In American schools there is something called Homecoming Day. Many high schools and colleges with a football team have a homecoming game. This can be the most important thing of the year except graduation of commencement day(毕业典礼日).Students plan Homecoming Day for many weeks in advance(预先).

    Several days before Homecoming，students start to decorate the school. There are signs to wish luck to the team，and many other signs to welcome all the graduates. Many people still come to Homecoming twenty or thirty years after their graduation.

    The members of school clubs build booths(摊位)and sell lemonade，apples and sandwiches. Some clubs help to welcome the visitors.

    During the day people like to look for teachers that they remember from long ago. Often they see old friends and they talk together about those happy years in school.

    Everyone soon comes to watch the football game. When the game is half over，the band comes onto the field and plays school songs. Another important moment is when the Homecoming Queen or King appears. All the students vote a most popular student as Homecoming Queen or King. It is a great honor(荣誉)to be chosen.

    Homecoming is a happy day，but it is not perfect unless the football team wins the game. Even if the team loses，the students still enjoy Homecoming Day. Some stay at the school to dance，and others go to a party. For everyone it is a day worth remembering.

    One day an American called Simon went to London to visit his friend. Rick told him that his flat was on the first floor. When he arrived, Simon went straight to the first floor of the building. But he was told that there was no Rick on that floor. Do you know why?

    In fact, the British call the first floor of a building the ground floor. The floor above the ground floor is the first floor, which Americans would call the second floor.

    The story shows that there are a few culture differences between Britain and America, though the British and Americans both speak English.

    The British usually hide their feelings. They seldom start a conversation with strangers. For example, on the train the British often spend their time reading newspapers or books. But Americans are quite different. They're more active and easier to talk with.

    The British and Americans may use different terms for many things. The British usually use football, eraser and mail while Americans prefer to use soccer, rubber and post.

    Mother's Day is a celebration in memory of mothers. It celebrates the importance of mothers in society. It is celebrated on different days in many parts of the world, mostly in March, April or May. Let's see how different people celebrate their Mother's Day.

Mexico (May 10)

    Children make gifts and give them to their mums on Mother's Eve (May 9). On the morning of May 10, families make a special trip to church and eat tamales(玉米饼), sometimes filled with meat, cheese or vegetables.

    South Africa (Second Sunday of May)

    Besides giving mums Mother's Day cards, people show their thanks for their mothers by wearing red and pink flowers called carnations. If their mothers have passed away, they wear white carnations.

United Kingdom (Fourth Sunday of Lent(大斋期))

    Mother's Day is a traditional day for people to visit their hometown and attend their home churches. People also bake(烘焙)special fruitcakes to give to their mums.

Indonesia (December 22)

    People throw big parties for their mums, filled with fun activities-such as cooking competitions and kebaya-wearing competitions! (A kebaya is a traditional blouse and skirt.)

Playing with apps on smart phones is very common among young people. Let's try some special apps and enjoy them.