SACE Stage 2 Japanese (continuers) study materials
SACE Stage 2 Japanese (continuers) study resources

Reading a notice with a hidden condition

SACE Stage 2 Japanese (continuers) · Put your knowledge to work in context.

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Reading a notice with a hidden condition

You find this notice on a community centre board: 「国際交流ひろば 参加者募集 日時:3月8日(土)13:00〜16:00 場所:中央公民館 2階 対象:中学生以上 定員:先着30名 参加費:無料 申し込み:3月5日(水)までに電話またはメールで。ただし、定員に達し次第締め切ります。持ち物:筆記用具。飲み物は各自ご用意ください。駐車場はありませんので、公共交通機関をご利用ください。」 A friend tells you, 'It's free and anyone can just turn up on the day, right?' You want to attend with your younger brother, who is in Year 7.

1. Evaluate your friend's statement. Which parts are correct and which are wrong, according to the notice?

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The 'free' part is correct: 参加費:無料 means there is no participation fee. The 'anyone can just turn up on the day' part is wrong on two counts. First, 申し込み (application) is required by 3月5日(水)by phone or email, so you cannot simply arrive. Second, 定員:先着30名 with ただし、定員に達し次第締め切ります means places are first-come-first-served up to 30 and close as soon as the limit is reached, so even applying by the deadline does not guarantee a place. A good answer separates the accurate claim from the inaccurate ones and cites the exact wording that supports each judgement, rather than accepting or rejecting the whole statement.

2. Can your Year 7 brother attend? Explain using the 対象 line, and list two other practical conditions you must meet.

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The 対象 line says 中学生以上, 'junior high school students and above'. A Year 7 student in Australia is usually in the first year of secondary school, which corresponds to 中学1年, so he meets the minimum age. The judgement depends on mapping the Australian year level to the Japanese school category rather than reading 中学生 as 'middle school' in the Australian sense. Two other conditions: you must bring 筆記用具 (writing materials) and your own drink, since only writing materials are listed under 持ち物 and drinks are explicitly your responsibility (飲み物は各自ご用意ください). Also, there is no parking (駐車場はありません), so you must come by public transport. Any two of these are acceptable, provided each is tied to the notice text.