Even nowadays there are a lot of misunderstandings between nationalities. Let's have a look at what the following people have to say.

Maria Conti: I find the English people insincere (虚伪), cold and unfriendly. They keep saying "Thank you", "I'm sorry", even when they don't know each other. They are even polite to their own relatives! Except for helping you find your way in the streets, they aren't really friendly and never invite you to their houses.

Giannis Sinios: On the contrary I found them both broad-minded and friendly. I was invited to people's houses and they all showed great interest in my ideas, Greek life and people. In England I learned that it was possible to be warm, friendly and polite at the same time.

Judy Brown: I lived in both Italy and Greece for a few years. At first there were a few misunderstandings between my foreign friends and myself. For example, I once gave a Greek friend a present for her birthday. I was rather sorry that she didn't unwrap it immediately. What's more, she even didn't thank me until I asked her if she liked it! I've learned from different experiences that a lot of foreigners find our attitude to what we English people call politeness is rather insincere. They feel that politeness isn't necessary between friends.

阅读理解

China has been famous around the world since ancient times. In the past, we had the Four Great Inventions. Nowadays, more inventions and creations have made China stronger and greater in the world.

On May 5^th, 2017, at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, China's first large homemade jet airliner(喷气式客机), the C919, took off successfully for the first time. It has taken about ten years for the scientists and researchers to make this Chinese dream come true, It's a pride of the whole nation. So far, more than 23 companies have already ordered 570 C919 planes from China. But we still have a long way to go before the C919 carries passengers by 2020. It also faces the challenge of competing with the Airbus A320 and the new Boeing B737.

What's more, China is working on the new high-speed trains with the highest speed of 400 km/h. It will be ready by 2020. The new trains are expected to push area cooperation(合作) and create new business for China and foreign countries. Many countries, especially the ones in Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, are planning to build high-speed rail lines or to improve their railways with the help of China. They'd like to get support in technology from China.

China has made great progress in both science and technology. And it makes a great contribution(贡献) to human, too. All of these are changing the daily life of Chinese people, even of the people around the world.

    "In my country, men usually go to restaurants on their own. They always take their shoes off before they go in. Then they usually sit on the floor around a small, low table. In the evening they often sing songs."

    "You usually take chocolates or flowers. But you always take an odd number of flowers, and you remove the paper before you give them to the hostess. You can also send flowers before you arrive. You don't usually take wine except when you visit very close friends."

    "We always offer our guests something to drink when they arrive, tea, coffee or perhaps water or soft drinks. We think it is polite to accept a drink even if you're not thirsty. If you visit someone you always stay for a few drinks. When you have had enough to drink, you tap your cup or put your hand over it. If you say no, your host will insist that you have more to drink."

    "People's private lives are very important so they never ask you personal questions about your family or where you live or your job. They never talk about religion or matters of finance, education or politics, but usually stay with safe subjects like the weather, films, plays, books and restaurants."

    "It's difficult to know when to leave, but an evening meal usually lasts about three or four hours. When the host serves coffee, this is sometimes a sign that the evening is nearly over, but you can have as much coffee as you want."

"If the invitation says eight o'clock then we arrive exactly at eight. With friends we know well, we sometimes arrive about fifteen minutes before."

    "Obviously it depends on the occasion, but most dinner parties are informal. The men don't usually wear a suit, but they may wear a jacket and tie. Women are usually smart but casual."

    Comics use drawings and words to tell stories that can be funny or serious, or a little of both. Comic books grew out of comic strips in newspapers.

    One of the most successful early comic characters in America was Mickey Dugan, better-known as "the Yellow Kid". He wore a yellow coat that was too big for him. He was a character in a comic strip which provided opinions on the problems of cities. The Yellow Kid first appeared in 1895. The character became so popular that it was also used to sell products and to create plays.

    Adventure stories in comic books were very popular during the 1930s- the time known as the Golden Age of Comics. Famous characters created during that time include the science fiction hero Flash Gordon and the detective Dick Tracy.

    The 1930s also gave us a superhero who came to Earth from another planet. Superman was a newspaper reporter for Daily Planet in the big city when he lived on the Earth. Superman became a hero of comic fans as he used his ability to fly to fight for "truth and jus tice(正义)". Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were seventeen when they created Superman in 1933. They sold the rights(版权) of the character to the DC Comics Company for one hundred and thirty dollars. That might be a lot of money to them at the time. But it was nothing compared to all the money made since then from Superman comics, radio and TV shows, movies and toys. Finally, in 1975, they wanted to get more for their creation. DC Comics agreed to pay each of them twenty thousand dollars a year for life. And it agreed to put their names as the creators of Superman in all future printed materials and films.