sparse; thin; scattered; straggling; sporadic
past (exam) question collection
to be opposite; to face each other; to confront (an issue); to face
humanities, social sciences, and fine arts; liberal arts
to wring (towel, rag); to squeeze; to squeeze (fruit to extract juice); to press; to rack (one's brains); to strain (one's voice); to extort
(school) subject; curriculum; course; item; heading; entry
from the beginning; from the first; all along; of course
society; public; community; social studies
memorization; memorisation; learning by heart
national language; Japanese language (often as a school subject in Japan); native Japanese words (as opposed to loanwords)
to seek knowledge; to ask for instruction
lunch break; noon recess; noon rest period
bell (often a large hanging bell); chime
baked sweet goods (e.g. Danish pastry, melon bread); sweet pastry; sweet bread
repetition; repeat; reiteration; repeatedly
cold (e.g. weather); uninteresting (esp. joke); lame; dull
January; first month of the lunar calendar
bread; (sweet) pastry; staff of life; one's bread
to gnaw; to nibble; to bite; to dabble in; to have a smattering of
to become damp; to become moist; to become wet; to lack energy; to be in a slump; to be in low spirits
by all means; no matter what; at any rate
long sentence; long piece of writing (e.g. passage, letter, article, telegram)
to turn up (hem, sleeves, etc.); to fold back (e.g. page); to turn back; to double back; to loopback (a signal, message, etc.)
novel; original; new; innovative
what's the matter?; what's wrong?; what happened (to) ...?; what have you done (with) ...?; where is ...?
talk; conversation; dialogue
work; business; company; study
to put a burden on; to tax (e.g. strength)
to be worried; to be troubled
to become possible; to become able to (do)
like cats and dogs; (on) very bad terms; (lit.) relationship of dogs and monkeys
progress; advance; improvement; development
trouble; troubles; worry; distress; sorrows; anguish
whereabouts; place where one is; position; location
to (be able to) make contact; to (be able to) get in touch