Zoom英会話クラス(火)

Lesson Notes September 1, 2026 (TUESDAY ZOOM)

Words & Phrases

• How much (does it cost) for one (bunch / bag) of spinach?

  • Most vegetables that are out of season are grown in greenhouses. (Sometimes you’ll hear “greenhouse grown (vegetables)” or “hothouse grown (vegetables)”)

• I was surprised to see so many flooded houses recently.

  • I can understand when a river floods, but cities flooding is a little strange don’t you think?

• Flash flood (Noun) = A sudden and destructive flood of water, usually caused by heavy rainfall in a short period of time

  • Heavy rains triggered a flash flood that quickly covered the mountain roads.

  • The local weather station issued a flash flood warning for all low-lying areas.

  • Never try to walk or drive through a flash flood because the water moves extremely fast.

• Sewage (Noun) = Waste water and excrement produced by human bodies and households or factories, carried away through underground pipes

  • The city built a new treatment plant to clean the sewage before it reaches the river.

  • Heavy rain caused raw sewage to overflow into the streets.

  • Pipes transport household sewage safely away from living areas.

• I realized after reading the book that the publisher’s (summary / blurb) was not exactly what the book was about.

• “Fork in the road” (phrase) = a critical moment or turning point where you must make a decision that will change the direction of your life, career, or project

  • After ten years at the company, I reached a fork in the road: stay in my safe job or start my own business.

  • The relationship hit a fork in the road when she was offered a job overseas.”

  • Many people in their 70’s face a fork in the road.

• “Convenience Store Woman” is a work of fiction, not a true story. However, it is heavily inspired by the author's real life.

Appropriate Language

• In the real world, an essayist is someone who writes literary, philosophical, or opinion-based non-fiction (like Joan Didion or Ralph Waldo Emerson).

  • Unless you are discussing literature, journalism, or publishing, you won't hear it much in daily life.

• Novelist = specifically writes fiction books/novels

• Author = someone who has their books professionally published

• Writer = an umbrella term for writing anything—articles, books, scripts