Center Shiken

2008 Written English Test

2009-06-21T16:56:00.000-07:00

Center Shiken English written test of 2008.
The English written test is divided into six sections, with each section containing several questions or sections are sometimes sub-divided into different parts such A and B which contain a set of questions. In total there are 50 questions to be answered with a maximum score of 200 points. For a quick overview check the Center Shiken English written '08 answer sheet

First section Part A of the Center Shiken English written test 2008:
Concerning the following questions (1 ~ 3) Choose which of the underlined parts has a different pronunciation than the other three. From the four choices (① ~ ④)select only one.

First section Part B of the Center Shiken English written test 2008:
Concerning the following questions (4 ~ 5), which word has the same primary stress as the presented word. From four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

First section Part C of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Concerning the following sentence. If the speaker would have emphatically pronounced the word indicated in bold face, what intention would the speaker have had. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Second section Part A of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Concerning the following 10 questions, choose which would be most appropriate to put in the boxes 9 ~ 18. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Second section Part B of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
For the following conversations (1 ~ 3), choose which would be the most appropriate to put in the boxes 19 ~ 21. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Second section Part C of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Concerning the following questions (1 ~ 3), every word (① ~ ⑤) has to be placed in correct order on the indicated empty spaces, so that they form a correct sentence. Choose only the answers which come in the numbered boxes 22 ~ 27.

Third section Part A of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Read the following sentences of questions one and two, guess the meaning of the underlined phrases, choose the most appropriate answers for the questions 28 and 29. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Third section Part B of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Three students' opinions about a mandatory dress code at school were printed in the weekly newspaper. Choose only the most appropriate summary from (① ~ ④) for the question boxes 30 ~ 32.

Third section Part C of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Choose which sentences would most appropriately fit into the boxes 33 ~ 35. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Fourth section Part A of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Read the following story and graph, answer questions 1 ~ 3 at the end of the story. Choose which answer would be most appropriate for question boxes 35 ~ 37. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Fourth section Part B of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
A Japanese traveller who had fallen ill, had to fill out this document before undergoing an examination at a local medical institution in America. Choose which answer would be most appropriate for the question boxes 38 ~ 40. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Fifth section Part A of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Choose which describes the illustration correctly. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Fifth section Part B of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Choose which illustration is described here. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Fifth section Part C of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Which answer comes closest to describing to the contents of this cartoon. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Sixth section of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Read the following story, and answer the questions 1 ~ 7, choose which answer is most appropriate to put in the boxes 44 ~ 50. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

2008 Written English Test Answers

2009-06-21T16:50:00.000-07:00

Here are to answers with the associated point count of the 2008 Center Shiken written English test.

2008 Listening Script

2009-06-18T20:15:00.000-07:00

Here is the listening script for the Center Listening test of 2008. The script provides English script and the instructions in Japanese which are audible before the listening test starts. Translations of these instructions are provided on the same post page with the questions, see Center Shiken listening test 2008

Go to: Section one Questions
Go to: Section two Questions

Go to: Section two Questions
Go to: Section three A Questions

Go to: Section three A Questions
Go to: Section three B Questions

Go to: Section three B Questions
Go to: Section four A Questions

Go to: Section four A Questions
Go to: Section four B Questions

2009 Listening Answers

2009-06-18T20:04:00.001-07:00

2008 Listening Answers

2009-06-18T19:48:00.000-07:00

2008 Listening Test

2009-02-02T22:16:00.000-08:00

2008 was the third time a listening test was held in addition to the written English test. Other languages such as German, French, Chinese, and Korean do not require any listening test. Students are given an IC-player with a data memory stick and earphones which requires about 30 minutes of instructions. The actual test lasts for about 30 minutes too.
The whole listening test is divided into four sections with sections three and four subdivided into part A and B.
Instructions for the 1st listening section:

(Romanized Japanese)
dai ichi mon wa toi ichi kara toi roku made desu. sorezore no toi ni tsuite taiwa wo kiki, kotae toshite motto mo tekisetsu na mono wo, yotsu no sentakushi （①－④）no uchi kara hitotsuzutsu erabinasai.

