復習３：情報と表現Unit III Assessment
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Read a feature article and extract its main information, attributed sources, and structure.
- Organize and deliver a short oral presentation with transitions, comparison language, and a Q&A response.
- Write a formal email or document using opening and closing formulas, request softening, and appropriate written style.
- Read and write a short personal narrative that uses plain style, a temporal shift, and a represented inner thought.
- Move between polite, plain, formal-written, and presentation registers appropriately within a single project.
- Identify attribution, quotation, and source markers across article, presentation, and narrative genres.
- Complete an integrated listening, speaking, reading, and writing assessment covering Chapters 11 through 14.
Communication Scenario
Emma's newsletter reflection about the recycling project storage room was well received, and the community center director asks her to help prepare a short end-of-unit update for the center's volunteers: a combination of an article summary, a two-minute spoken update, a short formal email confirming a follow-up meeting, and her personal narrative from Chapter 14, all drawn together into one small volunteer packet. This chapter's Unit III Performance Task asks you to demonstrate control of all four genres from this unit, article reading, oral presentation, formal writing, and personal narrative, using only the systems authorized through Chapter 14.
- The learner reads a short article and reports its main information accurately, including at least one attributed source.
- The learner delivers a short spoken update using presentation transitions and responds to at least one follow-up question.
- The learner writes a short formal email using correct opening and closing formulas and softened requests.
- The learner presents or revises a short personal narrative using plain style, a temporal shift, and an inner thought.
Unit III Vocabulary Review
This chapter reviews and integrates vocabulary for feature articles and reporting, presentations and research, formal documents and requests, and personal narrative, drawn from Chapters 11 through 14. No new vocabulary domain is introduced in this chapter; all items below are recycled from earlier chapters in this unit.
| Japanese | Reading | English meaning | Source chapter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 記事 | きじ | article | Ch. 11 |
| によると | によると | according to | Ch. 11 |
| 発表 | はっぴょう | presentation; announcement | Ch. 12 |
| 結果 | けっか | result | Ch. 12 |
| 添付 | てんぷ | attachment | Ch. 13 |
| 確認 | かくにん | confirmation | Ch. 13 |
| 記憶 | きおく | memory | Ch. 14 |
| 気持ち | きもち | feeling; mood | Ch. 14 |
| 変化 | へんか | change | Ch. 14 |
| 予想 | よそう | expectation; prediction | Ch. 14 |
This table samples each chapter's domain rather than repeating every item from Chapters 11 through 14. Review your Chapter 11–14 vocabulary tables directly for full lists.
れんしゅう — Practice: Sort the ten words above into the four genres of this unit (article, presentation, formal document, narrative). Some words may reasonably fit more than one genre; be ready to explain your choice.
Script and Kanji Review
This chapter assesses B2 kanji from Unit III with reduced furigana, following the Furigana / Reading-Support Matrix's requirement for consolidated, low-furigana reading at Chapter 15. Furigana remains available in this chapter for names and any unscheduled reading, but consolidated Unit III kanji appear without furigana in the assessment passages below.
The passages in this chapter's Reading and Listening Assessment sections use less furigana than Chapters 11 through 14, in line with this chapter's position in the Furigana / Reading-Support Matrix. If you meet a consolidated kanji you cannot recall, use the strategies practiced across this unit: guess from context and word shape first, then check the kanji cards above or your Chapter 11–14 notes, rather than stopping at every unfamiliar-looking word.
Names and any kanji outside this unit's scope will continue to carry furigana, as required by the master instructions.
れんしゅう — Practice: Without checking the kanji cards, write the readings for 記事, 発表, 確認, and 記憶 from memory, then check your answers.
Pronunciation and Listening Review
This unit has practiced several distinct prosodic patterns: the relatively even, informative pace of an article summary, the clearer and more deliberate pace of a presentation with pauses before transitions, the flatter and more careful reading of a formal email, and the softer, slightly slowed pace of a narrated inner thought. As you complete this chapter's Listening Assessment, listen for which of these four patterns is being used in each section, since the pattern itself is a clue to the genre.
