About This Book
1 What’s Quartet?
Quartet: Intermediate Japanese Across the Four Language Skills is a comprehensive intermediate learning resource for Japanese-language learners who have completed around 250
to 300 hours of elementary study. It is designed to provide well-balanced development of
the four language skills —reading, writing, speaking and listening—through the study ofgrammar, expressions and strategies needed to communicate at the intermediate level.
Quartet is divided into two textbook volumes, each with a supplement, a workbook, anddownloadable audio material. Volume I presents Lessons 1–6, and Volume II covers Lessons
7–12. Together, the two volumes are intended to help learners advance to level B1 of theCommon European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
The material in Volume I is roughly equivalent to level N3 of the Japanese Language
Proficiency Test, while that in Volume II is on par with N2. Each lesson focuses onapproximately ten grammatical patterns and expressions, around 45 kanji, and one or two
reading strategies. In total, Volume I presents 55 grammatical patterns and expressions, 327
kanji, and ten reading strategies.

（Supplement）

Workbook I

Audio（Download）..................................................................................

Volume I（Textbook）

Volume II（Textbook）（Supplement）

Workbook II

Audio（Download）

2 Structure and Content of Volume I
Every textbook lesson has four sections for the four language skills — 読む , 書く , 話す and聞く—with each sharing the same theme. The sections are interconnected in various ways.
For instance, the topic of the readings in 読む is taken up in the compositions of 書く , thedialogues of 話す , and the listening comprehension material of 聞く. As another example, thegrammatical patterns and expressions used in the readings are also encountered in the listening
comprehension tasks. This interlinking enables you to build up the four skills in a natural, wellbalanced manner. The vocabulary and kanji lists have been compiled into a separate supplement（別冊）so that they can be viewed alongside the textbook material. The textbook’s six lessons areべっさつ［ 13 ］

followed by a section entitled ブラッシュアップ , which contains various additional material onelementary grammar, expressions, and kanji to assist your study of the lessons.
The structure and content of Volume I are as follows.

（ 1 ）Lessons 1–6
読むStudy grammatical patterns expressions and reading strategies throughtwo readings■ 読む前に・読んだ後で読む前に prepares you for each reading with schema activation in theform of questions on the reading’s topic. 読んだ後で involves tasks such as summarizing
the reading in your own words, comparing the content with the situation in yourhomeland, and discussing your experiences and opinions in relation to the reading.
■ 読み物 Each lesson has two readings（読み物 1／読み物 2）. The readings gradually become
more challenging with each new lesson, and generally focus on topics concerning Japaneseculture and society that are of interest to many students. All the readings in Volume I
were newly created for this textbook and have been designed to help learners study more
efficiently and gain a greater sense of progress.
■ 読みのストラテジー This part presents reading strategies that not only are useful fordeveloping a better understanding of the readings, but can also be effectively applied toreading comprehension in general. The strategies covered in Volume I offer tips on how toparse sentences and follow the structure of compositions.
■ 文型・表現ノート Commentary is provided on the grammatical patterns and expressions
ぶんけいひょうげん
used in the readings. Volume I covers patterns and expressions essential to intermediatelevel communication, centering on JLPT N3 grammar. This section is designed tofoster your ability to understand difficult words and sentences from context, offering
explanations in English and numerous example sentences to assist you. Items marked withare ones that you should strive to master for spoken/written communication, while
those not so marked are ones that you just need to understand the meaning.
書くWrite compositions based on the model text

This section challenges you to use what you learned in 読む to write short compositions
on subjects related to the readings. Before that, you go over モデル作文 and 書くポイント toacquire a better understanding of text structure and writing pointers, and you respond to thequestions in 書いてみよう to brainstorm for your composition.
話す

Practice conversation patterns using a model dialogue

This section is divided into two parts, 会話 1 and 会話 2. Each part offers conversation practicethat is based on a model dialogue and progresses from input to output. Almost all theconversations can be practiced in both casual and formal styles.
1. やってみよう Before going through the model dialogue, you do a little role-playing in thedialogue’s context to see how well you can communicate in that situation.
2. 聞いてみよう As you listen to the model dialogue, you try to understand its content andflow.

