http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/index.html 2008-07-07T20:23:44+09:00 http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080707202344000.html 端と端をつける<br />--------------<br />Hello everyone, and welcome to all new readers of this メルマガ! <br />This week's idiom is "to make ends meet".<br /><br />Quiz<br />----<br />What does "to make ends meet" mean?<br /><br />(A) to keep in touch with someone<br />(B) to get or have enough money to live<br />(C) to finish doing something<br /><br />Here's an example dialogue.<br /><br />Hiroe: How much does your job pay?<br />Yoshie: Only 700 yen per hour.<br />Hiroe: It must be difficult to make ends meet.<br />Yoshie: Yes, sometimes I ha<br /><a href="http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080707202344000.html">続きを読む</a> 2008-07-07T20:23:44+09:00 http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080630000829000.html いっぱいの豆<br />------------<br />Hello everyone! Today's idiom is "full of beans".<br /><br />Quiz<br />----<br />What do we describe as "full of beans"?<br /><br />(A) a bank account with lots of money<br />(B) a person who has lots of energy or enthusiasm<br />(C) a very healthy, nutritious meal <br /><br />Here's an example dialogue.<br /><br />Alan: Hi!! It's a beautiful day today isn't it!!!<br />Nozomi: You're full of beans, aren't you?!<br />Alan: Well, tomorrow's the start of the summer holidays!<br />Nozomi: Ye<br /><a href="http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080630000829000.html">続きを読む</a> 2008-06-30T00:08:29+09:00 http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080623210958000.html Revision: Idioms 11-20<br />----------------------<br />Hello everyone! It's revision time again :-)<br />Here are the last 10 idioms we've done:<br /><br />11. over the moon<br />12. ring a bell<br />13. hit the roof<br />14. get into hot water<br />15. a soft spot<br />16. a lot on my plate<br />17. cost an arm and a leg<br />18. a big head<br />19. down to the wire<br />20. point the finger<br /><br /><br />Quiz<br />----<br />Choose the best idiom from the list above, for the following sentences:<br /><br /><br />I'm sorry <br /><a href="http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080623210958000.html">続きを読む</a> 2008-06-23T21:09:58+09:00 http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080617155639000.html 指を差す<br />--------<br />Hello everyone! Today's idiom is "to point the finger".<br /><br />Quiz<br />----<br />What does "to point the finger" mean?<br /><br />(A) to accuse or blame someone<br />(B) to have long fingernails<br />(C) to choose something from a menu<br /><br />Here's an example dialogue.<br /><br />Jenny: Where's my cake?<br />Tatsuya: What cake?<br />Jenny: I left a piece of cake here, but now it's gone.<br />Tatsuya: Well, don't point the finger at me. I didn't eat it.<br /><br />So the corr<br /><a href="http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080617155639000.html">続きを読む</a> 2008-06-17T15:56:39+09:00 http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080609114619000.html ワイヤーまで降りて行く<br />----------------------<br />Hello everyone! Today's idiom is "to go down to the wire".<br /><br />Quiz<br />----<br />What is "to go down to the wire" used to describe?<br /><br />(A) fixing a difficult computer problem<br />(B) a very close contest, race or game <br />(C) making a telephone call<br /><br />Here's an example dialogue.<br /><br />Ray: Who won the soccer championship?<br />Noriko: Arsenal. But it went down to the wire. They beat Liverpool <br /> in the last few minutes of the very last game of the season!<br /><a href="http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080609114619000.html">続きを読む</a> 2008-06-09T11:46:19+09:00 http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080602113347000.html 大きいな頭を持つ<br />----------------<br />Hello everyone! Today's idiom is "to have a big head".<br /><br />Quiz<br />----<br />What does "to have a big head" mean?<br /><br />(A) to be arrogant<br />(B) to be intelligent<br />(C) to be beautiful<br /><br />Here's an example dialogue.<br /><br />Shelly: Do you like Monique?<br />Mie: No, I don't think she's nice at all.<br />Shelly: Yeah, she thinks she's better than everyone else, doesn't she?<br />Mie: I know, she's got such a big head. <br /><br />So the co<br /><a href="http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080602113347000.html">続きを読む</a> 2008-06-02T11:33:47+09:00 http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080526105716000.html 腕と足(分)かかる<br />----------------<br />Hello everyone! Today's idiom is "to cost an arm and a leg".<br /><br />Quiz<br />----<br />What does "to cost an arm and a leg" mean?<br /><br />(A) to be very cheap<br />(B) to be dangerous<br />(C) to be very expensive<br /><br />Here's an example dialogue.<br /><br />Alfredo: Let's stay in the Ritz Hotel!<br />Ichika: No way! It costs an arm and a leg to stay there!<br /><br />So the correct answer is (C) to be very expensive.<br /><br />A very similar phrase is "to cost the Earth<br /><a href="http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080526105716000.html">続きを読む</a> 2008-05-26T10:57:16+09:00 http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080519095132000.html 皿にてんこ盛り<br />--------------<br />Hello everyone! Today's idiom is "a lot on one's plate".<br /><br />Quiz<br />----<br />What does "to have a lot on your plate" mean?<br /><br />(A) to have a lot of work to do<br />(B) to be very hungry<br />(C) to have travelled to many places<br /><br />Here's an example dialogue.