Subway

    A subway is not just an important form of transport. It is also a window for other people to learn about local cultures.

    Beijing, China

    The Beijing Subway was opened in 1969 and is the oldest subway system in China. It has added some modern technologies. All stations now have touch-screen maps. In some stations, people can also see traditional Chinese cultures. For example, on the walls of a few stations of Line 8, there are some pictures of blue and white porcelain(青花瓷）.

    Stockholm, Sweden

    The system of the Stockholm Subway has 100 stations in use, of which 47 are underground and 53 above ground. The first subway line for Stockholm was opened in 1950. The Stockholm Subway is well-known for its decoration of the stations. It is called the longest art gallery in the world. Over 90 percent of its stations are decorated with paintings. A few stations are decorated with red bedrocks（岩床）. This makes you feel as if you are in a cave.

    London, UK

The London Underground or the Tube is the oldest subway in the world. It was opened in 1863. During World War II, it was used to protect people from German plane attacks（袭击）on London. Now, it is a symbol of the city. There is no air conditioning in the trains, so it is very hot in summer.

    New York, US

The New York City Subway has the most extensive public transportation system in the world, with 469 stations. It is also one of the world's oldest public transit systems. The New York City Subway runs 24 hours a day. It has an express train on almost every line. You can get to your destination(目的地）promptly. The trains themselves are full of fun; you will see people doing moonwalk dances like Michael Jackson, playing the guitar and singing.

    On December 3rd, 2017 a program by CCTV called National Treasure(国家宝藏)was shown to people all over the country. It became popular with both the old and the young as soon as it came out.

    The show took 27 pieces of cultural relics(文物)from nine museums across the country, such as the Palace Museum, Shanghai Museum, Shanxi History Museum and so on. The show expected to bring life to the national treasure. They invited 27 actors and another 27 common people to tell the" old and new life stories" of the relics. The actor acted in a short play about the history of each relic. The other person told his or her own story in relation to the relic.

    More and more people are interested not only in the relics themselves, but also in enjoying the stories behind those relics. There are a lot of jokes online about the show. They also help the show by bringing the museums and relics closer to the people.

    Why did the show become so successful? "By telling stories and inviting famous stars, it has turned the old culture into interesting stories. It's a really creative program, "said Yin Hongru, a teacher from Tsinghua University.

    "The social value(社会价值)of the show is more important than anything else, "said Yu Lei from the program. "We just want more people to go to the museums and take a look at the country's most fantastic treasures."

    In 99% of human history, people took their food from the world around them. They ate all that they could find, and then moved on. Then about 10,000 years ago, or in 1% of human history, people learned to farm the land.

    The kind of food we eat depends on which part of the world we live in, or which part of our country we live in, For example, in the south of China they eat rice, but in the north they eat noodles. In European countries near the sea, people eat a lot of fish. In central Europe, away from the sea, people don't eat so much fish. They eat more meat. In Germany and Poland there are hundreds of different kinds of sausages.

    In North America, Australia, and Europe, people eat with knives and forks. In China, people eat with chopsticks. In parts of India and the Middle East people use their fingers to pick up food.

    Nowadays it is possible to transport(运 输) food easily from one part of the world to the other. We can eat what we like, when we like, at any time of the year. In Britain, bananas come from Africa; rice comes from India or the USA; strawberries come from Chile or Spain. Food is very big business. But people in poor countries are still hungry, and people in rich countries eat too much.