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Nara Public High School Entrance Examination - English study materials
Nara Public High School Entrance Examination - English study resources

Nara Public High School Entrance Examination - English practice questions

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Question 1Listening Comprehension

You hear: "The library closes at five on weekdays, but at seven on Saturdays." When does the library close on Saturday?

  1. At six.
  2. At eight.
  3. At seven. Correct answer.
  4. At five.

Explanation

The speaker contrasts two closing times: five o'clock applies to weekdays, while Saturday is given separately as seven. Listening for the contrast word "but" helps you attach the second time to Saturday.

Question 2Listening Comprehension

A teacher says: "Please hand your reports to me by Wednesday, not Thursday as I said last week." What is the new deadline?

  1. Wednesday Correct answer.
  2. Monday
  3. Thursday
  4. Tuesday

Explanation

The teacher corrects an earlier date by saying "not Thursday as I said last week," which signals a change. The date attached to the instruction is Wednesday, so that is the new deadline.

Question 3Listening Comprehension

You hear: "Ken wanted to join the tennis club, but his sister persuaded him to try the swimming team instead." Which club will Ken join?

  1. The basketball team.
  2. The tennis club.
  3. He has not decided yet.
  4. The swimming team. Correct answer.

Explanation

Ken's own wish is tennis, but "persuaded him to try ... instead" shows the sister changed his plan. The word "instead" replaces the first idea with the second, so swimming is the result.

Question 4Listening Comprehension

Announcement: "The school bus leaves at 7:30 from the north gate. Students living near the station may wait at the south gate, where the bus arrives five minutes later." Where does the bus stop first?

  1. At the school.
  2. At the north gate. Correct answer.
  3. At the south gate.
  4. At the station.

Explanation

The bus departs from the north gate at 7:30 and reaches the south gate five minutes later, so the north gate comes first. Words like "later" mark the second stop, not the first.

Question 5Listening Comprehension

A boy says: "I left my umbrella on the train this morning." What is his problem?

  1. He lost his train ticket.
  2. He broke his umbrella.
  3. He missed the train.
  4. He forgot his umbrella on the train. Correct answer.

Explanation

The key verb "left" with a place means to forget and leave something behind. The object is the umbrella, so the problem is a forgotten umbrella on the train.

Question 6Listening Comprehension

You hear: "The science museum is free on Sundays, and it opens at nine, an hour earlier than on other days." What time does the museum open on Sunday?

  1. Nine o'clock. Correct answer.
  2. Ten o'clock.
  3. Eleven o'clock.
  4. Eight o'clock.

Explanation

The speaker states the Sunday opening time directly as nine, then explains it is an hour earlier than usual. The comparison describes other days, not Sunday.

Question 7Listening Comprehension

A girl says: "My brother is two years older than me, and I am thirteen." How old is her brother?

  1. Thirteen
  2. Sixteen
  3. Fifteen Correct answer.
  4. Eleven

Explanation

The speaker gives her own age as thirteen and says her brother is two years older. Adding two to thirteen gives fifteen. Listening for both numbers is necessary here.

Question 8Listening Comprehension

You hear: "The match was called off because of the heavy rain." What happened to the match?

  1. It was cancelled. Correct answer.
  2. It started late.
  3. It ended in a draw.
  4. It was moved indoors.

Explanation

The phrasal verb "call off" means to cancel an event. The reason given is heavy rain, so the match did not take place.

Question 9Listening Comprehension

A student says: "I was going to take the math test today, but the teacher postponed it until Friday." When is the math test now?

  1. Today
  2. Friday Correct answer.
  3. Thursday
  4. Tomorrow

Explanation

The phrase "was going to" shows a plan that changed. The teacher moved the test, and "until Friday" gives the new date.

Question 10Listening Comprehension

You hear: "The train to the airport leaves from platform three, not platform two as the sign says." Which platform should passengers use?

  1. Platform one.
  2. Platform four.
  3. Platform three. Correct answer.
  4. Platform two.

Explanation

The announcement corrects the sign by saying "not platform two as the sign says". The corrected information, platform three, is the one passengers should follow.

Question 11Listening Comprehension

A mother tells her son: "If you finish your homework before dinner, you can watch the game tonight." What must the son do to watch the game?

  1. Do his homework after the game.
  2. Finish his homework before dinner. Correct answer.
  3. Eat dinner early.
  4. Watch the game with his mother.

