This is my first time in Japan. One day some new colleagues invited me to eat out. At first, I felt quite pleased and learnt to use chopsticks with them, but later the problems started.

My cold was not quite finished and my nose was still running a little so I took out a tissue (纸巾)，turned away from the table and blew my nose(抠鼻涕). My colleagues, who were talking

about how to arrange (安排) the final exams of pupils, were looking at me strangely. They explained to me that in Japan, people don't blow their noses in public especially at the table.

When I was trying to stick my chopsticks in my bowl of rice, one of my colleagues said, “Don't do that. Just leave them on the table.” Later, I found that leaving your chopsticks in your rice means death in Japanese culture!

The next time I needed to blow my nose, I left the table and went to the toilet. When I returned, it was nearly time to leave. I noticed there were some little bowls of tea with lemon next to everybody's place on the table. It was hot, and I started drinking it before it got cold. Then I noticed some of my friends were covering their mouths and looking at each other. They were trying not to laugh. “What's wrong?” I asked the friend next to me. “That's not for drinking,” he explained. “It's for washing your fingers.” For a moment, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

    My parents have always said that they never felt comfortable traveling by train when they were my age. It's always a mystery to me when they talk about the crowded and noisy train compartments*, wheels clicking on the rails, and the boring and tiring journeys.

However, train travel is quite a different experience today, especially after high--speed rail was widely put into service in China. Nothing can match train journeys for the comfort and speed. Few things could be more impressive than China's high--speed rail system, especially the speed at which it developed—and is still developing. Such speed is known as "China speed".

    China speed means a lot to the country. The past 30 years have witnessed China's rapid development in various areas, like the economy and technology. We've seen dozens of tall buildings appear almost overnight, with roads and highways connecting every comer. And mobile payments and online shopping are playing increasingly important roles in everyone's life. China speed has changed our country and impressed the world. But as we enjoy the benefits of China speed, the problems it brings us can't be ignored, such as the air pollution or traffic problems. As a high price is being paid, maybe we should think about what China speed will bring us in the next 30 years. We need to know that our future depends on the choices we make today, so it is our duty to give China speed a new definition. If you pay close attention to the word "speed", you might notice that each letter stands for something interesting: Society, Progress, Economy, Environment and Development. Our society's progress depends largely on the balance among our economy, the environment, and the development of our future. That is what we need to keep in mind as China continues to speed ahead.

    Different countries have different customs in giving presents.

    IN CHINA you must never give a clock to a Chinese person, because the sound of the word for "clock" is similar to the sound for "death" in Chinese. Also, don't wrap（包裹） a present in white, black, or blue paper, because these are the colors for funerals（葬礼）. Don't give a knife, because something sharp（锋利的） can cut a friendship.

    IN RUSSIA if we give flowers as a present, we have to give all odd numbers of them(one, three, five, etc.) because even numbers of flowers(two, four, six, etc.) are for funerals.

    IN GERMANY flowers are a good present to take to your dinner hostess, but don't take her red roses because it means you are in love with her. Don't take thirteen of anything because it's an unlucky number. Don't take an even number of anything, either. Don't wrap your present in white, brown, or black paper.

My family lived in a big city, and we had no garden, but I often {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (go, went) to a small park near my home. There {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (are, were) a lot of trees in the park. Early in spring, those trees{#blank#}3{#/blank#} (get, got) green. I liked to see all the green leaves. In summer there were flowers everywhere. I often {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (read, reads) picture hooks on the bench. In autumn, the leaves turned yellow and red. I often {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (take, took) a walk with my parents. I also{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (like, liked) to walk after supper with my grandpa. He {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (know, knew) a lot of stories. Every time we had a walk together, he{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (tells, told) me an interesting story. When I {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (am, was) young, I {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (have, had) a good time in the small park.