【推荐3】Reading a book is helpful. But many people don’t know the ways to read a difficult book. The following steps will help you feel relaxed by the book you read.

Catch the main point. Pay attention to what you can catch, and leave behind what you cannot. You may understand something important through reading. However, there are some ideas that you may not follow. But remember to move on and you will get the main idea of the book.

Give it a first read. You may find that each section of the book needs special attention. However, it’s not good to keep your eyes on every word. It is better to get a general idea of the book, rather than reading the whole book carefully. The faster you read, the better you are at reading.

Give it a second read. This time you’d better read more slowly and more carefully. You should catch more details（详情） of the book. When you read the book for the second time, you would understand much that you did not understand earlier.

Reading a book is not a difficult task any longer if you know how to read a difficult book. It all depends on how you enjoy it. Difficulty lies in the mind, but not in the book. Therefore, don’t be afraid of a difficult book. Try to keep the above reading skills in mind, and you’ll get unexpected results!

【推荐2】People who go to a formal Western dinner party for the first time may be surprised by table manners in Western culture. Knowing them will help you to behave properly.

First you should know how to put knives and forks. The forks are always on the left while knives on the right of the plate. When you see two spoons, you should know the bigger one is for soup and the small one for dessert. When you sit down at the table, you can take your napkin, unfold it and put it on your lap.

Then dinner starts with a small dish. Some people pray before they start eating, and other people may keep silent for a moment. After that everybody starts. After the small dish, you will get a bowl of soup-but only one bowl of soup and never ask for a second. Many Westerners like to use their fingers when they eating chicken or other birds at table, but never touch beef or other meat in bones. It is polite to finish eating everything on your plate, so don't take more food than you need. Of course you should try to speak quietly and smile a lot, but do not laugh all the time at the table.

However, table manners change over time. They follow the fashion of the day. Also, table manners are only important at formal dinner parties. If you're not sure what to do, you can always follow your hosts. Although good manners always make you look good, you do not need to worry about all these rules while having dinner with your friends or family.

【推荐3】Most American families are smaller than those in other countries. Usually there is one or two parents and one or two children in each American family.

Children in the USA will leave their parents when they grow up. They want to find better jobs, so they usually live far away from their parents. They often write to their parents or call them. And they go to visit their parents during their holidays.

Parents will ask their children to do some work around their house. In many families children will get money for doing some housework so that they can learn to make money for their own. Parents usually let their children choose their own jobs. Americans think that for young people it is important to decide on their lives by themselves.