direct; frank; straightforward; decisive; prompt
respiratory tract; air duct
to get narrower; to contract
past forty; following right course
since one was born; (in) all one's life
to bother; to meddle; to poke one's nose (into another's business); to be too helpful
to shun; to avoid; to ostracize; to neglect; to distance oneself from; to give the hard shoulder
spirit of self-reliance; feeling of independence
granny; grandma; gran; old lady; old woman
to put something on top of another thing; to superimpose
just what you'd expect from ...; that's just like (him, her, etc.); that's (exactly) why ...; that's (precisely) the reason ...
advertisement; advertising; announcement; notice
hidden; non-display; to hide (window, etc.)
to go through the proper procedures; to follow the required steps
placing (an ad); submission of advertising copy; sending a manuscript for printing
made-to-order; custom-made
opposite side; other side
Fighting Spirit Prize (sumo, martial arts, etc.)
wedding reception banquet
to butt into a conversation (from someone uninvolved)
ahem; cough-cough; noise in lieu of a comment or contrary view
oh well, fine; fine, I guess; alright, I suppose; OK, then
linkage; entanglement; involvement; relationship; interaction
to scrutinize; to scrutinise
to be careful; to be discreet; to do in moderation; to refrain (from overdoing); to be reverent; to be purified
receiving an official appointment; being appointed (to the post of)
ministry; department; province (of China); saving; conserving
starting; inauguration; launch; founding; establishment; start-up
ability to take action; ability to take initiatives; energy; dynamism; drive
remote region; frontier (district); border(land)
a blooming cut flower; glorious death
written contribution; submission (to a newspaper, online forum, etc.)