As we know, there are differences between Western culture and Chinese culture. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Let's look at some words about animals and plants. Most expressions in Chinese about the dog, for example, "a homeless dog", "a mad dog", "a running dog" and "a dog catching a mouse", have bad meanings. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. In English, people use the dog to describe good actions. For example, "you are a lucky dog" means you are a lucky person. And "every dog has its day" means each person has good luck sometimes. To describe a person's serious illness, they say "sick as a dog". The word "dog­tired" means very tired.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. But in Western culture, "cat" is often used to describe a woman who is unkind. There are many other examples of how "cat" is used differently as well.

   {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. People think the rose stands for love, peace, courage and friendship. And the rose is the national flower of England, America and many other countries.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}. We can learn about many differences in cultures by comparing how some words are used.

A. However, Chinese love cats very much

B. The words about plants and animals are used in good or bad ways in different cultures

C. We can see differences when we pay attention to the way words are used

D. However, westerners love cats very much

E. We can see similarities when we pay attention to the way words are used

F. The rose is regarded as a symbol of love in both China and some Western countries

G. But in Western countries, dogs are considered to be honest and good friends of humans

    Hi, everybody. My name is Alice. I have worked as an airhostess(空 姐) for China Eastern Airlines for five years. I have some useful tips for you on taking flights.

    All passengers must arrive at the airport two hours before the departure time. You have much time to check everything. If you have never been to another country, don't forget to take your passports, air tickets and your suitcases with you.

    Have you got your boarding card(登机牌) yet? You must get it as soon as you arrive at the airport. Have you checked your suitcases and put name tags on them?

    If the suitcases are too heavy, you can find a trolley(推车). Have you exchanged(兑换) some US dollars? If not, there are a few banks at the airport.

    You can also have a meal at a restaurant before boarding. When you want to go upstairs, you can take the escalator.

    If you have any questions, you can come and ask me. We hope you will have a pleasant flight!

Royal Engineers Museum

Events

    How green are you? Do you know how to be green?

    We all need a healthy environment, but we produce waste every day and it does harm to our environment. Though we are young, we can still do something to help. In fact, even the simplest everyday activities can make a real difference to the environment. Here are some ideas for you.

    Reduce

    Reduce means "use less". Don't waste things. This saves money and reduces pollution and waste going into the environment. Before we buy something new, think whether it is really necessary—or maybe the old one will be just as good! When we buy things, choose local products if possible, and try not to buy too many things from abroad.

    Reuse

    Reuse means "use again". Use things for as long as possible. When we buy things, make sure that they last a long time. We should look after them so that they will last, and we should repair them if we can instead of throwing them away and buying new ones. Don't use a paper cup or a paper bag. It's better to use a china (瓷器) cup and a lunch box because you can use them again.

    Recycle

    Recycle means "change things into something else". Though it takes energy to change something into something else, it's better than throwing things away or burning them. Find out what can be recycled in your neighbourhood and take part in recycling programmes. We should also buy products made from recycled materials, such as recycled paper, to help save trees.

    So please remember these three words: reduce, reuse and recycle.

    Where were dominoes (多米诺骨牌) from? Modern dominoes first showed up in Italy during the 18th century. But it is believed that the earliest dominoes were Chinese playing cards. Italian missionaries (传教士) in China may have brought the game to Europe. Do you think so?

    Do you like to play with dominoes? Dominoes are small rectangular (长方形的) pieces made of wood or plastic (塑料). People can place dominoes in different shapes. Then, they push one domino down and the rest of the dominoes fall one by one. It is interesting to watch.

    But placing dominoes is hard. To make sure the dominoes fall smoothly, the space between each domino is important. According to domino—play. com, if a domino is about 4 cm long, then the space between two dominoes should be1—2 cm. If the space is too big, the dominoes will stop falling halfway. If the space is too small, the dominoes will fall too quickly and won't look interesting.

    Beginners can start by putting dominoes in a straight line. This is the easiest shape. Professional (专业的) players can place dominoes in many other shapes, including big circles, beautiful flowers and even famous paintings.