Category: Vocabulary

No Phones in Pockets!

From Twitter:
Dr. J: Don’t do that.
Bo: _①_ my phone in my chest pocket?
Dr. J: Right.
Bo: Really?
Dr. J. You’ll get tumors in your chest. Not in your pants pocket either.
Bo: And headphones?
Dr. J:_ ②_them; don’t hold a phone near your head–nor a tablet or laptop on your lap.

Choices:
have
use
put

Photo: Tran Mau Tri Tam

Answer And Explanation:
① ‘Put‘ is the answer; though ‘have’ is okay, the emphasis in a “dos and don’ts” situation is usually on the beginning action, or the doing. In other words, we put something in a place before we have it in that place. So the ‘putting’ is a the “beginning” or causal action. Also, if you imagine a patient in a doctor’s office–after a physical exam– s/he probably puts the phone in his or her pocket in front of the doctor. So, the doctor’s saying “don’t do that” refers to something the person is “doing”, not “having.”

② ‘Use’ is the answer; there is no other sensible choice, here.

Working from Home

I like working from home.

From Twitter:
I like working from home, because I can save time ＿①＿ to the office.

Choices
a。from going
b。of going
c。to go

Photo: The Coherent Team

Answer and Explanations:
The answer is:
a. ‘from going to,’ because we are taking time out of, or “from” an activity.

b. If we wanted to use ‘of going’ we would need to be referring to a specific amount of time, so would need ‘the’ in front of it: ‘save the time of going.’

c. If we used ‘to go,’ the meaning changes to suggesting that we want to go to the office.

Whose Mask?

Is this mine or yours? It’s hers. Or–is it his?


Jo (a guy) and Mo (a gal) took ① masks off & left ②. Later they are confused as to who owns what, and Bo helps them sort it out.

Jo: Is this ③ mask or is it Mo’s?
Bo: It’s ④.
Jo: Where’s ⑤?
Bo: ⑥ here.
Jo: And yours?
Bo: ⑦ on me!
Mo (to Jo): Does Bo have ⑧ mask?
Jo: Yes ⑨ has it.

Choices
my
their
she
her
it’s
them
hers
mine
your

A


Is there a doctor in the house?

Kim: It ① there aren’t many public health professionals in @Japan.
Jake: What’s that mean?
Kim: It ② there are researchers, but few doctors and nurses to treat #COVID19 patients.
Jake: Are you sure?
Kim: It’s hard to get info.

looks
like
seems

Answers And Explanation
① Seems and looks like work here, but looks like is usually or best used for first-hand observations–things you can see now (usually, not always); seems is better for number 1, because it can be used more abstractly (not necessarily about what’s in front of one’s eyes). But remember, seems and looks like are interchangeable.
② Again, seems and looks like work here, but looks like seems more conclusive, after having examined the facts–as in a conclusion. But once again, the two choices are interchangeable.

Scrub or Sterilize?

From Twitter:

Usually, people ① their hands with soapy ② after going to the bathroom, working or being outside. Surgeons always ③ their hands and arms up to the elbow. Nowadays, we must ④ our hands, clothes, hats, wallets and shopping packaging.

Choices
sterilize (to destroy all germs, bacteria and pathogens [0n/in/around something])
washed (past tense of ‘wash’)
lather (the bubbles made from swishing soap and water on the body or hair)
scrub (to clean vigorously and abrasively to scrape away dirt and germs)
soapy (having soap and possibly suds [soap bubbles])

#Corona

The Answers are:
①　wash
②　scrub
③　sterilize

photo: Mathew Tkocz

Crazy in Love

From Twitter:

In “Subway,” a French romantic dramedy directed by Luc Besson, a man breaks into a woman’s house, robs her of her documents and retreats to the subway, where he calls her to demand money–so he can meet her, as he’s actually in love with her. We could say he is __.

Choices:
nuts
smitten

Answer And Explanation: Both answers are okay, because ‘nuts’ means a bit or really very crazy, but smitten means crazy in love.

Texts

From Twitter
Taku: Have you heard from your family in Japan?
Sawa: Yes; everyone is ⓪.
Taku: Do you wanna go to Jim’s for a drink?
Sawa: Are you joking?
Taku: It’ll be ①.
Sawa: Are you ②? Is Jim? This is ③. You’re ④ everyone. I’m staying home.

Choices
fun
endangering
okay
serious
crazy

Photo: Andrew Le
Photo: KXITHVISUALS


Answers And Explanation:
⓪ okay
① fun
② crazy
③ serious
④ endangering

Essential And Non Essential

“It is not only possible; it is essential!”
– Dr. Strangelove

From Twitter:

Teacher: What are the _?_ physical needs of human life?
Student: Air, Food, water, shelter, warmth, rest.

Choose the best option:
needed
non-essential
essential
essentials

Answer And Explanation
The answer is ‘essential‘ because:
essential ⓪ (the correct answer）
essentials is plural; we need a singular answer.
needed is redundant (repetitive; the verb ‘need’ is used later in the sentence).
non-essential means ‘non-essential’ means not essential (not necessary).

Sacrifice

From Twitter

A: Do ya sacrifice for #publicsafety due to #CoronaVirus?
B: How?
A: Many don’t don masks as the @WHO says we don’t need to unless we’re health workers–but I _ that comfort; I wear one to protect others.
B: I wear one for myself! People breathe* nearby!
_____________
Don means “put on.”
_____________

Choices
stop
gave up

*#Osterholm

Answer And Explanation:
The answer is ‘gave up,’ which means sacrifice.
We sacrifice activities, behaviors and things we benefit from or like to achieve a goal, like in progress or in loving others.


We Should Stop Idling

From Twitter
We should stop idling as

a. Earth is in a rapid, soon unstoppable environmental evolution.
b. Earth is in a rapid, soon unstoppable environmental devolution.
c. Air pollution is causes asthma attacks in people and lung cancer is the #1 killer in Japan.

Choose–
1. a & c
2. b & c

Answer And Explanation
The answer is 2., b & c, because devolution is the opposite of evolution. Evolution is incremental development that improves life; devolution is development that deteriorates it (breaks it down, degenerates or kills it). The global environment, as a result of rapid warming, is killing off species and may kill us off if we do not act fast and comprehensively to save our biosphere.