Blog
Idiom of the Week: Whatnot
"This drawer is where I keep all my art supplies and stationery and whatnot." "After you finish cooking, make sure you clean all the pots and pans and whatnot that you used." "Whatnot" pretty much always comes at the end of a list of things, even if it's a very short...
Word of the Week: Clearance
"Clearance: All sweaters half off!" A clearance sale is a way for stores to get rid of all their stock of a product they don't want any more. The store might give you a very good price since they'd probably rather sell it for any price than throw it away....
icture of the Week: Clownfish
What are those tendrils around the clownfish? It's a sea anemone. Perhaps you learned that clownfish live in anemones from a popular animated movie a while back!...
Phrase of the Week: Don’t You Dare
"Can I draw on the wall?" "Don't you dare!" This is a strong way to tell someone not to do something. If someone "dares" to do something, it means they do something that requires bravery. In this phrase, perhaps if they ignore the warning and do the thing anyway,...
TOEIC Practice Question of the Week
"You have my insurance that the project will be completed on time." Find the mistake. A. insurance B. project C. completed D. on time 「時間通りにプロジェクトを完成することを保障します。」 必ずスケジュールを守るのでご安心ください。単語がよく似ていますが、ここは「保険」のinsuranceではなく、「保障」のassuranceが必要ですので、答えはAです。 Do more TOEIC...
Red, Yellow, Green and Blue! Learn basic colors with Happy Valley! 赤、黄、緑、青！ハッピーバレーで基本の色を覚えましょう！
Colors are important to know and fun to learn. Use this week's video to practice them with your child! 色は重要な単語で、学習を楽しいものにしてくれます。今週の動画を使って子供と一緒に練習しましょう！ Classroom Tip Learning colors with this song has never been more fun. Students don’t often have a chance to run...
Trivia of the Week: Fiasco
"How was your presentation?" "It was a fiasco! The projector didn't work, and I forgot my notes." A fiasco is something that goes very badly. The word comes from the Italian word for "bottle". There are many theories as to how this happened. It may have something to...
Idiom of the Week: Worlds Apart
"How do you like your new apartment?" "It's great! It's worlds apart from our old place. That place was a dump!" When two things are "worlds apart" it means there is a big difference between them. If the difference is as big as more than one world, that's very big. We...
Word of the Week: Collar
"I got a new collar for Spot. Doesn't he look handsome?" Dogs and some other animals wear collars on their necks. For pets, the information on the collar can help them find their way home if they get lost. Perhaps your shirt also has a collar. The same word is used...
Picture of the Week: Waffle Cone
In the hot summer weather, ice cream cones are a popular treat. These are just the cones with no ice cream yet. They are called waffle cones, because they have a similar pattern and shape. A waffle is flat, but imagine curling it into a cone shape....
Phrase of the Week: I Should Hope So!
"Will they call us if there's any delay with our order?" "I should hope so!" "Don't worry, I'll bring the dog inside if it snows." "I should hope so!" Usually we use "should" to say what needs to be done or what people have to do. Sometimes, though, you will see it...
TOEIC Practice Question of the Week
"We may not have the lowest prices, but we have plenty of customers because of our great _______ for quality service." Fill in the blank. A. prices B. well-known C. reputation D. salutation 「一番安い値段ではありませんが、クォリティーサービスの評判が素晴らしいのでお客様がたくさんいます。」...
Introduce Yourself to Kinka and Pinka in Happy Valley! ハッピーバレーのキンカとピンカに自己紹介しましょう！
Asking someone's name and giving your own name is one of the most basic skills you need to meet new people. Let Kinka and Pinka show you how it's done, and then practice it yourself! 初めて会った相手に名前をきいて、自分の名前をいうことは基本ですね。キンカとピンカの例を見て、練習しましょう！ Classroom Tip These videos are...
Trivia of the Week: Mule
A mule is an animal like a small horse. A mule is an unusual animal, because it can't reproduce! Where do mules come from then? A mule's mother is a horse, and its father is a donkey. Mules combine the positive traits of both horses and donkeys, so they were often...
Idiom of the Week: Learn the Ropes
"So you're the new employee? Come on, I'll show you the ropes." When someone starts a new job, they must first "learn the ropes". This comes from sailing, where you literally have to learn all the ropes and how to use them. Now it means learning the equipment and...
Word of the Week: Hold, part 2
"Hold still while I cut your hair, please." "Hold the dog while I open the door." "You hold the board and I'll cut it." Another meaning of hold is to not move or to stop something from moving. It makes sense, because when you hold something in your hands, it can't...
Phrase of the Week: None the worse for wear
"I was terrified when we lost Timmy in the shopping mall, but we found him in the toy aisle, none the worse for wear." "I accidentally put my lucky bracelet through the wash, but it's none the worse for wear." When something or someone is "none the worse for wear" it...
TOEIC Practice Question of the Week
"Are you inferring that this fiasco was my fault?" Find the mistake. A. Are you B. inferring C. fiasco D. my fault 「この失敗は私のせいだと言いたいのですか？」 何かをはっきり言わずに伝えることと、はっきり言われていないことを理解すること。はっきりと伝えない場合は言う側と理解する側では単語が違います。アメリカ人もよく間違えるのですが、言う側は「imply」で理解する側は「infer」です。正しくは「Are you...
Build your child’s vocabulary with Happy Valley’s Flower Chant! ハッピーバレーのフラワーチャントでボキャブラリーを増やそう！
This week's video lets your child learn and practice some fun everyday words, while practicing the important phrase from last week's video. 今週の動画では、日常でよく使う楽しい単語を前回紹介した動画の重要なフレーズにあわせて覚えます。 Classroom Tip After doing the Flower Chant, play this video and have students do...
Trivia of the Week: Fake It Till You Make It
"Fake it till you make it." This is a common piece of advice that tells people to act as if they can do something, and actually being able to do it will follow. It also helps them look confident. Even skilled people sometimes underestimate their competence, so this...
