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100+ Free Nara Public High School Entrance Examination — Japanese (Kokugo) Practice Questions

Prepare for the Nara Prefectural High School Entrance Examination — Japanese (Kokugo) (奈良県公立高等学校入学者選抜学力検査 国語) exam with instant access — no signup required.

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Key Facts: Nara Public High School Entrance Examination — Japanese (Kokugo) Exam

Practise for the Nara Prefectural High School Entrance Exam in Japanese (Kokugo) with 100 four-option questions covering modern reading comprehension including dialogue and presentation items, classical Japanese, kanji, vocabulary and grammar, and a short themed composition. The official paper contains constructed-response reading and composition tasks, so this English-language MCQ bank is a study aid, not a format simulation.

Sample Nara Public High School Entrance Examination — Japanese (Kokugo) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your Nara Public High School Entrance Examination — Japanese (Kokugo) exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1What is the correct reading (in romaji) of the kanji 「行」 in the compound word 「行列」 (a line of people)?
A.gyōretsu
B.kōretsu
C.gyōretsū
D.gōretsu
Explanation: 「行列」 is read "gyōretsu," with the on-reading "gyō" for 行 and "retsu" for 列.
2Which is the correct reading (in romaji) of the kanji 「食」 in the verb 「食べる」 (to eat)?
A.taberu
B.shokueru
C.kuweru
D.tabberu
Explanation: 「食べる」 uses the kun-reading of 食, read "taberu."
3Which compound word means "a place where one studies" (a school)?
A.学校 (gakkō)
B.会社 (kaisha)
C.病院 (byōin)
D.銀行 (ginkō)
Explanation: 「学校」 combines 学 (study/learning) and 校 (place/building), meaning a school.
4Which reading of the kanji 「山」 is the kun-reading (native Japanese)?
A.yama
B.san
C.sen
D.zan
Explanation: 「山」 has the kun-reading "yama", used when the character stands alone as a word. Its on-reading is "san", which voices to "zan" after certain sounds.
5Which word is closest in meaning to 「迅速」 (jinsoku)?
A.Very fast / prompt
B.Very slow
C.Very large
D.Very quiet
Explanation: 「迅速」 combines 迅 (swift) and 速 (fast), meaning very fast or prompt.
6Which is the correct okurigana (verb ending) for 「起___」 meaning "to wake up"?
A.起きる (okiru)
B.起る (okiru)
C.起く (oku)
D.起てる (okiteru)
Explanation: The modern verb for waking up is 「起きる」, with the okurigana 「きる」.
7Which pair of words are synonyms (close in meaning)?
A.美しい (utsukushii) / 綺麗 (kirei)
B.暑い (atsui) / 寒い (samui)
C.高い (takai) / 低い (hikui)
D.大きい (ōkii) / 小さい (chiisai)
Explanation: 「美しい」 and 「綺麗」 both describe beauty, so they are close in meaning.
8Which is the correct four-character idiom (yoji-jukugo) meaning "once in a lifetime, irreplaceable"?
A.一期一会 (ichigo-ichie)
B.自業自得 (jigō-jitoku)
C.以心伝心 (ishin-denshin)
D.四苦八苦 (shiku-hakku)
Explanation: 「一期一会」 means treasuring each meeting as once in a lifetime, originating in the tea ceremony.
9Which part of speech is the word 「美しく」 (utsukushiku) as in 「美しく咲く」 (blooms beautifully)?
A.Adverb (the 連用形 of an adjective)
B.Noun
C.Verb
D.Conjunction
Explanation: The 連用形 (continuative/adverbial form) of the adjective 「美しい」 functions as an adverb here.
10Which particle correctly fills the blank: 「私は毎日、日本語___勉強します」?
A.を (o)
B.が (ga)
C.に (ni)
D.で (de)
Explanation: The particle 「を」 marks the direct object of the verb 「勉強します」, so 「日本語を勉強します」 is correct.

About the Nara Public High School Entrance Examination — Japanese (Kokugo) Exam

The Nara Prefectural High School Entrance Examination in Japanese (Kokugo) tests lower-secondary graduates on reading comprehension of modern and classical texts, kanji, vocabulary, grammar, and a short themed composition. From the 令和8年度 (2026) cycle the former 特色選抜 and 一般選抜 have been merged into a single 一次選抜 held in early March, and the five-subject academic test is scored out of 50 points per subject (250 points total). The Nara Kokugo paper is regarded as somewhat demanding.

Assessment

50-minute paper worth 50 points, covering modern reading comprehension, classical Japanese (古文) and a short themed composition (作文). Dialogue and presentation (会話・発表) comprehension items also appear within the reading sections. The exact 大問 count and composition length are set year by year and should be checked against the current past paper. The five academic-test subjects together total 250 points.

