N3 Grammar · Test 24

The correct answer is 3 (あいだ). 〜あいだ means 'during / while,' describing a continuous time span in which a state or ongoing action occurs. 講演のあいだ = 'during the lecture.' The main clause 皆熱心に話を聞いていた ('everyone was listening earnestly') describes a continuous state during that period, so あいだ is the correct choice.

• 1あいだと adds the particle と, which does not fit here. と would imply a conditional or listing function, neither of which works before the main clause describing what happened during the lecture.
• 2あいだに means 'during (at some point within a period),' used when a punctual, one-time event occurs within a time span. The main verb 聞いていた is a continuous state (〜ていた), not a momentary action, so あいだに is inappropriate.
• 4あいだで uses the particle で, which marks location/means. While で can sometimes indicate a setting, the standard and natural expression for 'during (a noun)' is (noun)のあいだ, not あいだで. This is not idiomatic Japanese.

• あいだ — during, while (marks a continuous time span; used with ongoing states/actions)
• あいだに — during, in the middle of (used when a punctual event happens within a span)
• 講演こうえん — lecture, talk, presentation
• 熱心ねっしん — earnest, enthusiastic, zealous

The speaker is a store employee responding to a customer's question about where the bag section is. かばん売り場 (bag section) is an inanimate thing/place, so its existence is expressed with ある, not いる. ございます is the polite/humble form of ある, making 「5階にございます」= 'It is on the 5th floor.' This is the appropriate polite response from staff to a customer.

• 2いらっしゃいます is the honorific form of いる, used for the existence/location of PEOPLE (respectfully). かばん売り場 is not a person, so this is incorrect.
• 3いる is the plain form of いる, used for people/animals. It is both wrong for inanimate objects and too casual for a store employee addressing a customer.
• 4おります is the humble form of いる, again used for people (humbly referring to oneself or one's in-group). It cannot be used for an inanimate place like かばん売り場.

• ございます — polite/humble form of ある (to be, exist — inanimate)
• いらっしゃいます — honorific form of いる/行く/来る (to be/go/come — for respected persons)
• おります — humble form of いる (to be/exist — for oneself or in-group)

The pattern 「Nだけにする」means 'to settle for just N' or 'to go with just N.' C says they are not hungry, so they will have just coffee: コーヒーだけにする = 'I'll just have coffee.' This is a common fixed expression for choosing a minimal option.

• 1だけ alone cannot connect to する in this way. A particle (typically に) is needed to form the set phrase だけにする. 「コーヒーだけする」is ungrammatical.
• 2だけで means 'just/only (by means of)' and does not form a natural phrase with する here. 「コーヒーだけでする」is not an established pattern for ordering food/drink.
• 3だけを marks コーヒーだけ as the direct object of する, but 「コーヒーだけをする」is unnatural. The correct set phrase uses に, not を.

• だけにする — to settle for just ~; to go with only ~ (choosing a minimal option)

The sentence describes a sequence: after studying and reaching the point where one can speak Japanese to some degree, classes became interesting. ようになってから = 'after becoming able to～.' The structure is: ある程度日本が話せるようになってから、日本語の授業がおもしろくなった = 'After I became able to speak Japanese to some degree, Japanese class became interesting.' The 〜ようになる (become able to) captures the change of ability, and 〜てから indicates the temporal sequence ('after').

• 1ことができるまで = 'until one can do～.' This would mean classes became interesting UNTIL the point of being able to speak, which reverses the intended meaning. Also, ある程度話せることができる is redundant (ことができる already means 'can').
• 2ことができてから = 'after one can do～.' While grammatically possible, ある程度話せることができる is redundant (話せる already contains the potential meaning). The natural phrasing uses ようになる to express the process of becoming able to do something.
• 3ようになるまで = 'until becoming able to～.' This gives the wrong temporal relationship — it would imply classes became interesting UP TO the point of becoming able to speak, rather than AFTER that point.

• 〜ようになる — to reach the state of～; to become able to～ (expressing a change of state/ability)
• 〜てから — after doing～ (temporal sequence: action A happens, then B)

The sentence means: 'I want to know in detail about how much effect Company A's product has on back pain.' The embedded question どのくらい効果があるのか (how much effect it has) is followed by について (about/regarding) to connect with 詳しく知りたい (want to know in detail). The pattern 「〜について詳しく知りたい」= 'want to know in detail about～' is a natural and common combination. So: どのくらい効果があるのかについて詳しく知りたい.

