English is the first language of several countries. However, it has many differences. British, American, and South African English are all spoken differently. In many English language courses, the British and American differences are taught. One is not more correct than the other, but there are important differences between the two.

    Probably the biggest difference between American and British English is the vocabulary. Different words and expressions are used to talk about the same thing. For example, in the United States, people throw their garbage into the trash can. In England, people throw their rubbish into the dustbin. In Britain, people take a lift to the fifth floor. In America, people take an elevator.

    American and British grammar can be also different. For example, speakers of British English will ask "What did you do at the weekend?", but Americans usually say "on the weekend." In the United States people usually say "I've gotten a new car.", but in the UK they will say "I've just got a new car."

    The pronunciation in American and British English is also different, even when the spelling is the same. The word "tomato"—pronounced "to-mah-to" in British English—is a classic example of this.

    Vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation are three ways English is different in different parts of the world. Learning all these is not easy, so English learners should just know that they are always there.

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    When we think summer, most of us think of fun in the outdoors. So it seems easy to lose weight over the summer. In fact, though, it's quite possible for us to put on weight. The good news is that we can avoid these problems if we know what to pay attention to.

    Here are some ways to keep summer weight away.

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    When we don't have a plan, it's easy to spend summer moving from bed to the computer. So it is necessary to make a work or study plan, like learning a new skill or working at a job.

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    Because we don't have to go to school, it's easy to sleep late, watch too much TV and eat more snakes as usual. So it's necessary to make sure your summer days follow a schedule—getting up at the same time each day and eating meals as usual times.

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    Whenever you're free, find something special to do, like making a dinner for your family. But remember: limit your screen time, no more than two hours a day.

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    If it's too hot outside or you don't like going to a gym, you can do you exercise indoors. If you love being outdoors, try swimming, running or playing soccer in the early morning or evening. Anyway, don't let the heat stop your exercise plans.

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    Don't eat too much meat. Choose some fresh fruit. It's better to put your focus on talking with your family and friends, not on food. Also, don't eat too many frozen things like ice cream.

A. Beat the heat       B. Make a work or study plan         

C. Think about what to eat     D. Stay busy         

E. Put everything in a schedule

    We spoke to three students from around the world about different national holidays. There are different customs (习俗) for each festival.

    Tan Xiaodong, 15, Hong Kong, China

    “It'll soon be Chinese New Year. Before it, we'll clean the house and decorate it for good luck. Every shop is going to close for a few days and we'll go out a lot to celebrate in the streets. We might go and see the lion and dragon dances in the city center. I love this festival.”

    Wendy, 16, Sydney, Australia

    “Australia Day is on 26th January and it's an important holiday here. We always have a Monday off, so we celebrate for three days. My parents and I go to the countryside for a picnic and friends always come over. Many people go to beach parties or street parties and there's lots of music and dancing. What fun！”

    Amy, 14, New York, USA

    “The first Thanksgiving Day was hundreds of years ago when Europeans who came to America thanked God for his help. It's still a very important day for families to be together. This year we're going to visit my grandparents and we'll eat a delicious meal of turkey. Thanksgiving Day is on the fourth Thursday in November every year.”

Information Card

    Bike­sharing is new for short journeys in cities. It is a good choice for the big cities to develop healthily.

    A report found that shared bikes started the nation's love for bikes again. The love is not only among young people born in the 1980s and 2000s, but also among people over sixty. Now they are choosing bikes instead of cars to make short journeys in cities. If you have a smart phone, the nearest bike equipped with GPS will be easily found through a certain app on your phone. It can also be unlocked through the app and left anywhere in public for the next user. The cost of riding depends on the time that you spend. Normally, every hour you ride, you just need to pay one yuan.

    It is said that bike­sharing will help improve the cities' environment. It not only helps solve the traffic problems, but also will help to make more use of space in cities. Take Beijing as an example. If more people choose shared bikes, an area of five Bird's Nest Stadiums (体育场)will be saved.

    At the same time, there are some problems with shared bikes that people need to solve properly. For example, some people park the bikes in their home; some break up the bikes on purpose; and others even throw them into the river. Facing all these problems, everyone should raise their own awareness of protecting the bikes. We should not only enjoy them, but also value them and put them to good use.

Information Card

    Mr White works in a factory. There are not many people in the factory. They make shoes there. The workers go to work very early in the morning. On Saturday and Sunday they don't go to work. They stay at home. Mrs White cooks for the workers in the factory. She likes cooking and she cooks well. In the middle of the day the workers have lunch in the factory. They are very friendly. They like the food Mrs White cooks.