<br /><br />Axel: Rohan, could you help me with the marketing plan this afternoon?<br />Rohan: Actually I've got a lot on my plate today. How about tomorrow?<br />Axel: Ok, no problem. Let's work on it tomorrow.<br /&g<br /><a href="http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080519095132000.html">続きを読む</a> 2008-05-19T09:51:32+09:00 http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080512151700000.html 柔らかいかしょを持つ<br />--------------------<br />Hello everyone! Today's idiom is "to have a soft spot (for something or someone)".<br /><br />Quiz<br />----<br />What does "to have a soft spot for ..." mean?<br /><br />(A) to like, to be fond of ...<br />(B) to know, to be familiar with ...<br />(C) to be unhappy about ...<br /><br />Here's an example dialogue.<br /><br />Olga: What sort of music do you listen to? J-pop?<br />Peter: No, actually I prefer older songs. I really like the Beatles. <br />Olga: Yeah, me too. I have a soft spot for 60s mus<br /><a href="http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080512151700000.html">続きを読む</a> 2008-05-12T15:17:00+09:00 http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080505014500000.html 温水に入る<br />----------<br />Hello everyone! Today's idiom is "to get into hot water".<br /><br />Quiz<br />----<br />What does "to get into hot water" mean?<br /><br />(A) to calm down, feel relaxed<br />(B) to get into big trouble, have serious problems<br />(C) to try hard, do your best<br /><br />Here's an example dialogue.<br /><br />Esther: I heard that a big company got into hot water recently.<br />Saki: Yeah, they made too many promises to their customers...<br />Esther: And they couldn't keep their promises, could they?<br />Sak<br /><a href="http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080505014500000.html">続きを読む</a> 2008-05-05T01:45:00+09:00 http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080428092613000.html 屋根にぶつける<br />--------------<br />Hello everyone! Today's idiom is "to hit the roof".<br /><br />Quiz<br />----<br />What does "to hit the roof" mean?<br /><br />(A) to make sure something is safe or strong<br />(B) to become very angry and start shouting<br />(C) to become very expensive, high-priced<br /><br />Here's an example dialogue.<br /><br />Darren: Did you go out last night?<br />Masayuki: Yeah, I was playing pachinko until after midnight.<br />Darren: What did your wife say when you got home?<br />Masayuki: She hit the roof!&lt<br /><a href="http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080428092613000.html">続きを読む</a> 2008-04-28T09:26:13+09:00 http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080421102315000.html ベルを鳴らす<br />------------<br />Hello everyone! Today's idiom is "it rings a bell".<br /><br />Quiz<br />----<br />What does "it rings a bell" mean?<br /><br />(A) it's loud<br />(B) it makes me feel happy<br />(C) I remember<br /><br />Let's look at an example dialogue.<br /><br />Andrea: Do you remember Amanda?<br />Ben: Amanda... I'm not sure. Who's Amanda?<br />Andrea: She had blonde hair.<br />Ben: Blonde hair... let me think...<br />Andrea: And she used to live near the pond.<br />Ben: Near the pond...<br /><a href="http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080421102315000.html">続きを読む</a> 2008-04-21T10:23:15+09:00 http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080414101602000.html 月を越えて<br />----------<br />Hello everyone! Today's idiom is "over the moon".<br /><br />Quiz<br />----<br />What does "to be over the moon" mean?<br /><br />(A) to be very tall or high<br />(B) to be very happy or excited<br />(C) to be very expensive<br /><br />Here's an example dialogue.<br /><br />Aiko: I got into Tokyo University!<br />Bob: Wow, you must be thrilled!<br />Aiko: Yeah, I'm over the moon! <br /><br />So the correct answer is (B) to be very happy or excited.<br /><br />Let's look at one more example<br /><a href="http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080414101602000.html">続きを読む</a> 2008-04-14T10:16:02+09:00 http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080408010000000.html Revision: Idioms 1-10<br />---------------------<br />Hello everyone! Can you remember how to use all the idioms we've done so far?<br />I think it's time to revise our first 10 idioms! Here they are again:<br /><br />1. let the cat out of the bag<br />2. once in a blue moon<br />3. not my cup of tea<br />4. a piece of cake<br />5. under the weather<br />6. birthday suit<br />7. a sweet tooth<br />8. talking to a brick wall<br />9. a bundle of nerves<br />10. rolling in it<br /><br />Quiz<br />----<br />Choose the best idiom from the list above, for the f<br /><a href="http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080408010000000.html">続きを読む</a> 2008-04-08T01:00:00+09:00 http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080402161011000.html その中に転がる<br />--------------<br />Hello everyone! Today's idiom is "to be rolling in it".<br /><br />Quiz<br />----<br />What does "to be rolling in it" mean?<br /><br />(A) to be having lots of fun<br />(B) to be going on a weekend drive in your car<br />(C) to have lots of money<br /><br />Here's an example dialogue.<br /><br />Tadao: How much does Kazuko Hosoki get paid?<br />Chiaki: I don't know, but I think it's a lot.<br />Tadao: Yeah, I heard that she's rolling in it.<br /><br />So the correct answer is (C) to have l<br /><a href="http://archive.mag2.com/0000258483/20080402161011000.html">続きを読む</a> 2008-04-02T16:10:11+09:00