http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2008-12-15-toyota-miss_N.htm
Initially, Toyota planned to build its Highlander SUV at the Mississippi plant.
initially:at the beginning
But in July, as gas and oil prices hit historic highs, Toyota announced major changes to its North American production plans.
Toyota said it would instead assemble the Highlander in Princeton, Ind., and build the Prius,
the world's best-selling hybrid vehicle, in the United States for the first time beginning in 2010 in Blue Springs.
November sales of the Prius dropped 48.3% in the USA compared with November 2007.
"We are committed to completing the Mississippi plant when market conditions allow," said Lacy Luckett, a spokeswoman for Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi.
The $1.3 billion plant was expected to bring about 4,000 jobs, including those at suppliers.
Toyota has invested $300 million in the project, Luckett said.
She said the company does not have a new time for when the plant will open.
Suppliers were notified of the decision on Monday, said Barbara McDaniel, spokeswoman for Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America.
notify:to formally or officially tell someone about something
At least six suppliers had announced plans to locate in Mississippi.
The plant's delay will not stall production of the redesigned, next-generation Prius.
The 2010 model will make its debut next month at the auto show in Detroit, and sales of the new model are scheduled to begin in spring.
"Japan (always) was going to start building it first," McDaniel said. "Then Mississippi would come online and then start to build."
The word is 235.
This story is Toyota delays Prius plant indefinitely.
Business of motor vehicle is bad in the world especially American industry.
I wish that this business is not going worse.
2008年12月16日火曜日
2008年11月25日火曜日
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
http://storynory.com/2008/11/23/the-town-mouse-and-the-country-mouse/
I live inside a nice cosy log by the side of a field.
cosy:a place that is cosy is small, comfortable, and warm
My needs are not great. A few sunflower seeds or wheat stalks will do me for a meal.
seed:a small, hard object produced by plants, from which a new plant of the same kind grows
stalk:a long narrow part of a plant that supports leaves, fruits, or flowers
For a special treat, the farmer sometimes leaves me a some crumbs of bread and cheese from his lunch.
crumb:a very small piece of dry food, especially bread or cake
When I am thirsty, I drink from the bubbling stream.
thirsty:feeling that you want or need a drink [↪ thirst, hungry]
bubble:a ball of air or gas in liquid
stream:a natural flow of water that moves across the land and is narrower than a river
And I swear that that pure cold water is the freshest, most delicious taste in the world.
swear:to promise that you will do something
Finer than champaign even - and I don’t just mean that as a boast or a figure of speech.
boast:something that you like telling people because you are proud of it
It was of course an honour that he should come and stay with me for a weekend away from his business.
honour:something that makes you feel very proud
What would he make of my humble abode and my simple tastes?
humble:not considering yourself or your ideas to be as important as other people's [≠ proud; ↪ humility]
abode:someone's home - sometimes used humorously
humorously:funny and enjoyable
And when I put some crumbs of cheddar cheese before him for his supper he exclaimed:
exclaim:to say something suddenly and loudly because you are surprised, angry, or excited
“Just the ticket. Exactly what I wanted. Thank you dear nephew for taking such good care of me.”
nephew:the son of your brother or sister, or the son of your husband's or wife's brother or sister [↪ niece, uncle, aunt]
At night he slept in my spare bed in the hedgerow, and in the morning, when I asked him how he had slept he said:
spare:an additional thing, for example a key, that you keep so that it is available
hedgerow: a line of bushes growing along the edge of a field or road
“Splendid, just splendidly. This clear country air of yours is so restful.”
splendid:beautiful and impressive [= magnificent]
restful:peaceful and quiet, making you feel relaxed
Uncle Town Mouse laughed, and I felt that I had perhaps said something silly or tactless.
tactless:likely to upset or embarrass someone without intending to [≠ tactful]
This story is about mouse.
The country mouse lives in cosy log, and the town mouse is his uncle.
The town mouse visits the country mouse.
The word is 350.
I live inside a nice cosy log by the side of a field.
cosy:a place that is cosy is small, comfortable, and warm
My needs are not great. A few sunflower seeds or wheat stalks will do me for a meal.
seed:a small, hard object produced by plants, from which a new plant of the same kind grows
stalk:a long narrow part of a plant that supports leaves, fruits, or flowers
For a special treat, the farmer sometimes leaves me a some crumbs of bread and cheese from his lunch.
crumb:a very small piece of dry food, especially bread or cake
When I am thirsty, I drink from the bubbling stream.
thirsty:feeling that you want or need a drink [↪ thirst, hungry]
bubble:a ball of air or gas in liquid
stream:a natural flow of water that moves across the land and is narrower than a river
And I swear that that pure cold water is the freshest, most delicious taste in the world.
swear:to promise that you will do something
Finer than champaign even - and I don’t just mean that as a boast or a figure of speech.
boast:something that you like telling people because you are proud of it
It was of course an honour that he should come and stay with me for a weekend away from his business.
honour:something that makes you feel very proud
What would he make of my humble abode and my simple tastes?
humble:not considering yourself or your ideas to be as important as other people's [≠ proud; ↪ humility]
abode:someone's home - sometimes used humorously
humorously:funny and enjoyable
And when I put some crumbs of cheddar cheese before him for his supper he exclaimed:
exclaim:to say something suddenly and loudly because you are surprised, angry, or excited
“Just the ticket. Exactly what I wanted. Thank you dear nephew for taking such good care of me.”
nephew:the son of your brother or sister, or the son of your husband's or wife's brother or sister [↪ niece, uncle, aunt]
At night he slept in my spare bed in the hedgerow, and in the morning, when I asked him how he had slept he said:
spare:an additional thing, for example a key, that you keep so that it is available
hedgerow: a line of bushes growing along the edge of a field or road
“Splendid, just splendidly. This clear country air of yours is so restful.”
splendid:beautiful and impressive [= magnificent]
restful:peaceful and quiet, making you feel relaxed
Uncle Town Mouse laughed, and I felt that I had perhaps said something silly or tactless.
tactless:likely to upset or embarrass someone without intending to [≠ tactful]
This story is about mouse.
The country mouse lives in cosy log, and the town mouse is his uncle.
The town mouse visits the country mouse.
The word is 350.
2008年11月18日火曜日
The Three Sillies
http://storynory.com/2008/11/09/the-three-sillies/
Once upon a time there was a farmer and his wife who had one daughter, and she was courted by a gentleman.
court:to try hard to please someone, especially because you want something from them
Every evening he used to come and see her, and stop to supper at the farmhouse, and the daughter used to be sent down into the cellar to fetch the beer for supper.
cellar:a room under a house or other building, often used for storing things
fetch:to go and get something or someone and bring them back
So one evening she had gone down to fetch the beer, and she happened to look up at the ceiling while she was fetching,
ceiling:the inner surface of the top part of a room [↪ roof]
and the poor thing durst not go.
durst:old use the past tense of dare
dare:to be brave enough to do something that is risky or that you are afraid to do - used especially in questions or negative sentences
She’ll be quite safe, for I shall tie a string round her neck, and pass it down the chimney,
and tie it to my wrist as I go about the house, so she can’t fall off without my knowing it.”
chimney:a vertical pipe that allows smoke from a fire to pass out of a building up into the air, or the part of this pipe that is above the roof
But the woman thought it was easier to get the cow up the ladder than to get the grass down,
so she pushed her and coaxed her and got her up, and tied a string round her neck,
and passed it down the chimney, and fastened it to her own wrist.
coax:to persuade someone to do something that they do not want to do by talking to them in a kind, gentle, and patient way
And the gentleman went on his way, but he hadn’t gone far when the cow tumbled off the roof, pulling the string behind her.
tumble: to fall down quickly and suddenly, especially with a rolling movement
And the weight of the cow tied to her wrist pulled the woman up the chimney, and she stuck fast half-way and was smothered in the soot.
smother:to completely cover the whole surface of something with something else, often in a way that seems unnecessary or unpleasant
soot:black powder that is produced when something is burnt
And the gentleman went on and on, and he went to an inn to stop the night, and they were so full at the inn that they had to put him in a double-bedded room, and another traveller was to sleep in the other bed.
inn:a small hotel or pub, especially an old one in the countryside
The other man was a very pleasant fellow, and they got very friendly together; but in the morning, when they were both getting up, the gentleman was surprised to see the other hang his trousers between the two beds and run across the room and try to jump into them, and he tried over and over again, and couldn’t manage it; and the gentleman wondered whatever he was doing it for.
fellow:a man
trouser: a piece of clothing that covers the lower half of your body, with a separate part fitting over each leg [= pants American English]
At last he stopped and wiped his face with his handkerchief.
wipe:to rub a surface with something in order to remove dirt, liquid etc
handkerchief:a piece of cloth that you use for drying your nose or eyes [= hankie]
So the gentleman burst out a-laughing, and showed him how to put them on; and he was very much obliged to him, and said he never should have thought of doing it that way.
oblige:if you are obliged to do something, you have to do it because the situation, the law, a duty etc makes it necessary
This story is three silly people and a gentleman. The word is 1160.
