Vocabulary

North-South problem

full-time employment

townscape; street (of stores and houses); (look of) stores and houses on street

estimate; estimation; valuation; quotation

tooth decay; decayed tooth; dental cavity; dental caries

land reclamation; land fill

important condition; basic premise; basic assumption

maid; helper

Echigo (former province located in present-day Niigata Prefecture)

sea route

selling out; being sold out

district meteorological observatory

Committee on Rules and Administration (Diet); House Steering Committee; Standing Committee for House Management

taking into consideration; giving consideration (to)

meeting; facing; confronting

depositing (of money, valuables, etc.); deposition

education; culture

taste; flavor; flavour

canal

recent work

by the end of this month

flower offering; floral tribute; laying flowers

good results

escape; getaway; evasion

kneading; gloss; tempering

road surface

judge's sentence; assessment of a case

leader; chief; boss

New World (esp. the Americas, but also Australasia)

nature; the natural world; realm of nature

weighting (in averaging); aggravation

ringleader; main culprit

steel sheet; steel plate

coat; jacket; outerwear

complete recovery; healing

heaven and earth; the universe; the world; nature

reaching a peak; reaching the limit; plateauing; maxing out

months and years

half day

straw bag; sack; bale