Word of the Week: Appear

“Wow! The magician just appeared out of thin air!” “It’s a trick. He actually used a trap door or something. It only appears to be magic.” “Appear” has more than one meaning. It can mean “arrive”: “The classroom became quiet as soon as the teacher appeared.” It can...

Word of the Week: Rodent

“Want to see my new pet?” “Eek! A mouse!” “It’s not a mouse, it’s a hamster.” “Well, they’re both rodents!” “But you like rabbits…” The most well-known rodents are mice, but rabbits, hamsters, and many other animals are also rodents. The largest rodent is the...

Word of the Week: Icicle

Icicles are long pointed pieces of ice that hang downward. They form when dripping water freezes. If you live in a place that gets cold in winter, you might see them on the edge of your roof! Do you see icicles in winter? What places are too warm to form icicles even...

Word of the Week: Heartbreak

Last week was Valentine’s Day. Did you give anyone chocolate? Valentine’s is a romantic holiday, but romance always carries the risk of heartbreak. When someone is very sad after being rejected or breaking up, we say their heart is broken....

Word of the Week: Lollipop

A lollipop is a piece of candy on a stick. It has many different regional names, such as sucker (because you suck on it), or lolly. If it is a frozen candy, it is an ice pop, popsicle (in the U.S. or Canada) or ice lolly (in the U.K.). If it is made of ice cream, it...

Word of the Week: Autograph

Man: Can I have your autograph? I’m a huge fan. Star: Sure. Do you have a pen? An autograph is a signature as a present to a fan. When you sign your name on a receipt or contract, it is a signature, not an autograph. 男の人:サインしていただけませんか?大ファンなんです。 スター:いいですよ。ペン持ってますか?...