ニュースとメディアNews and Media
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Recognize plain-form headline style in short news headlines and public notices.
- Report information you heard or read from another source, using hearsay 「そうです」.
- State what a piece of news, a report, or a conversation is about, using 「について」.
- Identify and label the source of information, using frames such as 「〜によると」.
- Understand the main idea and key details of a short news item or social media post.
- Give a short, connected spoken or written response to something you read or heard in the news.
Communication Scenario
Emma has started following local news to prepare for her community center project and to keep up with everyday life. She checks a news app, reads short articles and headlines, and talks with Yuki about what she has seen. This chapter continues Unit III by building the skills needed to follow, summarize, and briefly respond to news and media content at a B1 level.
- Emma reads a short news article and a few headlines on her phone.
- Emma tells Yuki what she read, being careful to say where the information came from.
- Yuki and Emma briefly discuss what the news means for their neighborhood.
Core Vocabulary
The following vocabulary supports this chapter's focus on local news, events, public information, social media posts, headlines, and short reports. All items are productive at this chapter unless marked otherwise.
| Japanese | Reading | English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ニュース | ニュース | news |
| 記事 | きじ | article |
| 見出し | みだし | headline |
| 天気予報 | てんきよほう | weather forecast |
| 事故 | じこ | accident |
| 発表 | はっぴょう | announcement |
| 情報 | じょうほう | information |
| 内容 | ないよう | content; substance (of a report) |
| 投稿 | とうこう | (social media) post |
| アプリ | アプリ | app |
| 局 | きょく | station (broadcasting) |
| 意見 | いけん | opinion |
These items combine naturally with 「する」 or with source-marking frames, for example 発表する (to announce), ニュースについて話す (to talk about the news), and 記事によると (according to the article).
Script and Kanji Focus
This chapter introduces kanji for news, media, weather, events, public notices, and sources. These are new to Volume II and keep furigana throughout this chapter. Chapter 11 kanji continue to appear with reduced furigana where familiar, and Chapter 8 and 9 kanji continue to keep furigana as in Chapter 10 and 11.
Japanese headlines and short notices often use plain-form verbs and drop particles such as 「は」、「が」、and 「を」 to save space, for example 「事故で電車遅れる」 instead of the full sentence 「事故で電車が遅れています」. This chapter introduces headline style only for recognition: you should be able to understand a short headline written this way, but you are not expected to produce it yourself. Full sentences with particles remain the productive standard in your own speaking and writing.
れんしゅう — Practice: Write each of the eight new kanji above once from memory, then use each one in a short phrase such as 天気予報 (weather forecast) or 記事の内容 (the content of the article).
Pronunciation Focus
Several new words in this chapter combine long vowels, gemination, or high-vowel devoicing:
- 予報 (よほう) has a long vowel in the second syllable; keep it distinct from よほ.
- 発表 (はっぴょう) contains a geminate consonant and a long vowel together; keep both features clear and avoid shortening it to はぴょ.
- 情報 (じょうほう) has two long vowels in a row; count all six morae carefully.
- 記事 (きじ) often shows devoicing of the き in casual, fast speech; this is a listening target, not something to force in your own careful speech.
Practice tapping out the mora count for 予報, 発表, and 情報 before using them in the Guided Practice section below.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
This chapter introduces three connected systems for handling news and media: reporting what you heard or read with hearsay そうです, naming a topic with について, and labeling a source with によると.
1. Reporting what you heard or read — hearsay そうです
Purpose: to report information that comes from another source, such as the news, a person, or a written report, rather than from your own direct experience or judgment.
- 明日は雨だそうです。I heard that it's going to rain tomorrow.plain form + そうです → hearsay
- その駅で事故があったそうです。I heard there was an accident at that station.
- その店はもう閉まっているそうです。I heard that shop is already closed.
Hearsay そうです attaches to the plain form of a verb, adjective, or noun + だ. It signals that the information comes from somewhere else, so it should not be used for your own direct opinions or firsthand experience.
2. Naming a topic — について
Purpose: to state what a piece of news, a report, a conversation, or a piece of writing is about.
- 今日のニュースは新しい公園について話していました。Today's news talked about a new park.
- この記事は駅前の事故について書かれています。This article is written about the accident in front of the station.
- その発表について、意見を聞かせてください。Please let me hear your opinion about that announcement.
3. Labeling a source — によると
Purpose: to identify where a piece of information came from, which is especially important when reporting news, since a good report always names its source.
- 天気予報によると、明日は雨だそうです。According to the weather forecast, I heard it's going to rain tomorrow.
- その記事によると、駅前で事故があったそうです。According to that article, I heard there was an accident in front of the station.
- ユキさんの投稿によると、公園のイベントは来週だそうです。According to Yuki's post, I heard the park event is next week.
によると very often appears together with hearsay そうです, since naming a source and reporting secondhand information usually go together in natural Japanese.
Grammar Practice
- Write one sentence using hearsay そうです to report something you read or heard.
