AP Japanese Language Unit 4 practice questions
Try 10 multiple-choice questions from Unit 4 here. Pick an answer to see why it's right or wrong, then take the timed test above for a full AP-style set.
Question 1
Source:エコライフ株式会社の広告より
革新的なスマート家電「エコライフ2025」新登場！
毎日の生活をもっと便利に、もっと環境に優しく。最新のAI技術を搭載した「エコライフ2025」は、あなたの生活パターンを学習し、最適なエネルギー管理を自動で行います。
【主な機能】 • スマートフォンアプリで外出先からも操作可能 • 電力使用量を前年比30%削減 • 音声認識機能で手を使わずに操作 • 家族一人ひとりの好みを記憶し、自動調整
従来の家電製品と違い、「エコライフ2025」は複数の機器を一つのシステムで管理できます。冷蔵庫、エアコン、照明、洗濯機など、すべての家電が連携して動作。朝起きる時間に合わせて部屋を暖め、帰宅時刻に合わせて最適な室温に調整します。
今なら特別価格！3月31日までにご購入いただくと、通常価格198,000円のところ、149,000円でご提供。さらに、設置工事費無料、5年間の保証付き。
環境保護と経済性を両立した次世代スマート家電で、新しい生活を始めませんか。
お問い合わせ：エコライフサポートセンター 0120-555-2025 ウェブサイト：www.ecolife2025.jp
If you purchase it by March 31, how much is the installation fee?
Free
49,000 yen
149,000 yen
198,000 yen
Show answer
Answer: (A)
The ad states installation fees are free if purchased by March 31; distinguishing that promotional benefit from product prices is key to answering correctly.
Question 2
Read the following LINE message from a Japanese high school student to a classmate:
「最近、スマホを使いすぎて夜眠れなくなってきた。寝る前にSNSをチェックするのをやめたら、ぐっすり眠れるようになったよ。だから、もし同じ悩みがあるなら、寝る一時間前にはスマホを置いてみて。きっと変わると思う。」
What specific advice does the writer give to help with sleep problems caused by smartphone use?
Stop checking SNS and put the phone away one hour before going to bed
Delete all SNS apps from the smartphone to avoid the temptation entirely
Switch from a smartphone to a basic phone to reduce screen time at night
Use a sleep-tracking app on the smartphone to monitor nighttime rest patterns
Show answer
Answer: (A)
Identifying the explicit recommendation in the message requires reading the phrase 「寝る一時間前にはスマホを置いてみて」, which directly states to put the phone away one hour before bed. The writer also specifies stopping SNS checks before sleep as the habit change that worked for her.
Question 3
Read the following excerpt from a blog post by a Japanese university student:
「私はSNSで匿名アカウントを使っています。本名だと、友達や先生に見られるかもしれないので、本音が言いにくいんです。匿名なら、就活のストレスや家族との悩みを正直に書けます。もちろん、悪口を書くためではなく、自分の気持ちを整理するためです。同じように感じている人には、匿名アカウントを試してみることをおすすめします。」
For what reason does the writer recommend using an anonymous SNS account?
It allows honest expression of personal feelings without fear of being identified by acquaintances
It makes it easier to connect with strangers who share identical academic interests online
It protects users from cyberbullying by hiding their identity from hostile commenters
It allows users to post criticism of companies and institutions without legal consequences
Show answer
Answer: (A)
The writer explicitly states 「本名だと、友達や先生に見られるかもしれないので、本音が言いにくい」and that anonymity lets her write honestly about stress and worries. The recommendation is grounded in this specific benefit of not being recognized by people in her real life.
Question 4
Read the following message posted in a community center newsletter in Tokyo:
「スマートフォンの使い方がわからなくて困っているご高齢の方へ。毎月第二土曜日に、地域のボランティアが無料でスマホ教室を開いています。LINEの使い方やビデオ通話の設定など、基本的な操作を丁寧に教えます。ワクチン予約や行政サービスのオンライン手続きも一緒に練習できます。一人で悩まずに、ぜひ参加してみてください。」
According to the newsletter, what specific information does it provide to encourage elderly residents to attend the smartphone class?
