Friday, September 29, 2017

Sept. 29th (Friday) 23:00 English Lesson (Members Only)

Nico - Friday, Sept. 29, 2017
Sept. 29th (Friday) 23:00 English Lesson (Members Only)

to call a snap election: 解散[議会を解散して]総選挙を行う[実施する]

Japan's defense chief warns of possible North Korea provocation on October 10

to warn = 注意する
provocation 怒らせる[挑発する]こと

Tom provoked the dog, so the dog bit him.
to provoke sb  a) ~を引き起こす、招く、起こさせる、誘発する, b) ~を怒らせる、立腹させる

Don’t provoke me!

provocative = a) sexy, b) st that makes you think
a) She wore a provocative dress.
b) He has some provocative ideas.

Yuriko Koike is arrogant. = 傲慢な
egotistical
Anime 'your name.' to be remade as Hollywood live-action movie produced by JJ Abrams

JJ Abrams is a bigwig.
a bigwig = a very important person in an industry or company

Toyota will team up with Mazda to make electric cars.
——
Women in Saudi Arabia got the right to drive
It has been illegal for women to drive in Saudia Arabia until now.

1. They cannot get married without permission from their male guardians.
2. They cannot get divorced without permission from their male guardians.
3. If they get divorced they cannot have custody of their children if their children are over the age of 7 for boys and 9 for girls.

to have custody of someone's child (人)の子どもの親権を持つ

4. They cannot get a passport without permission from their male guardians.

5. They cannot travel without permission from their male guardians.

6. They cannot leave jail without permission from their male guardians.

7. They cannot open a bank account without permission from their male guardians.

8. They cannot get a job without permission from their male guardians.

9. They cannot dress freely.

10. They cannot receive equal inheritance.

11. They cannot receive equal inheritance.
a woman's word is worth half a man's word

12. They cannot get medical treatment without permission from their male guardians.

action@k3.dion.ne.jp









Sunday, September 24, 2017

Sept. 24nd (SUNDAY) 23:00 English Lesson (Members Only)

Sept. 24nd (SUNDAY) 23:00 English Lesson (Members Only)

1. a scandal = a very embarrassing public event

2. Trump called American professional football players "sons of bitches".

The reason: Some professional football players are kneeling during the anthem.

They are kneeling to protest racism in America. 

Trump thinks they should be fired.

a son of a bitch = an insult meaning a son of a female dog

About a month ago there was a protest involving White Nationalists and Nazis.

a white nationalist = a white person who wants a white only country

to condemn = very strongly criticize someone

national anthem 国歌、ナショナルアンセム


 Everyone has a right to free speech.

free-speech rights 言論の自由の権利

an honor = 光栄

to hesitate = ためらう

an invitation = 招待

to withdraw = to take st away

Trump took back the invitation.

Friday, September 22, 2017

Sept. 22nd (FRI) 23:00 English Lesson (Members Only)

Sept. 22nd (FRI) 23:00 English Lesson (Members Only)

1. memory = noun

X I memory him.

I have a bad / good memory.

I have a good long-term memory.

I have a bad long-term memory.

I have a bad short-term memory.

I have a short memory. = forgiving (this can be good and bad)

懐かしい That brings back memories.

I took a trip down memory lane.

If my memory serves me correctly, ~.

If memory serves…

Let me remind you. = Let me jog your memory.

He has a memory like an elephant.  = very good memory

He has a memory like a steel trap.

They put up a statue of him to honor his memory.

They put up a statue of him in memory of his work.

That skinny police officer has a photographic memory.

to memorize st = He committed ~ to memory.

He has a long memory. = He will remember the bad thing you did to him. He holds grudges.


Thursday, September 21, 2017

Sept. 21nd (THURS) 23:00 English Lesson (Members Only)

Sept. 21nd (THURS) 23:00 English Lesson (Members Only)


Let’s do a quiz. 
Which of the following is correct?

1.
a) Are you joining the party? 
b) Are you coming to the party? 
c) Are you going to the party?

2. 
a) How much is it together?
b) How much is it altogether?
c) How much is it complete. 

d) How much is it total?  = also ok, conversationally
e) How much is it in total?  = standard
f) What’s the total?
g) What’s the damage?

3.
a) I don’t know the details. 
b) I don’t know a detail.
c) I don’t know well.

O d) I don't him well.

4. 
a) Today is rain. 
b) It’s rain today. 
c) It’s raining today.

d) It’s pouring. / It’s really coming down. / It’s really coming down in buckets.  / It’s really coming down in sheets. 


5.  
a) He is ugly, but I love him because of his face. 
b) He is ugly, but I love him despite of his face. 
c) He is ugly, but I love him despite his face.
 
6.
a) My family is four.
b) There are four in my family.
c) There are four people in my family.

7.
a) I’m getting to forget my English.
b) I’m getting forgetting my English.
c) I’m forgetting my English.
d) I’m starting to forget my English.


