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1. Superstition 迷信
One person in four in Britain is, apparently, superstitious, and they’ll do everything from
hanging horseshoes over their fireplace to crossing their fingers, touching wood and absolutely
never walking under a ladder. And they’re careful about cats. Black cats are supposed to be the
familiars of witches, so if one is following you it’s definitely bad luck — a witch is after you! On
the other hand, if one crosses your path and continues then it’s good luck because it hasn’t noticed
you. However, in some places the beliefs are different — so it pays to know where your black cat
comes from!
Old superstitions linger even in today’s modern world. The author Philip Pullman drew on
them in his award winning novel “His Dark Materials”. The novel, which appeals to both children
and adults, has been adapted for radio and also the theatre.

2. Graduate Student 研究生

Graduate students specialize in a particular field of study. They study to become experts in
this field and to learn new advances in their fields while they earn an M.A. or Ph.D. Sometimes
when they get an M. A. in one field they begin studying another field. They hope that when they
earn their graduate degrees they will succeed in finding important jobs. They hope to get jobs that
are interesting and high paying. The life of a graduate student is often difficult. They are usually
too busy studying to make a good living. Often they have to pay high tuition fees for their
education. Some give up studying before they get their degrees. But most keep on working at their
studies until they graduate. In today’s world, most graduate students don’t regret spending time
with their studies. They are finding that new developments are occurring in all fields. For many
graduate study has become a necessity.

3. April Fool’s Day 愚人节

1st April is a day to be careful, or you could easily get tricked by someone. It’s April Fool’s
Day, a day when people traditionally like to try to make a fool of someone else and laugh at them.
There are lots of theories surrounding the origins of the day, but one explanation is connected
with the change in the calendar in the 16th century, which meant that 1st April was no longer the
beginning of the year. Those who still celebrated the New Year on 1st April were called fools.
So what kind of pranks do people play on April Fool’s Day? Well, there are lots of simple
tricks that you can play on your friends. For example, you could wear a black sweater and pull a
piece of white thread through it, so that people try to pull it off. You could change the time on
someone’s alarm clock so that they’re late for work.

4. Living Online 网上生活

How do you meet new people, make new friends, or find out about the latest bands? Here in
the UK young people have traditionally done their socializing in bars, pubs and clubs.
However, there is a new generation growing up that finds it easier to manage their social lives

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on the net, using free websites like MySpace, Bebo or MSN Spaces.
Welcome to the social networking website — a place where you can present yourself to the
digital community and meet other like-minded people.
The most successful social networking website in the UK is MySpace.com. As of July 2006,
MySpace is the world’s fourth most popular English-language website, attracting almost 3 million
visitors per month. MySpace claims to have 95 million members with 500,000 new members
joining the community each week.
So how has it become so successful? Perhaps its secret is in its simplicity. Each new member
can build their own page simply — uploading photos, videos and MP3 files.

5. Mother’s Day 母亲节

Does your mother know how much you appreciate her? Well, Mother’s Day is the time to
show her. It’s a chance to say ‘thank you’, or to tell your mum how much you love her.
In Britain, Mother’s Day, or Mothering Sunday, falls on a different day each year, because it
takes place a few weeks before the festival of Easter. But it is always in the early springtime,
which seems appropriate, as the season when new plants emerge, and baby birds and animals are
born. In the USA, Mother’s Day takes place a little later, in May, and many other countries also
celebrate their mothers on different days of the year.
It began many years ago, when children, especially girls, as young as 10 would live and work
away from home as housemaids and other types of servant. Mothering Sunday was a day when
everyone was allowed to go to their home village or town, and visit their mothers.

6. Online Shopping 网上购物

With only two weeks to go before Christmas, buying presents is a high priority for a lot of
people. However, this year not so many people are leaving their homes to browse around the
shops. These days lots of people can do their shopping in the comfort of their own home with the
help of the internet.
Online shopping is becoming more and more popular for a number of reasons; prices are
often lower online, you don’t have to queue up in busy shops and you can buy almost any product
imaginable with just a few clicks of your mouse.
Computer trends are often male-dominated but this year women are expected to do more
shopping on the internet than men. It seems women are now more attracted to the convenience of
online shopping than they used to be.
Average spending online this Christmas by women will rise to £240 compared to the slightly
lower average of £233 for men.