- 記事によると、参加者は前回より増えた。 even, informative pace — article-style reporting.
- それでは、結果について発表します。 clear, deliberate pace with a pause before 結果 — presentation-style delivery.
- これでいいのかな。 slower, softer, reflective pace — narrated inner thought.
Grammar: Four Genres, One Toolkit
This chapter authorizes assessed use of attribution and source marking (Chapter 11), presentation transitions and comparison language (Chapter 12), formal opening and closing formulas with request softening (Chapter 13), and narrative plain style with temporal shifts and inner thought (Chapter 14). No new grammar system is introduced; this section reorganizes Unit III's four grammar sets side by side so you can compare their register and function directly.
Comparing the four genres
| Genre | Typical register | Key marker | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Article (Ch. 11) | 〜によると、〜そうだ | Written, neutral-formal | Attributes information to a source rather than the writer |
| Presentation (Ch. 12) | それでは、〜について発表します | Spoken, polite です／ます | Signals a transition into a new part of a talk |
| Formal document (Ch. 13) | よろしくお願いいたします | Written, formal, polite | Closes a request with conventional deference |
| Narrative (Ch. 14) | 実は、〜前に〜／〜と思った | Written, plain style | Marks a shift in time or represents inner thought |
Attribution across genres
Purpose: to recognize that attribution appears differently depending on genre, and to choose the right form for the right context.
- 記事によると、参加者は増えている。According to the article, the number of participants is increasing.によると, written attribution, Chapter 11
- アンケートの結果について発表します。I will present the survey results.について発表します, spoken presentation frame, Chapter 12
- 佐藤さんからいただいたメールによりますと、鍵は倉庫にあるとのことです。According to the email I received from Sato-san, the key is said to be in the storage room.によりますと, formal written attribution, Chapter 13 register
Register switching within one project
Purpose: to move deliberately between polite spoken style, formal written style, and narrative plain style within a single multi-genre task, rather than mixing them by accident.
- （発表）今日は、リサイクルプロジェクトについてお話しします。(Presentation) Today I will talk about the recycling project.polite spoken register
- （メール）ご確認のほど、よろしくお願いいたします。(Email) Thank you for your confirmation.formal written register
- （物語）あの朝のことは、今でもよく覚えている。(Narrative) I still remember that morning well, even now.plain narrative register
A single volunteer packet, like the one in this chapter's scenario, may legitimately contain all three registers, each used consistently within its own section. Switching registers between sections is expected; switching registers within one sentence or one section, without reason, is the pattern to avoid.
Grammar Review Practice
- Write one sentence attributing information to an article, using によると.
- Write one sentence beginning a presentation section, using それでは or について発表します.
- Write one closing sentence for a formal email, using よろしくお願いいたします.
- Write one narrative sentence with a clearly marked temporal shift, using 実は、〜前に〜.
- Identify which register each of your four sentences above belongs to, and explain in one sentence why that register fits its genre.
Model Dialogue
Setting: Emma and the community center director, 中村さん, plan the volunteer packet together.
ないようりかい — Comprehension questions:
- What four items does 中村さん ask Emma to prepare?
- What does the article Emma summarized report, and how does she attribute it?
- What closing formula will Emma use for the confirmation email?
Guided Practice
タスク１ — Genre sort. Read four short unlabeled sentences provided by your instructor or partner, one from each Unit III genre, and identify which genre each belongs to and which grammar marker signals it.
タスク２ — Attribution practice. Given a short fact, write it three ways: as article-style attribution (によると), as formal-email attribution (によりますと), and as spoken presentation attribution (と報告されています or similar).
タスク３ — Register repair. Given a short passage that mixes polite and plain style inappropriately within one paragraph, rewrite it so that the register is consistent for its genre.
