執筆者 Modern English | 2012年11月17日 | Phrases
“Why is the train so late? I’m in a hurry.” “I’m sure it’ll come any minute now.” Something is going to happen soon. It could happen at any minute: this minute right now, the next minute, the minute after that, and so on. As for “now”, it means that previously...
執筆者 Modern English | 2012年11月16日 | TOEIC
This meeting is ____; I expect to see you at 2 o’clock sharp. A. optional B. punctual C. mandatory D. necessary If the speaker definitely expects to see the listener at the meeting, the meeting is not optional. If the listener shows up at exactly 2 o’clock, he or she...
執筆者 Modern English | 2012年11月15日 | Trivia
A cornucopia is a big horn-shaped container overflowing with fruits. Sometimes it also contains flowers, vegetables, nuts, or other foods. It is also called a “horn of plenty”. It is a symbol of abundance, associated with Thanksgiving or harvest time. One story of the...
執筆者 Modern English | 2012年11月14日 | Idioms
Jasper: I don’t know if you should try jumping your bike off that home-made ramp. Are you sure it’s safe? Fred: Of course I am. It’s perfectly safe. Jasper: Famous last words. Someone’s last words are the words they said immediately before they died, the last words...
執筆者 Modern English | 2012年11月13日 | Words
“What’s your costume supposed to be?” “I’m a hippie. Look, I have a tie-dye shirt and bellbottom pants.” Tie-dye is created by twisting up a shirt and tying strings tightly around it, then dipping the shirt in different colors of dye. The strings divide the sections...
