[172] Bad airplane behavior

TRAVEL NEWS WIRE…

Bad airplane behavior Flight attendants made a list on an internet site of mistakes that first-time travelers and even frequent travellers make while on the plane. The top things that annoy flight attendants are: Passengers who get up to go to the bathroom when the meal carts are in the aisles. (Advice: You should have gone before mealtime.) Handing diapers, toothpicks, or other dirty items to the flight attendants. (Advice: flight attendants cannot handle these items because they have to handle food later.) Passengers complaining that they have only 30 minutes for their flight connection: (Advice: You shouldn’t make such a tight connection. If you had a travel agent, they would tell you that.)

THIS WEEK’S NATURAL PHRASE

take a bite

Valerie: Should we ask the waiter to bring two large slices of cake for us?

Danielle: No, I’m not that hungry. Could I just take a bite of your cake?

Explanation: When we just want to try the taste of something, or eat a small part, we say we want to “take a bite” of the food.

“MEMO”
take a bite (verb): 一口喰う

THIS WEEK’S MEDICAL PHRASE

basal temperature

Patient: I heard that I can find out my chances of releasing an egg and getting pregnant just by checking my temperature. Is that true?

Doctor Young: Well, it’s partially true. But you have to check your basal temperature, which is your body temperature when you are at rest. You have to check the basal temperature before you get out of bed in the morning.

Explanation: The term “basal temperature” means the temperature of the human body just for basic heart and breathing functions. A person can check basal temperature by using a thermometer before getting out of bed in the morning.

“MEMO”
Basal temperature (noun): 基礎体温

THIS WEEK’S BUSINESS/EMAIL PHRASE

devalue the currency

Dear Chloe:

We have to check with our Chinese parts supplier about the prices for next year. It seems that the Chinese government is going to devalue the currency again, so the price of the yuan will go down. I think it should make the Chinese parts cheaper for us to buy.

Explanation: To “devalue” a currency is to bring down the value of that currency against other currencies. We can say for example “The Chinese government has devalued the yuan against the Japanese yen by 10%.”

“MEMO”
devalue (verb): 切り下げる
devaluation (noun): 切り下げ