The world around us: places, nature and technology
Read and communicate about local places, weather, services, technology and objects.
Section C4 · The world around us · services and shopping
Exam scope and assessment notes
This is an original mapped starter, not the recommended full course of about 130 guided learning hours. All Japanese examples, translations, grammar explanations, kanji groupings, listening scripts and pronunciation aids require review by a qualified Japanese-language teacher before publication is described as complete. Browser speech is supplemental, not Cambridge audio. Speaking rehearsal and writing feedback are formative and do not reproduce a live examiner or award official marks. The linked vocabulary workbook has not been reconciled word by word.
Before you begin
Work on paper. Try each question before revealing help, and explain why your method works.
Quick readiness check
Which approach gives the most reliable Japanese response?
What you will learn
- Describe locations, directions, weather, communication, shopping and measurements.
- Use evidence carefully when interpreting a text.
Give a usable location
「駅の前に図書館があります。」 means “There is a library in front of the station.” Location words and the existence pattern あります help a reader picture a place.
A useful direction includes a landmark and an action. Keep a measurement attached to what it measures.
Keep claims within the evidence
A report of rain today describes today's weather; one day does not establish a climate pattern. A product notice may state size or material without describing quality.
For digital communication, distinguish the device, the message and the action.
Sources for this lesson
Pause and explain
What can 「今日は雨です」 support?
Worked example
A notice says 「図書館は駅の前にあります。今日は雨です。店は午後六時に閉まります。」 Where is the library, what is the weather, and when does the shop close?
Show the worked solution
- Find each requested detail separately.
- Match 駅の前 to the library.
- Match 六時 to the shop, not the library.
Answer The library is in front of the station, it is raining today, and the shop closes at six in the evening.
Try a topic test
Choose Easy, Normal or Difficult. Save your answers and open worked review after finishing.
Test this topic →From guided practice to a new situation
Write your answer and reasoning first. Use a hint only if you are stuck. The model solution is for self-checking; your written work is not automatically marked.
A map places a clinic beside a station and a shop 300 metres north. Give both locations clearly.
Give me a hint
Keep each landmark and direction with the right place.
Compare my reasoning
- State where the clinic is.
- State the shop's distance.
- Add the compass direction.
The clinic is beside the station; the shop is 300 metres north. Check the Japanese wording with a qualified specialist.
Look for these in your work
- Separates the places
- Includes distance
- Includes direction
A message reports heavy rain on Tuesday and says the river stayed within its banks. Which facts are supported?
Give me a hint
Separate the observation from anything the message does not claim.
Compare my reasoning
- Find the day and weather.
- Find the river statement.
- Do not infer a flood or a climate pattern.
It rained heavily on Tuesday, and the river stayed within its banks. This does not establish the area's usual climate.
Look for these in your work
- Reports both facts
- Preserves time context
- Avoids unsupported conclusions
A learner wants a reusable bottle under 500 yen. A notice gives prices and materials. Explain a two-step choice.
Give me a hint
Check budget and stated material; do not assume other qualities.
Compare my reasoning
- Compare each price with 500 yen.
- Identify which options meet the budget.
- Compare materials only if relevant to the request.
Choose an option below 500 yen; if both fit, compare their stated materials and ask which the learner prefers. Do not infer durability unless the notice states it.
Look for these in your work
- Applies budget
- Uses material details
- Avoids unstated quality claims
Common mistakes
- Confusing weather with climate
- Attaching a time or measurement to the wrong item
- Inferring an unstated opinion
What can you explain now?
What can 「今日は雨です」 support?
Compare with the explanation
It is raining today
It reports today's weather only.
After trying it yourself, choose your next review. This is your self-assessment.
Your review choice appears on Today. Sign in to sync it across devices.
Make it stick
Explain one idea from memory, answer the checkpoint, and name a Japanese form or reading that needs checking.
If you needed the solution, close it and solve the problem again from a blank page. A correct answer is stronger when you can explain the reason for each step.