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N1 · AdvancedShort passagePassage #120
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新しん聞ぶんをめくっていたら、こんな広こう告こくが目めに飛とび込こんできた。「ほしいものが突とつ然ぜんあらわれる。これは不ふ思し議ぎなカタログです。」

「ほしいものは何なにですか」と聞きかれても「特とくにない」と答こたえてしまう人ひとのために、そのカタログは作つくられているという。そこに例れい示じされている世せ界かいの一いち流りゅう品ひんの写しゃ真しんと能のう書がきを読よんでいたら、確たしかに私わたしも「ほしいなあ」と思おもった。

「足たりないものは何なにもないはずなのに、次つぎ々つぎとほしいものがあらわれる」といったあたり、なかなか正しょう直じきな広こう告こくだ。本ほん来らい、広こう告こくとはそういうものだろう。必ひつ要ようなものは、広こう告こくなんか見みなくても人ひとは買かいもとめる。別べつに必ひつ要ようじゃない人ひとにまで、なんとなく欲ほしいと思おもわせてこそ、広こう告こくなのである。

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  1. 1そういうものとはどんなものか。

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Vocabulary0 words

No N1 vocabulary in this passage.

Other levels43 words
  • 新聞しんぶん
    • ·newspaper
    N5
  • 目め
    • ·eye; eyeball
    • ·eyesight; sight; vision
    • ·look; stare; gaze; glance
    • ·notice; attention; observation; eyes (of the world, public, etc.)
    • ·an experience
    • ·viewpoint
    • ·discrimination; discernment; judgement; eye (e.g. for quality)
    • ·(an) appearance
    • ·chance (of success); possibility (of a good result)
    • ·spacing (between crossed strands of a net, mesh, etc.); opening; stitch; texture; weave
    • ·grain (of wood, paper)
    • ·eye (of a storm, needle, etc.)
    • ·intersection (on a go board); square (on a chessboard)
    • ·dot (on a dice); pip; rolled number
    • ·graduation; division (of a scale)
    • ·tooth (of a saw, comb, etc.)
    • ·ordinal number suffix
    • ·somewhat; -ish
    • ·point (e.g. of change)
    • ·eye (empty space inside a group of stones)
    N5
  • ほしい
    • ·wanting (to have); desiring; wishing for
    • ·I want (you, them, etc.) to (do)
    N5
  • もの
    • ·thing; object; article; stuff; substance
    • ·one's things; possessions; property; belongings
    • ·things; something; anything; everything; nothing
    • ·quality
    • ·reason; the way of things
    • ·used to emphasize emotion, judgment, etc.; used to indicate a common occurrence in the past (after a verb in past tense); used to indicate a general tendency; used to indicate something that should happen
    • ·item classified as ...; item related to ...; work in the genre of ...
    • ·cause of ...; cause for ...
    • ·somehow; somewhat; for some reason
    • ·really; truly
    N5
  • あらうAs it appears here: あらわれる
    • ·to wash; to cleanse; to rinse
    • ·to inquire into; to investigate
    • ·to purify (one's heart)
    • ·to lave (e.g. shore); to wash over (e.g. deck); to sweep
    N5
  • これ
    • ·this; this one
    • ·this person
    • ·now; this point (in time)
    • ·here
    • ·used to stress the subject of a sentence
    • ·I; me
    N5
  • 聞くきくAs it appears here: 聞かれて
    • ·to hear
    • ·to listen (e.g. to music)
    • ·to ask; to enquire; to query
    • ·to hear about; to hear of; to learn of
    • ·to follow (advice, order, etc.); to obey; to listen to; to comply with
    • ·to hear (e.g. a plea); to grant (a request); to accept (e.g. an argument); to give consideration to
    • ·to smell (esp. incense); to sample (a fragrance)
    • ·to taste (alcohol); to try
    N5
  • 答えるこたえるAs it appears here: 答えて
    • ·to answer; to reply
    N5
  • 人ひと
    • ·person; someone; somebody
    • ·human beings; mankind; man; people; humans
    • ·human (Homo sapiens)
    • ·(other) people; others
    • ·character; personality; nature
    • ·capable person; competent person; suitable person; right person
    • ·adult; grown-up
    • ·I; me; one
    N5
  • その
    • ·that; the
    • ·part (as in "part two")
    • ·um ...; er ...; uh ...
    N5
  • 作るつくるAs it appears here: 作られて
    • ·to make; to produce; to manufacture; to build; to construct
    • ·to prepare (food); to brew (alcohol)
    • ·to raise; to grow; to cultivate; to train
    • ·to till
    • ·to draw up (a document); to make out; to prepare; to write
    • ·to create (an artistic work, etc.); to compose
    • ·to coin (a phrase); to organize; to organise; to establish; to found
    • ·to have (a child)
    • ·to make up (one's face, etc.)
    • ·to fabricate (an excuse, etc.)
    • ·to give a (false) appearance; to feign (a smile, etc.); to put on a show of emotion
    • ·to form (a line, etc.)
    • ·to set (a record)
    • ·to commit (a sin, etc.)
    N5
  • いう
    • ·to say; to utter; to declare
    • ·to name; to call
    • ·to go (e.g. "the alarm went ping"); to make a noise
    N5
  • そこ
    • ·there (place relatively near listener)
    • ·there (place just mentioned); that place
    • ·then (of some incident just spoken of); that (of point just raised)
    • ·you
    N5
  • するAs it appears here: されて
    • ·to do; to carry out; to perform
    • ·to cause to become; to make (into); to turn (into)
    • ·to serve as; to act as; to work as
    • ·to wear (clothes, a facial expression, etc.)
    • ·to judge as being; to view as being; to think of as; to treat as; to use as
    • ·to decide on; to choose
    • ·to be sensed (of a smell, noise, etc.)
    • ·to be (in a state, condition, etc.)
    • ·to be worth; to cost
    • ·to pass (of time); to elapse
    • ·to place, or raise, person A to a post or status B
    • ·to transform A to B; to make A into B; to exchange A for B
    • ·to make use of A for B; to view A as B; to handle A as if it were B
    • ·to feel A about B
    • ·verbalizing suffix (applies to nouns noted in this dictionary with the part of speech "vs")
    • ·creates a humble verb (after a noun prefixed with "o" or "go")
    • ·to be just about to; to be just starting to; to try to; to attempt to
    N5
  • 写真しゃしん
