Watching TV is a very popular pastime（消遣）in the UK. But what kind of programs do British people like to watch? Well, the most-watched TV programs are usually on {#blank#}1{#/blank#} four times every week. They are programs based in one neighborhood that try to describe {#blank#}2{#/blank#} life in the UK — we call these dreams 'soap operas' or 'soaps'.

    Back in the early days of TV, husbands went out to work and wives stayed at home, looking after the house and the children. Most of these {#blank#}3{#/blank#} programs were aimed at amusing the housewives who were at home,{#blank#}4{#/blank#} doing the washing. Companies selling washing powder（洗衣粉）would advertise their products between the programs, and sometimes those companies would even sponsor（赞助）the 'soap operas'.

    In Chinese culture, it is believed that people who have fair(浅色的)skin(皮肤)are more beautiful. In western culture, however, the opposite is true—many westerners think tanned skin is prettier. It {#blank#}1{#/blank#} that different cultures have different ideas of what they think is beautiful.

    These cultural meanings of beauty, however, are no {#blank#}2{#/blank#} important. As more and more people travel overseas, ideas about beauty are being shared among cultures. The Internet has also made it easier for people to share different types of beauty {#blank#}3{#/blank#} people are always posting pictures on social media. With the help of the Internet, people's views about beauty are always {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. People are now able to {#blank#}5{#/blank#} borrow ideas from other cultures to help them stand out. So what new fashions can we expect to see in the future?

    It's very important to know something about traditional presents. In the West, people often take flowers when they {#blank#}1{#/blank#} others. Different flowers have different {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. For example, people often give red roses to {#blank#}3{#/blank#} who they love. In Greece, you must not give white flowers because white flowers are for the {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. When you go to a foreign country, it is always best to check what people {#blank#}5{#/blank#}do. If you remember this, you can avoid making a lot of mistakes.