I like the scene which is the daughter used to be sent down into the cellar to fetch the beer for supper.It is funny scene.
Once upon a time there was a farmer and his wife who had one daughter, and she was courted by a gentleman.
court:to try hard to please someone, especially because you want something from them
Every evening he used to come and see her, and stop to supper at the farmhouse, and the daughter used to be sent down into the cellar to fetch the beer for supper.
cellar:a room under a house or other building, often used for storing things
fetch:to go and get something or someone and bring them back
So one evening she had gone down to fetch the beer, and she happened to look up at the ceiling while she was fetching,
ceiling:the inner surface of the top part of a room [↪ roof]
and the poor thing durst not go.
durst:old use the past tense of dare
dare:to be brave enough to do something that is risky or that you are afraid to do - used especially in questions or negative sentences
She’ll be quite safe, for I shall tie a string round her neck, and pass it down the chimney,
and tie it to my wrist as I go about the house, so she can’t fall off without my knowing it.”
chimney:a vertical pipe that allows smoke from a fire to pass out of a building up into the air, or the part of this pipe that is above the roof
But the woman thought it was easier to get the cow up the ladder than to get the grass down,
so she pushed her and coaxed her and got her up, and tied a string round her neck,
and passed it down the chimney, and fastened it to her own wrist.
coax:to persuade someone to do something that they do not want to do by talking to them in a kind, gentle, and patient way
And the gentleman went on his way, but he hadn’t gone far when the cow tumbled off the roof, pulling the string behind her.
tumble: to fall down quickly and suddenly, especially with a rolling movement
And the weight of the cow tied to her wrist pulled the woman up the chimney, and she stuck fast half-way and was smothered in the soot.
smother:to completely cover the whole surface of something with something else, often in a way that seems unnecessary or unpleasant
soot:black powder that is produced when something is burnt
And the gentleman went on and on, and he went to an inn to stop the night, and they were so full at the inn that they had to put him in a double-bedded room, and another traveller was to sleep in the other bed.
inn:a small hotel or pub, especially an old one in the countryside
The other man was a very pleasant fellow, and they got very friendly together; but in the morning, when they were both getting up, the gentleman was surprised to see the other hang his trousers between the two beds and run across the room and try to jump into them, and he tried over and over again, and couldn’t manage it; and the gentleman wondered whatever he was doing it for.
fellow:a man
trouser: a piece of clothing that covers the lower half of your body, with a separate part fitting over each leg [= pants American English]
At last he stopped and wiped his face with his handkerchief.
wipe:to rub a surface with something in order to remove dirt, liquid etc
handkerchief:a piece of cloth that you use for drying your nose or eyes [= hankie]
So the gentleman burst out a-laughing, and showed him how to put them on; and he was very much obliged to him, and said he never should have thought of doing it that way.
oblige:if you are obliged to do something, you have to do it because the situation, the law, a duty etc makes it necessary
This story is three silly people and a gentleman. The word is 1160.
I like the scene which is the daughter used to be sent down into the cellar to fetch the beer for supper.It is funny scene.
2008年10月28日火曜日
The Thieving Monkey
http://storynory.com/2008/08/10/the-thieving-monkey/
So one day he called Mr. Hartley into his office and told him that he was being demoted
demote:to make someone's rank or position lower or less important
- which meant he was going to do a less important job. From now on,
Mr. Hartley would be in charge of the stick insects.
stick insect: a long thin insect that looks like a small stick:ナナフシ
which meant they were too rotten for people to eat - but he said that they would do for a gang of monkeys.
rotten:badly decayed and no longer good to use
decay:to be slowly destroyed by a natural chemical process, or to make something do this [↪ rot]
He entirely approved of his strict methods.
entirely:completely and in every possible way
strict:expecting people to obey rules or to do what you say [≠ lenient]:
Mr. Grabber came to the monkey cage and said to Theo:
“Right now my hairy friend. I’m taking you out for a very special treat.”
hairy:dangerous or frightening, often in a way that is exciting
The only piece of furniture was a chest of drawers.
chest of drawers: a piece of furniture with drawers, used for storing clothes [= dresser American English]
Mr. Grabber undid Theo’s lead and said to the others:
“Now just stand back and watch what he does. If he finds it, he’ll get a banana.”
undo:to try to remove the bad effects of something you have done
He strolled around the room, and as there wasn’t much else to do,
stroll:to walk somewhere in a slow relaxed way
he climbed up onto the chest of drawers.
climb:to move up, down, or across something using your feet and hands, especially when this is difficult to do
The top drawer was slightly open, so he stuck his paw into the gap and opened it some more.
stick:if a pointed object sticks into something, or if you stick it there, it is pushed into it
paw:an animal's foot that has nails or claws
Inside he saw something shiny. It was a diamond necklace.
shiny:smooth and bright
Then he scampered around the room shrieking Oooh Ahha Ahha Ahha !
scampere:to run with quick short steps, like a child or small animal
shrieking:to make a very high loud sound, especially because you are afraid, angry, excited, or in pain [= scream]
Theo was said "If he was a human, he would a criminal" by Mr. Shingles who is the head of zoo keeper. This story is Theo thieved diamond necklace.
I wonder that hairy has two different mean.
First, a hairy person or animal has a lot of hair on their body.
Second, dangerous or frightening, often in a way that is exciting.
It is interesting for me. The word is 789.
So one day he called Mr. Hartley into his office and told him that he was being demoted
demote:to make someone's rank or position lower or less important
- which meant he was going to do a less important job. From now on,
Mr. Hartley would be in charge of the stick insects.
stick insect: a long thin insect that looks like a small stick:ナナフシ
which meant they were too rotten for people to eat - but he said that they would do for a gang of monkeys.
rotten:badly decayed and no longer good to use
decay:to be slowly destroyed by a natural chemical process, or to make something do this [↪ rot]
He entirely approved of his strict methods.
entirely:completely and in every possible way
strict:expecting people to obey rules or to do what you say [≠ lenient]:
Mr. Grabber came to the monkey cage and said to Theo:
“Right now my hairy friend. I’m taking you out for a very special treat.”
hairy:dangerous or frightening, often in a way that is exciting
The only piece of furniture was a chest of drawers.
chest of drawers: a piece of furniture with drawers, used for storing clothes [= dresser American English]
Mr. Grabber undid Theo’s lead and said to the others:
“Now just stand back and watch what he does. If he finds it, he’ll get a banana.”
undo:to try to remove the bad effects of something you have done
He strolled around the room, and as there wasn’t much else to do,
stroll:to walk somewhere in a slow relaxed way
he climbed up onto the chest of drawers.
climb:to move up, down, or across something using your feet and hands, especially when this is difficult to do
The top drawer was slightly open, so he stuck his paw into the gap and opened it some more.
stick:if a pointed object sticks into something, or if you stick it there, it is pushed into it
paw:an animal's foot that has nails or claws
Inside he saw something shiny. It was a diamond necklace.
shiny:smooth and bright
Then he scampered around the room shrieking Oooh Ahha Ahha Ahha !
scampere:to run with quick short steps, like a child or small animal
shrieking:to make a very high loud sound, especially because you are afraid, angry, excited, or in pain [= scream]
Theo was said "If he was a human, he would a criminal" by Mr. Shingles who is the head of zoo keeper. This story is Theo thieved diamond necklace.
I wonder that hairy has two different mean.
First, a hairy person or animal has a lot of hair on their body.
Second, dangerous or frightening, often in a way that is exciting.
It is interesting for me. The word is 789.
2008年10月21日火曜日
Baba Yaga - A Scary Story for Halloween
http://storynory.com/2008/10/13/baba-yaga-a-scary-story-for-halloween/
there is a good chance that you might come across a peculiar house.
peculiar:strange, unfamiliar, or a little surprising
It’s a wooden hut, but it’s like no other that you have ever seen, for it stands on giant chicken legs -
and quite often it walks about, just like a monstrous farm-yard bird.
monstrous:unusually large
They know her, and they fear her, for it has long been rumored that she likes to eat children.
rumor:if something is rumoured to be true, people are saying secretly or unofficially that it may be true [↪ alleged]
It was a little rag doll that did not look so different from any other.
rag: small piece of old cloth, for example one used for cleaning things
the stepmother and step-sisters had to pretend that they liked her,
stepmother: a woman who is married to your father but who is not your mother
her father said that he had to go away on a journey that would last at least a month.
journey:a time spent travelling from one place to another, especially over a long distance [= trip American English]
and the girl would find the journey tiresome and dull.
tiresome:making you feel annoyed or impatient
impatient:annoyed because of delays, someone else's mistakes etc [≠ patient]
The first night after the father had left, the step-mother gathered the three girls together in the parlor and spoke like this:
parlor:a room in a house which has comfortable chairs and is used for meeting guests
Katya ” - that was the youngest - ” go to the kitchen table and roll some pastry so that it’s nice and flat.
pastry:a mixture of flour, butter, and milk or water, used to make the outer part of baked foods such as pies
She walked forlornly to the corner of the street and took the little doll out of her coat pocket where it had been sleeping.
