2007-10-20

Cool Shish Kebab Order

Notes from the SA Class:
  • swollen eyes: 目が腫れている
Your eyes are swollen. / You have baggy eyes.
  • cool: 格好いい
I always try to act cool.
  • ~ order: ~順; ~パターン
Please file these papers/cards/reports/etc. in chronological order. (発生順に、時系列で、年代順に)
Please file these papers/cards/reports/etc. in alphabetical order. (ABC 順、アルファベット順)
Please file these papers/cards/reports/etc. in numerical order. (番号順)

References:

1. 英辞郎第三版
2. CD-The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language





Lollipops and Tootsie Pops

Notes from the IA & KY Class:
  • Kill two birds with one stone → to do two things at one time.
    • 一石二鳥
I killed two birds with one stone and saw some old friends while I was in Leeds visiting my parents.
  • lollipop: lollipops have a stick, but you usually cannot fit the candy in your mouth; big, flat, and round.
  • sucker: suckers have a stick and you can put the candy in your mouth; small and sphere-shaped.
  • fire extinguishers: 消火器
  • pack rat: 収集魔、何でもためこんで捨てない人
  • ~をするべき:
    • I am supposed to meet Yoko and Akiko at 2:30 this afternoon.
    • I have to to meet Yoko and Akiko at 2:30 this afternoon.
    • I was supposed to pull the door open—not push it.
    • “You're not supposed to turn off the computer until you save your file.”
    • Security guard to a man: “Hey! You're not supposed to be here. This is a restricted area.”
      • 立入禁止区域
  • have to: You have to study harder. (If A says “You have to ~” then B must do it it. B has no choice.)
  • should: You should see the movie, Mrs. Potter. (If A says “You should ~” to B, then B will decide to do it or not.)
  • ought: You ought to see the movie, Mrs. Potter.(If A says “You ought to ~” to B, maybe B will think about doing it.)
  • Oh, you poor thing. Let me kiss it better for you.
  • Either one is OK. You decide.

References:

1. 英辞郎第三版
2. CD-The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language



2007-10-18

Coach -vs- Instructor Health-Sports Day

Notes from the KM Class:
  • 体育の日: Health-Sports Day
This is a Japanese holiday to commemorate the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. On this day, many school children have sports meets and athletic events. The weather is usually cool and dry during this time of year, so October is also a good time to have such sport events. Adults who don't have children participating in a school event, just take the day off and enjoy their three-day weekend!

Dialog:

A: What holiday was it last Monday.
B: It was Health-Sports Day.
A: Oh, really? So, did you play any sports?
B: No, I didn't. I visited Disney Sea in Chiba Prefecture with my friend.
A: So, why do you have a holiday called Health-Sports Day?
B: Health-Sports Day is a holiday to commemorate the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. On this day, many school children have sports meets and athletic events. The weather is usually cool and dry during this time of year, so October is also a good time to have such sport events. Adults who don't have children participating in a school event, just take the day off and enjoy their three-day weekend!

Vocabulary:
  • 参加する: × join participate (Join is more like 会員になる事)
  • 三連休: × three-days weekend a three-day weekend (“three-day” は形容詞です。形容詞は数えられない単語なので、”s” を付けられません!)
  • pantry: a room in the house, usually in the basement, that is used to keep food and some supplies for a long time. (食料品室、食器室)
  • キロメートル: kilometers (standard); kilos (in conversation with non-Americans). Also used for kilogram; and klick also klik (slang).
Phrases:
  • “Time is going by fast!”
  • “This time of year is not too hot nor too cold—it's just right!”
Coach vs Instructor
  • coach: the manager and usually the trainer of a small sports team such as in school sports or little league, etc. A personal coach is someone to trains a student or client in a special skill (singing coach; life skills coach; etc.)
  • instructor: a person to teaches one person or a group of people usually in a classroom, educational facility, or public indoor facility. Instructors can be teachers of a sport, like a coach, but unlike a coach, instructors can also be teachers in an academic setting.



