Is Your 読解 (Reading Comprehension) Slow Because You’re Too Serious? Three Viewpoints for Finding the Right Answer Faster

1. Why Is 読解 (reading comprehension) Slow?

Serious learners often try to understand everything perfectly, from the first sentence to the very last word.
But exams are always a race against time.
Instead of aiming for a perfect score and using up all your time, it is more effective to switch to a reading method that focuses on key points and helps you pick out the 正解 (correct answer) efficiently.

2. Three Key Points That Dramatically Increase Reading Speed

Point 1: 主張 (main claim)

(What is the writer really trying to say?)

Pay attention to phrases such as 「つまり」(in other words), 「要するに」(to sum up), and 「大事なのは」(the important point is).
The writer’s most important message often appears right after these expressions.
Once you catch that, the overall structure of the passage becomes much clearer.

Point 2: 理由 (reason)

(Why can the writer say that?)

Look carefully at phrases like 「なぜなら」(because) and 「というのは」(the reason is).
Many 読解 (reading comprehension) questions ask you to identify the reason behind a statement.
If you get into the habit of linking the 主張 (main claim) with its 理由 (reason), you will be able to answer questions more confidently.

Point 3: 対比 (contrast)

(Not A, but B)

Words such as 「しかし」(however), 「一方で」(on the other hand), and 「ただし」(however / with that said) often signal contrast.
These are also common sources of trap choices in 読解 (reading comprehension) questions.
If you clearly separate the opinion the writer rejects (A) from the one the writer supports (B), you can avoid many careless mistakes.

3. Conclusion: If You Focus on the Right Points, Your Speed Will Rise

Just by paying attention to these three points, you can reduce unnecessary overthinking and improve your accuracy naturally.

“I still can’t instantly tell which 接続詞 (conjunctions) matter.”

If that sounds familiar, start with just 10 questions a day on Rapid Japanese and strengthen your 文型 (sentence patterns) first.
Once you learn the rules of 文型 (sentence patterns) that shape the structure of a passage, you will begin to predict what comes next, and your reading speed will improve dramatically.

Try your reading basics for free