1 . Tea is currently the world’s most popular drink, only after water. However, there was a time when tea was known only to the Chinese. So, how did tea originate in China? And how did it get to conquer the world to the extent that people often describe something they really like as their “cup of tea”?

While we know that tea drink started in China, its true origin remains something unknown. Legend has it that about 5, 000 years ago, Shennong came across tea when dried leaves blew into a pot of boiling water. Following his discovery, tea was used as medicine, included in meals and later offered as a refreshing drink to officials and noblemen. Eventually, it became a common drink enjoyed by all Chinese people.

The love of tea inspired many people to write about it. Over the years, tea drinking became an important part of China’s rich culture. The great poet Du Fu described his tea-drinking experience in poetic language. Lu Yu, a tea master, wrote The Classic of Tea, which remains the earliest and most famous detailed study on tea in the world.

It is then not surprising that the beauty of tea was eventually spread to a wider world. Tang and Song Dynasties needed strong Tibetan horses, so the Tea Horse Road was born. Porters (脚夫) carrying back-breaking loads of tea bricks made their way through dangerous snow-covered mountain passes, to trade Sichuan and Yunnan tea for horses. Over time, the gift of tea was further delivered to Western Asia and Easten Africa. As early as the Tang Dynasty, Saicho, a Japanese monk came to study in China and took tea seeds and tea-making customs to Japan. Around the 1600s, tea was shipped to Europe from China by Portuguese and Dutch sea traders.

2 . One of the world’s oldest preserved human settlements has been significantly damaged by pouring rain in Pakistan as the country battles the worst floods in its history.

Moenjodaro, a World Heritage site in the Indus River valley 508 kilometers (316 miles) from Karachi, was built in the Bronze Age, some 5,000 years ago. “Unfortunately we witnessed the mass destruction at the site,” reads a letter from the Cultural, Tourism & Antiquities Department of Singh state sent to UNESCO and signed by director Ihsan Ali Abbasi and architect Naveed Ahmed Sangah. The letter adds the site was being used as temporary accommodation for surrounding residents whose own homes had flooded.

Moenjodaro’s significance can’t be underestimated when it was added to UNESCO’s register in 1980, the organization wrote that Moenjodaro “bears exceptional proof to the Indus civilization,” comprising “the most ancient planned city on the Indian subcontinent”.

The letter explains some of the immediate actions the site team has taken to mitigate the flood damage, like bringing in water pumps and repairing brickwork. But it’s clear that these measures will not be enough.

Abbasi and Sangah ended their letter by asking for 100 million Pakistani rupees ($45 million) to cover the costs of full repairs. UNESCO has responded to the request for help, allocating $350,000 from its emergency fund for damaged historic sites in Pakistan during UN Secretary General António Guterres’s visit to the flood-stricken country this week.

The funds will go to Moenjodaro and other sites including the Amri Museum. While the sum is far less than needed to fully repair the sites, it will pay for urgent work while UNESCO and local organization consider the best way forward. Sadly, the conservators of Moenjodaro have known for some time that flooding could bring a serious risk to the site.

In their letter, Abbasi and Sangah express concern that Moenjodaro could be added to the list of UNESCO sites in danger, which the preservation body updates periodically to highlight historic places that are at severe risk of ruin.

6 . Australians are pretty bold (大胆的) when it comes to humor. Not afraid of saying something insulting (冒犯的) in the name of a good laugh, they generally don’t hold back. This is always done in fun, however.

You get yourself a haircut before going to meet your new Aussie friend. You’re expecting to be praised. but what you hear is, “Did ya have a fight with a lawnmower (割草机)?” You might take this as an insult, but it’s just your friend’s way of saying that you’ve had a haircut.

Your friend comes knocking at your bedroom door one morning to tell you’re late for class. You were up studying late the night before and you look a mess. Your friend thinks you need to put a brush through your hair before leaving, but instead of just saying so he says, “Wow. Your hair looks like a bush pig’s arse.”He’s trying to be nice.

Australia is one of cultures on this planet where making fun of someone is a sign of friendship. If you find yourself being made fun of lots, it could be that you’ve scored yourself a whole lot of new friends. Consider yourself lucky — these insults are all part of building a relationship.

Australians also use a lot of sarcasm (讽刺). You foolishly say something that’s obvious (明显的). For example, “A six pack of beer is named after the number of beers you get in the pack, the number being six.” A normal answer would be, “That is the most obvious statement I’ve ever heard”, but an Australian would say, “Really? You’ re so clever”.

Now let’s say your teacher tells you that there will be a test the following day. Australians might say, “Great. I can’t wait to add preparing for a test to my already long to-do list. Thank you for this gift”.

7 . For fans of Tai Chi, the wait to see it get global recognition may soon be over.

China has nominated (提名) Tai Chi to be included in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. A final decision will be made later this year. The list was introduced by UNESCO in 2008 to celebrate and protect the world’s cultural diversity. It’s hoped that Tai Chi will become China’s 30^th entry on the list. But there are fears that other countries could beat China to UNESCO’s list. Now both South Korea and Japan are competing with us to get Tai Chi registered.