(English)
The first section contains questions one to six. Listen to each conversation and choose the most appropriate answer, from choises one to four （①－④）, select only one.

Introductions in Japanese

Part 1, Questions 1 ~ 6

Instructions for the 2nd listening section:

(Romanized Japanese)
Dai 2 mon wa toi 7 kara toi 13 made no 7 mon desu. Sorezore no toi ni tsuite taiwa wo kiki, saigo no hatsugen ni taisuru aite no outou toshite motto mo tekisetsu na mono wo, yotsu no sentakushi （①－④）no uchi kara hitotsuzutsu erabinasai.

(English)
Section two contains questions seven to thirteen. Listen to each question related conversation, after the last phrase, choose how to most appropriately respond, from the four choices （①－④）select only one.

Part 2, questions 7 ~ 13

Instructions for the 3rd listening section part A:

(Romanized Japanese)
dai ichi mon A wa toi juyon kara toi juroku made no san mon desu. sorezore no toi ni tsuite taiwa wo kiki, kotae toshite motto mo tekisetsu na mono wo, yotsu no sentakushi （①－④）no uchi kara hitotsuzutsu erabinasai.

(English)
The third section part A contains questions fourteen to sixteen. Listen to each question related conversation, as for the answer, choose the most appropriate, from the four choices （①－④）, select only one.

Part 3A, Questions 14 ~ 16

Instructions for the 3rd listening section part B:

(Romanized Japanese)
Dai 3 mon B wa toi 17 kara toi 19 made no 3 mon desu. nagame no taiwa wo hitotsu kiki,toi ni taisuru kotae toshite motto mo tekisetsu na mono wo, mutsu no sentakushi （①－⑥）no uchi kara hitotsuzutsu erabinasai.

(English)
Section 3B contains questions seventeen to nineteen. Listen to the following single, long conversation. Select the most appropriate answer for each problem, from the six choices （①－⑥）select only one.

Part 3B, Questions 17 ~ 19

Instructions for the 4th listening section part A:

(Romanized Japanese)
dai yon mon A wa toi nijuu kara toi nijuni made no san mon desu. sorezore no toi ni tsuite eigo wo kiki, kotae toshite motto mo tekisetsu na mono wo, yotsu no sentakushi （①－④）no uchi kara hitotsuzutsu erabinasai.

(English)
The fourth section is also divided in part A and B.The fourth section part A contains questions twenty to twenty two. Listen to each question related English, as for the answer, choose the most appropriate, from the four choices （①－④）, select only one.

Part 4A, Questions 20 ~ 22

Instructions for the 4th listening section part B:

(Romanized Japanese)
dai yon mon A wa toi nijuusan kara toi nijugo made no san mon desu. korekara nagareru eigo wo kiki, sorezore no toi no, kotae toshite motto mo tekisetsu na mono wo, yotsu no sentakushi （①－④）no uchi kara hitotsuzutsu erabinasai.

(English)
The fourth section part B contains questions twenty three to twenty two. Listen to the whole section to answer the questions, as for the answer, choose the most appropriate, from the four choices （①－④）, select only one.

Part 4B, Questions 23 ~ 25

2009 Listening script

2009-01-31T14:36:00.000-08:00

Here is the listening script for the Center Listening test of 2009. The script provides English script and the instructions in Japanese which are audible before the listening test starts. Translations of these instructions are provided on the same post page with the questions, see Center Shiken listening test 2009

Go to: Section one Questions
Go to: Section two Questions

Go to: Section two Questions
Go to: Section three A Questions

Go to: Section three A Questions
Go to: Section three B Questions

Go to: Section three B Questions
Go to: Section four A Questions

Go to: Section four A Questions
Go to: Section four B Questions

2009 Written English Test Answers

2009-01-25T01:58:00.000-08:00

Here are to answers with the associated point count of the 2009 Center Shiken written English test.

2009 Written English Test

2009-01-25T01:11:00.000-08:00

Center Shiken English written test of 2009.
The English written test is divided into six sections, with each section containing several questions or sections are sometimes sub-divided into different parts such A and B which contain a set of questions. In total there are 50 questions to be answered with a maximum score of 200 points. For a quick overview check the Center Shiken English written '09 answer sheet

First section Part A of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Concerning the following questions (1 ~ 3) Choose which of the underlined parts has a different pronunciation than the other three. From the four choices (① ~ ④)select only one.

