2018/07 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. <u>塩</u>は台所にありました。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
塩 (しお) is the correct reading for the kanji 塩, which means 'salt'. The sentence means 'The salt was in the kitchen.'
Why other options are incorrect:
This is the reading for 油, meaning 'oil'.
This is the reading for 豆, meaning 'beans'.
This is the reading for 米, meaning 'rice'.
2. 彼は犬に<u>命令</u>した。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
命令 (めいれい) is the correct reading for the kanji 命令, which means 'command' or 'order'. The sentence means 'He commanded the dog.'
Why other options are incorrect:
This is an incorrect reading for 命令.
This is an incorrect reading for 命令.
This is an incorrect reading for 命令.
3. 手紙には<u>恋しい</u>人を思う気持ちが書かれていた。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
恋しい (こいしい) is the correct reading for the kanji 恋しい, meaning 'to miss' or 'to long for'. The sentence means 'The letter expressed feelings of longing for someone dear.'
Why other options are incorrect:
This is the reading for 親しい, meaning 'intimate' or 'familiar'.
This is the reading for 懐かしい, meaning 'nostalgic' or 'fondly remembered'.
This is the reading for 優しい or 易しい, meaning 'kind' or 'easy' respectively.
4. <u>機械が</u>故障した。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
機械 (きかい) is the correct reading for the kanji 機械, which means 'machine'. The sentence means 'The machine broke down.'
Why other options are incorrect:
This is an incorrect reading for 機械.
This is an incorrect reading for 機械.
This is an incorrect reading for 機械.
5. 今月は<u>休日が</u>多かった。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
休日 (きゅうじつ) is the correct reading for the kanji 休日, which means 'holiday' or 'day off'. The sentence means 'There were many holidays this month.'
Why other options are incorrect:
This is not a standard reading for a word related to holidays.
This is an incorrect reading for 休日.
This is the reading for 祝日, meaning 'national holiday', but 休日 is the more general term and the direct reading.
6. この<u>部分</u>をよく見てください。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
部分 (ぶぶん) is the correct reading for the kanji 部分, which means 'part' or 'section'. The sentence means 'Please look closely at this part.'
Why other options are incorrect:
This is an incorrect reading for 部分.
This is an incorrect reading for 部分.
This is an incorrect reading for 部分.
7. 池田さんは木村さんを<u>疑って</u>いるようだ。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
疑って (うたがって) is the correct reading for the kanji 疑う, which means 'to doubt' or 'to suspect'. The sentence means 'It seems Mr. Ikeda suspects Mr. Kimura.'
Why other options are incorrect:
This is the reading for 叱って, meaning 'to scold'.
This is the reading for 怖がって, meaning 'to be afraid'.
This is the reading for 嫌って, meaning 'to dislike' or 'to hate'.
8. 中島さんは数学が<u>得意</u>らしい。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
得意 (とくい) is the correct reading for the kanji 得意, which means 'good at' or 'one's strong point'. The sentence means 'It seems Mr. Nakajima is good at math.'
Why other options are incorrect:
This is an incorrect reading for 得意.
This is an incorrect reading for 得意.
This is an incorrect reading for 得意.
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. 毎日パソコンを使うので、目の<u>つかれ</u>が取れません。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
疲れ (つかれ) is the correct kanji for つかれ, meaning 'fatigue' or 'tiredness'. The sentence means 'I use a computer every day, so my eye fatigue doesn't go away.'
Why other options are incorrect:
This kanji (痩) means 'to become thin'.
This kanji (病) means 'illness' or 'sickness'.
This kanji (痛) means 'pain'.
10. そんなに<u>なかないで</u>ください。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
泣かないで (なかないで) is the correct kanji for なかないで, meaning 'don't cry'. The sentence means 'Please don't cry so much.'
Why other options are incorrect:
涙 (なみだ) means 'tears', but the verb form is incorrect.
This is not a valid kanji for なかないで.
冷 (つめ) means 'cold', but the verb form is incorrect.
11. この小説はストーリーが<u>ふくざつだ</u>。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
複雑 (ふくざつ) is the correct kanji for ふくざつ, meaning 'complex' or 'complicated'. The sentence means 'The story of this novel is complex.'
