたがっていて naturally describes this desire alongside the dog's behavior.
3. てほしくて — Incorrect
～てほしい expresses wanting someone else to perform an action. However, the dog wants to go for a walk itself, rather than wanting someone else to go for a walk.
Trap: Both ～たい and ～てほしい express desires, but ～てほしい focuses on an action the speaker wants another person to perform.
4. てもらいたくて — Incorrect
～てもらいたい expresses wanting to receive the benefit of someone else's action. In 散歩に行ってもらいたくて, the implied desire would be for someone else to go for a walk, rather than for the dog itself to go.
Trap: The later sentence mentions the narrator taking the dog for a walk, which might suggest receiving help. However, the blank describes the dog's own desire to go for a walk, not a request for someone else to perform that action.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Identify whose desire is being described. Use ～たい for one's own desires and ～たがっている when describing another person's or animal's desire through observable behavior.
- Check who performs the desired action. ～たい and ～たがる describe wanting to perform an action, while ～てほしい and ～てもらいたい involve wanting someone else to do something.
Ⓑ
1. Question Intent
This question tests reading comprehension and the ability to identify a past situation using contextual evidence. It also examines the meaning of かつて, which means "formerly" or "once," and distinguishes past employment from present or future employment.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. これから働く予定の — Incorrect
これから refers to the future, while 働く予定 means planning or being scheduled to work. However, the passage describes employment that has already ended.
店が閉まったときに仕事を辞めた。
Trap: This option describes a possible future employment situation, but the passage provides no evidence that the grandmother plans to work there again.
2. 働いたことがない — Incorrect
～たことがない expresses never having experienced an action. This option would mean that the grandmother had never worked at the shop.
祖母は去年までそこで働いていた
This directly contradicts the passage, which explicitly states that she worked there until last year.
Trap: Distinguish between no longer doing something and never having done it. Ending employment does not mean the employment never occurred.
3. かつて働いていた — Correct
かつて means "formerly," "once," or "in the past." Combined with 働いていた, it describes someone who previously worked somewhere but does not necessarily work there anymore.
祖母は去年までそこで働いていたが、店が閉まったときに仕事を辞めた。
The grandmother worked at the bakery until last year and quit when the shop closed. Therefore, かつて働いていた accurately summarizes her relationship with the shop.
4. 今も働き続けている — Incorrect
今も means "still" or "even now," and 働き続けている expresses continuing to work. Together, they indicate that the grandmother is still employed there.
店が閉まったときに仕事を辞めた。
The passage explicitly states that she quit her job when the shop closed, so her employment is no longer continuing.
Trap: The continuous form ～ている does not always describe a present action. In 働いていた, the past form indicates an ongoing situation in the past, whereas 働き続けている describes continuation into the present.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Pay attention to time expressions: かつて indicates the past, これから indicates the future, and 今も indicates continuation into the present. These expressions often determine whether an answer matches the passage.
- Look for explicit evidence before making inferences. The combination of 去年まで and 仕事を辞めた establishes that the grandmother's employment ended, eliminating options describing future work, no previous experience, or continued employment.
Ⓒ
1. Question Intent
This question tests the ability to select an appropriate Japanese conjunction based on the logical relationship between two statements. The key is recognizing a contrast between an expected situation and an unexpected behavior: the bakery is closed and shows no signs of activity, yet the dog continues to behave as though someone might come out.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. そのため — Incorrect
そのため means "therefore" or "for that reason." It introduces a result that logically follows from the preceding information.
入り口には看板もなく、パンのにおいもしない。
The absence of a sign and the smell of bread does not logically explain why the dog sits in front of the door waiting for someone.
Trap: The two sentences are related, but a relationship between events does not necessarily indicate cause and effect.
2. それなのに — Correct
それなのに means "and yet," "nevertheless," or "despite that." It introduces a situation that contradicts what would normally be expected from the preceding information.
入り口には看板もなく、パンのにおいもしない。（Ⓒ）、犬はドアの前に座り、誰かが出てくるのを待つように中を見ていた。
The bakery no longer has a sign or the smell of bread, suggesting that it is no longer operating. Nevertheless, the dog sits in front of the door and looks inside as though waiting for someone to appear. This unexpected behavior creates the contrast required by それなのに.
3. 例えば — Incorrect
例えば means "for example" and introduces a specific example illustrating a preceding general statement.
The dog's behavior is not an example of the bakery having no sign or smell of bread. Instead, it introduces an unexpected contrast with the bakery's current condition.
Trap: Although the following sentence provides additional information about the scene, adding information is not the same as giving an example.
4. それなら — Incorrect
それなら means "if that's the case" or "in that case." It introduces a conclusion, suggestion, or response based on the preceding situation.
The dog's behavior is not presented as a decision or logical response to the bakery being closed. The narrator emphasizes that the dog continues waiting despite the lack of signs of activity.
Trap: それなら can connect related situations, but it normally requires the following statement to be a reasonable response to the previous information, rather than a surprising contradiction.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Determine the logical relationship before looking at the options. Ask whether the second statement expresses a result (そのため), a contrast (それなのに), an example (例えば), or a response to a condition (それなら).
- Watch for contradictions between expectations and actual behavior. When the first sentence suggests something should not happen, but the next sentence describes it happening anyway, a contrastive conjunction such as それなのに is often appropriate.
Ⓓ
1. Question Intent
This question tests reading comprehension, particularly the ability to identify the chronological order of events and understand the relationship between actions. The reader must determine what the dog used to do at the bakery and what happened afterward, based on the grandmother's explanation.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. 会ってから家に帰る — Correct
会ってから means "after meeting," while 家に帰る means "return home." The grammatical pattern Vてから establishes that one action happens before another.
私の仕事が終わるのを待って、三人で帰ったの
The grandfather and the dog would come to the bakery, wait for the grandmother to finish working, and then return home together. Therefore, the bakery was a place where the dog would meet the grandmother before going home.
2. 別れるために家を出る — Incorrect
別れるために means "in order to separate" or "in order to say goodbye," while 家を出る means "leave home." The pattern Vるために expresses the purpose of an action.
However, the dog and grandfather went to the bakery to meet the grandmother, not to separate from her.
おじいさんが犬と一緒に店まで来たのよ。
Trap: The option contains actions involving leaving and separation, but it incorrectly describes the purpose of the trip and the relationship between the people involved.
3. 家に帰ってから会う — Incorrect
家に帰ってから会う means meeting someone after returning home. This reverses the sequence described in the passage.
私の仕事が終わるのを待って、三人で帰ったの
The dog met the grandmother at the bakery before they returned home together, not after arriving home.
Trap: This option contains the same essential actions as the correct answer, but てから establishes the opposite chronological order.
4. 別れてから家に帰る — Incorrect
別れてから means "after separating" or "after saying goodbye." This option suggests that the dog separated from the grandmother before returning home.
三人で帰ったの
The phrase 三人で indicates that the grandmother, grandfather, and dog returned home together. There is no indication that they separated before going home.