forlornly:seeming lonely and unhappy
And every one knows that she is a dreadfully wicked witch.
dreadfully:extremely or very much
wicked:behaving in a way that is morally wrong
After a while, the young girl heard the sound of galloping hooves coming up behind her,
galloping:increasing or developing very quickly
hoof:the hard foot of an animal such as a horse, cow etc
and she stepped off the road to let a hose ridden by a rider in a blazing red cloak shoot past her.
blazing:extremely hot
cloak:a warm piece of clothing like a coat without sleeves that hangs loosely from your shoulder
and this time a rider in a cloak of dazzling white sped past her and down the road that led to Baba Yaga’s hut.
dazzling:a light that is dazzling is very bright and makes you unable to see properly for a short time
The skulls were mounted on stop of a high fence.
mount: to go up a step or stairs
Then the chicken legs began to kneel and the hut lowered to the ground. The door creaked open.
lower:to move something down from higher up [≠ raise]
creak:if something such as a door, wooden floor, old bed, or stair creaks, it makes a long high noise when someone opens it, walks on it, sits on it etc
Baba Yaga’s nose was so long and bony that it appeared through the door before the rest of her.
bony:someone or part of their body that is bony is very thin
thin:having little fat on your body [≠ fat]
Vasilissa was so frightened that her legs would not obey her when she told them to run.
frightened:feeling afraid [= scared]
“Well child,” she said,”Did the cat get your tongue? Or are you just badly brought-up?
well-brought-up:a child who is well-brought-up has been taught to be polite and to behave well
parent.
I haven’t got all night hover around while you tremble and gibber like an idiot !”
tremble:to shake slightly in a way that you cannot control, especially because you are upset or frightened
gibber:to speak quickly in a way that is difficult to understand, especially because you are very frightened or shocked [↪ jabber]
This story is a wicked Stepmother sends Vasilissa to visit the witch in her hut in the woods to ask for some lights. A wicked witch has been rumored that she like to eat children. It is dreadfully wicked.
The witch is dreadfully wicked, and stepmother is awful person.
I don't want to marry the woman.
I can read the story a lot. The word is 1085.
there is a good chance that you might come across a peculiar house.
peculiar:strange, unfamiliar, or a little surprising
It’s a wooden hut, but it’s like no other that you have ever seen, for it stands on giant chicken legs -
and quite often it walks about, just like a monstrous farm-yard bird.
monstrous:unusually large
They know her, and they fear her, for it has long been rumored that she likes to eat children.
rumor:if something is rumoured to be true, people are saying secretly or unofficially that it may be true [↪ alleged]
It was a little rag doll that did not look so different from any other.
rag: small piece of old cloth, for example one used for cleaning things
the stepmother and step-sisters had to pretend that they liked her,
stepmother: a woman who is married to your father but who is not your mother
her father said that he had to go away on a journey that would last at least a month.
journey:a time spent travelling from one place to another, especially over a long distance [= trip American English]
and the girl would find the journey tiresome and dull.
tiresome:making you feel annoyed or impatient
impatient:annoyed because of delays, someone else's mistakes etc [≠ patient]
The first night after the father had left, the step-mother gathered the three girls together in the parlor and spoke like this:
parlor:a room in a house which has comfortable chairs and is used for meeting guests
Katya ” - that was the youngest - ” go to the kitchen table and roll some pastry so that it’s nice and flat.
pastry:a mixture of flour, butter, and milk or water, used to make the outer part of baked foods such as pies
She walked forlornly to the corner of the street and took the little doll out of her coat pocket where it had been sleeping.
forlornly:seeming lonely and unhappy
And every one knows that she is a dreadfully wicked witch.
dreadfully:extremely or very much
wicked:behaving in a way that is morally wrong
After a while, the young girl heard the sound of galloping hooves coming up behind her,
galloping:increasing or developing very quickly
hoof:the hard foot of an animal such as a horse, cow etc
and she stepped off the road to let a hose ridden by a rider in a blazing red cloak shoot past her.
blazing:extremely hot
cloak:a warm piece of clothing like a coat without sleeves that hangs loosely from your shoulder
and this time a rider in a cloak of dazzling white sped past her and down the road that led to Baba Yaga’s hut.
dazzling:a light that is dazzling is very bright and makes you unable to see properly for a short time
The skulls were mounted on stop of a high fence.
mount: to go up a step or stairs
Then the chicken legs began to kneel and the hut lowered to the ground. The door creaked open.
lower:to move something down from higher up [≠ raise]
creak:if something such as a door, wooden floor, old bed, or stair creaks, it makes a long high noise when someone opens it, walks on it, sits on it etc
Baba Yaga’s nose was so long and bony that it appeared through the door before the rest of her.
bony:someone or part of their body that is bony is very thin
thin:having little fat on your body [≠ fat]
Vasilissa was so frightened that her legs would not obey her when she told them to run.
frightened:feeling afraid [= scared]
“Well child,” she said,”Did the cat get your tongue? Or are you just badly brought-up?
well-brought-up:a child who is well-brought-up has been taught to be polite and to behave well
parent.
I haven’t got all night hover around while you tremble and gibber like an idiot !”
tremble:to shake slightly in a way that you cannot control, especially because you are upset or frightened
gibber:to speak quickly in a way that is difficult to understand, especially because you are very frightened or shocked [↪ jabber]
This story is a wicked Stepmother sends Vasilissa to visit the witch in her hut in the woods to ask for some lights. A wicked witch has been rumored that she like to eat children. It is dreadfully wicked.
The witch is dreadfully wicked, and stepmother is awful person.
I don't want to marry the woman.
I can read the story a lot. The word is 1085.
2008年10月14日火曜日
The Boy Who Flew Too High
http://storynory.com/2008/08/24/the-boy-who-flew-too-high/
Well you may remember that the Labyrinth was created by the cunning and ingenious mind of Daedalus.
cunning:the ability to achieve what you want by deceiving people in a clever way
deceive:to make someone believe something that is not true [= trick; ↪ deception]
ingenious:an ingenious plan, idea, or object works well and is the result of clever thinking and new ideas
Daedalus lived with his son Icarus in a tower of the palace,
palace:the official home of a person of very high rank, especially a king or queen - often used in names
they wouldn’t not be able to sail very far before they were spotted and caught by one of the ships of King Minos’s navy.
spot:to notice someone or something, especially when they are difficult to see or recognize
Here he arranged them in four lines, starting with the smallest fathers,
and following those with the longer ones, so that they formed gentle curves.
gentle:a gentle hill or slope is not steep or sharp
steep:a road, hill etc that is steep slopes at a high angle
While he was working, Icarus played with the wax, squashing it between his finger and thumb,
squash:to press something into a flatter shape, often breaking or damaging it [= flatten]
and when the feathers blew away in the breeze he ran after them and caught them.
blow:if the wind or a current of air blows, it moves
and began to flap them until his feet took off from the floor and he began to hover in mid air.
flap:if a bird flaps its wings, it moves them up and down in order to fly
The story from ancient Greece.
Icarus who is son of Daedalus tried to escape from dark Labyrinth on the island of Crete.
So Daedalus made wings that made of feathers and wax.
Daedalus is ingenious.
He makes wings that made of only feathers and wax.
Icarus is brave.
He flies by only homemade wings.
I can't do.
The ward is 447.
Well you may remember that the Labyrinth was created by the cunning and ingenious mind of Daedalus.
cunning:the ability to achieve what you want by deceiving people in a clever way
deceive:to make someone believe something that is not true [= trick; ↪ deception]
ingenious:an ingenious plan, idea, or object works well and is the result of clever thinking and new ideas
Daedalus lived with his son Icarus in a tower of the palace,
palace:the official home of a person of very high rank, especially a king or queen - often used in names
they wouldn’t not be able to sail very far before they were spotted and caught by one of the ships of King Minos’s navy.
spot:to notice someone or something, especially when they are difficult to see or recognize
Here he arranged them in four lines, starting with the smallest fathers,
and following those with the longer ones, so that they formed gentle curves.
gentle:a gentle hill or slope is not steep or sharp
steep:a road, hill etc that is steep slopes at a high angle
While he was working, Icarus played with the wax, squashing it between his finger and thumb,
squash:to press something into a flatter shape, often breaking or damaging it [= flatten]
and when the feathers blew away in the breeze he ran after them and caught them.
blow:if the wind or a current of air blows, it moves
and began to flap them until his feet took off from the floor and he began to hover in mid air.
flap:if a bird flaps its wings, it moves them up and down in order to fly
The story from ancient Greece.
Icarus who is son of Daedalus tried to escape from dark Labyrinth on the island of Crete.
So Daedalus made wings that made of feathers and wax.
Daedalus is ingenious.
He makes wings that made of only feathers and wax.
Icarus is brave.
He flies by only homemade wings.
I can't do.
The ward is 447.
