Hi, Healther! Long time no see... How are things going? We miss you a lot!  

Dead Poets Society is also my favourite movie. I watched the movie for many times. Many of my friends thinks this movie touches hearts and brings tears.

Mr. Keating is a rolemodel for the teachers. I agree with Yvette-moon. A teacher should not only play a role of teaching the students but also being a friend to inspire the latent charactors of the students.

The movie was shot in 1989, but the idea it brought us is still new and refreshing. Have a look when you have time!

i did not see the picture. Sorry! i can not open the link.

Why the man got stuck inside a Garbage Bin?  I think he wanted to get back his mobile phone. I give you this answer from the sentence in your post.

Does it help?

This is not my article. i copied it from the CRTVU online website. I suggest you should search 夏比洛教授 on the internet, if you really want to know.

All the best wishes!

In2english team members are going to Editor, Andy's home.  We are going to have a Christmas party. We are looking forward to it.

“圣诞节”这个名称是“基督弥撒”的缩写。弥撒是教会的一种礼拜仪式。耶诞节是一个宗节我们把它当作耶苏的诞辰來庆祝，因而又名耶诞节。这一天，世界所有的基督教会都举行特別的礼拜仪式。但是有很多圣诞节的欢庆活动和宗教并无半点关联。交换礼物，寄圣诞卡，这都使圣诞节成为一个普天同庆的日子。

　　圣诞节是基督教世界最大的节日。4世纪初，1月6日是罗马帝国东部各教会纪念那稣降生和受洗的双重节日、称为“主显节”Epiphany，亦称“显现节”即上帝通过那稣向世人显示自己。当时只有那路拉冷的教会例外，那里只纪念耶稣的诞生而不纪念那稣的受洗。后来历史学家们在罗马基督徒习用的日历中发现公元354年12月25日页内记录着：“基督降生在犹大的伯利恒。”经过研究，一般认为12月25日伴为圣诞节可能开始于公元336年的罗马教会）约在公元375年传到小亚细亚的安提阿，公元430年传到埃及的亚历山大里亚，那路撒冷的教会接受得最晚，而亚美尼亚的教会则仍然坚持1月6日主显节是那稣的诞辰。

　　12月25日原来是波斯太阳神（即光明之神）密特拉（Mithra）的诞辰，是一个异教徒节日，同时太阳神也是罗马国教众神之一。这一天又是罗马历书的冬至节，崇拜太阳神的异教徒都把这一天当作春天的希望，万物复苏的开始。可能由于这个原因，罗马教会才选择这一天作为圣诞节。这是教会初期力图把异教徒的风俗习惯基督教化的措施之一。

　　后来，虽然大多数教会都接受12月25日为圣诞节，但又固各地教会使用的历书不同，具体日期不能统一，于是就把12月24日到第二年的1月6日定为圣诞节节期（Christmas Tide），各地教会可以根据当地具体情况在这段节期之内庆祝圣诞节。自从12月25日被大多数教会公认为圣诞节后，原来1月6日的主显节就只纪念耶稣受洗了，但天主教会又把1月6日定为“三王来朝节”，以纪念耶稣生时东方三王（即三位博士）来朝拜的故事。随着基督教的广泛传播，圣诞节已成为各教派基督徒，甚至广大非基督徒群众的一个重要节日。在欧美许多国家里，人们非常重视这个节日，把它和新年连在一起，而庆祝活动之热闹与隆重大大超过了新年，成为一个全民的节日。12月25日的主要纪念活动都与那稣降生的传说有关。

　　耶稣的出生是有一段故事的，耶苏是因着圣灵成孕，由童女马利亚所生的。神更派遣使者加伯列在梦中晓谕约瑟，叫他不要因为马利亚未婚怀孕而不要她，反而要与她成亲，把那孩子起名为“耶苏”，意思是要他把百姓从罪恶中救出來。

