shortening; contraction; reduction; curtailment; abbreviation
affectation; pretension; thin veneer; blunt sword with a tempered steel edge
to read a large number (of); to read widely; to read everything that one can lay one's hands on (usu. of specific type, genre)
ebook; e-book; electronic book; digital book
wearisome; insipid; dull; irksome; wretched; vain
to say; to spatter; to prate; to prattle; to babble
to complain; to lodge a complaint
reason; cause; history; origin
reading aloud; recitation
primer; introductory book; (beginner's) guide
to imitate; to follow; to copy; to emulate
a dime a dozen; two a penny
to bend; to warp; to curve
solicitude; consideration; concern; (excessive) kindness
all you have to do is; just; that's all
to be better than; to be ahead of; to outdo; to surpass; to exceed
kanji "large village" radical at right (radical 163)
settlement; village; community; (bacterial) colony
overwhelming strength; extremely strong person; powerhouse; very strong player; very strong team
focus of one's attention; what one is looking for; point of view; viewpoint
one leap (i.e. skipping intermediate stages); one jump; one step; jumping (with both feet together)
defect; demerit; weak point; disadvantage
another helping; second helping; seconds; other paw!
three boxes; three box-shaped things; three containers
by today; before the day is over
yellow card; International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis; ICVP
generally; on the whole; general; rough; outline; main points
half portion; inexperienced; green; poor (work)
to be away from home; to be out of the house
receiving; welcoming; going to meet; final call; call of fate; approach of death
what day?; what day of the week?
test (of ability, knowledge, etc.); exam; test (of performance, quality, etc.); trial; rehearsal
ending a sentence or poem with a noun or noun phrase
resting wings (i.e. a bird taking a break from flying)
slit; slitting (slicing a sheet of paper, metal, etc. into narrower strips)
to replace; to substitute; to switch; to move (something); to transfer
flying; leaping; zero; naught; flying fish (esp. the Japanese flying fish, Cypselurus agoo); jump
blockhead; dunce; dimwit; dolt; slowcoach; slowpoke
to have guts; to be plucky; to have nerves of steel
unconcernedly; nonchalantly; shamelessly; brazenly
hitting a ball (with a bat, golf club, etc.); batting; stroke