2008年10月7日火曜日
Old Sultan
http://storynory.com/2008/09/07/old-sultan/
The poor dog, who was lying stretched out in the sun not far off, had heard everything,
stretch out:to lie down, usually in order to sleep or rest
and was sorry that the morrow was to be his last day.
morrow:the next day [= tomorrow]
He had a good friend, the wolf, and he crept out in the evening into the forest to him,
crept:to move in a quiet, careful way, especially to avoid attracting attention
and complained of the fate that awaited him.
To-morrow, early in the morning, your master is going with his wife to make hay,
make hay:to take the opportunity to do something now, because you may not be able to do it later
As usual, during work-time, they will lay the child under the hedge in the shade;
hedge:a row of small bushes or trees growing close together, usually dividing one field or garden from another
shade:slight darkness or shelter from the direct light of the sun made by something blocking it
The plan pleased the dog, and it was carried out just as it was arranged.
arrange: to organize or make plans for something such as a meeting, party, or trip
“Go home at once and make Old Sultan some soggy bread that he will not have to bite,
soggy:unpleasantly wet and soft
and bring the pillow out of my bed, I will give it to him to lie upon.”
pillow:a cloth bag filled with soft material that you put your head on when you are sleeping
The word is 335.
The wolf is nice. but the dog is really poor.
I don't want to get old so much.
The poor dog, who was lying stretched out in the sun not far off, had heard everything,
stretch out:to lie down, usually in order to sleep or rest
and was sorry that the morrow was to be his last day.
morrow:the next day [= tomorrow]
He had a good friend, the wolf, and he crept out in the evening into the forest to him,
crept:to move in a quiet, careful way, especially to avoid attracting attention
and complained of the fate that awaited him.
To-morrow, early in the morning, your master is going with his wife to make hay,
make hay:to take the opportunity to do something now, because you may not be able to do it later
As usual, during work-time, they will lay the child under the hedge in the shade;
hedge:a row of small bushes or trees growing close together, usually dividing one field or garden from another
shade:slight darkness or shelter from the direct light of the sun made by something blocking it
The plan pleased the dog, and it was carried out just as it was arranged.
arrange: to organize or make plans for something such as a meeting, party, or trip
“Go home at once and make Old Sultan some soggy bread that he will not have to bite,
soggy:unpleasantly wet and soft
and bring the pillow out of my bed, I will give it to him to lie upon.”
pillow:a cloth bag filled with soft material that you put your head on when you are sleeping
The word is 335.
The wolf is nice. but the dog is really poor.
I don't want to get old so much.
2008年7月16日水曜日
The Zoo That Bit Back
http://storynory.com/2008/06/02/the-zoo-that-bit-back/
Life in the zoo was not as exciting as on the outside, but it had its attractions.
attraction:something interesting or enjoyable to see or do
The daily menus catered for everyone’s tastes.
cater:to provide and serve food and drinks at a party, meeting etc, usually as a business
Some liked berries, others liked bananas.
Some hungered for steak, others for fresh termites.
steak:good quality beef, or a large thick piece of any good quality red meat
termite:an insect that eats and destroys wood from trees and buildings
The food just turned up every day, and nobody had to hunt or gather.
The animals didn’t even have to tidy up their own cages or make their beds with fresh straw.
straw:the dried stems of wheat or similar plants that animals sleep on, and that are used for making things such as baskets, hats etc [↪ hay]
stem:the long thin part of a plant, from which leaves, flowers, or fruit grow [= stalk]
The keepers did all that for them.
The keeper of the monkeys cage was called Mr. Hartley.
He was a sweet man, and if the truth be told, a bit of a softy.
sweet:kind, gentle, and friendly
Anything the monkeys screeched for, he provided - almost always.
screech:to shout loudly in an unpleasant high voice because you are angry, afraid, or excited [= shriek, scream]
The chief monkey, whose name was Bozo,
wanted a television so that he could watch Animal Planet.
At first Mr. Harley could not understand what he was squawking on about,
squawk:if a bird squawks, it makes a loud sharp angry sound
but he saw that Bozo was pointing to the video screen
that displayed important information for the visitors.
He tried turning it off, but that agitated Bozo even more.
agitated:so nervous or upset that you are unable to keep still or think calmly
Then he twigged what was in monkeys’ mind,
twig:to suddenly realize something about a situation
and he went out and bought the latest flat panel TV and put it in the window of his office
where Bozo and his followers could watch it.
But such a life of luxury could not go on for ever, and it didn’t.
luxury:something expensive that you do not need, but you buy for pleasure and enjoyment [≠ necessity]
After Theo’s famous escape and his chocolate-crazed escapade,
craze:a fashion, game, type of music etc that becomes very popular for a short time [= fad]
escapade:an adventure or series of events that are exciting or contain some risk
the zoo was noticed in high places.
The local newspaper ran a headline that read:
“Slack Security at the Zoo.”
slack:not taking enough care or making enough effort to do things correctly - used to show
disapproval
And a local politician ran for election under the slogan;
“Time to get tough on the animals.
The word of shout in English have many way.
but there is difference of nuance.
I enjoy that today.
Life in the zoo was not as exciting as on the outside, but it had its attractions.
attraction:something interesting or enjoyable to see or do
The daily menus catered for everyone’s tastes.
cater:to provide and serve food and drinks at a party, meeting etc, usually as a business
Some liked berries, others liked bananas.
Some hungered for steak, others for fresh termites.
steak:good quality beef, or a large thick piece of any good quality red meat
termite:an insect that eats and destroys wood from trees and buildings
The food just turned up every day, and nobody had to hunt or gather.
The animals didn’t even have to tidy up their own cages or make their beds with fresh straw.
straw:the dried stems of wheat or similar plants that animals sleep on, and that are used for making things such as baskets, hats etc [↪ hay]
The keepers did all that for them.
The keeper of the monkeys cage was called Mr. Hartley.
He was a sweet man, and if the truth be told, a bit of a softy.
sweet:kind, gentle, and friendly
Anything the monkeys screeched for, he provided - almost always.
screech:to shout loudly in an unpleasant high voice because you are angry, afraid, or excited [= shriek, scream]
The chief monkey, whose name was Bozo,
wanted a television so that he could watch Animal Planet.
At first Mr. Harley could not understand what he was squawking on about,
squawk:if a bird squawks, it makes a loud sharp angry sound
but he saw that Bozo was pointing to the video screen
that displayed important information for the visitors.
He tried turning it off, but that agitated Bozo even more.
agitated:so nervous or upset that you are unable to keep still or think calmly
Then he twigged what was in monkeys’ mind,
twig:to suddenly realize something about a situation
and he went out and bought the latest flat panel TV and put it in the window of his office
where Bozo and his followers could watch it.
But such a life of luxury could not go on for ever, and it didn’t.
luxury:something expensive that you do not need, but you buy for pleasure and enjoyment [≠ necessity]
After Theo’s famous escape and his chocolate-crazed escapade,
craze:a fashion, game, type of music etc that becomes very popular for a short time [= fad]
escapade:an adventure or series of events that are exciting or contain some risk
the zoo was noticed in high places.
The local newspaper ran a headline that read:
“Slack Security at the Zoo.”
slack:not taking enough care or making enough effort to do things correctly - used to show
disapproval
And a local politician ran for election under the slogan;
“Time to get tough on the animals.
The word of shout in English have many way.
but there is difference of nuance.
I enjoy that today.
2008年7月15日火曜日
The Sheriff Who Came to Dinner with Robin Hood
http://storynory.com/2008/07/06/the-sheriff-who-came-to-dinner/
Robin Hood’s most trusted outlaw was Little John.
outlaw:someone who has done something illegal, and who is hiding in order to avoid punishment - used especially about criminals in the past
punish:to make someone suffer because they have done something wrong or broken the law
In fact, there was nothing little about him at all. He was huge.
And if there was one thing that he really loved it was his food.
In particular, he liked to eat venison – which is the meat of deer.
deer:a large wild animal that can run very fast, eats grass, and has horns
There were plenty of deer in Sherwood Forrest,
plenty:a large quantity that is enough or more than enough
but it was forbidden to shoot them by punishment of death.
forbid:to tell someone that they are not allowed to do something, or that something is not allowed [≠ permit]
The law didn’t stop Little John, because he feared nothing or nobody.
Sometimes he would arrive at Robin Hood’s layer with a bag full of hares,
bag:the amount that a bag will hold
hares:an animal like a rabbit but larger, which can run very quickly
partridges, and pheasants and he would say to Robin:
partridge:a fat brown bird with a short tail which is shot for sport and food
pheasant:a large bird with a long tail, often shot for food, or the meat of this bird
“Come on my friend, let’s get a good fire going.
I’ll soon have these ready for roasting and what a fine dinner we shall have.”
But quite often Robin would make Little John wait for his dinner until a rich
and respectable guest had come to join them.
And at those times, when Little John was hungry,
he would become very tetchy and bad tempered indeed.
tetchy:likely to get angry or upset easily
bad tempered:someone who is bad-tempered becomes easily annoyed and talks in an angry way to people [= irritable]
All the other robbers who lived with Robin Hood would stay out of his way,
because nobody wanted to get into a fight with a man as big and strong as Little John.
One day, Robin asked Little John to go into the city of Nottingham to see
if he could pick up any news or gossip.
