JLPT Reading: Inferring Author's Intent 5

Question 1

A JLPT passage quotes a scientist saying: 'I have spent my career proving what my grandmother knew by instinct.' What is the author suggesting about knowledge?

Accepted Answer

Scientific method often arrives at truths that intuitive wisdom already held.

Answer

The humorous self-deprecation implies that lived wisdom can precede formal proof, highlighting the author's view that knowledge takes many legitimate forms.

Question 2

An author writes that a once-popular author's books 'now collect dust in libraries no one enters.' What does this image convey about cultural relevance?

Accepted Answer

Ideas and reputations that seem permanent can fade into obscurity over time.

Answer

The dual image of dusty books in empty libraries signals the author's meditation on how cultural prominence is temporary and subject to collective forgetting.

Question 3

In a JLPT reading passage, a company executive states that automation 'frees workers from tedious tasks.' The author then notes the local unemployment rate doubled. What technique is the author using?

Accepted Answer

Juxtaposing an official narrative against contradicting evidence to imply irony.

Answer

Placing the executive's positive framing beside rising unemployment figures is the author's ironic technique to cast doubt on the official narrative.

Question 4

A passage describes a marathon runner who 'crossed the finish line last but was the only one still smiling.' What is the author most likely implying?

Accepted Answer

Personal joy in participation can be more meaningful than competitive outcomes.

Answer

The contrast between last place and genuine happiness signals the author's view that intrinsic satisfaction can outweigh external measures of success.

Question 5

A JLPT passage about handwritten letters states: 'An email arrives in seconds and is deleted in the same.' What does the author imply about digital communication?

Accepted Answer

The ease and speed of digital communication reduces its perceived value and permanence.

Answer

The parallel of 'arrives in seconds / deleted in the same' implies that speed of delivery corresponds to speed of disposal, suggesting digital messages lack lasting weight.

JLPT - Japanese Language Proficiency Test Practice Test

JLPT - Japanese Language Proficiency Test Practice Test

JLPT Reading: Inferring Author's Intent 5