Formal compounds · evidence and basis · qualified opinions
Track the basis of a statement
Formal sentences often connect an action to its evidence, conditions, or background. In a grammar blank, ask whether the sentence means “based on,” “in response to,” or “contrary to.” Then check that the chosen expression attaches correctly.
For vocabulary, identify the direction of the change. A limited budget points toward reducing a project’s scale. Thinking about that causal link is more reliable than choosing the most formal-looking word.
Hold two parts of an evaluation at once
A writer can recognize a benefit while also describing a problem. Do not collapse that into complete approval or complete rejection. Watch how a contrast changes the scope of the conclusion.
When an answer seems plausible, compare its strength with the passage. Claims about every user or no benefit at all often go further than a paragraph that presents mixed effects. The task is to represent the writer fairly.
Worked examples
Read each question, choose an answer, and open the explanation to follow the reasoning. These examples come from the game’s original beta question set.
Kanji: read a formal compound
「承認」の読み方は？
- しょうにん
- しょうじん
- じょうにん
- しょにん
Show answer and explanation
Answer: しょうにん
承認 is しょうにん, approval or recognition.
承認 is read しょうにん. Check both the long vowel in しょう and the unvoiced に sound. Learn the whole compound with the meaning “approval” so its reading has a useful context.
Question n2-kanji-001 · Original beta practice
Vocabulary: follow a constraint
予算が限られているので、工事の規模を＿＿する。
- 縮小
- 拡張
- 上昇
- 充満
Show answer and explanation
Answer: 縮小
縮小 means reduce in scale, fitting the limited budget.
予算が限られている says the budget is limited. 縮小 makes the scale smaller and fits that constraint. 拡張 points in the opposite direction: expansion.
Question n2-vocabulary-001 · Original beta practice
Grammar: identify the evidence underneath
この資料は、長年の調査に＿＿作成された。
- 基づいて
- 対して
- 反して
- 代わって
Show answer and explanation
Answer: 基づいて
に基づいて means based on, linking the document to the research underlying it.
The document was prepared using years of research as its basis. に基づいて expresses that relationship. The other options introduce different relationships, such as opposition or substitution.
Question n2-grammar-001 · Original beta practice
Reading: preserve the writer’s qualification
市の窓口に予約制が導入され、待ち時間は大幅に短くなった。一方、インターネットを使い慣れない人からは、以前より手続きが難しくなったという声もある。効率の向上を制度の成功と呼ぶなら、予約できなかった人の存在も評価に含める必要があるだろう。筆者は予約制度の効果をどう評価していますか。
- 待ち時間は減ったが利用しにくい人への対応も必要だ
- 全ての利用者に同じ利益があった
- 予約できない人は利用を諦めるべきだ
- 制度を導入した意味は全くなかった
Show answer and explanation
Answer: 待ち時間は減ったが利用しにくい人への対応も必要だ
The writer acknowledges shorter waits but argues for alternatives for people unable to book online, a qualified evaluation.
The opening acknowledges shorter waiting times; 一方 introduces people who now find the process harder. The final sentence asks that those people count in the evaluation. The answer needs both the improvement and the remaining access problem.
Question n2-reading-001 · Original beta practice
Put this into practice
- In N2 vocabulary, describe the cause-and-effect link that makes a choice fit.
- For grammar, name the relationship between the two parts of the sentence before choosing.
- For reading, write one sentence that includes both the benefit and the limitation, then check it against the explanation.
All five tiers are available in the Archive. Your character’s RPG level is separate from your selected Japanese practice level.