2011/07 JLPT N3 Letters and Vocabulary test
問題 1_のことばの読み方として最もよいものを、1・2・3・4 から一つえらびなさい。
1. 日本の<u>首都</u>はどこですか。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
首都 (しゅと) is the correct reading for the kanji 首都, which means 'capital city'. The sentence means 'Where is the capital city of Japan?'
Why other options are incorrect:
This reading is incorrect for 首都.
This reading is incorrect for 首都.
This reading is incorrect for 首都.
2. <u>地球</u>は太陽のまわりを回っている。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
地球 (ちきゅう) is the correct reading for the kanji 地球, which means 'Earth' or 'globe'. The sentence means 'The Earth revolves around the sun.'
Why other options are incorrect:
This reading is incorrect for 地球.
This reading is incorrect for 地球.
This reading is incorrect for 地球.
3. あの時計は<u>遅れて</u>いる。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
遅れて (おくれて) is the correct reading for the kanji 遅れて, which means 'to be late' or 'to be behind (e.g., a clock)'. The sentence means 'That clock is running slow.'
Why other options are incorrect:
This is the reading for 壊れて, meaning 'broken'.
This is the reading for 倒れて, meaning 'fallen down'.
This is the reading for 汚れて, meaning 'dirty'.
4. 二人で<u>協力</u>すれば、仕事も早く終わるだろう。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
協力 (きょうりょく) is the correct reading for the kanji 協力, which means 'cooperation' or 'collaboration'. The sentence means 'If two people cooperate, the work will probably finish quickly.'
Why other options are incorrect:
This reading is incorrect for 協力.
This is the reading for 努力, meaning 'effort'.
This is the reading for 動力, meaning 'power' or 'motive power'.
5. 大学の奨学金(しょうがくきん)に<u>応募</u>した。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
応募 (おうぼ) is the correct reading for the kanji 応募, which means 'application' or 'to apply'. The sentence means 'I applied for the university scholarship.'
Why other options are incorrect:
This reading is incorrect for 応募.
This reading is incorrect for 応募.
This reading is incorrect for 応募.
6. 子どもの<u>疑問</u>に答えた。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
疑問 (ぎもん) is the correct reading for the kanji 疑問, which means 'doubt' or 'question'. The sentence means 'I answered the child's question.'
Why other options are incorrect:
This is the reading for 苦悶, meaning 'agony' or 'anguish'.
This reading is incorrect for 疑問.
This reading is incorrect for 疑問.
7. 試験の成績(せいせき)が<u>発表</u>された。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
発表 (はっぴょう) is the correct reading for the kanji 発表, which means 'announcement' or 'publication'. The sentence means 'The test results were announced.'
Why other options are incorrect:
This reading is incorrect for 発表 (incorrect small 'tsu' sound).
This reading is incorrect for 発表.
This reading is incorrect for 発表.
8. <u>単語</u>のリストはとなりのページにあります。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
単語 (たんご) is the correct reading for the kanji 単語, which means 'word' or 'vocabulary'. The sentence means 'The list of words is on the next page.'
Why other options are incorrect:
This reading is incorrect for 単語.
This is the reading for 敬語, meaning 'honorific language'.
This is the reading for 団子, meaning 'dumpling' or 'dango'.
問題2_のことばを漢字で書くとき、最もよいものを、1・2・3・4 から一つえらびなさい。
9. みんなで話し合って、問題を<u>かいけつ</u>した。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
解決 (かいけつ) is the correct kanji for かいけつ, meaning 'solution' or 'settlement'. The sentence means 'We discussed together and solved the problem.'
Why other options are incorrect:
The kanji 改 (kai) means 'change' or 'reform', which doesn't fit the meaning of 'solve'.
The kanji 改 (kai) means 'change' and 結 (ketsu) means 'tie' or 'conclusion', which doesn't form 'solve'.
