N4 graded reading
市役所ロビーの写真展示 story text
A practical N4 story about arranging photographs, adjusting signs and table placement, and thinking from the visitors' point of view while preparing a small public exhibit.
25 sentences - about 10 min
Sentence 1
土曜日の朝、あやとみかは市役所のロビーで写真展示の準備をしていました。
On Saturday morning, Aya and Mika were preparing a photo exhibit in the city hall lobby.
Sentence 2
二人は地域の四季を紹介する小さな展示を手伝うことになったのです。
The two of them had ended up helping with a small exhibit that introduced the four seasons of the area.
Sentence 3
会場は広くありませんが、人が通るたびに目に入りやすい場所でした。
The venue was not large, but it was a place that easily caught the eye whenever people passed by.
Sentence 4
まず机の上に写真を並べて、どの順番がいちばん見やすいかを確かめました。
First, they lined the photographs up on the desk and checked which order was easiest to look at.
Sentence 5
春の写真には桜の下で遊ぶ子どもたちが写っていました。
In the spring photos, children playing under the cherry blossoms were shown.
Sentence 6
夏の写真には川辺で行われた夜祭りの明かりがきれいに残っていました。
In the summer photos, the lights of the night festival that had been held by the riverside remained beautifully captured.
Sentence 7
みかは「色の強い写真を入口の近くに置いたほうがいいですね」と言いました。
Mika said, "It would be better to put the photos with strong colors near the entrance."
Sentence 8
あやもそう思いましたが、説明のパネルとのバランスも考えなければなりません。
Aya thought so too, but they also had to consider the balance with the explanatory panels.
Sentence 9
そこで二人は、遠くから見たときに目立つ組み合わせを何度も試しました。
So the two of them tried combinations that stood out when seen from far away again and again.
Sentence 10
しばらくすると、担当の山口さんが来て、「通路は少し広めに空けてください」と言いました。
After a little while, the person in charge, Yamaguchi-san, came and said, "Please leave the walkway a little wider."
Sentence 11
車いすを使う人も通るので、前より余裕を持たせたほうがいいということでした。
People who use wheelchairs would also pass through, so it meant it was better to leave more room than before.
Sentence 12
その説明を聞いて、あやは机の位置を少し下げることにしました。
After hearing that explanation, Aya decided to move the desk position back a little.
Sentence 13
みかは写真の下に置く札を作り直し、文字を前より大きくしました。
Mika remade the labels to place under the photos and made the letters larger than before.
Sentence 14
ただ、秋の写真の説明だけ長すぎて、一枚の札に入りきりませんでした。
However, only the explanation for the autumn photo was too long and did not fit on a single label.
Sentence 15
山口さんは「大事な情報だけを残して、続きは別の紙にしてもいいですよ」と助言しました。
Yamaguchi-san advised, "You can leave only the important information and put the rest on a separate sheet."
Sentence 16
その言葉どおりにしてみると、読みやすさがかなりよくなりました。
When they tried doing it just as he had said, the readability became much better.
Sentence 17
昼前になるころ、ロビーに用事で来た人たちが足を止めて見始めました。
Around the time it became close to noon, people who had come to the lobby on errands stopped and started looking.
Sentence 18
ある年配の女性は「町の川がこんなにきれいだったころを思い出します」と話してくれました。
One elderly woman said, "This reminds me of when the town's river was this beautiful."
Sentence 19
その一言を聞いて、二人は準備の途中でもやる意味があると感じました。
Hearing that one comment, the two felt that there was meaning in doing this even while still in the middle of preparing.
Sentence 20
しかし、冬の写真を立てるための小さな台が一つ足りないことが分かりました。
However, they found out that one small stand for setting up the winter photo was missing.
Sentence 21
あやは倉庫へ取りに行こうとしましたが、山口さんが予備を持ってきてくれました。
Aya tried to go get one from the storage room, but Yamaguchi-san brought a spare one for them.
Sentence 22
おかげで展示は予定より早く形になり、細かい調整に時間を使えました。
Thanks to that, the exhibit took shape earlier than planned, and they were able to spend time on the fine adjustments.
Sentence 23
最後に二人は入口から出口までゆっくり歩き、見え方をもう一度確かめました。
Finally, the two of them walked slowly from the entrance to the exit and checked once more how it looked.
Sentence 24
帰る前に山口さんは「見る人の立場で考えることが、いちばん大切ですね」と言いました。
Before leaving, Yamaguchi-san said, "Thinking from the standpoint of the people who will look at it is the most important thing."
Sentence 25
あやは、物をただ並べるだけでなく、伝わり方まで考える必要があるのだと学びました。
Aya learned that it is necessary not only to simply arrange things, but also to think about how they will be conveyed.