Blog
Picture of the Week: Ornamental Cucumbers
What are these strange spiky green things? Do the green stripes seem familiar? They are actually cucumbers. These ones are only for decoration, not for eating....
Phrase of the Week: When all is said and done
“When all is said and done, we’re just too different.” “This device looks beautiful and has a lot of features, but when all is said and done it’s just not very good at its main function.” “When all is said and done” means “in the end”. We use it to say what’s really...
TOEIC Practice Question of the Week
“I’m afraid this coupon isn’t validated on this item.” Find the mistake. A. afraid B. coupon C. validated D. item 「残念ですがこの商品はこのクーポンの対象外です。」...
Idiom of the Week: A Tall Order
“You want the whole report done today? That’s a pretty tall order.” A tall order is something that’s difficult, maybe impossible, to do. An “order” is an instruction to do something. Imagine a long list of things to do or items in a big order in a restaurant—if you...
Word of the Week: Gradually
“Learning a new language is difficult, but don’t be discouraged. You are gradually improving, and soon you’ll be surprised how well you can understand it!” Something that happens gradually doesn’t happen all at once. It happens very slowly, or a little bit at a time....
Picture of the Week: Costumed Dog
Children dress up in costumes for Halloween. Adults dress up too if they are going to a Halloween party. But what about dogs? For some dogs, it’s fun to dress up in a special dog costume for Halloween. ...
Phrase of the Week: I’m Not Sure
“Is that a ghost or just the wind?” “I’m not sure.” “What time does the Halloween party start?” “I think it was 7:00, but I’m not sure. Let’s ask.” “I’m not sure if I locked the door when I left.” “I’m not sure” can be the same as “I don’t know”. You can also use it...
TOEIC Practice Question of the Week
“Our _________ for today includes two hours of free time before lunch, and then the museum.” Fill in the blank. A. schedule B. reservation C. planning D. tour 「今日の予定は昼ご飯前に2時間の自由時間、後に博物館です。」...
Practice the sounds of the alphabet with Happy Valley’s phonics song! ハッピーバレーのフォニックスソングでアルファベットの音を楽しく練習しましょう！
Classroom Tip This song, from Happy Valley Phonics Book 1, isolates the letter sounds to a slow tempo, repeating three times so students can hear it twice and then try it on their own. For this one, you can have students watch the video and then, open their books and...
Trivia of the Week: How to Make a Jack-o-Lantern
You need a large pumpkin. First, make a deep round cut around the stem and take off the top. Scoop out all the seeds and any soft flesh, leaving the pumpkin empty. Now, draw on the face. You can find a pre-made pattern, or draw your own. Make sure the pieces are big...