　　当马利亚快要临盆的时候，罗马政府下了命令，全部人民到伯利恒务必申报戶籍。约瑟和马利亚只好遵命。他们到达伯利恒时，天色已昏，无奈两人未能找到旅馆渡宿，只有一个马棚可以暫住。就在這时，耶苏要出生了！於是马利亚唯有在马槽上，生下耶苏。后人为纪念耶苏的诞生，便定十二月二十五为圣诞节，年年望彌撒，纪念耶苏的出世。

　　圣诞节便是於十二月二十五日纪念耶苏的诞生，但真实的诞生日就沒有人知道了。十九世紀，圣诞卡的流行、圣诞老人的出现，圣诞节也开始流行起來了。

    Origin of Christmas

The name Christmas is short for "Christ's Mass". A Mass is a kind of Church service. Christmas is a religious festival. It is the day we celebrate as the birthday of Jesus.

There are special Christmas services in Christian churches all over the world. But many of the festivities of Christmas do not have anything to do with religion. Exchanging gifts and sending Christmas cards are the modern ways of celebrating the Christmas in the world.

The birth of Jesus had a story: In Nazareth, a city of Galilee. The virgin's name was Mary was betrothed to Joseph. Before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband was minded to put her away secretly. While he thought about these things, Gabriel, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and told him did not be afraid to take Mary as wife. And Mary will bring forth a Son, and he shall call his name, Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

Before Jesus births, Joseph and Mary came to Quintus was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up out of Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and of the lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.　　

And that, Christmas is the feast of the nativity of Jesus, is on 25th, December every year. But nobody know the actual birthday of Jesus. And the Christmas has become popular when Christmas cards appeared in 1846 and the concept of a jolly Santa Claus was first made popular in nineteenth Century.

                                                   From the internet

A springtime English tea

A cup of hot tea in the cool English climate has been a favorite of the British ever since Assam tea was discovered in India. In the mid-1800s, the Duchess of Bedford, who got hungry before dinner, started having a small meal with her afternoon cuppa(English shorthand for “cup of tea”). Soon bakers began making special pastries for teatime, naming the treats for the places where they were first served ? Bath buns, Banbury cakes, Cumberland current cakes. Workers coming home from factories made “high tea” their early supper, eating toad-in-the-hole(sausages cooked in a pancake-like batter), or Welsh rarebit(a melted cheese mixture served on toast).

　　But for most of England today, tea is at 4 pm. It starts with a pot of tea served with sugar and milk(not cream)and includes thin slices of bread and butter, muffins, or scones with jam. Sometimes little sandwiches with egg, cucumber, or tomato are served, along with a pudding(which is what the English call all desserts).

　　春季英国茶

　　自从在印度发现阿萨姆茶以来, 在寒冷的天气喝上一杯热茶便成了英国人的最爱。19世纪中叶，贝德福德公爵夫人晚饭前觉得有点饿，便开始就着下午茶稍微吃一点东西。很快，面包师开始烘烤配茶的点心，并以其第一次出现的地名命名，例如， 巴斯圆面包、班伯里夹心饼、坎伯兰流行饼。下班回家的工人把“下午茶”当作早一点的晚餐，吃面糊烤香肠（裹上面糊烤的香肠）或者威尔士干酪吐司（熔化的干酪糊抹在吐司上）。

　　但是，现在在英国大多数地方，茶点为下午四点钟。端上的是一壶热茶，同时还有糖和牛奶（不是奶油）。除此之外，还有薄片面包配黄油、松饼或者烤饼配果酱。有时也会上夹有鸡蛋、黄瓜或西红柿的小三明治，以及布丁（英国人称其为全甜点）。

                                                 转自sohu (仅供自学与教学参考)

