"How are you?" It's a question that seems simple, but {#blank#}1{#/blank#}can really make people feel very strange.

    Last month, Alina Simone wrote in the New York Times about the {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(difficult) that Russians have with this question. The same question, {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Russian language and culture, is always answered in a negative(负面的) way. In Russia, when asked "How are you?", people usually complain(抱怨) about health, weather or things that {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(happen) recently. So when they're asked, they don't know what to do.

    In English speaking countries, "How are you?" has one standard answer: "Fine, and you?" That's because it is {#blank#}5{#/blank#}about getting information but a greeting. {#blank#}6{#/blank#}an English speaking friend really wants to know what's going on in your life, he/she is more likely to ask："what have you been up to?" or "what's new?"

    But I understand why people are so {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(surprise) about it. When we learn second languages, we have to learn rules for using words as much as words themselves. {#blank#}8{#/blank#}can you learn those rules? {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(watch) English-language TV shows is a good place to start. If you can, try to make an English-speaking friend or pen pal and talk to him/her {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(direct).

    So how are you?

    My holiday with Grandparents was great! They moved to Arizona when I was five. This was my first time to travel by {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(I).The village is on the top of a tall hill. I wasn't sure if I could climb that high. I also wanted to know if Grandma and Grandpa would act {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(different) in this village than they did in our apartment(公寓) in New York.

    Grandpa met me at the airport. As we drove away from the city, I enjoyed the beauty of the desert(沙漠). Soon we arrived {#blank#}3{#/blank#}the village. I looked down and found that we were so high up. I felt {#blank#}4{#/blank#}a bird!

    Grandma{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(wait) for us. Their rooms were cool under the hot sun. Grandma said the building was made of stones(石头) and the stones kept the rooms cool.

    After {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(eat) lunch, we took a walk outside. We visited the "kiva": it is a large room {#blank#}7{#/blank#}the Hopi people go for special events.

    I really liked the Hopi people. They were {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(friend) to me. One man helped me make a gift to take home to Mum. The children and I played ball games. It seemed {#blank#}9{#/blank#}I was part of the big family in the village. It was hard {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(leave) my grandparents when my two weeks were over. I hope to live in Walpi for two more weeks!