7. Reality TV 真实电视
The latest fashion on British TV is Reality TV. Reality TV means that shows follow and film
ordinary people in an artificial situation. This could be at work, or in some kind of competition.
One of the first and most popular Reality TV shows is Big Brother. In this show, 15 complete
strangers have to live together in a house for 11 weeks. They are filmed 24 hours a day, and shown
on television. Each week, the viewers vote to evict one of the housemates. Finally, only one is left,

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and they win the prize money!

The show was an instant hit, and runs in several countries. The housemates often become
stars as a result of the show, and appear in national newspapers and on other shows.
Another very popular show is I’m a Celebrity — Get Me Out Of Here! In this show, 10
celebrities have to complete tasks each week, such as eating insects.

8. School 学校
September is traditionally the end of summer and the beginning of autumn in the UK. It is
also the month when children go back to school after their long summer holidays.
There are two types of school in England. State-run schools are paid for by the government,
so are free to attend. Independent Schools are private, which means you have to pay to attend.
The school day usually starts at 9 in the morning and finishes around 4, with breaks for lunch
of course! In many schools, you have to wear a uniform too.
Children start school when they are 5 years old. This is called primary school, and lasts until
the child is 11 when he or she will go on to senior school.
Secondary school is compulsory from 11 until 16 years of age. At 16, students take national
examinations called GCSE’s. After this, students can stay at school for another 2 years and take A
Level examinations.

9. The Modern Family 现代家庭

Father leaves for work in the morning after breakfast. The two children take the bus to school,
and mother stays home cooking and cleaning until father and the kids return home in the evening.
This is the traditional picture of a happy family living in Britain.
The past 20 years have seen enormous changes in the lives and structure of families in Britain.
The biggest change has been caused by divorce. As many as 2 out of 3 marriages now end in
divorce, leading to a situation where many children live with one parent and only see the other at
weekends or holidays.
There has also been a huge rise in the number of women with children who work. The large
rise in divorces has meant many women need to work to support themselves and their children.
Even when there is no divorce, many families need both parents to work in order to survive.

10. Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节

On 25th September this year, people all over China will be getting together to eat with their
families, look at the moon and celebrate one of the biggest festivals in the Chinese lunar calendar.
However, the celebrations stretch far beyond the borders of China. Here in the UK events are
taking place for Chinese people living here, and to teach the people of Britain more about this
popular festival.
The Soho Theatre in London conducted a study which showed that Chinese Londoners don’t
engage much with the arts world. As a result, ‘Moon walking In China’ has been created to
celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.
This is no normal theatre production though, as it doesn’t take place in the theatre. Theatre
professionals and volunteers from the local community will take audiences around the streets of

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Soho on a magical lantern-lit walk through the landmarks and backstreets of Chinatown.

11. The Dragon 龙

When many people in the west think of China, the animal that they think of is the dragon. For
them, the dragon is an aggressive monster that breathes fire. Many popular legends tell of how
dragons killed brave knights and ate beautiful maidens.
For Chinese people however, the dragon is not an evil monster. It’s a cultural and spiritual
symbol for prosperity and good luck. The dragon’s main task is to create harmony and bring rain.
Dragons are celebrated in art and architecture, and of course the dragon dance is a very popular
ritual. Millions of Chinese have the word ‘long’, meaning dragon, as part of their name.
China isn’t the only country to have the dragon as its symbol. Wales, one of the four
countries in the UK, has a red dragon proudly displayed on its flag. The only other country in the
world with a dragon on its flag is Bhutan, the tiny country between China and India.

12. Rainy Britain 阴雨的英国

Britain is famous around the world for its rainy weather, but many parts of the country this
June are experiencing much more rain than they have ever seen before.
Torrential downpours have caused rivers to burst their banks, roads have been closed and
many people have been evacuated from their homes because of the floods.
The worst hit area seems to be the north of England. There have even been fatalities as
people got stuck in the rain or were washed away by the floodwaters.
Flood warnings have been issued in many parts of the UK and it is said that over a month’s
worth of rain has fallen in just the last couple of days.
The rain has also caused chaos at some of Britain’s famous June events. The Glastonbury
festival is a four-day-long outdoor music festival and while it is traditionally quite rainy and
muddy there, this year was particularly bad.