The kanji 結 (ketsu) means 'tie' or 'conclusion', which is not correct for the second kanji of 'solve'.
10. 山口(やまぐち)さんに束京(とうきょう)を<u>あんない</u>してもらった。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
案内 (あんない) is the correct kanji for あんない, meaning 'guidance' or 'to guide'. The sentence means 'Mr. Yamaguchi guided me around Tokyo.'
Why other options are incorrect:
The kanji 安 (an) means 'safe' or 'cheap', which is incorrect.
家内 (kanai) means 'my wife'.
室内 (shitsunai) means 'indoors' or 'inside a room'.
11. わたしは<u>けんこう</u>のために毎日走っています。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
健康 (けんこう) is the correct kanji for けんこう, meaning 'health'. The sentence means 'I run every day for my health.'
Why other options are incorrect:
The kanji 建 (ken) means 'build', which is incorrect.
The kanji 庫 (ko) means 'warehouse', which is incorrect.
Both kanji are incorrect for 'health'.
12. 今年の夏は<u>きおん</u>が高かった。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
気温 (きおん) is the correct kanji for きおん, meaning 'air temperature'. The sentence means 'This summer, the air temperature was high.'
Why other options are incorrect:
The kanji 湿 (shitsu) means 'damp' or 'humid', which is incorrect.
The kanji 湯 (yu) means 'hot water', which is incorrect.
The kanji 混 (kon) means 'mix' or 'confuse', which is incorrect.
13. 頭が<u>いたい</u>ので、薬を飲んだ。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
痛い (いたい) is the correct kanji for いたい, meaning 'painful' or 'to hurt'. The sentence means 'My head hurts, so I took medicine.'
Why other options are incorrect:
病 (yamai) means 'illness' or 'disease', but it's not used as an adjective 'painful' in this form.
疫 (eki) refers to 'epidemic' or 'plague', which is incorrect.
症 (shou) refers to 'symptom' or 'illness', which is incorrect.
14. このシャツは工場で<u>たいりょう</u>に作られている。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
大量 (たいりょう) is the correct kanji for たいりょう, meaning 'large quantity' or 'mass'. The sentence means 'This shirt is mass-produced in the factory.'
Why other options are incorrect:
多量 (taryou) also means 'large quantity', but 大量 (tairyou) is the more common and appropriate kanji for 'mass production' in this context.
The kanji 料 (ryou) means 'fee' or 'material', which is incorrect.
The kanji 料 (ryou) means 'fee' or 'material', which is incorrect.
問題3 ( ) に入れるのに最もよいものを、1・2・3・4から一つえらびなさい。
15. この携帯電話(けいたいでんわ)はボタンが押しにくいという( )を持つ利用者もいる。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
不満 (ふまん) means 'dissatisfaction' or 'complaint'. The sentence states that some users have a ( ) that the buttons on this mobile phone are hard to press. 'Dissatisfaction' fits perfectly.
Why other options are incorrect:
関心 (かんしん) means 'interest'. Users wouldn't have an 'interest' that buttons are hard to press.
目標 (もくひょう) means 'goal' or 'target'. This doesn't fit the context of a problem with a phone.
我慢 (がまん) means 'patience' or 'endurance'. While one might endure a hard-to-press button, 'having patience' as a characteristic of the phone itself doesn't make sense.
16. 街を( )していたら、山本さんに会った。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
ぶらぶら (burabura) is an onomatopoeic word meaning 'to wander aimlessly' or 'to stroll around'. The sentence means 'I was wandering around town when I met Mr. Yamamoto.'
Why other options are incorrect:
ぐらぐら (guragura) means 'wobbly' or 'shaky' (e.g., a loose tooth, an earthquake).
がらがら (garagara) means 'rattling' (e.g., a door), or 'empty' (e.g., a train, a store).
This is not a common or standard onomatopoeic word in Japanese. Perhaps a typo for ばらばら (barabara) meaning 'scattered' or 'disperse'.
