Section II, Part A: Listening
What the task demands
Part A tests listening comprehension through short conversations and monologues. Items usually ask for the main idea, a specific detail, an inference about what a speaker will do next, or the speaker's intent. Audio plays once, so preparation means anticipating question types rather than trying to memorize content.
Concepts to master
- Question stems: 主な内容は何ですか、なぜ〜と言っていますか、この後何をしますか、話し手の意見はどれですか.
- Discourse markers that signal structure or contrast: えーと、つまり、ただし、でも、実は、だから.
- Numbers, dates, times, and counters - write them as digits while listening.
- Keigo comprehension: いらっしゃいます means います; おっしゃいます means 言います; ご覧になります means 見ます.
- Casual sound changes: 〜ている becomes 〜てる, 〜てしまう becomes 〜ちゃう, のではない becomes んじゃない.
Traps
- Picking an option just because it repeats a word you heard, even when the meaning is wrong.
- Missing a negation at the end of a sentence (〜ません、〜わけではない).
- Confusing similar-sounding pairs such as しゅう and しょ, or りょう and りょ.
- Losing the thread while writing notes; record keywords, not full sentences.
Worked example
Rule of thumb: predict, then verify. Before the audio, scan the options and guess the topic, for example a schedule change. While listening, mark who wants what and flag any でも or ただし, because the correct answer often hinges on a contrast rather than the first statement. If a number is mentioned twice, the second one usually corrects the first.