B

    These days, we see a lot of shopping festivals(节日). Singles' Day is a big one for Chinese shoppers. It's on November 11^th(11月11日). In the US, Black Friday is the most well-known one.

    Black Friday is always on the day after the Thanksgiving holiday(感恩节). On this day, stores(商店) give special deals(特价). Shoppers get up very early. They wait in line in front of the stores at 2 or 3 am before the stores open. Sometimes there are too many people. They can't get inside the store. Black Friday is not the only shopping festival in the US. Another one is CyberMonday(网络星期一). This day is always on the Monday after Thanksgiving.

    Personally, I don't like these holidays, because they put too much importance（重要性）on buying things. And that's a trend of over-consumption(过度消费). What do you think of these holidays?

The most interesting festivals around the world

    Ancient China produced many types of beautiful works of art. Among them，calligraphy(书法)，poetry(诗歌)and painting were the most famous. Often they would be put together in art. These became important starting with the Song dynasty.

Calligraphy is the art of handwriting. In the old times the Chinese considered writing as an important form of art. Calligraphers(书法家)would practice for years to learn to write perfectly，but with style. Each of over 40,000 characters needed to be written correctly. And each stroke(笔画)in a character had to be written in a certain order.

Poetry was also an important form of art. Great poets were famous all over the country，but all educated people were expected to write poetry. During the Tang dynasty poetry was so important that writing poetry was part of the examinations to become a civil servant (文官)and work for the government.

    Chinese painting was often connected with calligraphy. It is one of the oldest artistic traditions in the world. The most traditional way of Chinese painting is known as "national "or" native painting(国画)", which is quite different from Western painting. People can draw mountains, homes, birds, trees and water on it.

    Few words are spoken more often every day on the streets of Britain than "I'm sorry". This phrase has become such a common response(反应) that it has taken on a lot of meanings.

    Saying "Sorry" means to apologize(道歉). This is simple and easy to understand. We learn it both as a native speaker and as a student of foreign languages.

    But in Britain, it takes on another meaning. It is a cultural expression. Imagine this: a man walks down the street, looking down at his phone. A woman is walking in the opposite direction, towards the man. She sees him, but she can't get out of the way in time. The man bumps (碰撞) into the woman. Who should say sorry? Naturally, the man should say sorry, because it was he who wasn't looking where he was going. Yet in Britain, it is common for both to apologize.

    It is known that British people, like most people, do not enjoy conflict(冲突).So to quickly calm the situation, British people will apologize to each other.

    Other times it may sound funny to hear "sorry". Some of my friends say it at restaurants, as they ask the waiter: "Sorry, but can I order another drink?" It is not to apologize, but just to express that we need the waiter. In Britain, sorry doesn't always mean exactly what you think.