middle of the night; dead of night
to overhear; to hear (secondhand); to hear on the grapevine; to know by hearsay
to stray from the right path; to go wrong; to go off the rails; to turn delinquent
episode; anecdote; vignette; episode
biography of a brave fighter; heroic saga; chivalric romance; tale of one's heroism; episode of bravery; acts of violence
to serve (in a bowl, on a plate, etc.); to dish out; to pile up; to heap up; to administer (medicine, poison); to dose out; to put into (e.g. information in a report, meaning in a statement)
preface; introduction; preamble
showy; loud; flashy; gaudy
driving without a license (licence)
to drag along; to take (a suspect to the police); to drag (someone) away
minority (i.e. being under age); minor; underage person
report (of news); reporting; news; information; (media) coverage
guidance; direction; leading; guidance of juveniles to prevent delinquency; taking into custody (esp. of minors) for their protection
self-deprecation; self-derision; self-mockery; laughing at oneself
(a) step; one step; level; stage; small degree; small amount
to step into (e.g. someone else's territory); to break into; to raid; to come to grips with; to get to the core of
smelling of fish; fishy; degenerate (of a monk); depraved; worldly; mundane
expansion and contraction; elasticity; flexibility
beyond this point; ahead; from now on; after this; in the future
rather; sooner; preferably
to hand over; to transfer; to give up (e.g. one's seat); to give way; to yield; to concede
to lend an ear; to hearken; to give an ear to; to listen carefully
parent; parents; dealer; banker; founder; inventor; (pet) owner
to look away; to avert one's eyes; to avoid facing (e.g. reality)
faulty statement; misleading statement; misunderstanding caused by a misleading statement
breaking off relations (with); severing one's connections (with); breaking with (e.g. one's past); insulation (electrical or thermal); isolation
to have meaning; to be meaningful
precipitous; rugged; inaccessible; grim; severe; stern
primary school; elementary school; grade school
upper grades of primary school (sixth, fifth, and sometimes fourth grades)
serving (of food); helping; chilled soba served on a dish (often on a wicker basket or in a shallow steaming basket) with dipping sauce
to look (sound, behave) grown-up; to be adult-like; to mature
true feelings; real intention; one's heart; one's right mind; one's senses; one's conscience
after school (at the end of the day)
cops and robbers (hide-and-seek game)
to take (someone) with one; to bring along; to go with; to be accompanied by
to displease; to offend; to hurt (a person's) feelings
to act (a part); to play (a role); to perform (a play, etc.); to put on (a production); to commit (e.g. a blunder); to disgrace oneself
continuously; the whole time; much (more); (by) far; far (away); long (ago, before, after)
now that you mention it; come to think of it; that reminds me; on that subject; speaking of which
to examine; to look up; to investigate; to check up; to sense; to study