Explanation

This is a first conditional: the "if" clause states the condition and the main clause states the result. The condition is finishing homework before dinner, so that is what he must do.

Question 12Listening Comprehension

You hear: "Mika usually walks to school, but today she took the bus because she woke up late." Why did Mika take the bus today?

  1. The school is far from her house.
  2. Her bicycle was broken.
  3. She woke up late. Correct answer.
  4. It was raining heavily.

Explanation

The reason is introduced by "because" right after the main statement. The clause "she woke up late" is the cause of the change from walking to taking the bus.

Question 13Listening Comprehension

A clerk says: "The blue shirt is 2,000 yen, and the white one is 1,500 yen, but today the blue one is half price." How much is the blue shirt today?

  1. 750 yen
  2. 1,000 yen Correct answer.
  3. 1,500 yen
  4. 500 yen

Explanation

Half of the blue shirt's regular price of 2,000 yen is 1,000 yen. The white shirt's price of 1,500 yen is a distractor that does not apply to the blue shirt.

Question 14Listening Comprehension

You hear: "I'd rather stay home and study than go to the concert with my friends." What will the speaker do?

  1. Go to the concert.
  2. Stay home and study. Correct answer.
  3. Invite friends to her house.
  4. Study at the concert hall.

Explanation

The structure "would rather A than B" expresses a preference for A over B. Here A is staying home and studying, so that is the chosen action.

Question 15Listening Comprehension

A tour guide says: "The bus will wait for us for twenty minutes, so please be back by a quarter to three." What time should the tourists return?

  1. 2:15
  2. 3:15
  3. 2:45 Correct answer.
  4. 3:00

Explanation

"A quarter to three" means fifteen minutes before three o'clock, which is 2:45. Listening for clock expressions in words rather than digits is the key skill here.

Question 16Listening Comprehension

You hear: "Neither Yuki nor her sister has been to Kyoto, but their parents went there last spring." Who has visited Kyoto?

  1. Both sisters
  2. Their parents Correct answer.
  3. Yuki
  4. Yuki's sister

Explanation

"Neither ... nor" means both of the named people have not been there. The contrast with "but" then tells us the parents did go last spring.

Question 17Listening Comprehension

A teacher says: "The essay is due on Monday, and the presentation will be a week after that." When is the presentation?

  1. The following Monday. Correct answer.
  2. The following Tuesday.
  3. Two weeks after Monday.
  4. The same Monday.

Explanation

"A week after" Monday is the next Monday. The reference point is the essay deadline, and one week later lands on the same weekday.

Question 18Listening Comprehension

You hear: "The doctor said I should cut down on sweets, so I've stopped buying cake." What did the doctor advise?

  1. To eat fewer sweets. Correct answer.
  2. To eat more cake.
  3. To stop seeing the doctor.
  4. To buy sweets at the station.

Explanation

The phrasal verb "cut down on" means to reduce the amount of something. The speaker's action of not buying cake shows the advice was about eating fewer sweets.

Question 19Listening Comprehension

A boy says: "I was supposed to meet Hana at the station at four, but I got there at half past four." How late was he?

  1. Half an hour Correct answer.
  2. Forty-five minutes
  3. Ten minutes
  4. An hour

Explanation

The planned time was four o'clock and he arrived at half past four, which is 4:30. The difference between the two times is thirty minutes.

Question 20Listening Comprehension

You hear: "The concert was supposed to start at six, but it didn't begin until seven because the singer was late." How long did the audience wait past the planned start?

  1. One hour Correct answer.
  2. Thirty minutes
  3. Forty-five minutes
  4. Two hours

Explanation

The planned start was six and the actual start was seven, so the delay is one hour. The phrase "not ... until" marks the real starting time.

Question 21Listening Comprehension

A narrator says: "Although the weather forecast promised sunshine, the picnickers had to run for shelter when a sudden shower began." What happened to the picnic?

  1. It was cancelled in the morning.
  2. It was interrupted by rain. Correct answer.
  3. It continued as planned.
  4. It was moved to a shelter in advance.

Explanation

"Although" signals that the forecast was wrong, and the sudden shower forced people to run for shelter. This means the picnic was interrupted rather than continuing.

Question 22Listening Comprehension

You hear: "If I had checked the timetable, I wouldn't have missed the last bus." What does the speaker mean?

  1. She checked the timetable and caught the bus.
  2. She did not check the timetable and missed the bus. Correct answer.
  3. She will check the timetable next time.
  4. The timetable was wrong.

