Gift giving is different from culture to culture and person to person.

    When giving gifts, sometimes color is important. For example, for many Chinese people around the world, red is a lucky color, and people often like to pack gifts in this color. However, did you know that in Korea, red is a color of death? That is why you should not pack gifts in this color if you are giving a gift to a Korean person.

    What about western countries? In western countries, the color of packing paper is not really important. But color does matter when giving flowers, especially roses. You should not give red roses to a western person you don't know very well because they are a symbol of love. You could give yellow roses instead as these are a symbol of friendship. You could also send pink roses as gifts to say thank you.

    What other things should you remember when giving gifts to someone from a different culture? Well, one thing you should keep in mind is the person's religion. When choosing a gift for a Muslim or Jewish friend, you should never get good food including pork or things made from pigskin. Another thing that you shouldn't get for a Muslim person is alcohol.

    One of the things to be learnt in a foreign language is guessing all the time what kind of thing to come when listening to someone talking. People do this all the time in their own language, so it is necessary (必要的) to do this in a foreign language, too. Here are some examples.

    ⒈"What's the matter?" "I went to a party last night, so I…"

    ⒉"I feel so tired these days."" I think you'd better…"

    ⒊"Of course, she never stops talking. She is one of the most…"

    You can see from the above three examples that the context (上下文) helps a lot in understanding what is being talked about. So "guessing "is very important in understanding English, especially (尤其)spoken English.

    When you're closing your eyes and hitting your pillow, you're probably not giving much thought about the sleeping position throughout the night. Most people don't change their sleeping positions throughout their lives. The following is why you might want to pay more attention: Your sleeping position can actually say a bit about who you are and what your personality is like.

    There are many sleeping positions. The fetal (胎儿的) sleeping position is generally the most common sleeping position. Fetal sleepers sleep on their side, they move into a position in which their body makes a rounded shape. People who sleep in the fetal position are often quite sensitive and generally shy. They are often worried or nervous and don't focus their attention on the main problem, but get into trouble on very small pieces of information.

    The log (木头) sleeper rests on the side with a straight body when hands and legs are kept at the sides. These sleepers are often relaxed, but also can easily believe lie-tellers. If you're a log sleeper, you might want to keep in mind that it's good to be easy-going and have less stress, but don't be so quick to go with the flow (流) at all times.

    The third one is the soldier position. Soldier sleepers typically lie on their backs with both arms close to their sides. In general, they are the strong and silent type. However, they can also put the pressure on. "They can be quite strict with themselves as well as others," a scientist added.

    There are many different kinds of disasters around the world. As an adult you know what to do during a disaster, but what about the children? Some adults think it would probably never happen to them, so they don't teach their children what to do. Before it's too late, here are ways to help you prepare your children for a disaster.

    Educate: It is always good to let your children know about possible disasters. This doesn't mean children have to live in fear. When teaching them about disasters, keep the conversation positive (积极的) by telling them there is a solution (解决办法) to the disaster. Keep the conversations short, allow for questions and answer them honestly.

    Prepare: Always be prepared. And that is the best piece of advice for children. For example, when preparing for bad weather, get the tools you need, like candles, radios, food, water and medicine. Teach your children what is needed in certain disasters so that they know what is available for them, if ever needed.

    Plan: You should always have a plan for you and your children for any dangerous situation. Write out a simple list that they can read. The plan could start with "listen to an adult's advice and/or call 119".

    Practise: Once you have got the correct safety tools and worked out the right plan, practise every few months. Practising what to do during a disaster with your children will help them if the time comes.

    Disasters can't be avoided but they can be lessened once you are prepared and ready for one.