Without doubt, studying international customs can help avoid {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (difficult) in today's world of cultural crossroads.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} I get to know more international friends, I learn more about cultural “body language”. Not all cultures greet each other the same way, nor {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (be )they comfortable in the same way with touching or distance between people. Spoken language can {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (take) full advantage of to communicate with others, they also express their feelings {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (use) unspoken “language” through physical distance, actions or posture, English people, for example, do not usually stand very close {#blank#}6{#/blank#} others or touch strangers as soon as they meet.

    However, people from places like Spain, Italy or South American countries approach others {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (close) and are more likely {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (touch) them. Most people around the world now greet each other by shaking hands, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} some cultures use other greetings as well, such as the Japanese, {#blank#}10{#/blank#} prefer to bow.

    When I called{#blank#}1{#/blank#}my mother, she told me snakes came near the house now and then. Here was a chance for me to distinguish {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(my)by inventing something merciful that would seize snakes but not harm them. I tried to find some products{#blank#}3{#/blank#}might help me, but there only seemed to be{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(powder) designed to kill snakes. I set about{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(research) the habits of snakes. Prepared with some research findings, I{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (decide) on three possible approaches. I chose the most practical one to cool the snakes with frozen bowl and ice-cream so that they would become sleepy{#blank#}7{#/blank#}could be easily caught. My third attempt was{#blank#}8{#/blank#}(success). I carried in my hand a small net in the expectation that the snakes would bite again. But {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (monitor) carefully, the snakes proved to be no trouble. I collected the passive snakes and the next day and{#blank#}10{#/blank#}(merry) released them all back into the wild.

    The nursing home invited me to play my violin for three{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (love) listeners I stopped in the room of the quiet and gentle woman, for whom I had played for two{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (time)before. She was sleeping but I set up anyway as I know she loves the violin. Her roommate was also with the health center for{#blank#}3{#/blank#}I volunteer and I asked if she wouldn't mind and maybe she would like it as well. She told me yes, please play but she was going to{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (weigh)soon. The weighing{#blank#}5{#/blank#} (take) about three minutes. My{#blank#}6{#/blank#} (sleep) beauty slept as I played and my other listener told me{#blank#}7{#/blank#} (repeated) how much she loved it and that I was just wonderful.

    It happened that another woman in the next door was sleeping lightly in front of her TV. She told me, " Why, sure, I would like music! Come on in!" Her TV and her room mate's TV{#blank#}8{#/blank#} (be) on (the room mate wasn't there). I played through it for one piece and asked if I could turn them off{#blank#}9{#/blank#}her. Oh please, she said. What{#blank#}10{#/blank#}difference today!

    Switzerland is famous{#blank#}1{#/blank#}its watches. However, this country didn't invent the watch. It was the British who did it. Here is a story of how the watch{#blank#}2{#/blank#} (bring) to Switzerland.

    Many years ago,{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Englishman traveled to Italy and on his way he stopped in a small town{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(call) Geneva in Switzerland. This Englishman traveled in a carriage(马车) inside which there was a carriage watch. This was the{#blank#}5{#/blank#}(early) kind of watch. A native shop assistant(售货员) happened to see the watch. He wondered what it was{#blank#}6{#/blank#}asked the Englishman about it. “It is a carriage watch.” answered the man. “This machine can tell the time but now {#blank#}7{#/blank#} isn't working.” At once the shop assistant offered to try repairing it. So the {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (travel) handed him the watch. The man was very clever. It was easy for him {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (repair) it. He even remembered{#blank#}10{#/blank#} it was made. And he made a watch of exactly the same type.

    For years China's Hainan Province has been developing its tourism industry, with the key decision {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(make) by central authorities that aims to turn the island into{#blank#}2{#/blank#}international tourist destination. Thirty years after Hainan Island became a province and a special economic zone, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for an {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (accelerate) of its development into a center for international tourism and consumption.

    Hainan's tourism industry has grown {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (rapid), but it's suffered from “growing pains”. During the Spring Festival of 2018, thousands of holidaymakers returning home {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (trap) in a massive traffic jam on the island. President Xi announced a series of favorable policies {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(cover) tourism, aiming to make Hainan an international resort. The efforts include carrying {#blank#}7{#/blank#} major infrastructure (基础设施) projects like international routes and airlines. The province is also seeking creative ways  {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (attract) tourists by offering them diverse experience. For instance, luxury hotel resorts are introducing cultural and educational programs to accommodation, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} somewhat reflects Hainan's ambition to turn {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (it) into the Dubai of China.