If you are learning the Japanese language, The Japanese language proficiency test is one of the milestones you are going to have to pass. The test has different levels namely JLPT N5, N4, N3, N2, N1. The N5 level is the easiest level and N4 is for beginners too. N3 is the intermediate level; N2 and N1 are pretty advanced. When you take these tests, you will have to be tested on different categories. These areas are the listening section, the reading section, grammar, and vocabulary. The reading section of the test focuses on testing your reading comprehension. It is formatted in such a way that you read a passage for a limited amount of time and then you answer questions using what you understood from the text. The length and difficulty of these passages vary according to which level of the test you are passing.
If you are going to be practicing for the reading section for your JLPT test, it’s best to keep in mind these types of questions that you are inevitably going to encounter and revise accordingly. Comprehension is the major part of the reading section; here you are given a passage (200 to 1000 words). One or multiple questions will follow the passage and you have to answer accordingly. Information retrieval is also part of the reading section. Here you are given some type of print, advertisements or the kind of notice you see on storefronts, and you answer questions about the figure you are given. For advanced levels namely the N2 and N1, there are two special subsections. In the integrated comprehension, you will be given a passage with two smaller passages and the goal is to answer questions about their similarities and differences. The thematic comprehension subsection is constituted of a long passage, and you are required to answer questions about the overall meaning of the segment.
Depending on what level of the test you are going to take, you will have a relative reading challenge and you should be ready for it. We are going to review ways to prepare you to ace the JLPT reading section.
Understand that frustration is part of the process
The first noticeable thing among JLPT test candidates when it comes to the reading practice is the frustration involved. Especially as the levels become much harder, the passages in the test will contain longer passages that are hard to grasp for candidates. The first thing to understand especially if you are practicing for a redo of the JLPT level you are on is that the frustration is part of the process. While practicing with reading tests, you will necessarily be reading harder texts than what you will encounter in the exam, this especially if you are using textbook resources. Take it at a pace you can stomach. You don’t need to be frustrated and feel that you haven’t done anything yet, this as a result of failing to comprehend while you practice. Frustration has to be minimal or at least manageable. Take it easy, practice at a pace that builds momentum and doesn’t deplete your energy.
Practice to beat the time limit
While taking the JLPT test reading section, your main challenge will be the time limit. Each level test has varying passages in length. You have to evaluate yourself with time, without anyone to aid or motivate you. See how much time it takes for you to read and answer related questions for longer hard passages as these are mainly the challenging ones. Take inventory of this and look up the different tricks you can use to read fast so that you have more time to answer the questions. Skimming the passage after reading the question to find the answer is one best method to use if you are good at skimming. This trick has proven to work wonders especially in more advanced levels of the JLPT exam. If on the other hand, you are poor at skimming, you then have to try to pick which passages to address first.
Note that the longer the passage, the more questions you would have to answer, so better start with longer ones. And then skim for the answer on the remaining smaller passages. These are much easier and won’t probably give you any trouble. These are a few tricks to practice while preparing for your JLPT. Make sure to figure out what works best for you before the test.
Research about methods to pass the JLPT reading section
If you took sample practice tests and figured that you need an extra effort to pass the reading portion of the JLPT. Then researching and practicing the methods to use during the exam will be of crucial help. The methods for the reading section vary with different coaches but here is the overall strategy you should practice. The first and foremost thing is to get a familiar time management technique that works for you. Generally, familiarize yourself with estimating the time required for longer passages and practice to avoid getting stuck. Avoid rushing the question skimming and devote enough time to each question. Another crucial method of approach is to practice marking the test booklet on the first read. Sometimes you might be unsure of the correct answer, but going over the passage again to look for the answer is a waste of time. Just mark the correct ones and the probable ones, with a marking system like this you will shorten the choices and if you go back for the tough questions you only then compare among the probable answers.
Conclusion
Practicing for the JLPT exam is going to require a strategic approach, we have discussed various tips to best practice for your JLPT reading section. Make sure to find what works and practice before you take the test