[Kokugo] Mastering the Art of Reading Expository Texts!
Hello everyone! The "expository texts" (explanatory or argumentative essays) you study in the second year of junior high school might feel a bit challenging at times. But actually, once you know the "rules of the text," you can solve them like a puzzle with ease!
In this notebook, I've organized the key points that will help you with tests and reading comprehension in an easy-to-understand way. It might seem tricky at first, but you'll be just fine if you master these points one by one.
1. Grasp the Big Picture (Basic Structure)
To convey information clearly, expository texts are built with a solid "form." Here are the three parts you want to master in your second year:
① Introduction (Joron)
This is the "gateway" to the text. It presents the "topic" that the author is going to explain, or the "question" they want to solve.
Example: A question like, "Why is the sky blue?"
② Body (Honron)
This is the "main dish" of the text. It explains the answer to the question raised in the introduction in detail, using concrete examples and data. It is often divided into several paragraphs.
③ Conclusion (Ketsuron)
This is the "summary." Based on the explanations in the body, the author presents what they want to convey most (the author's claim). The answer to the "question" posed at the beginning is found here.
[Pro Tip!]
If you get stuck, try reading the "beginning" and the "end" carefully! The introduction and conclusion are packed with the author's core message.
2. Distinguishing Between "Abstract" and "Concrete"
The biggest key to unlocking an expository text is understanding the relationship between these two concepts.
● Abstract (Chusho)
These are generalized, broad concepts or ideas. An author's claim is often written using these "abstract" terms.
Example: "Fruit," "Sports," "The importance of communication"
● Concrete (Gutai)
These are specific examples that are easy for anyone to visualize.
Example: "Apple," "Soccer," "Greeting others"
[Thinking Tip]
To help you understand their complex ideas (abstract), the author provides easy-to-understand examples (concrete). If you see the word "for example," the text right before it is usually the author's "summary" (abstract) that they want you to grasp!
3. The Text's "Signposts": Pay Attention to Conjunctions
Conjunctions are like road signs that tell you where the text is heading. Pay close attention to these four groups:
① Adversative (Gyakusetsu)
"However," "But," "Although"
These signal that the following content will contrast with what came before. The author’s claim often follows "however," so this is super important!
② Restatement (Kangen)
"In other words," "That is to say"
These summarize the previous content concisely. Reading these helps you understand the gist of what came before.
③ Exemplification (Reiji)
"For example"
A concrete example begins here. It gives you a hint to help you visualize the content.
④ Causality (Inga)
"Therefore," "As a result"
These connect reasons and results. They are useful when you are looking for the answer to "Why did this happen?"
[Common Mistake]
Do you skip over conjunctions, thinking they're just fluff? Just by making a habit of circling conjunctions, you’ll be surprised at how clearly the structure of the text reveals itself!
4. Thinking About Paragraph Relationships (Contrast, Parallelism, Analogy)
In the second year, it's also important to understand how paragraphs relate to one another.
● Contrast (Taihi)
This is a way to clarify differences by comparing two things, such as "the past vs. the present," "Japan vs. other countries," or "humans vs. animals." Words like "on the other hand" or "in contrast" are your clues.
● Parallelism (Heiretsu)
This is a method of presenting topics of the same level, such as "First, ... Second, ..."
[Fun Fact: Why use "Contrast"?]
It's easier to convey the characteristics of something by comparing it to something else rather than explaining it on its own. For example, instead of just saying "This apple is red," saying "Compared to the green apple next to it, this apple is very red" highlights the redness!
5. Steps to Finding the Author's "Claim"
If a test asks you to "write down the author's opinion," try searching using these steps:
Step 1: Look for repeated keywords. (Words that appear many times are important!)
Step 2: Pay attention to the ending of sentences. Look for phrases like "Isn't it the case that...", "It is important to...", or "I believe that..."
Step 3: Check the final paragraph (conclusion) to see if there is a summary statement.
[Summary of Key Points]
1. Texts are built in a set: "Introduction, Body, and Conclusion"!
2. Focus on the summary (abstract) right before "for example"!
3. Check conjunctions like "however" and "in other words"!
4. The author's claim is often hidden in the end of the text or in specific sentence-ending expressions!
Reading expository texts is like playing "intellectual catch" with the author. Once you understand the rules, you can see what they are trying to "throw" at you, making reading and studying much more fun. Start by practicing with short texts—try circling the conjunctions!