Peking Opera(Beijing Opera), is one of the most ancient forms of drama in the world. The roles in it were Sheng, Dan, Jing, Mo, Chou, Wuhang, and Longtao during its early age. But with the development of Peking Opera, there are four main roles in it today: Sheng, Dan, Jing and Chou.

      Sheng——Men Roles

      Sheng are the men roles in Peking Opera, which can be divided into Laosheng, Wusheng, Xiaosheng and Wawasheng.

      Laosheng are middle-aged or older men who are decisive and honest. Hongsheng, a type(种类) of Laosheng, have a red face. There are only two roles knowns as Hongsheng. One is Guan Gong and the other is Zhao Kuangyin. Wusheng are young generals skilled in martial arts(武术). Xiaosheng are clean-shaven(没有胡须的) and handsome. Wawasheng are children's parts.

      Dan——women Roles

      Dan are women roles that can be divided into different types—— Laodan, Qingyi, Huadan, Wudan and Caidan.

      Laodan play old and clever women. Qingyi are the main women roles. Huashan, a type of Qingyi, was created by Mei Lanfang, who played an important role in shaping Peking Opera. Huadan are lively and unmarried women roles. Wudan characters are woman skilled in martial arts. Caidan are clowns(小丑) in funny plays and comedies.

      Jing——Painted Face Men Roles

     A Jing role is an important man character with striking(吸引人的) looks and high social position. There main types of Jing are Tongchui, good at singing and usually a general; Jiazi, good at acting with less singing; and Wujing, a martial arts and acrobatics(杂技) role.

     Chou——ComedyRoles

     Chou are comedy roles in Peking Opera. There are Wenchou who speak, act and sing, and Wuchou who both speak and fight. What makes this type of painted face role special is a small patch(块) of white chalk around the nose. One of the famous roles is the Monkey King, who has a special position in the hearts of all who are interested in Chinese opera.

    China is a nation of etiquette(礼仪). Chinese people are among the most hospitable people in the world. If foreigners visit a Chinese family, they would be surprised at the warmth that they would receive as guests.

    When you visit a Chinese family, the host usually makes tea for you. Then he will serve you snacks(小吃) like biscuits or candy. Someone in the family will also chat with you, never letting you feel lonely.

    At the same time, other family members will prepare a meal for you. Chinese people treat(款待) their guests with a big meal. They always present more food than the guests can eat. On the table, the guests must be the first to eat. Perhaps one of the things that surprises a Western guest most is that the Chinese host likes to pick food for visitors, which won't happen at Western tables. The Chinese family go out of their way to make you feel at home. As you are done eating, the host usually says, "It seems that you didn't eat much. Please have more." Although you tell them you are full, they still put more food in your bowl.

Being warm and hospitable has long been an important part of Chinese culture and tradition. As Confucius(孔子) said thousands of years ago:

    To meet friends from afar,

    How happy we are!

    If you're invited to your British or American friend's home for a meal at home, you should learn some table manners about their countries.

    Their dinner parties usually start between 7 and 8 p. m. and end at about 11 p.m. Ask your hosts what time you should arrive. It's polite to bring flowers, chocolates or a bottle of wine as a gift.

    Usually the evening starts with drinks and snacks（小吃）. If you want to be more polite, say how much you like the room, or the pictures on the wall. But remember-it's not polite to ask how much things cost.

    In many families, the husband sits at one side of the table and the wife sits at the other end. They eat with their guests. You'll probably start the meal with soup or something small, then you'll have meat or fish with vegetables, and then dessert（甜点心）, followed by coffee. It's polite to finish everything on your plate and to take more if you want it.

    Did you enjoy the evening? Call your hosts the next day, or write them a short "thank you" letter. British and American people like to say "thank you, thank you" all the time!

    Studying different languages increases our understanding of how humans communicate and their different cultures. However, almost 80% of the people in the world speak only 1% of its languages.  Every 14 days a language dies. By 2100, half of the more than 7, 000 languages spoken on Earth today may disappear.

    Throughout history, the languages of dominant(统治的)groups have spread while the languages of native cultures have become extinct. This happens because of government language policies, or because the dominant language becomes more useful in everyday life. Furthermore, many endangered languages aren't written down. When the last speakers of a language die and their language becomes extinct, their stories, songs, and other important information are lost, too.

    Central South America has some of the world's most endangered languages. The Kallawaya people speak a secret language that has details of thousands of medical plants. Today, fewer than 100 people speak it. In Central and Eastern Siberia, many Siberian languages now have only a few elderly speakers. Yuchi, which may be unrelated to any other language in the world, is one of the many native languages used in Oklahoma, the U.S.A. It is disappearing rapidly. In 2010, only five elderly people could speak this language.

    Luckily, native cultures around the world are using modern technology to help keep their endangered languages and cultures alive. Communities are creating dictionaries and libraries by using pictures, video, and audio to record the traditions of the last speakers of their language. If the young people don't speak and understand the words and stories of their ancestors(祖先), the language will die.

    And when the language dies, part of the culture dies, too.