• 1あるのかによって = 'depending on how much effect it has.' によって means 'depending on,' which does not connect naturally with 詳しく知りたい (want to know in detail). You don't 'know in detail depending on' something.
• 3あるのかどうかによって = 'depending on whether or not it has effect.' Two problems: (a) どうか (whether or not) conflicts with どのくらい (how much), which already asks for degree, not a yes/no answer; (b) によって doesn't pair with 詳しく知りたい.
• 4あるのかどうかについて = 'about whether or not it has effect.' The どうか (whether or not) is incompatible with どのくらい (how much), which asks for a quantitative answer, not a binary yes/no.

• 〜について — about, regarding (topic marker used with verbs like 知りたい, 話す, 考える)
• 〜によって — depending on～; by means of～
• どのくらい — how much; to what degree/extent
• 〜かどうか — whether or not～ (used for yes/no embedded questions)

しちゃう is the casual contracted form of してしまう, meaning 'will end up departing (on us) / will have departed.' The nuance of てしまう conveys an unfortunate or undesirable outcome — the Shinkansen leaving without them. The wife says 'If we don't hurry, the Shinkansen will end up leaving!' This fits the urgent context perfectly.

• 1してる = している = 'is departing' — this is just a factual statement and lacks the nuance of an unfortunate outcome that the context demands.
• 2しとく = しておく = 'will depart in advance (as preparation)' — ておく means doing something in preparation, which makes no sense for a train departing.
• 4しなきゃ = しなければ = 'must ~' — this would mean 'the Shinkansen must depart,' which is grammatically and semantically wrong here. The structure 急がないと〜しなきゃ doesn't form a coherent sentence.

• 〜てしまう — to end up doing ~, to do ~ unintentionally (often conveys regret); casual forms: 〜ちゃう / 〜ちまう
• 出発しゅっぱつ — departure
• 急いそぐ — to hurry

いただきました is the humble (謙譲語) form of もらう/食べる. Yamada is speaking to the section chief (課長), who treated him yesterday. When reporting one's own action to a superior, humble language is appropriate. 'おいしい物をたくさんいただきました' = 'I received/ate a lot of delicious things.' The simple past tense is correct for a completed action.

• 1いただいていました is the past progressive form ('was receiving/eating'), which unnecessarily emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action. The simple past (いただきました) is more natural for a completed event.
• 3めしあがっていました is the honorific (尊敬語) form of 食べる in the past progressive. Honorific language is used for the actions of a superior, not for one's own actions. Yamada should not use honorific form for his own eating.
• 4めしあがりました is the honorific form in the simple past. Same problem as option 3 — Yamada should use humble form (いただく) for his own action, not honorific form (めしあがる) which is reserved for the superior's actions.

• いただく — to receive, to eat/drink (humble form of もらう/食べる)
• 召し上がる（めしあがる） — to eat, to drink (honorific/respectful form of 食べる/飲む)
• ごちそうさまでした — thank you for the meal/treat (expression of gratitude for food one has been treated to)

Option 2 (出たほうがいいかもしれない) is correct. The wife warns that the ramen shop will get crowded around 11:30. The husband responds by suggesting a plan to avoid the crowd: 'Then, it might be better to leave home early so we can arrive at the shop just after 11:00.' The structure V-た + ほうがいい (had better do ~) is used to give advice or a recommendation, and かもしれない (might / perhaps) softens the suggestion, making it fit perfectly here. The wife agrees with 'Yeah, let's leave early.'

• 1出るつもりかもしれない means 'I might intend to leave.' While grammatically possible, using つもり (intention) with かもしれない (might) sounds awkward and does not fit the context of the husband making a suggestion to his wife about what they should do together.
• 3出てはいけなそうだ means 'It seems we must not leave.' This is the exact opposite of what the husband wants, as they need to leave early to beat the crowd.
• 4出なくてもよさそうだ means 'It seems we don't have to leave.' This contradicts the wife's warning about the shop getting crowded and the husband's desire to arrive early.

• 込こむ — to be crowded
• 早はやめに — early, ahead of time
• 着つける — to arrive at, to reach (a destination)
• 〜ほうがいい — had better do ~, it is advisable to do ~
• かもしれない — might, perhaps, maybe