13. Christmas Traditions 圣诞节传统

There are many ways to celebrate Christmas, and some British people like to go on holiday,
go out for lunch to a restaurant, or spend the day with friends. But most people’s idea of a
traditional Christmas involves spending a few days with their family — sometimes their
extended family.
The day is the most exciting for the children. They may have spent weeks or even months
dreaming of the presents they want most. Since the beginning of December, they may have opened
their advent calendars, finding a new festive picture, chocolate, or small gift, to count down each
day until 25th December.
On Christmas Eve, they hang up stockings, ready to be filled with presents by Santa Claus.
Often a thank you gift of a mince pie and a glass of sherry will be left, as well as a carrot for those
hungry reindeer.

14. Olympic Slogan 奥运口号

Beijing unveiled the slogan for the 2008 Olympics as far back as 2005. “One World, One

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Dream” was finally selected from more than 210,000 entries from around the world.
Beijing’s original bid to host the 2008 games had a different slogan “New Beijing, Great
Olympics”. The organizers felt the new slogan shifted the focus nicely from the city of Beijing
itself to the spirit of the Olympics — unity, friendship amongst nations and progress.
It was also felt that the “One World, One Dream” slogan captured the traditional Chinese
values of peace and harmony.
The Olympics hasn’t always had a slogan attached to each host country. In fact it wasn’t until
1988 at the Seoul Olympics in South Korea that the first slogan appeared. “Harmony and
Progress” was chosen and it seems to have been a popular theme over the years.

15. Sunbed 太阳床

In the UK, a country known for its bad weather and lack of sunshine, there appears to be an
ever increasing number of very tanned young people.
So just how are they achieving their golden tans? Some are opting for the sun-free option and
are getting their tan from a bottle. However, it appears that others are turning to tanning salons, of
which there are thousands in the UK.
While in China young people often prefer to remain fair, in the UK there seems to be a
growing desire for tanned skin. So why do the British prefer to be bronzed? Often, they are trying
to emulate their favorite celebrities, footballers, or footballers’ wives. Research from the British
Sunbed Association suggests that many people believe a tan makes them feel and look healthier.
This is a belief that is most definitely not shared by Cancer Research UK. They firmly state
that being tanned is not a sign of health.

16. Speechwriting 写演讲稿

The success of a speech is often attributed to the skill of the speaker, with merit being given
to speakers who are confident, articulate, knowledgeable and able to deliver a speech with
conviction.
But often it is not the speakers who write these moving speeches, it is a speechwriter. And
one industry in which this practice is common is that of politics. So what does it take to be a
political speechwriter?
Well according to a recent job advertisement from the US Embassy in Britain, a political
speechwriter needs to have exceptional interpersonal skills, be detail oriented and able to
demonstrate a deep knowledge of their subject. They must also work closely with speakers and be
able to relate to their style.
Some believe that the best speechwriters have an inherent talent, a natural creative instinct,
and that speechwriting is an art form.

17. A Walk in the Park 在公园散步

Exercising in natural areas is not only good for your physical health —it can improve your
mood and sense of well-being in as little as five minutes. So says research in the journal
Environmental Health and Technology.
Exercise alone is known to make you happier. So is being in a natural setting. So scientists

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wanted to see the effect of combining the two. They evaluated 10 different UK studies involving
more than 1,200 people.
Participants had taken part in activities such as gardening, sailing and country walks, and
rated their mood and self-esteem.
The research showed that both areas get a significant boost with as little as five minutes of
outdoor exercise. And people with mental disorders benefited the most. The study authors say this
is the first study to quantify the amount of time needed to get a positive effect.

18. Fast Food Makes Us Less Patient 快餐使我们失去耐性

Fast food is a multibillion-dollar industry, and for some of us, drive-through dinner has
become a way of life. Granted, sometimes we grab something quick because we really don’t have
time. But psychologists got to wondering whether all this speed eating might actually make us less
patient.
In a series of experiments, the scientists showed volunteers logos from several fast-food
chains or asked them to recall the last time they’d visited. And they found that folks who had
thought about fast food would then read faster, even though no one told them to hurry. And they
also expressed a preference for time-saving products, like shampoo plus conditioner. And they
tended to opt for immediate rewards, like getting a small cash payment right away rather than
waiting a week for a larger sum. So if you want to ease the pace, forget meditation. Try a slow
cooker.