First section Part B of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Concerning the following questions (1 ・ 2), which word has the same primary stress as the presented word. From four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

First section Part C of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Concerning the following sentence. If the speaker would have emphatically pronounced the word indicated in bold face, what intention would the speaker have had. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

First section Part D of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Concerning the following underlined sentence. Which parts should be emphatically pronounced? From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Second section Part A of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Concerning the following 10 questions, choose which would be most appropriate to put in the boxes 8 ~ 17. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Second section Part B of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
For the following conversations (1 ~ 3), choose which would be the most appropriate to put in the boxes 18 ~ 20. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Second section Part C of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Concerning the following questions (1 ~ 3), every word (① ~ ⑥) has to be placed in correct order on the indicated empty spaces, so that they form a correct sentence. Choose only the answers which come in the numbered boxes 21 ~ 26.

Third section Part A of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Read the following sentences of questions one and two, guess the meaning of the underlined phrases, choose the most appropriate answers for the boxes 27 and 28. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Third section Part B of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
This is a fragment of a discussion about relationships between friends being discussed during a lesson at an American high school. Choose only one answer from (① ~ ④) which would be most appropriate to put in the question boxes 29 ~ 31.

Third section Part C of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Choose which sentences would most appropriately fit into the boxes 32 ~ 34. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Fourth section Part A of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Read the following story and graph, answer questions 1 ~ 3 at the end of the story. Choose which answer would be most appropriate for question boxes 35 ~ 37. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Fourth section Part B of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
A Japanese traveller who had fallen ill, had to fill out this document before undergoing an examination at a local medical institution in America. Choose which answer would be most appropriate for the question boxes 38 ~ 40. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Fifth section Part A of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Choose which describes the illustration correctly. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Fifth section Part B of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Choose which illustration is described here. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Fifth section Part C of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Which answer comes closest to describing to the contents of this cartoon. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

Sixth section of the Center Shiken English written test 2009:
Read the following story, and answer the questions 1 ~ 7, choose which answer is most appropriate to put in the boxes 44 ~ 50. From the four choices (① ~ ④) select only one.

My Center Shiken class

2009-01-22T21:12:00.000-08:00

The Center Listening Test of 2009 was a big deal for me. I had been prepping a class of 35 students since last year. During my weekly classes I presented them with listening exercises in various formats. This means that they had over one hundred practice lessons filled with listening to CDs, videos, DVDs, etc. During summer and winter vacation periods they often came to school for "winter school' and "summer school" with daily listening classes. So they had well over one hundred classes of listening practice. For the Center listening test, students can get 50 points for 25 questions. During the last three months we did Center Shiken practice listening tests and most of them had an average score of 30 points and up. Some of them regularly scored well into the 40 points which means more than 80% score ! ! Most of the students were really serious about getting a good score on their Center Shiken listening test.

The school also prepared Center Shiken listening test made by Benesse which is a company that specializes in collecting data and providing practice tests. They send us a box with IC players which are almost identical to the IC players used during the real Center Listening test. There is of course a slight difference between listening to spoken English from a CD player and hearing spoken English through earphones connected to a small device. It is also good practice to be able to listen to different people speaking, because some people speak faster and others might have some kind of accent. Also the difference between a male and a female voice can bring varying results.

After doing all this, I figured they were more than ready to go and get a great score so that I could go the the principal's office and bring proof that I should get a salary raise...

Unfortunately, most failed miserably. Their average score was around the national average of 24.4 (according to Yozemi). I spoke to some of my students and asked them about the possible reasons for not achieving their expected scores. Some told me that the environment (a random classroom at some unknown university) brought some stress. Some told me that it was difficult to hear what the speaker(s) were saying. Some complained about pronunciation which was hard to understand. I have found the Center Listening on the web and hope to post it together with the Center Shiken English listening post, so that everyone can try to do the test.