The British People and Tea

中央电大　外语部　石运志

茶原产于中国，5000多年前首先由中国人发现。茶是在哪一年传到英国的，虽无从可考，但英语中tea （"茶"）这个词与中国的广东、福建话"茶"的发音接近，是从中国话传入的。根据英国东印度公司的交易资料记载，1644年英国开始有"茶"的记录，英国水手自东方回国时，都会带回茶叶，伦敦咖啡馆开始卖中国茶叶。由于茶的流传，使英国的其他饮料和酒的销售减少，也使英国的税收减少，因此英王查理二世立法禁茶，但他的妻子凯瑟琳皇后却把喝茶带入社交和家庭聚会。此后喝茶者愈来愈众。 　　英国人喝茶有许多特殊的讲究和传统。比如英国的茶娘起源于300多年前东印度公司一位管家的太太，公司每次开会，都由她泡茶服侍，茶娘由此而生，她所立下的模式也至今延续了300多年。上午茶及午后茶起源于19世纪初期。英国人每天上午和下午各有一次喝茶的习惯。上午10点和下午4点时常常聚集在一起喝茶，吃三明治（sandwich），颇为流行。茶成了英国人的"国饮"。 　　在伦敦有许多茶室，尤其是 ABC茶室（tea shop）遍设伦敦各地。 ABC茶室是由"松软面包公司"（the Aerated Bread Company）开办，英国人在外喝茶非常方便。 　　根据威尔士大学心理学教授夏比洛的最新研究成果，喝茶有助于集中精神，从而提高学习和思考的效率。他的实验表明，喝茶人士的表现胜过喝咖啡者以及什么也不喝的人。他认为，茶中可能有帮助脑部运转的成分。他为英国人爱喝茶提供了科学理论。 　　英国人喝茶很讲究。为了保持茶的温度，茶壶要盖上厚棉套，有人说，茶壶套（tea cosy）同雨伞一样是典型的英国生活方式体现。 　　有的英国人认为，一天最美妙的时刻就是睁开睡眼坐在被窝里喝茶，既不洗脸也不刷牙。他们说，盥洗后再喝茶，味道就差多了。他们习惯一次喝一杯，不像中国人一杯接一杯地喝。 　　英国人主要是喝绿茶（green tea），也有的人爱喝红茶（black tea）。英国人喝茶时，一定要在茶具中先倒上一点冷牛奶，然后再冲热茶，最后加上糖。这个顺序不能颠倒，若是颠倒，就会被认为是没有教养。 　　除水之外，茶是英国人消耗量最大的饮料，占45％，平均每个英国人每天要喝3杯半的茶，全国每天要喝掉2亿杯的茶。每年的茶叶消耗量达十七、八万吨。人均茶叶消耗量居世界前列。但英国并不产茶叶，所需茶叶都是从印度（India）、斯里兰卡（Sri Lanka）等国进口。 有关的英语词语： the first infusion of tea头泡茶 strong tea 浓茶 weak tea淡茶 tea bottle 茶瓶 tea ceremony（日本）茶道 tea dance（午后茶会时的）茶舞会 tea rose香水月季

But i don't know either. I will do some research and then tell you if i have got the answer or not.

As Long As You're Near The first time we met, I could see,

That you and I, were meant to be.

Your eyes were so gentle, your smile so true,

When you first held my hand, I just knew.

Now the time has gone by, through laughter and tears,

These days I shall cherish, for years upon years.

Those memories we have, shall never fade,

For those are the steps, that we have made.

That was the past, the future is near,

I anxiously wait, for what will appear.

New homes, more laughter, and children so dear,

Everything will be wonderful, as long as you're near.

- Cristy Smith -

 

Hi, wing1983! Long time no see. How is everything going? We have had a sub-board Culture and Literature. Hope you will like it.  Do you enjoy the winter days? Is it cold in Guangdong? Hope everything goes well with you.

I read your story, a touching story. I feel so sorry for your past classmate.
Life is full of accidents and unhappiness. But if everything is as expected, that is not life. We have to face it and accept it no matter it is good or bad.

Thank you again for your story.

Welcome to our in2english community! All the users here are very warm hearted and ready to help each other. I believe you will make a lot of friends here.

All the best wishes!

Hi, Olive0302. Welcome to in2english community. This community is a good place for the English learners in China. Most of the users are Chinese learners. They are very warm hearted and ready to help the new comers. I hope you can make friends with other users on this community.

Enjoy your stay on the website of in2english!

Hi, Wing1983. I checked your posts and found one is under moderation. I don't know why? I will ask the technicians to solve the problem.

All the best wishes!