The class is free, held monthly, and covers LINE, video calls, and online government procedures
The class is subsidized by the government and leads to a certificate of digital literacy completion
The class is held weekly and provides participants with a discounted smartphone plan afterward
The class is taught by professional instructors from NTT Docomo and covers advanced app development
Show answer
Answer: (A)
The newsletter explicitly states 「無料でスマホ教室を開いています」(free class), 「毎月第二土曜日」(held monthly on the second Saturday), and lists specific content including LINE, video calls, and online administrative procedures such as vaccine reservations.
Question 5
Read the following excerpt from a Japanese middle school student's essay submitted to a school technology forum:
「私のクラスでは、授業中にスマホを使うことが禁止されています。最初は不便だと思っていましたが、今は賛成しています。スマホがないと、友達と直接話す時間が増えて、授業にも集中できるようになりました。もちろん、調べ学習には便利ですが、使う時間と場所をきちんと決めることが大切だと思います。学校はルールを作るだけでなく、なぜそのルールが必要かを生徒に説明すべきだと思います。」
What opinion does the student express about how schools should handle smartphone rules?
Schools should not only create rules but also explain to students why those rules are necessary
Schools should ban smartphones entirely and replace them with dedicated research tablets instead
Schools should allow unrestricted smartphone use because students learn self-discipline through freedom
Schools should let students vote on smartphone policies so that rules reflect the majority's preferences
Show answer
Answer: (A)
The student explicitly states 「学校はルールを作るだけでなく、なぜそのルールが必要かを生徒に説明すべきだと思います」, which directly expresses the opinion that explanation of the reasoning behind rules is as important as the rules themselves.
Question 6
Read the following message sent in a LINE group chat:
「明日の会議、忘れずに！既読スルーしないでね。ちゃんと返事してくれると助かります。」
What does the phrase 「既読スルー」 most likely mean in this context?
Reading a message but choosing not to send any reply to it
Sending a message to the wrong group chat by accident
Blocking another user so their messages cannot be delivered
Deleting a message from the chat immediately after sending it
Show answer
Answer: (A)
Identifying the compound term 「既読」 (read/already read) and 「スルー」 (from English 'through,' meaning to pass over or ignore) reveals that the sender is asking group members not to read the message without responding. The surrounding textual cue 「ちゃんと返事してくれると助かります」 ('it would help if you properly replied') confirms that the behavior being warned against is reading without replying.
Question 7
Read the following excerpt from a Japanese blog post about social media habits:
「インスタグラムでは、カフェや旅行の写真を丁寧に編集して投稿する人が多い。これは、リア充に見られたいという気持ちや、世間体を気にする日本の文化的な背景と深く関係している。」
Based on the textual cues in this passage, what does 「リア充」 most likely refer to?
A person whose real life appears exciting and socially fulfilling to others
A person who prefers in-person meetings over all forms of digital communication
A person who uses anonymous accounts to post candid opinions on social media
A person who experiences significant anxiety caused by excessive smartphone use
Show answer
Answer: (A)
The passage links 「リア充」 directly to carefully edited photos of cafés and travel posted on Instagram, and pairs it with 「世間体を気にする」 (concern for how one appears to others). These cues indicate that 「リア充」 describes the image of someone living a vibrant, enviable real life, which users project through curated social media content.
Question 8
Read the following passage from a Japanese government report on technology access:
「総務省の調査によると、70代以上の高齢者のスマートフォン利用率は若い世代に比べて著しく低い。このデジタルデバイド、すなわち情報格差は、ワクチン予約システムや行政サービスのオンライン化が進む中で、深刻な社会問題となっている。」
What does the phrase 「情報格差」 mean as used in this passage?
