TOPIK I reading practice: understand a short Korean notice
Work through an original Korean opening-hours notice, identify the requested detail, and explain why each answer fits or fails.
Before reading every word, identify what the question asks: a place, time, day, or purpose. Find that detail in the notice and check negatives such as 쉽니다 before choosing an answer.
Read the question first in practice
If the question asks which day a shop closes, the opening time is not your answer. Circle the requested detail in your notes: day. Then scan for day words such as 월요일, 토요일, 일요일. This keeps a familiar number elsewhere in the text from distracting you.
Try this original notice
Read: “하루 서점 / 영업시간: 오전 10시–오후 7시 / 일요일은 쉽니다.” 서점 is a bookstore, 영업시간 means business hours, and 쉽니다 means rests or is closed here. The notice says the bookstore opens from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and closes on Sundays. This is a learning example written for Haru, not a released TOPIK question.
Check the evidence for each answer
For “When is the bookstore closed?”, compare Monday, Saturday, and Sunday. Only Sunday appears with 쉽니다. For “What time does it close on an open day?”, use 오후 7시, not 오전 10시. Explain the evidence in one sentence after each answer; a correct guess without a reason tells you less about what you understood.
Keep a small error notebook
If you picked 10 a.m., note “confused opening and closing.” If you missed 일요일, note the day word. Review the mistake with another short notice rather than memorizing the option position. Begin untimed, then introduce timed practice when you can read the phrases reliably. A few practice questions cannot predict an official exam score.
Keep these examples handy
| Expression or step | Reading or meaning | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 서점 | bookstore | Identify the place |
| 영업시간 | business hours | Look for the time range |
| 오전 10시 | 10 a.m. | Opening time in this notice |
| 오후 7시 | 7 p.m. | Closing time in this notice |
| 일요일은 쉽니다 | Closed on Sundays | Find the non-opening day |
Check your understanding
Try each question before opening its answer.
The bookstore is closed on: Monday, Saturday, or Sunday?
Sunday. 일요일은 쉽니다 directly states this.
Can you visit at 11 a.m. on Sunday according to the notice?
No. The Sunday closure applies even though 11 a.m. falls inside the usual time range.
On an open day, does the store close at 10 a.m. or 7 p.m.?
7 p.m. 오전 10시 is the opening time; 오후 7시 is the closing time.
Your questions, answered
Is this an official TOPIK question?
No. The notice and exercises are original beginner practice.
Should I translate every word first?
For this exercise, identify the requested detail and then confirm it in the text. Review unfamiliar words afterward.
Keep exploring
These beginner explanations introduce practical language in context. Romanization is approximate. Consult the dictionary below for meanings and pronunciation.
- National Institute of Korean Language: Korean–English Learners’ Dictionary
- Online King Sejong Institute
For word meanings and pronunciation, open the learner dictionary linked above.
Turn what you read into something you can do.
Try a short activity. You don’t need an account or an API key.
Try it in Haru →