JLPT Study Guide 2026

The particle で is used to indicate the means or method by which an action is performed. Here, it shows the means of transportation: 'by bus' (バスで). The particle も, when used with a quantity or duration, adds emphasis, implying that the amount is surprisingly large or long. 「１時間も」 suggests that 'one hour' is a long time to the speaker, translating to 'it takes as long as an hour'.

The particle 「ぶり」 is used to describe the manner or state of something, often conveying a particular 'air' or 'way' of doing an action. In this sentence, 「見つめながら_______笑顔を見せました」 (while staring, showed a smile), 「ぶり」 fits to describe the *kind* of smile he showed, perhaps a characteristic or specific way of smiling. It emphasizes the nuance of the action.

The word 「しばられない」 is the negative potential form of the verb 「縛る」 (shibaru), meaning 'to bind' or 'to tie.' Therefore, 「しばられない」 means 'not bound' or 'not tied,' which accurately translates to 'unbound' or 'released' from an agreement in the given context.

The question asks for the correct reading of the kanji 母. 母 (はは) means "mother." The sentence "私も母と同じようにイベントに参加します" translates to "I will also participate in the event, just like my mother." Therefore, 'はは' is the correct reading.

The grammatical pattern 「～ないまでも」 means 'even if not X, at least Y' or 'though not to the extent of X, still Y.' Here, it implies 'even if I don't know where he escaped to, I know where he came from.' This expresses a partial understanding or knowledge, which fits the contrast in the sentence about knowing one thing but not another.

While both を and が can be used with potential verbs, 「私は日本語を話せます」 (I can speak Japanese) is a grammatically correct and common usage. Standard grammar often teaches that the object marker を changes to が with potential forms (e.g., 日本語が話せます) to mark the thing one has the ability to do. However, using を is also widely accepted, especially in modern usage, and is considered correct. The other sentences do not use the potential form.