［ 14 ］

3. モデル会話 Next, you read a script of the dialogue to check your understanding. フローチャート serves as a visual aid for gaining a handle on the overall flow of the dialogue.
4. 練 習しよう You then practice creating output in your own words, following patterns ofれんしゅう
expression drawn from the dialogue.
聞くPractice two types of listening comprehension

聞く is also divided into two parts, 聴 解 1 and 聴解 2. 聴解 1 provides listening comprehenちょうかいsion practice with an everyday conversation that is tied to the topic of the readings andincorporates real-world information as much as possible. You look at a figure or chart as you
listen to the conversation and try to pick out the information requested. In 聴解 2, you listen toa monologue and answer questions about it. The monologues cover discoveries and questions
about Japan experienced by international students after arriving. The subject matter lends wellto discussion, so this material can also be used for discussion after listening comprehension
practice.

（ 2 ）Brush-ups（ブラッシュアップ）The six lessons are followed by a separate section that offers elementary grammar reviews andhandy strategies for mastering kanji.
初級文法チェック
しょきゅうぶんぽうThis part provides reviews of seven particularly tricky aspects of elementary grammar. Someof these items can be reviewed more effectively when studied along with certain parts of thelessons. The table below lists those pairings.
初級文法チェック

Corresponding sections of lessons② そうだ／らしい／ようだ／みたいだ

Lesson 1 文 型・表現ノート 4「〜らしい」
ぶんけい ひょうげん
Lesson 2 読み物 1・読み物 2
Lesson 4 読みのストラテジー❼「動詞の形と動作主」
どう しかたち どう さ しゅLesson 5 読みのストラテジー❽「順番を表す副詞・接 続 詞」

しょきゅうぶんぽう

③ 敬語
けい ご

⑤ 受 身 形 ／使 役 形 ／使 役 受 身 形
うけ み けいし えきけいし えきうけ み けい

⑥ 条 件 文 〜たら／〜と／〜ば／〜ならじょうけんぶんじゅんばん

あらわ

ふく し

せつぞく し漢字チャレンジThis section presents 12 strategies essential for kanji studies at the intermediate level andbeyond, including strategies concerning radicals, prefixes, suffixes, antonyms, and phonetic
indicators providing clues to the kanji readings. By equipping yourself with these strategies,you’ ll have an easier time surmising the meaning and reading of unfamiliar kanji and tidy up
your knowledge of kanji already learned. This, in turn, will enable you to efficiently expand
the kanji knowledge and skills that will become all the more important from the intermediatelevel onward.

［ 15 ］

（ 3 ）Appendices（巻末）かんまつ■ 聴 解 解答・スクリプトThis appendix contains the answers to the two listening comprehension
tasks in each 聞く section and full scripts of the audio material. It provides the correct answers
to multiple-choice and true/false questions, and model answers for the writing problems.
■ 文型・表現さくいん This is a list of the items presented in 文型・表現ノート , arranged in a-iぶんけい ひょうげん
u-e-o order.
■ 単語さくいん This lists the words included on the supplement’s vocabulary list, in a-i-uたん ご
e-o order.
ちょうかい かいとう

（ 4 ）Supplement（別冊）
べっさつ
The supplement accompanying the textbook contains vocabulary lists, lists of words thatshould be memorized and sample sentences using them, and kanji lists.
■ 単語リスト

These list the vocabulary in the readings that have not yet been studied. Thewords in each list that should especially be learned are presented again in the subsequent
覚える単語と例文 list, along with sample sentences using them.
おぼ
れいぶん■ 漢字リスト These lists contain the target kanji found in the reading material, along with
their readings, meanings, stroke orders, compounds and English translations. Shaded characters are essential kanji that you need to learn how to write.
第1課

アニメ映画監督 宮﨑 駿

読み物 1◆
16.
［単語リスト］

19 紹介（する）◆ 新出漢字がある単語（読み書き）
20 〜生まれ

❸漢

◆

行

0 監督
21
きっかけ

1.
18.

◆

2.
19.

◆

22 宮﨑駿
作家
1 ［〜に］
やはり就職（する）
2❷

単語［〜が］得意な

20.
3.

◆◆

4.