Answers: 1. b/c, 2. b, 3. a, 4. c, 5. b/c, best c, 6. c, 7.
b) He is ugly, but I love him despite of his face.   = little old
c) b) He is ugly, but I love him despite his face.   = contemporary English
d) He is ugly, but I love him in spite of his face.   = contemporary English

Monday, September 18, 2017

Sept. 18th (Monday) 23:00 English Lesson (Members Only)

Sept. 18th (Monday) 23:00 English Lesson (Members Only)

Today is a national holiday.

hit =
a) verb: 叩く = to strike, to beat, to punch, 轢く
Ex: He hit me. , I got hit by a car.

b) verb: to happen, Ex: The earthquake hit.   The typhoon hit.

c) noun or 形容詞/adjective: popular, successful
Ex: The song is a hit. /  My new tie was a hit.
He wrote a hit song.

d) verb: to go and do
Ex: I need money, so I’ll hit the bank on the way home.
I’m hungry. Let’s hit a McDonalds.
I hit the gym after work.
You better hit the the toilet before we leave.
I better hit the the toilet before we leave.
——————————————
効率的な= efficient <—> inefficient
He is an efficient worker.
e - fish -ent
Riding your bicycle to work is more efficient than driving.
It’s inefficient to type while holding a baby.
——————
chubby 
pudgy
baby fat
Look at this photo of me. This was taken before I lost all my baby fat.
emaciated 痩せ衰えた、衰弱した、やつれた
The baby was suffering from malnutrition.
I am fat.
He is obese.
a euphemism = a nice way to say something unpleasant
He is big-boned.
I'm not fat. I'm (just) big-boned. : 私は太っていません。骨太なだけです。
She is healthy. = fat
buxom = big boobs











Sunday, September 17, 2017

9月17日(日曜日)22:30~ 今夜は公開レッスンです! English Lesson

9月17日(日曜日)22:30~ 今夜は公開レッスンです! English Lesson
I just got home from the gym.  
I walked home in the rain.

It’s raining.     <  It’s raining hard.
It’s really coming down.
It’s pouring.
It’s coming down in buckets.
It’s coming down in sheets.

It’s windy.  
It’s sunny. 
It’s cloudy.
It’s cold. 
It’s hot.
It’s muggy.

X It's hard rain.  X Today is hard rain.

come down in sheets =〔雨が〕滝のように降る、土砂降りである
————————
The typhoon will hit Nagoya tonight.
The earthquake hit at about 7am.

びしょびしょ
I got soaked. 
I got soaking wet.  
I got drenched. 

洪水 a flood
The streets are flooded.

Water comes out of the river.
The rivers are overflowing.





Friday, September 15, 2017

Sept. 15th (Friday) 23:00 RANDOM English Lesson (Members Only)

Sept. 15th (Friday) 23:00 RANDOM English Lesson (Members Only)
exercise and exercise related words
want to / wanna / would like to
1. North Korea launched another missile over Hokkaido. 
1. North Korea launched an ICBM over Hokkaido. 
ICBM stands for Intercontinental Ballistic Missile 
This is the 6th time, North Korea has invaded Japanese air space. 
I wonder what NK would do if the table were turned?
I think NK would probably consider it an act of war. 
2. It’s a little bit scary, but at the same time, there’s nothing you can do. 
——————————
3. masculine / feminine 
effeminate = used for feminine men 
tomboyish = used for masculine women 
4. ripped = very muscular — you can see each muscle and he is big
5. buff = big muscles 
6. He has very defined muscles. = you can see each line
He has a lot of definition in his arms. 
7. to lose weight / to shed weight 
8. love handles = fat on sides of waist
9. spare tires = roll of fat around waist that looks like a tire.
10. a gut = a fat stomach 
11. a beer belly = fat stomach usually sticking out in front of you and created from drinking too much beer 
12. shredded = ripped
Ex: That guy is ripped/shredded.
13. 筋肉痛 sore     
Ex: My legs are sore from running. 
14. He is in good shape. / bad shape.
15. He is in good condition. = athlete
My car is in good condition.  
16. I need to do some conditioning exercises. 
17. to objectify = to see sb as a thing or object not a human
He objectified her.
18. fit = adjective, 2 meanings:   
a) in good physical shape. 
b) sexy 
19. She/He has a good body. = sexual 
20. You have a lovely figure.  
21. She is a knockout! = sexy woman
22. How do you stay fit? / How do you stay in shape? 


Friday, September 8, 2017

Sept. 6th (Wednesday) 23:00 English Lesson (Members Only)

Sept. 6th (Wednesday) 23:00 English Lesson (Members Only)
onomatopoeia 擬音語 / 擬態語

めちゃくちゃ = a) messy (room, desk relationship), b) very
My desk/room/hair is messy.   
He is going through a messy divorce. 
Their relationship is complicated. It’s messy. 