19. Light All Night Not Alright 整夜开灯并非好事

A nightlight may keep those monsters under the bed. But it may also open the door to the
blues.
If you have access to electricity, you no doubt switch on a lamp, maybe even watch a little
TV, after the sun goes down. But our bodies use cues about lightness and dark to regulate our
hormones and of course our sleep cycles. So what might these extra photons be doing to our
health?
To find out, scientists housed mice in a room where the lights were always on. After three
weeks, they found that mice who lived in the spotlight showed symptoms of depression, more so
than mice who enjoyed eight hours of darkness at night. Interestingly, mice who could escape the
light by ducking into a dark tube also escaped the worst of the depression.
So flip that light switch at your own risk. Because the artificial brightness that helps keep us
up could also bring us down.

20. London 2012 Olympic Games 伦敦 2012 奥运会

After a hard-fought campaign, London has been awarded the right to host the 2012 Olympic
Games. The UK capital saw off competition from four rival cities: Paris, Madrid, Moscow and
New York.
Londoners can now look forward to the transformation of their city in the same way as their
counterparts in Beijing. Indeed, there are many similarities in the two cities’ approach to hosting
the games. Both cities need to invest in developing their infrastructure in order to cope with the

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demands of the event.

However, this kind of investment is far from cheap — it is estimated that it will cost around
$40 billion to prepare for the 2008 games, much of which will be spent on transport links.
Nevertheless, the benefits of becoming an Olympic city can be enormous — Barcelona, which
hosted the 1992 games, was completely regenerated and has since become one of the most popular
tourist destinations in the world.

21. Picnic 野餐
As summertime begins in Britain, people start to feel the urge to go outside to eat. People
love to have a picnic whenever the weather is good enough, especially people with children. It’s a
great way to spend a sunny afternoon.
Even in the centre of London, on a sunny day, the parks are full of office workers eating their
lunch outside on the grass. That might be a pretty basic picnic — a shop-bought sandwich and a
bottle of water.
But if people are planning a picnic on the beach or at the park, they would probably pack a
cool bag with a whole variety of home-made sandwiches, snacks, cake, fruit and soft drinks. They
might have a picnic rug to sit on, and paper plates and cups.
University students enjoy having picnics, and usually take along some kind of sports
equipment, such as a ball in order to burn off some energy after lunch.

22. Changing Name after Marriage 婚后改名

Getting married is one of the most important decisions that a person takes in one’s life. This
is because it is a step that has the potential to alter or change one’s life altogether. Right from the
wedding dress to the house that the couple will live after their wedding, is decided with utmost
care. An important decision that the person has to make along with the other arrangements for the
wedding is to choose between one’s maiden name and spouse’s name. Though traditionally,
women are expected to change their name from their maiden name to their husband’s name, many
women nowadays opt to keep their maiden name after marriage, mostly for professional reasons.
Apart from this, there are women who adopt their husband’s last name and keep their maiden
name as their second name. Also, there are couples who make a new name with both their names,
by separating the names with a hyphen.

23. The Compass 指南针

A magnetic compass is a device that has been used for centuries now, and its utility in helping
people find their way is undoubted. Before technology gave us the privilege of GPS navigation
systems, the act of finding out where you are and which side is north was carried out simply with
the help of a compass. We’ve all seen a compass at some point or the other, and this has almost
always led us to the question “How does a compass work?” The answer to this question can be
explained through the concept of the earth’s electromagnetism.
Simply speaking, a compass is basically a small magnet that has a needle attached on one end.
The other end of the magnet is attached to a freely moving pin. When the compass is held out
steadily, the magnet becomes parallel with the magnetic field of the Earth, and this causes it to

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point north.

24. Ball Games 球类运动

Ball games have become an integral part of modern society. They give us entertainment
providing us a means to safely free ourselves from stress. There are many different ball games that
can do this for us. Some people enjoy football, while others like basketball. These two ball games
are the most popular in China. Other games such as baseball are growing in appeal, yet have not
become popular. The development of these games is interesting. Basketball is one of the few
sports with a known date of birth. Football, or soccer, originally developed from traits found in
both China and Europe. It has grown to become the world’s most popular sport. In Europe,
football clubs have been established, which in turn has been copied in the rest of the world. These
football clubs train players who may later go to play for their nations in the World Cup. This is the
most watched ballgame championship on the planet.

25. Water Sports 水上运动

The history of man’s involvement with water sports stretches back before history was written
down. It is a history of the development of technology as well as human physical achievement.
Man first took to water in boats that sailed around the world with nothing but the stars to guide
them. The seas and rivers were a mystery to be feared, for lurked unknown creatures and death by
drowning. Few actually ventured into the water. As a sport, however, water sports such as
swimming, diving, and water polo are new comparatively to those on land. Probably the oldest
one is rowing in a rowboat. This is seen in modern games such as competitions between rowing
clubs in British and American universities. Olympic Water Sports began with swimming but did
not end there. The different kinds of water sports such as diving or water skiing came later.