Why other options are incorrect:
This is an incorrect kanji combination for ふくざつ.
This is an incorrect kanji combination for ふくざつ.
This is an incorrect kanji combination for ふくざつ.
12. 飛んできたボールが背中に<u>あたった</u>。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
当たった (あたった) is the correct kanji for あたった, meaning 'hit' or 'struck'. The sentence means 'The flying ball hit my back.'
Why other options are incorrect:
過 (す) means 'to pass' or 'to exceed'.
打 (う) means 'to hit', but the form is incorrect for this context.
向 (む) means 'to face' or 'to turn toward'.
13. この交差点は<u>うせつ</u>できません。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
右折 (うせつ) is the correct kanji for うせつ, meaning 'right turn'. The sentence means 'You cannot turn right at this intersection.'
Why other options are incorrect:
This kanji (させつ) means 'left turn'.
This is not the standard kanji for 'right turn'.
This is not the standard kanji for 'left turn'.
14. 最近、父は仕事が忙しいらしく、<u>きたく</u>が遅い日が多い。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
帰宅 (きたく) is the correct kanji for きたく, meaning 'returning home'. The sentence means 'Recently, my father seems busy with work, so there are many days when he returns home late.'
Why other options are incorrect:
This kanji (しつ) means 'room'.
This kanji (な) means 'name'.
While 帰 (き) means 'return' and 室 (しつ) means 'room', 帰室 is not a common word for 'returning home'.
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. 風や太陽の( )を利用して電気を作ることができる。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
エネルギー (energy) is the most appropriate word here. The sentence means 'We can generate electricity by utilizing the energy of wind and sun.'
Why other options are incorrect:
サービス means 'service', which does not fit the context of generating electricity from natural sources.
エンジン means 'engine', which does not fit the context of generating electricity from natural sources.
ヒント means 'hint', which does not fit the context of generating electricity from natural sources.
16. 20 年後、私たちはどんな生活をしているか( )してみた。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
想像 (そうぞう: imagination/to imagine) is the most suitable word. The phrase 想像してみた means 'I tried to imagine'. The sentence means 'I tried to imagine what kind of life we would be living 20 years from now.'
Why other options are incorrect:
観察 (かんさつ) means 'observation/to observe', which does not fit the context of thinking about the future.
期待 (きたい) means 'expectation/to expect', which does not fit the context of thinking about the future.
確認 (かくにん) means 'confirmation/to confirm', which does not fit the context of thinking about the future.
17. 友人と駅で ( )から、一緒に食事に行くことにした。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
待ち合わせて (まちあわせて) means 'to meet up' or 'to arrange to meet'. It fits the context of meeting a friend at the station. The sentence means 'Since I met up with my friend at the station, we decided to go eat together.'
Why other options are incorrect:
知り合って (しりあって) means 'to get acquainted with (for the first time)', which is not suitable for an arranged meeting.
間に合わせて (まにあわせて) means 'to make it in time', which does not fit the context of meeting someone.
付き合って (つきあって) means 'to go out with (as a couple)' or 'to keep company with', which is not the primary meaning here.
18. 講演会の会場はあまり大きくないので、参加できる人数は 50人までという( )がある。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
制限 (せいげん: restriction/limit) is the most appropriate word. The sentence means 'The lecture hall is not very large, so there is a limit of 50 participants.'
Why other options are incorrect:
最終 (さいしゅう) means 'final', which does not fit the context of a participant limit.
禁止 (きんし) means 'prohibition/ban', which is too strong for a participant limit.
順番 (じゅんばん) means 'order/turn', which does not fit the context of a participant limit.
19. 森さんはおとなしい人だと思っていたが、( ) 積極的でよく話す。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
意外に (いがい に: unexpectedly/surprisingly) is the best fit, indicating a contrast to the initial impression. The sentence means 'I thought Mr. Mori was a quiet person, but unexpectedly, he is very proactive and talks a lot.'
Why other options are incorrect:
急に (きゅうに) means 'suddenly', which doesn't convey the sense of a surprising discovery about someone's personality.
絶対に (ぜったいに) means 'absolutely/definitely', which doesn't fit the context of a contrasting observation.
