If you are really interested in music festivals, then you have probably heard of the Bestival Music Festival. It takes place every September on the Island of Wight, the UK. As it is at the end of summer, people think it's their last chance to go to a festival and have fun before going back to boring work.

    The dream begins as soon as you start traveling to the island. In order to get to the campsite (营地) of the Bestival, you have to take the ferry (渡轮). The ferry is full of happy festival lovers who are ready to join in the fantastic music party. After you arrive at the campsite, you can put your tent up. There people talk with each other openly. They are not that cold like those you meet in your everyday life. 

    The festival lasts for four days. During that time you forget all your worries and problems, just like living in a dream. And it is really hard for you to come back to "reality" after that. 

    It seems that Bestival gives people a real sense of unity. I joined in the Bestival with my friends the year before last. It was so happy and we all lost ourselves in the beautiful music. We Are Family sung by Sister Sledge was my favorite. I'm really looking forward to joining in it for a second time.

    One day, an American man Simon went to London to visit his friend, Rick. Rick told him that his flat(公寓) was on the first floor. When he arrived, Simon went straight to the first floor of the building. But a man told him that there was no Rick on that floor. Do you know why?

    In fact, the British (英国人) call the first floor of a building the ground floor. The floor above the ground floor is the first floor, but Americans would call it the second floor.

    The story shows that there are a few culture differences between Britain and America, though the British and Americans both speak English.

    The British don't like showing their feelings. They hardly start a small talk with strangers. For example, on the train the British often spend their time reading newspapers or books. But Americans are quite different. They're more active and easier to talk with.

    The British and Americans may use different terms for the same things. The British usually use "football" "holiday" and "lift", but Americans like to use "soccer" "vacation" and "elevator".

    This is a song， and millions of Americans will hear it on New Year's Eve. It is called "Auld Lang Syne" (《友谊地久天长》). It is the traditional music played during New Year's celebration. "Auld Lang Syne" is an old Scottish(苏格兰)poem. It tells about the need to remember old friends.

    The words "auld lang syne" mean "old long since". No one knows who wrote the poem first.

    However， a version(版本)by Scottish poet Robert Burns was published(出版)in 1796. The words and music we know today first appeared(出现)in a song book three years later.

    The song is played in the United States mainly on New Year's Eve. The version you are hearing today is by the Washington Saxophone Quartet. One of the 4 musicians in the group is VOA's Rich Kainfaite. As we end our programme with "Auld Lang Syne"，I would like to wish all of our radio friends a very happy New Year! This is Buddy Thomas.

    In many English homes people eat four meals a day, breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner.

    People have breakfast at any time from seven to nine in the morning. They eat porridge, eggs, or bread. English people drink tea or coffee at breakfast.

    Lunch comes at one o'clock. Afternoon tea is from four to five in the afternoon and dinner is about half past seven. First they have soups, and then they have meat or fish with vegetables. After that they eat some other things, like bananas, apples, or oranges.

    But not all English people eat like this. Some of them have their dinner in the middle of the day. Their meals are breakfast, dinner, tea, and supper and all these meals are very necessary.

    Different countries have different customs in giving presents.

    IN CHINA you must never give a clock to a Chinese person, because the sound of the word for "clock" is similar to the sound for "death" in Chinese. Also, don't wrap（包裹） a present in white, black, or blue paper, because these are the colors for funerals（葬礼）. Don't give a knife, because something sharp（锋利的） can cut a friendship.

    IN RUSSIA if we give flowers as a present, we have to give all odd numbers of them(one, three, five, etc.) because even numbers of flowers(two, four, six, etc.) are for funerals.

    IN GERMANY flowers are a good present to take to your dinner hostess, but don't take her red roses because it means you are in love with her. Don't take thirteen of anything because it's an unlucky number. Don't take an even number of anything, either. Don't wrap your present in white, brown, or black paper.