日本語のコーナー
The Final Countdown Before the JLPT1 Doomsday
Facing the Facts
In a matter of days, I will be facing the toughest [language] challenge yet… the grueling JLPT1! It’s this coming December 7, and I’m soo running out of time to CRAMM!! I brushed up on my grammar and kanji (a little listening) in the past few months, though I’m not sure what percentage got retained in my poor brain (I’m crossing my fingers that my listening skills have improved since the last time x__X). I’ve become pretty confident about my grammar, but the writing/vocab section (where the ‘kanji exam’ is) is still making me cower in fear T__T And of course, the 70% pass mark.
I might be exaggerating things a bit, but the writing/vocab section is really difficult, especially if your kanji knowledge is not quite solid. It’s going to test your kanji/vocab foundation with the ever confusing and misleading choices, far unlike JLPT3. JLPT2 was still pretty manageable, though it made me realize that I have to practice both writing and reading kanji to memorize them by heart, so I won’t fall for the same mistakes again. I can still remember how I ended up choosing 成積 as the kanji equivalent of せいせき when it should’ve been 成績 (see that miniscule difference?!). It’s not like I’m dwelling in the past here, but it serves to fuel my drive to learn (though who am I kidding, I only have a few days to go before the exam x__X).
A Spark of Hope
Despite uncertainties regarding how I would fare in the coming exam, I feel rather optimistic about it (the ‘pessimistic-like remark’ above is nothing more than a fact), not in the “I’m sure I will pass!” sense (that would be blind optimism), but more of “For as long as the exam hasn’t ended yet, there’s still a chance that I’m gonna pass!” I know it’s gonna be a tough road, but as the great Toua-sama has said “A low possibility means it’s not zero”, so there’s still hope! There’s a big prize at stake if I succeed in this exam (I’ll get 2 or 3 times the allowance I get atm!), but that’s not something I deserve to have, not until I’ve proven myself worthy. At this point in time, I still don’t deem myself worthy (no I’m not being modest about this), so all that I can do is to my best in the upcoming exam, and see if I actually am.
More than being anxious and nervous, I’m excited — ready to take the plunge, ready to take the challenge! I’m not afraid of “failing” because there’s no such thing. The results can only be “Pass” or “Try again next year”, which means that things can only get better (there’s no way but up!) 
There’s no need to be intimidated about the exam, just take it one step at a time.
All the best to those who will be taking JLPT!!! Ganbareee! FAITO! 加油！ 一緒に頑張ろう！ ^-^
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15 comments for “The Final Countdown Before the JLPT1 Doomsday”
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As for me, I’m going for 3kyuu this year, but I’m soooo keeping my fingers crossed for ya!
GANBATTE!
Let us know about the results ASAP!
Writing writing D: So wait when you “choose” are you writing from scratch? I don’t know much about the “big 1″ but I thought the more difficult part would be dialog (speaking), but writing from scratch D:
Also, believe in the brain’s ability to “know” the subtle differences. Not that I am a JLPT expert, but I managed a 4.0 in my early college years (currently around 3.9) by believing I know something, or at least recognizing that I have seen something before; if you can acknowledge that you have encountered it you “know” it somewhere… just believe. I’m not a big studier, but taking out whats important (ie. specific strokes of kanji), relational recognition, and relative connections work wonders. Of course, you’re supposed to do it all subconsciously ^-^
If you’ve been studying, you surely have the knowledge. If you think you’re going to forget something, latch it onto something related that you remember well, then trust in that connection.
I hope you do awesomesauces!
Well, good luck! Have faith in yourself.
Good luck and make sure to get a good night’s sleep the night before!
Good luck on getting that JLPT-1!
Good luck! I’ll be doing JLPT 3, even though I’m halfway through JLPT 2, but I just knew I couldn’t cram so much vocabulary in time (although I already know around 1000 kanji, there are many compounds/words I don’t know) so, since a friend of mine was doing JLPT 4, I decided to sign up with him and give level 3 a try, which I’m pretty confident I’ll pass
The challenge will be next year! And when I do JLPT 1. I wish I were at that level now
Ick, JLPT1…I’m doing 2 and not especially looking forward to that either. >_>
But yeah, from what I’ve seen on the sample tests level 1 is pretty brutal. Heck, I’ve had native Japanese speakers who were trying to help me end up getting confused on some of those problems.
That’ll be an awesome milestone if you pass, though. Good luck to both of us! =D
Good luck! Wish I was joining you but life just isn’t lining up right now. I hope you can get through all the questions in the time limit - that was one of my hardest parts for the L2 practice tests.
Good luck, ate!
All the best, and don’t forget to never believe in yourself. Believe in me who believes in you!
Good luck!
Woah, sounds incredibly tough, and I totally hear you on the subtle differences in Kanji, though it usually affects me when I have to come up with it from scratch and I write the wrong radical or invent one of my own (usually fully aware it’s wrong, but my memory can’t come up with the right one anyways). Best of luck, and a good measure of self confidence to you girl!
@Mizuu: ahaha, you seem to be more excited about the results than me!!!
Thanks!!! You go get that 3kyuu too!!! :3
@Ryan: oh it’s an all-multiple choice exam… but still, having to choose between similar-looking or similar-sounding kanjis is a real pain
And certainly, learning by association is what I deem to be the most effective way of getting kanjis stuck in your memory… which is why kanjis I see in anime titles, games, or others that I encounter often in various media are easily ingrained in my brain. Just have to expose myself to these stuff more and more! ^^
Hope I can go totally GAR mode and do epic awesomesauce in the exam!!!
@Panther: How about believing in you who believes in me?
@Kabitzin: aye aye!! I also hope I don’t oversleep or I’ll be doomed!!
@psgels: Will see what I can to do just that!!
@Sergio: I’m sure you’ll do great if you’re already setting your eyes on JLPT2 (and on the way there too)! All the best to both of us!!
@0rion: ohh, is JLPT the reason behind your blogging absence?? I can only wonder how much time you spent to prepare for this! I actually think your Nihongo l33tness exceeds mine, especially in the practical aspect, so yeah, go get that JLPT2!!! Let’s do our best in the exam!! I can imagine you more as an Akagi taking the exam rather than a Kaiji, haha.
@Caitlin: you can still take it again anytime if you wish! You would’ve learned a lot more by then too
I didn’t have much problem with time in the L2 exam, and I can only hope it’ll be the same for L1!!
@Michael: thanks Mike!!
@Owen: haha, sure will!! If only I can pass with courage and sheer willpower alone!!
@animekritik: Thanks :3
@issa: loool, I find myself doing the same thing… especially in the ‘kanji matching’ exam where you’d have to imagine the kanjis, somewhat from scratch too (you’re just given the reading). Gonna beat the crap out of those kanjis on Sunday, rawrrrr!
Thank you everyone! Now I’m all the more hyped up for the coming exam! woohoo!
I know someone else who is taking, I think actually the JLPT2 soon, and she practiced by writing her entire NaNo (it’s where everyone writes a full novel in November) and she has been translating the Earl and Fairy novels as well for practice (and fun and for all of us E&F fans). So, good luck to everyone taking the exams!
Hello.I am a mongolian.I took the JLPT2.It was difficulty to me. I am afraid that not passing the exam.So I want to know that how? the example 2kyuu’s exam and if it’s possible. Please send me a web of jlpt2’s example exam. Shitsureishimasu. onegaishimasu.:-)