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-There are several benches at the fountain and several students sat on them, here in the campus. Sunlight through the trees lights a cat. The cat was sitting on the grass.-

It's warm for the end of autumn and a fine day. The sunlight was comfortable for me.

"How's it going? Sherry," another cat came and called.
"Hello, Roy. What are you doing?"
"I'm looking for a place."

I'm called Sherry, I'm a cat. Cat was a name arbitrarily given by human being. We call a cat A cat. Of course we always call ourselves by our names. And Sherry was the name given to me by one man.





Today's points


-The point 1-

It's warm for the end of autumn and a fine day.

"warm" in the above means between "hot" and "cool." For example, from 16 to 26 degrees Celsius. See the figure 1.
Moreover, "humid" means hot and wet.

Figure 1.


It is warm today.
Yeah, it was cold yesterday.

It is humid today.
Yes. I don't like the humid summer in Japan.

"Fine" of "fine day" in the beginning means "nice." Other than fine, there were cloudy, snowy, rainy and windy. And sunny means very fine day. See the figure 2.

Figure 1-2.


It was cloudy yesterday.
It is cloudy today too.

It was snowy yesterday.
It was very cold.

When we speak about the weather and temperature, use "it" as the subject like the above.



When we ask the weather (in the past), can use "What was the weather like?" and "How was the weather?"
I went to Kyoto last week.
What did you do in Kyoto?
I saw many temples.
What was the weather like?
It was cloudy.

S/he speaks about the weather on TV etc, it is "weather forecast" and "weather report."
I listened to the weather forecast this morning.




-The point 2-

How's it going?

This means the greeting to the friends. We can say also "How're you doing?"

We can use "How are you?" as the public expression. And we can use also "How do you do?", but this is used in the first time.



And as the answer, we use "I'm fine." and "Not bad." Each of them means good. "Fine" has the two meanings "nice day" and "good feeling."
Moreover, we use "Same as usual." This means we feel the same as we have every day. If we are not fine, we use "Not so good."

How's it going?
Not bad.

"What's new?" means "Do you have any news?" We use it as the greeting.
Hello, Sherry. What's new?
Nothing special.




-The point 3-

I'm looking for a place.

"Look" is like "watch" or "see", but when using with "for" as "look for", it means like "search for" and "hunt for."
So, this is used in the shop. And we explain with conversation in it. But "look for" means the custom, we need the progressive form, so we use "looking for."

What are you looking for?
I'm looking for a black suit.

"I'm just looking." means "watch merely", that is , we don't want to buy yet, we use it in the shop.
Moreover, "window-shopping" means we don't have the feeling to buy, merely walk as looking the goods.



When we wear the suit before buying it, we use as follows.
May I try it on?
Sure.
"May I" is the polite expression to ask.

"May I" is the formal expression. We usually use "Can I" instead. It is explained in Page 7.
(Cf. Modal Auxiliary (2.1.) about "May I", Modal Auxiliary (1.2.) about "Can I" also in detail.)



"Try" is like "challenge", but "try on" means "watch whether it suits me or not."

May I try this hat on?
Sure.

The noun can be put on between "try" and "on" or after "on." But when using "it", we have to use between "try" and "on."
Moreover, "sure" has confidence, but we also use as the answer, like "Ok." and "Of course."



When we look the goods, we use "This is nice." And when we want to buy it, we use "I'll take this one." This "take" means "buy."

This is nice. I'll take this one.
Cash or card?
Card, please.

The clerk often uses "Cash or card?" When we pay with the card, use "Card, please", but when paying with cash, use "Cash, please."
Moreover, in case we ask whether the card can be used or not, we use "Can I use?" like the following examples.

Can I use VISA?
Yes, of course.



Moreover, when we want the clerk to consider the lower price, we use "Could you give me a discount?"
"Could you" is the polite expression to ask.
"Discount" has the lower price, so "give me a discount" means asking the clerk for it. And because of with "Could you", we can suggest.

This is five hundred dollars.
This is expensive. Could you give me a discount?
Take it or leave it.

About "Take it or leave it.", in the literal translation, it means "If you don't buy it, you should go." That is to say, it means "This is my last offer."










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