学进去

You’re standing with your classmates. Everyone is talking except you. Perhaps you’re afraid they will 1． at you when you say. Maybe you just aren’t brave enough to speak. Shyness(害羞) is like a snake that crawls(爬进) into our mouths and stops 2． from speaking. But we shouldn’t let it stay there.

Now I am 19 years 3．. Even today, 4． snake still sometimes visits me. When I was in high school, I was so shy5． I wouldn’t talk to anyone 6． my parents and best friend. If a stranger asked me the 7． to a local shop, it seemed that I might forget how to talk. One summer, I got a job in a restaurant and that helped me a lot. It meant I had to 8． to customers. I had to tell them how much their meal cost. I had to ask them 9．they want to drink something to drink. This job taught me how to speak with people.

You may be 10． young to find a part-time job. But you can look for other chances to speak with people. You can offer to help an old woman carry her heavy bag. Or you can go to get a newspaper for your family.

If you do these things for a while, the “shyness” snake will soon begin to leave. It’ll look for another mouth to crawl into.

A French has just launched a bottled red wine flavored with cola.

Bordeaux-based winemaker Haussmann has already had success with grapefruit and passionfruit-flavored red wine and white wine. Their newest wine, Rouge Sucette, which translates to Red Lollipop, is made from 75 percent grapes and 25 percent water, with added sugar and cola flavoring. It is meant to be served chilled.

Why the break with tradition?

Wine sales in France is down. In 1980, more than half of adults bought wine almost daily, but the number has dropped to just 17 percent today. And so according to Pauline, company spokeswoman for Haussmann, wine makers need to attract younger drinkers and women.

“The cola flavor is to answer to a new kind of need and a market demand,” she tells us, “Tastes develop in time and we have to adapt.”

French restaurant expert Fred gives several factors behind the downward trend in wine drinking among the French: the financial crisis, which brought with it the death of the long lunch hour; reduced legal limits for driving under the influence of alcohol; and a general move towards healthier living.

Cola wine may seem out of step with French ways, but that’s because a lot of people have the wrong idea about what those ways really are.

Pauline says. “We’re changing with the times. We have a strong foundation of food and wine.” Of the different aromas that Haussamann tested, “cola was the best mix,” she says. “That made many people interested, and they were curious to taste it.”

The thirst for sweeter drinks isn’t limited to France. “Think about it,” says Fred, “You have all sorts of champagne cocktails. So what’s the difference between those and red wine and Coca-Cola? It’s about marketing.” Pauline insists Rouge Sucette isn’t just wine mixed with cola, anyway. It contains only the essence of cola, making it perhaps a bit more refined, though with a very similar flavor.

So how does a Frenchman like Fred think about it?

“It’s refreshing and kind of fun,” he says. “I don’t think I would buy it, but if I was going to drink it, I would make it myself, because I would feel a bit better about it.”

During the day we work and play, and at night we sleep. Our body rests when we sleep. In the morning we are ready to work and play again. Our body grows most when we are asleep. Children who are tired usually need sleep. We can get better at our lessons after having plenty of rest. Boys and girls who are eight or nine years old need ten hours of sleep every night. Our body needs plenty of air when we are asleep. If we do not get enough fresh air, we will feel tired when we wake up.

While in bed we must not cover our head, our lungs need to get enough fresh air. If we open our windows at night, we can have plenty of fresh air. Cool air is better than. air.

Have you ever heard of Holi? It is one of the most important festivals in India. Holi means “color” in the Indian language, so people also call it the Festival of Colors.

People seem to 1． springtime to color and life, but Holi takes things to a new level (水平). People celebrate it each spring 2． the end of February and the middle of March. And it always 3． with everyone being happy.

The festival is famous for its colorful paints and powders (粉末). During Holi, thousands of people go on the streets. They enjoy 4． by throwing colorful powders and paints at each other. They also celebrate with bonfires (篝火) and dances, saying goodbye to the cold winter and welcoming the 5． of spring.

The festival also celebrates love, honesty, and the joy of good over bad. People can learn them from the stories that created the 6．.

However, Holi does not 7． India only. Over the years, people have 8． it to different countries and more countries have joined in the celebration of it. It’s 9． popular in South Asia, but you can find that many people even from Australia and the US celebrate it too.

Although different places have their own ways to celebrate the festival, the colorful spirit of Holi stays the 10． around the world.

In ancient China, there were“four treasures of the study”—the writing brush, ink, paper, and the inkstone (砚台). Among all the inkstones, the Chengni inkstone was one of the most famous and was widely loved.

The Chengni inkstone first appeared during the Western Han Dynasty, but the skills of making it were lost during the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. Thankfully, today the traditional skills have been revived with the help of Lin Yongmao and his son Lin Tao.

In 1984, Lin Yongmao began working at the museum in Xinjiang, Shanxi Province. There he read some books about the Xinjiang Chengni inkstone, and then decided to revive the lost skills.

It was easier said than done. It took the father and son two years to find proper materials to produce the Chengni inkstone. That was just the first step. After failing many times, they finally succeeded in making two Chengni inkstones in 1991. Three years later, their Chengni inkstones won a gold prize at an expo (博览会) on China’s famous inkstones.

But the father and son did not stop there. While improving the skills of making the Chengni inkstone, they set up a workshop in the hope of passing the skills on to young people. They also worked with universities and colleges to make the Chengni inkstone more popular. At the same time, Lin Tao has created special Chengni inkstone products and brought them to competitions at home and abroad to increase the influence of the Chengni inkstone.

When you are in a new place or trying to find your way around, it’s important and necessary to know how to ask for directions. It can help you get to your destination faster and avoid getting lost. However, many ESL (English as a Second Language) learners may find it quite challenging to ask for directions in English. Don’t worry. This passage will help.

The first and most important step is to start the conversation politely. When you ask for directions, the way you make your request can make a difference to the reply you receive. Using polite expressions shows respect for the person you’re asking. This makes him/her more likely (可能的) to help you. If possible, put on a smile.

Once you’ve started the conversation, you’d better ask for directions by using simple sentences. Here are some English expressions for you to ask for directions. Combining (结合) them with a friendly attitude will increase your chances of receiving helpful directions.

▶Could you please tell me the way to the bookshop?

▶Excuse me. Can you give me directions to this house?

▶What’s the best way to reach Donald Street?

When receiving directions, it’s important to make sure that you’ve understood them correctly to avoid getting lost or taking a longer path. You can repeat what the person has said, ask him to repeat certain details or ask for further explanation. This not only shows that you’ve been listening carefully but also provides a chance to correct any misunderstandings (误解). Here are some expressions to help you, too.

▶Let me make sure I understood correctly;I should turn left, is that right?

▶Did you say I need to turn left at the central park?

▶Would it be possible for you to write down the directions for me?

Finally, when you have the information you need, don’t forget to thank the person for his/her help.