England and Japan
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Clare
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Todd
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Todd: Clare, you're from England.
Clare: That's right.
Todd: How would you compare England and Japan?
Clare: Well, I think.. let's take price-wise, they're actually quite similar. Well, not maybe not England as a whole but say Japan and London is very similar. I found in supermarkets, in housing and things like that.
In other respects, the people are certainly different. I mean, British people are renowned to be very polite as Japanese people are too. Japanese people are very helpful as well, probably more so than British people I would say. Mm, what else?
Todd: What about the weather?
Clare: The weather? Well, it's been raining a lot in Japan recently so we could say that it's quite similar, although actually, when I was e-mailing my parents they've been going on about how there hasn't been much rain the past couple of months and how they think there is going to be a drought. That typical British stereotype of the weather is not true at the minute and it's probably wetter in Japan. But yeah, I think that climate wise it's quite similar in terms of temperature. It's definitely much more humid here than at home.
Todd: OK. Thanks a lot.
price-wise
Price-wise, England and Japan are similar.
When you compare two things or places 'price-wise' you are comparing them in terms of the cost of things and life. We can use the word '-wise' after a noun to show that we are referring to that particular characteristic. Notice the following:
- It's better to go that way distance-wise.
- Weather-wise I preferred living on the beach.
renowned (to be)
British people are renowned to be very polite.
If a group of people or a place is 'renowned' to be or for something in particular this aspect is very well known. We can replace this phrase with 'considered to be' or 'known to be.' Notice the following:
- That road is renowned to be very dangerous.
- Thailand is renowned to have beautiful beaches.
go on about
My parents were going on about how they think there's going
to be a
drought.
When someone 'goes on about' something they continuing talking about the topic. Notice the following:
- He can go on about plants for hours.
- She just went on and on about her new boyfriend.
stereotype
The British stereotype of the weather is not true at the
minute.
A 'stereotype' is a common idea about a place or a group of people. Notice the following:
- The stereotype about Americans being loud is generally
true.
- What is the stereo type for your country?
(more) humid
It's definitely much more humid here than at home.
A place is 'humid' if there is a lot of moisture in the air, and is usually expressed when the weather is also hot. This happens frequently when a place experiences a lot of rain. Notice the following:
- The jungle is more humid than the coast..
- It is so humid today that I can't stop sweating.
Vocabulary Quiz
stereotypes • humid