ぐちゃぐちゃ = messy (room), sloppy or cluttered
My hair is a rat's nest.
His handwriting is sloppy.
I made a sloppy mistake. = careless mistake
My son is 2 years old, so he is still a very sloppy eater.

You need to unclutter your life/mind.

ぼさぼさ = messy, unkempt 
Ex: ぼさぼさの頭 bosa bosa no atama = unkept hair
unkempt hair / appearance / garden
disheveled appearance/hair
ぼうぼう = big messy hair, overgrown, wild and thick / out of control
His hair was out of control. His hair was wild and thick. The garden was overgrown. 
He has a really hairy chest. His hair is so hairy, it looks like he’s wearing a black sweater.
どろどろ = a) muddy, b) sordid
ぼろぼろ = disheveled, shabby, tattered, worn out 
Not too shabby. 
He wore a shabby coat. His shirt was tattered.
————
めちゃくちゃ mechakucha = a) messy (room, desk relationship), b) very

ぐちゃぐちゃ guchagucha = messy (room), sloppy or cluttered

ぼさぼさ bosabosa = messy, unkempt 
Ex: ぼさぼさの頭 bosa bosa no atama = unkept here
ぼうぼう boubou = big messy hair, overgrown, wild and thick
どろどろ dorodoro = muddy or sordid
ぼろぼろ boroboro = shabby, tattered, worn out 




Sunday, September 3, 2017

Sept. 3rd (Sunday) 23:00 English Lesson (Members Only)

Nico - Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017

Sept. 3rd (Sunday) 23:00 English Lesson (Members Only)

“Papa Was a Rollin' Stone” by
The Temptations

a rolling stone = sb who just keeps moving

誘惑 = a temptation

to tempt sb = to make sb want to do sb

Ex: I was tempted to VERB.
I was tempted to quit my job.

They had a dry spell in the 1970s.

1. It was the third of September. 
2. That day I'll always remember, yes I will 
3. ‘Cause that was the day that my daddy died. 
4. I never got a chance to see him
5. Never heard nothin' but bad things about him

DOUBLE NEGATIVE!


6. Momma I'm depending on you to tell me the truth

7. Momma just hung her head and said, son

to hang one’s head = to show shame by putting one’s head down

8. Papa was a rolling stone


9. Wherever he laid his hat was his home

10. And when he died, all he left us was alone

When my father died, he left me his house and about 40,000 dollars.

遺産  inheritance

What did he leave you?

11. Papa was a rolling stone (my son, yeah)
12. Wherever he laid his hat was his home
13. And when he died, all he left us was alone
14. Hey Momma!
15. Is it true what they say that Papa never worked a day in his life

He never worked a day in his life.

16. And Momma, some bad talk goin' round town sayin' that

17. Papa had three outside children


18. And another wife, and that ain't right

19. Heard some talk Papa doing some storefront preachin' 

to preach = to talk to people about Jesus and God

hypocritical = describing sb who says one thing but does something different.

a hypocrite = a person who recommends you do st, but doesn’t do what he recommends

20. Talking about saving souls and all the time leechin'

to leech off sb = to take from sb
He is a leech. / He is leeching off his parents.

21. Dealing in dirt, and stealing in the name of the Lord

——
22. Hey Momma.  I heard Papa called himself a jack-of-all-trades
a jack-of-all-trades = sb who can do many different jobs

23. Tell me is that what sent Papa to an early grave
Ex: Smoking sent him to an early grave.

24. Folks say Papa would beg, borrow, steal
To pay his bills

25. Hey Momma 
Folks say Papa never was much on thinking
Spent most of his time chasing women and drinking

Sept. 1st (Friday) 23:00 English Lesson (Members Only)

Sept. 1st (Friday) 23:00 English Lesson (Members Only)

1. What is the difference between “wish” and “hope”?
“Wish” is used for set phrase and impossible situations.

I wish I could fly.  

I wish I was rich.

“Hope” is used for possible situations.

Ex: I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.

I hope I pass the test.

I hope you get well soon.

2. I could use … + NOUN.

Ex: I could use a vacation., I could use a beer.

You look tired. You look like you could use some sleep.

I could use a break.

3. You are better off Ving.  

You are better off with N.

Ex:  You should stop smoking.  = やめたほうがいい。

I have a used car.  My car has broken down.

It will cost a lot of money to fix my used car.   

You are better off buying a new car.

It would be a waste of money to fix the old car. You are better off buying a new car.

You’re better off not fixing the car.

a) He was better off not saying anything.    

b) He shouldn’t have said anything.

4. You cannot compare (A) and (B). = It’s apples and oranges.

5. He is very similar to his father. =

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

6. You are wasting your time talking to me about that. = You are barking up the wrong tree.

7. He talks a lot, but he doesn’t do much. His bark is worse than his bite.

8. I really wanted to say something, but I decided I was better off biting my tongue.

to bite one's tongue = to not say anything especially when you want to

9. Why don’t you answer me. = Cat got your tongue?

10. I’m really surprised at who just came into the room. = Look what the cat dragged in.