Understanding Integrated Comprehension
Integrated comprehension questions present two or more related texts and ask you to compare, contrast, or synthesize information across them. You need to identify similarities, differences, and relationships between the texts while understanding each one individually.
šÆ Key Strategies for Integrated Comprehension
1. Read the Question First
- Know what relationship to look for
- Identify if comparing, contrasting, or synthesizing
- Note what specific aspect to compare
2. Understand Each Text Individually
- Read each text separately first
- Identify main point of each
- Note key details in each
3. Compare Systematically
- Look for: same/different opinions
- Check: agree/disagree points
- Find: common topics vs. unique points
- Notice: formal vs. casual perspective
4. Common Question Types
- What do both texts discuss? (å
±éē¹)
- How do opinions differ? (éć)
- What does Text A say that Text B doesn't? (ēøéē¹)
- Which statement applies to both? (äø”ę¹)
- What is the relationship between them? (é¢äæ)
5. Watch For
- Contradictions between texts
- Different perspectives on same topic
- Additional information in second text
- Complementary vs. opposing viewpoints
š§ Practice Set 1: Two Emails About a Meeting
ćć”ć¼ć«A - ē°äøććå±±ē°ćøć
å±±ē°ę§
ćē²ćę§ć§ććę„é±ć®ä¼č°ć«ć¤ćć¦ć§ćććéęę„ć®åå¾2ęćć
ä¼č°å®¤Ać§č”ćäŗå®ć§ććč°é”ćÆę°ååć®č²©å£²ę¦ē„ć«ć¤ćć¦
話ćåććććØęćć¾ććč³ęćÆåę„ć¾ć§ć«ć”ć¼ć«ć§ćéććć¾ćć
ćé½åćęŖćå “åćÆćę©ćć«ćē„ćććć ććć
ē°äø
---
ćć”ć¼ć«B - ä½č¤ććå±±ē°ćøć
å±±ē°ćć
ććć«ć”ćÆćē°äøććććčćć¾ććććę„é±ć®éęę„ć«
ä¼č°ćććććć§ćććē§ćåå ćććć®ć§ććććć®ę„ćÆ
åå¾3ęććå„ć®ä¼č°ććććć§ććååäøć«å¤ę“ć§ćć¾ćććļ¼
ć¾ććÆćęØęę„ćÆć©ćć§ććććććę¤čØćé”ććć¾ćć
ä½č¤
Questions
Q1: äø”ę¹ć®ć”ć¼ć«ć«å
±éććå
容ćÆä½ć§ććć
A. ä¼č°ć®č°é”
B. ä¼č°ć®ę„ę
C. ä¼č°å®¤ć®å “ę
D. č³ęć®éä»
A. ä¼č°ć®č°é”
B. ä¼č°ć®ę„ę
C. ä¼č°å®¤ć®å “ę
D. č³ęć®éä»
Answer: B
Common content: meeting date/time (Friday)
Both mention: ę„é±ć®éęę„
Only Email A mentions: agenda (č°é”), room (ä¼č°å®¤A), materials (č³ę)
Common content: meeting date/time (Friday)
Both mention: ę„é±ć®éęę„
Only Email A mentions: agenda (č°é”), room (ä¼č°å®¤A), materials (č³ę)
Q2: ä½č¤ćććå°ć£ć¦ććććØćÆä½ć§ććć
A. č³ęććŖć
B. č°é”ćåćććŖć
C. éęę„ć®åå¾ć«å„ć®ä¼č°ććć
D. ä¼č°å®¤ćåćććŖć
A. č³ęććŖć
B. č°é”ćåćććŖć
C. éęę„ć®åå¾ć«å„ć®ä¼č°ććć
D. ä¼č°å®¤ćåćććŖć
Answer: C
