【推荐1】Dragons are not real animals, but look like a combination (组合体) of many animals such as snakes, fish and deer. They have two horns and a long moustache (胡子) with fantastic powers, they fly in the sky or swim in the sea. They can make rain, too. The Chinese dragon is a symbol of strength and good luck. The emperors of ancient China loved dragons. Their clothes were covered with pictures of dragons.

We are proud to call ourselves the “descendants (传人) of the dragon”. In Chinese, “excellent” people are often called “dragons”. A number of Chinese sayings talk about dragons, for example, “Hoping one’s child will become a dragon,” which means hoping he or she will be successful.

It is said that people born in the Year of the Dragon have certain characteristics. They are creative, confident, brave and quick-tempered. There are some famous “dragons” who have done excellent things, for example, Deng Xiaoping and the famous businessman Li Jiacheng. They are all very successful.

There are also some traditional festivals which have something to do with dragons in China, such as Dragon Head-Raising Day and Dragon Boat Festival. We have different kinds of activities to celebrate them. These two festivals come every year, but the Year of the Dragon comes every twelve years.

The dragon is very important in Chinese culture. As the “descendants of the dragon”, it is necessary for us to know the views on dragons in our culture. It can help us understand why our parents always want us to be “dragons”.

【推荐2】A lot of people play sports, but very few people become sports professionals (专家). If sports aren’t going to be your future, then why should you play them? Why should you train every day? Why should you work hard and feel sore (酸痛的) the next day? Wouldn’t it be better to forget sports and only pay attention to your lessons? In fact, there are a lot of reasons to play sports.

First of all, sports help you stay in a good condition because they are a great way to exercise. When you exercise, your body makes endorphins (安多芬) which give you more energy and make you feel happier.

Also, sports teach young people how to communicate and work as a team. They teach young people to respect (尊重) their coaches, teammates and players from the other team. Many reports say that sports help young people stay out of trouble. If a young person plays sports, he or she may have fewer problems. This is because sports teach people about rules. They also teach people that if they work hard, they might succeed.

Finally, sports make people leave their houses. These days, a lot of people spend too much time watching television and playing video games. When you play sports, you go outside and exercise in the sun. You take in fresh air. All of these things are important.

Maybe you’re not going to become a sports professional, but that doesn’t matter, sports will help you become a better and happier person.

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【推荐3】Chinese people usually eat three meals a day. Let’s have a look!

The breakfast time in China is usually from 7 am to 9 am. Most Chinese students have class at 8 am, so their breakfast time is around 7 am. Many Chinese office workers hurry to have breakfast. Some of them even don’t have time to sit down and enjoy breakfast. Youtiao, baozi, bread, milk and tea are the common breakfast.

Lunchtime is usually around 12 o’clock. Most Chinese have a quick but healthy lunch. The menu (菜单) for lunch is usually noodles or rice with some vegetables and meat. Most people usually eat at school or the company dining hall (公司餐厅), or order take-out food (外卖). And some take their lunch box from home.

Dinner is the most important meal for many Chinese because they enjoy it with their family. The dishes are usually soup, meat, vegetables and rice. People usually have dinner between 6 pm and 8 pm. For restaurants, the busy time is from 7 pm to 10 pm. In snack streets, there are snacks like noodles or dumplings till late at night.

【推荐1】In the United States, 16, 18 and 21 are very important ages in a person’s life. A person can do new things at each age to show that he or she is no longer a child. That means you are an adult.

After turning 16 in the United States, a person can be employed, get a driver’s license, and leave home. Many high school students learn to drive and get part-time jobs soon after celebrating their 16th birthday. At 18, people in the United States can vote and join the military (参军), but they are not allowed to go into nightclubs, to buy beer or wine until they are 21.

In many Latin American countries, a young woman’s 15th birthday is important. At this age, people think she is no longer a girl, but a woman. To mark this special day, families with 15-year-old daughters have a celebration called a quinceanera (成人礼). The young woman and her family will have a big party to which many guests are invited.

In Japan, boys and girls are thought to be adults at the age of 20. At this age, they are allowed to vote and drink beer or wine. The second Monday in January is a national holiday called the Coming-of-Age Day. On this day, 20-year-olds are invited to listen to speeches with their family. After that, many celebrate late into the night. In many countries, celebrations are always there, such as their 50th birthdays or the birth of their first child.