TRAVEL NEWS WIRE…
New Tokyo-Houston direct flights Japan’s All Nippon Airways has started daily flights between Tokyo’s Narita Airport and Houston, Texas. The flights will use Boeing 777 planes with seating capacity of roughly 250 passengers. Texas is one of the top three states in the U.S. for economic growth, (2014 growth= 5.8%). Texas accounts for 10% of total U.S. GDP. ANA hopes to satisfy demand for Japanese business travellers visiting Houston, as well as those transiting from Houston to various cities in Mexico and the rest of Latin America.
THIS WEEK’S NATURAL PHRASE
chilly
Rita: How are things with Craig, your new boyfriend?
Melanie: Well, he wanted us to go on a trip with his parents, but I didn’t want them to come along. I just wanted to go on vacation as a couple. So we had an argument and now things are really chilly between us.
Rita: I’m sorry to hear that. I hope that the situation thaws quickly.
Explanation: When two people are not talking to each other very much, we say the situation is “chilly” or “cold.” But if the situation gets better, we can say there is a “thaw,” like the ice melting at the end of the winter.
thaw : 緊張緩和・溶ける
THIS WEEK’S MEDICAL PHRASE
dominant hand
Patient: I sprained my left wrist last week after falling from a ladder while painting my house. I thought it would get better, but it still hurts really bad.
Doctor: Is your left hand your dominant hand?
Patient: Yes, I use it to write and paint.
Explanation: The “dominant hand” is the hand that we use for most activities. We can also say that someone is “right-handed” or “left-handed” to explain which hand is the dominant hand.
THIS WEEK’S BUSINESS/EMAIL PHRASE
spending spree
Dear Andrew:
We’ve purchased two companies and opened up five new offices, all in the past year. It’s been a fabulous expansion, but we’re running out of money. This spending spree has to come to an end. Please stop all new expenditures immediately.
Explanation: A “spending spree” is when a person or a company goes out and spends a lot of money by making many purchases. The term “spending spree” can have either a positive or a negative meaning.