Sannomiya Station Listening: Choosing the Right Train Row
You are in the listening section of the Hyogo entrance exam. The recording, played twice, is a conversation at Sannomiya Station. Ken, a junior high school student, wants to visit the Kobe Science Museum. He is carrying a heavy suitcase and must meet his group at the museum gate by 9:30. The attendant gives three choices. The question sheet shows this table: Row A: JR rapid, leaves 9:12, platform 3, arrives 9:22, elevator near platform 3. Row B: Hanshin express, leaves 9:15, platform 1, arrives 9:26, stairs only. Row C: subway, leaves 9:10, platform 5, arrives 9:31, elevator far away. Walking from the station exit to the museum takes 4 minutes, and Ken needs 2 minutes to buy a ticket. In the recording, Ken repeats the key information and asks one confirming question before he chooses.
1. Which row should Ken choose? Show the time calculation and one non-time reason.
Read the worked answer
Ken must arrive by 9:30. After the train arrives he needs 4 minutes to walk plus 2 minutes to buy a ticket, so the latest acceptable train arrival is 9:24 (9:30 minus 6 minutes).
- Row A arrives at 9:22, leaving 8 minutes, so it is safe.
- Row B arrives at 9:26, which gives 9:32 after the walk and ticket, so he would be 2 minutes late.
- Row C arrives at 9:31, already late.
Row A is also the only option with an elevator near the platform. Ken has a heavy suitcase, so the stairs-only Row B is a poor practical choice even if the time were close. Answer: Row A.
2. In the recording Ken says, 'So I should take the 9:12 train from platform 3, right?' Explain why this is useful for the listener and what two details it confirms.
Read the worked answer
This line is useful because it repeats the two details that decide the answer: the departure time (9:12) and the platform (3). Repeating numbers helps the listener check what they heard, especially when several trains leave within a few minutes. The tag 'right?' also invites the attendant to correct him, so the listener can hear a confirmation or a repair. It separates Row A from Row B, which leaves at 9:15 from platform 1. The line does not confirm the arrival time, so the listener still needs to use the table to check 9:22 against the 9:30 deadline.