- Write one sentence using について to state the topic of a news item or conversation.
- Write one sentence using によると to name your source.
- Combine your sentences from items 1 through 3 above into one connected news report, following the Building Block pattern.
- Read the headline 「駅前で火事」 and rewrite it as a full sentence with particles and a plain or polite predicate.
Model Dialogue
Setting: Emma and Yuki meet at the community center and talk about something Emma read in the news that morning.
ないようりかい — Comprehension questions:
- What happened at the station this morning, and where did Emma get that information?
- What does the weather forecast say, and what advice does Emma give?
- According to Sato's post, what stage is the venue preparation at?
Guided Practice
タスク１ — Read the headline. For each short headline below, rewrite it as a full sentence using particles and a polite or plain predicate, without adding information that is not in the headline.
- 公園でイベント (event at the park)
- 駅前で火事 (fire in front of the station)
- 市が新しい発表 (city makes new announcement)
タスク２ — Report the source. For each headline above, write one sentence using によると and hearsay そうです, naming a plausible source such as ニュース, 天気予報, or アプリの記事.
タスク３ — State the topic. Choose one headline and write a second sentence using について to state what the item is about, followed by a short opinion using と思います.
Listening Practice
Ask your instructor, a partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following passage aloud at a clear, moderate pace.
きくタスク — A short news summary
今日のニュースをお伝えします。天気予報によると、午後から雨が降るそうです。傘を持って出かけたほうがいいでしょう。次に、駅前の事故についてです。今朝、電車が一時間ほど遅れたそうです。今は普段どおり運行しています。最後に、市の発表です。来月、公園で新しいイベントがあるそうです。詳しい情報は、市のホームページで発表される予定です。
聞くタスク — Listening task: Note what the weather forecast says, what happened at the station and whether trains are running normally now, and what the city announced about next month.
This script uses hearsay そうです three times with three different sources; listen for how each piece of information is introduced.
Speaking Practice
コントロールされた練習 — Controlled practice: Quick answers
- 今日の天気予報によると、天気はどうですか。
- 最近、何かニュースを見ましたか。それはどこの情報ですか。
- そのニュースは何について書かれていましたか。
コミュニケーションタスク — News-sharing role-play
With a partner, imagine you each read a different short news item today. Take turns telling your partner about your news, naming your source with によると, reporting the information with そうです, and stating the topic with について. Your partner should ask at least one follow-up question.
ひとりでもできる練習 — Solo practice: Recorded news summary
Record yourself giving a one-minute summary of an imagined news broadcast, similar to the Listening Practice passage. Listen back and check that you used によると, について, and そうです correctly and that your long vowels and gemination are clear.
Reading Practice
Read the following short news article, then answer the questions below.
駅前の事故で電車が遅れる — Trains delayed by accident near the station
今朝、駅前で事故があった。この記事によると、電車は一時間ほど遅れたそうだ。けがをした人はいなかったと市は発表した。現在、電車は普段どおり運行している。天気予報によると、午後から雨が降るそうなので、利用者は気をつけてほしい。
This article uses plain style, which is common in written news reports. Notice that the headline itself drops particles, while the body of the article uses full sentences.
ないようりかい — Comprehension questions:
- What happened this morning, and how long were the trains delayed?
- What did the city announce about injuries?
- What is the current status of the trains?
- What does the weather forecast say, and what does the article suggest riders do?
Writing Workshop
In this workshop you will write a short news summary of an imagined local event, following the Building Block pattern from the Grammar section.
- Name your source, using によると.
- State the topic, using について.
- Report the information, using an appropriate plain form + そうです.
- Add a short opinion or piece of advice, using と思います or ほうがいい.
- Connect your sentences so the summary reads as one short account rather than separate lists.
- Revise and check using the checklist below before finalizing your text.
チェックリスト — Editing checklist:
- My summary clearly states where the information came from, using によると.
- I used について to state the topic of my summary.
- I used hearsay そうです correctly for reported information, not for my own direct opinion.
- I kept my own opinion clearly separate from the reported information.
- I kept furigana on this chapter's new kanji and on Chapter 8–9 kanji, and used reduced furigana on Chapter 6–7 and Chapter 11 kanji where appropriate.
- I ended each sentence with 。 and used consistent script and punctuation.
Culture and Communication
Many people in Japan follow local news through television broadcasts, news apps, and community bulletin boards, especially for practical information such as train delays, weather warnings, and local events. Public institutions, including city offices and train companies, often issue short, formal announcements when something affects daily life, and residents are generally expected to check this kind of information regularly rather than wait to be told directly, though habits vary by generation, region, and individual.
The specific apps, stations, and community bulletins that people use for local news vary considerably by city, town, and region. A neighborhood in a large city may rely heavily on a train company's app for transit updates, while a smaller town may depend more on a community center bulletin board or a local broadcasting station. The grammar patterns in this chapter apply across these different sources, even though the specific vocabulary for a source may change.
