Some British and American people like to invite friends for a meal at home. You should not be upset 1 your English friends don't invite you home. 2doesn't mean they don't like you! Dinner parties usually start 3 7 p. m. and8 p.m., and end at about 11 p.m. Ask your host what time you should arrive. It's polite to bring flowers, chocolate or a bottle of wine 4a gift.
Usually the evening starts with drinks and snacks. Do you want to be extra polite? Say how much you like the room, or the 5on the wall. But remember—it's not polite to ask how much things 6.
In many families, the husband sits at one end of the table and the wife sits at the 7 side. They eat with their guests.
You'll probably start the meal with soup or something small, then you'll 8 .meat or fish with vegetables, and then dessert is followed by coffee. It's polite to finish 9on your plate and take more if you want it.
Did you enjoy the evening? Call your hosts the next day, 10write them a short "thank you" letter. British and American people like to say "thank you" all the time!
First Frenchman： I once heard someone shout, "Look out." I put my head out of a window and a bucket (桶) of water fell on me. It seems that "Look out" may mean "Don't look out".
Second Frenchman： I was once on a ship and heard the captain shout, "All hands on deck(甲板)." I put my hands on the deck and someone walked on them.
Third Frenchman： I once went early in the morning to the doctor's and his nurse came to the door and said, "He's not up yet. Come back in half an hour." When I went a second time for him, She said, "He's not down yet." I had to go away again. Later I thought the doctor should be in the house in the evening, so I went there once more. "Oh, how sorry I am! He's not in! I'd better tell him to wait for you if you could come tomorrow," said the nurse. "Well! He's not up, he is not down, and he is not in. Please tell me where he stays!" I said angrily.
Yesterday was a memorable day for me. I went to a photo workshop and asked to edit a photo. The shop owner listened to my requirements and led me into a room. There what I saw made me kind of shocked.
In the room stood-a middle-aged man with twisted(变形的) hands. He was holding a camera in a very professional manner.
I told him my requirements and he replied in a very confident voice, "You just sit comfortably. I will deal with everything." It wasn't at all matching his physical looks. I thought.
I did what he said, and within 5 to 7 minutes, he clicked my photo, retouched(修饰)it carefully, cut it into required pieces and handed it over to me.
I was really amazed to see his perfect behavior-he was so quick and confident. I thanked him and had a nice talk with him. He said he loved his job very much. It allowed him to meet different people and of course make a living. Though he was still unmarried, he was sure he was able to find his best half.
As a disabled person, he could have led his life depending on others. However, he chose to depend on himself and always be confident in himself. He really inspired (激励)me.
When I was a kid, I often played basketball. So I was thin but healthy. When l was about 15, I stopped playing basketball. I also started to drink a lot of drinks high in sugar and eat much more than before. Between 15 and 17, I put on a lot of weight-about 50 kg.
I didn't know how big I was until I saw a photo one day. In the photo, I had a fat neck and my stomach was out there. I hated the way I looked. I knew I needed to lose some weight.
I started to drink only water, and eat less and healthier. I ate mainly vegetables and only one piece of meat every day, and stayed away from sugar.
I also started to exercise. Every day, I ran for 30 minutes first, and then I did some push-ups (俯卧撑) for 10 minutes. I also jumped rope for 15 minutes every day.
I kept exercising the whole winter. When March came, many people said to me, "Oh, Dave, you've been a different person!"
It was true. I had lost 25 kg in three months. I liked taking photos, and I noticed the difference in my looks.
I loved the three months. It felt good to lose weight, and it felt even better to set a goal (目标) and go for it.
A nice day out for the whole family! Come and see beautiful animals in our zoo! Scientists will give wonderful lessons about animals every Tuesday! Don't miss it!
Area A | Koalas live in the trees and like eating grass and leaves. Their lifespan is about 14 years. You can learn about their habits and why they sleep for nearly 20 hours a day. showtime: 1: 30 p.m.-3: 30p.m. except Friday
Kangaroos can jump at a speed of 13-15 miles per hour. They can live for at most 22 years. showtime: 3: 30 p.m.-5: 30p.m. except Friday
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Area B | Crocodiles have the strongest bite of all animals in the world. Their lifespan is 45-100 years. The crocodiles here are 76 years old! Showtime: 10: 00a.m.-11: a.m. except weekends
Tortoises can live for more than 100 years! They can grow to about 1 metre tall. Showtime: 9: 00a.m. except weekends
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Area C | Tigers are the largest of the Big Cats weighing up to 300 kg! Watch our tigers swimming in the water. Showtime: 11: 00a.m.-11: 30a.m. except Friday
Camel's humps actually stores fat, not water! Showtime: 12: 30p.m.-1: 20p.m. except Friday
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Area D | Parrots here have four toes on each foot—two facing the front and two facing the back. Showtime: 9: 00 a. m.—5: 30 p. m. except weekends
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Ticket Prices | Adult: $55 Child: $45 Family (2 adults+2 children): $172 |
12 April
Today I arrived at my friend Worawut's house outside of Bangkok for the holidays. His family was doing a spring cleaning of their pretty wooden house in preparation for the spring festival of Songkran. They put their hands together to greet me with a traditional gesture called the wai. Worawut translated their words for me.
13 April
The women cooked Thai food for the next day's ceremonies(仪式). That smelled wonderful! Under the bright sun, we men went to the river and brought lots of sand to the village war(寺庙). The wat was a beautiful Buddhist building where the monks (和尚) lived. We left the sand near the wat. Worawut said I'd soon find out why.
14 April
We all dressed up and went to the village wat. The monks waited with their bowls at a long table. We filled their bowls with rice and all kinds of delicious food. Everyone smiled and music played as the monks ate. After that, we attended the bathing ceremony. We poured water over stone Buddhas. Young people poured some sweet smelling water into the hands of older people to show respect for them. Outside, everyone used the sand we had brought to make sand pagodas (佛塔). We put flowers, flags, and stones on ours. It was beautiful!
15 April
Today was the last day of me festival, and Worawut told me to get ready for some water throwing. We had a great time. Everyone in the village was throwing water. On such a hot day, the water felt really good. I can't wait to come back next year!
Known as "paper paintings" and "painted pictures", New Year paintings are also a (specially) art form in Chinese folk culture. The paintings are (call) "New Year paintings" because they are mostly put up the New Year holiday for decoration.
New Year paintings appeared around the Tang, Dynasty. In the Song Dynasty, New ear paintings (create) on a small scale(规模). Year after year, there are more more New Year paintings.
New Year paintings show people's best(wish) for the future. Every Spring Festival, almost all Chinese families put up two New Year paintings on front door. New Year paintings show the changes in the history of China.
Yangliuqing woodblock New Year paintings,ancient town in Tianjin, have a history of over 400 years. They show the characteristics(特征) of both wood (cut) and Chinese painting. They are about (day) life and old stories. In the 2010 World Expo, Yangliuqing woodblock New Year paintings were shown to the whole world.