タスク４ — Mini-packet outline. Sketch a one-sentence plan for each of the four sections of your own Unit III Performance Task packet: article summary, presentation opening, email closing, and narrative temporal shift.
Listening Assessment
Ask your instructor, a partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following passage aloud at a natural pace, adjusting tone for each section as practiced in the Pronunciation and Listening Review above.
きくタスク — A volunteer update
記事によると、今年のリサイクルプロジェクトの参加者は去年より増えている。それでは、結果について発表します。参加者の数は約三十人増え、収集量も増加した。この結果を受けて、来週もう一度会議を行う。確認のメールでは、日時と場所をお伝えする予定である。ところで、あの朝のことは、今でもよく覚えている。まだ人のいない静かな朝だった。
聞くタスク — Listening task: Identify (1) what the article reports and how it is attributed, (2) the two results mentioned in the presentation section, (3) what the confirmation email will communicate, and (4) which sentence marks the shift into narrative style, and how you know.
This passage moves across all four Unit III genres in sequence, assessing this chapter's listening comprehension cumulatively with Chapters 11 through 14.
Speaking Assessment
コントロールされた練習 — Controlled practice: Genre openers
- 記事の要約を、＿＿＿＿＿によると、で始めてください。
- 発表を、それでは、＿＿＿＿＿について発表します、で始めてください。
- メールを、＿＿＿＿＿、よろしくお願いいたします、で終わらせてください。
コミュニケーションタスク — Delivering the spoken update
Deliver a two-minute spoken update that briefly summarizes an article (real or invented for practice), presents one result using presentation transitions, and closes with one sentence about a planned follow-up. A partner or instructor should ask at least one follow-up question, which you should answer in complete sentences.
ひとりでもできる練習 — Solo practice: Recorded packet walkthrough
Record yourself reading aloud the article-summary opening, the presentation opening, the email closing, and the first two sentences of your narrative from the Unit III Performance Task, adjusting your pace and tone for each genre. Listen back and check that each section sounds appropriately distinct.
Reading Assessment
Read the following short multi-genre passage, then answer the questions below. Furigana is reduced in this passage, consistent with this chapter's position in the Furigana / Reading-Support Matrix.
ボランティア資料 — Volunteer materials
地域新聞の記事によると、今年のリサイクルプロジェクトの参加者は去年より増えているそうだ。担当者は、この変化の理由について、住民の関心の高まりを挙げている。
それでは、活動の結果について発表します。参加者の数は約三十人増え、収集量も前年に比べて増加した。この結果を受けて、来週もう一度、担当者会議を行う予定である。
中村様 いつもお世話になっております。来週の会議の日時と場所について確認させていただきたく、ご連絡いたしました。ご確認のほど、よろしくお願いいたします。
あの朝のことは、今でもよく覚えている。まだ人のいない静かな朝だった。実は、その一週間前に佐藤さんからメールが届いていて、鍵は問題なく使えると聞いていた。それでも、少し不安な気持ちが残っていた。作業は意外に早く終わり、予想していたより、ずっと簡単だった。
This passage combines article attribution, presentation transitions, formal email conventions, and narrative plain style with a temporal shift, assessing this chapter's reading comprehension cumulatively with Chapters 11 through 14.
ないようりかい — Comprehension questions:
- What does the article report, and what reason does the person in charge give for the change?
- What two results are mentioned in the presentation section, and what will happen next as a result?
- What is the purpose of the email, and which phrase closes it formally?
- Identify the sentence that marks a temporal shift in the narrative section, and explain how it is marked.
- Identify which of the four paragraphs uses plain style rather than polite style, and explain why that register is appropriate there.
Writing Assessment
In this assessment you will draft the written portion of your Unit III Performance Task: a four-part volunteer packet combining all genres practiced in this unit.
- Write a short article summary (two to three sentences) reporting information you attribute to a source, real or invented for practice, using によると or a similar attribution marker.