Sato's problem: has another meeting Friday afternoon at 3pm
ćć®ę„ćÆåå¾3ęććå„ć®ä¼č°ććććć§ć
This is why Sato suggests morning or Thursday instead
Sato's problem: has another meeting Friday afternoon at 3pm
ćć®ę„ćÆåå¾3ęććå„ć®ä¼č°ććććć§ć
This is why Sato suggests morning or Thursday instead
Q3: ć”ć¼ć«AćØć”ć¼ć«Bć®é¢äæć«ć¤ćć¦ę£ćććć®ćÆć©ćć§ććć
A. AćBćä¼č°ć®ęę”
B. Aćä¼č°ć®ę”å ćBćęéå¤ę“ć®ä¾é ¼
C. AćBćęéå¤ę“ć®ä¾é ¼
D. AćčæäŗćBćč³Ŗå
A. AćBćä¼č°ć®ęę”
B. Aćä¼č°ć®ę”å ćBćęéå¤ę“ć®ä¾é ¼
C. AćBćęéå¤ę“ć®ä¾é ¼
D. AćčæäŗćBćč³Ŗå
Answer: B
Relationship: A is meeting notice, B is change request
Email A: announces meeting details
Email B: requests time change due to conflict
Relationship: A is meeting notice, B is change request
Email A: announces meeting details
Email B: requests time change due to conflict
š° Practice Set 2: Two Opinions on Remote Work
ćęč¦Ać
ćć¬ćÆć¼ćÆć®å°å
„ćÆä¼ę„ć«ćØć£ć¦å¤§ććŖć”ćŖćććććć
ć¾ćććŖćć£ć¹ć®č³ęćå
ē±č²»ćŖć©ć®ć³ć¹ććåęøć§ććć
ć¾ććåŖē§ćŖäŗŗęćå°åć«é¢äæćŖćę”ēØć§ććććć«ćŖćć
äŗŗę確äæć®é¢ć§ćęå©ć ćå¾ę„å”ć«ćØć£ć¦ććéå¤ęéć
ćŖććŖćććØć§ćä»äŗćØē§ēę“»ć®ćć©ć³ć¹ćåćććććŖćć
ćć¬ćÆć¼ćÆćÆä»å¾ććć«ę®åćć¦ććć¹ćć ćØē§ćÆčććć
ćęč¦Bć
ćć¬ćÆć¼ćÆć«ćÆē¢ŗćć«å©ē¹ćććććčŖ²é”ćå¤ćć対é¢ć§ć®
ć³ćć„ćć±ć¼ć·ć§ć³äøč¶³ć«ććććć¼ć ćÆć¼ćÆćå¼±ććŖć
ęćććććć¾ććč„ę社å”ć®č²ęćé£ćććŖćććŖćć£ć¹ć§
å
輩ć®ä»äŗć¶ććč¦ć¦å¦ć¶ę©ä¼ćęøć£ć¦ćć¾ćććć ć
ććć«ćčŖå®
ć§ä»äŗććććØććŖć³ćØćŖćć®åćęæćć
é£ćććććć£ć¦ć¹ćć¬ć¹ćå¢ććäŗŗćććććć¬ćÆć¼ćÆć®
å°å
„ćÆę
éć«ę¤čØćć¹ćć ć
Questions
Q1: ęč¦AćØęč¦Bć«å
±éććå
容ćÆä½ć§ććć
A. ćć¬ćÆć¼ćÆć®å©ē¹ć ććčæ°ć¹ć¦ćć
B. ćć¬ćÆć¼ćÆć®čŖ²é”ć ććčæ°ć¹ć¦ćć
C. ćć¬ćÆć¼ćÆć«ć¤ćć¦čØåćć¦ćć
D. ćć¬ćÆć¼ćÆć«å®å Øć«å対ćć¦ćć
A. ćć¬ćÆć¼ćÆć®å©ē¹ć ććčæ°ć¹ć¦ćć
B. ćć¬ćÆć¼ćÆć®čŖ²é”ć ććčæ°ć¹ć¦ćć
C. ćć¬ćÆć¼ćÆć«ć¤ćć¦čØåćć¦ćć
D. ćć¬ćÆć¼ćÆć«å®å Øć«å対ćć¦ćć
Answer: C
Common: both discuss remote work
But: A is positive (should expand), B is cautious (consider carefully)
Neither is completely one-sided - B acknowledges benefits too
Common: both discuss remote work
But: A is positive (should expand), B is cautious (consider carefully)
Neither is completely one-sided - B acknowledges benefits too
Q2: ęč¦Ać§čæ°ć¹ććć¦ććććęč¦Bć§ćÆčæ°ć¹ććć¦ććŖćććØćÆä½ć§ććć
A. ć³ć¹ćć®åęø
B. ć³ćć„ćć±ć¼ć·ć§ć³ć®åé”
C. č„ę社å”ć®č²ę
D. ćŖć³ćŖćć®åćęæć
A. ć³ć¹ćć®åęø
B. ć³ćć„ćć±ć¼ć·ć§ć³ć®åé”
C. č„ę社å”ć®č²ę
D. ćŖć³ćŖćć®åćęæć
Answer: A
Only in Opinion A: cost reduction (ć³ć¹ććåęø)