Tai Chi, a kind of martial art, has been practised in China for centuries. It combines slow movements, deep breathing and meditation(冥想). Every movement in Tai Chi represents an important part of traditional Chinese philosophy—harmony. “It is not just a traditional activity. It is deeply rooted in many areas of Chinese culture and is connected to ancient Chinese civilization.” said Zhu Xianghua, the son of the famous Tai Chi master Zhu Tiancai from the village of Chenjiagou, Henan. That is widely thought to be the birthplace of Tai Chi.

Although it’s popular, the idea that Tai Chi is for the elderly has stopped many young people practising the ancient martial art. They think of it as a slow exercise, which is better suited for their grandparents. Many young people are turning to Indian Yoga, which was placed on UNESCO’s list last year. About 10 million Chinese people practise yoga in 2014, up from 4 million in 2009. Many of them do yoga to keep fit and relieve stress.

Tai chi is also a great way to keep healthy. Researchers from the American college of Rheumatology found that it can help manage several diseases. At the same time, more efforts are being made by China to get young people to practise this kind of martial art.

8 . The United States is one of the few countries in the world that have an official day on which fathers are honored by their children．On the third Sunday in June, fathers all across the United States are given presents, treated to dinner or otherwise made to feel special.

Historians have recorded that there was a tradition to celebrate a day for fathers even thousands of years ago. Their study say that 4,000 years ago in Babylon a son called Elmesu carved a father's day message on a clay card. In his message Elmesu wished his father a long and healthy life.

However, in modern times the idea for creating a day for children to honor their fathers   began in Spokane, Washington. A woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the idea for Father’s Day while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909. Having been raised by her father, Henry Jackson Smart, after her mother died, Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her. Sonora’s father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father’s Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910.

The noble idea of celebrating Father's Day became quite popular in US so much so that President Woodrow Wilson approved of the festival in 1916. President Calvin Coolidge too supported the idea but it was President Lyndon Johnson who signed a Presidential Proclamation declaring the third Sunday of June as Father's Day in 1966. Then in 1972, President Richard   Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father's Day to be held on the third Sunday of June.

Most commonly, children give Father's Day cards and flowers to their father. Neckties are a popular gift on the occasion of Father's Day. Due to the tradition of giving gifts, cards makers, florists and gift sellers campaign for Father's Day Festival in a big way and cash in on the sentiments of the people.

9 . Who are these people rushing by you in the street？More than 215million people now call America"home"，but most of them can trace their families back to other parts of the world．If you look at the names on shop windows，you will see that Americans come from many different lands．The idea that these people，who once were strangers to the United States，have lost the customs and cultures of their original countries and have become"American"is really not true．In fact，what exists in America is more often a kind of "side﹣by﹣side" living in which groups of people from other countries often have kept many of their customs and habits．They join the general American society only in certain areas of their lives﹣such as in schools，business，and sports﹣but they keep many of their own native customs and manners socially and at home．This living "side﹣by﹣side" has both advantages and disadvantages．Sometimes it may cause disagreements to develop between groups whose ways of life are very different from one another．However，there are also great advantages that come from the variety of cultures brought by settlers from other lands．There is great freedom of choice among ideas and dress，food，and social customs in America．Everyone can find some part of his or her familiar world in the United States，in churches，music，food，national groups，or newspapers．

10 . For most of us Veterans Day just means a chance to enjoy an extra day off from school or work．However this November 11th，be sure to spend a few minutes on its true purpose，by acknowledging（感谢）the men and women who have served in our armed forces．

And you don't have to stop at just this one day．Join the over 10，000youth members of the Young Marines group that honor these brave men and women all year long with special events and completely spoil them for an entire week，from November 4th to 11th，by visiting hospitalized veterans，performing chores for disabled veterans and even organizing community－wide social event．The program open to kids ranging from the age of eight all the way to high school，is a great way to not only show your appreciation，but also get a chance to do some fun activities with like－minded kids and make a real difference in a veteran's life．

People often believe that Memorial Day and Veterans Day are celebrated for the same reason．There is however a subtle but important difference between the two．While both honor our military personnel，the former is a day to remember and pay respect to all the men and women that died serving our country in a war，while Veterans Day is to celebrate the soldiers who are still alive and served in the forces at any time，during peace or war． Though several other countries celebrate this day in honor of their own veterans，the meaning is slightly different for each one．Some like the United Kingdom，celebrate it in honorof all soldiers－living or dead，while others like Canada celebrate it to honor all living veterans．They also call it different names．France and New Zealand silll call it Armistice Day．In the United Kingdom，Australia and Canada it is referred to as Remembrance Day，while Malta and South Africa celebrate it as Poppy Day．

No matter what it is called，the reason for observing the day is the same－to show our appreciation to the brave men and women who sacrifice（牺牲）everything to make this world a safer place for the rest of us．