Notes:
a calendar with era names: 和暦
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This Thursday was a special day. Why? Because the date was 12/12/12. This was the last time that the year, month and day are the same for a long time. It won’t happen again for another 89 years. We have to wait until January 1, 3001. Then the date will be written 1/1/1. Japan also uses a calendar with era names. The era changes when the emperor changes. If we use that calendar, the next special day will be much sooner than 3001. (by Prof. Douglas Jarrell)
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Notes:
Israel: イスラエル;
mattress: マットレス;
garbage dump: ゴミ処分場;
desperately :  必死に;
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A woman in Israel gave her mother a present, a new mattress. At the same time, she threw away the old one. That was a big mistake! Her mother disliked banks, so she kept all her money in the mattress. She had one million dollars in it. When the daughter found about the money, she went around to all the garbage dumps desperately looking for it. As you can imagine, that was big news in Israel. (by Prof. Douglas Jarrell)
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