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JLPT Reading: Find the 'Backbone', Ignore the Fluff!

JLPT Reading: Find the 'Backbone', Ignore the Fluff!

JLPT Reading: Find the 'Backbone', Ignore the Fluff! 🦴

Hello everyone. As someone who has conquered the JLPT and lived in Japan long enough, I've noticed a critical mistake many learners make in the Reading Comprehension (読解) section: trying to read and understand every single word.

This not only leads to burnout 🤯 but also causes you to run out of time before finishing the test. The right strategy isn't to read more, but to read smarter.

🤔 What is the 'Backbone' of a text?

Imagine the reading passage is a living body. It has 'flesh' (supporting information, examples, detailed explanations) and a 'backbone' (骨格 - kokkaku). Your job is to find that backbone—the main argument the author wants to convey (筆者の主張).

🎯 High-Speed 'Backbone' Finding Technique

Instead of translating word by word, become a detective looking for clues. Here are the golden ones:

1. Hunt for Conclusive Conjunctions (接続詞)

When you see these words, sound the alarm 🚨 because the sentence that follows is almost certainly the main point or a key conclusion.

  • つまり / 要するに (in other words / in short): The author is summarizing their most important idea.
  • したがって / そのため (therefore / for that reason): Indicates cause and effect; the effect is often what the author wants to emphasize.
  • このように (thus / in this way): Sums up what has been presented.

2. Pay Special Attention to Contrastive Conjunctions

Authors often present a general viewpoint or a fact, then use these words to 'pivot' to their actual opinion.

  • しかし / だが / けれど (however / but): The real opinion is in the clause that follows!
  • もちろん〜、しかし… (Of course..., but...): The part after しかし is what you should focus on.
  • 一方 (on the other hand): Introduces a contrasting view, often the author's own.

3. Read the Final Sentence of the Passage Carefully

In Japanese argumentative writing, the author often spends the entire text building their case and delivers the final punchline at the very end. The last sentence of the passage is often a treasure chest containing the entire message. 💎

4. Learn to 'Ignore' the Fluff

This is a skill that requires practice! Be bold and skip over ⏩:

  • Sections that follow 例えば (for example).
  • Proper nouns or technical terms you don't know. You just need to understand their role in the sentence.
  • Long, complicated descriptions.

✨ Final Words

Practicing this 'backbone' finding skill will prevent you from getting bogged down in details, save you time, and increase your accuracy on 'main idea' questions. Apply it to your practice tests right away. Good luck on your exam! 💪

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#JLPT#reading tip

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