Hi, guys! How are you? Let’s continue our topic. I hope your listening skill would be improved by using the tips here.
Trap 4: changing mind
In everyday oral communication, people often modify or even repeatedly correct the message that they have already said, and this communication feature is also the focus of listening test. At the beginning of the test, the questions usually tend to ask “この後(あと)、まず何(なに)をしなければなりませんか – what do I have to do after this”. You should pay special attention to the order of things mentioned in the conversation for such type of questions. Do not immediately give your answer after hearing the keyword in one of the options. You should take notes first and then decide the answer after the end of the session.
Meanwhile, you should be very careful when hearing keywords such as “とりあえず”, “までに”, “午前中(ごぜんちゅう)”, “今日中(きょうじゅう)”, “後(あと)でやります”, “保留(ほりゅう)”, “やっといて”, “やっとく” etc.
Trap 5: hidden meaning
It is much difficult for such trap. It generally requires people to have a good understanding of the conversation. One of the major features of Japanese expression is ambiguity. This characteristic often appears in the listening test, especially when it comes to examining the types of speakers’ intentions. It is very important to make sure whether the speaker intends to give positive or negative expressions.
Example 5: 肉(にく)の消費量(しょうひりょう)については今後(こんご)も同じ(おなじ)傾向(けいこう)が続く(つづく)と思(おも)われます。一方(いっぽう)魚(さかな)ですが、これまで専門家(せんもんか)の間(あいだ)では消費量(しょうひりょう)は減少(げんしょう)することはあっても、増加(ぞうか)することはないと言(い)われてきました。しかし、そうではないと私(わたし)は見(み)ています – The same trend will continue for meat consumption in the future. On the other hand, the consumption of fish has been said to decrease among experts and it will not increase. However, I am seeing it a different way (or I don’t think so).
Experts think that the consumption of meat will increase. If the speaker does not raise any objection, then you may think that he also thinks the meat consumption will increase. Meanwhile, experts say the fish consumption will be reduced, but the speaker said he doesn’t think so, which indicating that he thinks the consumption of fish is also increasing.
Trap 6: the result is not clear
Another big characteristic of the listening test is to use adverbs, adjectives, to describe the meaning of verbs at the end of the sentence. Hence, it makes the result unclear.
Example 6: 明日(あした)提出(ていしゅつ)する経営学(けいえいがく)のレポート、できたことはできたんだけど、なんだかね – I’ve finished the report for the management course though, somehow I … (don’t know why… but).
“なんだか” means “somehow”, “for some reason”, “I don’t know why, but” etc. Thus, the sentence doesn’t give a clear ending about the report.
Example 7: みどり工業(こうぎょう)との価格(かかく)交渉(こうしょう)、この状況(じょうきょう)だとそう簡単(かんたん)には… – Under such situation, the price negotiation with Midori Industry won’t go easy…
“そう簡単には” means not easy which means the negotiation will be tough.