執筆者 Modern English | 2014年08月28日 | Trivia
A dozen means twelve. So if I have a dozen cats, that means I have twelve cats. But if you go to a bakery and buy a dozen muffins, will you get twelve? Well, maybe, but a “baker’s dozen” is actually thirteen. One extra is added in case one of the items is burnt,...
執筆者 Modern English | 2014年08月27日 | Idioms
“I sold my first story!” “Wow, you’re really starting to go places!” “Going places” means succeeding and getting noticed. If you are an actor, you might go “places” such as Broadway or Hollywood. If you play classical music, the “place” you’ll most want to go might be...
執筆者 Modern English | 2014年08月26日 | Words
“I didn’t know the area very well yet, because I had just moved there the previous year.” “Previous” describes something that comes before the thing in question, in a sequence of things. It’s useful because we can’t say “last year” when talking about the past or...
執筆者 Modern English | 2014年08月25日 | Pictures
The breaststroke is a popular swimming style because it’s easy for beginners to learn. The swimmer’s head is not underwater much, so it’s easier to breathe. Some people call it the “frog stroke” because the movements resemble the way a frog swims. It is the slowest...
執筆者 Modern English | 2014年08月23日 | Phrases
John: Would you care to dance? Marcia: I’d love to. This is a polite way to ask if someone wants to do something. It’s very similar to last week’s phrase (“Would you care for some tea?”) but it end with a verb instead of a noun. An action is being offered, not an...
