I came across quite a few language problems while spending a holiday with my family last summer. The most embarrassing was when my Mom apologized to the people we were staying with because her "pants were dirty". They looked at her in surprise, not knowing how to react. You see, Mom had fallen over and gotten mud on her jeans. But in Britain, "pants" means underpants or knickers (内裤；衬裤), not trousers as it does back home.
Katie — From America
I went to stay with a friend on the west coast last summer. Her flat was on the first floor of a high-rise building so I got the lift up. Then I wandered round for ages looking for her flat but couldn't find it. Fed up and tired, I finally had to go out to find a phone box. She explained that her flat was on the first floor, which for me meant the ground floor.
David — From Britain
When I asked for the "restroom" in a big department store, people kept directing me to a room with seats where I could sit and "rest". It took me years to get through to (使……明白) someone that I only wanted the toilet!
Tom — From America
They say that "travel is the best teacher" and there is no better example of this idea than the Ming Dynasty travel writer and geographer Xu Xiake (1587-1641). His book The Travel Notes of Xu Xiake, not only encouraged a love of travelling among Chinese people but provided important scientific information about the country's land and geography.
Born into a wealthy Jiangyin family, Xu became interested in books about different places at an early age and wanted to travel. When he was 18, however, Xu's father died and so, it seemed, did his travelling dreams. He now was responsible for the family farm and taking care of his 60-year-old mother as tradition required.
But his mother had different ideas. Understanding her son's love of travel and valuing the knowledge he could get from such experiences, this modern-thinking woman refused to keep her son at home. She agreed that Xu could travel for three months every year, when there was less farm work.
So at the age of twenty and with his mother's support, Xu set off for the first time, leaving behind not only his mother but his new wife as well. He would repeat this goodbye each year for most of the next 30 years. During this time, he travelled throughout the Ming Kingdom, carefully studying the lands he passed through and recording his experiences and many discoveries in a diary. This diary, which once had over 500,000 words, would eventually become The Travel Notes of Xu Xiake.
Although rich, Xu avoided comfortable travel, preferring to go almost everywhere on foot. This way he could research the environment in detail and get a true picture of the natural world. Many of his trips were to hard-to-reach mountain areas, and through wild forests where few people lived. His willingness to face hardships came at a cost however. Progress was slow and tiring and he was frequently sick, robbed and beaten during his journeys.
Sadly Xu became seriously ill during his last and longest journey, a 4-year trip through the Southwest of China. He died in 1641, soon after returning to his hometown for the last time. When his diary was finally printed years after his death, much of it had been destroyed or lost. Although incomplete, it still made Xu a travelling legend around the world.
As much as I love watching Olympic diving, I've never understood why athletes hurry off to the showers and then proceed to relax in a hot tub (热水浴池) after each dive. They're already wet. They're only in the pool for a handful of seconds, so it's not like they need to get cleaned up. And doesn't taking a shower serve the same purpose as sitting in a hot tub?
Actually, that's what Olympic divers usually do between dives as they know very well about the importance of warm-ups and cool-downs. So, what's the actual reason?
As it turns out, showers and hot tubs are used pretty interchangeably by the swimming pool. However, there is a need for both. First, let's start with why divers need to take a shower between dives. It has to do with body temperature and keeping their muscles relaxed. As you can imagine, practicing dives in the pool, then having to keep your body warm in a shower, and then jumping off a 10-meter platform and into cold water couldn't be comfortable for anyone. Going back and forth between these warm and cool temperatures can cause a diver's muscles to tense or cramp up (痉挛), which can lead to injuries to the muscles. Showers allow an Olympic diver to recover and prevent that.
In that way, showers and hot tubs serve the same purpose. A hot tub is generally used if you have a bit more time between dives and have already stretched. The shower walls on the pool deck can typically provide enough space for more divers at the same time, and they're especially helpful for athletes who need to stretch or who only have a few minutes between dives. Just like Olympic swimmers depend on thick clothes to keep their muscles warm, Olympic divers rely on these methods to stay loose. If you ask me, it's not a bad way to pass the time!
Here is a surprising and important fact: Mental work alone can't make us tired. It sounds funny. But a few years ago, scientists tried to find out how long the human brain could labor without reaching a stage of fatigue (疲劳). To the amazement of these scientists, they discovered that blood passing through the brain, when it is active, shows no fatigue at all! If we took a drop of blood from a day laborer, we would find it full of fatigue toxins (毒素) and fatigue products. But if we took blood from the brain of Albert Einstein, it would show no fatigue toxins at the end of the day.
