Vocabulary

to meddle (in someone's affairs); to poke one's nose into; to interfere

fortunately; luckily

empress; empress dowager

foresight; prescience

marina; berth; harbor

fortunately; luckily; happily

to open one's eyes slightly

unsparing; without stinting; painstakingly; tirelessly

unsparing; without stinting; painstakingly; tirelessly

same old familiar; usual

human nature

how (beautiful, etc.); what a ...

have to; have no choice but to; cannot help (doing); be compelled to; be obliged to; be forced to

to consider right; to think right; to approve (of); to give one's approval (to)

just saying sorry isn't enough; sorry won't cut it; if "sorry" were all it took (to settle things), we wouldn't need police

but I don't know; or something like that; or that's what I heard; one could assume; I guess

to attack while someone is asleep; to make a surprise attack

measure twice and cut once; don't slack off until the job's done properly; go around three times before you take a smoke

care equally for friends and foes; treat everyone with equal kindness

slow and steady pace

to drink a bitter cup; to have a bitter experience; to suffer a defeat

the non-paying lodger asks for a third helping of rice with much hesitation

immediately; instantly; with nary a pause; without a moment's delay

to compromise one's principles; to betray one's principles

to compromise one's principles; to betray one's principles

to stick to one's principles

to sell one's principles; to sell one's honor; to prostitute oneself

transportation access; convenience of access (by car, train, etc.); accessibility

(more) than that

to grow (as a human, etc.) when complimented; to respond better to the carrot than the stick

if you want to hide a tree, the best place is a forest

if you want to hide a leaf, the best place is a forest

to go where one's feet take one; to walk aimlessly

to be famous; to be well-known; to be prominent

to let one's pen wander; to write freely

to be invited (often to perform for an audience); to be called

it's different when ... but; it's not so bad when ... but

be considered; be deemed; be thought to be

yes or no; yes-no; all or nothing

to lead a life; to live a life