◆

千と千尋の神隠し
発表（する）
作品
ベルリン

23 特に
国際アカデミー賞
映画祭

取る 出品（する）
［〜に］

◆3

◆

興味
アカデミー名誉賞
もののけ姫
受賞（する）

新出漢字がある単語（読みだけ）〜うまれとくいな
かんとく
きっかけ

読み

みやざきはやお
さっか
やはりしゅうしょく（する）

せんとちひろのかみかくし
はっぴょう（する）
さくひん
べるりん
とくに
こくさい
あかでみーしょう
えいがさいとる
しゅっぴん（する）
きょうみ
あかでみーめいよしょう
もののけひめじゅしょう（する）となりのととろ

4 ストーリー
すとーりー［覚える単語と例文］▶
覚える単語と例
文
5.第 1◆課・読み物
環境1
かんきょう
おぼたん ごれいぶん▶▶▶▶▶

❸

to introduce

新出漢字

born in ~意味

good atdirector
start; impetus
Hayao
writer Miyazaki

undoubtedly;
after allto get employedSpirited
Away[movie title]
to release
aBerlinwork
especiallyinternational

AcademyAward
film festival
totowin(a prize);taketo ~)submit(one’stoworkinterest
Academy Honorary Award
PrincessMononoketo receive
an award[movie title]

My Neighbor Totoro [movie title]
story
5.Tango-L1-1

environment

1. やはり 大人

adult
おとな 京が一番おもしろいと思います。
日本はやはり東2. 特にひげ

私は食べられないものが多いが、特にトマトが嫌いだ。
beard
ひげ

3. 取る

ふちframe (of glasses)
ふち
今年のスピーチコンテストで賞を取りたい。

4. 興味
◆
7
6.

優しい

日本のアニメに興味があったので、日本語の勉強を始めた。
gentle; kind
やさしい厳しい

きびしい
しずかな環境で勉強したい。

56

7.
5. 環境

髪笑顔

かみとうきょう

hair

漢字リスト

となりのトトロ

◆

単語リスト

❶

17.

かんとく みやざきはやお

しょうかい（する）

きらえがお

smilestrict❶ Theserepresent the numberof the line where each◆
forwordexamplefirst appears in the reading.
8. numerals
例えば
たとえば優しいto draw
8 描く
Zero6.indicates
the title. 彼女はだれにでも優しくて親切だ。
かくpicture;
painting that you should
9.
◆ ordrawing;◆ . ◆ indicates
絵え❷ Words
containinga kanji studied
in that lesson
are marked with
7. 厳
しい私が子どもの時、両親はとても厳しかった。
きび
きび
to fix [vt.]10.
直すなおす◆
indicatesthat just learning the reading will suffice. The
learn
to read and write the日本の料理、word, while例えば、
8. 例えばおすしや天ぷらなどが好きです。
rubber9 ゴム
underlined kanji
in the vocabulary ごむ
list are the ones studied in the lesson.
かたいかたいいてくれた絵です。 hard; firm
9. 絵
これは妹が描❸ This is the number of the entry as listed
か in 覚える単語と例文 .
soft◆◆

10. 直す1011.

11. また◆［ 16 ］

やわらかい

やわらかい

また先生に作文を直してもらいました。
also; in addition
またたった

only; merely
たった
彼は医者だ。また、研究者でもある。

秒

12. はずかしいシーン

びょうsecond「山」という漢字が読めなくて、はずかしかった。
scene
しーん

to spend (time) [vt.]
11 ［時間を］かける オーストラリアの海はとても美しいそうだ。
かける
13. 美しいembarrassing; embarrassed
12 はずかしい
はずかしい
14. 芸術的なピカソの芸術的な絵が好きだ。
◆evening; night
13 晩
ばん

12.

rarely; hardly
ほとんど〜ない15. 愛する ほとんど〜ない
彼女は子どもをとても愛している。
◆dinner
晩ご飯
ばんごはん

第［漢字リスト］
読み物

❹1課

賞取興環
境優例
絵直秒0011002003001❺ 010 ❻❼▶▶▶▶▶

prize;
reward（15）◆［読み物にある単語］ ◆ 読み書き ◆ 読みだけ〜賞（〜しょう）~ Award; ~ Prize
受賞（じゅしょう）receiving an award笙 笞 笵 笨 笶 筐 筺 笄 筍 笋 筌 筅 筵 筥 筴
シュとtake（8）ショウ◆

取得（しゅとく）acquisition
取る（とる）to win (a prize); to take◆敦 沌 遁 頓 呑 奈 那 乍interest;
spring up

（16）

キョウ

◆

興味（きょうみ）interest

槌 鎚 栂 掴 槻 佃 柘 辻 蔦 綴 鍔 椿 潰 壷 嬬 紬◆
環境（かんきょう）environment
カン❹ Target kanji Shaded characters are essential kanji that you should learn how to write.