Trap: This option preserves the idea of returning home afterward but replaces meeting with separating, contradicting the shared return described in the passage.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Reconstruct the timeline: 店まで来た → 仕事が終わるのを待った → 三人で帰った. Identifying the sequence makes it easier to distinguish answers that reverse the order of actions.
- Pay attention to particles and grammatical connectors. In 三人で帰った, で indicates that the three returned together, while Vてから specifies that one action occurs before another. These details help eliminate options involving separation or an incorrect sequence.
Ⓔ
1. Question Intent
This question tests the ability to distinguish between uncertain speculation, strong assumptions, obligation, and desire. The reader must recognize that the narrator is considering a possible explanation for the dog's behavior without claiming to know the actual reason.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. 覚えているのかもしれない — Correct
～かもしれない means "might" or "perhaps" and expresses uncertainty about a possibility. The phrase 覚えているのかもしれない suggests that the dog might still remember something from the past.
犬が今も店の前に座る理由は、はっきりとは分からない。
The narrator explicitly admits not knowing why the dog still sits in front of the bakery. However, after hearing the grandmother's story, the narrator considers the possibility that the dog remembers the times when they returned home together. This makes ～かもしれない the most appropriate expression.
2. 覚えているはずがない — Incorrect
～はずがない expresses a strong conviction that something cannot be true or is not expected to be possible. Here, it would mean that there is no way the dog remembers those experiences.
The passage does not provide evidence supporting such a strong negative conclusion. Instead, the narrator considers the dog's memories as a possible explanation.
Trap: Both ～かもしれない and ～はずがない concern situations that are not directly confirmed, but they express very different degrees of certainty. ～かもしれない leaves a possibility open, whereas ～はずがない strongly rejects it.
3. 覚えておかなければならない — Incorrect
～ておく indicates doing something in preparation for a future situation or maintaining a resulting state. Combined with ～なければならない, it expresses an obligation or necessity. This option would suggest that the dog must remember those past experiences.
However, the narrator is trying to understand the dog's behavior, not describing something the dog is required to remember.
Trap: ～なければならない expresses necessity, not uncertainty. The passage provides no obligation or requirement concerning the dog's memories.
4. 覚えておいてほしい — Incorrect
～ておいてほしい expresses wanting someone to do something in advance or maintain a particular state. In this context, it would indicate that the narrator wants the dog to keep those memories.
Although this sentiment might be emotionally compatible with the story, the passage focuses on the narrator's interpretation of the dog's behavior rather than expressing a wish.
ただ、祖母の話を聞くと、犬は一緒に帰ったころのことを（Ⓔ）。
Trap: An emotionally plausible interpretation is not necessarily the intended meaning. The question requires an expression of speculation, not a personal desire.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Identify the narrator's degree of certainty. Expressions such as はっきりとは分からない indicate that the speaker lacks definite knowledge. This strongly supports an uncertain expression such as ～かもしれない rather than ～はずがない.
- Distinguish speculation from obligation and desire. ～かもしれない expresses possibility, ～はずがない expresses strong negative conviction, ～なければならない expresses necessity, and ～てほしい expresses a wish. Determine the communicative function before selecting the answer.
問題４つぎの文章を読んで、質問に答えなさい。答えは、1・2・3・4から最もよいものを一つ選びなさい。
多くの人が友人より「私」に道を聞いたのは、なぜだと筆者は考えていますか。
1. Question Intent
This reading comprehension question tests the ability to identify the author's explanation for why people approached one volunteer rather than another. The key is to distinguish between actual knowledge or preparation and visible signs that communicate someone's role. The answer requires connecting the comparison between the author and the friend with the conclusion in the final sentence.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. Incorrect
This option suggests that people believed the author had participated in the marathon before and knew the route well.
私は大会に出た経験もなく、道を聞かれて答えられるか心配だったので
The author explicitly states that they had never participated in the event and were worried about answering questions. The passage provides no evidence that people assumed the author had previous marathon experience.
Trap: This option uses the relevant idea of knowing the route but introduces previous participation, which directly contradicts the passage.
2. Incorrect
This option claims that the friend approached people first and introduced them to the author.
隣には、私よりこの町に詳しい友人もいたが、普通の服を着ていた友人に聞く人は少なかった。
The passage only explains that the friend was more familiar with the town but received fewer questions. It never mentions the friend introducing people or directing them to the author.
Trap: The friend's presence is explicitly mentioned, but this option invents an action that is not described.
3. Correct
This option correctly identifies the volunteer's designated jacket as the reason people recognized the author as someone responsible for giving directions.
係の人は全員、黄色い上着を着ることになっていた。
黄色い上着は、誰が案内をする人なのかを、言葉を使わずに伝えていたのだ。
The first sentence establishes that all staff members were required to wear yellow jackets. The final sentence explains that the jackets communicated who was responsible for providing directions without requiring verbal explanation. Therefore, people approached the author because the jacket made their role immediately recognizable.
The phrase 案内係だと分かった accurately expresses the author's conclusion that people could identify the designated guide.
4. Incorrect
This option suggests that people recognized the author's knowledge because they had repeatedly studied the map.
担当する場所の地図を何度も見た。
Although the author did study the map repeatedly, this was preparation motivated by anxiety. The passage does not indicate that visitors witnessed this preparation or knew about it.
Trap: This is a particularly plausible distractor because it uses a genuine detail from the passage. However, it incorrectly turns private preparation into information supposedly visible to other people.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Pay attention to explanatory endings: The expression 〜のだ in 「黄色い上着は、誰が案内をする人なのかを、言葉を使わずに伝えていたのだ。」 emphasizes the author's explanation or realization. Such sentences frequently contain the information needed for questions asking なぜ or どうして.
- Separate facts from the author's conclusion: The map preparation and the friend's greater familiarity are factual details, but neither explains why visitors approached the author. Focus on the contrast between 黄色い上着 and 普通の服, then connect it to the final explanation.
届いたノートの数と支払いについて、文章に合っているものはどれですか。
1. Question Intent
This reading comprehension question tests the ability to combine information about delivery status and payment status. The reader must distinguish between the number of notebooks ordered, the number already delivered, and the amount already paid. The main challenge is recognizing that separate deliveries and separate payment statements do not necessarily mean separate payments.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. Incorrect
This option correctly states that the remaining ten notebooks will arrive later, but incorrectly claims that payment for them will be made after delivery.
もう一つの荷物は明日届く予定だ。
支払いは注文時に二十冊分まとめて済んでいるという。
The second quotation confirms that payment for all twenty notebooks was completed at the time of ordering.
Trap: The delivery information is correct, making this option plausible. However, it introduces a future payment that contradicts まとめて済んでいる, meaning the entire payment has already been completed together.
2. Incorrect
This option claims that only ten notebooks were ordered and that payment was completed for only those ten.
会社で使うノートを二十冊注文した。
The opening sentence explicitly establishes that twenty notebooks were ordered. Receiving only ten notebooks in the first package does not change the original order quantity.
