Do you know what hand gestures are? They're a way of 1 with others and showing our feelings. These gestures are the most 2 when someone is peaking to a stranger who doesn't know the 3 language. The meanings of hand gestures in different cultures may be translated (被翻译)4 .

    To explain my point. I'll take a common 5 of President George W. Bush. He once made a small mistake (错误) 6 gestures during a visit to Australia.

    After some visits and meetings, he saw many people. He tried to show a peace sign by 7 the two fingers as a V-sign at the crowd. You may think it's just a simple gesture. But he was really 8! His palm (手掌) faced inwards instead of facing outwards. In Australia, it is impolite to do like this. So Australians felt very puzzled (困惑的). As we can see, it's important to understand the 9 of gestures before we travel to other countries. Some gestures are good ones in one country, but maybe they're impolite gestures in other countries. So, if we go to different countries, we should 10 different hand gestures. It may make us become more popular.

    Red is the color of China. Among all the1, red is most easily seen. The color red is fresh and pure, and in China we call it China Red. Chinese people are attracted by the color red not only because it makes people excited, but also because it has 2 meanings in Chinese culture and history.

    No country in the world have ever3a color in such a way as China. Here, red is a symbol. It gives color to the soul(灵魂) of the nation. In the past, red represented dignity(尊严) and mystery. Even now Chinese people love the color much more than others do. It can be said that "China Red" is an everlasting theme for China, and an 4 color for the Chinese people, "China Red" has5 a very popular word, attracting the world's attention.

    Finding red-colored things in China is very6, as you can see the color everywhere. All traditional red things have been playing a special role in China, the walls of7 palaces, the national flag. Chinese knots(结) and lanterns.

    Red is the color of the8, health, harmony, happiness, peace, richness and so on. Only real things and events fully(完全地)9and explain its beauty. The color can be alive and meaningful only when it's connected with people.

    In China, red is more than just a color. It carries the long history and culture of the Chinese nation. China Red is10of mysterious charm(神秘的魅力) beyond description and it is right here in China waiting for you to feel, to discover!

    In China, when you refused someone, he or she might say he or she eats a bowl of door-closing thick soup. In Chinese, it is called "吃闭门羹" What is the story behind this saying?

    It is said that during the Tang Dynasty, there lived a beautiful woman named Shi Feng. Many young men wanted to marry her. But Shi was hard to impress. She asked her admirers (追求者)to write poems and show them to her. She did this to see how talented they were.

    If Shi liked someone's poems, she would agree to meet him. If she didn't, she wouldn't meet him. But then, to be polite, she would at least give him a bowl of "geng "to eat. Geng" is a type of thick soup. It is usually made with grain, fruit and vegetables.

    As time passed, "eating a bowl of thick soup "came to mean "being refused". The dish was also nicknamed" door-closing thick soup", since Shi would not open her door for the people who received the dish.

But there is a twist(转折)to this story. "Door-closing thick soup" was said to be so tasty that people started coming to Shi's door--not to marry her, but to have a taste of the soup!

    In our country there are street names everywhere. So it is 1 for us to give directions. You can just say what street a 2is on. For example: It's on Guang Ming Street. It's next to the bank. However, there are no street names in some other countries. How do the people give directions then?

    Most visitors from other countries are often puzzledin Japan because most streets there don't have names. In Japan, people use 3. For example, when you ask the way to the hospital, the Japanese will say," Go straight down to the corner. Turn right at the big hotel and go past a bookstore. The hospital is there."

    People in California have no idea of distance in their minds. They give distance by means of time, not miles." 4is the hospital?" you ask." Oh," they answer, "It's about ten minutes from here." You say," Yes, but how many miles away is it?" They don't know.

    People in Greece won't tell you 5the hospital is. Because visitors cannot understand the Greek language. But a Greek often says, "6me." Then he'll lead you through the streets of the city to the hospital.

    Mother's day is a holiday for mothers. It is celebrated in the United States, England, Sweden, India, Mexico and any other1. Little by little, it2widely celebrated.

    Mother's day falls on the second Sunday in May.3, many people send4of love to their mothers: Those whose mothers are still living5a pink or red rose, while those whose mothers are6wear a white one.

    The7of a day for mothers was first given by Miss Ana Jarvis of Philadelphia.  As a result of her hard work, the celebration for the first American Mother's Day8in Philadelphia on May 10, 1908. Soon the9became popular all over the10and around the world.

