Blog
Idiom of the Week: Close at hand
Paul: Can’t you just leave your cell phone at home while we go out to the movies? I want to have a relaxing time with no intrusions. Martha: I know, but I feel insecure if I don’t keep it close at hand. What if I get an urgent message from my boss? If something is...
Word of the Week: Calf
A calf is a baby cow. But it can also be a baby moose, or a baby whale, elephant, or many other animals. Another thing that is called by this name is the big muscle in your lower leg....
Picture of the Week: Santa
Santa Claus lives at the North Pole. Near Christmas, you can see him at the shopping mall, asking children what they want for Christmas and posing for photos with them. He has a team of elves that build the toys for the children, and reindeer that pull his flying...
Phrase of the Week: We broke up
Thelma: So I saw you at the movie theater with Brian. Does your boyfriend know about this? Julia: Oh, we broke up last week. Thelma: Oh, really? Well, Brian is a better guy, anyway. When two people who are dating stop being a couple, it is said that they break up....
TOEIC Practice Question of the Week
We need to make our system for handling customer complaints more deficient. A. need to make B. handling C. customer complaints D. more deficient どの部分が間違っていますか？ お客様のクレームに対応するシステムを効率化しなければならない。...
Trivia of the Week: We are bipeds
Humans are bipeds. Dogs are quadrupeds. What about cats? Cats are quadrupeds, too. “Quadruped” means any animal with four legs. The root “ped” means “foot”. Humans have two feet, so we are bipeds. Cats, dogs, horses, elephants, and pandas have four feet, so they are...
Idiom of the Week: A picture is worth a thousand words
Bart: You got a new cat? What color is it? Ted: She’s a tortoiseshell. Bart: A what? Ted: She’s kind of black with orange mixed in, but the orange parts are stripey and … here, just look at this photo on my phone. Bart: Oh, I’ve seen cats like that before. It’s hard...
Word of the Week: Usual
Bartender: What can I get for you, Bob? Bob: The usual. “Usual” is an adjective that means “ordinary” or “customary”. You can use it to arrange a meeting with a friend at “the usual spot” or order your usual drink at a bar or café where you are a regular customer....
Picture of the Week: Snowman
A snowman is any sculpture of a man made out of snow. The most traditional image of a snowman has three big snowballs. One is the base (possibly the legs), one is the torso, and one is the head. The torso has coal for buttons and sticks for arms. The face has coal for...
Phrase of the Week: It really packs a punch!
Fred: How do you like my home-made salsa? Ben: Whoa! It really packs a punch! A strong alcohol or a spicy food is sometimes said to pack a punch. Eating or drinking it is a little bit like being punched with a fist. フレッド：手作りサルサはどう？ ベン：すごい！かなり刺激的だね！...
