Idiom of the Week: Mumbo Jumbo

“Let’s rent this movie today.” “A fantasy movie? You know I don’t care for magic and unicorns and all that mumbo jumbo.” “Mumbo jumbo” is a negative word for something complicated or confusing that we don’t...

Word of the Week: Dull

“This knife is getting dull. I think I’ll get a new one.” “I never did well in grade school. Everyone thought I was just a dull kid, but actually the classes were so dull, I never paid attention. When I took more challenging classes I did...

Picture of the Week: Pineapple

A pineapple is not an apple and it doesn’t grow on a pine tree. When English speakers first saw pineapples, they thought they looked line pine cones, but they had fruit inside, like an apple....

TOEIC Practice Question of the Week

“This venture has been very profiting for both of us.” Find the mistake. A. venture B. profiting C. both D. of us 間違いはどこでしょうか? びっくりするようなことが surprising で、恥ずかしいことが embarrassing なら儲かることは profiting でいいはずなのでは?実は、儲からせてくれるようなことは profiting ではなく profitable...

Trivia of the Week: TNR

TNR stands for “trap neuter return”. It’s a method to control and help feral cats. Volunteers first trap the cats using humane traps. Then veterinarians perform spay or neuter surgery, and sometimes other health care. Finally the cats are returned to...