It so happened, that on that same day there was shooting competition in the market place.
competition:a situation in which people or organizations try to be more successful than other people or organizations [↪ compete, competitor]
Little John could not resist a chance to show of his skill with his bow and arrow,
resist:
and he paid the fee of one penny to join the contest.
Each archer had to shoot an arrow into a post.
Those who missed dropped out,
and those that hit went on to the next round when the posts were moved further back.
further:a greater distance, or beyond a particular place
Little John split six posts down the middle with his arrows. Nobody else could match him.
thank you answer my question.
I think Little John resembles Jyaian of Doraemon.
I don't like Jyaian.
2008年7月13日日曜日
about my experience this semester
私は今学期この授業を受けて２種類の方法でブログを進めました。１つはStorynoryをそのまま英辞郎やRikaiを使って日本語訳にする方法、もう１つはStorynoryや洋楽の歌詞をわからない単語や言い回しをLongman Web Dictionaryを使って英英で定義して意味を理解しながら読んでいく方法をとりました。それぞれためになる勉強方法であると思いますが、英語の中では日本語に訳せない英語もあると思いますし、英語を自分の力にするのなら日本語を介して理解するよりもやさしい英語で定義して理解するほうが近道だと思い途中でLongman Web Dictionaryを中心に授業を進めました。
Storynoryや洋楽の歌詞を題材に勉強したことで中学、高校で習う英語とはまた違う英語、たとえば、good-for-nothingやfoot：a set of stairs between one floor and the nextという意味もあっていろんな使い方があったということやYour majestyなど絵本とかでないと覚える機会はなかったと思います。そういう点で私は勉強になる時間だったと思いました。
逆に英語ならではの表現方法や意味しているところがわからなくなったり難しいこともありましたが先生に質問することで解決できました。私はブログを更新するためにおよそ２時間ほどかかりましたがもっと効率よくできるようになりたいです。秋学期ではもっとみんながしている難しい方法で学んでいけるように工夫して勉強をしたいです。
Storynoryや洋楽の歌詞を題材に勉強したことで中学、高校で習う英語とはまた違う英語、たとえば、good-for-nothingやfoot：a set of stairs between one floor and the nextという意味もあっていろんな使い方があったということやYour majestyなど絵本とかでないと覚える機会はなかったと思います。そういう点で私は勉強になる時間だったと思いました。
逆に英語ならではの表現方法や意味しているところがわからなくなったり難しいこともありましたが先生に質問することで解決できました。私はブログを更新するためにおよそ２時間ほどかかりましたがもっと効率よくできるようになりたいです。秋学期ではもっとみんながしている難しい方法で学んでいけるように工夫して勉強をしたいです。
2008年7月1日火曜日
The Emperor’s New Clothes
http://storynory.com/2008/06/23/the-emperors-new-clothes/
Many years ago, there was an Emperor, who was so excessively fond of new clothes,
excessively:much more than is reasonable or necessary
that he spent all his money on the finest suits.
He did not trouble himself in the least about his soldiers;
nor did he care to go to the theatre or out hunting,
except when there was a chance to show off his new clothes.
He had a different suit for each hour of the day.
Just as you might say of any other king or emperor,
“He is sitting in his council” - people used to say of him, “He is sitting in his wardrobe.”
council:a group of people that are chosen to make rules, laws, or decisions, or to give advice
wardrobe:a piece of furniture like a large cupboard that you hang clothes in [↪ closet]
Time passed merrily in the large town which was his capital;
merrily:in a happy way, or in a way that makes you feel happy
strangers arrived every day at the court.
One day, two rogues, calling themselves weavers came to the court.
rogues:a man or boy who behaves badly, but who you like in spite of this - often used humorously
They said that they knew how to weave clothes of the most beautiful colors and elaborate patterns.
elaborate:having a lot of small parts or details put together in a complicated way
The clothes made from their cloths were like no others:
They were invisible to everyone who was either unfit for their job,
or extremely simple in the head.
“These must, indeed, be splendid clothes!” thought the Emperor.
splendid:very good [= excellent]
“Had I such a suit, I might at once find out what men in my empire are unfit for their jobs,
and also be able to tell the wise from the foolish!
This stuff must be woven for me immediately.”
weave:he way in which a material is woven, and the pattern formed by this
immediately:as soon as
And he ordered large sums of money to be given to both the weavers so that they might begin their work.
sums:an amount of money
So the two false weavers set up two looms, and pretended to work very busily,
though in reality they did nothing at all.
They asked for the most delicate silk and the purest gold thread;
purest:a pure substance or material is not mixed with anything
threat:a statement in which you tell someone that you will cause them harm or trouble if they do not do what you want
put both into their own knapsacks;
and then continued their pretend work at the empty looms until late at night.
“I should like to know how the weavers are getting on with my cloth,”
said the Emperor to himself, after some little time had gone by;
he was, however, rather embarrassed, when he remembered that a simpleton,
embarrass:feeling nervous and uncomfortable and worrying about what people think of you, for example because you have to talk or sing in public, or because you have made a silly mistake
simpleton:someone who has a very low level of intelligence
or someone unfit for his office, would be unable to see the results of their work.
To be sure, he himself not have any trouble seeing the clothes, but yet,
thought it would be better to send somebody else to report on the weavers and their work.
He has been enviable life.
But if I am emperor, I want to be plain life.
I konw that "tell" has various mean.thank you.
2008年6月17日火曜日
Lazy Jack
http://storynory.com/2008/04/21/lazy-jack/
Once upon a time there was a boy whose name was Jack,
and he lived with his mother in a dreary cottage.
dreary:dull and making you feel sad or bored
dull:not interesting or exciting
They were very poor, and the old woman earned a few pennies by spinning,
spin: to make cotton, wool etc into thread by twisting it
but Jack was so lazy that he would do nothing but bask in the sun in the hot weather,
bask:to enjoy sitting or lying in the heat of the sun or a fire
and sit by the corner of the fire in the winter time.
His mother could not make him do anything for her,
and until at last she warned him that if he did not begin to work for his porridge,
porridge: that are cooked with milk or water and served hot for breakfast[= oatmeal American English]
she would turn him out of the house to get his living as best he could.
I am lazy too.
I often say "Next time I will".
It is not good.
I have question.
I don't understand this meaning.
"and as he was coming him he lost it as he passed over a stream. "
please teach me.
Once upon a time there was a boy whose name was Jack,
and he lived with his mother in a dreary cottage.
dreary:dull and making you feel sad or bored
dull:not interesting or exciting
They were very poor, and the old woman earned a few pennies by spinning,
spin: to make cotton, wool etc into thread by twisting it
but Jack was so lazy that he would do nothing but bask in the sun in the hot weather,
bask:to enjoy sitting or lying in the heat of the sun or a fire
and sit by the corner of the fire in the winter time.
His mother could not make him do anything for her,
and until at last she warned him that if he did not begin to work for his porridge,
porridge: that are cooked with milk or water and served hot for breakfast[= oatmeal American English]
she would turn him out of the house to get his living as best he could.
This threat finally stirred Jack,
stir:to make someone start doing something
and he went out and found a job for the day working for on a farm.
The farmer paid him one penny, but he was not used to having money,
and as he was coming him he lost it as he passed over a stream.
stream:a natural flow of water that moves across the land and is narrower than a river
narrow:measuring only a small distance from one side to the other, especially in relation to the length [≠ wide; ↪ broad]
“You stupid boy,” said his mother, “you should have put it in your pocket.”
“Next time I will,” replied Jack.
The next day Jack went out again, and found a job with a cowkeeper,
who gave him a jar of milk for his day’s work.
Jack took the jar and put it into the large pocket of his jacket,
spilling it all, long before he got home.
“Dear me!” said the old woman; “you should have carried it on ‘ head.”
dear:used to show that you are surprised, upset, or annoyed because something bad has happened
“Next time I will,” replied Jack.
The following day Jack found a job with a farmer,
who agreed to give him a cream cheese for his work.
In the evening, Jack took the cheese, and went home with it on his head.
By the time he got home the cheese was completely spoiled,
part of it being lost, and part matted with his hair.
“You good-for-nothing boy,” said his mother,
good-for-nothing:a good-for-nothing person is lazy and useless
“you should have carried it very carefully in your hands.”
“Next time, I will,” replied Jack.
The day after this Jack again went out, and found a job with a baker,
who would give him nothing for his work but a large tom-cat.
Jack took the cat, and began carrying it very carefully in his hands,
but in a short time Tommy scratched him so much that he was forced to let it go.
scratch:to rub your skin with your nails because it feels uncomfortable
rub:to move your hand, or something such as a cloth, backwards and forwards over a surface while pressing firmly
firm:not completely hard, but not soft, and not easy to bend into a different shape
When he got home, his mother said to him,
“You silly fellow, you should have tied it with a string, and dragged it along after you.”
silly:not sensible, or showing bad judgment
fellow:people that you work with, study with, or who are in the same situation as you
string:a strong thread made of several threads twisted together, used for tying or fastening things [↪ rope]
drag:to pull someone somewhere where they do not want to go, in a way that is not gentle
“Next time I will” said Jack.
