prefecture (Japan); county (China, Taiwan, Norway, etc.); department (France); province (Italy, Spain, etc.)
participation; joining; entry; adherence
favorite (top choice) for the championship (favourite); best bet for the title
explanation; exposition; description; account; caption; legend
large; big; great; prominent; -sized; as big as; university
ace (playing card); ace (of a team); leading player; ace; hotshot; ace (serve)
cry (esp. animal); roar; chirp; tweet; bark; whine
inter-scholastic athletics competition
naturally; not surprisingly; it should be appreciated that; understandably; as a matter of course; as is obvious
day; days; sun; sunshine; (the) day; daytime; date
cold; frigid; bracing; dignified
to line up; to stand in a line; to rival; to match; to equal
the big two...; two major...; two main...
leader; magnate; big head
championship race; struggle for victory
eighteenth day of the month; eighteen days
surface; face (i.e. the visible side of an object); front (of a building, etc.); obverse side (i.e. "head") of a coin; outside; exterior; appearance
excuse me! (when calling out to someone); right?; don't you agree?
educational institution; school; academy; campus
regrettable; disappointing; precious; dear; too good for; deserving better
to be defeated; to be beaten; to be unsuccessful; to lose
rank; place (e.g. first place); decimal place; counter for ghosts
as expected; sure enough; after all (is said and done); in the end; too; also
anxiety; uneasiness; worry; apprehension; fear; insecurity
sleeve; wing (of a stage, desk, gate, etc.)
to seize; to catch; to obtain; to acquire; to understand; to grasp
to groan; to moan; to roar; to howl; to hum (engine, wind, etc.); to buzz; to ooh and aah (in admiration)
information; news; intelligence; information; data contained in characters, signals, code, etc.
to get on (train, plane, bus, ship, etc.); to get in; to get on (e.g. a footstool); to step on; to reach; to go over; to follow
notebook; copy-book; note; noting down; (musical) note; laptop (computer)
depending on; as soon as; immediately after; as (e.g. "as one is told", "as one wishes"); whatever (e.g. "whatever is at hand"); order; program
even at the best of times; already; (even) under normal circumstances; in addition to; as it is
before oneself; in front of one; a bit before reaching (a location); this side (of a location); one's standpoint; one's appearance; skill
to speak distinctly; to speak clearly; to put it bluntly; to get to the point; to be frank
assertion; declaration; affirmation
effort; exertion; endeavour; endeavor; hard work; striving