Notes:
in a row 連続で;
traffic jam 交通渋滞;
back up 《主に米国で用いられる》〈交通などを〉渋滞させる;

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Golden Week started on April 29, and some people had as many as 10 days off in a row this year. The weather was perfect for travelling. Unfortunately, the road traffic can be terrible because everyone was travelling. In fact, the worst traffic jam I’ve ever been in was at Golden Week. The longest traffic jam in Japanese history, however, was on December 27, 1995. The Meishin Expressway was backed up for 154 kilometers from the eastern side of Lake Biwa to Toyokawa in Aichi Prefecture. It took 23 hours to clear! I hope that didn’t happen this year.（by Prof. Douglas Jarrell)
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The first Star Wars movie came out almost 40 years ago in 1977. I remember going to it with some friends. The movie theater was so crowded that we had to stand at the back. The story was exciting, and the computer graphics (CG) were amazing! I went to see the next two movies, too. Now the seventh movie in the series has come out, and there are long lines at the movie theaters around the world. They say that this movie may become the most popular movie ever made, but I think the first movie will still be my favorite.　(by Prof. Douglas Jarrell)
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