I am lazy too.
I often say "Next time I will".
It is not good.
I have question.
I don't understand this meaning.
"and as he was coming him he lost it as he passed over a stream. "
please teach me.
2008年6月12日木曜日
Village Green
Village Green by The Kinks
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/k/kinks/village+green_20079211.html
Out in the country
Far from all the soot and noise of the city
soot:black powder that is produced when something is burnt
There's a village green
It's been a long time
Since I last set eyes on the church with the steeple
steeple:a tall pointed tower on the roof of a church
Down by the village green
'Twas there I met a girl called Daisy
twas:it was
And kissed her by the old oak tree
Although I loved my Daisy
I saw fame and so I left the village green
fame:the state of being known about by a lot of people because of your achievements
I miss the village green and all the simple people
I miss the village green,The church, the clock, the steeple
I miss the morning dew, fresh air and sunday school
dew:the small drops of water that form on outdoor surfaces during the night
And now all the houses are rare antiquities
antiquity:the state of being very old
American tourists flock to see the village green
flock:they go there in large numbers because something interesting or exciting is happening there
They snap their photographs and say "gawd darn it,Isnt it a pretty scene? "
gawd:used in writing to represent the word 'God' when it is said in this way as an expression of surprise, fear etc
darn:used to show that you are annoyed or disappointed
And Daisy's married tom the grocer boy
grocer:someone who owns or works in a shop that sells food and other things used in the home
And now he owns a grocery
I miss the village green and all the simple people
I miss the village green,The church, the clock, the steeple
I miss the morning dew, fresh air and sunday school
And I will return there
And I'll and Daisy
And well sip tea, laugh
sip:to drink something slowly, taking very small mouthfuls
And talk about the village green
We will laugh and talk about the village green
I like the album contains this song.
so I study.
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/k/kinks/village+green_20079211.html
Out in the country
Far from all the soot and noise of the city
soot:black powder that is produced when something is burnt
There's a village green
It's been a long time
Since I last set eyes on the church with the steeple
steeple:a tall pointed tower on the roof of a church
Down by the village green
'Twas there I met a girl called Daisy
twas:it was
And kissed her by the old oak tree
Although I loved my Daisy
I saw fame and so I left the village green
fame:the state of being known about by a lot of people because of your achievements
I miss the village green and all the simple people
I miss the village green,The church, the clock, the steeple
I miss the morning dew, fresh air and sunday school
dew:the small drops of water that form on outdoor surfaces during the night
And now all the houses are rare antiquities
antiquity:the state of being very old
American tourists flock to see the village green
flock:they go there in large numbers because something interesting or exciting is happening there
They snap their photographs and say "gawd darn it,Isnt it a pretty scene? "
gawd:used in writing to represent the word 'God' when it is said in this way as an expression of surprise, fear etc
darn:used to show that you are annoyed or disappointed
And Daisy's married tom the grocer boy
grocer:someone who owns or works in a shop that sells food and other things used in the home
And now he owns a grocery
I miss the village green and all the simple people
I miss the village green,The church, the clock, the steeple
I miss the morning dew, fresh air and sunday school
And I will return there
And I'll and Daisy
And well sip tea, laugh
sip:to drink something slowly, taking very small mouthfuls
And talk about the village green
We will laugh and talk about the village green
I like the album contains this song.
so I study.
2008年6月10日火曜日
The Minotaur
http://storynory.com/2008/06/09/the-minotaur/
A long time ago – almost before history began – King Minos ruled the lovely island of Crete.
The father of Minos was none other than Zeus, lord of all the gods,
and he made sure that his son’s wealth and power only grew and grew.
A long time ago – almost before history began – King Minos ruled the lovely island of Crete.
The father of Minos was none other than Zeus, lord of all the gods,
and he made sure that his son’s wealth and power only grew and grew.
Minos built a navy, and his ships sailed far and wide,
sail:to travel on or across an area of water in a boat or ship
bringing back goods, taxes, and something even more important than those – knowledge.
For instance, when Minos wanted to build a palace that would strike awe
for instance:for example
strike:if something strikes you, you think of it, notice it, or realize that it is important, interesting, true etc
awe:a feeling of great respect and liking for someone or something
and wonder into all who laid eyes on it, he asked his sea captain :
“Of all the palaces you have seen, on all your travels over the seas,
which was the most magnificent?”
magnificent:very good or beautiful, and very impressive
And the sea captain replied:
“Your majesty, the palace of Aegeus , King of Athens,
majesty:used when talking to or about a king or quee
surpasses all others for its beauty and grace.
surpass:to be even better or greater than someone or something else
It was designed by Deadalus and the Athenians boast
boast:something that you like telling people because you are proud of it
that he is the most brilliant architect who has ever lived.”
architect:something that you like telling people because you are proud of it
When he heard this, King Minos ordered the sea captain to fetch Deadalus to Crete.
fetch:to go and get something or someone and bring them back
The sea captain sailed to Athens and told King Aegeus that Minos had need of his chief architect
– and as Minos was the most powerful leader of those times,
King Aegeus could not deny him his wish.
And so Daedalus brought his knowledge and great skill to Crete,
and there he designed a wonderful palace for Minos.
It was built on three floors, which was very high for buildings of those days,
and the bathrooms and kitchens had plumbing that was far ahead of the times.
plumbing:the pipes that water flows through in a building
Everywhere you went inside,
you saw the double headed axe of King Minos which was his symbol of power.
Upstairs, the walls were covered with bright pictures of dances and festivities.
On them, you could see the young men and women of Crete leaping over the horns of bulls.
leap:to jump high into the air or to jump in order to land in a different place
It a dangerous sport indeed, but the Cretens loved to show off their skill and bravery.
indeed:used to introduce an additional statement that emphasizes or supports what you have just said
emphasize:to say something in a strong way
I don' t know what is mean "wonder into all who laid eyes on it, he asked his sea captain".
please teach me.
2008年6月4日水曜日
Penny Lane
Penny Lane by The Beatles
Penny Lane there is a barber showing photographs,
Penny Lane:the name of a street in the Liverpool
Of every head he's had the pleasure to know,
And all the people that come and go, stop and say hello
On the corner is a banker with a motor car,
The little children laugh at him behind his back
And the banker never wears a "mac" in the pouring rain, very strange
mac: a coat which you wear to keep out the rain[= mackintosh]
Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes,
Wet beneath the blue suburban skies
beneath:in or to a lower position than something, or directly under something [= underneath]
suburban:related to a suburb, or in a suburb
suburb:an area where people live which is away from the centre of a town or city
I sit and meanwhile back,
meanwhile:while something else is happening
In Penny Lane there is a fireman with an hourglass,
hourglass:a glass container for measuring time in which sand moves slowly from the top half to the bottom in exactly one hour
And in his pocket is a portrait of the Queen
portrait:a painting, drawing, or photograph of a person
He likes to keep his fire engine clean, it's clean machine
Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes, full of fish and finger pies,
Full of fish and finger pies:
http://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1413693919
In summer meanwhile back
Behind the shelter in the middle of the roundabout
shelter:a place to live, considered as one of the basic needs of life
roundabout:a raised circular area where three or more roads join together and which cars must drive around [= traffic circle American English]
A pretty nurse is selling poppies from a tray
poppies: a plant that has brightly coloured, usually red, flowers and small black seeds
And though she feels as if she's in a play, she is anyway
Penny Lane, the barber shaves another customer
We see the banker sitting waiting for a trim
trim:when something is cut to make it look neater
And then the fireman rushes in, from the pouring rain, very strange
rush:to move very quickly, especially because you need to be somewhere very soon
Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes,
Wet beneath the blue suburban skies
I sit and meanwhile back
Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes,
There beneath the blue suburban skies Penny Lane
this is my favorite song in the beatles.
I feel that the lyrics doesn't have meaning much.
but I studied, I think that difference between the US English and UK English a little.
I don't know what to say.
US is straight ball.
Uk is breaking ball.
Maybe it is not true.
Penny Lane there is a barber showing photographs,
Penny Lane:the name of a street in the Liverpool
Of every head he's had the pleasure to know,
And all the people that come and go, stop and say hello
On the corner is a banker with a motor car,
The little children laugh at him behind his back
And the banker never wears a "mac" in the pouring rain, very strange
mac: a coat which you wear to keep out the rain[= mackintosh]
Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes,
Wet beneath the blue suburban skies
beneath:in or to a lower position than something, or directly under something [= underneath]
suburban:related to a suburb, or in a suburb
suburb:an area where people live which is away from the centre of a town or city
I sit and meanwhile back,
meanwhile:while something else is happening
In Penny Lane there is a fireman with an hourglass,
hourglass:a glass container for measuring time in which sand moves slowly from the top half to the bottom in exactly one hour
And in his pocket is a portrait of the Queen
portrait:a painting, drawing, or photograph of a person
He likes to keep his fire engine clean, it's clean machine
Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes, full of fish and finger pies,
Full of fish and finger pies:
http://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q1413693919
In summer meanwhile back
Behind the shelter in the middle of the roundabout
shelter:a place to live, considered as one of the basic needs of life
roundabout:a raised circular area where three or more roads join together and which cars must drive around [= traffic circle American English]
A pretty nurse is selling poppies from a tray
poppies: a plant that has brightly coloured, usually red, flowers and small black seeds
And though she feels as if she's in a play, she is anyway
Penny Lane, the barber shaves another customer
We see the banker sitting waiting for a trim
trim:when something is cut to make it look neater
And then the fireman rushes in, from the pouring rain, very strange
rush:to move very quickly, especially because you need to be somewhere very soon
Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes,
Wet beneath the blue suburban skies
I sit and meanwhile back
Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes,
There beneath the blue suburban skies Penny Lane
this is my favorite song in the beatles.