26. Famous Universities 名校

Many countries have excellent universities. There are, however, few world famous ones.
These universities have achieved their fame through a combination of both their age and the high
levels of quality in their instruction. Throughout their histories, each one has been a testing ground
for the leadership of the nation. In the United States, Harvard and Yale attract thousands of foreign
students who would use what they learn for the advancement of their own nations. In this way,
these schools have developed an interesting method of international communication. Graduates
around the world are able to connect with each other by having graduated from one of the finest
universities in the world. Leaders in every field, whether government officials or ground-breaking
scientists, who graduated from the same school have a direct link to each other and understand
each other much better.

27. Ideal Life 理想人生

The ideal life is one that many people would like to pursue, yet few achieve. The balance
between dreams and reality is one that is difficult to overcome. Many people choose a vocation in
the hopes that it would bring them wealth and success. However, after years of labor in their
chosen field, they begin to hate their jobs. This is mainly because they have neglected other parts

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of their lives in search of this success. These people devote their lives to working and are unable
to separate themselves from their work. They find that it may not be enough. Some have jobs
where their principles and emotional health are challenged by dishonesty or bad work
environments. These people can begin to become influenced by the environment in which they
work, leading to personal or health problems. This choice is not a permanent situation, however,
as many people have chosen to change the values of their lives.

28. Reeducation and Employment 再教育和就业

During the course of our lives, we must make many choices that we may come to regret. This
is especially true when choosing a career. Jobs that sound exciting or rewarding become dull or
not worth it as we live our daily existence. This is where reeducation can help. Occupational
schools have been set up to train people in jobs that they may be better suited for. People can adapt
their interests and talents through selected courses. They can learn cooking skills, which are
always in great demand. Gardening is an option for those who enjoy the outdoors or have a green
thumb. If a person is interested in motors or cars, they can get training as a mechanic. Even more,
the learning of a foreign language would allow them the opening of a dream life. The job
qualification certificates they earn can also be used too enhance their resumes, so that they are
trained in a variety of skills.

29. Made in China 中国制造

The label, Made in China, is one that is becoming increasing common in shopping centers all
over the world. In the United States, shoppers at Wal-Mart the nation’s largest retailer have a wide
selection of products mostly produced in China. The large amount of Chinese imports have
created a large selection of goods in other countries as people begin to buy more and more
products made in China. These goods are even readily available in other Asian nations, where
Chinese-made goods are quite popular. Chinese brand names are also becoming more well-known
outside of China. The development of China has amazed the world with its growth. And also, as
China is a developing economy with large amounts of labor, industries are beginning to relocate in
an effort to minimize costs and increase profits. The results of these relocations are that nations are
beginning to try to limit the flow of Chinese goods with the use of taxes and import restrictions.

30. Glaciers 冰川
Glaciers are formed in places where the temperatures are extremely cold. This could even
include places that are at sea level, but are mostly places that are high up on mountains.
In such cold places it snows most of the year. This snow will settle down and when it snows
again the lower layer of snow gets compressed. Every time it snows, the below layers will
compress more, finally turning into hard ice. This ice is what forms the glacier.
When the temperature rises slightly, the outer edges of the formed glacier and fresh snow will
melt. For a glacier to form and sustain itself it is of prime importance that the amount of snow that
falls on it must be more than the amount of glacier that has melted. This is the only way in which
the glacier will be able to maintain itself and keep increasing in size year after year.

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31. Oxygen 氧气
Oxygen, that thing you breathe, that essential gas that keeps the world going round is really
more important than you give it credit for. Oxygen is what essentially and literally keeps you alive
and keeps you going. Consider this: people can survive for a few days without food and water, but
do you think a person can survive even a few minutes without oxygen? No, the brain would die
and the heart would stop pumping immediately. This is how essential oxygen is to the human body.
It is used to convert fats and proteins from the food we consume into heat and energy for the body
and its normal functioning. Oxygen is essential for the production of living cells and for
respiration of these cells as well. Oxygen is also used in removing toxic waste from the body.
Quite simply put, the more the oxygen there is in the body, the more energetic the body will be.

