Listening for what a speaker actually commits to
You listen to a two-minute school announcement in Japanese. The speaker says: 「来週の金曜日、三年生を送る会を行います。会は午後1時から体育館で行う予定ですが、体育館の工事の都合で、時間が変わるかもしれません。変更がある場合は、前日の木曜日の昼休みまでに、各クラスの代表に連絡します。なお、準備のための集まりは今週の水曜日の放課後です。参加できない人は、事前に実行委員の田中さんに言ってください。」 You are a class representative and must report the key points to your class in Japanese.
1. Identify which details are fixed, which are uncertain, and what action each student must take. Explain how the speaker's wording signals each category.
Read the worked answer
Fixed:
- The event is next Friday (来週の金曜日).
- The preparation meeting is this Wednesday after school (今週の水曜日の放課後).
- Venue is the gym (体育館で行う).
- Absences from the meeting go to 田中さん of the 実行委員, in advance (事前に).
Uncertain:
- The 1:00 pm start time. 「予定ですが」 marks it as a plan, and 「時間が変わるかもしれません」 marks real doubt. Do not report 1時 as confirmed.
- The change-notice channel: if there is a change, it comes to class representatives by Thursday lunch (前日の木曜日の昼休みまでに). This is conditional - 「変更がある場合は」.
Actions:
- Everyone: attend the Wednesday meeting; if you cannot, tell 田中さん beforehand.
- Representatives: be reachable Thursday lunch for a possible change, then pass it on.
Wording cues: 予定です = planned; かもしれません = may; 場合は = only if; までに = by (deadline); なお = switching to a related point.
2. A classmate tells you, 'So the party starts at 1 pm on Friday and if it changes they'll announce it over the loudspeaker.' Correct this report using only what the announcement supports.
Read the worked answer
Two corrections:
- 'Starts at 1 pm' is too strong. The speaker used 「午後1時から…行う予定ですが…時間が変わるかもしれません」. Report it as 「今のところ午後1時から予定ですが、変わる可能性があります」. Also it is a 送る会 (a farewell event for third-years), not simply a 'party' - keep the name.
- 'Announced over the loudspeaker' is invented. The announcement says changes will be sent to each class's representative by Thursday lunch: 「各クラスの代表に連絡します」. There is no mention of a broadcast. So the correct channel is: representative receives it, then tells the class.
A safe summary: 「来週金曜日、三年生を送る会が体育館であります。今のところ午後1時からの予定ですが、時間が変わるかもしれません。変更があれば、前日の木曜日の昼休みまでにクラスの代表に連絡が来ます。今週水曜日の放課後に準備の集まりがあるので、出られない人は事前に田中さんに伝えてください。」
Note the difference between 予定 (plan) and confirmed fact - that is exactly what this item tests.