I guess that this year's third grade classes were too relaxed and I will be more aggressive, or more serious in preparing the now second graders for next year's Center listening test. I hope to make regular posts on how things unfold during the next 365 days.

2009 Listening Test

2009-01-21T16:30:00.000-08:00

2009 was the fourth time a listening test was held in addition to the written English test. Other languages such as German, French, Chinese, and Korean do not require any listening test. Students are given an IC-player with a data memory stick and earphones which requires about 30 minutes of instructions. The actual test lasts for about 30 minutes too.
The whole listening test is divided into four sections with sections three and four subdivided into part A and B.
Instructions for the 1st listening section:

(Romanized Japanese)
dai ichi mon wa toi ichi kara toi roku made desu. sorezore no toi ni tsuite taiwa wo kiki, kotae toshite motto mo tekisetsu na mono wo, yotsu no sentakushi （①－④）no uchi kara hitotsuzutsu erabinasai.

(English)
The first section contains questions one to six. Listen to each conversation and choose the most appropriate answer, from choises one to four （①－④）, select only one.

Instructions for the 2nd listening section:

(Romanized Japanese)
Dai 2 mon wa toi 7 kara toi 13 made no 7 mon desu. Sorezore no toi ni tsuite taiwa wo kiki, saigo no hatsugen ni taisuru aite no outou toshite motto mo tekisetsu na mono wo, yotsu no sentakushi （①－④）no uchi kara hitotsuzutsu erabinasai.

(English)
Section two contains questions seven to thirteen. Listen to each question related conversation, after the last phrase, choose how to most appropriately respond, from the four choices （①－④）select only one.

Instructions for the 3rd listening section part A:

(Romanized Japanese)
dai ichi mon A wa toi juyon kara toi juroku made no san mon desu. sorezore no toi ni tsuite taiwa wo kiki, kotae toshite motto mo tekisetsu na mono wo, yotsu no sentakushi （①－④）no uchi kara hitotsuzutsu erabinasai.

(English)
The third section part A contains questions fourteen to sixteen. Listen to each question related conversation, as for the answer, choose the most appropriate, from the four choices （①－④）, select only one.

Instructions for the 3rd listening section part B:

(Romanized Japanese)
Dai 3 mon B wa toi 17 kara toi 19 made no 3 mon desu. nagame no taiwa wo hitotsu kiki,toi ni taisuru kotae toshite motto mo tekisetsu na mono wo, mutsu no sentakushi （①－⑥）no uchi kara hitotsuzutsu erabinasai.

(English)
Section 3B contains questions seventeen to nineteen. Listen to the following single, long conversation. Select the most appropriate answer for each problem, from the six choices （①－⑥）select only one.

Instructions for the 4th listening section part A:

(Romanized Japanese)
dai yon mon A wa toi nijuu kara toi nijuni made no san mon desu. sorezore no toi ni tsuite eigo wo kiki, kotae toshite motto mo tekisetsu na mono wo, yotsu no sentakushi （①－④）no uchi kara hitotsuzutsu erabinasai.

(English)
The fourth section is also divided in part A and B.The fourth section part A contains questions twenty to twenty two. Listen to each question related English, as for the answer, choose the most appropriate, from the four choices （①－④）, select only one.

Instructions for the 4th listening section part B:

(Romanized Japanese)
dai yon mon A wa toi nijuusan kara toi nijugo made no san mon desu. korekara nagareru eigo wo kiki, sorezore no toi no, kotae toshite motto mo tekisetsu na mono wo, yotsu no sentakushi （①－④）no uchi kara hitotsuzutsu erabinasai.

(English)
The fourth section part B contains questions twenty three to twenty two. Listen to the whole section to answer the questions, as for the answer, choose the most appropriate, from the four choices （①－④）, select only one.

Center Shiken

2009-01-20T17:59:00.000-08:00

National Center Test for University Admissions (大学入試センター試験) "Daigaku Nyūshi Sentā Shiken" is a type of standardized test used by public and some private universities in Japan. It is held annually during a weekend in mid-January over a period of two days.
Most Japanese high school students prepare one or two whole years only for this test. Term test at schools are far less important and usualy contain similar questions to the Center Shiken at lower levels.