Preparing for entrance exams? Reading news is a good strategy

In Japan’s 2026 university entrance examinations, Japan Times articles were used in 180 questions across schools nationwide. This highlights a shift in English education: testing not only students’ command of the English language, but also their ability to understand the world through it.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of high school students compete for places at their chosen universities, often spending months or years preparing. They study in coffee shops, libraries and on crowded trains, working through akahon — the iconic red books containing previous years’ entrance exams — alongside grammar exercises, vocabulary and reading passages.

Although there are several routes into higher education, most applicants take exams that include a substantial English component, including the nationwide Common Test for University Admissions. Traditionally, preparation has focused heavily on grammar, vocabulary and translation. However, recent exam trends suggest that this approach alone may no longer be enough.

The 2026 English entrance exams featured reading passages on subjects such as artificial intelligence, environmental sustainability, food loss, social media, immigration and disinformation. These are all complex issues that require readers to understand context, recognize different viewpoints and interpret arguments. Examinees encountering these topics for the first time during a test may struggle not because of the English itself, but because they lack necessary background knowledge about the topic.

The growing use of newspaper articles for exams is an ongoing trend. Rather than relying exclusively on passages written specifically for language learners, universities are increasingly drawing on authentic English articles that discuss contemporary issues. While the goal of English exams is primarily to check language proficiency, the choice of topics suggests that universities are also interested in whether students can read critically, identify key ideas and engage with the kinds of content they will encounter both in their programs and beyond.

According to entrance exam specialist Kenta Tokita, an English instructor at the prep-school chains Toshin High School, Toshin Satellite Preparatory School and Kawai Juku, students today need more than language proficiency alone. English should not be viewed merely as a puzzle to solve, but as a means of understanding different cultures, following global events and communicating ideas. As universities increasingly incorporate real-world issues into entrance exams, developing an awareness of those issues has become an important part of exam preparation itself.

This is one reason why regularly reading English-language news has become such an effective learning habit. Reading a news article requires far more than recognizing vocabulary. Readers must identify the author’s argument, distinguish fact from opinion, recognize bias, evaluate evidence and consider multiple perspectives. These are precisely the analytical skills that universities increasingly expect from successful applicants.

Regular exposure to authentic news also makes unfamiliar topics feel less intimidating. When students encounter a reading passage about AI, climate change or immigration in an entrance exam, they are less likely to be distracted by the subject matter itself. Instead of spending valuable time trying to understand an unfamiliar issue, they can focus on reading the passage carefully and answering the questions. As Tokita notes, familiarity with contemporary issues gives students a practical advantage because they already possess the background knowledge needed to engage with the text.

Tokita also emphasizes that vocabulary study should move beyond simply memorizing out-of-context word definitions. Modern exams increasingly reward students who understand how words are used within real texts. Terms such as “paradox,” “zero-sum game,” “bias” and “generative AI” have become part of contemporary public discourse and frequently appear in academic writing and entrance exams alike.

For the same reason, Tokita encourages students not to rely exclusively on previous years’ exams. These remain invaluable for understanding question formats and time management, but the issues shaping society continue to evolve, and so too will the topics that appear on the exams. Reading English-language newspapers and other reliable sources helps students stay connected to those developments while simultaneously improving language proficiency.

Those already in university benefit too: Issues featured in the news are often the very ones explored in university classrooms. Regularly reading the news equips students to more confidently participate in university life.