Every artist knows in his heart that he is saying something to the public. Not only does he want to say it well, but he wants it to be something that has not been said before. He hopes the public will listen and understand what he wants to teach them, and what he wants them to learn from him.

    What visual(视觉的)artists like painters want to teach is easy to make out but difficult to explain,because painters translate their experience into shapes and colours, not words. They seem to feel that a certain selection of shapes and colours, out of countless billions of, is exceptionally interesting for them and worth showing to us. Without their work we should never have noticed these particular Shapes and colours. or have felt the delight which they brought to the artist.

      Most artists take their shapes and colours from the world of nature and from human bodies in motion and at rest; their choices indicate(指示)that these aspects of the world are worth looking at, that they contain beautiful sights. Contemporary(当代的)artists might say that they merely choose subjects that provide an interesting pattern, that there is nothing more in it. Yet even they do not choose entirely without reference to the character of their subjects.

    If one painter chooses to paint a decaying(腐烂)leg and another a lake in moonlight, each of them is directing our attention to a certain aspect of the world. Each painter is telling us something, showing us something, emphasizing something-all of which means that, consciously(有意识地)or unconsciously, he is trying to teach us.

    Traveling to every part of the world gets easier, but how well do we know and understand each other. Here's a simple test. Imagine you are planning to hold a meeting at four o'clock. What time should you expect your foreign business friends to arrive? If they are Germans, they'll arrive on time. If they are Americans, they'll probably be 15 minutes early. If they are Englishmen, they'll be 15 minutes late, and you should allow up to an hour for the Italians.

    The British seemed to think since the English language was widely used in the world, people would always understand what they do. However, they found they were completely wrong. For example, the British are happy to have a business lunch and discuss business matters and have a drink during the meal. The Japanese prefer not to work while eating. Lunch is a time for them to relax and get to know each other and they don't drink at lunchtime. The Germans like to talk business before dinner. The French like to eat first and talk afterwards. They have to be well fed and watered before they discuss anything.

    Do you need useful and interesting books? Here we've got plenty for you.

Successful Fishermen

    Fishing is a healthy hobby. You can enjoy fresh air when you go fishing in the countryside. This book will teach you how to choose fishing places and how to make good fishing rods easily. Many kinds of fishing skills are shown in the book. Read it and you will become a more successful fisherman.

Best Learners

    This book can give you the answers to the questions most often asked by parents, teachers and students themselves. Read this book and learn:

* What the three difficulties in study are and what to do with them.

* What to do if you are not interested in a subject you are studying.

* Twenty-six simple exercises to help you study easily and fast.

You will get more from this book. For younger students, you can buy Learn in

Study for Beginners. It is easier to understand.

How to Keep Pets

A pet can be our best friend. Do you have pets in your house? Are they in good shape? This book not only offers you many colorful pictures of lovely pets, but also provides you with the knowledge about:

* How to choose right pets for yourself.

* How to build houses or nests for your pets.

* How to feed the pets and how to keep them clean.

Buy this book and you will learn more.

We have many other books on sale. For more information enter www. knowbetter. com. If you buy two or more books at a time, you'll get 10% off.

    What is Chinatown? Is it a town in China? Of course not! It is in foreign countries. It is a 1 where many overseas (海外的)  Chinese  live together.

    There are lots of Chinatowns in America2the biggest one is in New York. There are about 150,000 people in it. It is also a 3place to visit. It is attractive in the following ways. 4 in Chinatown is fun.  You can find5 things there. Most of them are made in6  Mott Street is the best place to shop because the things there are very cheap.

    Chinatown has more than 200 7. You can enjoy traditional Chinese food there. New Silver Palace Restaurant is one of the best restaurants. You can also eat some Shanghai food in Evergreen Restaurant.

    Living in Chinatown is 8. You can find hospitals, schools, banks, libraries and supermarkets in it. In some schools, students must learn Chinese. Many overseas Chinese 9 their children to these schools. They want their 10to learn more about China and its culture.

    People celebrate(庆祝)birthdays in nearly every country in the world. And they celebrate them in many different ways.

    In Brazil, the special birthday food isn't a cake, but special candles(蜡烛). In China, people eat long noodles as a wish for long life. In Iceland, people have pancakes with sweet candies in them on birthdays.

    In Britain, people celebrate the birthday all day. The birthday child is lifted up(举起)by his or her classmates. That is to say the child can grow up happily and healthily.

    In Holland, children not only get presents, but they give things to others, too. They give cakes, cookies and candies to their classmates and teachers on their birthdays.

    In Mexico, it's good luck to give birthday greetings as early as possible in the day. So it's usual for the birthday child to wake up at midnight, with friends singing birthday songs.

    In Thailand, the birthday person holds a tall candle. The candle is as tall as the birthday person. It will bring good luck to him or her.

In many countries, birthday customs are changing. But one thing never changes—birthdays are special days for everyone.