17. セミナーに参加したい人は、( )に住所、氏名、希望日を書いてください。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
申込書 (もうしこみしょ) means 'application form'. The sentence asks people who want to participate in the seminar to write their address, name, and desired date on a ( ). An 'application form' is the most suitable document for this purpose.
Why other options are incorrect:
証明書 (しょうめいしょ) means 'certificate' or 'proof'.
領収書 (りょうしゅうしょ) means 'receipt'.
参考書 (さんこうしょ) means 'reference book' or 'study guide'.
18. この計算は ( ) なので、コンピューターを使っても時間がかかる。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
複雑 (ふくざつ) means 'complex' or 'complicated'. The sentence states that this calculation is ( ), so it takes time even with a computer. A 'complex' calculation would naturally take a long time.
Why other options are incorrect:
意外 (いがい) means 'unexpected' or 'surprising'. While a calculation might be unexpectedly long, 'unexpected' itself doesn't explain *why* it takes time.
重大 (じゅうだい) means 'serious' or 'important'. A calculation can be important, but that doesn't directly imply it takes a long time.
正常 (せいじょう) means 'normal' or 'regular'. If it were normal, it wouldn't imply it takes a long time even with a computer.
19. この町には大きな川が( )います。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
流れて (ながれて) comes from 流れる (nagareru), meaning 'to flow'. Rivers 'flow'. The sentence means 'A large river flows through this town.'
Why other options are incorrect:
しずんで (shizunde) comes from 沈む (shizumu), meaning 'to sink'.
浮いて (uite) comes from 浮く (uku), meaning 'to float'.
こぼれて (koborete) comes from 零れる (koboreru), meaning 'to spill' or 'to overflow'.
20. このオレンジはアメリカ ( )です。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
産 (san) is a suffix meaning 'product of' or 'produced in'. アメリカ産 (Amerika-san) means 'produced in America' or 'American-made'. This is the correct way to indicate the origin of agricultural products like oranges.
Why other options are incorrect:
製 (sei) is a suffix meaning 'made in' or 'manufactured'. It's typically used for industrial products (e.g., 日本製 - made in Japan).
作 (saku) means 'make' or 'produce', but it's not used as a suffix in this context.
品 (hin) means 'item' or 'goods', but it's not used as a suffix to indicate origin.
21. 優勝した選手に( )をして記事を書いた。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
インタビュー (intabyuu) means 'interview'. To write an article about a winning athlete, one would conduct an 'interview' with them.
Why other options are incorrect:
スピーチ (supiichi) means 'speech'. An athlete gives a speech, but you don't 'do a speech' to write an article.
メッセージ (messeji) means 'message'. You send or receive a message, but it's not the action taken to gather information for an article.
コミュニケーション (komyunikeeshon) means 'communication'. While an interview is a form of communication, 'communication' itself is too broad and doesn't fit the specific action of gathering information for an article.
22. 全員が自分の意見を( ) したので、会議がなかなか終わらなかった。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
主張 (しゅちょう) means 'assertion' or 'insistence'. The sentence states that everyone ( ) their own opinions, so the meeting didn't end easily. If everyone 'insisted on their own opinions', it would naturally prolong the meeting.
Why other options are incorrect:
命令 (めいれい) means 'order' or 'command'. People don't 'command' their own opinions.
返信 (へんしん) means 'reply' or 'response'. While opinions might be part of a reply, 'replying opinions' isn't the direct cause of a prolonged meeting.
注文 (ちゅうもん) means 'order' (e.g., for food) or 'request'. People don't 'order' their opinions.
23. 書類や本がきちんと( )されていて、きれいな部屋ですね。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
整理 (せいり) means 'arrangement', 'organization', or 'tidying up'. The sentence describes a clean room where documents and books are neatly ( ). 'Organized' or 'tidied up' fits perfectly.
