Studying for Proficiency Tests

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Xenops
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Studying for Proficiency Tests

Postby Xenops » Wed May 19, 2021 5:34 pm

Partly as a motivator, partly because of opportunities, I would like to take proficiency tests for Norwegian and Japanese. The former I’m looking at the advanced-level Bergenstest—to be taken next year or later—and the latter, the JLPT N4. This A2-B1 level. I would like to take this one December 2021. I just purchased the Shin Kanzen Master books, which I love.

Advice please. :D Do I need to use lower-level test-specific books, or should I assume my course books already covered the basics? Any other advice?
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Re: Studying for Proficiency Tests

Postby gsbod » Wed May 19, 2021 6:00 pm

What course books are you using for Japanese apart from the Shin Kanzen Master ones?
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Re: Studying for Proficiency Tests

Postby Xenops » Wed May 19, 2021 6:03 pm

gsbod wrote:What course books are you using for Japanese apart from the Shin Kanzen Master ones?


Mostly Genki 1 and 2.
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Re: Studying for Proficiency Tests

Postby gsbod » Wed May 19, 2021 8:43 pm

You should be pretty much covered for N4 then. I would say the Genki series alone is probably not sufficient, although it will give you a solid foundation (just don't do what I did and get bored and skip the last couple of chapters, they're actually really useful). However, with the Shin Kanzen Master books to plug in the gaps, you should be good to go. It's also worth getting the official practice question books which are based on previous exam questions and the closest you can get to a past paper. There are now two volumes available for each level, details here.
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Re: Studying for Proficiency Tests

Postby dampingwire » Fri May 28, 2021 10:13 am

The official workbooks are also available as downloads from the same site. (At least I assume that these downloads and the books are the same content).

Interesting to see that KZM has now issued some N4 books too.
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新完全マスター N2聴解 : 94 / 103新完全マスター N2読解 : 99 / 177
新完全マスター N2文法 : 197 / 197TY Comp. German : 0 / 389

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Re: Studying for Proficiency Tests

Postby dampingwire » Fri May 28, 2021 10:16 am

I also love the way that the interactive sample questions teach you that a big red circle means "OK, well done, you got it right" :-)
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