Time Limit

50 minutes (the academic test is sat on a single day in early March, with a school-set examination on the following day where applicable)

Passing Score

No fixed pass mark. Admission is decided by each school from the 250-point five-subject academic test, the report card (調査書, 144 points in the standard pattern ①, rising to 234 in pattern ②, 198 in pattern ③ and 180 in pattern ④), and any school-set examination, with weights and 加重配点 set school by school.

Exam Fee

2,200 yen for a full-time (全日制) course (入学検定料); the part-time (定時制) fee follows the national standard of 950 yen. A separate 入学料 of 5,650 yen is due at enrolment. Confirm all figures in the current 実施要項. (Nara Prefectural Board of Education (奈良県教育委員会))

Nara Public High School Entrance Examination — Japanese (Kokugo) Exam Content Outline

40%

Modern Reading Comprehension (現代文 読解)

Expository, argumentative and narrative texts, including dialogue and presentation (会話・発表) comprehension items.

20%

Classical Japanese & Kanbun (古文・漢文)

Classical Japanese and Sino-Japanese passages, with classical grammar, conjugation and auxiliary verbs.

25%

Kanji, Vocabulary & Grammar (漢字・語彙・文法)

Junior-high kanji reading and writing, idiomatic expressions, and modern Japanese grammar.

15%

Composition (作文)

A short themed composition; this bank teaches idea selection and structure rather than the writing task itself.

How to Pass the Nara Public High School Entrance Examination — Japanese (Kokugo) Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: No fixed pass mark. Admission is decided by each school from the 250-point five-subject academic test, the report card (調査書, 144 points in the standard pattern ①, rising to 234 in pattern ②, 198 in pattern ③ and 180 in pattern ④), and any school-set examination, with weights and 加重配点 set school by school.
  • Assessment: 50-minute paper worth 50 points, covering modern reading comprehension, classical Japanese (古文) and a short themed composition (作文). Dialogue and presentation (会話・発表) comprehension items also appear within the reading sections. The exact 大問 count and composition length are set year by year and should be checked against the current past paper. The five academic-test subjects together total 250 points.
  • Time limit: 50 minutes (the academic test is sat on a single day in early March, with a school-set examination on the following day where applicable)
  • Exam fee: 2,200 yen for a full-time (全日制) course (入学検定料); the part-time (定時制) fee follows the national standard of 950 yen. A separate 入学料 of 5,650 yen is due at enrolment. Confirm all figures in the current 実施要項.

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Nara Public High School Entrance Examination — Japanese (Kokugo) Study Tips from Top Performers

1Practise the dialogue and presentation (会話・発表) items, which ask about the effect and intent of what a speaker says — these are a recurring Nara pattern that is easy to miss without targeted drill.
2For the short composition, learn to connect a given source material to your own opinion in a single clear claim supported by one reason.
3Drill junior-high kanji reading and writing, since kanji items are a reliable source of marks across the paper.
4Learn classical grammar concretely: verb and adjective conjugation forms (活用形) and the main auxiliary verbs (助動詞) are the key to the classical Japanese 大問.
5Time yourself on past Nara papers, since the 50 minutes must cover two reading items, one classical item and the composition.
6Read the whole passage before answering a reading-comprehension item, since many Nara questions ask about overall intent rather than a single detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the Nara Kokugo paper and what is it worth?

It lasts 50 minutes and is scored out of 50 points, one of five subjects that together total 250 points. Some schools then multiply the five-subject total by 1.2 to 1.6 under 加重配点.

What is the structure of the Nara Kokugo paper?

It covers modern reading comprehension, classical Japanese (古文) and a short themed composition (作文). The number and order of the 大問 change from year to year, so work from the most recent past paper published by the prefecture.

How is the 令和8年度 selection different from before?

From the 令和8年度 (2026) cycle the former 特色選抜 and 一般選抜 have been merged into a single 一次選抜 held in early March, and candidates may apply to a first- and a second-choice school.

When were the 2026 papers sat?

The 令和8年度 一次選抜 academic test (学力検査) was held on 4 March 2026, with the school-set examination on 5 March and results announced on 13 March 2026.

How much is the examination fee?

The 入学検定料 is 2,200 yen for a full-time (全日制) course, paid through the Nara Web 出願 system. A separate 入学料 of 5,650 yen is due at enrolment after passing.

Is this question bank the same as the real exam?

No. The official paper is written in Japanese with constructed-response reading analysis and a themed composition. This bank is an English-language multiple-choice study adaptation of the same syllabus content and cannot replace written reading analysis or composition practice.