Who's taking the JLPT this year!?

UnscathedFlyingObject · Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:00 pm

I'm attempting Level 2 this year, and I'm almost done going through my Reading Comprehension book. Boy, is it hard. I'm able to understand most of the readings after reading twice, but time is not a luxury during the test. I've the 2006 and 2007 tests (just came in the mail

) and they have like 9 readings each (about half like a paragraph length). So I'm working on my reading speed now.

I've also started my Listening Comprehension book. You just listen to the CDs it comes with and answer the questions in the book. Can't really say whether they're easy or hard yet, but listening comprehension is not something I do as much as reading.

Last but not least, I've been studying the JLPT2 grammar for about 5 months now and gone through my book several times. I'm confident about knowing the hard facts, though I need to practice the quizzes some more. It's unbelievable but the grammar part shares time with the readings so it's 9 readings (with their own questions) + 20 something grammar questions in 70 minutes

.

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:33 pm

Definitely not taking anymore. The listening part is definitely the easiest on the last two tests, and you should feel so going in. You shouldn't have to spend too much studying time on it. The reading and grammar is half your score, so that's where you need to ass pound the thing. I studied for close to a year, but didn't touch my books for the last three months due to real life shit. I bombed the first two parts of the test w/ somewhere around 65 (yes, even the listening) but got 84 on the reading/grammar which is what usually crushes people. So, I finished w/ 72 or something.

UnscathedFlyingObject · Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:40 pm

What level did you take?

What did you use for the test?

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:01 am

UnscathedFlyingObject wrote:What level did you take?

Most recently, 1 (2006). (I passed 2 in 1998)

What did you use for the test?

A lot of books, most of which are now in the hands of another user here. I actually didn't use too many for the JLPT2. I think a series (1 for each part of the test). For JLPT1, I used a lot. You really need a broad vocab for it. That was the part I studied the least, and it showed.

UnscathedFlyingObject · Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:21 am

GaijinPunch wrote:
UnscathedFlyingObject wrote:What level did you take?
Most recently, 1 (2006). (I passed 2 in 1998)

What did you use for the test?
A lot of books, most of which are now in the hands of another user here. I actually didn't use too many for the JLPT2. I think a series (1 for each part of the test). For JLPT1, I used a lot. You really need a broad vocab for it. That was the part I studied the least, and it showed.

Cool cool. I'm using:
- The Unicom level 2 books for listening and reading comprehension and the level 1 book for Kanji (memorizing is easy for me.)

- Alc's 500 Essential Japanese Expressions

- The Japan Time's Rapid Reading Japanese for intermediate and advanced students

- and The Japan Time's Authentic Japanese: progressing from intermediate to advanced

I'm planning to go through them at least once in the next 6 months.

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 3:23 am

What I've found for the tests (at least 1) is that you really need to study the text designed for the test. The kanji has a few really tricky sections. Like when you're given a sentences with a word in hiragana, and you have to pick the sentence that uses the same kanji (but it's also in hiragana). What's worse, is you're usually picking one character, not a word. A true whore. Not sure if they have anything like that on 2. It's been a while.

The reading comprehension, as you know, also has ways of deceiving the test taker. True, you need to be able to read and grasp the passage, but you need to know how to answer the questions too. Grammar was a cakewalk I thought. Easy memorization.

You've got quite a while to study, but you should definitely already be well in attack mode. I think I studied an average of 1 hour a day for about 9 months.

Be sure to post your score.

UnscathedFlyingObject · Tue Jun 24, 2008 4:44 am

GaijinPunch wrote:What I've found for the tests (at least 1) is that you really need to study the text designed for the test. The kanji has a few really tricky sections. Like when you're given a sentences with a word in hiragana, and you have to pick the sentence that uses the same kanji (but it's also in hiragana). What's worse, is you're usually picking one character, not a word. A true whore. Not sure if they have anything like that on 2. It's been a while.

My kanji book (it's a level 1 book) has a lot of those pesky questions. I've been studying the words in it for some time now, but it's recently that I've been tackling the exercises. I noticed that even the authors make mistakes with the answers

.

GaijinPunch wrote: The reading comprehension, as you know, also has ways of deceiving the test taker. True, you need to be able to read and grasp the passage, but you need to know how to answer the questions too. Grammar was a cakewalk I thought. Easy memorization.

Yeah, I'm having some trouble answering, but I hope I'll up my skills by the time of the test. I have two more reading books to go.

GaijinPunch wrote: You've got quite a while to study, but you should definitely already be well in attack mode. I think I studied an average of 1 hour a day for about 9 months.

