One of the greatest mysteries on Earth is the statues which stand on Easter Island. Easter Island, which was almost uninhabited when it was discovered on Easter Day in 1722 by a Dutch captain, is the most distant island in the world covered with hundreds of giant statues, each weighing several tons and some standing more than 30 feet tall.
    Who built these statues and why and how did they get there? Nobody knows the answer for sure.
    One theory suggests that Easter Island was first inhabited by Polynesians, who traveled thousands of miles in their canoes（独木舟）in 400 A.D. However, the ocean currents（洋流）which carried them there would not take them back, so that they could not leave.
    The statues appear to have been made out of the top edge of the walls of a volcano on the island. Then, it may have been rolled or dragged down to the foot of the volcano(火山). Then, it was stood upright（直立）and ropes were tied around it, which was made to act as a pulley（滑轮）. Over a period of months, a statue could be walked for miles down to the ocean. Finally, it was placed in line with other statues, all of them looking towards the center of the island.
    This process was difficult. If a statue fell over, it was too heavy to be pulled upright again, so the islanders went back and carved another statue.
    The population of Easter Island must have reached 11,000. Later, the resources of the island were used up and people began fighting and eating each other. Work on the statues stopped and the statues were knocked over. When the first Europeans finally arrived on the island, most of these people had died out.

     This is a song millions of Americans will hear this New Year's Eve. It is called Auld Lang Syne(《友谊地久天长》). It is the traditional music played during the New Year's celebration. Auld Lang Syne is an old Scottish poem. It tells about the need to remember old friends.

      The words “Auld Lang Syne” mean “old long since”. No one knows who wrote the poem first. However, a version by Scottish poet Robert Burns was published(出版)in 1796. The words and music we know today first appeared in a song book three years later.

      The song is played in theUnited States mainly on New Year's Eve. The version(译文) you are hearing today is by the Washington Saxophone Quartet. As we end our program with Auld Lang Syne, I would like to wish all of our radio friends a very Happy New Year! This is Buddy Thomas.

    Do you know what couch-potato means? Well, in America, the word is now often used. The American couch-potato becomes maybe even a part of American tradition. You see, in America, many people often spend their free time sitting on a couch（沙发）watching TV. As there are many programs to choose, the TV can be quite interesting and very addictive（上瘾的）. One may sit and watch TV for hour and hour without stop. They do nothing else but watch TV. These people are called couch-potatoes.

    In America, when one watches TV, he is most often sitting on a couch. While watching TV, most of these people look so frozen that they almost look dead. Everyone is sitting still（安静地） with eyes looking right into the same black box. Also because these people are addictive to TV, they don't exercise and usually get very fat. So in many ways, they look like real potatoes. Well, because they look so still and fat, and watch TV on a couch, they are all called couch-potatoes.

    Now you know what couch-potatoes means. The next time if you see someone watching TV too long, just say, "What a couch-potato!"

    Americans usually eat three meals a day. Breakfast usually comes before eight o'clock in the morning. They usually have eggs, some meat, bread, fruit juice and coffee. Lunch is between twelve and one o'clock. It is like a light meal and working people must take lunch with them or get it near workplace.

    Children in school take sandwiches, fruit, and cookies with them or eat in school. Supper. The main meal, is between six and eight in the evening. People cook it carefully. They may have meat or chicken, turkey and duck. They may all have potatoes or rice, vegetables or salad. The drink is coffee, tea or milk.

    Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival is the first festival in China forfarmers. The festival starting from 2018, falls1theAutumnal Equinox (秋分) each year. The Autumnal Equinox is one of the 24 solarterms (节气) of the Chinese lunar calendar and usually falls between September22nd and 24th, during2harvest season.

    As we all know, China has the3populationall over the world. It was difficult4somany people in the past. After reform (改革) and opening, with the5ofmodern agriculture (农业), people's life is getting better and better, and theirliving conditions6a lot. Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festivalshows7our government is paying more attentionto agriculture and farmers' life. It will greatly encourage farmers to farm anddevelop8modern agriculture. China has  a long history of agriculture. ChineseFarmers' Harvest Festival, the cultural symbol,9toshow China's long farming culture to the world. It also connects the excellent traditional Chinese culture to modern civilization (文明) andimproves the cultural self-confidence and national pride.

    Since the festival is especially created for farmers, they10tothink of their own ways to celebrateharvest. The celebrations will be11basedon local customs. Someactivities are held across the country,12mostof the celebrations will take place at a local level that comes from localcustoms. Also, local government usually hosts all kinds of activities13attractvarious people for the festival, such as folk culture performances and foodtasting.

    Some people think the festival is the happiest time of a year, evenbetter than the Spring Festival,because food gives people14sense of safety and hope. For15people,the harvest festival is a time to look back at the past and look forward to thefuture.