    • ·photograph; photo; picture; photography
    • ·moving picture; movie
    N5
  • 読むよむAs it appears here: 読んで
    • ·to read
    • ·to recite (e.g. a sutra); to chant
    • ·to predict; to guess; to forecast; to read (someone's thoughts); to see (e.g. into someone's heart); to divine
    • ·to pronounce; to read (e.g. a kanji)
    • ·to decipher; to read (a meter, graph, music, etc.); to tell (the time)
    • ·to count; to estimate
    • ·to read (a kanji) with its native Japanese reading
    N5
  • 私わたし
    • ·I; me
    N5
  • 見るみるAs it appears here: 見なくて
    • ·to see; to look; to watch; to view; to observe
    • ·to examine; to look over; to assess; to check; to judge
    • ·to look after; to attend to; to take care of; to keep an eye on
    • ·to experience; to meet with (misfortune, success, etc.)
    • ·to try ...; to have a go at ...; to give ... a try
    • ·to see (that) ...; to find (that) ...
    N5
  • 買うかうAs it appears here: 買い
    • ·to buy; to purchase
    • ·to value (highly); to think highly of; to have a high opinion of; to appreciate; to recognize
    • ·to incur (someone's anger, displeasure, etc.); to elicit (e.g. sneers); to invite (e.g. scorn); to evoke; to arouse; to win (someone's favour)
    • ·to accept; to take on; to take up
    • ·to pay for (a prostitute, geisha, etc.)
    N5
  • 欲しいほしい
    • ·wanting (to have); desiring; wishing for
    • ·I want (you, them, etc.) to (do)
    N5
  • 特にとくに
    • ·particularly; especially; in particular; expressly
    N4
  • ため
    • ·good; advantage; benefit; welfare
    • ·sake; purpose; objective; aim
    • ·consequence; result; effect
    • ·affecting; regarding; concerning
    N4
  • 世界せかい
    • ·the world; society; the universe
    • ·sphere; circle; world
    • ·world-renowned; world-famous
    • ·realm governed by one Buddha; space
    N4
  • 思うおもうAs it appears here: 思った
    • ·to think; to consider; to believe; to reckon
    • ·to think (of doing); to plan (to do)
    • ·to judge; to assess; to regard
    • ·to imagine; to suppose; to dream
    • ·to expect; to look forward to
    • ·to feel; to be (in a state of mind); to desire; to want
    • ·to care (deeply) for; to yearn for; to worry about; to love
    • ·to recall; to remember
    N4
  • 足りるたりるAs it appears here: 足りない
    • ·to be sufficient; to be enough
    • ·to be worth doing; to be worthy of; to deserve
    • ·to do (the job); to serve; to answer
    N4
  • はず
    • ·should (be); bound (to be); expected (to be); must (be)
    • ·nock (of a bow)
    • ·nock (of an arrow)
    • ·nock-shaped grip (between thumb and forefinger)
    • ·wooden frame on the tip of the mast of a Japanese ship that prevents the hawser from falling out
    N4
  • 必要ひつよう
    • ·necessary; needed; essential; indispensable
    • ·necessity; need; requirement
    N4
  • 思うおもうAs it appears here: 思わせて
    • ·to think; to consider; to believe; to reckon
    • ·to think (of doing); to plan (to do)
    • ·to judge; to assess; to regard
    • ·to imagine; to suppose; to dream
    • ·to expect; to look forward to
    • ·to feel; to be (in a state of mind); to desire; to want
    • ·to care (deeply) for; to yearn for; to worry about; to love
    • ·to recall; to remember
    N4
  • 広告こうこく
    • ·advertisement; advertising
    • ·announcement; notice
    N3
  • 突然とつぜん
    • ·abrupt; sudden; unexpected
    N3
  • 不思議ふしぎ
    • ·wonderful; marvelous; strange; incredible; amazing; curious; miraculous; mysterious
    • ·strangely enough; oddly enough; for some reason; curiously
    N3
  • 何なに
    • ·what
    • ·you-know-what; that thing
    • ·whatsit; whachamacallit; what's-his-name; what's-her-name
    • ·penis; (one's) thing; dick
    • ·(not) at all; (not) in the slightest
    • ·what?; huh?
    • ·hey!; come on!
    • ·oh, no (it's fine); why (it's nothing); oh (certainly not)
    N3
  • 品ひん
    • ·elegance; grace; refinement; class; dignity
    • ·article; item
    • ·counter for items (of food, etc.); counter for dishes or courses (at a restaurant)
    N3
  • 何もなにも
    • ·(not) anything; (nothing) at all; (not) any; nothing
    • ·and everything else; and all
    • ·(not) at all; (not) in the least; (not) especially; (not) to that extent
    N3
  • あたり
    • ·(in the) neighbourhood; neighborhood; vicinity; nearby; surroundings
    • ·around; about; or thereabouts
    • ·for instance; say; such as
    N3
  • なかなか
    • ·very; considerably; easily; readily; fairly; quite; highly; rather
    • ·by no means; not readily
    • ·middle; half-way point
    • ·excellent; wonderful; very good
    N3
  • 正直しょうじき
    • ·honest; frank; candid; straightforward
    • ·honestly; frankly
    N3
  • もとめる
    • ·to want; to wish for
    • ·to request; to demand; to require; to ask for
    • ·to seek; to search for; to look for; to pursue (pleasure); to hunt (a job); to find (a solution)
    • ·to purchase; to buy
    N3
  • 別にべつに
    • ·(not) particularly; (not) especially; (not) specially
    • ·separately; apart; additionally; extra
    N3
  • 飛び込むとびこむAs it appears here: 飛び込んで
    • ·to jump in; to leap in; to plunge into; to dive
    • ·to burst in; to barge in
    N2
  • 一流いちりゅう
    • ·first-class; first-rate; top-flight; top-ranking; leading; eminent; top
    • ·characteristic (of); peculiar (to); unique (to)
    • ·school (e.g. of flower arrangement)
    • ·one flag; one banner; one streamer
    N2
  • 本来ほんらい
    • ·originally; primarily
    • ·essentially; intrinsically; naturally; by nature; in (and of) itself
    • ·proper; rightful; legal; normal
    N2
  • なんとなく
    • ·somehow; for some reason (or other); without knowing why
    N2
Grammar1 patterns

