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Word of the Week: Gentle
“A gentle breeze was blowing.” “Pet the kitten gently.” To be gentle is to be very soft and not cause any damage, even to something delicate like a young kitten. 「優しい風が吹いていた。」 「子猫を優しくなでてね。」...
Picture of the Week: Pallas’ Cat
The Pallas’ cat is a kind of cat that lives in central Asia. It’s called Pallas’ cat after a German naturalist named Peter Simon Pallas....
Phrase of the Week: I wouldn’t miss it for the world
“Are you coming to my birthday dinner?” “Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” When an event is very important, usually because it’s a special occasion for a person we care about, we can express it with this phrase. It suggests we wouldn’t decide not to go to...
TOEIC Practice Question of the Week
"I bought some pens and paper at the stationary store." Find the mistake. A. bought some B. pens and paper C. at the D. stationary store 「文具店でペンと紙を買いました。」...
Kinka and friends! Let’s meet some Happy Valley characters! キンカと仲間たち！ハッピーバレーのキャラクターに会いましょう！
Do you know the characters who appear in this week’s video? Learn their names in order to enjoy Happy Valley even more! 今週の動画に出てくるキャラクターの名前を知っていますか？みんなの名前を覚えると、さらに楽しくなりますよ！ Classroom Tip This chant from Happy Valley 1, Unit 1, isolates our main...
Trivia of the Week: Birthday Candles
On your birthday, you might get a cake. It’s traditional to put candles on the cake, usually the same number as the age of the recipient. Some people add an extra candle “to grow on”. Make a wish before you blow out the candles, but don’t tell anyone what you...
Idiom of the Week: A Dime a Dozen
“It’s a good idea, but ideas are a dime a dozen. Carrying it out is the hard part.” When something is “a dime a dozen” that means it’s very cheap, or not worth very much. You can buy 12 (a dozen) for a dime (ten cents). 「良いアイデアだけど、アイデアは安い。実行するのが大変なんだ。」...
Word of the Week: Tiny
“What a tiny dog! I’ve never seen such a small dog.” “I know you said not to eat any candy before dinner, but I just had a tiny bit.” “Look at this dollhouse. It has teeny-tiny pillows on the little beds!” “Tiny” just means “very small”. “Teeny-tiny” is a very cute...
Picture of the Week: Dog in Snow
Lately it’s been feeling like summer. Let’s escape from the heat for a moment with a cold, snowy picture. This dog is enjoying the snow. Have you ever played with a pet in the snow?...
Phrase of the Week: I can’t afford it
“I really want this new game, but I can’t afford it.” “We can’t afford to waste time if we’re going to get to the theater before the movie starts.” We say we can’t afford something when we don’t have enough money to buy it. We can also use this expression with things...
