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.

    On my weekly math exam, I made a big mistake. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Even worse, in front of all my classmates he criticized(批评) me! I was angry.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}I thought I must be called for more punishment. But to my surprise, he said, Do you get your mistake now? I believe a clever student like you would have never done that except by accident.

    Next, he carefully read both the question and the answer. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    He was so kind that I was deeply moved. My anger went away.

    But it wasn't the end. He called me again and gave me some papers that afternoon. They are especially designed for me. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    In my heart I had nothing left to say, only thanks and sorry. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}I should thank him for he was such a good teacher.

    Did you know that tea, the most popular drink in the world (after water), was invented by accident? Many people believe that tea was first drunk nearly 5,000 years ago. It is said that a Chinese ruler called Shen Nong first discovered tea as a drink. One day Shen Nong was boiling drinking water over an open fire. Some leaves from a tea plant fell into the water and remained there for some time. It produced a nice smell so he tasted the brown water anyway. It was quite delicious. In this way, one of the world's favorite drinks was invented.

    More than 4,000 years later, Lu Yu, "the saint of tea", mentioned Shen Nong in his book Cha Jing. The book describes how tea plants were grown and used to make tea. It also discusses where the finest tea leaves were produced and what kinds of water were used.

    It is believed that tea was brought to Korea and Japan during the 6th and 7th centuries. In England, tea didn't appear until around 1660, but less than 100 years later, it had become the national drink. The tea trade from China to Western countries took place in the 19th century. This helped to spread the popularity of tea and the tea plant to more places around the world. Even though many people now know about tea culture, the Chinese are without doubt the ones who best understand the nature of tea.

Peter: I found an ID card. My phone number is 512-8843.

Jim: I lost a computer game. If you find it, call me at 680-7432

Paul: I lost an English dictionary. Who found it? Please call me at 555-0287

Sam: I found a notebook with the name "Kevin Clark". My phone number is 476—3539.

    Nowadays, more and more teenagers can't get along well with their parents, some even fight with their parents from time to time. That's too bad. Even if you think that your parents cannot understand you at times, loving your parents is a normal and satisfying part of life. You love them for the fact that they created you and raised you. Here are some ways to love your parents.

    {#blank#}1{#/blank#} You can use these moments to learn from them when you're off on your own. It's OK to be angry, but angry actions don't help you or your parents. Act calmly, cool off, keep a diary about your feelings, or talk to a friend. After this, show your feelings to your parents.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} It depends on what you do. For example, if you get home late without calling first, next time your parents may not believe you. To get their trust, you must pay attention to the ways you do things instead of fighting with them. It will make your life much easier.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} You can watch TV, or go somewhere with them. Anyway, spend as much time with them as you can. You can go hiking together, your parents will get to know that you have the ability to deal with different problems, and they will understand you more. Listen to their old stories and learn from them. You will find they are your teachers in one way or another.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} A gentle "good morning" and "I love you" will warm the coldest heart every morning. Remember that they brought you into the world. Without your parents, you might still wander at an unknown corner in an unknown world.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#} It will help you to get more respect from them. It may seem like you are going through hell when you don't get what you want or you have to clean the room when you aren't willing to do that at that moment. However, you had better remember they keep you comfortable when it's cold, raining, snowing, or too hot. Understand that parents are human beings and they make mistakes, too.

    Mr. and Mrs. Brown have a big house. The house has three bedrooms and two sitting-rooms. ①There are many trees near the house. They have two children. One is a son and the other is a daughter. The children like sports very much. The son has two baseballs and nine tennis balls. He likes playing tennis every day. The daughter has eight volleyballs and ten basketballs. She plays basketball every day. ②They often play under the trees.