Only in Opinion B: communication issues, training young employees, work-life separation
Scan each text for unique points
Only in Opinion A: cost reduction (ć³ć¹ććåęø)
Only in Opinion B: communication issues, training young employees, work-life separation
Scan each text for unique points
Q3: ęč¦AćØęč¦Bć®éććØćć¦ćęćé©åćŖćć®ćÆć©ćć§ććć
A. AćÆå©ē¹ćäøåæć«čæ°ć¹ćBćÆčŖ²é”ćäøåæć«čæ°ć¹ć¦ćć
B. AćBćåćęč¦ć§ćć
C. AćÆå対ćBćÆč³ęć§ćć
D. AćBććć¬ćÆć¼ćÆć«å¦å®ēć§ćć
A. AćÆå©ē¹ćäøåæć«čæ°ć¹ćBćÆčŖ²é”ćäøåæć«čæ°ć¹ć¦ćć
B. AćBćåćęč¦ć§ćć
C. AćÆå対ćBćÆč³ęć§ćć
D. AćBććć¬ćÆć¼ćÆć«å¦å®ēć§ćć
Answer: A
Difference: A focuses on benefits, B focuses on challenges
A conclusion: ććć«ę®åćć¦ććć¹ć (should expand more)
B conclusion: ę éć«ę¤čØćć¹ć (should consider carefully)
Opposite stances on same topic
Difference: A focuses on benefits, B focuses on challenges
A conclusion: ććć«ę®åćć¦ććć¹ć (should expand more)
B conclusion: ę éć«ę¤čØćć¹ć (should consider carefully)
Opposite stances on same topic
Q4: äø”ę¹ć®ęč¦ć«é¢ćć¦čØććććØćÆä½ć§ććć
A. äø”ę¹ćØććć¬ćÆć¼ćÆćå®å Øć«å¦å®ćć¦ćć
B. äø”ę¹ćØććć¬ćÆć¼ćÆć«é¢ććē°ćŖćč¦ē¹ćę示ćć¦ćć
C. äø”ę¹ćØćåćä¾ćęćć¦ćć
D. äø”ę¹ćØćåäŗŗēćŖēµéØćčŖć£ć¦ćć
A. äø”ę¹ćØććć¬ćÆć¼ćÆćå®å Øć«å¦å®ćć¦ćć
B. äø”ę¹ćØććć¬ćÆć¼ćÆć«é¢ććē°ćŖćč¦ē¹ćę示ćć¦ćć
C. äø”ę¹ćØćåćä¾ćęćć¦ćć
D. äø”ę¹ćØćåäŗŗēćŖēµéØćčŖć£ć¦ćć
Answer: B
Both present different perspectives on remote work
Not complete denial (A) - B acknowledges benefits
Different examples, not same (C)
No personal experiences mentioned (D)
Both present different perspectives on remote work
Not complete denial (A) - B acknowledges benefits
Different examples, not same (C)
No personal experiences mentioned (D)
š Practice Set 3: Advertisement and Review
ćåŗå - ć¬ć¹ćć©ć³ćę”ćć
ę¬ę ¼åé£ć¬ć¹ćć©ć³ćę”ć
ćŖć¼ćć³čØåæµćć£ć³ćć¼ć³å®ę½äøļ¼
ā ē¹å„ć©ć³ćć³ć¼ć¹ćéåøø2,500å ā 1,800å
ā ćć£ćć¼ć³ć¼ć¹ććéåøø5,000å ā 4,000å
ęéļ¼6ę1ę„ć6ę30ę„
å³éøćććę¬ć®é£ęć使ēØććēē·“ć®ęēäŗŗćåæćč¾¼ćć¦
ćä½ććć¾ććå室ććććć¾ćć®ć§ć大åćŖę¹ćØć®
ćé£äŗć«ćć²ćå©ēØćć ććć
å¶ę„ęéļ¼11:30ć14:00 / 17:30ć22:00
å®ä¼ę„ļ¼ęęę„
äŗē“ļ¼03-1234-5678
---
ćć¬ćć„ć¼ - ä½č¤ććć®ęę³ć
å
ę„ćć¬ć¹ćć©ć³ćę”ćć®ć©ć³ćć³ć¼ć¹ćé£ć¹ć¦ćć¾ććć
ćć£ć³ćć¼ć³ä¾”ę ¼ć§1,800åćÆē¢ŗćć«ćå¾ć§ćććęēć
ē¾å³ććć£ćć§ćććć ćéćå°ćå°ćŖćęćć¾ććć
ē·ę§ć«ćÆē©č¶³ććŖćććććć¾ćććć¾ććåŗå
ć
ęć£ćććēććäŗē“ćŖćć§č”ć£ććå¾
ćććć¾ććć
å室ććććØåŗåć«ććć¾ććććå½ę„äŗē“ćÆé£ćć
ććć§ććäŗåäŗē“ććå§ććć¾ćć
Questions
Q1: åŗåćØć¬ćć„ć¼ć®äø”ę¹ć«ęøććć¦ććććØćÆä½ć§ććć