Trap: This option confuses the quantity delivered with the quantity ordered.
3. Incorrect
This option correctly recognizes that payment was made for twenty notebooks but incorrectly states that the order contained only ten.
会社で使うノートを二十冊注文した。
一部の商品を別の倉庫そうこから送るため、荷物が二つに分かれるとあった。
The order was for twenty notebooks, but the shipment was divided into two packages because some items were being sent from another warehouse. The smaller first delivery does not indicate an ordering error.
Trap: This option combines the correct payment amount with an incorrect order quantity. JLPT questions often test whether readers can identify an option containing one accurate detail and one false detail.
4. Correct
This option accurately combines both essential facts: the remaining ten notebooks are scheduled to arrive later, and payment for them has already been completed.
もう一つの荷物は明日届く予定だ。
支払いは注文時に二十冊分まとめて済んでいるという。
Since twenty notebooks were ordered and only ten arrived in the first package, the remaining ten are expected in the second package. The text also explicitly confirms that all twenty notebooks were paid for when the order was placed.
The expression すでに払っている in this option corresponds to 支払いは注文時に二十冊分まとめて済んでいる in the passage. Both indicate that the payment has already been completed.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Track quantities and their corresponding actions: Identify the difference between 二十冊注文した (ordered twenty), 十冊しか入っていなかった (only ten were included), and 二十冊分まとめて済んでいる (payment for all twenty was completed). Keeping these facts separate prevents confusion between orders, deliveries, and payments.
- Watch for contrasting information introduced by が: In 「二つの箱には、それぞれに入っている商品の代金を記した紙が入るが、支払いは注文時に二十冊分まとめて済んでいる」, the contrast clarifies that although each package contains its own price statement, payment was already completed for the entire order. The information after が is essential for eliminating option 1.
「私」たちが待つことにしたのは、なぜですか。
1. Question Intent
This reading comprehension question tests the ability to identify why the characters decided to wait despite available seats. The reader must combine information about table capacity, seating restrictions, and the group's purpose. The key distinction is between having enough individual seats available and being able to sit together at the same table.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. Incorrect
This option suggests that the staff were clearing the passage so that two tables could be joined together.
通路が狭いため、テーブルを動かしてつなげることはできない。
The passage explicitly states that the tables cannot be moved and joined because the aisle is narrow. There is no indication that the staff were clearing the passage or preparing to rearrange the furniture.
Trap: Joining two smaller tables might seem like a reasonable solution for three people, but the passage specifically rules out this possibility with つなげることはできない.
2. Incorrect
This option claims that four-person tables were available, but the group preferred seats near the entrance.
四人用のテーブルは、どれも客が使っていた。
All four-person tables were occupied. The group did not have a choice between different available locations, and the passage never states a preference for sitting near the entrance.
Trap: The passage mentions the entrance in 「入口で待つことにした」, but this describes where they decided to wait, not where they wanted to sit.
3. Correct
This option correctly identifies both the group's intention and the seating problem: they wanted to sit together, but none of the available tables could accommodate all three people.
二人用のテーブルが二つ空いていたので、すぐ座れると思った。
私たちは旅行の相談をするために集まったので、別々に座るのは困る。
Two tables for two people were available, providing enough seats in total. However, each table could accommodate only two people, and the tables could not be joined. Because the three friends had gathered to discuss their trip, sitting separately would defeat their purpose.
The expression 三人で一緒に座りたかった reflects their need to stay together, while 空いているテーブルでは無理だった summarizes the seating restriction.
4. Incorrect
This option claims that the available seats were reserved and that there were not enough seats for three people.
二人用のテーブルが二つ空いていたので、すぐ座れると思った。
The passage indicates that two two-person tables were empty, meaning four individual seats were available. No reservations are mentioned. The problem was not the total number of seats but the inability to accommodate all three people at one table.
Trap: This option confuses insufficient seating capacity at one table with an insufficient total number of seats. It also introduces an unsupported reservation condition.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Distinguish total capacity from practical availability: Two empty tables for two people provide four seats, but they do not necessarily provide a suitable place for a group of three. The restriction 「テーブルを動かしてつなげることはできない」 is essential for understanding why the available seats could not solve the problem.
- Connect reasons across multiple sentences: The expression 〜ために in 「旅行の相談をするために集まった」 explains the group's purpose, while 〜ので in 「別々に座るのは困る」 introduces the consequence of that purpose. Together, these details explain their decision to wait. In JLPT reading questions, the correct answer often summarizes a causal relationship rather than repeating one sentence directly.
このお知らせでは、聞いている人に何を送ってほしいと言っていますか。
1. Question Intent
This reading comprehension question tests the ability to identify what listeners are being asked to submit in a radio program announcement. The reader must distinguish between the program's planned content and the specific action requested from the audience. The key is recognizing who the questions are intended for and what listeners should send.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. Incorrect
This option suggests that listeners should submit the name of another shop they would like the program to introduce.
来月は、駅前で長年花屋を続けている森もりさんを紹介します。
The announcement already identifies the person who will be featured in next month's program. It does not request recommendations for other shops or future guests.
Trap: The program introduces people working in the town, so suggesting another shop might seem relevant to its general theme. However, the announcement specifically requests questions for the already selected guest.
2. Incorrect
This option claims that listeners are being asked to share their own experiences working at a flower shop.
番組では、仕事を始めたころの話や、花を選ぶときのポイントなどを聞く予定です。
The program plans to ask the guest about their early working experiences and advice on choosing flowers. These are topics for the interview, not personal experiences that listeners must submit.
Trap: This option uses the theme of working at a flower shop but incorrectly changes whose experiences the program wants to discuss.
3. Incorrect
This option suggests that listeners should send their impressions of flowers previously introduced by the guest.
花を選ぶときのポイントなどを聞く予定です。
The program plans to discuss how to choose flowers, but there is no indication that the guest has already introduced specific flowers or that listeners should submit opinions about them.
Trap: This option uses the relevant topic of flowers but introduces a previous introduction and a request for feedback, neither of which appears in the announcement.
4. Correct
This option accurately identifies the requested submission: questions that listeners would like the flower shop owner to answer.
森もりさんに聞いてみたいことがある方は、今月二十日までにメールをお送りください。
番組で取り上げる質問は、担当者が選びます。
The announcement explicitly invites people who have something they would like to ask the guest to send an email by the twentieth of the current month. The staff will then select which questions to include in the program.
The phrase 答えてほしい質問 in this option is a natural paraphrase of 聞いてみたいこと in the announcement. Both refer to questions that listeners want the guest to answer.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Identify the requested action: In announcements, expressions such as 〜方は、〜ください often introduce instructions for the audience. Here, 「森もりさんに聞いてみたいことがある方は、今月二十日までにメールをお送りください」 directly explains who should send an email and what it should contain.
