Many cultures have different ideas about why people catch colds. For example in the United States, some people think that you can catch a cold if your feet get cold. So, mothers tell small children to wear warm boots in the winter. In other places, including parts of the Middle East, some people believe that strong winds cause colds. So, on trains and buses, people usually don't like to sit next to open windows. In parts of Europe, some people think that wearing wet clothes will give you a cold. They say that after you go swimming, you should quickly put on dry clothes. Today, scientists know that colds are caused by a virus（病毒）. But the old ideas are still very strong, and many people still follow them to avoid（避免）getting ill.

    Have you seen the videos on TV? Do you wear large T-shirts and baggy（宽松的） jeans? Or have you heard someone rap (说唱)? Hip-Hop is very hot now.

Hip-Hop music was started in the middle of the 1970s by African Americans in New York. break-dancing (霹雳舞)and graffiti(涂鸦)are the two main kinds of music in Western Hip-Hop culture. Most of the Hip-Hop songs are about love, jobs or even games.

    Usually in rap, singers speak words very quickly to a certain beat. Most of the words are fun. Singers play off words to make fun of themselves or others. Hip-Hop music has few rules. Singers just do what they think and rap it out in a clever or creative way. The freedom makes a lot of teenagers fall in love with the music. Many of them like wearing large T-shirts and baggy jeans. Famous rap(说唱) and Hip-Hop stars include Eminem in the U. S. and Jay Chou from China.

    Today Hip-Hop is more and more popular across most of the world.

    In the world, soccer of football is the most popular sport. This is because many countries have wonderful teams for the World Cup. The World Cup is held every four years.

    To remember 2002 FIFA World Cup ,children from different countries and more than 60 children from Japanese schools came together and spent three weekends drawing a big picture called “Dream(梦幻) World Cups ”in Japan .The children drew animals, flowers and people playing soccer under a bule bright sky. They wished each football team good luck by drawing the flags(旗帜)of all the countries that will take part in the World Cup in Japan and South Korea. The picture was put up in a park near a playground in Yokohama .Some football teams will have games there.

    Are you a football fan(迷)？The World Cup makeds more and more people interested in football Teenagers(青少年)like playing and watching football .Many of them love some football stars so much that they get the pictures of their favourite players on the walls of their rooms. That is the way to show their love for the World Cup as children in Japan.

    Oxford is a city in the UK. It's in the west of the UK and it's famous for the University of Oxford. It's an old university--about 900 years old. It has a longer history than Cambridge University. It's the oldest university in the English speaking world.

    There are about 21,000 students and they are from all over the world. Many students go to school by bike. There are 38 colleges in the University of Oxford, but Cambridge University has only 31 colleges. There are 104 libraries in the University of Oxford. Bodleian Library is the second largest library in the UK. Stephen Hawking was a student of the University of Oxford. He's a great scientist. Clinton, the 42nd American President, was also a student of the university.

    The expression "Excuse me" is1 used in the United States than in China. 2 American says "Excuse me" when he wants to pass 3 someone, or leave a party or a dinner, or when' he finds himself late 4 an appointment(约会).

    "Thank you" means that appreciate (感谢) 5 someone has done for you. An American, says "Thank you" all day long. For example, he 6 the sales woman after she has served(服务)him. He will say "Thank you" to the cashier(收款员)when he 7 his food. He will Say "Thank you" to a student if he has, just answered the question. At 8, the husband will thank his wife if she brings him a cup of tea. On the other hand, the wife thanks her husband for helping her 9 her housework. So the American People's idea of 3010 polite is quite different from ours.

    In the eyes of many foreigners, Chinese are the best hosts and the worst guests in the world. They're not really bad guests, but because the guest­host relationship in China is much different than in some Western countries, it appears they are not nice guests. And Western hosts sometimes look rude in the eyes of Chinese guests.

In China, guests are almost like gods. Whenever I enter a Chinese person's home, there is always fruit on the table for me, and someone is quick to bring me a cup of tea or water. In the West, generally the guest is not a god. Acting according to the host's way of doing things is usual behavior for a guest.

    My wife's mother, a very kind elderly Chinese lady, doesn't smoke. When I see some of her guests smoking in her house, as a non­smoker, I feel unhappy. Usually I want to stop them directly, but I must realize that in China, to be a good host, she must not do that. In most North American homes, if you are a guest, and the hosts are not smokers, you should not smoke in their house. At the very least, you could ask, "Is it OK if I smoke?" But, don't be surprised if they say, "No, you can't smoke." In our culture, if you smoke in their home, you are a bad guest, but if they do not allow you to smoke in their house, they are not a rude host.

    Guests in China also have special habits. Some Western people may not adapt to these habits very soon. Thankfully my wife is Chinese, so whenever we visit a Chinese family she tells me to buy them a gift. However, giving a gift to a host is not always necessary in my country. So, if you invite international guests to your house, don't be too surprised if they don't bring you a gift.

    In China, you probably won't need to change the guest­host relationship very much because you will probably only be the host, and Chinese are naturally very good hosts. If Western hosts invite you to their house, try not to be too surprised if their style of treating you is not what you have expected.