Be sure to post your score.

I'm studying for 3 hours a day, but then I don't have much actual interactions with native speakers. I'll definitely post them here and probably even post my score for the 2006 and 2007 tests (I bought them for practice) to give you guys a taste of how I'll superbly pass the 2008 test

.

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 10:41 am

The reading book I used was
パターンで学ぶ or something like that, and I thought it was excellent. Didn't work as well for the grammar portion (the smaller ones that you can study for 15-20 minute blocks are better for that I think).

UnscathedFlyingObject · Sat Jun 28, 2008 11:12 pm

I just did some listening questions from my book (10 "warm up" easy questions and 10 exercise questions.) They're kinda easy-ish as I had one wrong out of ten in the exercises and that was because of an unfamiliar word.

I wish my book had more questions, so I wouldn't have to hold back answering them

. 113 questions isn't that many...

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 2:08 am

Yeah, the listening part is a joke as long as you have a clear head. I was really stressed out for the 3 months leading up to my test (expatriating my family again, really busy at work, some domestic squables, and wasn't excercising) so I bombed it. I literally couldn't think straight.

You just have to know how they're going to ask them. They'll basically say "Yeah, it's ________", then "No, I mean ___________".

UnscathedFlyingObject · Sun Jun 29, 2008 2:18 am

Wow, it seems like you had it pretty tough. I hope you're doing well now.

I noticed each picture in the exam has more than one question. Do they ask the two questions one after the other or they do the first questions for everything and then the seconds?

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 9:25 am

The listening part goes question -> dialogue -> question -> you answer -> rinse & repeat. There's basically no time to think for your answer part. You're supposed to know it. But at least you know the question before hand. The idea is to not get derailed on one word you don't know. That will kill you.

UnscathedFlyingObject · Tue Jul 01, 2008 4:38 am

Argh, those listening questions get a lot harder

. I had 4 wrong out of 10 yesterday and 5 wrong out of 10 today. I try not to guess, If I'm not sure then I just mark it wrong.

I get the feeling I'll be doing some educated guesses during the test...

kozo · Post by **kozo** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 7:04 am

I'm taking it. Going to start easy and just do level 4. One step at a time...

(thanks for the books, Gaijin, BTW.)

UnscathedFlyingObject · Tue Jul 01, 2008 7:41 am

Where?

I'm in New York so Columbia University.

SamIAm · Post by **SamIAm** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 8:53 pm

I passed a mock level 2 test last year given by my professor before I graduated, and I'm challenging the level 1 this year. I've spent a while in Japan and I like to read, so my speaking and reading speeds and grammar are quite good. My vocabulary still kind of sucks, though, as do my abilities with the last 20% of the jouyou kanji, and I need to hit the more essay-oriented grammar pretty hard, too. Without a doubt, I'm going to need the months between now and the test to bone up enough to pass. If I stay disciplined, though, I think I'll rock it.

I'm hopefully moving to Sendai in a couple months, so that's where I'll take it.

UnscathedFlyingObject · Sun Apr 12, 2009 5:56 pm

Anybody passed their test?

I couldn't register last year because I thought registrations were in November after reading some people talk about it in a forum. This year I'm keeping a closer eye on the exam dates...

adversity1 · Post by **adversity1** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 6:09 pm

I took level 2 in 2003 and passed it first try.

Level 1 in 2004, failed it, passed in 2005. Level 2 is pretty damn hard and you shouldn't fuck around, but 1 is just a real ball buster. So many obscure words you will have no use for.

Actually I hate the way the JLPT is looked to as a standard for Japanese speakers since it only tests how good people are at being passive receptors (reading and listening). It doesn't test writing or speaking, which are also quite important (I don't mean handwriting).

If you want to pass either test, get the books from the Kanzen masta series. If you study it all, you will pass. Everyone I've recommended them to has passed.

UnscathedFlyingObject · Sun Apr 12, 2009 7:28 pm

I'll take a look at the Kanzen books after I finish with my Level 2 this year. I feel confident enough at the moment except for the listening part, which is also the part I have practiced less. I've been working on the vocab and grammar for Level 1&2 since last year, so I'm almost certain I'll do well there. Working on the reading comprehension and listening now for both Level 1&2.

Cthulhu · Post by **Cthulhu** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 1:10 am

I passed level 1 in 2005. You all seem to be what I'd call the right path for the upper levels - a lot of what you'll be tested on is not stuff you'll encounter in daily life (or ever

), so you pretty much need a study guide in order to be ready for it.