So far as the brain is concerned, it can work as well and swiftly at the end of eight or even twelve hours of effort as at the beginning. The brain is totally tireless. So what makes us tired?
Some scientists find that most of our fatigue comes from our mental and emotional attitudes. One of England's most outstanding scientists, J.A. Hadfield, says, "The greater part of the fatigue from which we suffer is of mental origin. In fact, fatigue of purely physical origin is rare (罕见的)." Dr. Brill, a famous American scientist, goes even further. He says, "One hundred percent of the fatigue of a sitting worker in good health is due to emotional problems."
What kinds of emotions make sitting workers tired? Joy? Satisfaction? No! A feeling of being bored, anger, anxiety, tenseness, worry, a feeling of not being appreciated—those are the emotions that tire sitting workers. Hard work by itself seldom causes fatigue. We get tired because our emotions produce nervousness in the body.
Do you want to be at the top of your class? Add these tips to your life and you should be on your way to being a top student!
I cannot stress (强调) enough how important it is to pay attention to what your teacher is teaching you. Take part in class discussions if you have something worthwhile to add. Pay attention during class, especially during lectures.
Taking notes is important. You don't need to write down every word your teacher says but write down what he writes on the board, or any special fact you think you might need for a test. This way it will help you learn more effectively by actually thinking about what you are writing.
Don't skip school (逃学). You will be missing out on stuff. However, you will have more work because you have missed lectures. Also, try not to be late for class. It's most likely that your teacher won't appreciate it and you will get yourself behind.
If you have an "I don't care about school or this class" attitude, then teachers will be less willing to offer you extra credit (学分). The same goes for a lazy attitude. Have a respectful attitude to the teacher and other students. Try not to laugh when other students make a mistake.
Always ask questions. If you don't understand, ask someone. Read your textbook and notes, and then if that fails, seek help. Ask a teacher, friend, classmate, parent, etc. Get a tutor if you need one.
A. Be prepared.
B. Write in your own words.
C. Staying organized will be helpful.
D. Keep a good attitude toward things.
E. There is no shame in needing some help.
F. It is true that you could make up the work.
G. Pay attention to everything the teacher says.
The sun was shining brightly over our heads and sweat (汗水) was pouring off our backs and faces. We stood still without 1 any noise, all hot and tired. But everyone kept standing as straight as trees.
It was 2 most high schools give to new Senior One students—military training. We 3 four days in a closed environment. Although we couldn't go home at night and the training was 4 and difficult, our humorous young drill sergeant (教官) with a funny accent was a real 5 of our days. We laughed at his jokes, sat in rows singing different songs and 6 him telling true stories about his life. He gave us the feeling that 7 and sweat were not the only things that military training 8 .
After this journey, we were more 9 than we had imagined and we were much braver than we had 10 . Girls who looked pale rested for a little while, then right away came back to the team. Boys who were being punished 11 to the playground at once and began to run. Sweat flowed down our faces when we thought about how to shout 12 than other classes.
Military training taught us perseverance (坚持不懈) and determination. On the last day of our training, the confidence could be 13 on our faces. We shouted so loud that our 14 could be heard across the heavens. With eyes like burning torches (火炬), we walked into the future. Now the sun is 15 at all of us.
Filled with many sights and (attract), China is the best destination in the world. Here are the reasons China should be at the top of your visit list. China, with a history of over 5,000 years, (be) one of the Four Ancient Civilized Countries. You can enjoy Chinese food, tea culture, Chinese medicine as well as poetry and calligraphy (书法) there. China's ancient treasures are (famous) than those in any other country in size and number, from ancient palaces to the Great Wall. Besides, lovely giant pandas are unique China. You can even go to meet wild pandas in their (nature) habitats with our panda experts. What's more, with the (develop) of Chinese public transportation, it is easier to travel anywhere. (take) a smart phone in China, you can take high-speed train from Beijing to Shanghai at 250-350 km/h, buy a coffee with your e-wallet, and ride a shared bike (explore) the city.
注意：1.词数80左右；2.开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Mike,
……
Yours,
Li Hua
