How did you pass the JLPT level 1?

[MrSlippery]

Greetings,

In July, I am planning on taking the JLPT. Originally, I was planning on taking level 1 (for the second time), but after trying my hand at a practice test, I'm not so confident anymore.

The part of the test that gives me trouble is the 読解 section. Vocabulary, grammar and listening are no problem, but the reading absolutely destroys me.

I study vocabulary and kanji every day (for at least two hours!) and still I can't make sense out of the articles/papers they use for the reading section. To be honest, my reading comprehension skills in English are probably relatively poor in regard to other facets of my English abilities, so I feel like I'm kind of starting with a disadvantage.
I read manga with ease, and I regularly read articles on Rocket24 News with only some difficulty. So, I can't understand why this section gives me such a hard time, or what I should do to overcome this hurdle.

I'm living in Japan now, so I'm around Japanese all of the time, and I have no problems communicating with my friends.

I think it's the abstract concepts of the writings that confuse me. 'What is the author trying to say?' questions give me a hard time. I think I just need to keep studying vocabulary words, as I don't use many of the words that appear in the JLPT in daily conversation.

Of course, I have a few 読解 textbooks as well, but they don't seem as hard as actual test material.

So, if anyone could give me what they did to pass this section, I would greatly appreciate it.

Slip

 

[nekojita]

All I really did was read a lot, and I think that's also really the only key. Your aim should be to both increase your reading speed and get used to the type of text that you see on the JLPT. It shouldn't be necessary to know every word in the text to grasp the overall meaning.

This means less fiction, more non fiction with opinions (reviews or editorials, not just straight reporting). In terms of grammar, you should be looking out for things like rhetorical questions and similar patterns, because the JLPT test setters seem to have never met a trick question they didn't like.

Can you narrow down what it is that tripped you up on the practice questions? Lack of vocab could be one reason but it's not the only one. Or was it a time issue?

In the test itself be prepared to skip over any questions that make you go "what" the first time you look at them and come back later presuming you have time and/or narrow down the answer set to the two that make the most sense and guess if you have to. 100% isn't necessary. In some cases reading answer options first, then the question, can help.

 

[MrSlippery]

Thanks neko,

May I ask what you read exactly, in preparation for the test? Any materials that can be found online would be great.

Can you narrow down what it is that tripped you up on the practice questions? Lack of vocab could be one reason but it's not the only one. Or was it a time issue?

I don't know exactly what tripped me up, but I do know that I can read a whole paragraph or passage, and when I get to the end, say to myself 'I have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA what I just read.' If I had to pinpoint my biggest issue, it would just have to be vocabulary, and lack of experience reading such writings that appear in the exam.

So, I think if I just keep studying vocabulary and kanji, and start reading more appropriate material, I'll be able to pass.

 

[nekojita]

In terms of actual reading - I didn't read stuff "for the test", just various things in my interest (cooking stuff, this sort of thing because I'm a nerd, and a bunch of blogs that probably weren't much help for the sort of language JLPT wants oh well).

I don't think it's a set of things you need to read, it's more about volume and range of genres. In terms of skills, also skimming for key points, dealing with unfamiliar vocabulary, etc. Remember, you don't need to understand every word, only answer the question at the end.

What happens if you go back to N2読解?

 

[Andromedashun]

Hm it is unfair they put the N2読解 together with Grammar/Vocab while leaving N3読解 separated from the Vocab section. This put tremendous pressure on the 読解 section. If you done Vocab/Grammar in 30 minutes (totally doable, and I'm sure with good knowledge you can finish it in around 20 minutes) there are 75 minutes to spare, big differrence. Also N2読解 have more questions, which mean it is easier to collect points than N3.

 

[nekojita]

N2 has three separate sections in terms of scores - vocab/grammar, reading (読解), and listening (I'm sitting in my home study with access to my score report), or are you talking about the split of the timing? In N3 読解 is in with grammar, right?

 

[Andromedashun]

You already passed N2 right?
N2: Vocab/Grammar/Reading together, then Listening. 2 parts.
N3: Vocab, then Grammar/Reading, then Listening. 3 parts.

You have 105 minutes total for section 1 in N2, while there are only 70 minutes total for Grammar/Reading in N3. Since doing N3 Vocab section only took about 15 minutes out of 30, that's totally unreasonable to combine Grammar and Reading into 1 section. That's what I complaining about.

 

[nekojita]

I did N1 last Dec and N2 the year before, so by this point have forgotten most of what went on in N2. Never did any of the other levels.

Either way you arrange it it would be inconvenient to someone. Some people find in N2 they get bogged down in earlier questions and don't leave enough time for the reading, and would rather have a break in the middle to clear their heads.