Birthday Traditions in Different Countrles

 England

Certain symbolic objects are mixed into the birthday cake as it's being prepared. If your piece of cake has a coin in it，then you will be rich. Also, when it's your birthday，your friends give you the“bumps".They lift you in the air by your hands and feet and raise you up and down to the floor；one for each year you lived，then another one or two for luck.

 Denmark

A flag is flown outside a window to show that someone who lives in that house is having a birthday. Presents are placed around the child's bed while he/she is sleeping，so he/she will see them at once upon awakening.

 Holland

 Special year birthdays such as 5，10，15，20，21 are called“crown”years.The birthday child receives an especially large gift on a crown year birthday.The family also decorates the birthday child's chair at the dining room table with flowers，paper streamers and balloons.

 Canada

 The birthday child's nose is greased（涂抹）with butter for good luck.The greased nose makes the child too slippery for bad luck to catch him/her.In some parts of Canada，the birthday person even receives a punch（一拳）for each year he/she is alive and then one for good luck.

 Brazil

 The birthday child receives a pull on the ear for each year he/she has been alive.The birthday person also gives the first plece of cake to his/her most special friend or relative，usually mom or dad.

 Korea

 There is a big family party on the first birthday.The table is set with food，and four items：a pencil，a ruler，thread，and money. The item that the baby chooses is said to forecast his/her future：excellent student，good with hands，long life or riches.

 South Africa

 On the twenty-first birthday，a key made of anything from paper to silver to gold is presented by the parents as a sign that the child is ready to unlock the door to their future.

In Britain, when people meet each other for the first time, they talk about things like family, work, school,or sports. They ask question like “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”“Where do you work?”“What school do you go to?"and "Do you like sports?”They also ask questions like “Where do you come from?”and “Where do you live?”These are polite questions. They are not personal or private. But some things are personal or private, and questions about them are not polite. People don't ask questions about a person's salary(薪水). They don't ask how much or someone is paid for something. It is not OK to ask people questions about politics, party(政党) or religion(宗教) unless you know them very well. People don 't ask unmarried people “Why are you single?”and they don't ask a married couple with no children “Why don't you have any children?”

    Our culture is the system we use to build our identity. All living creatures are part of a culture. Even animals have a culture! So what is culture? It's the way we behave in a group. It begins with each individual family. Within our families we do things to build relationships with each other. This can include routines for doing things. It also includes traditions. Traditions are activities that are repeated on a regular basis.

    Culture is not limited to individual family groups. The real strength of culture is in larger community （社会）groups. These larger groups are called societies. Every society makes rules for itself. It decides how people should act in different situations. Some of these rules are written down. Some are just things that are automatically expected of all members of that society. Often, cultures can be identified（识别）by what the people believe. Cultures are also known by what they choose to include in their art. Sometimes a society forms around people who speak the same language. Cultures may also be known for their customs, including the foods they make and the things they do.

    Our cultures help us understand who we are and what we believe. There are very strong emotions（情感）connecting us to our own society. Two different cultures may disagree on something, especially if they both feel strongly about it. When that happens, war is a common result. People are learning better ways to communicate with each other. The more we learn, the more we appreciate the differences in cultures.

    Learning dances sounds interesting. But if you really want to become a dancer, read1following guide for new dancers.

    If you want to become a dancer, you should first2a dance style. There are some skills in each kind of dance. And we need to practise3a lot. And knowing which dance style you just want to learn can help you practise harder.

    Find a dance class. When you have decided4dance classes, it is important to choose your dance teacher 5. It is easy to get into some bad habits, and you may find it hard to correct (改正) them later on. And what is the6is to choose a teacher and you really love his or her dance style.

    Different styles of dance clothing are7for different styles of dances.

    8example, we need special dance shoes for most dance styles. And your dance teacher will probably have some requirements on other things. Ask him or her for more about9to wear.

    Besides, the floors of dance classrooms should be soft,10you may be injured when you dance on hard floors.

    I'm Yu Fei. I come from No. 1 Junior High School in Ji'nan. It is {#blank#}1{#/blank#} beautiful. My friend Xiaoli is in this school Xiaoli is of medium {#blank#}2{#/blank#}. She has {#blank#}3{#/blank#} hair, a long face, a small mouth and big {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. She is thirteen. She is in Class Five, Grade Seven. She is a good student, and she is good at painting pictures. She hopes to be an {#blank#}5{#/blank#} when she grows up. She has two good {#blank#}6{#/blank#} in her school. They are Lucy and Lily. They are {#blank#}7{#/blank#}. They are twins. They are fourteen They have big noses and big eyes, and they are very {#blank#}8{#/blank#} and thin. Lucy, Lily and Xiaoli are in the {#blank#}9{#/blank#} class. Mrs. Smith is {#blank#}10{#/blank#} English teacher. She is friendly to them and often helps them.

Emily's Blog

Shut Up Zoos, Not Animals!

You may think that visiting zoos is harmless fun, but you're wrong because zoos are just prisons(监狱) for animals. The difference is that prisoners get out after a few years! Animals in cages look bored and are boring to look at. After all, we all know what an elephant looks like, we've seen them on TV. So why make animals suffer by shutting them up for our fun? Shut up the zoos instead!

Posted by:Emily on April 19, at 18：12 Comments(3)

Comments

I partly agree. But some zoos aren't there for our fun. I've just got back from Jersey Zoo. It saves rare animals and breeds them. Then it returns the babies to the wild. Not all zoos are the same, you know.

Posted by:Angela on April 21, at 18：17

Quite agree! Every time I go to the zoo, I never look into the poor animals' eyes! Kept in the small and smelly cages, they look so lonely and sad. Hope one day they will return to nature, where they can live happily and freely with their families.

Posted by :John on April 22, at 12：21

Personally, I think zoos are fantastic places for children. They can play with animals and enjoy themselves so much there. Also, they learn a lot about animals. Why shut up?

Posted by:David on April 22, at 21：05)