Why other options are incorrect:
準備 (じゅんび) means 'preparation'. Documents and books are not 'prepared' in a clean room context.
世話 (せわ) means 'care' or 'looking after'. This is usually for people or animals, not inanimate objects like documents.
選択 (せんたく) means 'selection' or 'choice'. Documents and books are not 'selected' in this context.
24. 朝から何も飲んでいないので、のどが ( )です。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
からから (karakara) is an onomatopoeic word meaning 'dry' or 'parched', often used for a throat. The sentence means 'I haven't drunk anything since morning, so my throat is parched.'
Why other options are incorrect:
ぺらぺら (perapera) means 'fluent' (e.g., in a language) or 'thin/flimsy'.
ふらふら (furafura) means 'dizzy' or 'unsteady'.
ぺこぺこ (pekopeko) means 'very hungry' (stomach rumbling).
25. 将来のために、お金を( )います。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
ためて (tamete) comes from 貯める (tameru), meaning 'to save' or 'to accumulate'. The sentence means 'I am saving money for the future.'
Why other options are incorrect:
のせて (nosete) comes from 載せる (noseru), meaning 'to place on' or 'to load'.
かさねて (kasanete) comes from 重ねる (kasaneru), meaning 'to pile up' or 'to repeat'.
くわえて (kuwaete) comes from 加える (kuwaeru), meaning 'to add' or 'to include'.
問題4__に意味が最も近いものを、1・2・3・4から一つえらびなさい。
26. わたしは妻と一緒に<u>通勤</u>しています。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
通勤 (つうきん) means 'commuting to work'. Therefore, '仕事に行って' (shigoto ni itte), meaning 'going to work', is the closest in meaning.
Why other options are incorrect:
勉強に行って (benkyou ni itte) means 'going to study'.
買い物に行って (kaimono ni itte) means 'going shopping'.
散歩に行って (sanpo ni itte) means 'going for a walk'.
27. とても<u>おそろしい</u>経験をした。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
おそろしい (osoroshii) means 'frightening', 'terrible', or 'dreadful'. こわい (kowai) also means 'scary' or 'frightening', making it the closest synonym. The sentence means 'I had a very frightening experience.'
Why other options are incorrect:
たのしい (tanoshii) means 'fun' or 'enjoyable'.
うれしい (ureshii) means 'happy' or 'glad'.
はずかしい (hazukashii) means 'embarrassing' or 'ashamed'.
28. 先生に<u>わけ</u>を話した。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
わけ (wake) in this context means 'reason' or 'circumstance'. 理由 (riyuu) means 'reason', making it the closest synonym. The sentence means 'I told the teacher the reason.'
Why other options are incorrect:
アイディア (aidia) means 'idea'.
ルール (ruuru) means 'rule'.
秘密 (himitsu) means 'secret'.
29. 最近、この川は水が<u>ヘった</u>気がする。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
ヘった (hetta) comes from 減る (heru), meaning 'to decrease' or 'to diminish'. Therefore, '少なくなった' (sukunakunatta), meaning 'became less' or 'decreased', is the closest in meaning. The sentence means 'Recently, I feel like the water in this river has decreased.'
Why other options are incorrect:
多くなった (ookunatta) means 'became more' or 'increased'.
きれいになった (kirei ni natta) means 'became clean'.
きたなくなった (kitanakunatta) means 'became dirty'.
30. 実験がうまくいかなかったので、<u>やりなおした</u>。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
やりなおした (yarinaoshita) comes from やり直す (yarinaosu), meaning 'to redo' or 'to do over again'. Therefore, 'もう一度やった' (mou ichido yatta), meaning 'did it one more time', is the closest in meaning. The sentence means 'The experiment didn't go well, so I redid it.'
Why other options are incorrect:
やり方を調べた (yarikata o shirabeta) means 'researched the method'.
やり方を教わった (yarikata o osowatta) means 'was taught the method'.