Explanation

This is a third conditional describing an unreal past: the "if" clause did not happen. So she did not check the timetable, and as a result she missed the last bus.

Question 23Listening Comprehension

A woman says: "My sister lent me her camera, but I'd rather she hadn't, because I dropped it." What is true?

  1. She borrowed the camera and broke it. Correct answer.
  2. She returned the camera without using it.
  3. She bought the camera herself.
  4. Her sister dropped the camera.

Explanation

"Lent me" shows she borrowed the camera, and "I dropped it" shows the accident was her fault. "I'd rather she hadn't" expresses regret about receiving the loan.

Question 24Listening Comprehension

You hear: "The manager said the meeting had been put off until Friday, but it was actually brought forward to Wednesday." What do we learn about the meeting?

  1. It happened later than the manager said.
  2. It was held on Friday as planned.
  3. It happened earlier than the manager said. Correct answer.
  4. It was cancelled.

Explanation

"Put off" means postpone and "bring forward" means move to an earlier time. The contrast with "but it was actually" shows the real date, Wednesday, is earlier than the announced Friday.

Question 25Listening Comprehension

A guide says: "Had it not been for the storm, we would have reached the summit by noon." What happened?

  1. The storm did not stop them.
  2. They reached the summit at noon.
  3. The storm prevented them from reaching the summit by noon. Correct answer.
  4. They reached the summit before the storm.

Explanation

"Had it not been for" is an inverted third conditional meaning "if there had not been". Since the result clause says they would have reached the summit, the storm in fact stopped them.

Question 26Listening Comprehension

You hear a recorded announcement at the school: 'The library will be closed during lunch today because the staff have a meeting.' What is the reason for the library being closed?

  1. The library is being cleaned.
  2. The staff have a meeting. Correct answer.
  3. The books are being moved.
  4. There are no students at lunch.

Explanation

The announcement directly states the cause: the staff have a meeting. In listening tasks, the reason is often introduced by 'because', so you should focus on the clause that follows it.

Question 27Listening Comprehension

A teacher says: 'Please hand in your reports by Wednesday, not Thursday as I said earlier.' When should the reports be handed in?

  1. By Friday
  2. By Wednesday Correct answer.
  3. By Thursday
  4. By Tuesday

Explanation

The teacher corrects the earlier deadline: 'by Wednesday, not Thursday.' The phrase 'not Thursday' negates the previous instruction, so the correct deadline is Wednesday.

Question 28Listening Comprehension

You hear a student say: 'I wanted to join the tennis club, but my doctor told me to rest my knee, so I chose the chess club instead.' Which club did the student join?

  1. The swimming club
  2. The tennis club
  3. The doctor's club
  4. The chess club Correct answer.

Explanation

The student says 'so I chose the chess club instead.' The word 'instead' signals that the original plan (tennis) was replaced, and the actual choice is the chess club.

Question 29Listening Comprehension

A girl says: 'My brother is two years older than me, and I am thirteen.' How old is her brother?

  1. Fifteen Correct answer.
  2. Fourteen
  3. Eleven
  4. Thirteen

Explanation

The girl is thirteen, and her brother is two years older. Adding two years to thirteen gives fifteen. In age problems, you must apply the stated difference to the stated age.

Question 30Listening Comprehension

You hear: 'The science museum is free on Sundays, and it opens at nine, an hour earlier than on other days.' What time does the museum open on Sundays?

  1. At eight
  2. At nine Correct answer.
  3. At ten
  4. At eleven

Explanation

The sentence says it opens at nine on Sundays, which is an hour earlier than on other days. The time given for Sunday is directly nine; the comparison to other days is extra information.

Question 31Listening Comprehension

A boy says: 'I was going to walk to the station, but it started raining, so I took the bus.' Why did he take the bus?

  1. Because he was late.
  2. Because the station was far.
  3. Because he missed the train.
  4. Because it started raining. Correct answer.

Explanation

The boy explains that it started raining, which caused him to change his plan from walking to taking the bus. The cause is introduced by 'so' and linked to the rain.

Question 32Listening Comprehension

You hear a shop assistant say: 'The red notebook is 300 yen, and the green one is 400 yen, but today the green one is half price.' How much is the green notebook today?

  1. 200 yen Correct answer.
  2. 350 yen
  3. 300 yen
  4. 400 yen

Explanation

The green notebook normally costs 400 yen, but today it is half price. Half of 400 is 200, so the correct price is 200 yen.