Example sentences are translated by AI.

  • だの～だのN1

    Reduplicated listing particle citing examples with a tone of complaint or exasperation ("what with X and Y and all that").

    別に必要じゃない人にまで、なんとなく欲しいと思わせてこそ、広告なのである。

    Advertising is precisely about making even people who do not particularly need something somehow feel that they want it.

Other levels19 patterns
  • 確かにN2

    concedes a point as true before countering it, or asserts certainty, 'admittedly / certainly (~ but)'.

    そこに例示されている世界の一流品の写真と能書きを読んでいたら、確かに私も「ほしいなあ」と思った。

    As I looked at the photographs and descriptions of the world-class products presented there, even I found myself thinking, “I want that.”

  • 何も〜ないN2

    何も with a negative meaning 'nothing at all' — 'not… anything, nothing'.

    「足りないものは何もないはずなのに、次々とほしいものがあらわれる」といったあたり、なかなか正直な広告だ。

    A line such as “Even though you should lack nothing, one thing after another appears that you want” is quite an honest advertisement.

  • といったN2

    Introduces representative examples before a summarizing noun — "(things) such as ~", "~ and the like".

    「足りないものは何もないはずなのに、次々とほしいものがあらわれる」といったあたり、なかなか正直な広告だ。

    A line such as “Even though you should lack nothing, one thing after another appears that you want” is quite an honest advertisement.

  • 〜てこそN2

    Emphasizes that only by actually doing X does the result become true — 'it is only by/precisely by doing X that...'.

    別に必要じゃない人にまで、なんとなく欲しいと思わせてこそ、広告なのである。

    Advertising is precisely about making even people who do not particularly need something somehow feel that they want it.

