Notes:
mandarin orange ミカン;
peel 皮をむく
——————–
When you think of winter fruit, what comes to mind? In Japan, one of my favorites is in season now. It’s the mandarin orange! I came home last night and saw a bowl full of mandarin oranges sitting on the dining room table. They are really the perfect fruit. They are easy to peel, and they usually don’t have any seeds. Each orange has about 10 segments which are neither too big nor too small for your mouth. I know that many Japanese only eat the inside of each segment, but that’s too much work for me. I eat them as they are, after I peel the orange, of course! (by Prof. Douglas Jarrell)
——————–

Notes:
Labor Thanksgiving Day 勤労感謝の日;
used to 以前は～したものだった;
mashed potato　マッシュポテト
——————–

Yesterday was a holiday in Japan. Do you know its name in English? It is called Labor Thanksgiving Day now, but it had a different name before 1948. The day used to be called “Niinamesai.” It was a harvest celebration that goes back to the time of the “Kojiki.” Today is a holiday in the U.S. called Thanksgiving Day. It used to be a holiday to celebrate the harvest, too. These days, however, people just think of food. Families get together and eat a big meal. A big turkey is usually roasted in the oven and served with mashed potatoes and gravy. Pumpkin pie is often served for dessert.
——————–