Notes
zodiac 黄道帯;
cautious 用心深い，慎重な;
ox 雄牛

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According to the Chinese zodiac, there are 12 years in a cycle. Each year has an animal symbol. The symbol for this year is the rat. In most western countries, rats have a bad image, but a rat in the Chinese zodiac is good. They say that a person born in the year of the rat is smart, cautious, and cheerful. These people make good partners with people who are born in the year of the ox, the dragon, or the monkey. My daughter was born in the year of the rat, and her husband was born in the year of the ox. No wonder they make a good couple! (by Prof. Douglas Jarrell)
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Note
tap dance タップダンス；
music chart ヒットチャート;
Billboard Hot 100 （ビルボードホット100）は、アメリカの音楽産業における一般的なシングル人気チャートである。

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This is the time of year for Christmas songs, and many people are downloading them for the holidays. One of the most popular songs has been “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey. She came out with this song 25 years ago, but we can still hear it everywhere. In fact, my university tap dance club uses it as the final song in its Christmas performance every year. Surprisingly, the song never made it to number one on the U.S. music charts. Now, in December this year, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” finally made to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Congratulations, Mariah! (by Prof. Douglas Jarrell)
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Click here to listen to the song.