repeating a year (at school); staying in the same class for another year
alumnus (alumnae); graduate; former member of an organization; former inhabitant (country, region, etc.)
finding employment; getting a job
disadvantage; handicap; unfavorable position
foreseeing; anticipating; lookahead; prefetching; reading ahead
goal; target; aim; mark; sign; landmark
to take; to pick up; to pass; to hand; to get; to obtain; to adopt (a method, proposal, etc.)
serious; earnest; sober; honest; sincere
and; besides; because; since; the thing is; for one thing
to be surprised; to be taken aback; to be amazed; to be frightened; to be startled; to be alarmed
reason; grounds; pretext; excuse; motive
on good terms (with); on friendly terms (with); (getting along) well; in harmony; happily; peacefully
by the way; incidentally; sometimes; occasionally; precisely (at that time); exactly
to sit (down); to have a seat; to be seated; to assume (a position); to take on (a duty); to occupy (a post)
seat; location (of a gathering, etc.); place; position; post
next (to); adjoining; adjacent; house next door; neighbouring house; next-door neighbour
fellow; mutual; companion; comrade
one; for one thing; only; (not) even; just (e.g. "just try it"); some kind of; one type of
anyone; anybody; everyone; everybody; whoever
like; as; so that; in order that; be sure to; I hope (that)
ah!; oh!; yes; indeed; aah; gah
failing college entrance exams and retaking them a year later
don't; do; hey; listen; now, ...; well, ...; wow
to ask; to enquire; to inquire; to search; to look for; to look into
various; a variety of; variously; in various ways; various things; this and that
really; very; extremely; (not) anything; (not) at all; (not) a bit
to express (in words); to confess
to hold in one's arms (e.g. a baby); to embrace; to hug; to have (a thought or feeling); to hold; to harbour (suspicion, doubt, etc.)
at the same time; at once; just as ...; the moment ...; (but) at the same time; as well as
charm; fascination; glamour; glamor; attraction; appeal
first-class; first-rate; characteristic (of); peculiar (to); school (e.g. of flower arrangement); one flag
at leisure; in a relaxed manner; in a carefree manner; to relax; to take it easy; to chill
placid; composed; serene; big-hearted; broad-minded; magnanimous
to be raised (e.g. child); to be brought up; to grow (up)
barrier; obstacle; difficulty; hurdle; deadlock
such ... as; or some such
(not) even once; (not) ever
to slam into; to crash into; to run into; to face (trouble, difficulties, etc.); to confront
being attached (to); being affiliated (to); belonging (to); attached school; affiliated school
quantity; amount; volume; number; amount of money
terrible; dreadful; amazing (e.g. of strength); great (e.g. of skills); to a great extent; vast (in numbers)