無理に (むりに) means 'forcibly/unreasonably', which is irrelevant to the context.
20. リーさんは大きなスーパーを三つも( )しているらしい。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
経営 (けいえい: management/operation) is the most suitable word for running a business like a supermarket. The sentence means 'It seems Mr. Lee is managing three large supermarkets.'
Why other options are incorrect:
商売 (しょうばい) means 'business/trade', but 経営 is more appropriate for the act of managing an enterprise.
会計 (かいけい) means 'accounting/finance', which is a specific aspect, not the overall management.
貿易 (ぼうえき) means 'trade (international)', which is irrelevant to managing supermarkets.
21. 最近太ったから、ズボンが ( )なった。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
きつく (tightly/tight) is the appropriate adverb to describe clothes becoming tight due to weight gain. The sentence means 'I've gained weight recently, so my pants became tight.'
Why other options are incorrect:
ゆるく means 'loosely/loose', which is the opposite of what happens when one gains weight.
ぬるく means 'lukewarm', which is irrelevant to clothing fit.
まぶしく means 'dazzlingly/brightly', which is irrelevant to clothing fit.
22. 大雨で、川の水が( )になっているから、近くに行かないほうがいい。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
あふれそう (about to overflow) is the most fitting description for a river during heavy rain. The sentence means 'Due to the heavy rain, the river water seems about to overflow, so it's better not to go near it.'
Why other options are incorrect:
余りそう (あまりそう) means 'seems like there's too much left over', which doesn't fit the context of a river.
おぼれそう (おぼれそう) means 'seems like one might drown', which describes a risk to people, not the state of the river itself.
逃げそう (にげそう) means 'seems like one might escape', which is irrelevant to the river's condition.
23. この牛乳は、バターやチーズを作るための( )として使われる。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
原料 (げんりょう: raw material) is the correct term for ingredients used in manufacturing. The sentence means 'This milk is used as a raw material for making butter and cheese.'
Why other options are incorrect:
資源 (しげん) means 'resource', which is a broader term and less specific than 'raw material' in this context.
栄養 (えいよう) means 'nutrition', which describes a property of milk, not its role in production.
基礎 (きそ) means 'foundation/basis', which is irrelevant to ingredients.
24. 子どもが迷子にならないように、子どもの手を( )握った。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
しっかり (firmly/tightly) is the appropriate adverb for holding someone's hand to prevent them from getting lost. The sentence means 'I firmly held the child's hand so that they wouldn't get lost.'
Why other options are incorrect:
はっきり means 'clearly/distinctly', which doesn't describe how one holds a hand.
ぐっすり means 'soundly (as in sleeping)', which is irrelevant here.
そっくり means 'exactly alike/all', which is irrelevant here.
25. このジュースは新鮮なオレンジを( )作ったので、とてもおいしい。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
しぼって (しぼる: to squeeze/to wring) is the correct verb for extracting juice from fruit. The sentence means 'This juice is very delicious because it was made by squeezing fresh oranges.'
Why other options are incorrect:
たたんで (たたむ) means 'to fold', which is not how juice is made.
つかんで (つかむ) means 'to grasp/to seize', which is not how juice is made.
おして (おす) means 'to push', which is not the primary action for making juice from oranges.
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. 旅行中は<u>団体</u>で移動した。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
団体 (だんたい: group/organization) is closest in meaning to グループ (group). The sentence means 'During the trip, we moved as a group.'
Why other options are incorrect:
一人で means 'alone', which is the opposite of 団体.
歩いて means 'by walking', which describes the method of movement, not the group composition.
タクシーで means 'by taxi', which describes the method of movement, not the group composition.
27. ここでは<u>しゃべらないで</u>ください。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
しゃべる (to chat/to talk) is closest in meaning to 話す (はなす: to speak/to talk). The sentence means 'Please don't talk here.'
Why other options are incorrect:
騒がないで (さわがないで) means 'Don't make noise', which is related but not a direct synonym for 'don't talk'.
食べないで (たべないで) means 'Don't eat', which is irrelevant.
遊ばないで (あそばないで) means 'Don't play', which is irrelevant.
