Kanji readings

[wndola]

If you know both readings of a Kanji does the test ever require you to remember which is the 音読み and which is the 訓読み. Practicing with drill books I know what reading to replace the kanji with in context but if you asked me to pick which reading was which without context I would be lost.

[Psy]

Having not taken the JLPT, I can't tell you for sure, but a vague recollection of something I read long ago tells me that you won't have a problem. Even if you are required to distinguish 音読み/訓読み, after you learn a bunch of readings the distinction is often obvious in context. Because there's so much of it it's difficult to explain exactly where, but as you advance you will definitely start to see patterns.

Perhaps someone else will come along with a more exact answer-- in the meantime, I hope this helps.

*added* somehow I missed the note about context. If the character is completely alone without any context, I daresay it would be difficult for even native speakers to choose a "correct" reading. I have never encountered such a question in any formal or informal Japanese test I have taken, so I sincerely doubt you will have to worry about it. Still, as a rule of thumb, if the kanji itself doesn't represent a word you know as a whole (eg 雲, 空、手、腕、鐘、海, etc. -- all 訓読み WITHOUT okurigana), pick the Chinese reading (新 shin, 得 toku.). Japanese is a mess when it comes to this, so don't feel too badly if you find it confusing.

[tiroth2]

This isn't required for the JLPT. It is if you take a test like the KanKen.

[chat_noir]

what happens is, that they'll use a sentance, and then ask how the kanji are read in those sentaces.
While it doesn't require you to know the on / kun readings, it does require you to be able to read various compounds.

[untmdsprt]

what happens is, that they'll use a sentance, and then ask how the kanji are read in those sentaces.
While it doesn't require you to know the on / kun readings, it does require you to be able to read various compounds.

I have the 2005 test to practice with and they ask the kanji reading within the sentence. They'll give you four choices with only one being right.

Ex: あれは大きい車です。

大きい - 1. おおきい、２。おきい、３。だいきい

Bad example, but gives the general idea. #1 is the only correct answer.