- Write a short presentation opening and one result statement (two to three sentences), using それでは or について発表します and comparison language such as 〜に比べて or 〜より.
- Write a short formal email (four to six sentences) confirming a meeting or request, using an appropriate opening, softened request language, and よろしくお願いいたします or a similar closing.
- Revise your Chapter 14 personal narrative, or write a new short narrative, keeping plain style, a temporal shift, and an inner thought.
- Revise your full packet using the checklist below.
チェックリスト — Editing checklist:
- My article summary attributes its information clearly, using によると or a similar marker.
- My presentation section uses a clear transition and at least one comparison or result expression.
- My email uses formal opening and closing conventions consistently, without mixing in plain style.
- My narrative uses plain style consistently, with a clearly marked temporal shift and at least one inner thought.
- Each section of my packet keeps its own register consistent, and I can explain why each register fits its genre.
Culture and Communication
A single community project in Japan, as in many places, often generates several different kinds of writing: a news item summarizing it for outsiders, a presentation reporting results to insiders, formal correspondence confirming logistics, and, less often but not unusually, a personal reflection shared informally among participants. Recognizing which register a document requires, and switching cleanly between them, is itself a marker of communicative competence at this level.
Individual and regional variation exists within each genre, as noted in Chapters 11 through 14: presentation style can be more or less formal depending on the audience, and narrative voice can vary by writer. What generally stays consistent, across regions and individual styles, is that a single section of a single document tends to hold one register steadily, rather than mixing registers unpredictably within a paragraph.
Most languages distinguish reporting, presenting, formal correspondence, and personal narrative through some combination of vocabulary, structure, and tone, even where the specific markers differ from Japanese. Reflecting on how your own language signals these four genres can help you notice why Japanese relies so heavily on specific fixed markers, such as によると or よろしくお願いいたします, to do work that other languages might do through tone alone.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: *参加者は増えている。 stated as a plain fact with no attribution, when the information actually came from a specific article.
Correction: 記事によると、参加者は増えている。 — mark the source clearly when reporting information you did not observe or verify yourself.
Error: *それでは、来週の会議について発表します。 used as the opening of a written confirmation email, borrowing spoken presentation phrasing.
Correction: 来週の会議の日時と場所について確認させていただきたく、ご連絡いたしました。 — use written, formal-email phrasing for a written, formal-email genre.
Error: *あの朝のことは、今でもよく覚えています。 using polite です／ます inside an otherwise plain-style narrative passage.
Correction: あの朝のことは、今でもよく覚えている。 — keep narrative passages in plain style throughout, as established in Chapter 14.
Chapter Review
Section A — ごい (Vocabulary)
1. Sort the ten review words from the Unit III Vocabulary Review table into their four source genres, and explain your reasoning for any word that could fit more than one.
Section B — もじ (Script)
1. Write the readings for 記事, 発表, 確認, and 記憶 from memory, then check them against the Script and Kanji Review section.
Section C — ぶんぽう (Grammar)
1. Complete the five Grammar Review Practice items above, if you have not already done so.
2. Explain, in your own words, why a single project might reasonably contain polite spoken, formal written, and plain narrative registers, and give one original example sentence for each register.
Section D — どっかいりかい (Reading comprehension)
1. Look again at the passage in the Reading Assessment section. Write one sentence identifying the genre and register of each of its four paragraphs.
Section E — かくこと (Writing)
1. Complete your four-part packet following the Writing Assessment steps, as part of the Unit III Performance Task below.
Section F — はなすこと (Speaking)
1. Record or deliver your two-minute spoken update, as part of the Unit III Performance Task below.
Unit III Performance Task
パフォーマンスタスク
情報と表現 — Assembling a four-genre volunteer packet
Using an experience or project of your choice, real or invented for practice, complete all four components below.
- Article summary: Write two to three sentences reporting information from a source, with clear attribution.
