2 . Spend any time in London, England’s capital, and you’ll quickly gather that it’s a multicultural (多元文化的) community. Look around at your fellow passengers on the underground or the bus. They’re of every skin color and dress differently to one another. Listen, and you’ll hear many other languages besides English spoken. Some of these people will be tourists who are in London to see the sights. But others - in fact probably most - will be living their lives there, along with millions of others.

Along with white British people, there are Britons from, or with parents and grandparents from, the Caribbean, India, China and most other places. This makes London a wonderful place in which to live. The reason is that when people settle in a place, they don’t just buy a house and live there, but bring aspects of the culture of their “old country” with them.

A number of restaurants offering dishes from different parts of the world can be seen in London. You would come across French, Italian, Chinese, Indian eateries and even Polish restaurants in London.

However, London’s multiculturalism isn’t just about food. Many type s of people are gathered in one space, but the way they live differently shows in that space. They have different religious beliefs. Alongside one of the most famous old English churches, St Paul’s Cathedral, you’ll find mosques, temples and synagogues (犹太教堂) .

London even speaks its own special kind of English. Language experts created the term “Multicultural London English” to identify the dialect (方言) of English that appeared at the end of the last century.

All of this makes London a very surprising and varied place to call your home. But, in a way, this has long been true. In the 18th century, the compiler (编纂者) of the first English dictionary, Samuel Johnson, once said: “He who is tired of London is tired of life.”

3 . David sat on the hard ground, scratching (乱划) his name with a stick. As he finished the last letter “d”, he noticed a rosy old ________ shone in the dirt.

“David!” his mother called. David looked ________, glared at the yellow farmhouse that was now supposed to be his home, put the key in his pocket and walked down the hill.

Grandpa had ________ away last year, leaving the house and farm to David’s mother. She had chosen to ________ her job and move to the farm. David had been very unhappy about leaving his friends.

In the city, dinnertime had always been an opportunity for conversation between David and his mother. Here, ________, he had nothing to say. He knew his silence hurt his mother, but surely it was better than the angry stream of ________ that waiting behind it. After swallowing up a plateful of spaghetti (面条), he quickly said, “Thanks,” and went to his room.

Later, he went out to look for something to read. In the deep silence, he saw his mother sitting alone. On her lap lay a ________ album. Looking up, she smiled ________, “See what I found, David? Here’s your great - grandfather. He’s about your age in this picture. Do you think you look like him?”

David stuck his hands into his pockets and shrugged (耸肩). He ________ the old key.

“Here it’s his wedding day. Next to him is his bride.” his mother continued. David moved ________ and glanced down at the photograph. Then something else caught his ________. “What’s that?” he asked, pointing to a painted wooden box in front of her.

“It’s a ________ music box,” she put down the album and took the box gently with both hands. “Years ago, my brother dropped the key somewhere. We searched and searched but never ________ it.”

David opened his hand. His mother’s eyes sparkled ( 闪烁) . “That’s it! How did you...?”

With trembling hands, she fit the key into the hole and wound up the music box. With its sweet music ________, mother and son smiled.

“It has been silent for a long, long time,” the mother said.

“It’s so clear!” said David. “It sounds as good as new.” The ________ had been broken.