32. Purpose of Society 社会的作用

One of the primary purposes of society is the formation of an organized group of individuals,
who can support each other in various ways. It is in those difficult times that you realize the
importance of being a part of society. It is the members of your social group who come forward to
render all the help you need. The support given by society can be of the physical, emotional,
financial or medical form.
A society is characterized by social networks. They form an integral part of society. Social
networks are defined as the maps of relationships between people. Relationships give rise to social
interactions between people of a society. Individuals belonging to different ethnic groups can
come together, thanks to societies. Their interactions give rise to strong social bonds that result in
long-lasting relationships. A society gives rise to a family system and an organization of
relationships, which form the heart of any social group.

33. Mountains 山脉
Mountains are a type of landforms that are characterized by a higher elevation, in comparison
to the surrounding areas. They are higher than 600 meters, and taller than the hills. The world’s
tallest mountains are located in Asia and the largest range of mountains is present in the Atlantic
Ocean. Some of the highest mountain peaks are located in the oceans.
Mountains represent varying climatic conditions based on their height. For example, in case
of a tall mountain, the conditions at the base differ from the top of the mountain. In comparison to
the mountain base, the top portion is colder and there is less oxygen and less protection from the
sun’s rays.
It is estimated that half of the world population depends on mountains for water. In fact, the
major rivers of the world are fed by mountains. Many mountains have glacial lakes that are
formed due to melting of the glaciers.

34. Internet Relationship 网络关系

Internet relationships are ones that are made through online communication with a
prospective friend or date. Nowadays, many people are turning towards makings such
relationships as they think these are more reliable than ones that are created by meeting in person.
People have their own individual views regarding such relationships. Internet relationships can be

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made for the purpose of getting a date or just friendship.

There is a debate going on in the online community about these online relationships. Some
say that these kind of bonding is not at all reliable, as anyone can pose as a person who he is not,
in reality. On the other hand, if you use the Internet in the best possible manner, this bonding can
go well further genuinely. This simply means that, along with emails and chats, if you use
real-time audio and video conversations, you can be assured that the person online is not faking
his identity.

35. Friendship 友谊
Friendship is a silent transformer of life; a relationship that stays alive only till the time it is
nourished with love, care, kindness and understanding. By dictionary terms, it is a compassionate
and cooperative relationship between two or more individuals but it really does not define or
speak about the magical power the relationship holds.
Friendship has a strong and enduring power that can transform the life of all those who are on
their journey with this great feeling. It is a relationship that blows flowers on the way, fills
laughter in the air when friends are together, and spreads love around. It is a feeling that offers
support and comfort at every stage in life, delivers peace of mind when under deep stress, and also
offers a strong level of understanding. It ties two or more individuals so strongly that no one can
escape from the anguish of losing or breaking the relationship.

36. Cultural Heritages 文化遗产

Every country has a cultural heritage, spiritual beliefs and history and their ethnic fashion
reflects their artistic vision. You will find how the market of ethnic gifts has increased at a drastic
pace. People all around the globe appreciate the ethnic art with its unique beautiful designs.
Moreover, it’s natural that ethnic art requires an extra effort than any other show pieces you get in
the market.
Ethnic art requires highly skilled trained craftsmen; in fact every country creates an
environment where the craftsmen mostly belonging to rural areas have an opportunity to share
their authentic art. It really helps in uplifting the rural section of the society. If you want to spread
the heritage of your country then you can go ahead and present ethnic gifts to your friends in other
countries. Ethnic art has a distinctive appeal, and symbolizes the beliefs of that countries history.

37. Seniors 老年人

Seniors, or elderly men, are supposed to be already in a state of happiness and enjoying every
moment of their life. But this may not be the case all the time. Everybody seeks happiness and
satisfaction, regardless of the age; that’s why it’s no surprise that even elderly men are seeking
happiness in life.
Enjoyment in life, a sense of purpose, and happiness can still be hard to achieve for elderly
men, making these all the more important to attain.
It’s not easy growing old. Most times, depression affects elderly men, especially because they
tend to feel helpless and inactive after retirement, with their role as primary provider having been
stopped.

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But then again, there are the elderly men who still walk with a spring in their step, enjoy
traveling, engage in sporting activities, and even take on easy jobs. These are the ones who want
to live in the present and keep busy despite their golden age.