  • ためにN3

    marks a purpose ('in order to') or a cause ('because of / owing to').

    「ほしいものは何ですか」と聞かれても「特にない」と答えてしまう人のために、そのカタログは作られているという。

    The catalog is said to have been made for people who, even when asked, “What do you want?” answer, “Nothing in particular.”

  • というN3

    Quotative marker plus 'say' that introduces a name, definition, or reported content — 'called', 'known as', 'that (one) says'.

    「ほしいものは何ですか」と聞かれても「特にない」と答えてしまう人のために、そのカタログは作られているという。

    The catalog is said to have been made for people who, even when asked, “What do you want?” answer, “Nothing in particular.”

  • なかなかN3

    An adverb meaning "quite / considerably", or with a following negative verb "not easily / just won't".

    「足りないものは何もないはずなのに、次々とほしいものがあらわれる」といったあたり、なかなか正直な広告だ。

    A line such as “Even though you should lack nothing, one thing after another appears that you want” is quite an honest advertisement.

  • たらN42 times in this passage

    Conditional/temporal ending on the plain-past stem meaning that once or if the first action happens, the second follows ('if / once / when ... then').

    新聞をめくっていたら、こんな広告が目に飛び込んできた。

    As I was flipping through the newspaper, an advertisement like this suddenly caught my eye.

  • てもN42 times in this passage

    Concessive — 'even if / even though …'; the main clause holds regardless of the te-clause.

    「ほしいものは何ですか」と聞かれても「特にない」と答えてしまう人のために、そのカタログは作られているという。

    The catalog is said to have been made for people who, even when asked, “What do you want?” answer, “Nothing in particular.”

  • 〜てしまう / 〜ちゃうN4

    Verb te-form plus しまう, marking an action as fully completed or done regrettably/by accident — 'end up ...ing' / 'finish ...ing'; ちゃう/じゃう is the casual contraction.

    「ほしいものは何ですか」と聞かれても「特にない」と答えてしまう人のために、そのカタログは作られているという。

    The catalog is said to have been made for people who, even when asked, “What do you want?” answer, “Nothing in particular.”

  • と思う（とおもう）N42 times in this passage

    Quotative plus 'think', stating the speaker's opinion or guess — 'I think that'.

    そこに例示されている世界の一流品の写真と能書きを読んでいたら、確かに私も「ほしいなあ」と思った。

    As I looked at the photographs and descriptions of the world-class products presented there, even I found myself thinking, “I want that.”

  • はずだN4

    Expresses the speaker's reasoned confidence that something is or should be the case — 'should, ought to, is supposed to'.

    「足りないものは何もないはずなのに、次々とほしいものがあらわれる」といったあたり、なかなか正直な広告だ。

    A line such as “Even though you should lack nothing, one thing after another appears that you want” is quite an honest advertisement.

  • 〜のにN4

    Links two clauses so the result contradicts what the first clause leads you to expect — "even though ~ / although ~".

    「足りないものは何もないはずなのに、次々とほしいものがあらわれる」といったあたり、なかなか正直な広告だ。

    A line such as “Even though you should lack nothing, one thing after another appears that you want” is quite an honest advertisement.

  • 〜ているN53 times in this passage

    Describes an action in progress or the state that remains after an action happened — “is doing” or “is in the state of having done”.

    新聞をめくっていたら、こんな広告が目に飛び込んできた。

    As I was flipping through the newspaper, an advertisement like this suddenly caught my eye.

  • だ / ですN52 times in this passage

    The copula linking a noun or na-adjective to the subject — plain だ / polite です, 'is/am/are'.

    これは不思議なカタログです。」

    This is a mysterious catalog.”

  • なあN5

    Sentence-ending particle that voices emotion, admiration, or a wish, like "..., isn't it!" or "I wish...".

    そこに例示されている世界の一流品の写真と能書きを読んでいたら、確かに私も「ほしいなあ」と思った。

    As I looked at the photographs and descriptions of the world-class products presented there, even I found myself thinking, “I want that.”

  • だろうN5

    Presumptive expressing conjecture — 'probably', 'I think', or seeking agreement 'right?'; plain だろう / polite でしょう.

    本来、広告とはそういうものだろう。

    That is probably what advertising is by nature.

  • じゃない・ではないN5

    Negates a noun or na-adjective with the copula, "is not / am not".

    別に必要じゃない人にまで、なんとなく欲しいと思わせてこそ、広告なのである。

    Advertising is precisely about making even people who do not particularly need something somehow feel that they want it.

  • までN5

    Particle marking the spatial, temporal, or extent limit of an action — "until / up to / as far as."

    別に必要じゃない人にまで、なんとなく欲しいと思わせてこそ、広告なのである。

    Advertising is precisely about making even people who do not particularly need something somehow feel that they want it.

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