An unequal gap in access to digital information and services between population groups
A government policy that restricts the spread of false information on social media
A technical problem that causes data to be lost during online government transactions
A cultural preference among older generations for receiving information through print media
Show answer
Answer: (A)
The passage explicitly glosses 「デジタルデバイド」 with the phrase 「すなわち情報格差」 ('that is, 情報格差'), establishing the two terms as equivalent. The surrounding context—elderly citizens unable to use online vaccine reservation systems—confirms that 「情報格差」 describes the unequal access to information and digital services that divides different segments of society.
Question 9
Read the following exchange between two high school students discussing school smartphone policies:
「A：うちの学校、スマホの持ち込みは許可されてるけど、授業中は電源を切らないといけないんだよね。 B：そうなんだ。でも、コロナ禍でオンライン授業が必要になってから、文部科学省も規制の見直しを始めたって聞いたよ。依存とかいじめの問題もあるし、なかなか難しいよね。」
Based on the textual cues in this exchange, what does 「規制の見直し」 most likely mean?
A reconsideration of existing rules governing smartphone use in schools
A complete elimination of all smartphone restrictions across every school district
A new government program to distribute smartphones to students who cannot afford them
A technical upgrade to school internet systems to support faster online learning platforms
Show answer
Answer: (A)
The compound 「規制」 (regulation/restriction) combined with 「見直し」 (re-examination/revision) signals a policy review process. The textual context—the 文部科学省 responding to the need for online learning during the pandemic—confirms that existing school smartphone restrictions are being reconsidered rather than simply enforced or eliminated outright.
Question 10
Read the following passage about telemedicine in Japan and answer the question below.
「スマートフォンの普及により、遠隔医療が急速に広まっている。特に、山間部や離島に住む人々にとって、これは非常に重要な変化である。以前は、専門医に診てもらうために何時間もかけて都市部まで移動しなければならなかった。しかし、今では自宅にいながらオンラインで診察を受けることができる。その結果、通院の負担が大幅に減り、より多くの患者が適切な医療を受けられるようになった。」
What does その結果 (as a result) in the final sentence signal about the relationship between the ideas it connects?
The expansion of telemedicine is presented as the cause of reduced travel burden and improved patient access to care
The reduced travel burden is presented as the cause of telemedicine's rapid spread throughout rural Japan
The two sentences present contrasting ideas about the advantages and disadvantages of rural healthcare access
The final sentence introduces a concession that qualifies the earlier claim about telemedicine's importance for rural residents
Show answer
Answer: (A)
Recognizing that その結果 is a causal transition meaning 'as a result' reveals that the final sentence presents the outcome of the development described in the preceding sentence. The ability to receive online consultations from home (cause) directly leads to reduced commuting burden and broader patient access (effect), making this a clear cause-to-effect relationship.
What's on the AP Japanese Language Unit 4 practice test
The standard version takes about 54 minutes and follows the timing and directions of the AP exam, sized to one unit:
- 20 Multiple Choice Questions (24 minutes)
- 1 FRQ – FRQ 3 – Story Narration (15 minutes)
- 1 FRQ – FRQ 4 – Email Response (15 minutes)
Questions are drawn from 496 multiple-choice questions and 40 FRQs written for Unit 4, Science and Technology.
Practice AP Japanese Language Unit 4 FRQs
Answer the unit's free-response questions one at a time and get a score on every part.
- FRQ 3 – Story Narration (20 questions)
- FRQ 4 – Email Response (20 questions)
Review Unit 4 before you start
- 4.1 Innovations and Emerging Technologies | 革新と新技術
- 4.2 Personal Technology and Communication | 個人用のテクノロジーとコミュニケーション
- 4.3 Science in Everyday Life | 日常生活の中の科学
- 4.4 Societal Impacts of Science and Technology | 科学技術の社会的影響