- Recognize paraphrased expressions: JLPT reading questions often replace expressions from the passage with equivalent wording. Here, 聞いてみたいこと corresponds to 答えてほしい質問. Recognizing this relationship is more important than searching for identical words in the answer choices.
問題５つぎの文章を読んで、質問に答えなさい。答えは、1・2・3・4から最もよいものを一つ選びなさい。
砂の上には、ペットボトルや袋のほかに、木の枝や海から流れてきた草もあった。同僚が大きな枝を運ぼうとすると、係の人が「それはここに残してください」と声をかけた。小さな生き物がその下に隠れていることがあるという。ただし、人が通る道に落ちている枝は危ないので、道の外へ動かしてほしいと言われた。
しばらくすると、砂の中に細かく割れたプラスチックがたくさん見つかった。一つずつ拾うのは時間がかかり、袋はなかなかいっぱいにならなかった。隣のグループは大きなごみを次々に集めていた。同僚は自分たちの袋を見て、「今日はあまり役に立っていないように見えるね」と笑ったが、私たちはその場所で作業を続けた。
最後に、係の人は各グループの袋の重さを記録した。私たちの袋は最も軽かった。ところが、拾った物を見せると、係の人は「こういう小さな物は、鳥が食べてしまうこともあるんです」と言った。記録は次の清掃の準備に使うそうで、グループの順位は発表されなかった。帰りに砂の上を見ると、来たときには気づかなかった小さな穴のそばを、虫が歩いていた。
袋にグループの名前を書くように言われたのは、何のためですか。
1. Question Intent
This reading comprehension question tests your ability to identify the purpose of an instruction. You must understand why participants were asked to write their group names on the garbage bags and connect that instruction to information provided later in the passage.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. Correct
The group names were needed to record the weight of the garbage collected by each group.
集めたごみの重さを最後に量るので、袋には参加したグループの名前を書くように言われた。
The structure ～ので expresses a reason. Since the collected garbage would be weighed at the end, participants were instructed to label their bags with their group names. This allowed the organizers to associate each recorded weight with the corresponding group.
The final paragraph confirms this procedure:
最後に、係の人は各グループの袋の重さを記録した。
2. Incorrect
The passage does not say that individual participants' names would be announced. Participants were instructed to write their group names, not the names of everyone participating.
袋には参加したグループの名前を書くように言われた。
Trap: This option takes advantage of the mention of 名前 but changes whose names were required and invents a public announcement. The passage also explicitly states that group rankings were not announced.
3. Incorrect
Although the passage mentions preparations for the next cleanup, it does not say that the same bags would be distributed again.
記録は次の清掃の準備に使うそうで、グループの順位は発表されなかった。
The information used for future preparations was the recorded data, not the bags themselves.
Trap: This option connects the correct idea of future preparation with an unsupported detail about reusing bags.
4. Incorrect
Group names were not written to determine which area each group would clean. The passage describes the narrator's group heading toward a quieter part of the beach, but does not establish any relationship between labeling the bags and assigning cleanup locations.
私は会社の同僚三人と同じグループになり、人があまり歩いていない海岸の端へ向かった。
Trap: This option uses a genuine detail about groups working in different areas but incorrectly presents it as the purpose of writing names on the bags.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Recognize purpose and reason expressions: When a question contains 何のためですか, look for expressions such as ～ために, ～ので, and ～から. Here, 量るので directly explains why the group names were required.
- Separate stated purposes from related details: Distractors often reuse information from the passage, such as future preparations or cleanup locations, while changing the relationship between events. Identify the instruction first, then locate the reason directly connected to it.
係の人の説明によると、木の枝はどのように扱えばよいですか。
1. Question Intent
This reading comprehension question tests your ability to understand instructions and exceptions. You must identify how tree branches should be handled during the beach cleanup, distinguishing the general rule from the special condition involving pedestrian safety.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. Correct
Branches on the sand should generally be left where they are, but branches that create a danger on walking paths should be moved off the path.
それはここに残してください
The organizer explains that small creatures may hide beneath branches, so removing them unnecessarily could disturb their habitat.
ただし、人が通る道に落ちている枝は危ないので、道の外へ動かしてほしいと言われた。
The key expression is ただし (however, with the following exception). It introduces a specific exception to the general instruction. The phrase 道の外へ動かす means moving something off the path, not collecting or disposing of it.
2. Incorrect
The organizer never instructs participants to gather branches on walking paths or transport them after people have passed.
In fact, the instruction is the opposite: branches lying on paths should be moved away because they are dangerous.
Trap: This option uses the idea of walking paths but reverses the instruction and introduces an unsupported sequence of actions.
3. Incorrect
The passage explains that small creatures sometimes hide beneath branches, but it does not instruct participants to move branches containing creatures or place all other branches into bags.
小さな生き物がその下に隠れていることがあるという。
The expression ことがある indicates that something sometimes happens. The possibility of creatures hiding underneath is precisely why branches should generally remain undisturbed.
Trap: This option turns the reason for leaving branches alone into a reason for moving them, while adding an unsupported instruction about collecting the remaining branches.
4. Incorrect
The instructions do not distinguish branches according to their size. Although a coworker tries to carry a large branch, the organizer specifically tells them to leave it where it is.
同僚が大きな枝を運ぼうとすると、係の人が「それはここに残してください」と声をかけた。
Trap: The passage mentions a large branch, which might suggest that branch size determines how it should be handled. However, the actual distinction concerns location and safety, not size.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Pay attention to exception markers: Words such as ただし, しかし, and 一方 can signal important changes or qualifications. Here, ただし introduces the exception that branches on walking paths must be moved.
- Identify the actual decision criterion: When answer choices contrast different conditions, determine which condition the passage uses. In this question, the deciding factor is whether a branch creates a safety hazard, not its size or whether creatures are visibly present.
同僚の「今日はあまり役に立っていないように見えるね」という言葉と、その後の係の人の説明から、何が分かりますか。
1. Question Intent
This reading comprehension question tests your ability to infer the significance of an activity by connecting two different perspectives. You must understand why the coworker initially felt that their work seemed unproductive and how the organizer's later explanation changes that impression.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. Incorrect
The passage does not state that groups collecting less garbage must clean larger areas during the next activity.
記録は次の清掃せいそうの準備に使うそうで、グループの順位は発表されなかった。
Although the records will be used to prepare for the next cleanup, no specific decisions about assigning larger areas are mentioned.
Trap: This option combines two genuine details—the group's small collection and future preparations—but invents a consequence that the passage does not support.
2. Correct
The group's work could benefit living creatures even though its value was not reflected in the weight of the collected garbage.
一つずつ拾うのは時間がかかり、袋はなかなかいっぱいにならなかった。
Collecting tiny plastic fragments was time-consuming, so the group's bag remained relatively empty. This explains the coworker's impression:
今日はあまり役に立っていないように見えるね
The expression ように見える indicates how something appears, rather than establishing that the impression is correct.