38. Eyes Can Speak 眼睛会说话

Much meaning can be conveyed, clearly, with our eyes, so it is often said that eyes can speak.
Do you have such kind of experience? In a bus you may look at a stranger, but not too long.
And if he is sensing that he is being stared at, he may feel uncomfortable.
If you are looked at for more than necessary, you will look at yourself up and down, to see if
there is anything wrong with you. If nothing goes wrong, you will feel angry toward other’s stare
with you that way.
Looking too long at someone may seem to be rude and aggressive. But things are different
when it comes to stare at the opposite sex. If a man glances at a woman for more than 10 seconds
and refuses to avert his gaze, his intentions are obvious, that is, he wishes to attract her attention,
to make her understand that he is admiring her.

39. Elections 选举
Surprises often come in boxes. Birthday presents wrapped in colorful paper, brown paper
packages mailed from a friend. No matter what kind of box it is, people like to open it up and see
what’s inside. In America, and in many other countries, one special kind of box contains the future.
It’s called a ballot box. What people put into the box on election day can change the course of
history.
Elections are the lifeblood of a democracy. The word democracy literally means “the people
rule,” an important concept in America’s history. In the mid-1700s, England began passing laws
that made the American colonies angry. The colonists had to pay more and more taxes and enjoyed
less and less freedom. They felt the government of England didn’t represent their interests. On
July 4, 1776, the colonies declared their independence from England. They wanted to establish a
democracy where people could have a voice in government.

40. Law and Order 法律与秩序

What does it mean to obey the law? That depends on where you are. Different cultures have
very different views of obeying the law. In some cultures, law-abiding citizens try to keep the
letter of the law. That is, whatever the law says, they do. In other cultures, good citizens live by
the spirit of the law. They see the law only as a general guideline. Often they obey the law only
when someone official is looking. The situation in America fits into the first category. That doesn’t
mean all Americans keep the law. But American culture teaches people to respect the law —
even to the smallest detail.
Driving habits illustrate American respect for the law. A driver will usually stop for a red
light, even when there are no other cars around. People treat the lines marking streets and roads as
definite boundaries, not just decorations. Vehicles yield to those with the right of way-particularly
pedestrians.

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41. Lunch Meeting 商务午餐

Many business professionals hold meetings during lunch or dinner with clients, investors, or
other business professionals. What if your meeting seems to be hindered by bad restaurant service?
Should you complain? The answer is yes, always, but with diplomacy.
Proper restaurant social skills in a business setting are a little different from when you are out
dining with your family. For example, it is okay to ask for a discount on bad service when you are
with your family, but not when you are with a business associate.
If you are meeting someone at a restaurant, arrive at least five minutes earlier. Be sure to
greet them with a friendly business handshake.
Never order for your business associate. If they ask for help ordering or seem uncomfortably
indecisive you can recommend something you may have previously tried or ask the waiter to help
with a suggestion.

42. Wednesday 星期三

If you struggled to get up for work on Wednesdays, there could be a good reason — it is the
day our mood reaches its lowest point.
Psychologists have found that, on average, people’s moods remain about the same on each
day throughout the week.
Monday has traditionally been thought of as the most depressing day of the week but
according to psychologists, midweek gives more cause for concern in reality.
Wednesday represented the lowest point in the week as people were furthest away from the
weekend that has either just gone or is coming up and often feel bogged down with work.
To start their research, the scientists asked around 200 people what they thought their mood
would be on each day of the week.
Most said their worst moods were on Monday mornings and evenings but they became
increasingly cheerful as the week wore on, with their best moods falling on Friday and Saturday
mornings and evenings.

43. The Charming Character of Swedes 性格可爱的瑞典人

All social occasions in Sweden are regulated by rules and traditions. And these traditions are
expressed in a specific ritual made up of formal bows, handshakes, and greetings.
When a visitor enters a Swedish home, he is invariably received with a “Welcome”; when he
leaves, his host will tell him “You will be welcome again.”
These charming phrases are an indestructible part of Swedish social life and they give it an
old-world flavor of good manners.
Equally attractive is the Swedish acceptance of modern technological equipment.
A traveler never needs to search for a telephone in Sweden: telephone booths are placed at
regular intervals along the main streets and highways.
And in church, for example, long benches are fitted with hearing aids for worshippers who
may be hard of hearing.
Swedish homes are among the best equipped in the world and travelers in Sweden find their
journeys made easy by the use of the most efficient modern devices.