    Eating in Western restaurants is a little different from1in a Chinese one. When you first arrive at a Western restaurant, you should wait for the waiter2show you to a table. People usually order3own food or dishes and eat what they order. Western people don't put all of the foot in the middle of the table and share the food together.

    One of the biggest4between Chinese restaurants and Western restaurants is the noise. Most Western restaurants are5and people speak in low voices. When you are eating in a Western restaurant, you can never shout to the waiters,6people may think that you are an impolite person.

    When you eat in a Western restaurant, you must use a knife and fork, You must try not to make noise with your fork, spoon or glass. If you have to make a noise7sneeze, you should cover your nose to8other people from noticing it.

    If you need some service, you should try to ask with your eyes but not your voice. You'd better not put up your hands or wave them to the waiter,9.

   At the end of the meal , when the bill comes, most people like to divide the bill equally(平等地). This is called "Go Dutch" (AA制).10the service and food are good, you should  leave a tip(小费).

    A thousand years ago, Hong Kong was covered with a thick forest. As more and more people came to 1in Hong Kong, these trees were cut down and burnt. Now there is 2 forest left, though there are still some small areas covered with trees. We call these woods.

    Elephants, tigers and many 3 animals were living in the thick forest. When people came to live in Hong Kong, the 4 began to die out. Early farmers grew rice and 5 pigs and chickens in the valleys. They cut down the trees and burnt them. They needed 6 to keep themselves warm in winter, to cook their food and to keep away the dangerous animals. Elephants quickly disappeared because there was not enough food for them. 7 did most of the wolves and tigers. Monkeys and many other animals soon 8 in the same way.

    You might think that there are no longer any animals in Hong Kong 9 in the zoos. But there are still about 36 different kinds of animals 10 there. One of the most interesting animals in Hong Kong is the barking deer.

    Big schoolbags have been a serious problem for students for a long time. Maybe your schoolbag is too1to carry, and it troubles you a lot2you want to find a book out to read. Now an e textbook will3you.

    It is said that e textbooks are going to be4in Chinese middle schools. An e textbook, in fact，is a small5for students. It is much6than a usual schoolbag and easy to carry. Though it is as small as a book, it can7all the materials(材料) for study. The students can read the text page by page on the8 ， take notes with the pointer (屏写笔). Or even"9" their homework to their teachers by sending e mails. All they have to do is to press a button.

    Some people say e textbooks are good, but some say they may be10for the students eyes. What do you think of it?

    Welcome to London. You may visit many interesting 1 here.

    The River Thames is a very beautiful river. Many boats and ships come and go 2 it. Many people from other countries go on boat trips here. One of the best boat trips is from Tower Bridge to Westminster Bridge. Boats 3 Tower Bridge every half an hour.

    Tower Bridge is a 4 bridge in the world. Tower Bridge is near the Tower of London. 5 Tower Bridge gets its name. You can 6 Tower Bridge at any time.

    Hyde Park is in the centre of the 7. It's a great city park in the world, It 8 very beautiful. You can enjoy swimming, boating, bike riding and skating here.

    London has a lot of museums and some of 9 are free (免费的). They're good places for you to visit. I'm sure you'll 10 a good time here.

    People of all ages, especially young children, follow comic strips in newspapers, magazines and the movies. Who is your favourite superhero-SPIDER-Spiderman? Wonder Woman? These heroes have been around for a long time. Comics came out even earlier. In ancient times, people made funny drawings of animals1paper.

    Comic strips first came out during the 1800s and remain much the same style today. These comics are drawn in connected boxes. The HENIFILMT IDE boxes usually show a dramatic2. Some comic strips are printed in newspapers, which often continues from day to day. Some people even read the comics before they read the front page.

    The comic books first3during the 1930s. It seemed that everyone wanted to read comic books. They loved reading about the adventures of the Man of Steel and Batman. During the 1940s, the nation was at war and some comic book characters, such as Captain America, reflected(反映) the times. Others, such as Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, made people laugh during this4time in history.

    After the war, people became5interested in old comic book characters, so new superheroes had to be made. The new superheroes, such as Fantastic Four, X-Men, and Spiderman, talked and acted more like real people. As time went on, comic books had to6TV because TV has offered a lot of fun to people.

    Comic strips are usually good for a laugh or at least a smile. But they have held a place in history. They take people away from their daily lives into another world. In this world, the hero always wins, and failure only comes to the bad guys.