Later, the organizer provides an important explanation:
こういう小さな物は、鳥が食べてしまうこともあるんです
The organizer explains that birds sometimes swallow small pieces of garbage. Therefore, removing these fragments can help protect wildlife, even when the collected material weighs very little. The passage contrasts visible results measured by weight with environmental value that weight alone cannot represent.
3. Incorrect
The passage does mention that the group left branches on the beach, but it does not identify this as the reason their bag was the lightest.
それはここに残してください
The organizer specifically instructed participants to leave branches in place because small creatures might be hiding underneath them. These branches were not supposed to be collected with the garbage.
Trap: This option creates a causal relationship between two real details: leaving branches behind and having a light bag. However, the passage attributes the group's slow collection to the difficulty of picking up numerous tiny plastic fragments.
4. Incorrect
The passage does not suggest that collecting large garbage is more beneficial to wildlife than collecting small garbage.
こういう小さな物は、鳥が食べてしまうこともあるんです
On the contrary, the organizer emphasizes the potential danger of small plastic fragments to birds. The passage does not establish a general ranking between collecting large and small garbage.
Trap: The neighboring group collected larger garbage more quickly, making their progress appear more impressive. However, the central message is that the quantity or weight collected does not necessarily reflect the environmental importance of the work.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Distinguish appearance from reality: Expressions such as ように見える indicate a subjective impression. When a passage later introduces contrasting information with words such as ところが, check whether the original impression is being challenged.
- Connect evidence across paragraphs: In inference questions, the answer may not appear explicitly in a single sentence. Here, you must combine the group's light bag, the difficulty of collecting small fragments, and the organizer's explanation about birds to understand the broader meaning.
先日、ある子が同じピースを何度も回し、違う場所に置いていた。隣にいた父親は、どこに入るか教えようとした。しかし、その子は箱の絵とピースを見比べながら、「ここかな。こっちかな」と話していた。私は父親に、もう少し見ていようと伝えた。手は止まっていなかったし、試す場所も少しずつ変わっていたからだ。
一方、別の子は途中でピースを机に置き、下を向いていた。私が「続けたい？」と聞くと、うなずいたが、自分では動き始めなかった。そこで、使えそうな二つのピースを近くに置いた。どちらを選ぶかはその子に任せると、やがて一つを取り、また作業を始めた。完成させてあげなくても、再び取り組める場合がある。
ただ、大人が何も言わずに離れてしまうと、子どもは見てもらえていないと感じることもある。私は、待っている間もそばにいて、子どもに話しかけられたら答えるようにしている。完成したときには、速さだけでなく、「さっき、向きを変えて試していたね」など、途中でしていたことも話す。どの場面で何をするかを考えるには、出来上がった物だけを見ていては足りない。
教室では、初めて来た子に何を渡していますか。
1. Question Intent
This reading comprehension question tests your ability to locate explicit information in the passage. You must identify which puzzle the classroom gives to children attending for the first time. The key is to recognize the relationship between 初めて来た子 (first-time attendees) and the object introduced by 渡している (gives).
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. 大人と一緒でなければできないパズル。 — Incorrect
This option describes a puzzle that children cannot complete without an adult. However, the passage does not establish that adult assistance is required. Instead, the teacher evaluates whether and when a child needs help.
Trap: The passage frequently discusses adults helping children, but this does not mean the puzzles require adult participation.
2. 十二個のピースでできたパズル。 — Correct
教室では、初めて来た子には、まず十二個のピースでできたパズルを渡している。
The passage explicitly states that first-time attendees receive a puzzle consisting of twelve pieces. The expression 十二個のピースでできた describes what the puzzle is made of, while 渡している identifies the classroom's regular practice of giving it to new children.
The question directly asks about this practice, making this option the only answer fully supported by the text.
3. 本人が家から持ってきたパズル。 — Incorrect
This option suggests that children bring their own puzzles from home. The passage instead states that the classroom provides a twelve-piece puzzle to first-time attendees.
Trap: The passage mentions children receiving and working with puzzles, but nowhere indicates that they bring puzzles from home.
4. 以前来た子が完成させたパズル。 — Incorrect
This option refers to puzzles previously completed by other children. Although the passage discusses completed puzzles, it never states that these are given to new attendees.
Trap: The passage includes references to completing puzzles, but this information concerns the learning process, not the origin of the puzzles distributed to new children.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Locate matching expressions: The question contains 初めて来た子, which appears directly in the first paragraph. Find that expression and identify the object connected to 渡している.
- Pay attention to noun modifiers: In 十二個のピースでできたパズル, the entire phrase before パズル describes the puzzle. Recognizing this structure allows you to identify the answer quickly without analyzing the entire passage.
筆者が父親に、もう少し見ていようと伝えたのは、なぜですか。
1. Question Intent
This reading comprehension question tests your ability to infer the author's reason for asking the father to wait instead of helping his child immediately. The key is to understand what the child's actions reveal about their problem-solving process, even though the puzzle is not yet complete.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. 完成してはいなくても、子どもは自分で方法を探していたから。 — Correct
手は止まっていなかったし、試す場所も少しずつ変わっていたからだ。
The child was still actively experimenting with the puzzle, changing the position of pieces and trying different possibilities. Although the puzzle remained unfinished, the child was making independent progress.
The expression 完成してはいなくても means "even though it was not completed," emphasizing that completion is not the only indicator of progress. The author wanted the father to wait because the child was still exploring solutions independently.
2. 同じ場所で試し続ければ、自然に正しい向きになると考えたから。 — Incorrect
試す場所も少しずつ変わっていたからだ。
This option suggests that repeatedly trying the same position would eventually produce the correct orientation. However, the passage specifically states that the child was changing the places being tested, rather than repeatedly trying one location.
Trap: The passage mentions 同じピースを何度も回し, which could suggest repetition. However, the child repeatedly rotated the same piece while also experimenting with different positions. The distinction between 同じピース and 同じ場所 is essential.
3. 子どもが父親に手伝ってほしいと言うのを待っていたから。 — Incorrect
私は父親に、もう少し見ていようと伝えた。
The author asked the father to continue observing because the child was actively working on the puzzle, not because the author was waiting for a request for help.
Trap: The broader passage discusses responding to children when they need assistance, but this particular child had not asked the father for help. Do not confuse the author's general teaching approach with the specific reason given in this situation.
4. 子どもは答えを知っていて、父親に説明しようとしていたから。 — Incorrect
「ここかな。こっちかな」と話していた。
The child's words express uncertainty and exploration, not knowledge of the correct answer. The child was considering different possibilities rather than attempting to explain a known solution to the father.
Trap: The child was speaking while examining the pieces, but speaking does not necessarily mean explaining something to another person. The repeated かな indicates uncertainty, making this option inconsistent with the passage.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Identify explicit reasoning markers: When a question asks なぜ, look for explanations ending in から or からだ. Here, the sentence ending in からだ directly explains the author's decision. Understanding this sentence is sufficient to identify the correct answer.