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44. Giving and Sharing 奉献与分享

The spirit of giving and sharing is at its peak during the Christmas season. People are so
generous to dole out gifts, money and other things to people they care about, and at times to
charity, too. This innate feeling in us is always there. It’s not only for special seasons like the
holidays that we should be able to give and share whatever we have in abundance. It most likely to
be the instinctive feeling in us that we should be willing to share and give something all year
round especially to those who are in need.
The holiday feeling is all around us. The malls are all decorated with pretty and shiny
Christmas decors all around. There’s happy Christmas music being heard all over the place. A lot
of people are shopping because there are lots of sales and discounts offered.

45. Wealth 财富
Owning cars, large houses, or swimming pools mean different things in different cultures and
may confuse a visitor to the United States. In many nations, only the rich have such things as cars
and swimming pools; the poor have very little.
By contrast, this is not true in the United States. The cost of certain things that only the rich
can afford in other countries is relatively low. This means that laborers, farmers, and people who
are not usually regarded as rich nevertheless have many possessions that only the rich have in
other nations. Understandably a visitor may assume that all Americans who own cars are as rich as
people in his own country who own cars. Actually, this is not the case; secretaries, university
students, factory workers or farmers can and do buy cars and many other “expensive” things.

46. Personal Progress 个人的进步

In many parts of the world, personal influence is essential in achieving success. This is not
true in the United States, where success usually results from hard work, education, skill, and
personal initiative. America is truly a “do-it-yourself” society; success is not dependent on family
origins or the help of an influential person. Personal progress is the result of individual effort.
Because effort and initiative are so important in America, there are many customs that may
be different from those practiced in other countries. For example, it is not considered dishonorable
to quit a job, even if you have had it for only a short time. Moving from job-to-job, or
“job-hopping”, as it is called, is quite acceptable in the United States. Frequently, the opportunity
to change jobs offers workers a chance to move up to a better position.

47. Uniform 制服
Americans are pound of their variety and individuality, yet they love and respect few things
more than a uniform, whether it is the uniform of an elevator operator or the uniform of a five-star
general. Why are uniforms so popular in the United States?
Among the arguments for uniforms, one of the first is that in the eyes of most people they
look more professional than civilian clothes. People have become conditioned to expect superior
quality from a man who wears a uniform. The television repairman who wears uniform tends to
inspire more trust than one who appears in civilian clothes. Faith in the skill of a garage mechanic

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is increased by a uniform. What easier way is there for a nurse, a policeman, a barber, or a waiter
to lose professional identity than to step out of uniform?
Uniforms also have many practical benefits. They save on other clothes. They save on
laundry bills. They are tax-deductible.

48. Opportunity 机会
The air we breathe is so freely available that we take it for granted. Yet without it we could
not survive more than a few minutes. For the most part, the same air is available to everyone, and
everyone needs it. Some people use the air to sustain them while they sit around and feel sorry for
themselves. Others breathe in the air and use the energy it provides to make a magnificent life for
themselves.
Opportunity is the same way. It is everywhere. Opportunity is so freely available that we take
it for granted. Yet opportunity alone is not enough to create success. Opportunity must be seized
and acted upon in order to have value. So many people are so anxious to “get in” on a “ground
floor opportunity”, as if the opportunity will do all the work. That’s impossible.

49. Switch 开关
An electric switch is often on a wall near the door of a room. Two wires lead to the lamp in
the room. The switch is fixed in one of them. The switch can cause a break in this wire, and then
the light goes. The switch can also join the two parts of the wire again, then we get a light.
Switch can control many different things. Small switches control lamps and radio sets
because these do not take a large current, larger switches control electric fires. Other switches can
control electric motors.
Good switches move quickly. They have to stop the current suddenly. If they move slowly, an
electric spark appears. It jumps across the space between the two ends of the wire. This is unsafe
and it heats the switch. Very big switches are sometimes placed in oil. Sparks do not easily jump
through oil, so the oil makes the switch safer.

50. Typhoon 台风
Some of the worst storms are typhoons. Every year, about 80 typhoons hit different places
around the world. The strongest ones are usually around the Pacific Ocean and the South China
Sea. Most of them happen in July, August and September.
Why? When lots of seawater gets hot in the summer sun, it evaporates into the air. This
makes the air hotter, too. When the air gets warm enough, it starts to move higher up into the sky.
Then, cooler air around it rushes in to fill the space that is left. Once the air gets warmer, it starts
to move more quickly, making wind. The wind goes in circles, and it keeps moving higher in the
sky. The warmer the air gets, the quicker the wind moves. And when the wind moves faster than
30 meters a second, a typhoon begins.

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