References:

1. CD-ビジネス技術 実用英語大辞典
2. グランドコンサイス英和辞典・グランドコンサイス和英辞典
3. 英辞郎第三版
4. CD-The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language

Self-Employed Puffer Flower

Notes from the TM Class

Adverbs of Frequency:

0%

3.84%

25%

50%

75%

90%

100%

never

hardly ever

once in a while

sometimes

often

usually

always


rarely

every now and then


frequently

almost always



scarcely

occasionally






seldom







never: 少しも~しない, 全く~しない, 全然~しない]
hardly ever: ほとんど~しない、めったに~しない
rarely: めったに~しない
scarcely: ほとんど~しない
seldom: めったに~しない、ほとんど~しない
once in a while: たまには、時々
every now and then: しばしば、時折
occasionally: 時々、たまには
sometimes: 時々、たまには
often: しばしば、たびたび、しょっちゅう、よく
frequently: しばしば、たびたび
usually: いつもは、大抵、普通
almost always: 大抵、ほとんどの場合、ほぼ必ず
always: いつも

Common Mistakes:
× I made a dinner.
I made dinner.
  • Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are not usually used as countable nouns. So, don't say, "a breakfast," "a lunch," nor "a dinner."
Pronunciation:
Flower and flour have the same pronunciation.

Vocabulary:
河豚: puffer, blowfish, swellfish.

Full-time regular employee: 正社員
Full-time temporary employee: 嘱託社員
Part-time worker: アルバイト
Temporary worker / temp worker: 派遣社員
Self-employed: 自営業

Dialog:
A: When was the last time you made freshly baked cookies?
B: It was a long time ago—maybe 10 years or so.

A: Is puffer fish served in restaurants in the States?
B: Yes it is in at least Los Angeles or New York. Maybe you can order it in San Francisco, Seattle, or maybe Chicago.

A: Do you enjoy Halloween? / Are you interested in Halloween? / Do you get into Halloween?
B: I'm not really into Halloween.





References:
1. グランドコンサイス英和辞典・グランドコンサイス和英辞典
2. プログレッシブ英和中辞典
3. 英辞郎第三版
4. CD-The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language

2007-10-16

Lipstick -vs- Rouge

Notes from the I.Y. Class:

Vocabulary:
  • lipstick (リップスティック: 棒状の口紅。古くは棒口紅・棒紅などと呼んだ。)
A waxy stick of coloring for your lips and usually sold in a case that is shaped like a small cylinder.

My wife bought a 60-dollar tube of lipstick at Macy's Department Store in New York!
  • rouge (ルージュ: 赤。また、口紅。頬紅(ほおべに)。
Usually a powder-type cosmetic used with a puff or pad and applied to the cheekbones to add color to your face.

The young woman lightly powdered her cheeks with rouge to give her face a little bit of color.
  • ChapStick: (米:[商標]チャップスティック;リップクリーム)(英: lip salve)
A lip balm shaped like lipstick and used for chapped lips. Normal lip balm is sold in a small round, flat container.

I usually wear mint-flavored ChapStick on my lips when I go snowboarding or surfing.
  • prostitute (売春婦)
A woman or man who sells sexual services.

Prostitution is the world's oldest industry.

References:

1. グランドコンサイス英和辞典・グランドコンサイス和英辞典
2. CD-The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language
3. 大辞林第三版
4. プログレッシブ英和中辞典




2007-10-15

Chronicles of Funny Practice

Notes from the SA Class.
  • be well trained: (形容詞) きちんとしつけられた、よく訓練された
My brother's dog is well-trained—he doesn't bark at or jump up onto visitors at his house.
Navy SEALs are well-trained and elite members of the U.S. military.
  • chronicles: (名) (…の)年代記, 編年史((of ...));((広義))歴史, 物語
My wife and I enjoyed the movie, "Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe."
  • a ball of yarn: 毛糸の玉
The cat played with the ball of yarn.
  • staple: ホッチキスの針
  • stapler: ホッチキス
  • staple: ~をホチキスでとめる
I stapled the papers with staples inside of the stapler.

