Table manners are very different in every country. For example, when you are in England you must not lift your soup plate to your mouth. This is very impolite. But when you are in Japan this is completely normal. Lifting your plate to your mouth in Japan is a traditional way of drinking your soup. And also in Japan you don't have to worry about making a noise when you drink it. It just shows that you really like the food! But it is not the same in Britain, so you shouldn't make a noise when eating there.   

    In Britain, people don't put their hands or arms on the table during the meal. But in Mexico, guests keep their hands on the table all the time. In fact, you should watch what your hands do very carefully. In Arab countries, it is impolite when you eat with your left hand, so don't do it!

    In all the cultures it is impolite to speak when you are eating.

    In Ukraine you should not start eating first; you should wait for all the others to start eating with you. You also have to say "please" and "thank you" every time you ask for and get something. If you don't like some food, don't make faces and don't say: "Yuk! I hate that!"

    The best way to avoid making mistakes in other countries is to watch the host and try to do as he does.

    One year, two Australians，Adam and Stephen，decided to go to Jamboree(童子军大会)by bike．It was in Sweden，about 20，000 kilometers from their home in Adelaide! They didn't take normal bikes；they took bikes with three wheels instead．These are more comfortable and easier to ride up hills．

    They took everything they needed．They had a tent each，things to cook with，clothes，maps，computers and phones，and things to repair the bikes．They also took their passports (护照)because they planned to travel through 22 different countries．

    The journey began in Australia but it didn't go well．After just a few days，Adam's bike broke．He left Stephen and went back home by coach (长途汽车)．He got a new wheel for his bike，then bought a plane ticket and flew to Perth．In Perth, he took a train to a town called Merridien．After he got off the train，he put his bike together and rode to meet Stephen．

    After that，they flew to Johannesburg and then they began their bike ride though Africa. They slept in tents by the road，and in some places they saw a lot of wild(野生的)animals .One night, they could hear lions ,and another night , an elephant walked past their tents．

In Europe, they rode up some very high mountains．And the most wonderful  thing， they thought，was that they saw snow for the first time in their lives．

    In every country，along the way，Adam and Stephen met a lot of interesting people and had lots of interesting people and had lots of adventures(奇遇)．The journey took 269 days．

    You may feel comfortable with some people. You spend an hour with them and feel as if you have known them half a life. These people have something in common. And once we know what it is, we can try to do it ourselves.

    How is it done?{#blank#}1{#/blank#}If you follow the skills, you'll make friends with people quickly.

    First of all, good talkers ask questions.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}One well-known businesswoman says, “At business lunches, I always ask people what they did that morning. It's a common question, but it will get things going.” From there you can move on to some other questions. And how he answers will let you know how far you can go.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}This point seems clear, but it isn't. Your question should have a point and help to tell what sort of person you are talking to. And to find out, you really have to listen carefully and attentively.

    Real listening at least means some things.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}If someone sticks to one topic, it means he's really interested in it. Real listening also means not just listening to words, but to tones (语气) of voice. If the voice sounds boring, then, it's time for you to change the subject.

    Finally, good talkers know well when to say good-bye. Remember to give him a handshake and say, “I've really enjoyed meeting you.”{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Let people know what you feel, and they may walk away feeling as if they've known you half their life.

A．Almost anyone will answer a question.

B．Here are several skills that good talkers have.

C．If you want to see that person again, don't keep it a secret.

D．First, it means not to change the subject of the conversation.

E．Second, once good talkers have asked questions, they listen to the answers.

    Look! People are gathering to get water from a huge well in the village of Natwarghad in the western Indian state of Gujarat! ①Because of the large population on the earth, the world is ________hungry, it is ______be thirsty for water now. The world's population has reached 7 billion. And it could possible grow to 15 billion by the year 2100.

    ②On the other hand, about 97% of water on the earth is sea water which we can't drink or use for watering plants directly. Man can only drink or use the other 3% of fresh water which comes from rivers, lakes and underground. And we can't even use all of that, because some of them has been polluted.

    Now more water is needed. The problem is: can we avoid a serious water shortage later on? Firstly, we should all learn how to save water. Secondly, we should find out the ways to reuse it. Today, in most large cities water is used only once, but it can be used again .Even if every large city reuse its water, still there would not be enough. What could people turn to next?

    The sea seems to have the best answer. The sea is very big. Look at the map of the world, there is more sea than land. It covers three quarters of the earth. All that needs to be done is to get the salt out of the sea water. Scientists are trying to find a cheaper way of doing it. So you see,③如果我们可以找出解决方法，我们就不会有干涸（dry up）的危险。

    Hans Christian Andersen, a great Danish (丹麦的) writer, is very famous for his fairy tales (童话). He wrote a lot of best-known stories such as The Emperor's New Clothes and The UglyDuckling. His fairy tales have brought happiness to children across the world. The tales have versions (版本) of over a hundred languages.

    Andersen was born in Denmark in 1805. When he was still a young boy, he was already very clever and imaginative (富于想象力的). He created a small toy theatre and made clothes for his puppets (木偶). He also loved reading.

    In 1816, his father died and he learned to be a tailor (裁缝). Later he worked in a factory. At the age of fourteen, Andersen moved to the capital of Denmark to become an actor and gave performances (演出) in the Royal Danish Theatre. However, his voice changed when he grew older, so the job had to stop. Then he began to write poems and fairy tales.

    In the spring of 1872, Andersen fell out of bed and didn't get well again. He lived until 1875 and died peacefully at the home of his close friends.

Street Markets Around the World

    There are many ways of shopping. You can shop by telephone, by post or through your home computer, but for many people, the most exciting way to shop is also the most traditional—at a street market. You can find markets anywhere in the world. Here are four of them:

    There are many "floating markets" in Asia; perhaps the most unusual(非同寻常) is in Thailand(泰国), at a place called Damned Saduak. It's open from six in the morning to the noon every day. People sell fresh fruit from their boats.

    Many Belgians(比利时人) say that the Grand Place is the most beautiful square in the world. It's the home of a colorful flower market. It's open every day except(除了) Monday. On Monday, instead of(替代) flowers, there's a wonderful bird market.

    One of the world's famous markets is in Mexico City(墨西哥城)—the Sonora Market. You can buy toys, birds, herbs(草本) and medicine. There're all kinds of things. It's open every day from early in the morning till late at night.

    In England, on Saturday and Sunday thousands of young people from all over London travel to the Camden Market—it's the place to go for street fashion, CDs and tapes. Many people also go there for fun.