The hardest part for me was the listening, as they try to fool you by changing their mind about things multiple times in a lot of the dialogues. Don't stop paying close attention until the very end or you're likely to be misled.

dcharlie · Post by **dcharlie** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:09 am

this is the last year for the current format of tests right? I hear we will goto grades N1 thru N5.

I failed level 2 narrowly back in 2003, since then my Japanese has taken a nose dive (for which there is no real excuse). Time to start lessons, but level 2 this year would probably be a push, so i guess N2 or N3 next year.

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:54 am

dcharlie wrote:this is the last year for the current format of tests right? I hear we will goto grades N1 thru N5.

What does this mean?

I failed level 2 narrowly back in 2003, since then my Japanese has taken a nose dive (for which there is no real excuse).

What the fuck, dude? No excuse at all!

Back to what adversity, said. He's totally right. I've met people that have passed level 1, but I can write and speak circles around them. Studying vocab is never a bad thing, but I found that less than half of the level 1 vocab is good for conversation. The rest comes in handy if you want to read real Japanese books (porno manga no count). A very similar argument can be said about the grammar, but it's actually really easy - memorize like 50 patterns in a year. Such a joke.

The only part that I studied hard and thought it helped me across the board was the reading, as I want to read. The book I've recommended over and over again (probably in this thread) is パターンで学ぶ (it's purple). Invaluable. Really good book. It teaches you how to disect written Japanese. Some of the examples are hard though. My wife missed a few.

UnscathedFlyingObject · Mon Apr 13, 2009 3:25 am

GaijinPunch wrote: The book I've recommended over and over again (probably in this thread) is パターンで学ぶ (it's purple). Invaluable. Really good book. It teaches you how to disect written Japanese. Some of the examples are hard though. My wife missed a few.

Where do you get this book? Haven't seen it anywhere.

Edit: On the topic of tests, I think language tests are a very inaccurate way for testing language ability. They do however, give you motivation to study and a goal to reach. Practical use is more effective, but I don't have much chance to speak to natives. I didn't study one lick when I went to take the TOEFL, and I got a great score. Only practice I had was reading and talking to native speakers.

Cthulhu · Post by **Cthulhu** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 3:29 am

GaijinPunch wrote:The rest comes in handy if you want to read real Japanese books (porno manga no count).

H manga maybe not, but if you want to practice really obscure kanji, look no farther than H games. You'll find all sorts of obscure stuff in there, most of which lies so far in the dusty corners of kanji dictionaries that most Japanese people can't read it.

steveovig · Post by **steveovig** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 3:32 am

This topic is great and leave me very hopeful for my future. I just made the decision to transfer to another school so I can start a major in Japanese. The trouble is I'm already a Junior at my current school in History. I was never too happy with my future in that field and I've always wanted to study Japanese. I hope to pass the JLPT step by step in a few years. I'm very nervous about the whole experience. I've taken 3 semesters of French and I'm not very good at all with my listening comprehension and I'm worried it'll transfer over to Japanese.

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 3:44 am

UFO:
Link

Might want to try an import book shop.

Cthulhu: I'll take your word for it.

steveovig: Japanese is a very nice complimentary skill. I've always found it alone still leaves you somewhat limited. Computers and/or finance go really well with it.

dcharlie · Post by **dcharlie** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 3:45 am

gp, this is the last year of level 1 to 4. From next year the format changes and they will refactor the grades over five levels.

No real excuses for my side. Granted work takes a ton of time and the main language is english, plus wife and her families first language is english but yeah, just being lazy really. I have signed up for lessons to start next week though so finally getting off my ass

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 9:17 am

dcharlie wrote:gp, this is the last year of level 1 to 4. From next year the format changes and they will refactor the grades over five levels.

So where do they fall in terms of the current 1-4? I still think it should be strung out across 6 at least, wtih a Jun-2kyu and Jun-1kyu. It needs an interview as well.

plus wife and her families first language is english but yeah,

Didn't know you imported.

Magic Knight · Post by **Magic Knight** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 9:48 am

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 11:50 am

Not specifically for the JLPT (and in fact, there's a ton of English in the series) but anyone interested in better grammar should get the _____ Dictionary of Japanese Grammer (Beginner, Intermediate, and the released last year Advanced). They are cheap in Japan (2000 yen area each) but heavy, so in the states they're like $40-$50 in import shops. Buy them all, as they are great, and offer fuck loads of examples. Little bit of history: they were all released 10 years apart.

Other than that, I can't comment on specific JLPT books. I never took 4 or 3, and can't remember what books I used for 2 as it was over 10 years ago when I took it. (Yuck)