2010年6月21日月曜日

Chapter 10 to 11

1: onward[only before noun]

*context*
The rate floated slowly onward.

*definition*
moving forward or continuing.



2: sort

*context*
I wanted to know what sort of place I was in.

*definition*
a group or class of people,things etc that have similar qualities or features.



3: continent

*context*
I wondered whether I was on an island or on a continent.

*definition*
a large mass of land surrounded by sea.








[About 1:onward]

Longman Dictionary says "onward" is used only before noun.
But,this context is different.
Why??

And,what is the deifference "forward" and "onward"??

2010年6月1日火曜日

Chapter 10

1:rusty

*context*
There ware also two old swords very rusty and dull.

*definition*
metal that is rusty is covered in RUST.
[If you are rusty,you are not as good at something as you used to be,because you have not practiced it for a long time]



2:sand bar

*context*
There the raft stuck fast on an ugly sand bar.

*definition*
a long pile of sand in a river or the ocean,formed by the movement of the water.



3:shallow

*context*
The water was now so shallow that I could reach the bottom.

*definition*
Measuring only a short distance from the top to the bottom.






Now,I finished read Chapter 1 to 10.
I will try to listen all of I had read again,without reading text.
[in my free time :)]

Can I listen to them smooth?? :)

2010年5月31日月曜日

Chapter9

1:timber,deck

*context*
There were several long piece of timber on the deck.

*definition*
timber:wood used for building or making things.
deck:the outside top level of a ship that you can walk or sit on.



2:framework

*context*
They formed a framework that was strong and would not sink.

*definition*
the main supporting parts of a building,vehicle,or object.



3:carpenter

*context*
I happened to see the carpenter's chest.

*definition*
someone whose job is making and repairing wooden objects.

2010年5月24日月曜日

Chapter7~8

1: knelt [kneel]

*context*
I knelt down and took a long drink,for I was very thirsty.

*definition*
to be in or move into a position where your body is resting on your knees.


2: high tide

*context*
The high tide had lifted her off the sand.

*definition*
the point or time at which the sea reaches ite highest level.


3: upright

*context*
I could see that the good ship stood upright...

*definition*
standing or sitting straight up.








In chapter 8,
"To my great wonder..." I couldn't understand it.
When do you use it??



There are many new words for me in chapter 8.
Before I take this class,I used only English-Japanese Dictionary when I found new words.
But now,I think useing English Dictionary is very interesting!
Sometime,catching appropriate mean is hard for me.
But when I understand the mean in English,I'm so happy:)

2010年5月18日火曜日

Chapter 6 [Robinson Crusoe for Children]

1:hold breath

*context*
I held my breath and waited.
I held my breath and tried to swim.

*definition*
to deliberately not breathe out for a short time.
[ex] Hold your breath and count to ten.


2:farther

*context*
I could feel myself carried farther and farther toward the dry land.

*definition*
[ far/farther/farthest ]
a great distance than before or than something else.


3:struck out

*context*
I struck out with all my might for the dry land.

*definition*
to start walking or swimming in a particular direction,especially in a determined way.






When I was looking up "hold breath" on Longman English Dictionary Online,
there was a definition that I cannot understand well.

[ not hold your breath ]
used to say that you do not expect something to happen, even though someone has said it well.
[ex: He promised he'd phone,but I'm not holding my breath.]

Why do they say "hold my breath" when they mean "cannot expect"?

2010年4月26日月曜日

Robinson Crusoe for Children

I'm reading "Robinson Crusoe for Children" now.
So,I'll write down some words and sentences that I don't understand.


1:made up my mind

*context*
I was so tired of it that I made up my mind to try something else.

*definition*
to decide what your opinion is about someone or something.



2:reckon

*context*
We reckoned that each one of these would buy a slave.

*definition*
to calculate an amount


3:swallow up

*context*
We were swallowed up by the waves.

*definition*
if something is swallowed up, it disappears because something covers it or hides it




I have only read 5chapters yet.
Maybe I need a lots of time to finish this story...
Because I meet many many new words.

But Listening English story is very interesting for me.
So I read it step by step :)

2010年4月19日月曜日

About "How to Learn English"

【a】Words

1: Overemphasized

*Context*
Studying grammar may be helpful at times but, in Japan, grammar is often overemphasized while students do not have sufficient opportunities to get used to English.

*Definition*
to give something more importance than it deserves or than is suitable


2: Recall

*Context*
If you can do this, you probably will not need to try to recall the definition you found in your dictionary.

*Definition*
Remember Something
---to remember a particular fact, event, or situation from the past


3: Equivalents

*Context*
Memorizing Japanese equivalents for English words does not work well for two reasons.

*Definition*
having the same value, purpose, job etc as a person or thing of a different kind



【c】

In this essay,"Words are like friends" made an impression on me.
Knowing a word likes to know new friends.
I like the phrase:To get to know a word well, you need to "meet" it in many different situations.
I want to "meet" many words in many books.