Some British and American people like to invite friends for a meal at home. You should not be upset if your English friends don't invite you home. It doesn't mean they don't like you.

    Dinner parties usually start between 7 and 8 p.m. and end at about 11 p.m. Ask you hosts(主办人) what time you should arrive. It's polite to bring flowers, chocolates or a bottle of wine(酒) as a gift.

    Usually the evening starts with drinks and snacks. If you want to be very polite, say how much you like the room, or the pictures on the wall. But remember—It's not polite to ask how much things cost.

    In many families, the husband sits at one end of the table and the wife sits at the other end. They eat with their guests(客人).

    You'll probably start the meal with soup or something small, then you'll have meat or fish with vegetables, and then dessert followed by coffee. It's polite to finish everything on your plate and to take more if you want it.

    Did you enjoy the evening? Call your hosts the next day, or write them a short “thank you” letter. British and American people like to say “thank you, thank you, thank you” all the time!

    When I was a university teacher in Ningbo, I told my students that it would be wise to keep their smartphones in their backpacks. They were young adults. I didn't want to take their phones， nor could I shout at them. You can guess what happened.

    Some students were polite, using their phones between activities. Others would rudely text their friends during lessons, sometimes even while I talked to them. One young woman, K, openly played a game at her desk with earphones!

    Why did such a situation appear? I began to think my class was boring (probably true!) and that my students hated me (I could understand). But what could I do? I couldn't fail every student. Maybe I was just a boring teacher.

    With all the recent talk about banning(禁止) smartphones at schools, you might think I'm in favor. I'm actually not so sure. This technology isn't going away. Teachers probably need to change as much as students.

    I designed activities to let them use pens and paper, and moving around the room to talk to classmates. It kind of worked! I also found ways to use their phones. Things like research, translation and creative projects. I found that my students worked hardest on these activities.

Phones might not be the biggest problem. Once, walking at school, I saw K standing alone in the dark. I could see her face, lit up by her mobile game. Maybe smart phone addiction (上瘾) at school is a sign of loneliness or a boring teacher.

    My name is Mike. I live in America now. I am a twelve-year-old junior high school student. I go to school on foot every day because my house is close to my school. We have four classes in the morning.

    Each class lasts 40 minutes. The first class starts at 8:00 a. m. There is a ten-minute break between two classes. I study hard and do well in Maths, English and Science. Of all my subjects, I like Science best. I want to be a scientist in the future.

    Most of my classmates have lunch at school, but I usually eat lunch at home. After lunch, I can rest for half an hour. Afternoon classes begin at 2: 30 p. m., and end at 4: 50 p. m. We usually study PE, Art and Music in the afternoon.

    I like playing the piano very much. I often have an hour's piano practice after school. I always have a good time at school.

    Mr. Smith works in an office. He's very busy and has no time to have a good rest. Every evening, when he comes back from his office, he's always tired and wants to go to bed early. But his wife always has a lot of interesting things to tell him after supper. She doesn't stop talking until she goes to sleep.

    One day Mr. Smith feels terrible and can't go to work. He goes to see a doctor. And Mrs. Smith goes to the hospital with him. Before her husband says what is the matter with him, the woman tells the doctor all about her husband and the doctor understands why. He writes out a prescription(处方). And when Mrs. Smith takes the medicine to the doctor's room, the doctor says to her, "This kind of medicine is for your husband and the pills are for you."

    "For me?" the woman says in surprise. "I'm fine. I don't need any medicine!"

    "I don't think so, madam," says the doctor. "They are sleeping pills. Your husband will be all right if you take them. "

One afternoon，I went into {#blank#}1{#/blank#} art museum while waiting for my husband. I hoped to enjoy the works of art {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (quiet). 

A young couple walked in front of me and talked {#blank#}3{#/blank#} the paintings between themselves all the time. The lady did almost all the talking，but the man kept listening to her. I thought the man was very patient {#blank#}4{#/blank#} nobody would like to be bothered(打扰) while enjoying the paintings. 

I met them several {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(time) as I moved through the different rooms of the art museum. Each time I heard her talking，I moved away quickly. 

I {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(pay)for some gifts at the museum shop when the couple walked slowly to the exit(出口). Before they left，the man took out a cane(拐杖). Then he tapped(轻敲) his way. 

"He is a brave man，" the worker of the shop said. He decided not {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (change) his life after his eyes got hurt. Though he is blind now，he never gives {#blank#}8{#/blank#}. He and his wife come here whenever there is a new art show. "

"But what can he get out of the art？ He can't see！" I asked. "You are wrong. He sees a lot， {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (much) than you and I do. " The worker said，"His wife describes each painting so he can see it in his mind. "

I fell {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (silence). Then I realised that I learnt something about patience, courage and love that day.