A: Did you have any troubles this week at work?
B: Well, this week was not as bad as last week.

A: How was your week?
B: Well, this week was not as bad as last week.

Fun -vs- Funny
  • fun: 楽しい to enjoy yourself; enjoyable
My children had fun playing in the sandbox yesterday afternoon.
I had fun drinking and chatting with my coworkers at a bar in Tokyo Midtown.
  • funny: おかしい; おかしな something that makes you laugh; humorous
The comedian's joke was so funny I couldn't stop laughing.
Nobody thought that his dirty joke was very funny.
  • gash: 長く深い切り傷 a big, open, cut
  • Styrofoam: 発泡スチレン
Start, Learn, Study, and Practice
  • started playing tennis: to begin a new sport (usually with a coach, instructor, or a friend who teaches it to you)
  • learned tennis: learn how to play the sport on a court with an instructor
  • studied tennis: borrowed some books from the library and spent a lot of time learning about theory and the history of the sport
  • practiced tennis: go out on the court by myself or with a friend and play a couple matches to maintain my current skill level




References
1. CD-ビジネス技術 実用英語大辞典
2. 英辞郎第三版
3. CD-The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language

2007-10-14

Remainder vs Reminder and Rudder vs Ladder (KH Class)

Vocabulary from the KH Class:
  • instead of: (その)代わりに, そうしないで, それよりむしろ; ~の代わりに, ~でなく
Carry as little cash as possible. You should carry a credit card and traveler's checks instead. 現金はできるだけ少ししか持ち歩かないこと. その代わりクレジットカードやトラベラーズ・チェックを携行します.

"The patient's hands are not tied. What if he takes a knife and attacks the surgeon instead?" Mr. Brown asked. 「患者の手は拘束されていない. もしも反対に彼がメスを取って医師に襲いかかったらどうしますか」とブラウン氏は尋ねた.

Conversation:
  • I went to Tokyo Immigration to apply for visas instead of my students.
  • I went to Tokyo Immigration to apply for visas in place of my students.
A: I will never go to Volks again. Their food and service is horrible!
B: That's too bad. You should go to Saizeria instead. Good food and low prices!
  • remainder: the ~ 〈of〉 (~の)残り, 残りの人々[物], 他の人たち[物], 残余; a ~ 《数》余り, 剰余, 残り; ~s (売れ残りの廉価販売本)ぞっき本; 残り、残り物、残余、余り
After leaving work, she spent the remainder of the day shopping. 仕事を終えると、彼女は1日の残りの時間を買物に費やした。
  • 【名】剰余 5 into 22 is 4, remainder 2. 22÷5=4、余り2。
  • 【名】残留者【名】遺跡、遺物
  • 【名】継承権
I spent the remainder of the day drinking with my old college friends at a bar in Yurakucho.
reminder:
  • a ~ 思い出させる人[物], (思い出させるための)メモ書き, 合図, 注意; a ~ 督促状, 催促状, 延滞通知
  • 【名】(思い出させるための)注意・合図、暗示、思い出させる[起こさせる]人[物]、注意(喚起)、助言
Here's a reminder from our boss not to overlook this point. これはボスからの「この点を見落とすな」という注意喚起です。

She put the concert ticket on her refrigerator as a reminder. 彼女はコンサートチケットを心覚えに冷蔵庫にはっておいた。
  • 【名】催促状、延滞通知
  • 【名】名残、記念物
I often use yellow sticky-notes (Post-It notes) as reminders to myself.
  • consumer: a ~ 消費者
Most Japanese consumers have the misguided idea that domestically produced food is healthier than imported food.

EU standards shatter food safety myth (Nikkei Weekly)

The Japanese government should strengthen food safety standards.
  • rudder vs ladder
    • rudder: the part of a boat that is used for steering in the water
    • ladder: something with rungs that you can step on to climb up to a higher place




References:
1. CD-The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language
2. 英辞郎第三版
3. CD-ビジネス技術 実用英語大辞典