READINGS

A

New York City isn't the biggest city in the world, but it is the biggest city in the United States. Most Americans live in much smaller cities and towns, but almost eight million people live in New York City. Why do so many people come to live in one place？

A look at the city shows us that New York City has a very good port（商埠）. The Dutch（荷蘭）settlers （移民）wanted to use it for business.In 1626, the Dutch paid the Indians（印第安人）twenty four dollars for the Island of Manhattan. Its Dutch name was New Amsterdam. Then the British took the land in 1664 and changed its name to New York.

The United States became an independent（獨立的）country in 1783, and New York was its capital for a short time. The city became so crowded that people moved out to develop other areas（places）. But more people from everywhere went on coming into the city every day.

B

The north of Canada is one of the coldest places in the world. It is so cold that trees cannot grow there. For thousands of years people have lived in this place. They are called Eskimos （愛斯基摩人）. They live on the animals they hunt（打獵）and the fish they catch. When it is very cold, they make holes in the ice and fish through the holes. To keep warm they wear clothes made of furs（皮）. They also wear special boots to help them walk across the snow.

There are many beautiful animals and birds in the north of Canada. There are bears,deer and wolves. One famous animal is the polar bear. Polar bears look different from other bears because they are white. There are also all kinds of birds. The rivers there are full of fish. There are thousands of seals in the sea. Sometimes you can see whales（鯨）.

C

In the United States, Monday is the beginning of the workweek. It is the day most Americans like least. It is certain that the day they like most is Saturday. Saturday is the end of the workweek. It is the beginning of the weekend. Life is different on the weekend. Most Americans take care of their houses, cars and gardens. They enjoy the feeling that time seems to move slowly. The workweek is for things you have to do. The weekend is for things you want to do. Some people may get in a car and go for a drive in the country. They like to take part in a sport activity outdoor. They might go to a public eating or a film on Saturday night.

The idea of the weekend is a recent invention（發明）. In the 1870's rich people began to speak of spending weekends in the country visiting friends. For most people, however, the workday was six days long. It began at about noon or later on Saturday.

D

When you are in England, you must be very careful in the streets because the traffic drives on the left. Before you cross a street you must look to the right first and then left. In the morning and in the evening when people go to or come from work, the streets are very busy. Traffic is the most dangerous then.

When you drive a car in England, you have to be careful, too. Always remember the traffic moves on the left. So you must be careful.Have a look, or you will go the wrong way.

In many English cities, there are big buses with two floors, you can sit on the second floor. From there you can see the city very well. It's very interesting.

E

Visitors to London often eat in restaurants. The owners and workers in them are all from other countries. The visitors say in these resraurants they don't feel they are in England.

Most of the English people eat at home as much as they can. Thus they can save money. Sometimes they themselves will think they are in another country when they are in restaurants. A young man who goes out of a restaurant may find that he doesn't understand why everything is written in French and Italian.

Most of the English people think it is better to eat at home, for it is cheaper. They don't want to spend much money on food and they are interested in cooking. They like quick meals which won't take time. But for Christmas, they will spend two or three weeks in order to have good food.