Struggling with JLPT N3/N2 Reading Speed? Focus on 「主張」(claim), 「理由」(reason), and 「対比」(contrast)

People who read slowly are often the ones who try to understand every single sentence carefully and perfectly.

But the exam is not a test of your ability to translate the entire passage. It is a game of how efficiently you can collect the necessary information within limited time.

To reach the correct answer as quickly as possible, read while focusing only on the following three points.

1. 「主張」(claim): 結局、何が言いたいのか

What is the writer ultimately trying to say?

The writer’s most important message is often hidden near the end of the passage or after certain key expressions.

注目ワード (keywords to watch)

「つまり」(in other words)
「要するに」(to sum up)
「結局」(after all / in the end)
「～ではないだろうか」(would it not be that... / perhaps ... is the case)

What comes after these expressions is often the most important part of the passage, and it may directly lead to the answer.

2. 「理由」(reason): なぜそう言えるのか

Why can the writer say that?

If there is a conclusion, there is always a reason supporting it.

注目ワード (keywords to watch)

「なぜなら」(because / the reason is)
「というのは」(that is because / the reason is that)
「～からだ」(that is why / because ...)

However, reasons do not always appear immediately after these direct signals. Sometimes they come right after a concrete example or episode. Train yourself to look for the conclusion and the reason as a pair.

3. 「対比」(contrast): AではなくB

Not A, but B

This contrast structure is where exam writers most often create traps.

注目ワード (keywords to watch)

「しかし」(however)
「一方で」(on the other hand)
「～ではなく」(not ... but ...)

If you clearly separate what the writer is rejecting from what the writer is supporting, you can eliminate misleading answer choices much faster.

まとめ (Conclusion): 読む量より、見る場所を固定する

Fix where you look, rather than simply increasing how much you read.

Rather than training only to read faster, it is much more effective in the short term to train yourself to always look at the right places.

Before anything else, you should first build your vocabulary and grammar foundation to the point where you can judge them instantly.

Rapid Japanese offers 100 free N3/N2 vocabulary questions and 100 free grammar pattern questions. Build a solid foundation first, and then accelerate your reading speed.

▼ Try 100 free vocabulary and grammar questions