28. 今日は<u>退屈だった</u>。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
退屈 (たいくつ: boredom/boring) is closest in meaning to つまらない (boring/dull). The sentence means 'Today was boring.'
Why other options are incorrect:
楽しかった (たのしかった) means 'Was fun', which is the opposite of boring.
忙しかった (いそがしかった) means 'Was busy', which is not directly related to being bored.
静かだった (しずかだった) means 'Was quiet', which describes a state, not a feeling of boredom.
29. このレストランは、<u>多少</u>うるさいが、料理はおいしい。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
多少 (たしょう: a little/a few) is closest in meaning to ちょっと (a little/a bit). The sentence means 'This restaurant is a little noisy, but the food is delicious.'
Why other options are incorrect:
いつも means 'always', which is a different degree.
とても means 'very', which is a stronger degree.
ときどき means 'sometimes', which refers to frequency, not degree.
30. 子どもたちがこちらに<u>駆けてきた</u>。
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
駆ける (かける: to run/to gallop) is closest in meaning to 走る (はしる: to run). The sentence means 'The children came running towards us.'
Why other options are incorrect:
登ってきた (のぼってきた) means 'Came climbing/came up', which is a different action.
入ってきた (はいってきた) means 'Came in/entered', which is a different action.
集まってきた (あつまってき た) means 'Came gathering/came together', which is a different action.
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. <u>距離</u>
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
距離 (きょり: distance) is correctly used in option 1 to refer to the physical distance between two places. The sentence means 'I looked up how many kilometers the distance from Tokyo to Kyoto is.'
Why other options are incorrect:
距離 is incorrectly used here. It should be 長さ (length) or 丈 (inseam/length of clothing).
距離 is incorrectly used here. It should be 間隔 (interval) or 周期 (cycle).
距離 is incorrectly used here. It should be 差 (difference) or 違い (difference) when referring to age difference.
32. <u>活動</u>
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
活動 (かつどう: activity/action) is correctly used in option 3 to refer to participating in an activity. The sentence means 'I participated in an activity to introduce cultures from various countries to children.'
Why other options are incorrect:
活動 is incorrectly used here. It should be 運行 (operation) or 運転 (running) for train services.
活動 is incorrectly used here. It should be 営業時間 (business hours) for a store.
活動 is incorrectly used here. It should be 運動 (exercise) or 準備運動 (warm-up exercises) for warming up body parts.
33. <u>盛ん</u>
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
盛ん (さかん: prosperous/flourishing/active) is correctly used in option 4 to describe a school where sports are popular and active. The sentence means 'Sports are flourishing at my school, and everyone plays various sports.'
Why other options are incorrect:
盛ん is incorrectly used here. It should be 熱心 (enthusiastic) or 一生懸命 (diligently) for studying hard.
盛ん is incorrectly used here. It should be 多く (many) or 頻繁 (frequent) for breakdowns.
盛ん is incorrectly used here. It should be 好き (fond of) or 熱心 (enthusiastic) for hobbies.
34. <u>区別</u>
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
区別 (くべつ: distinction/differentiation) is correctly used in option 2 to mean distinguishing between similar words. The sentence means 'It's difficult to learn words with similar meanings by distinguishing between them.'
Why other options are incorrect:
区別 is incorrectly used here. It should be 選んで (choosing) or 分かれて (dividing) for paths after graduation.
区別 is incorrectly used here. It should be 分かる (recognize) or 認識できる (be able to recognize) for recognizing a person.
区別 is incorrectly used here. It should be 分けられて (divided) or 隔てられて (separated) for geographical boundaries.
35. <u>追いつく</u>
Detailed Explanation
Why this is correct:
追いつく (おいつく: to catch up with) is correctly used in option 4 to mean catching up to someone who started earlier. The sentence means 'I left home after my sister, but I caught up with her near the station.'
Why other options are incorrect:
追いつかない is incorrectly used here. It should be 届かない (cannot reach) for physical reach.
追いつかなかった is incorrectly used here. It should be 間に合わなかった (couldn't make it in time) for meeting a deadline.
追いついた is incorrectly used here. It should be 着いた (arrived) or たどり着いた (finally reached) for reaching a destination.