I feel that the lyrics doesn't have meaning much.
but I studied, I think that difference between the US English and UK English a little.
I don't know what to say.
US is straight ball.
Uk is breaking ball.
Maybe it is not true.
2008年5月27日火曜日
Mars lander sends photos from Red Planet's arctic
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/05/26/mars.lander/index.html#cnnSTCText
"We are not going to be able to answer the final question of is there life on Mars," said Smith,
an optical scientist with the University of Arizona.
optical:relating to machines or processes which are concerned with light, images, or the way we see things
"We will take the next important step.
We'll find out if there's organic material associated with this ice in the polar regions.
organic:living, or produced by or from living things
polar:close to or relating to the North Pole or the South Pole
North Pole:the most northern point on the surface of the Earth
region:a large area of a country or of the world, usually without exact limits
Ice is a preserver, and if there ever were organics on Mars and they got into that ice,
they will still be there today."
The twin to the Mars Polar Lander spacecraft,
land:to make a plane move safely down onto the ground at the end of a journey
spacecraft:a vehicle that is able to travel in space
Phoenix was supposed to travel to Mars in 2001 as the Mars Surveyor spacecraft.
Phoenix:the capital and largest city of Arizona, US. It as an extremely hot city that is growing very quickly, because many old people go there to live.
extremely:to a very great degree
surveyor:someone whose job is to examine the condition of a building, or to measure and record the details of an area of land
They were originally part of the "better, faster, cheaper" program, formulated by then
formulate:to develop something such as a plan or a set of rules, and decide all the details of how it will be done
then:used when mentioning the person who had a particular job, title, or position at a time in the past
-NASA Administrator Dan Goldin to beef up planetary exploration on a lean budget.
beef something ↔ up:
planetary:｛わくせい｝｛きどう｝惑星の、軌道を回る(I couldn't seach difinition in English.)
exploration:the act of travelling through a place in order to find out about it or find something such as oil or gold in it
lean:thin in a healthy and attractive way
attractive:someone who is attractive is good looking, especially in a way that makes you sexually interested in them
I'm interested in the news.
I want to go to Mars.So I hope that NASA keeps working.
2008年5月26日月曜日
Like A Rolling Stone
Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan
Once upon a time you dressed so fine
You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?
bums:someone, especially a man, who has no home or job, and who asks people for money
prime:the time in your life when you are strongest and most active
People'd call, say, "Beware doll, you're bound to fall"
beware:used to warn someone to be careful because something is dangerous
doll:a word meaning an attractive young woman - now usually considered offensive
bind:to tie someone so that they cannot move or escape
You thought they were all kiddin' you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin' out
hang out:to spend a lot of time in a particular place or with particular people
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging for your next meal.
scrounge:to get money or something you want by asking other people for it rather than by paying for it yourself
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
You've gone to the finest school all right, Miss Lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced in it
juice:juice something ↔ up
to make something more interesting or exciting
And nobody has ever taught you how to live on the street
And now you find out you're gonna have to get used to it
You said you'd never compromise
compromise:to reach an agreement in which everyone involved accepts less that what they wanted at first
With the mystery tramp, but now you realize
tramp:someone who has no home or job and moves from place to place, often asking for food or money
He's not selling any alibis
alibis:something that proves that someone was not where a crime happened and therefore could not have done it
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
vacuum:a space that is completely empty of all gas, especially one from which all the air has been taken away
in a vacuum:existing completely separately from other people or things and having no connection with them
And ask him do you want to make a deal?
deal:an agreement or arrangement, especially in business or politics, that helps both sides involved
I read the lyrics today with the Longman Dictionary.
but I can't understand difference of meaning of bum and tramp.
Are these words same things?
and I can't understand clearly meaning of "juice".
please teach me.
Once upon a time you dressed so fine
You threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?
bums:someone, especially a man, who has no home or job, and who asks people for money
prime:the time in your life when you are strongest and most active
People'd call, say, "Beware doll, you're bound to fall"
beware:used to warn someone to be careful because something is dangerous
doll:a word meaning an attractive young woman - now usually considered offensive
bind:to tie someone so that they cannot move or escape
You thought they were all kiddin' you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin' out
hang out:to spend a lot of time in a particular place or with particular people
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging for your next meal.
scrounge:to get money or something you want by asking other people for it rather than by paying for it yourself
How does it feel
How does it feel
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone?
You've gone to the finest school all right, Miss Lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced in it
juice:juice something ↔ up
to make something more interesting or exciting
And nobody has ever taught you how to live on the street
And now you find out you're gonna have to get used to it
You said you'd never compromise
compromise:to reach an agreement in which everyone involved accepts less that what they wanted at first
With the mystery tramp, but now you realize
tramp:someone who has no home or job and moves from place to place, often asking for food or money
He's not selling any alibis
alibis:something that proves that someone was not where a crime happened and therefore could not have done it
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
vacuum:a space that is completely empty of all gas, especially one from which all the air has been taken away
in a vacuum:existing completely separately from other people or things and having no connection with them
And ask him do you want to make a deal?
deal:an agreement or arrangement, especially in business or politics, that helps both sides involved
I read the lyrics today with the Longman Dictionary.
but I can't understand difference of meaning of bum and tramp.
Are these words same things?
and I can't understand clearly meaning of "juice".
please teach me.
2008年5月20日火曜日
The Golden Goose
http://storynory.com/2008/05/12/the-golden-goose/
単語
cruel:むごい、ひどい
srt out:（仕事に）出発する
swig:がぶがぶ飲む
thirsty:のどが渇く
off with you:消え失せろ
filthy:不潔な
beggar:乞食
curse:呪い
axe:斧
limp:足を引きずる
bandage:包帯をする
Once upon a time, there lived a wood-cutter and his wife who had three sons.
昔々、そこではきこりと彼の妻と３人の息子の家族が住んでいました。
The eldest two were strong and tall,
長男と次男はたくましくて背が高く
and their mother and father were always telling them how handsome and clever they were.
また、両親は彼らにどのようにしてハンサムで賢くなれるかを常に言ってきました。
But the youngest son was, to tell you the truth, just a bit simple in the head.
しかし末っ子は実を言うとちょっと頭がよくありません。
He wasn’t very tall, and he wasn’t very strong, and his family thought he was good for nothing.
彼は背も高くなく、たくましくなく、家族は彼に対して何も役に立たないと思っていました。
They hardly ever called him by his real name,
家族は彼の本当の名前を呼ぶことは今までにほとんどありませんでした。
but instead they gave him a cruel nickname.
しかしその代わりにひどいニックネームをつけました。
They called him Dummy, because they said he was stupid.
家族はダミーと呼びました、それは彼は馬鹿だと言ったからでした。
One day the eldest son wanted to go to the forest to cut wood.
ある日長男は森へ木を切りに行きたがりました。
The mother praised him for being such a useful boy and before he set out,
母親は彼が出発する前にそのように役に立つ息子に育ってくれたことを褒めました。
she gave him some of her best fruit cake for his lunch, and a bottle of wine to wash it down.
母親は彼にいくつか良く出来たフルーツケーキとランチを持たせ、ワインの瓶を洗いに降りました。
While the boy was walking through the forest, he met a little grey old man who said to him:
“Do give me a little piece of you cake and a swig of your wine.
I’m so terribly hungry and thirsty.”
And the eldest son replied;
“Be off with you, you filthy old beggar. “
And the little grey old man went away, but not without taking his revenge.
He put a curse on the boy, so that when he started to cut a tree down,
his axe slipped and went into his leg.
The boy limped home to his mother who washed his wound and bandaged him.
I changed approach.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Online is useful for me.
This family are cruel to youngest son.
but I like this story.
単語
cruel:むごい、ひどい
srt out:（仕事に）出発する
swig:がぶがぶ飲む
thirsty:のどが渇く
off with you:消え失せろ
filthy:不潔な
beggar:乞食
curse:呪い
axe:斧
limp:足を引きずる
bandage:包帯をする
Once upon a time, there lived a wood-cutter and his wife who had three sons.
昔々、そこではきこりと彼の妻と３人の息子の家族が住んでいました。
The eldest two were strong and tall,
長男と次男はたくましくて背が高く
and their mother and father were always telling them how handsome and clever they were.
また、両親は彼らにどのようにしてハンサムで賢くなれるかを常に言ってきました。
But the youngest son was, to tell you the truth, just a bit simple in the head.
