[143] Snow sculptors gather in Japan

TRAVEL NEWS WIRE…

Snow sculptors gather in Japan Some of the World’s best snow sculptors have assembled in Sapporo on the northern island of Hokkaido for the 66th annual Sapporo Snow Festival. Featured sculputes this year include a giant Star Wars sculpture made by the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, and an Orca family made by a team from Portland, Oregon. The Festival runs from February 5th through the 11th.

THIS WEEK’S NATURAL PHRASE

open question

Helen: Are you going to spend Golden Week in Hawaii or in Scandinavia?

Karen: That’s an open question. My husband wants to go to Sweden to see the Northern Lights, but I want to relax on the beach in Maui. Yesterday we got into a big fight about it, and nothing was decided.

Explanation: When we say that something is an “open question” it means that the question still doesn’t have any answer. Sometimes it’s a polite way of saying that people are arguing about the answer.

THIS WEEK’S MEDICAL PHRASE

do the rounds

Doctor Huang: Can you come to the staff meeting today?

Doctor Larsen: I have to do the rounds first, and some of my patients may need some follow-up care. I might be an hour late.

Doctor Huang: We have some important items on the agenda. Don’t be too late!

Explanation: When a doctor has to “do the rounds” it means they have to walk through their hospital ward and check on the status of each patient.

THIS WEEK’S EMAIL PHRASE

median

Dear Edward:

We calculated the age at which people buy their first mobile phone. The median age is 21. We should be advertising our products to a very young target market.

Explanation: The term “median value” or “median score” mean the middle number in a survey, with 50% of the values being higher, and 50% of the values being lower.