marc wrote:

>
>  Apparently in-house
> products now make up almost 50% of what 7-Eleven sells, so they have become
> one of the largest (virtual) food/drink producers in Japan as well

One of my language exchange pen-pals wrote something like "Finally! A
7-Eleven is being built in my town." I explained that the English she
had chosen was grammatically correct, but conveyed the impression that a
7-Eleven was a very exciting thing, and something that she had been
anxiously awaiting. I gave her several calmer examples.

She wrote back a very nice note explaining that a 7-Eleven *was* a very
exciting thing, and she *had* been anxiously awaiting its arrival.Until
7-Eleven came to town, she couldn't buy 7-Eleven brand products.

True Fact: in the American midwest, there used to be an 8-10 chain as well.

KWW