004ring❺ Meanings（17are）妹枚 毎
哩 槙 幕鮪 柾 in桝hiragana.
亦 俣 末 沫 侭 麿 万 満❻ Readings On-yomi
given
in katakana,kun-yomi◆ and ◆ ◆mark❼ Words005containing borderthe kanjiキョウ
words thatenvironment
appear in the reading material and the環境（かんきょう）
さかい that県境
prefecturalyou（けんざかい）
should learn
howborder
to read and write; ◆ indicates thatvocabulary list. ◆ indicates words

just learning the reading will suffice.
（14）

晒 撒 燦 珊 纂 讃 餐 斬 仔 屍 孜 斯 獅 爾

ユウ
優秀（ゆうしゅう）excellent（ 5 ）Audio files
やさ優しい（やさしい）gentle; kind
Downloadable audio material is offered for the following sections. These sections are marked
with a headphone symbolthe躁
textbook.
（17（）蹶 ）蹲in蹼躇 躅 躄 躋 躊 躓 躑 躔 躙 躪 躡 躬 躰006

gentle;superior◆

レイ
例（れい）example
Text of 読み物example
1 and 2; thefirst sample
sentence of each entry in 文型・表現ノート
ぶんけい
ひょうげん
たと
例えば（たとえば）for example■ 話す The model dialogues of 会話 1 and 2■ 聞く 聴解 1 and 2 （8） 輓 輜 輟 輛 輌 輦 輳 輻■ 読む■ 別冊べっさつ007◆ちょうかい覚008
える単語と例picture
文おぼたん ごれいぶんエカイ

絵（え）picture; drawing; painting
絵画（かいが）picture◆（12） 湧 涌 猷 祐 邑 輿 傭 妖 楊 熔 耀 蓉How to download thefiles
direct;
チョク the直接（ちょくせつ）
directly
Go to the009following URLand download
appropriate
Zip
file.
straight
なお直す（なおす）
tofix
The Japan Times Japanese Language Materials Download
http://bookclub2.japantimes.co.jp/download/010◆（8）徙 徘 徠 徨 徭 徼 忖 忻secondビョウ◆

秒（びょう）second（ 6 ）Study app（9）
QUARTET Vocab & Kanji(iOS/Android)嬌 嬋 嬖 嬲 嫐 嬪 嬶 嬾 孃The app for studying vocabulary and kanji covered in the textbook is available.
028［ 17 ］

3 Structure and Content of Workbook I
The workbook offers practice exercises related to each textbook lesson’s 読み物 and 文型・表現ぶんけいひょうげんノート .
This section provides three types of exercises for 読み物 1 and 2 — (A) true/
false questions on the readings, (B) reading strategy exercises, and (C) questions that delve
into the readings’ content in greater detail.
■ 文型・表現ワーク Three sets of exercises are provided for the items covered by 文型・表現ノート— (A) basic problems on items that require output (marked within the textbook),(B) exercises covering all grammatical patterns and expressions presented in the lesson,and (C) problems requiring oral responses using the lesson’s grammatical patterns andexpressions.
■ 読み物ワーク

The workbook also includes practices for the 初 級 文法チェック and 漢字チャレンジ sections of ブ
しょきゅうぶんぽう
ラッシュアップ in the textbook. The effective way to use the 初級文法チェック worksheets is to dothem before going through the corresponding textbook lesson; first check your understandingof elementary grammar points by doing the worksheets, and then use the textbook to brushup on the points that need more work. The 漢字チャレンジ worksheets should be used after
studying the corresponding part of the textbook in order to check your mastery of the kanji.

［ 18 ］