A. éćå°ćŖć
B. äŗē“ćåæ č¦
C. å室ććć
D. å¾ ć”ęéćé·ć
A. éćå°ćŖć
B. äŗē“ćåæ č¦
C. å室ććć
D. å¾ ć”ęéćé·ć
Answer: C
Both mention: private rooms (å室)
Ad: å室ććććć¾ć
Review: å室ććććØåŗåć«ććć¾ććć...
Only review mentions: small portions, need reservation, waiting
Both mention: private rooms (å室)
Ad: å室ććććć¾ć
Review: å室ććććØåŗåć«ććć¾ććć...
Only review mentions: small portions, need reservation, waiting
Q2: ć¬ćć„ć¼ććåććććØć§ćåŗåć«ćÆęøććć¦ććŖćććØćÆä½ć§ććć
A. ćć£ć³ćć¼ć³ä¾”ę ¼ććć
B. å室ććć
C. éćå°ćŖćåÆč½ę§ććć
D. å¶ę„ęé
A. ćć£ć³ćć¼ć³ä¾”ę ¼ććć
B. å室ććć
C. éćå°ćŖćåÆč½ę§ććć
D. å¶ę„ęé
Answer: C
Only in review: portions might be small (éćå°ćå°ćŖć)
This is reviewer's personal opinion, not in ad
A, B, D all appear in advertisement
Only in review: portions might be small (éćå°ćå°ćŖć)
This is reviewer's personal opinion, not in ad
A, B, D all appear in advertisement
Q3: ä½č¤ćććć¢ććć¤ć¹ćć¦ććććØćÆä½ć§ććć
A. ćć£ćć¼ćé£ć¹ćććØ
B. ęęę„ć«č”ćććØ
C. äŗåäŗē“ćććććØ
D. ē·ę§ćÆč”ććŖćććØ
A. ćć£ćć¼ćé£ć¹ćććØ
B. ęęę„ć«č”ćććØ
C. äŗåäŗē“ćććććØ
D. ē·ę§ćÆč”ććŖćććØ
Answer: C
Sato's advice: make advance reservation
äŗåäŗē“ććå§ććć¾ć (I recommend advance booking)
Based on experience: waited without reservation, hard to get private room same day
Sato's advice: make advance reservation
äŗåäŗē“ććå§ććć¾ć (I recommend advance booking)
Based on experience: waited without reservation, hard to get private room same day
Q4: åŗåćØć¬ćć„ć¼ćčŖćć§ćę£ćććØčØććććØćÆä½ć§ććć
A. ęēćÆäøå³ć
B. ćć£ć³ćć¼ć³ęéćÆ7ęć¾ć§
C. äŗē“ćŖćć§ćå室ć使ćć
D. ć©ć³ćć®ćć£ć³ćć¼ć³ä¾”ę ¼ćÆ1,800å
A. ęēćÆäøå³ć
B. ćć£ć³ćć¼ć³ęéćÆ7ęć¾ć§
C. äŗē“ćŖćć§ćå室ć使ćć
D. ć©ć³ćć®ćć£ć³ćć¼ć³ä¾”ę ¼ćÆ1,800å
Answer: D
Correct statement: lunch campaign price is 1,800 yen
Stated in both ad and confirmed by review
A: Wrong - review says ē¾å³ććć£ć (delicious)
B: Wrong - campaign until June 30 (6ę30ę„), not July
C: Wrong - review says difficult to get private room without advance booking
Correct statement: lunch campaign price is 1,800 yen
Stated in both ad and confirmed by review
A: Wrong - review says ē¾å³ććć£ć (delicious)
B: Wrong - campaign until June 30 (6ę30ę„), not July
C: Wrong - review says difficult to get private room without advance booking
š Types of Integrated Questions
1. Similarity Questions (å ±éē¹)
Question patterns:
- äø”ę¹ć®ęē« ć«å
±éććå
容ćÆä½ć§ććć