- Spoken update: Deliver a two-minute presentation opening and result statement, and respond to at least one follow-up question.
- Formal email: Write a four-to-six sentence email confirming a meeting or request, with correct opening and closing conventions.
- Personal narrative: Present, in writing or aloud, a short personal narrative using plain style, a temporal shift, and an inner thought.
Assessment focus: accurate source attribution; clear presentation transitions and comparison language; consistent formal register and correct opening/closing formulas in the email; consistent plain style with a clearly marked temporal shift and inner thought in the narrative; and appropriate, deliberate register switching across all four sections of the packet.
Answer Key
Unit III Vocabulary Review and Script Review
Open-ended for the sorting task; check readings against the Script and Kanji Review section above. Reasonable genre placements: 記事／によると → article; 発表／結果 → presentation; 添付／確認 → formal document; 記憶／気持ち／変化／予想 → narrative, though 結果 and 確認 may also reasonably appear in more than one genre.
Grammar Review Practice
- Model answer: アンケートによると、参加者は増えている。
- Model answer: それでは、今年の活動について発表します。
- Model answer: ご確認のほど、よろしくお願いいたします。
- Model answer: 実は、一週間前に会議があった。
- Open-ended; a correct answer identifies attribution as written/article register, presentation opener as spoken/polite register, email closing as formal written register, and the temporal-shift sentence as plain narrative register, with a brief reason for each.
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- 中村さん asks Emma for an article summary, a presentation, an email, and a narrative.
- The article reports that participants have increased compared to last year; Emma attributes this using 記事によると.
- Emma will close the confirmation email with よろしくお願いいたします.
Listening Assessment — Model summary
The article reports that this year's participants increased compared to last year. The presentation section reports about thirty more participants and increased collection amounts, leading to another meeting next week. The confirmation email will communicate the meeting's date, time, and location. The narrative section begins at ところで、あの朝のことは、今でもよく覚えている, marked by a shift into plain style and a first-person recollection.
Reading Assessment — Comprehension
- The article reports increased participation compared to last year; the person in charge attributes the change to rising resident interest.
- About thirty more participants and increased collection volume compared to the previous year are mentioned; as a result, another organizer meeting will be held next week.
- The email confirms the date and location of next week's meeting; it closes with よろしくお願いいたします.
- The temporal shift is marked by 実は、その一週間前に佐藤さんからメールが届いていて, which signals a jump backward in time using 実は and 一週間前に.
- The fourth paragraph uses plain style, appropriate for personal narrative, in contrast to the polite or formal written style of the first three paragraphs.
Chapter Review — Sections A and B
Open-ended; check against the Unit III Vocabulary Review and Script and Kanji Review sections above.
Chapter Review — Section C
Open-ended for item 1; see Grammar Review Practice guidance above. For item 2, a correct explanation notes that a single project can reasonably require reporting to outsiders (formal/written), presenting to a group (polite/spoken), and reflecting personally (plain), and that each register should remain internally consistent within its own section.
Chapter Review — Section D
Model answer: paragraph one is article register (written, attributive); paragraph two is presentation register (spoken-style, polite); paragraph three is formal email register (written, formal, polite); paragraph four is narrative register (written, plain style).
Chapter Review — Sections E and F, and Unit III Performance Task
These are open-ended production tasks. Evaluate the written packet against the Writing Assessment checklist above, and evaluate the spoken update against the assessment focus listed under the Unit III Performance Task.
Looking Ahead
いまできること — What you can do now
You can read and summarize an article with clear attribution, deliver a short organized presentation and respond to questions, write a formal email with correct conventions, and read and write a short personal narrative using plain style, temporal shifts, and inner thought. You can also move deliberately between these four registers within a single project. This completes Unit III, 情報と表現, and prepares you for Unit IV, 自立した表現, which turns toward specialized topics, data and comparison, managing stance, and an integrated B2 capstone project.