Written news articles, like the one in the Reading Practice section, are commonly written in plain style even though they are addressing a general public audience, because plain style is the standard convention for written reports and articles. This is different from a spoken announcement or a conversation between colleagues, which would typically use polite です／ます style. Recognizing plain style in written news is a receptive skill in this chapter; your own speaking and writing about the news should continue to use polite style unless another chapter specifically authorizes otherwise.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: *私はこの公園が好きだそうです。 (using hearsay そうです for the speaker's own direct feeling, which does not come from another source).
Correction: 私はこの公園が好きです。 — hearsay そうです is reserved for information that comes from someone or something else, not for your own firsthand opinion or experience.
Error: *電車が遅れたそうです。 without ever stating where this information came from anywhere in the conversation.
Correction: ニュースによると、電車が遅れたそうです。 — a clear news report should name its source, especially the first time the information is introduced.
Error: *駅前で火事。 used as a spoken sentence in ordinary conversation, imitating headline style.
Correction: 駅前で火事があったそうです。 — headline style is for recognition when reading headlines only; your own spoken and written sentences should use full particles and a complete predicate.
Chapter Review
Section A — ごい (Vocabulary)
1. Use ニュース, 記事, 発表, and 情報 each in one sentence.
Section B — もじ (Script)
1. Write 記事, 天気, 予報, and 発表 from memory, and note that all four kanji from this chapter keep furigana in this chapter's texts.
Section C — ぶんぽう (Grammar)
1. Write one sentence using hearsay そうです to report something you read or heard.
2. Write one sentence using について to state a topic.
3. Write one sentence using によると to name a source.
4. Rewrite the headline 「市で新しいイベント」 as a full sentence.
5. Explain, in your own words, why hearsay そうです should not be used for your own direct opinion.
Section D — どっかいりかい (Reading comprehension)
1. Look again at the news article in the Reading Practice section. Write two sentences summarizing it in your own words.
Section E — かくこと (Writing)
1. Complete your own news summary, following the Writing Workshop steps.
Section F — はなすこと (Speaking)
1. With a partner or instructor, share an imagined piece of news, naming your source and stating the topic.
Practical Performance Task
パフォーマンスタスク
ニュースを伝える — Sharing the news
Imagine you have just read or watched a short local news report. Complete all three components below.
- Written summary: Write a short news summary of at least five sentences that names your source, states the topic, reports the information with hearsay そうです, and adds a short opinion or piece of advice, using the Building Block pattern from the Grammar section.
- Spoken exchange: With a partner, instructor, or recording, present your summary aloud and respond to at least two follow-up questions about the source or the details of the news.
- Listening check: Listen to a partner's or instructor's news summary and correctly identify the source, the topic, the reported information, and the opinion or advice given.
Assessment focus: accurate and natural use of によると, について, and hearsay そうです; correct kanji recognition with appropriate furigana for this chapter's new kanji; consistent polite register in speech even when discussing plain-style written news; and comprehensible pronunciation with attention to long vowels and gemination in media vocabulary.
Answer Key
Grammar Practice
1. Model: 明日は雨だそうです。 2. Model: この記事は事故について書かれています。 3. Model: 天気予報によると、明日は雨だそうです。 4. Open-ended; check that the combined report follows the によると → について → そうです → と思います order or a natural equivalent. 5. Model: 駅前で火事があったそうです。
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- There was an accident in front of the station this morning; Emma got the information from an article on a news app.
- The weather forecast says it will rain from the afternoon, so Emma advises Yuki to bring an umbrella.
- According to Sato's post, the venue preparations have just been finished.
Listening task — Model summary
The weather forecast says it will rain from the afternoon, so it is a good idea to bring an umbrella. This morning, trains near the station were delayed by about an hour because of an accident, but they are now running normally. The city announced that there will be a new event at the park next month, with more details to be posted on the city's website.
Reading — Comprehension
- There was an accident in front of the station this morning, and the trains were delayed by about an hour.
- The city announced that no one was injured.
- The trains are currently running normally.
- The weather forecast says it will rain from the afternoon, so the article suggests that riders be careful.
Chapter Review — Section A and B
Open-ended; check against the Core Vocabulary and Script and Kanji Focus sections above.
Chapter Review — Section C
Open-ended; models follow the patterns shown in the Grammar section above. For item 5, a correct explanation notes that hearsay そうです marks information from another source, so it does not fit a speaker's own direct opinion or feeling.
Chapter Review — Section D
Model answer: 今朝、駅前で事故があって、電車が一時間ほど遅れたそうです。今は普段どおり運行しています。 (Other accurate answers accepted.)
Chapter Review — Section E and F, and Practical Performance Task
These are open-ended production tasks. Evaluate written work against the Writing Workshop checklist above, and evaluate the spoken exchange and listening check against the assessment focus listed under the Practical Performance Task.
Looking Ahead
いまできること — What you can do now
You can recognize plain-form headline style, report information from a source using hearsay そうです, state the topic of a news item using について, and name your source using によると. You can also combine these patterns into a short, connected news summary with your own opinion added.