precautions against earthquake; anti-earthquake measures; antiearthquake procedures; earthquake countermeasures
local government employee; local civil servant
wife who is older than her husband
frequenting; staying around
thick makeup; heavy makeup
at first; initially; in the beginning
trivia; snippet of knowledge
any beech tree of genus Castanopsis; chinquapin; chinkapin
university (college) professor
a gap develops; a significant difference emerges
one's (living) environment
gifted education; special education for gifted children
mid-stream; middle course; middle class
to talk; to carry meaning
start of work; commencement; opening
it can't be helped; so it goes; c'est la vie
to be fragrant; to smell (good); to stink; to smell (bad); to glow; to be bright
preservation of health; hygiene; sanitation
nasty; mean; heartless; inconsiderate; selfish
to settle down; to get a steady job; to marry and raise a family; to attire oneself; to outfit oneself
anything and everything; all sorts of things; by all means
soft sound; dampening (of sound)
commonplace; ordinary; typical; ubiquitous; run-of-the-mill; mundane
plan; meter; measuring device; (in) total; total (of)
not understanding; not knowing
self-abasement; humility; self-depreciation
meddling; meddlesomeness; nosiness; meddler; buttinsky; busybody
to hold in one's arms (e.g. a baby); to embrace; to hug; to have (a thought or feeling); to hold; to harbour (suspicion, doubt, etc.)
recently; lately; these days
single; solo; solitary; just one; only one
what the?; what's going on?; what's this?
blood relationship; consanguinity; blood relative
aloneness; loneliness; solitude
relationship of mutual trust; fiduciary relation
condescending attitude; arrogant attitude; looking down on
it is assuredly that ...; can say with confidence that ...
to work (someone) hard; to push (someone) around
history of; experience of