しかし末っ子は実を言うとちょっと頭がよくありません。
He wasn’t very tall, and he wasn’t very strong, and his family thought he was good for nothing.
彼は背も高くなく、たくましくなく、家族は彼に対して何も役に立たないと思っていました。
They hardly ever called him by his real name,
家族は彼の本当の名前を呼ぶことは今までにほとんどありませんでした。
but instead they gave him a cruel nickname.
しかしその代わりにひどいニックネームをつけました。
They called him Dummy, because they said he was stupid.
家族はダミーと呼びました、それは彼は馬鹿だと言ったからでした。
One day the eldest son wanted to go to the forest to cut wood.
ある日長男は森へ木を切りに行きたがりました。
The mother praised him for being such a useful boy and before he set out,
母親は彼が出発する前にそのように役に立つ息子に育ってくれたことを褒めました。
she gave him some of her best fruit cake for his lunch, and a bottle of wine to wash it down.
母親は彼にいくつか良く出来たフルーツケーキとランチを持たせ、ワインの瓶を洗いに降りました。
While the boy was walking through the forest, he met a little grey old man who said to him:
“Do give me a little piece of you cake and a swig of your wine.
I’m so terribly hungry and thirsty.”
And the eldest son replied;
“Be off with you, you filthy old beggar. “
And the little grey old man went away, but not without taking his revenge.
He put a curse on the boy, so that when he started to cut a tree down,
his axe slipped and went into his leg.
The boy limped home to his mother who washed his wound and bandaged him.
I changed approach.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English Online is useful for me.
This family are cruel to youngest son.
but I like this story.
2008年4月22日火曜日
Aladdin’s Lamp
http://storynory.com/2006/11/19/aladdins-lamp/
単語
farther:さらに遠く
disguise:変装して
lit:lightの過去形
tremble:揺れ動く
bolder:より大胆な
cave:洞穴
opening:すきま
“We will go no farther,” said the false uncle
「私たちはさらに遠くまではいかないだろう」と偽のおじさんが言った。
- for in truth he was not Aladdin’s relative, but an African magician in disguise.
彼はアフリカの魔術師が変装しただけで本当はアラジンの親戚ではない。
“I will show you something wonderful”; he said.
「君になにか素晴らしいものをみせてあげよう」と彼は言った。
The magician lit a fire and threw some powder on it while saying some magical words.
その魔術師は火をつけ魔法の言葉を言っている間になにか粉を投げた。
The earth trembled a little and a large bolder rolled to one side.
地球が少し揺れ動きそして辺が大きく大胆にとどろきはじめた。
Aladdin saw a flight of steps leading down into a dark cave.
アラジンは逃げていく足が暗い洞穴の中へ導いていっているのをみた。
The opening was just large enough for a boy to pass through,
そのすきまはちょうど少年が通り過ぎるのには十分な広さだった。
but plainly the magician, who was rather fat, would not have managed to enter the cave himself.
しかし明らかに魔術師はどちらかと言えば太っていて、彼自身洞穴の中へ入ることはできなかっただろう。
“Go down”, commanded the magician,
「下りろ」魔術師は命令した。
“at the foot of those steps you will find an open door leading into three large halls.
「３つの大きなホールへ導くドアをその足でおまえは見つけるだろう。
Pass through them without touching anything, or you will die instantly.
何も触らずに通り過ぎないと、おまえはすぐに死ぬだろう。
These halls lead into a garden of fine fruit trees.
そこのホールは立派な果物の木がある庭へ導く。
Walk on until you come to table upon which stands a lighted lamp.
歩けばやがて火のついたランプが乗っているテーブルへたどり着く。
Pour out the oil it contains, and bring it to me.”
ランプの中にある油を注ぎだし、私のところまで持ってこい。」
This story is difficult for me.
I don't understand "flight of steps" and "at the foot of those steps ".
"The magician lit a fire and threw some powder on it while saying some magical words."
I don't know what is meaning of "it"
I think "it" is some powder.
but I think "it" might be a fire.
単語
farther:さらに遠く
disguise:変装して
lit:lightの過去形
tremble:揺れ動く
bolder:より大胆な
cave:洞穴
opening:すきま
“We will go no farther,” said the false uncle
「私たちはさらに遠くまではいかないだろう」と偽のおじさんが言った。
- for in truth he was not Aladdin’s relative, but an African magician in disguise.
彼はアフリカの魔術師が変装しただけで本当はアラジンの親戚ではない。
“I will show you something wonderful”; he said.
「君になにか素晴らしいものをみせてあげよう」と彼は言った。
The magician lit a fire and threw some powder on it while saying some magical words.
その魔術師は火をつけ魔法の言葉を言っている間になにか粉を投げた。
The earth trembled a little and a large bolder rolled to one side.
地球が少し揺れ動きそして辺が大きく大胆にとどろきはじめた。
Aladdin saw a flight of steps leading down into a dark cave.
アラジンは逃げていく足が暗い洞穴の中へ導いていっているのをみた。
The opening was just large enough for a boy to pass through,
そのすきまはちょうど少年が通り過ぎるのには十分な広さだった。
but plainly the magician, who was rather fat, would not have managed to enter the cave himself.
しかし明らかに魔術師はどちらかと言えば太っていて、彼自身洞穴の中へ入ることはできなかっただろう。
“Go down”, commanded the magician,
「下りろ」魔術師は命令した。
“at the foot of those steps you will find an open door leading into three large halls.
「３つの大きなホールへ導くドアをその足でおまえは見つけるだろう。
Pass through them without touching anything, or you will die instantly.
何も触らずに通り過ぎないと、おまえはすぐに死ぬだろう。
These halls lead into a garden of fine fruit trees.
そこのホールは立派な果物の木がある庭へ導く。
Walk on until you come to table upon which stands a lighted lamp.
歩けばやがて火のついたランプが乗っているテーブルへたどり着く。
Pour out the oil it contains, and bring it to me.”
ランプの中にある油を注ぎだし、私のところまで持ってこい。」
This story is difficult for me.
I don't understand "flight of steps" and "at the foot of those steps ".
"The magician lit a fire and threw some powder on it while saying some magical words."
I don't know what is meaning of "it"
I think "it" is some powder.
but I think "it" might be a fire.
2008年4月15日火曜日
The Homecoming of Odysseus
http://storynory.com/2008/04/07/the-homecoming-of-odysseus/
単語
clamber:（骨折って）よじ登る
bush:茂み
sea-tossed:海に揺られる
branch:枝
squeal:金切り声をあげる
mortal:死ぬ運命にある
wreck:難破する
He clambered out of the bushes, covering his naked, sea-tossed body with leafy branches.
彼は裸で葉のついた枝と一緒に海に揺られ茂みの中からよじ登ってでてきた。
The servant girls let out squeals when they saw him
召使の女の子が彼を見た瞬間金切り声をあげた。
– but Princess Nausicaa calmly asked him who he was and how he came to be there.
しかしナウジカ王妃は彼に誰なのか、どこから来たのかを穏やかに尋ねた。
The stranger replied:
男は答えた：
“Princess. Your beauty is so great –are you a goddess or a mere mortal?
「王妃、あなたはとても美しい、あなたは女神もしくは死ぬ運命にあるのではないですか？
In either case, I stand here at your mercy.
いずれにしても、あなたの慈悲でここに立っています。
My ship was wrecked in the great storm last night.
私の船は昨夜の大嵐のせいで難破してしまいました。
My crew are drowned and I have lost everything.”
私の乗組員たちも溺れ、私もなにもかも失ってしましました。」
He is so cool.
I can't say that "Princess. Your beauty is so great -are you a goddess or a mere mortal?"
It was difficult for me that translated first text.
単語
clamber:（骨折って）よじ登る
bush:茂み
sea-tossed:海に揺られる
branch:枝
squeal:金切り声をあげる
mortal:死ぬ運命にある
wreck:難破する
He clambered out of the bushes, covering his naked, sea-tossed body with leafy branches.
彼は裸で葉のついた枝と一緒に海に揺られ茂みの中からよじ登ってでてきた。
The servant girls let out squeals when they saw him
召使の女の子が彼を見た瞬間金切り声をあげた。
– but Princess Nausicaa calmly asked him who he was and how he came to be there.
しかしナウジカ王妃は彼に誰なのか、どこから来たのかを穏やかに尋ねた。
The stranger replied:
男は答えた：
“Princess. Your beauty is so great –are you a goddess or a mere mortal?
「王妃、あなたはとても美しい、あなたは女神もしくは死ぬ運命にあるのではないですか？
In either case, I stand here at your mercy.
いずれにしても、あなたの慈悲でここに立っています。
My ship was wrecked in the great storm last night.
私の船は昨夜の大嵐のせいで難破してしまいました。
My crew are drowned and I have lost everything.”
私の乗組員たちも溺れ、私もなにもかも失ってしましました。」
He is so cool.
I can't say that "Princess. Your beauty is so great -are you a goddess or a mere mortal?"
It was difficult for me that translated first text.
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