For many young people, Halloween is the best day of the year.

    Halloween comes on October 31^st. When it comes, all the family members always get together to make a pumpkin lantern. They usually cut scary(恐怖的) or funny faces into pumpkins. Then they put candles inside to make the pumpkins into lanterns.

    Children dress up in costumes. They walk around their neighborhoods to collect candies. They knock on their neighbors' doors. When a person opens the door, the children shout, "Trick or treat!" If the person gives them candies, they go away. If they can't get the candy, they always play tricks on the person.

    Many people have Halloween parties. They like to watch scary movies and tell ghost stories.

    Audrey is a Chinese-American student. She has found value (价值) differences between Chinese and Americans.

    About money:

    ①Americans would like to spend more than they have, so many of them are always in debt (欠债). Chinese usually spend less than they have, so many of them always have money left in the bank.

    ②American kids love to make money by themselves. Chinese kids always ask their parents for money.

    ③Americans parents think that it is not useful to send their children to an expensive university. Chinese parents would do anything to send their children to good universities and that might make them very poor sometimes.

    About school:

    ①Many American girls take part in sports, dancing and singing groups while Chinese girls take part in academic groups.

    ②Some American students think that "B" is a gift while Chinese students think that "B" is terrible.

    About American parents and Chinese parents

    American parents allow their daughters or sons to have some part-time jobs in their free or at weekends. Chinese parents usually don't allow their children to do so in middle or high schools.

    Who's the most popular cartoon character (卡通角色) in China now? It may be Peppa Pig. This little girl pig is the main character on the British TV show Peppa Pig.

    The show is on TV in 40 languages in more than l 80 countries. It's about the everyday lives of the Peppa Pig family members. The show is mainly for young kids. But many older children and even adults(成年人)love the show, too.

    Peppa isn't perfect(完美的). But she is very real, and the other characters on the show are real, too. And that makes the show quite special. For example(例如), on the show, Peppa is not happy because she doesn't know how to whistle(吹口哨). She phones her friend, Susie Sheep, to ask her if she can whistle. Susie says she can. Peppa feels bad! She hangs up (挂电话) on her friend.

    The show's stories are easy, but its humor(幽默)is not too childish. Peppa makes both children and adults laugh. "It's so popular because it is ageless." Richard Ridings said. He's a voice （声音） actor who plays Peppa's dad.

    Table manners are how to behave when you eat a meal. They include how to handle knives, forks and spoons and how to eat in polite manners. To behave well abroad, you are to know some table manners.

    Eating manners

    Japan: It is "perfectly" okay to slurp when you eat noodles. Unlike making big noises, slurping slightly is not rude. Japanese also say it tastes better if you slurp.

    Russia: Your wrists should be placed on the edge of the table while eating, a fork in the left hand, and a knife in the right hand. It is not good manners to rest them on your lap. Keep your elbows of the table. Leave some food on your plate to show that the host has given you enough to eat.

    France: Never discuss money or religion over dinner. What is different from the manners in Russia is that finishing everything on your plate is considered good manners.

    Mexico: Whenever you catch the eye of someone who's eating, even a stranger, its good manners to say "provecho" which means enjoy. In Mexico, dining is more than a meal. It's a social occasion-lunches are seldom quick and suppers can last for hours. Where you sit matters in the country. Before you get seated, look for place cards, or wait until the host seats you. And you must say"enjoy your meal"before you leave the table.

    Drinking manners

    America: If you empty a bottle into someone's glass, it obliges that person to buy the next bottle. It's polite to put the last drops into your own glass.

    Australia: In a pub it's usual to buy a round of drinks for everyone in your group. When it's your turn, say "It's my round. "When it's their round, they will buy it for you. Don't leave before you' ve bought a round.

    Japan: Don't fill your own glass of alcohol. Instead, you should pour for others and wait for them to do it for you.