- Distinguish actions from interpretations: The passage describes observable actions, such as rotating pieces and changing positions. The correct answer summarizes these actions as independent problem-solving. JLPT reading questions often require connecting concrete behavior to a broader interpretation without adding unsupported assumptions.
二人の子どもへの対応と最後の段落を合わせて考えると、筆者が大人の関わり方で大切にしていることは何ですか。
1. Question Intent
This reading comprehension question tests your ability to synthesize information from multiple paragraphs and identify the author's overall teaching philosophy. You must compare how the author responds to two children in different situations and connect those examples to the final paragraph. The key is to understand that appropriate adult involvement depends on the child's behavior, not simply on how quickly the puzzle is completed.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. 完成までの時間を目安に助ける量を決め、最後に試した方法を一緒に振り返ること。 — Incorrect
手伝うかどうかは、完成までの時間だけでは決められないと思っている。
The author explicitly states that the decision to help cannot be based solely on completion time. Instead, the author observes how each child approaches the task. Although discussing the child's attempts afterward is consistent with the final paragraph, using completion time as the main criterion contradicts the author's approach.
Trap: The second part resembles the author's practice of discussing the child's efforts after completion. However, a partially correct option becomes incorrect when another part contradicts the passage. Pay particular attention to the phrase 完成までの時間を目安に.
2. 子どもが選べるように助けた後は、その場を離れて一人で完成するのを待つこと。 — Incorrect
私は、待っている間もそばにいて、子どもに話しかけられたら答えるようにしている。
In the second example, the author helps the child restart by offering two possible pieces and allowing the child to choose independently. However, the final paragraph emphasizes remaining nearby and responding when the child speaks, rather than leaving the child alone.
Trap: The first part accurately describes the author's assistance to the second child, but その場を離れて directly contradicts the final paragraph. Independence does not mean leaving the child without adult support.
3. 途中の工夫を見守り、手が止まったときには大人が残りを完成させること。 — Incorrect
そこで、使えそうな二つのピースを近くに置いた。
完成させてあげなくても、再び取り組める場合がある。
The author values observing children's attempts and recognizing their problem-solving efforts. However, when the second child stops working, the author does not finish the puzzle. Instead, the author provides limited assistance that allows the child to resume independently.
Trap: The first part correctly describes the importance of observing the child's efforts, but the second part introduces an unsupported action. The distinction between helping a child continue and completing the task for them is central to the passage.
4. 取り組む様子から助けが必要かを考え、待つ間も子どもとのやり取りを続けること。 — Correct
難しいものに進むかどうかは、その後の様子を見て考える。
私は、待っている間もそばにいて、子どもに話しかけられたら答えるようにしている。
This option accurately combines the author's approach across the passage. With the first child, the author recommends waiting because the child is still experimenting independently. With the second child, the author provides limited assistance because the child wants to continue but cannot restart alone.
The final paragraph adds that adults should remain nearby and maintain communication rather than silently leaving children on their own. The expression 取り組む様子から emphasizes evaluating how the child is approaching the activity, while やり取りを続ける reflects the importance of staying available and responsive.
Therefore, the author's central principle is to adjust assistance to the child's actual needs while maintaining supportive involvement.
3. JLPT Strategy
- Connect examples to the main principle: When a question includes expressions such as 合わせて考えると, you must combine information from different parts of the passage. Here, the two children receive different kinds of assistance, but both examples demonstrate the same principle: observe first and intervene according to the child's needs.
- Eliminate answers containing contradictory details: All three incorrect options include elements that resemble the passage. However, 完成までの時間を目安に, その場を離れて, and 大人が残りを完成させる each conflict with the author's stated approach. Checking every component of an answer choice is especially important in JLPT questions that ask for the author's overall viewpoint.
問題６つぎの文章を読んで、質問に答えなさい。答えは、1・2・3・4から最もよいものを一つ選びなさい。
二週間後、Ａは六センチ、Ｂは三センチ伸びていた。部長は「毎日水をやったほうがよく育った、と発表できそうだね」と言った。しかし、記録を読み直すと、Ａは窓のそば、Ｂは本棚の横に置かれていた。活動の初日に机を使うため、Ｂだけを移動させ、そのままになっていたのだ。水をやる回数と、光が当たる時間の両方が違っていたことになる。
また、記録には高さが書かれていない日が二日あった。その日の当番は学校を休んでいた。別の部員が「前の日と同じ数字を入れれば、表が完成する」と言ったが、私は反対した。翌日の高さは分かっていても、休んだ日にどれだけ伸びたかは分からない。そのため、その日の欄には「測っていない」と書いた。
発表会までには、もう一度二週間の実験をする時間がない。「原因が分からないなら、今回の記録は使えないのではないか」という意見も出た。だが、ＡとＢが実際にどれだけ伸びたかは記録に残っている。私たちは、二つの植物の育ち方を紹介した後、置いた場所の違いについて説明し、水のやり方だけが原因だとは決められないと伝えることにした。
発表の最後には、次の実験の計画も示す。同じくらい光が当たる場所に二つを置き、水をやる回数を変えて調べる予定だ。当番が休む場合には、別の部員が測ることも決めておく。今回の発表では、結果を知らせるだけでなく、まだ答えが出ていない点と、それをどう調べるかまで伝えたい。
初めと最後の高さの差を比べることにしたのは、なぜですか。
1. Question Intent
This reading question tests whether you understand why the students compared the amount of growth rather than the plants' final heights. The key is recognizing that the two plants did not have the same starting height, so comparing their final heights alone would not accurately show how much each plant grew during the experiment.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. Incorrect
This option suggests that the students wanted to compare how much water taller and shorter plants need. However, the experiment investigated watering frequency, not water requirements based on plant height.
一回に使う水の量と土の量は同じにした。
The amount of water used each time was kept equal. Trap: This option uses the relevant concepts of plant height and water but introduces a research objective that the passage never mentions.
2. Correct
The students wanted to exclude the difference that already existed before the experiment when evaluating how much the plants grew.
始める前に高さを測ると、Ａのほうが二センチ高かったので、最後の高さだけでなく、何センチ伸びたかを比べることにした。
The expression Ａのほうが二センチ高かった establishes that Plant A was already two centimeters taller. The structure 最後の高さだけでなく、何センチ伸びたか indicates that the students compared not only the final heights but also the amount of growth. This directly supports option 2.
3. Incorrect
This option describes measuring changes in the amount of soil before and after watering, which is unrelated to the students' decision.
一回に使う水の量と土の量は同じにした。
The passage states that the amount of soil was kept equal, not that changes in soil quantity were measured. Trap: It reuses a detail from the experimental setup but changes what was being measured.
4. Incorrect
This option claims that comparing the growth amounts would demonstrate that both plants reached the same height. However, the passage provides no evidence that their final heights became equal.
二週間後、Ａは六センチ、Ｂは三センチ伸びていた。
Plant A grew six centimeters, while Plant B grew three centimeters. Since Plant A was already taller initially, these results do not indicate equal final heights. Trap: The option confuses comparing growth with demonstrating equal final heights.
