Hello, I'm gonna take the N1 on December and I would like some resources to prepare the exam.
I'm looking specifically for sample tests.
I downloaded the Shin Kanzen Master but it's really not what I'm looking for. It's like 150 pages filled with pretty simple vocab that I already know and then 2 mock tests at the end, which is like the only useful part for me.
I know there's a page called JapaneseTests4you that contains a lot of tests, but I don't know how similar to the real exams those are. I tried some of them and they seemed way to simple to be N1.
What's a good book that consists only of tests similar to the ones you find in the JLPT?
Thanks in advance. I will practice with the Shin Kanzen master Mock tests while I wait for your answers.
EDIT: Shin kanzen master is even worse that I thought, it doesn't even feature complete mock exams, I would NOT recommend this book for practicing the exam.
by kone-megane
4 comments
The 日本語パワードリル N1 文法 – 日本語能力試験対策 Series should be exactly what you’re looking for.
Also, there is a plethora of apps that emulate the JLPT-format, just search for “JLPT N1” or so, there’s a gazillion of them.
As for the listening part: You can find a lot of the listening sections of past JLPTs on youtube. As for your 聴力 itself, I don’t think I have to tell you that you should talk to people and consume lots of JP media to polish it. But the youtube-videos of past JLPTs are heplpful in a way that they familiaraize you with the format of the listening section.
For example, there’s this multiple-choice thingie where you have to rapidfire answer short questions (at least that’s how I recall it, maybe it’s a bit different) and there’s always like 2 answers that are definitely wrong and one that’s kinda misleading, but still wrong. The JLPT is a lot about weeding out those wrong answers quickly, so that you’re not wasting your time.
And yes, of course it’s also about language ability. I wish you good luck with the test 🙂
模擬テスト (もぎテスト) is the word for the mock/practice tests, if you wanna try searching online for some
Personally I used a similar book to what was already recommended in another comment
I’m assuming you purchased 新完全マスター語彙 N1 and not the 文法, 読解 or 聴解 variants. The latter three are very useful in my opinion as vocabulary is the easiest thing to find resources for.
Also the 模擬試験 at the back of each book are very much exactly the format of question you will see at the JLPT exam. Each book will be dedicated to different sections of the JLPT with again 語彙 being the least useful as it’s weighted at like 10% of the overall exam.
I wouldn’t rule out the Shin Kanzen series that quickly! I passed N2 with just the four books from them.
There’s avenues in which you can buy the previous years tests in a pack for money. I don’t know what these avenues are exactly but people seem to find them through google and services like mercari and whatever else.