Reading Comprehension (short passages)
What this domain tests
Short-passage reading in the Aomori entrance exam uses notices, emails, signs, menus, advertisements, and short messages of roughly 50–150 words. The questions ask for a specific detail, the purpose of the text, the main idea, or a true/false judgment. The passages are practical, so the answer is usually stated directly or implied by one or two sentences.
Core rules
- Read the question first. If it asks 'What time does the event start?', scan for numbers and time words instead of reading every word equally.
- Match meaning, not vocabulary. A wrong option often repeats a word from the passage in a different context.
- Underline conditions. Words such as 'only', 'except', 'not', 'free', and 'by Friday' decide whether an option is true.
- For purpose questions, ask what the writer wants the reader to do: come, buy, apply, reply, or check a schedule.
Worked example
Notice: 'The city library is closed on the first Monday of each month. During exam week, July 8–12, it opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m. Please return books at the front desk, not the outside return box.' Question: On July 9, where should a student return a book?
Reasoning: July 9 is inside exam week but is not the first Monday, so the library is open. The notice says books go to the front desk and explicitly says not the outside box. The answer is the front desk. The opening time is extra information, not the answer.
Traps
- Choosing an option because it contains a word from the notice, even though the meaning is different.
- Ignoring 'not' or 'except' in the question.
- Confusing two dates or two prices that appear near each other.
- Answering from general knowledge instead of from the text.
Exam habit
For each option, find the exact line that proves it or contradicts it. If you cannot point to a line, the option is probably wrong.