Job Discussion Forums

[Hoser]

JLPT test results are out now. My roommate and I got ours yesterday. He failed his level 1 test, I passed my level 4. It was only Level 4 but it's certainly a boost to my self-confidence and a much-needed motivator to keep on studying. I've found that the more you study, the harder it gets because the more there is to remember! Anyways I'm happy! Now whenever someone from back home asks me how my Japanese is, I can say, "I'm level #"

[Apsara]

Well done! I passed level 2, but after almost 10 years in Japan it would have been pretty embarrassing if I didn't! This year I'm going for level 1- a lot of people fail it the first try it seems, but I have a whole year to study so if I don't procrastinate too much I think I have a good chance.

So, level 3 this year?

[southofreality]

Congrats

You should try and take it every year. Even if you don't pass some years, you'll always have a good idea of what the exams are like.

[southofreality]

[Lyrajean]

Failed level 3... It was a lot to chew on with arriving in August and getting set up... but since I will be here another year -recontracted with JET-, I will try try again next year.

Also, the tests don't measure speaking ability at all so I take them with a grain of salt. Theoretically you could be conversationally fluent, but if you can' read 300 kanji you'd fail...

But, all said, still a good motivator to study!

[Canuck2112]

Passed Level 2 but was very shocked by my results.

I only made one mistake in the reading part (which I thought was tricky) but got completely obliterated on the listening part (which seemed easier). Hmmm.

[Apsara]

I also did better than I thought on the reading in 2kyuu, although with a score of 163/200 I made more than one mistake, but did a lot worse on the listening than I expected- I had been getting 100% or just one wrong in the listening in practice tests, and then somehow ended up with 81/100 in the real test.

On a JLPT study site that I've been looking at I'm the only one with that pattern though, other people have scores like 90/100 for listening and 127/200 for reading. Go figure.

[carl0s]

[TK4Lakers]

I passed Level 2 with an 85% mark.

The test was a bit difficult in that I struggled with time.
The test has its flaws, but like any other test it doesn't fully test one's ability and knowledge of the language.

However, I have never met anyone who couldn't pass, say Level 3 or 2 but could speak fluently (enough to express one's feelings or opinions).
I feel a lot of foreigners think they can speak Japanese well because they often converse with friends/colleagues who let mistakes go by.
But try to work in a Japanese company and that's when you really get tested.
And for the level of kanji in 2-kyu, I think they are pretty basic should be grasped to consider oneself fluent.

Tips: Study kanji (including writing strokes-just for your own good) during your down time.
Buy the JLPT practice tests and time yourself.
Watch TV/movies, and really try to understand any unknown grammar or words (a dictionary helps here)
Have conversations with old Japanese people...they are the ones who always tend to correct mistakes

[Brooks]

it sounded like the listening part of 2 kyu was harder than the reading part.
But with listening, you don't know what it will be about.
The listening part is hard when there are no pictures to look at.
At least with reading you can see it. If you don't know all of the kanji or vocab, then it can be challenging.

My wife said the test used to be harder 10 years ago. I have to wonder about that.

[Apsara]

I have actually heard the opposite- level 2 now is more like level 1 used to be 10 years ago. Who knows.

carl0s, there are some really good sites out there- I worked all day today and am too tired to do complicated things like links right now, but I will post them this week I promise!

[carl0s]

[Apsara]

Okay, here as promised are some links to study sites that I use:



http://jlpt.renshuu.org/ This is a great one for practicing vocab or kanji and testing yourself to find out what you know.


http://www.spurrymoses.com/jlpt/2/index.html

This one has vocab and grammar exercises and lots of advice from people who have taken the test. It seems to have been down the last few days, I haven't been able to access it anyway.

I'll probably come back and add a few more links in the next few days if I have time.

[carl0s]

i checked out the sites - the first one was really good. the second site didn't open for me either.

anyway,

thanks a lot.