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TOEIC Practice Question of the Week
"I bought some pens and paper at the stationary store." Find the mistake. A. bought some B. pens and paper C. at the D. stationary store 「文具店でペンと紙を買いました。」...
Kinka and friends! Let’s meet some Happy Valley characters! キンカと仲間たち！ハッピーバレーのキャラクターに会いましょう！
Do you know the characters who appear in this week’s video? Learn their names in order to enjoy Happy Valley even more! 今週の動画に出てくるキャラクターの名前を知っていますか？みんなの名前を覚えると、さらに楽しくなりますよ！ Classroom Tip This chant from Happy Valley 1, Unit 1, isolates our main...
Trivia of the Week: Birthday Candles
On your birthday, you might get a cake. It’s traditional to put candles on the cake, usually the same number as the age of the recipient. Some people add an extra candle “to grow on”. Make a wish before you blow out the candles, but don’t tell anyone what you...
Idiom of the Week: A Dime a Dozen
“It’s a good idea, but ideas are a dime a dozen. Carrying it out is the hard part.” When something is “a dime a dozen” that means it’s very cheap, or not worth very much. You can buy 12 (a dozen) for a dime (ten cents). 「良いアイデアだけど、アイデアは安い。実行するのが大変なんだ。」...
Word of the Week: Tiny
“What a tiny dog! I’ve never seen such a small dog.” “I know you said not to eat any candy before dinner, but I just had a tiny bit.” “Look at this dollhouse. It has teeny-tiny pillows on the little beds!” “Tiny” just means “very small”. “Teeny-tiny” is a very cute...
Picture of the Week: Dog in Snow
Lately it’s been feeling like summer. Let’s escape from the heat for a moment with a cold, snowy picture. This dog is enjoying the snow. Have you ever played with a pet in the snow?...
Phrase of the Week: I can’t afford it
“I really want this new game, but I can’t afford it.” “We can’t afford to waste time if we’re going to get to the theater before the movie starts.” We say we can’t afford something when we don’t have enough money to buy it. We can also use this expression with things...
TOEIC Practice Question of the Week
"The dress code is ________ so you don't need to wear a suit and tie." Fill in the blank. A. casual B. formal C. causal D. formality 「ドレスコードはカジュアルなのでスーツとネクタイを着る必要はありません。」...
Trivia of the Week: Deus ex Machina
“Deus ex Machina” isn’t really English; it’s Latin! But we use it in English to describe stories in which a powerful force solves the protagonist’s problems. It means “god from the machine” and comes from Greek plays where a machine was used to allow an actor to play...
Idiom of the Week: Down to Earth
“My daughter said she wants to be President of the USA.” “Oh, my daughter said she wants to be an accountant. She’s always been very down to earth.” Something that’s “down to earth” is practical and not fanciful. It’s often good to have someone with big dreams, and...
Word of the Week: Paw
“Cats lick their front paws and use them to wash their faces.” “The dog’s paws slipped on the ice.” Animals like cats and dogs don’t have hands and feet—they have paws instead. The fleshy lumps on the bottoms of their paws are called paw pads. Some animals,...
Picture of the Week: Gargoyle
Gargoyles were made to drain rain water from the rooves of buildings. The water flows out of the gargoyle’s mouth. Some gargoyles are just decorations. They look like scary monsters in order to frighten away evil spirits. ...
Phrase of the Week: For Sure
“Well, we’re never shopping here again. That’s for sure.” “Are you coming to my party tomorrow?” “For sure!” If something is “for sure”, it means there is no doubt. It’s definitely true! 「もう二度とこの店に来ない！絶対に！」 「明日のパーティーに来る？」 「もちろん！」 「For...
TOEIC Practice Question of the Week
“This isn’t going to be a large enough space for the seminar. Who is in charge for arranging the venue?” Find the mistake. large enough for the seminar in charge for the venue 「ゼミの会場にしては大きさが足りない。誰が会場を担当してるんだ？」 何かを担当している人は「in charge...
Verbs help us play! Let’s learn some action words. 動詞で遊ぼう！動作を表す言葉を覚えましょう！
Verbs are great for describing things you do or things you want to do. Let’s take a look at some playtime verbs in this week’s video! 動詞は何かをすることや、したいことを言うのに便利です。今週の動画で遊びの時間の動詞を見てみましょう！ Classroom Tip This is the second chant in Happy Valley 3. With only 4...
Trivia of the Week: Trident
A trident is a three-pronged spear. The name means “three teeth”! In mythology, it’s associated with the ocean. Neptune or Poseidon, the god of the ocean, wields a trident. ...
Idiom of the Week: Dig Deep
“When you feel like giving up, that’s when you have to dig deep and train harder!” Digging deep means reaching deep inside yourself to find energy and determination in order to keep going toward a goal. It’s often heard in relation to sports, but you could use it for...
Word of the Week: Detect
“Do I detect a hint of vanilla?” “Fortunately the intruder was detected before he got very far.” When you detect something, you notice that it’s there. This is also where the word “detective” comes from! 「バニラが少し入っていませんか？ 「運よく、侵入者が入り込む前に発見されました。」...
Picture of the Week: Lantana
Lantana comes from warm tropical places in the Americas and Africa. It’s a colorful flower that attracts butterflies! ランタナはアメリカとアフリカの熱帯地方の植物です。色が鮮やかで、蝶々を惹き付ける花です！
Phrase of the Week: I Can’t Stand It
"Can you use headphones if you're going to listen to that? You know I can't stand that song." "My wife loves garlic, but I can't stand it." If you really don't like something and can't tolerate being around it, you can't stand it. You can also use this phrase when...
