to gain fame; to make one's name
careful selection; careful screening; hand-picking
to exercise one's ingenuity; to come up with an ingenious plan
rice bowl; tea cup; teacup
mouthful; morsel; gulp; sip; one word; in short
sweetness; sugary taste; sweets; dessert; cake
round; circular; spherical; mellow (flavour, voice, etc.); mild; smooth
some; few; somewhat; to a certain extent; (arch.) many; (arch.) a lot
astringency; tartness; austere elegance; elegant simplicity; subdued style
flavour; flavor; taste; charm; appeal; interest
trial manufacture; experiment; test piece; prototype
changing completely; transformation
fine tea; brand-name tea; famous tea; choice tea; well-known brand of quality green tea
your husband; her husband
quite; very; 10^48; quindecillion
elevation; rise; improvement; advancement; progress
to be moist; to be damp; to profit by; to receive benefits; to become rich; to become at ease financially
resolute; determined; bold
smallish; on the small side; somewhat small; short swing of a bat, racquet, etc.
to be flexible; to be accommodating
in accordance with; following; roughly; about; Street; Avenue
small fraction; small proportion
to hear a rumor; to get wind of
negotiations; bargaining; talks; making demands
to reject; to spurn; to turn down; to refuse
to be sticky; to be adhesive; to persevere; to persist; to stick to
big-shot; influential person; happy face; smiling face; sympathetic attitude; getting along with
placid; composed; big hearted; broad-minded; great quantity (of something)
to instigate; to tempt; to entice; to incite
information; experience; observation; seeing and hearing
anyhow; at all events; in any case; either way; anyway
new; novel; fresh; recent; latest; up-to-date
guest of honor; guest of honour; good customer; important customer
class; heading; group; category
suffering; distress; difficulty; hardship; misery; being bogged down
feudal lord; (arch.) mansion; (arch.) palace
twilight; sunset; dusk; evening
urgency; exigency; emergency
as soon as...; just after...; immediately after...; hurriedly; in haste; quickly