- AćØBć®äø”ę¹ć§čæ°ć¹ććć¦ććććØćÆä½ć§ććć
- äŗć¤ć®ęē« ć§äøč“ćć¦ććē¹ćÆä½ć§ććć
Strategy:
- Look for topics mentioned in both
- Check if opinions align or just topic is same
- Don't confuse "mentions same topic" with "has same opinion"
2. Difference Questions (ēøéē¹)
Question patterns:
- AćØBć®éććÆä½ć§ććć
- Ać§čæ°ć¹ććć¦ććććBć§ćÆčæ°ć¹ććć¦ććŖćććØćÆä½ć§ććć
- AćØBć§ęč¦ćē°ćŖćē¹ćÆä½ć§ććć
Strategy:
- Make mental lists: only in A, only in B, in both
- Check for opposing viewpoints
- Note different emphasis or conclusions
3. Relationship Questions (é¢äæ)
Question patterns:
- AćØBć®é¢äæć«ć¤ćć¦ę£ćććć®ćÆć©ćć§ććć
- Bć®ęē« ćÆAć®ęē« ć«åƾćć¦ć©ć®ćććŖē«å “ć§ććć
Common relationships:
- č³ŖåćØēć (question and answer)
- ęę”ćØčæäŗ (proposal and response)
- ęč¦ć®äøč“ (agreeing opinions)
- ęč¦ć®åÆ¾ē« (opposing opinions)
- č£č¶³čŖ¬ę (supplementary explanation)
- åŗåćØć¬ćć„ć¼ (advertisement and review)
4. Inference Questions (ęØč«)
Question patterns:
- AćØBćčŖćć§åććććØćÆä½ć§ććć
- äø”ę¹ć®ęē« ććęØęø¬ć§ććććØćÆä½ć§ććć
Strategy:
- Combine information from both texts
- Don't add own assumptions
- Check if inference is supported by both texts
āļø Step-by-Step Approach
Step 1: Read Question (20 seconds)
- Identify question type (similarity, difference, relationship)
- Note what aspect to compare
- Remember while reading texts
Step 2: Read Text A (1 minute)
- Understand main point
- Note key details
- Remember author's stance
Step 3: Read Text B (1 minute)
- Understand main point
- Note key details
- Remember author's stance
Step 4: Compare (30 seconds)
- Find commonalities
- Identify differences
- Determine relationship
Step 5: Answer Questions (1 minute)
- Verify against both texts
- Eliminate clearly wrong options
- Choose most accurate answer
Total time: about 4 minutes per set
šÆ Key Takeaways
- Read question first: Know what to compare before reading texts
- Understand individually: Grasp each text separately before comparing
- Make mental lists: Track what's only in A, only in B, or in both
- Watch perspectives: Same topic doesn't mean same opinion
- Verify answers: Check that answer is supported by actual text content
- Common relationships: Question-answer, proposal-response, agree-disagree
- Don't assume: Base comparisons on what's written, not implied
- Time management: Spend about 4 minutes per integrated set