3. JLPT Strategy
1. When a question asks なぜ (why), look for causal expressions such as ので or から. Here, Ａのほうが二センチ高かったので directly identifies the reason for the students' decision.
2. Distinguish 高さ (height) from 何センチ伸びたか (how many centimeters something grew). JLPT reading questions often test whether you recognize the difference between an existing condition and a change measured over time.
部長が最初に考えた発表内容には、どのような問題がありますか。
1. Question Intent
This reading question tests your ability to identify a problem in scientific reasoning. You must understand why the club president's initial conclusion was not fully supported by the experiment. The key is recognizing that more than one condition differed between the two plants, making it impossible to determine which factor caused the difference in growth.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. Incorrect
This option suggests that the president incorrectly assumed the plants received different amounts of water despite being watered equally often. However, their watering frequencies were deliberately different.
Ａには毎日、Ｂには三日に一度、水をやった。
Plant A was watered every day, while Plant B was watered once every three days. Trap: This option confuses 水をやる回数 (watering frequency) with 水の量 (amount of water).
2. Correct
The president initially attributed the difference in growth to watering frequency alone, even though the plants also received different amounts of light.
部長は「毎日水をやったほうがよく育った、と発表できそうだね」と言った。
水をやる回数と、光が当たる時間の両方が違っていたことになる。
The expression 両方が違っていた establishes that two conditions differed: watering frequency and light exposure. Because both could influence plant growth, the results cannot establish watering frequency as the sole cause. The president's initial interpretation overlooked this additional variable.
3. Incorrect
This option claims that moving Plant B made it impossible to measure the plants' final heights. However, the problem was not a lack of final measurements but a difference in environmental conditions.
二週間後、Ａは六センチ、Ｂは三センチ伸びていた。
The students had recorded how much both plants grew. Trap: The option correctly mentions Plant B being moved but incorrectly connects that event to an inability to measure height.
4. Incorrect
This option suggests that the president confused Plant A's growth during the experiment with its initial height. However, the passage clearly distinguishes these measurements.
Ａのほうが二センチ高かったので、最後の高さだけでなく、何センチ伸びたかを比べることにした。
The students deliberately compared the amount of growth to account for differences in starting height. There is no evidence that the president confused the two measurements. Trap: This option draws on information from the first paragraph but assigns a misunderstanding to the president that the passage does not support.
3. JLPT Strategy
1. Pay attention to contrast markers such as しかし. Here, the president's initial conclusion is followed by しかし、記録を読み直すと, introducing information that challenges his interpretation. This contrast is essential for identifying the problem.
2. Look for expressions that connect multiple factors, especially 両方 (both) and だけ (only). The passage establishes that two conditions differed, while the final conclusion states 水のやり方だけが原因だとは決められない. Recognizing the contrast between multiple possible causes and a single proposed explanation helps eliminate the distractors.
休んだ日の欄に「測っていない」と書いたのは、なぜですか。
1. Question Intent
This reading question tests whether you understand why the students recorded a measurement as missing instead of filling in an assumed value. The key is distinguishing between information that was actually measured and information that cannot be confirmed from the available records.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. Incorrect
This option claims that the previous day's measurement was incorrect. However, the passage does not suggest that any recorded measurements were wrong.
別の部員が「前の日と同じ数字を入れれば、表が完成する」と言ったが、私は反対した。
The narrator rejected copying the previous day's value because there was no measurement for the missing day, not because the earlier value was inaccurate. Trap: This option confuses an unreliable assumption with an incorrect existing measurement.
2. Correct
The students could not determine exactly how much the plants had grown on the days when no measurements were taken.
翌日の高さは分かっていても、休んだ日にどれだけ伸びたかは分からない。
The structure ～ても expresses contrast: even though the following day's height was known, the growth on the missed day remained unknown. The students therefore wrote 「測っていない」 to indicate that no measurement had been taken, rather than presenting an unverified number as fact.
This directly supports option 2: the available records could not establish whether growth had occurred on that particular day.
3. Incorrect
This option suggests that the students decided to discard the following day's measurement and therefore needed to delete two days of data.
翌日の高さは分かっていても、休んだ日にどれだけ伸びたかは分からない。
The following day's height was known, and the passage never states that it was discarded. Only the missing measurements were explicitly marked. Trap: This option misinterprets the contrast between available data and missing data as a decision to remove both.
4. Incorrect
This option assumes that the plants did not grow on the days when measurements were missed. However, the narrator explicitly states that the amount of growth on those days was unknown.
その日の欄には「測っていない」と書いた。
「測っていない」 means that no measurement was taken. It does not mean that no growth occurred. Trap: This option confuses the absence of recorded information with evidence that nothing changed.
3. JLPT Strategy
1. Pay close attention to negative expressions indicating uncertainty, especially 分からない. In this passage, どれだけ伸びたかは分からない means that the amount of growth is unknown, not that growth did not occur.
2. Recognize the contrast pattern ～ても、～は分からない. The sentence 翌日の高さは分かっていても、休んだ日にどれだけ伸びたかは分からない distinguishes what is known from what cannot be established. In JLPT reading questions, this distinction often determines the correct answer.
このクラブが行う発表の内容として、文章に最も合っているものはどれですか。
1. Question Intent
This reading question tests your ability to identify the overall content of a planned presentation by combining information from different parts of the passage. You must distinguish between what the students actually observed, what they cannot conclude from their results, and what they plan to investigate next.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. Incorrect
This option claims that the students will identify the difference in location as the cause of the growth difference and cancel their plan to investigate watering frequency. Neither claim matches the passage.
水のやり方だけが原因だとは決められないと伝えることにした。
The students recognize that they cannot isolate the cause of the growth difference. They also intend to conduct another experiment involving different watering frequencies.
Trap: This option correctly identifies the difference in location but incorrectly turns a possible contributing factor into a confirmed cause. It also contradicts the students' future plans.
2. Incorrect
This option suggests that the students will conclude that daily watering is better and then test that method under different lighting conditions.
同じくらい光が当たる場所に二つを置き、水をやる回数を変えて調べる予定だ。
In the next experiment, the students plan to keep light exposure approximately equal while changing watering frequency. They have not concluded that daily watering is superior.
Trap: This option repeats the club president's initial interpretation, which the students later question, and reverses the conditions of the planned experiment.
3. Correct
This option accurately summarizes both the presentation's conclusions and its future research plan.
私たちは、二つの植物の育ち方を紹介した後、置いた場所の違いについて説明し、水のやり方だけが原因だとは決められないと伝えることにした。
発表の最後には、次の実験の計画も示す。
The students will present the observed differences in plant growth without identifying a definite cause. They will then explain how they intend to investigate the question more carefully in a future experiment.
The expression 原因は決めず in the answer matches the passage's 原因だとは決められない, while 次の計画を説明する corresponds to 次の実験の計画も示す. These are important paraphrases confirming option 3.
