A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms( 习语 ), though my teacher emphasized(强调) the importance again and again. But soon, the importance of English idioms was shown in an amusing experience.

    One day, I happened to meet an Englishman on the road, and soon we began to talk. As I was talking about how I was studying English, the foreigner seemed to be astonished. Gently shaking his head, shrugging his shoulders, he said, “You don't say!” “You don't say!” I was puzzled. I thought, perhaps this is not an appropriate(合适的) topic. “Well, I'd better change the topic.” So I said to him. “Well, shall we talk about the Great Wall? By the way, have you ever been there?” “Certainly, everyone back home will laugh at me if I leave China without seeing it. It was magnificent(宏伟的).” He was deep in thought when I began to talk like a tourist guide. “The Great Wall is one of the wonders in the world. We are very proud of it.” Soon I was interrupted again by his words “You don't say!” I couldn't help asking, “Why do you ask me not to talk about it?” “Well, I didn't request you to do so,” he answered, greatly surprised. I said, “Didn't you say ‘you don't say?'” Hearing this, the Englishman laughed to tears. He began to explain, “‘You don't say' actually means ‘really!'. It is an expression of surprise. Perhaps you don't pay attention to English idioms.” Only then did I know I had made a fool of myself. Since then I have been more careful with idiomatic expressions(习语表达). Remember -- what the English teachers said is always right to us students.

    One day a poor farmer was taking a bag of rice to town. Suddenly the bag fell from his horse on the road. He didn't know what to do about it because it was too heavy for him to lift (举起) by himself. He only hoped that somebody would soon pass (经过) by and help him.

    Just at this moment a man riding a horse came up to him. But the farmer was very disappointed（失望的） when he saw who he was. It was the great man living nearby. The farmer had hoped to ask another farmer or a poor man like him for help.

    But to his surprise, the great man got off his horse as soon as he came nearer. He said to the farmer, "I see you need help, friend. How good it is that I'm here just at the right time," Then he took one end of the bag, the farmer took the other. They together lifted and put it on the horse.

    "Sir," asked the farmer, "how can I pay you?"

    "It's quite easy," the great man answered with a smile, "Wherever (无论在哪里) you see anyone in trouble, do the same for him."

    The volunteers who brought the nine-year-old girl to the orphanage(孤儿院) knew little about her. They found her in the street which had been her home for many years. Her parents were unknown. They had left her long ago.

    At the orphanage, the girl was taught to read and write. There she also learned to be independent(独立). At twenty-one, she left the orphanage and began work as a secretary.

    And then, in 1975, she entered the Miss Hong Kong competition -- and won it. This was the turning point in her life. Now Mary Cheung was very popular in Hong Kong.

    Mary entered the competition because she was full of ambitions（抱负） and she wanted to show that orphanage girls could be something. Winning the competition gave her the chance to start a new life. This led her first into television and then to a business manager. When she was working as a manager, she had trouble with her reports. “My English just wasn't good enough.” she said. Fortunately, her husband helped her.

    Mary studied management at Hong Kong Polytechnic and graduated in 1980. She started her own company in 1995. But she was still working hard to develop herself. She then studied for a Fine Arts degree at the University of Hong Kong. Her ambition was to teach arts in Hong Kong. Since 1987, she has spent a lot of her time on photography. She has held several exhibitions of her work in many places, including China, New Zealand and Paris. She still found time, however, to work on TV and for charity, to write for newspapers and bring up her family.

    The girl from street has come a long way, but her journey is not finished yet.

    Long long ago, there was a crowd of antelopes(羚羊)in the forest. In this crowd there was a wise teacher. He was admired by everyone because he taught the young the tricks and strategies of survival (生存策略). One day, his younger sister brought her son to him and asked him to leach what was important to antelopes. She said, "Dear brother, this is my son, Dick. Please teach him the tricks and strategies of survival. The teacher said to Dick, "You can come at this time tomorrow for your first lesson."

    At first, Dick came to have lessons on time every day. But soon, Dick became more interested in playing games with others, so he began to cut classes. However, he didn't realize how dangerous it could be for a young antelope who learned nothing but games.

    Unfortunately, one day the young antelope stepped in a trap(陷阱). Knowing Dick was missing, his mother was worried. She went to her brother and asked him "My brother how is my son? Have you taught him the tricks and strategies of survival? The teacher replied, "My dear sister, I tried my best to leach him, but your son did not want to lean the tricks and strategies of survival. He cut classes. How could I possibly teach him?"

    At this time, they heard that Dick was caught in a trap. They hurried to rescue him before it was too late. Dick was too scared to move and regretted deeply.

    If the young antelope had kept learning carefully all the time, he wouldn't have been caught.

    A driver stops his car in front of a shop and he wants to have a rest. Just when he closes his eyes, a man comes up and knocks at his window to ask the time. The driver opens his eyes and looks at his watch. "It's eight o' clock." He says. Then he closes his eyes again. But a second man is knocking at the window now. "Sir, do you have the time?" he asks. The driver looks at his watch again and tells the man it's half past eight.

    Just like this he can't have a good rest. So he writes some words on a piece of paper and puts it on the window for all to see. It says, "I don't know the time."

    Again the driver closes his eyes and he thinks he can have a good rest now. A few minutes later, a third man comes up and begins to knock at the window. "Hey sir, "he says, "It's a quarter to nine."

    One day, Mr. Smith went to a dinner party. He was wearing very old clothes. He came into the room. But people in the room didn't look at him. They didn't ask him to sit at the table. He wasn't happy. But he said nothing.

    Mr. Smith went home quickly and put on (穿上) his best clothes. He went back to the party. Everyone in the room stood up and looked at him. They gave him good food to cat. Mr. Smith took off his coat, and put it on the food and said, "Eat, coat!" "The other people were surprised and asked, "What are you doing? Why do you do that?" Mr. Smith answered," I am asking my coat to eat food. When I wore old clothes, you didn't look at me. You didn't ask me to sit down. Now I am wearing these nice clothes. And you give me good food. Now I see, you give the food to my coat, not to me."