JLPT Reading: Inferring Author's Intent 4

Question 1

A JLPT passage quotes a politician as saying 'We must protect what has always been ours' during a debate on immigration. What is the author most likely doing by including this quote without further commentary?

Accepted Answer

Presenting the quote to let readers critically assess its implications.

Answer

Presenting a quote without editorial comment in JLPT passages often signals that the author intends for readers to evaluate the statement's assumptions themselves.

Question 2

An author writes about a library that was demolished for a parking lot and states: 'Progress, they called it.' What tone does this phrase convey?

Accepted Answer

Sarcasm, suggesting the author disagrees with labeling demolition as progress.

Answer

The isolated, clipped phrase 'Progress, they called it' combined with the loss of a library signals sarcasm—the author clearly does not share this characterization.

Question 3

A passage describes two siblings: one became a doctor after years of study; the other 'never opened a book but seemed to understand people better than anyone.' What is the author implying?

Accepted Answer

Formal education is not the only path to wisdom or competence.

Answer

The contrast between formal study and intuitive people-skills signals the author's argument that intelligence and capability can manifest in non-academic ways.

Question 4

In a JLPT reading section, an author describes a musician who 'played to empty halls for years before the crowds came.' What is the author's likely intent?

Accepted Answer

Persistent dedication to one's craft can eventually lead to recognition.

Answer

The sequence of 'empty halls' followed by 'crowds came' frames persistence as the bridge between obscurity and success.

Question 5

A JLPT passage about food culture states: 'We no longer eat to nourish; we eat to photograph.' What is the author critiquing?

Accepted Answer

Social media has shifted food consumption from sustenance to performance.

Answer

The shift from 'nourish' (function) to 'photograph' (performance) signals the author's critique of social media's transformation of food into a visual spectacle.

JLPT - Japanese Language Proficiency Test Practice Test

JLPT - Japanese Language Proficiency Test Practice Test

JLPT Reading: Inferring Author's Intent 4