Critical Reading and Author Intent

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to identify the author's main intent and recognize the underlying argument structure in an N2-level Japanese passage. You will learn to distinguish between facts, opinions, and rhetorical devices that signal the author's purpose.

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In Japanese academic or opinion-based texts, the author rarely states their intent directly. Instead, they use specific sentence patterns, transition words, and logical flow to guide the reader. Understanding these signals helps you answer questions like:

• "この筆者の主張は何か。" (What is the author's claim?)筆者主張何
• "筆者はなぜこの例を挙げたのか。" (Why did the author give this example?)筆者例挙

The key is to separate 事実 (jijitsu, facts) from 意見 (iken, opinions) and to recognize 主張の構造 (shuchou no kouzou, argument structure).事実意見主張

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Step 1: Find the "Core Claim" Sentence

Look for sentences that contain:

• ～と思う (to omou) – "I think..."思
• ～べきだ (beki da) – "should..."
• ～に違いない (ni chigainai) – "must be..."違
• ～ではないだろうか (dewa nai darou ka) – "isn't it...?"

These often mark the author's opinion, not a neutral fact.

Step 2: Identify Supporting vs. Contrasting Information

Use transition words to see the structure:

Step 3: Recognize "Hooks" and "Conclusions"

• 冒頭 (boutou, opening) often presents a common view or question.冒頭
• 結論 (ketsuron, conclusion) usually comes near the end, often after したがって (shitagatte, therefore) or このように (kono you ni, in this way).結論

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Example 1:

現代の若者は本を読まないと言われる。しかし、実際には電子書籍の利用が増えている。つまり、読書の形が変わっただけだ。
Gendai no wakamono wa hon o yomanai to iwareru. Shikashi, jissai ni wa denshi shoseki no riyou ga fuete iru. Tsumari, dokusho no katachi ga kawatta dake da.
"It is said that young people today don't read books. However, in reality, e-book usage is increasing. In other words, the form of reading has simply changed."現代若者本読

→ Author's intent: To argue that young people still read, just in a different format.

Example 2:

環境問題の解決には個人の努力が必要だ。なぜなら、政府の政策だけでは限界があるからだ。例えば、毎日の買い物でエコバッグを使うだけでも効果は大きい。
Kankyou mondai no kaiketsu ni wa kojin no doryoku ga hitsuyou da. Nazenara, seifu no seisaku dake dewa genkai ga aru kara da. Tatoeba, mainichi no kaimono de ekobaggu o tsukau dake demo kouka wa ookii.
"Individual effort is necessary to solve environmental problems. Because government policy alone has limits. For example, even just using an eco-bag for daily shopping has a big effect."環境問題解決

→ Author's intent: To persuade readers that personal actions matter.

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Mistake: Assuming the first sentence is always the author's opinion.

• In N2 passages, the first sentence often introduces a common belief or opposing view that the author will later challenge.
• Fix: Wait until you see a contrast word (しかし, ところが) or a claim marker (～べきだ) before deciding the author's true intent.

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Read the following passage and answer the questions:

多くの人がSNSの普及で人間関係が薄くなったと感じている。しかし、実際にはSNSを通じて新しいつながりが生まれている。したがって、SNSは人間関係を豊かにする可能性があると言える。多人普及間関

1. What is the author's main claim? (Write in Japanese or English)
2. Which word signals the author's opinion? (Hint: look for a claim marker)

Answers:

1. SNSは人間関係を豊かにする可能性がある (SNS has the potential to enrich relationships)人間関係豊可
2. ～と言える (to ieru, "it can be said that...")言

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You now know how to:

• Find the core claim using opinion markers
• Use transition words to map argument structure
• Avoid mistaking the opening sentence for the author's intent

Next step: Practice with a full N2 reading passage. Try underlining all opinion markers and transition words, then write a one-sentence summary of the author's intent.