Patient Chinese
By Zhang Yan
Picture by Zhu Lijun 
Tony, my British friend, once told me about his slightly unpleasing experience while paying a visit to a Chinese friend. He was invited to dinner with a Chinese colleague who likes Western music very much. Tony brought some of the latest British pop music CDs as a present and had them wrapped up beautifully. However, it made Tony a bit depressed when Tony gave his colleague the present but nothing happened besides the words "thank you, Tony". Then the present was put away in a corner.
"Did my colleague really dislike the present?" Tony
asked me later.
"Actually, there are great differences between both cultures in the way
we accept gifts. "I told him. "In the West, it is regarded as polite and
natural to open gifts at the time they are given in order to express appreciation.
In China, the way is quite the reverse. Generally speaking, we Chinese consider
the gift-giver could be embarrassed if the gift is opened as soon as it
is given. Moreover, the receiver might be thought greedy（贪婪）. So Chinese
people tend to open the gifts after the visitors have left."
"Really? Why do Chinese do that?" Tony asked curiously.
"Er…I think it comes from Confucianism（儒家）part of the Chinese traditional culture." I answered. "One of the features of Chinese traditional culture is the indirect expression of personal feeling. I think your colleague actually liked your present very much and he keeps your kindness and your present in mind."
A week later it was Christmas day and I gave Tony a present. When he took it he asked, "The Chinese way or the British way?" I knew that Tony was eager to know what was in the beautiful box, so I wanted to play game. "Of course, the Chinese way. When in Rome do as the Romans do, right?" Tony said, "Oh, I have to be as patient as the Chinese?!"
你是“灌篮高手”吗?
By Suky
Suky看篮球是从《灌篮高手》开始的,傻傻的樱木花道,酷酷的流川枫……哇噻,都是可以让美眉们尖叫的人物啊！前几天和原野培训的几位老师一起看NBA全明星赛,真人版的“灌篮高手”lay-up（带球上篮）、reverse
lay-up（反手带球上篮）、 "fade-away" shot（“后仰式”投篮）。三个字,帅呆了！
1. Indiana Pacers' Fred Jones flies through the air during the Slam Dunk
contest at the NBA All Star Weekend in Los Angeles Saturday, Feb. 14, 2004.
Jones won the contest.
印第安纳步行者的Fred Jones在洛杉矶当地时间2004年2月14日NBA全明星赛灌篮比赛中,一个空中灌篮赢得比赛。
Slam Dunk （灌篮）,这让我们想起那个空中有飞人,地上有魔术师的NBA时代。
2. Jordan made his much－anticipated return before a sellout crowd at Madison
Square Garden.
Jordan在万众期盼下重返美国职篮联盟,首场在(纽约的)麦迪生广场花园(球场)的比赛座无虚席。
sellout：门票售罄。 a sellout crowd：满座,客满,座无虚席。
SRO：比赛、音乐会,电影的门票售罄时,常挂出「SRO」的牌子,SRO(Standing Room Only)。
3. He was cheered during player introductions, jeered when he tossed up
an air-ball less than three minutes into the game and scrutinized on every
move the rest of the night.
在介绍球员出场时他受到观众的欢呼;比赛进行到三分钟时,他投出一个「篮外空心球」也引起观众的讪笑;接下来的整晚比赛,观众的焦点都集中在他身上。
cheered：欢呼。 jeered：嘲笑,糗。cheered和jeered是一对押韵的反义字,你注意到了吗？
air-ball: 没碰到篮框的「篮外空心球」。 想起他是谁啦？当然只有Jordan才有这样的魅力啊！
4. We don＇t want to be the doormats of everybody in
the league.
我们不想成为NBA联盟中其他队的“垫背”。
Doormats: 洋人一般在进入室内时是不脱鞋的;为了怕把室内弄得太脏,主人会在门前摆一块擦鞋垫（doormat）以便清除鞋底泥垢,引申的意思就是“被踩在脚底”的一支队伍。
5. But in a tight game with the Hornets, the two seemed
to bury the hatchet.
但是在一场与黄蜂队打得难分难解的比赛中,这两位球员似乎已化干戈为玉帛(而携手御敌)。
tight：(比赛)不分胜负的,双方差距不大的。 hatchet是印第安人的战斧,也叫做 tomahawk。Bury the hatchet 的字面意思是“双方埋藏了战斧”,引申为“化干戈为玉帛、握手言和”。
看完球赛,Suky直接抱个篮球下场了,得到的评价是：嗨,你在拍皮球吗？看来对于Suky来说,It's still 101（初级课程）!
Useful expressions for you resume
Beginning
●My interest in the position of Masonry Supply Manager has prompted me to
forward my resume for your review and consideration.
●Your October 30 advertisement in The Jackson Review calls for an Administrative
Assistant with a background rich in a variety of administrative skills,
such as mine.
●Are you currently seeking a security specialist to maintain or upgrade
the security of your organization? If so, I would like to apply for the
position.
Application reasons
●I am presently looking for a position where my experience will make a positive
contribution to the start-up or continuing profitable operation of a business
in which I am so well experienced.
●I feel that I have all the necessary ingredients to contribute to the success
of Any Corporation, and if necessary, I am willing to take a step backwards
as long as their potential for forward momentum. All I need is a starting
point.
●Your advertisement in the June 16th issue of Lawyers Monthly is of great
interest to me. I feel that I have the qualifications necessary to effectively
handle the responsibilities of Administrative Judge.
●I recently took a sabbatical and finished my Bachelor Degree in June at
Emerson College. I am currently seeking full-time employment.
Endings
●I should appreciate the privilege of an interview and may be reached by
letter at the address given above, or by telephone at 1234651.
●I should be glad to have a personal interview, and can furnish references
if desired.
● I will contact you in a few days to arrange a meeting for further discussion.
In the interim, should you require additional information, I may be reached
at 6666666 between 11:00AM and 6:00PM.
《开心也能学洋话》
如果英语让你不堪重负,我们可以理解那种压力和无奈。但如果在这本游戏宝典中遨游一圈,你还是有种摸不着北的感觉,那就出去旅游度假吧,因为你的好奇心和想像力已经不支了。
这本书所遵循的法则是：“做游戏+学英语=最快乐、最有效的英语学习方法”。在各式各样的游戏中,你可以幻想自己化身为角色扮演者或是纯粹的旅行观光者,根据游戏指导和词汇提示跨越层峦叠嶂,翱翔于太空,栖居于公寓,闲逛于商场。有闲情逸致的话你还可以制作一周计划表,选择度假胜地。想要书后的游戏卡,就到市内新华书店见面吧。
ACROSS
2. Door __.
3. A sewing __ has needles and thread.
4. Jack-in-the- __.
5. Kept out of sight.
6. __ you i's.
7. At the present time.
8. Very small.
9. A wager.
10. What you sleep on.
DOWN
1. Pussy __.
2. Stir together.
3. Knocked out in a prize flight.
4. Used one's teeth on.
5. __ do you do?
6. Female deer.
7. What's between two tennis players.
8. Marry.
9. Honey-making insect.
