Blog
Picture of the Week: Takozushiyama Sunset
This is a sunset viewed from the top of Takozushiyama. It is a small mountain, only 136 meters high, but it has a great view of Wakayama City and Wakayama Bay. The sun is setting behind Awaji Island, which is easily visible from Wakayama. This picture is from Emery at...
１１月３日（土）は祝日のため、ブログはお休みです。
１１月３日（土）は祝日のため、ブログはお休みです。
TOEIC Practice Question of the Week
Bob has made an invaluable ____ to the team. Fill in the blank: A. setback B. contribution C. detraction D. salutation “Invaluable” sounds like it should mean “not valuable”, but it actually means “very valuable”. Something that is invaluable is so valuable that its...
Trivia of the Week: Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin pie is a traditional dessert served after Thanksgiving dinner. It is made from the same kind of pumpkin as Halloween’s Jack-o’-Lanterns. Unlike Japan’s kabocha squash, they are big and orange. Unfortunately, the pumpkins leftover from Halloween don’t last long...
Idiom of the Week: Blabbermouth
Kevin: Come on, tell me! I told you my secret. Penny: No, I can’t tell you. You’re a big blabbermouth. You already told everyone about the time I threw up at the dentist’s office. To blab is to give away the secrets of your friends or allies. Some people are just no...
Word of the Week: Rarely (あまり～ない)
Tucker: Let’s get together for breakfast this Sunday. Paul: Let’s make it lunch. I rarely get out of bed before noon on the weekends. Something that happens rarely does not happen very often. It happens only occasionally. It is not impossible. Paul probably does get...
Picture of the Week: Ginkgo
Ginkgo leaves are a beloved symbol of fall in Japan. In America, they are thought of more as a nutritional supplement. It is uncommon to see the leaves or fruits, but you can find the name on the labels of different herbal concoctions. The name can be spelled as...
Phrase of the Week: Trick or Treat
Kids: Trick or treat!! Neighbor: Oh, what cute costumes! Here, have some candy! When it starts to get dark on Halloween, groups of children start visiting all the houses in the neighborhood. If you want trick-or-treaters to come, you should put out a jack-o-lantern...
TOEIC Practice Question of the Week
Your package ____ this morning and should arrive by Friday. Fill in the blank: A. is mailed B. mailed C. was mailed D. has mailed A person mails a package, so the verb must be in the passive voice (A or C). In this circumstance, we could say the package “is being...
Trivia of the Week: Halloween Witches
On Halloween, children dress in costumes and collect candy from their neighbors. One popular costume choice is a witch. A traditional Halloween witch wears a pointy hat and ragged black clothes. She has green skin and a big ugly warty nose. She flies on a broomstick...