4. Incorrect
This option claims that the students will abandon presenting their results and instead explain how to complete the missing measurement records.
だが、ＡとＢが実際にどれだけ伸びたかは記録に残っている。
The passage explicitly states that the recorded growth results remain useful. The students decide to present those findings while acknowledging the experiment's limitations.
Trap: This option combines two genuine concerns from the passage—missing measurements and the reliability of the results—but incorrectly presents them as the main purpose of the presentation.
3. JLPT Strategy
1. For questions asking 文章に最も合っているもの, look for the option that accurately summarizes the entire relevant section, rather than matching just one sentence. Here, the correct answer must include the observed results, uncertainty about their cause, and the future experiment.
2. Distinguish confirmed results, uncertain explanations, and future plans. Expressions such as 決められない indicate that a conclusion cannot be established, while 予定だ indicates a future plan. JLPT distractors often turn uncertainty into certainty or describe a planned action as something already completed.
問題７以下は「ブンプロ旅行社 ゴールデンウィークツアー」の案内である。これを読んで、その下の質問に答えなさい。答えは、１・２・３・４から最もよいものを一つえらびなさい。
アンさんは11時に映画館に着き、15時までに映画館を出なければなりません。日本語のせりふを文字でも確認しながら、一つの作品を最初から最後まで見たいと思っています。どの作品を選べばいいですか。
1. Question Intent
This question tests the ability to locate and combine information from a cinema schedule and its admission rules. The reader must identify a film that satisfies three conditions: it must begin after Ann arrives at 11:00, finish before she needs to leave at 15:00, and provide Japanese subtitles so she can read the spoken dialogue. The key is to distinguish a film's screening time from the availability of subtitles and apply all conditions simultaneously.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. 山の向こう — Incorrect
This film runs from 10:00 to 11:30 and has Japanese subtitles, but Ann arrives at 11:00, after the screening has already started.
途中から入ることはできません。
Trap: The film has the required subtitles and finishes before 15:00, but the rule prohibits entering after the screening begins. Meeting only two of the three conditions is insufficient.
2. 二人の夏 — Incorrect
This film runs from 14:00 to 15:30 and has Japanese subtitles. Ann can arrive before the screening begins, but the film finishes after her 15:00 departure deadline.
15時までに映画館を出なければなりません。
Trap: The film starts before 15:00, but Ann needs to watch the entire film and leave by that time. The ending time, not merely the starting time, determines whether it qualifies.
3. 小さな駅 — Incorrect
This film runs from 11:30 to 13:00, so its screening time fits Ann's schedule. However, the timetable indicates that Japanese subtitles are unavailable.
小さな駅 | 11:30～13:00 | なし
Trap: The film satisfies both time constraints, making it an attractive choice, but it fails the subtitle requirement. The question specifically asks for a film where Ann can also check the dialogue in written form.
4. 海からの手紙 — Correct
This film satisfies all three conditions:
海からの手紙 | 12:00～13:30 | あり
- It starts at 12:00, after Ann arrives at 11:00.
- It finishes at 13:30, before her 15:00 departure deadline.
- It provides Japanese subtitles, allowing her to follow the spoken dialogue in writing.
Therefore, 海からの手紙 is the only film that meets every requirement.
3. JLPT Strategy
For JLPT information-search questions, identify all conditions before comparing the options. Here, the essential clues are 11時に映画館に着き (arrival time), 15時までに映画館を出なければなりません (departure deadline), and 日本語のせりふを文字でも確認しながら (Japanese subtitles required). Use these as a checklist against the timetable.
Pay special attention to までに, which establishes a deadline, and restrictions such as 途中から入ることはできません. A common JLPT trap is selecting an option that meets most conditions while overlooking one decisive restriction.
森さんは「二人の夏」を友達と二人で見ます。森さんは先に映画館に着きましたが、友達が来るのは上映開始の10分前です。森さんは、友達が来る前に二人分の入場券を買い、できれば隣同士に座りたいと思っています。案内に合う行動はどれですか。入場券はまだ買えます。
1. Question Intent
This question tests the ability to combine several admission and seating rules to determine the correct course of action. Mori wants to purchase two tickets before his friend arrives and, if possible, sit next to that friend. The reader must understand the rules for purchasing tickets on someone else's behalf, distributing tickets before admission, and reserving seats. The friend's arrival 10 minutes before the screening is also important because the screening room opens 20 minutes before the film begins.
2. Answer Choice Analysis
1. Incorrect
Mori buys only his own ticket, enters the screening room, and places his belongings on the adjacent seat to reserve it. However, the cinema explicitly prohibits saving seats for people who have not arrived.
まだ来ていない人のために、荷物などを置いて席を取っておくことはできません。
Trap: Although Mori could enter first and his friend could purchase a separate ticket, placing belongings on an empty seat to reserve it violates the seating rules. This option also fails Mori's intention to buy both tickets in advance.
2. Incorrect
Mori purchases only his own ticket and waits for his friend in the lobby. Waiting together is reasonable, but his friend still needs an admission ticket to enter the screening room.
料金は一作品につき、一人800円です。
Trap: Waiting until both people arrive follows the seating recommendation, but it does not eliminate the requirement that each person have a ticket. Mori also fails to purchase two tickets before his friend arrives.
3. Incorrect
Mori correctly purchases two tickets before his friend arrives, which is explicitly permitted.
一人で、一緒に見る人の分もまとめて購入できます。
However, entering the room alone and placing belongings on the adjacent seat to save it violates the seating rules.
まだ来ていない人のために、荷物などを置いて席を取っておくことはできません。
Trap: This option satisfies the ticket-purchasing requirement but violates the restriction on reserving seats. Buying an additional ticket does not give someone permission to hold an empty seat.
4. Correct
Mori purchases both tickets in advance, waits for his friend in the lobby, gives the friend their ticket, and then enters the screening room together. This satisfies all relevant rules.
まだ来ていない人の分も購入できますが、その人が入場する前に券を渡してください。
隣同士に座りたい方は、全員がそろってから入ることをおすすめします。
The lobby is also an appropriate meeting place:
受付の横に、待ち合わせに使えるロビーがあります。
Because the friend arrives 10 minutes before the screening begins, they can enter together after the room has opened. Although adjacent seats are not guaranteed, entering together gives them the opportunity to choose available seats next to each other without violating any rules.
3. JLPT Strategy
For information-search questions involving procedures, distinguish between actions that are permitted, prohibited, and recommended. Here, 購入できます permits buying tickets for someone else, 券を渡してください requires transferring the ticket before admission, and 席を取っておくことはできません prohibits reserving seats with belongings. The recommendation 全員がそろってから入る identifies the best way to pursue adjacent seating.
Also pay attention to the timing expressions 上映開始の20分前から and 上映開始の10分前. The room opens before the friend arrives, but this does not require Mori to enter immediately. In JLPT questions, an option may satisfy one rule while violating another, so verify every action in the sequence before choosing the answer.
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