This reminded me that both in China and Britain, when something strange happens around you or when you are in an embarrassing situation, (C) people tend (倾向于) to use this common way to not catch other peopled attention.

 A lot of the time, Britons use self—depreciating humor (自嘲式的幽默). This is a well-known British characteristic. For example, imagine walking (D) ______ your friends and you fall over. Your friend may just say (E) “旅途愉快!” Or you may just laugh about how clumsy (笨拙的) you are. For many Britons, making fun of yourself is a way of showing your strength of character.

Also, British are considerate when it comes to embarrassing others. For example, students (F) usually have a birthday party every year. So during the school day, a student will give out invitations to the class. If one person doesn't get an invitation, but the rest of the class does, he or she will feel embarrassed. To avoid it, it's common for students to even invite people who aren't (G) their friends.

 In the UK, bus journeys are very common. Buses are often convenient（便利的）for the people who live or work in the city center. Passengers can avoid heavy traffic and not have to pay for the parking. However, taking the bus is just a necessary but boring part of life: they get on the bus, pay for it and sit or find a place to stand when it is crowded. Everyone seems sad and bored.

 In Latin America, however, bus trips can be wonderful. For a start, films are showed on the buses between cities for passengers to have fun along the journeys. Local buses do not show films, but drivers usually turn on the radio and it can be great for passengers to listen to songs and get relaxed.

 Even better than films and music are the sights and sounds on the buses. Local buses always go to parts of the town that passengers would not visit by themselves. There passengers can see shops that they have never heard about. And they can also see other cultures of the town from the windows of the buses.

Besides, passengers' luggage（行李）is also interesting. It is common to see a happy dog's head getting out of somebody's bag or a lovely chicken“speaking cheerfully”under somebody's arm. Once on a bus in Peru, a farmer even tied a sheep to the top of the bus. It was quite surprising.

 In all, taking the bus in Latin America is really fun and unforgettable.

    Nowadays in school life，a lot of students develop a fear of tests. It's not because tests are something to be afraid of. Most students are afraid of tests mainly because they don't have enough self-confidence and they don't always think they are well prepared. If you follow the tips below, it's not difficult to overcome(克服)your fear of tests.

    People who know that they are not well-prepared are usually those who fear test most. However, most students don't know when they are truly prepared for a test. As long as(只要)you know that you have studied well and long enough, you have a reason to believe that you are well-prepared.

    Be confident about yourself. Confidence before a test can bring about two things: either you fail the test and feel as if your confidence was unfounded(毫无根据)or you could actually do well in the test because of your confidence. Some students find that they experience the first result. However, this is only because those students might not have followed the first tip mentioned above. As long as you have studied well, you will be more confident of your chance to succeed in a test. If you feel as if you have not studied hard enough, then you will not be as confident as you should be.

    Ask your teacher about the main points that may be covered in the test while getting ready for the test. In this way, you will know what you should prepare for and you can get confidence in the test. But you have to be brave enough to ask. Most students do not ask if their teacher doesn't give the information first, so make sure that you ask.

    You should know that tests just check your knowledge and don't lose heart because of one test failure. As long as you think that there is another tomorrow, you can overcome your fear of a test. However, make sure that you are going to prepare well for the other tests.

    Fear can be a problem in the process of achieving success. However, with the right attitude(态度)and preparations, you can overcome your fear of tests by using these tips.

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    People in many places celebrate Christmas on December 25.

    In the USA, Christmas is a long holiday. Shops are usually not open on Christmas Day. And family members have a party together. There are usually Christmas Trees in houses, and children can find presents from their parents in the trees. In many places, children put a stocking(长筒袜)on the bed, because they think Father Christmas will put nice presents in the stocking at night.

    Things are different in China. The Chinese don't have a holiday at Christmas. Shops are open and there are usually Christmas sales(促销) in many shops. There are no family parties, but there are parties for young people in nightclubs and hotels. There are no stories about Father Christmas or presents in stockings. But young lovers(恋人) give each other presents.

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    Many kinds of birds live in the United States, but the number of the birds is becoming smaller every year. One of the leading reasons is the growing number of pet cats. By keeping your pet cats in your home, you can help give birds a better possible chance to live.

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    Of the 90 million pet cats in this country, about two-thirds are allowed to go outside. It is said that these cats kill hundreds of millions of birds each year, as well as billions of small animals such as rabbits and field mice.

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    They can also bring illness to the animals that live in people's yard，and further weakening the health of the natural populations.

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    Allowing pet cats to go outside is not just bad for birds and wildlife，it's also bad for the cats themselves. Outdoor cats can get sick very easily. They are in danger from traffic and attacks（攻击）from other animals. In fact，outdoor cats usually don't live past the age of five，while indoor cats often live to be 17 or older.

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    Keep your pet cat inside！If you raise a young cat，it's your duty to let it play inside.

    It's rare to see a team earn 11 straight wins (连胜) in a tournament (锦标赛). However, the Chinese Women's volleyball team has done it!

    On Sept 29, China took the Women's Volleyball World Cup Trophy(奖杯) in Japan. The team didn't lose any of its games during the tournament. It was also the team's 10^th world title (冠军).

    "The trophy is the best gift to celebrate the 70^th birthday of New China," People's Daily said in an article.

    The Chinese Women's volleyball team has long been the pride of Chinese athletics. In the 1980s, the team won five world titles in a row (连续), which raised people's confidence at the time. Since then its fighting spirit has encouraged generations (一代代) of people, both within the team and across the country.

    Working hard was the key to the team's success. The World Cup was played in several different cities and the team didn't have much time to train. The girls had to squeeze in (挤出) training time when they could. On Sept 25, for example, they arrived in Osaka at 2:30 pm and started training only an hour later.

    Never giving up, especially during difficult times, is also the key to getting success, according to head coach Lang Ping. Many of the team's members kept on playing even after being hurt.

    With their latest win, the girls are ready to prepare for next year's Tokyo Olympics.