Question 33Listening Comprehension

A girl says: 'I usually take the train to school, but today I came by bike because the trains were delayed.' How did she get to school today?

  1. By train
  2. On foot
  3. By bus
  4. By bike Correct answer.

Explanation

The girl contrasts her usual routine (train) with today's action (bike). The phrase 'today I came by bike' directly answers the question, and the delay explains the change.

Question 34Listening Comprehension

You hear: 'The concert was supposed to start at six, but it didn't begin until seven because the singer was late.' How late did the concert start?

  1. One hour late Correct answer.
  2. Thirty minutes late
  3. It started on time
  4. Two hours late

Explanation

The planned start was six, and the actual start was seven. The difference between six and seven is one hour. The phrase 'didn't begin until seven' indicates the actual start time.

Question 35Listening Comprehension

A teacher says: 'The essay is due on Monday, and the presentation will be a week after that.' When is the presentation?

  1. On Monday
  2. On the following Monday Correct answer.
  3. On Tuesday
  4. On the following Friday

Explanation

The essay is due Monday, and the presentation is a week after that day. A week after Monday is the following Monday. The phrase 'a week after that' refers to the same weekday in the next week.

Question 36Listening Comprehension

You hear a boy say: 'I was supposed to meet Hana at the station at four, but I got there at half past four.' How late was he?

  1. Forty-five minutes
  2. Fifteen minutes
  3. One hour
  4. Thirty minutes Correct answer.

Explanation

The meeting time was four o'clock, and he arrived at half past four, which is 4:30. The difference between 4:00 and 4:30 is thirty minutes, so he was thirty minutes late.

Question 37Listening Comprehension

A narrator says: 'Although the weather forecast promised sunshine, the picnickers had to run for shelter when a sudden shower began.' What happened to the picnickers?

  1. They cancelled the picnic in advance.
  2. They enjoyed a sunny picnic.
  3. They stayed in shelter all day.
  4. They were caught in a sudden shower. Correct answer.

Explanation

The narrator contrasts the forecast with what actually happened: a sudden shower began, forcing the picnickers to run for shelter. The key event is the unexpected rain, not the forecast.

Question 38Listening Comprehension

You hear: 'If I had checked the timetable, I wouldn't have missed the last bus.' What does the speaker mean?

  1. He checked the timetable and caught the bus.
  2. He missed the bus because he didn't check the timetable. Correct answer.
  3. He will check the timetable next time.
  4. He missed the bus even though he checked the timetable.

Explanation

The third conditional 'If I had checked... I wouldn't have missed...' describes an unreal past situation. It means he did not check the timetable, and as a result, he missed the bus.

Question 39Listening Comprehension

A woman says: 'My sister lent me her camera, but I'd rather she hadn't, because I dropped it.' What is true?

  1. She is happy she borrowed the camera.
  2. She wishes she had not borrowed the camera. Correct answer.
  3. She has not dropped the camera.
  4. Her sister dropped the camera.

Explanation

The phrase 'I'd rather she hadn't' expresses regret about a past event: she wishes her sister had not lent her the camera. The reason given is that she dropped it, confirming her regret.

Question 40Listening Comprehension

You hear a manager say: 'The meeting has been put off until Friday, not brought forward to Wednesday as some of you thought.' When is the meeting now?

  1. On Friday Correct answer.
  2. On Thursday
  3. On Wednesday
  4. It has been cancelled

Explanation

The manager corrects a misunderstanding: the meeting has been postponed (put off) to Friday, not moved earlier to Wednesday. 'Put off' means postponed, so the new date is Friday.

Question 41Reading Comprehension (short passages)

Read this short passage: "Ken gets up at six every morning. He runs for thirty minutes before breakfast. Then he eats rice and eggs." What does Ken do first after he gets up?

  1. He runs for thirty minutes. Correct answer.
  2. He sleeps again.
  3. He eats breakfast.
  4. He goes to school.

Explanation

The passage lists Ken's actions in time order: he gets up at six, then runs for thirty minutes, and only after that eats rice and eggs. The word "before" in "before breakfast" confirms that running comes earlier than eating.

Question 42Reading Comprehension (short passages)

Read this short passage: "Mika has two bags. The red bag is small. The blue bag is big, and it holds her tennis racket." Which bag does Mika use for her tennis racket?

  1. The red bag.
  2. The small bag.
  3. The blue bag. Correct answer.
  4. Both bags.

Explanation

The passage states directly that the blue bag is big and holds her tennis racket. The red bag is described only as small, with no mention of the racket. A reader should match the stated detail to the correct object.

