Trivia of the Week: Red Giant

A red giant is a kind of star. It’s much bigger than our sun—it’s giant! But it’s actually not very massive or dense, for a star. Its light is orange or red. Red giants are older stars that have burned up their fuel. When a star like ours burns out and collapses, the...

Idiom of the Week: Get On Like a House On Fire

“When the cousins first met they were shy but soon they were getting on like a house on fire.”   To get on like a house on fire is to like each other a lot and become good friends quickly. This is one of the few times when “a house on fire” is not a bad thing!...

Word of the Week: Raise

“Raise the lever before pumping the gas.” “If I get a raise in my salary, I’ll be able to travel more.” The basic meaning of “raise” is to lift something or make it higher. It is usually a verb—you can raise a lever or a curtain. When talking about raising the amount...

Picture of the Week: Tomato

These tomatoes are sliced, so you can see the seeds. Do you like tomatoes? Raw or cooked?   このトマトは切ってあるから種が見えます。あなたはトマトが好きですか?生で食べられますか?

Phrase of the Week: It’s Been a While

“Nice to see you. It’s been a while!” “Wow, it’s been a while. I used to come here all the time!” You can use this phrase when it’s been a long time since you saw a certain person, went to a certain place, ate a certain food, etc. It’s slightly less informal than...