You have to shake hands when you're coming or going in Germany, but in Britain you usually only shake hands when you meet someone for the first time.

    You have to give your present in public in the Middle East to show it's not a bribe(贿赂), but it's good manners to give your present in private in Asia.

    You mustn't give cutlery（刀具） in Latin America because it suggests that you want to cut off the relationship. You mustn't give a clock in China because the Chinese word for clock is similar to the word for funeral(葬礼).

    “Come any time” means “I want you to visit me” in India. If you don't suggest a time and arrange a visit immediately, an Indian will think you are refusing the invitation.

    Offices are usually closed on Friday in Moslem countries.

    It's bad manners to discuss business at social occasion in India.

    In an English pub, you have to take your turn to buy a “round” drink for everyone in your group.

BERLIN—A German woman, fearful that a burglar was trying to break into her second -storey apartment, called police after she heard someone climbing up to her balcony shortly after midnight, police said Thursday. Police discovered the “burglar” was a man carrying flowers and a bottle of wine who turned out to be the woman's boyfriend. But then arrested him on an outstanding reason.

    “He was trying to surprise her with the flowers and a bottle of wine but it all went wrong,” said Korbach police spokesman Volker Koenig. He said the man jumped down from the balcony and tried to escape but was quickly caught by police.

    “He gave the police who were taking him to jail the bottle of wine as a gesture of thanks for the friendly treatment after the arrest. ” Koenig said．

LONDON—A smoker who died after battling emphysema (肺气肿) has had his dying wish granted with the placement of a “SMOKING KILLED ME” sign on his hearse (灵车) and his grave.

    Albert Whittamore blamed his youthful smoking habit for the lung disease. He said before he died in February that he wanted the sign to serve as a warning to young people about the dangers of tobacco smoking.

    The sign was designed to look like the health warning on a packet of cigarettes. The printed notice at his grave will be left in place for a week. The hearse carrying his body through the town of Dover 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of London and several of the printed signs shown in the windows.

    People who often eat nuts appear to live longer, according to the latest study of its kind. The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggested the greatest benefit was in those eating them on their daily diet.

    Eating nuts was linked to a healthier lifestyle including being less likely to smoke or be overweight and more likely to exercise. The British Heart Foundation said more research was needed to prove the link, “While this is an interesting link, we need further research to make sure if it's the nuts that protect heart health, or other sides of people's lifestyle .”

    The study followed nearly 120,000 people for 30 years. The more regularly people ate nuts, the less likely they were to die during the study. People eating nuts once a week were 11% less likely to have died during the study than those who never ate nuts. Lead researcher Dr. Charles Fuchs, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital, said, “The most obvious benefit was a decrease of 29%in deaths from heart disease, but we also saw a significant reduction-11%- in the danger of dying from cancer.”

    They suggest nuts are lowering cholesterol(胆固醇). and insulin resistance(胰岛素抗性). Nuts contain unsaturated fat(不饱和脂肪), protein(蛋白质) and several kinds of vitamins and minerals and they can take the place of snacks like chocolate bars, cakes and biscuits.

    Victoria Taylor, senior expert at the British Heart Foundation, said, “This study shows close connection between regularly eating a small handful of nuts and a lower risk of death from heart disease.” Choosing plain, unsalted foods rather than sweet, salted, or chocolate-covered will keep your salt and sugar intake down.

    Should you work out in the gym in the morning instead of in the evening? It all depends. Of course, there are advantages of working out(运动) in the morning.

    You will increase your energy for the rest of the day. “Morning workouts result in better energy levels throughout the day and give you more mental sharpness,” says Dr. Cedrie Byrant, Chief Science Officer of the American Council on Exercise.

    Here is another advantage. In 2017, health researchers found that exercising in the morning helps you sleep better at night. According to the study, in all cases, those who exercised at 7:00am experienced about a 10 percent drop in blood pressure that carried through the rest of the day. They also had about a 25 percent drop in blood pressure at night, slept longer and had more beneficial sleep cycles than when they exercised at other times of the day.

    However, there are disadvantages, too.

    If you are not an early riser, getting out of the bed in the morning can be very difficult. Byran says that if you're not used to exercising in the morning and force yourself to get up, you may not put as much effort into the exercise as you would later in the day. Also, if you aren't careful, you can damage your sleep schedule, which can lead to insufficient sleep.

    Besides, hitting the gym before work can cause a challenge in terms of scheduling. If you work a 9-to-5 job, getting ready for work and going to work can cut your morning workout short, Byrant notes.

    To sum up, it has both advantages and disadvantages. If it suits you better to work out in the morning, you can do so.

    The British Museum is a museum dedicated to human history, art and culture, located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection, numbering some 8 million works, is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence and originates from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its beginnings to the present.

    The British Museum was established in 1753, largely based on the collections of the physician and scientist Sir Hans Sloane. The museum first opened to the public on 15 January 1759 in Montagu House in Bloomsbury, on the site of the current museum building.

    Admission and opening times

    Free, open daily 10: 00—17: 30.

    The Museum is open every day except for 24, 25 and 26 December and 1 January.

    Museum galleries are open daily 10: 00—17: 30, and most are open until 20: 30 on Fridays.

    Closing starts from 17: 20 (20: 20 on Fridays).

    Tips for your school visit

    It's a good idea to come and see the Museum before your visit. Whatever your plans, please book in advance via the Ticket Desk to make sure you get the most out of your trip.

    Booking your visit

    Contact the Ticket Desk at ＋44(0)20 7323 8181 or tickets @ britishmuseum.org

    Cancellation

    If you are not able to attend a session you must inform the Ticket Desk at least three weeks before the session date. Failure to do so may incur a charge.

    Gallery availability

    Please book at least one term in advance and wait for confirmation before making travel plans. Greek and Egyptian galleries book up quickly. Opening times of some galleries may be limited at short notice—you will be contacted if necessary.

    Access and special educational needs

    The majority of galleries and all special exhibitions are fully accessible. There is a range of facilities for visual, hearing and mobility impaired students.

    Parking

    There is little on-street parking available. The nearest car park to the Museum is located at Bloomsbury Square, WC1A 2RJ. There is limited parking in the Museum's forecourt for disabled visitors only. To make arrangements please telephone＋44 (0)20 7323 8299 at least 24 hours in advance. You will be asked to provide the registration number, make and model of your vehicle and the date of your visit.

    Support us

    Your support is vital in enabling the Museum to fulfill its mission to share its collection with the world. The British Museum relies on funding from a wide range of sources and there are many ways that you can donate to help ensure the display, care and preservation of the collection for future generations.

    Please consider supporting the British Museum today.

    I had the meanest mother in the whole world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, I had to have porridge, eggs or toast. When others had Coke and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. But at least I wasn't alone when I was sad. My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did.

    My mother preferred to know where we were at all times. She had to know who our friends were and where we were going. We had to clean clothes and take a bath every day. The other kids got to wear the same clothes for days. We could not lie in bed "sick" in order to miss school.

    The worst is yet to come. We had to be in bed by nine each night and get up at eight the next morning. We couldn't sleep till noon like our friends. So while they slept, my mother was brave to break the Child Labour Laws. She made us work. We had to wash dishes, make beds, and learn to cook and all kinds of things at home. I believe she lay awake thinking up all things for us to do.

    My mother was a complete failure as a mother. Two of her children received higher education. None of us have ever been taken away by the police or divorced (离婚). She forced us to grow up into educated and honest adults. I am now trying to raise my three children this way. I am filled with pride when my children call me "mean". Why? Because now I thank God every day for giving me the meanest mother in the world.