やるのを途中でやめた (yaru no o tochuu de yameta) means 'stopped doing it halfway through'.
問題5つぎのことばの使い方として最もよいものを、1・2・3・4から一つえらびなさい。
31. ころぶ
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
ころぶ (korobu) means 'to fall down' or 'to tumble'. Option 4, '階段で<u>ころんで</u>けがをした。' (I fell down the stairs and got injured.), correctly uses 'ころぶ' in the context of physically falling.
Why other options are incorrect:
Incorrect. 'ころぶ' is not used for lying down in bed. The correct verb would be 横になる (yoko ni naru) or 寝転ぶ (nekorobu).
Incorrect. 'ころぶ' is not used for plans falling through. The correct phrase would be 計画がだめになった (keikaku ga dame ni natta) or 計画が流れた (keikaku ga nagareta).
Incorrect. 'ころぶ' is not typically used for trees falling due to a typhoon. The correct verb would be 倒れる (taoreru), meaning 'to fall over' (for objects).
32. 指示
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
指示 (しじ) means 'instruction' or 'direction'. Option 1, '「この書類、30部コピーしておいて」と秘書に<u>指示した</u>。' (I instructed my secretary to make 30 copies of this document.), correctly uses '指示する' (to instruct) in the context of giving a command or direction to a subordinate or someone in a service role.
Why other options are incorrect:
Incorrect. You don't 'instruct' a teacher to look at your essay; you would 'ask' or 'request' (お願いした, 頼んだ).
Incorrect. You don't 'instruct' a friend to go to the movies; you would 'invite' or 'suggest' (誘った, 提案した).
Incorrect. You don't 'instruct' a store clerk where the restroom is; you would 'ask' (尋ねた, 聞いた).
33. 見送る
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
見送る (みおくる) has several meanings, including 'to see off (a person)', 'to let pass', or 'to postpone'. Option 4, '国に帰る友人を空港まで<u>見送った</u>。' (I saw off my friend who was returning to their country at the airport.), correctly uses '見送る' in the sense of seeing someone off.
Why other options are incorrect:
Incorrect. You don't 'see off' emails. You would 'send' (送る) or 'check' (確認する) emails.
Incorrect. You don't 'see off' pages in a book. You would 'skim' (読み飛ばす) or 'look through' (見てみた).
Incorrect. While you watch scenery pass by, '見送る' is not the natural verb for this. '眺める' (nagamete, to gaze at) or '見る' (miru, to see) would be more appropriate.
34. 植える
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
植える (ueru) means 'to plant' (e.g., trees, flowers). Option 1, '近所の公園にはいろいろな花が<u>植えて</u>ある' (Various flowers are planted in the neighborhood park), correctly uses '植える' for planting flowers.
Why other options are incorrect:
Incorrect. You don't 'plant' strawberries or cream on a cake; you 'put' or 'decorate' (のせた, 飾った).
Incorrect. You don't 'plant' soil in the sea; you 'reclaim land' or 'fill in' (埋め立てて - umetate).
Incorrect. You don't 'plant' streetlights; you 'install' or 'set up' (設置した - secchi shita).
35. 正直
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
正直 (しょうじき) means 'honest' or 'frank'. Option 1, '小川さんは<u>正直な</u>人で、決してうそは言いません。' (Mr. Ogawa is an honest person and never tells lies.), correctly uses '正直な' to describe a person's character as honest.
Why other options are incorrect:
Incorrect. '正直な使い方' (honest way of using) is unnatural. It should be '正しい使い方' (correct way of using).
Incorrect. While '正直な話' can mean 'frank talk', the more natural expression for 'a true story' that no one believes would be '本当の話' (hontou no hanashi).
Incorrect. '正直な距離' (honest distance) is unnatural. It should be '正確な距離' (seikaku na kyori, exact distance) or '実際の距離' (jissai no kyori, actual distance).