Question 43Reading Comprehension (short passages)

Read this notice: "Library: Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Closed on Saturdays and Sundays." A student wants to borrow a book on Sunday. What should the student know?

  1. The library is open only in the morning on Sunday.
  2. The library is open until 5 p.m. on Sunday.
  3. The library is closed on Sunday. Correct answer.
  4. The library opens at 9 a.m. on Sunday.

Explanation

The notice says the library is closed on Saturdays and Sundays, so Sunday visits are impossible. The 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours apply only to weekdays. Reading the closing statement as applying to weekends is the key step.

Question 44Reading Comprehension (short passages)

Read this short passage: "Taro likes soccer, but his sister Yuki likes basketball. They both like watching sports on TV." What do Taro and Yuki have in common?

  1. They both play soccer.
  2. They both like watching sports on TV. Correct answer.
  3. They both like basketball.
  4. They both dislike sports.

Explanation

The last sentence says "They both like watching sports on TV," which is the shared interest. Their own sports differ, so only the TV-watching detail applies to both. The word "both" signals a common point.

Question 45Reading Comprehension (short passages)

Read this short passage: "The city festival is on the first Sunday of August. Last year it was very hot, so this year the city will start the festival at 5 p.m. instead of 2 p.m." Why will the festival start later this year?

  1. Because the festival moved to a new month.
  2. Because fewer people came last year.
  3. Because it was very hot last year. Correct answer.
  4. Because the first Sunday is a holiday.

Explanation

The passage connects last year's heat with the new 5 p.m. start time, implying the later start avoids the hottest hours. Cause-and-effect links like "so" show why a change was made. No other reason is given.

Question 46Reading Comprehension (short passages)

Read this short passage: "Emi: Do you want to study at my house on Saturday? Sora: I have a piano lesson until noon. Can we meet at one?" What does Sora suggest?

  1. Moving the piano lesson to Saturday.
  2. Studying at one o'clock. Correct answer.
  3. Cancelling the study meeting.
  4. Studying at Sora's house.

Explanation

Sora's question "Can we meet at one?" is a proposal to start studying at 1 p.m. after the piano lesson ends at noon. The reader must read the suggestion inside a question form.

Question 47Reading Comprehension (short passages)

Read this short passage: "My grandfather grows tomatoes in his garden. He gives some to our neighbors every summer. He says fresh tomatoes taste best." What is the main idea of the passage?

  1. Neighbors sell tomatoes in summer.
  2. The writer dislikes fresh tomatoes.
  3. Tomatoes are hard to grow in summer.
  4. The writer's grandfather grows tomatoes and shares them. Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage focuses on the grandfather's tomato growing and his habit of sharing them, which together form the main idea. The other sentences add supporting detail about freshness. A main idea covers the whole passage, not one small fact.

Question 48Reading Comprehension (short passages)

Read this short passage: "Please bring a pencil and a notebook to class tomorrow. We will write a short story. Do not bring your textbook." What will the class do tomorrow?

  1. Take a textbook test.
  2. Buy pencils and notebooks.
  3. Read a long story.
  4. Write a short story. Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage states "We will write a short story," which is the planned activity. The pencil and notebook are tools for that task, and the textbook is not needed. The reader should pick the stated purpose.

Question 49Reading Comprehension (short passages)

Read this short passage: "The new bicycle shop opened last month. At first, few people came. Then the owner put a sign near the station, and now many students stop by after school." What changed the situation for the shop?

  1. Students stopped riding bicycles.
  2. The shop lowered all its prices.
  3. The owner put a sign near the station. Correct answer.
  4. The shop moved closer to the station.

Explanation

The passage uses "Then" to show the action that changed things: the owner placed a sign near the station. The increase in student visitors follows that action. Prices and moving the shop are never mentioned.

Question 50Reading Comprehension (short passages)

Read this short passage: "Aya wanted to join the tennis club. But practice is every morning at seven, and she lives far from school. After thinking for a week, she joined the art club instead." Why did Aya choose the art club?

  1. Her friend asked her to join the art club.
  2. She did not like tennis at all.
  3. The tennis practice time was hard for her. Correct answer.
  4. The art club had no meetings.

Explanation

The passage shows Aya's problem: early tennis practice plus a long commute. Her choice of the art club follows from that difficulty, so the reader must link the obstacle to her decision. Liking tennis is stated, and no friend is mentioned.