The University of Cambridge is one of the oldest universities in the world, and one of the largest in the United Kingdom. It has a world-wide reputation for outstanding academic achievement and the high quality of research undertaken in a wide range of science and arts subjects. The University pioneers work in the understanding of disease, the creation of new materials, advances in telecommunications and research into the origins of the universe. It trains doctors, vets, architects, engineers and teachers. At all levels about half of the students at Cambridge study arts and humanities subjects, many of whom have gone on to become prominent figures in the arts, print and broadcast media. The University's achievements in the sciences can be measured by the sixty or more Nobel Prizes awarded to its members over the years.


The University is a self-governing body: the legislative authority is the Regent House, which consists of the three thousand or so members of the teaching and administrative staff of the University and Colleges who have the MA (or MA status) or a higher degree. The principal administrative body of the University is the Council, which consists mainly of members of the academic staff elected by the Regent House. The General Board of the Faculties co-ordinates the educational policy of the University and the Finance Committee of the Council supervises its financial affairs.

As Cambridge approaches its eight hundredth anniversary in 2009, it is looking to the future. The modern University is an international centre of teaching and research in a vast range of subjects: about half of the students study science or technology. Members of the University have won over sixty Nobel Prizes.

It continues to change in response to the challenges it faces. The Vice-Chancellor, for instance, is no longer a Head of College, but is a full-time administrative appointment. A Development Office and associated charitable foundation is successfully seeking funds around the world for new ventures. The 1990s have seen a major expansion of University accommodation for teaching and research. There are many major new buildings either underway or already completed, including the Law Faculty building and the Judge Institute of Management Studies, in March 1996 opened by HM The Queen.

                                      转自奥博教育网（仅供教学与自学使用）

Trash can

Glass half full or half empty是英语里的一个常见典故。半杯水摆在你面前，你看到的是什么？如果你的第一反应是The glass is half full，说明你注重积极的一面，是乐观主义者。如果你的第一反应是The glass is half empty，说明你注重消极的一面，是个悲观主义者。

其实这样的概括过于笼统，因为glass half full和glass half empty各有各的长处，不像乐观、悲观那样优劣分明。Glass half full的优点是：比较容易满足，有益身心健康。做事时注重“已完成了多少”，而不是“还剩多少”，不太会产生厌烦情绪。而glass half empty的优点是：头脑清醒，不盲目乐观。做起事来往往未雨绸缪，预先想好应对的办法。

这个半空还是半满的问题由于太有名，已经渐渐演变成一个笑话。比较经典的回答包括：

1）取决于杯子原来的状态。如果原来是空的，倒进去半杯水，那是glass half full。如果原来是满的，倒掉半杯水，那是glass half empty。

2）Half empty是个愚蠢的说法。Empty等于零。Half empty也就是零的一半，结果还是零。既然杯子里是有水的，half empty就是绝对错误的。所以应该是glass half full。

3）两者都不对！虽然水只有一半，但杯子里还有空气，所以The glass is always full！

玩笑归玩笑，大家在应用的时候还是要记住“glass half full = 乐观，glass half empty = 悲观”的原则。举个例子：

Phil: The Houston Rockets lost again last night. It’s their seventh straight defeat! And Yao Ming fouled out. That seriously blows!
（Phil：火箭队昨晚又输了。这可是他们的七连败！姚明还因犯规过多被罚下场。太糟糕了！）

Josh: Hey, at least he scored 30 points. That’s his season-best! （Josh：嘿，至少他拿了三十分。是这季最好的表现噢！）

Phil: I guess you always see the glass as half full, huh? （Phil：你是半满主义者吧？）
Josh: You bet! Half empty is no fun! （Josh：当然，杯子半空才不好玩呢！）

                                             转自 Englishblog (仅供英语学习使用)

Visitors to Britain may find the best place to sample local culture is in a traditional pub. But these friendly hostelries can be minefields of potential gaffes for the uninitiated.

　　访问英国的人会发现传统英国酒吧是最能领略当地文化的地方。但对于初来乍到的异国人来说，这些友善的酒吧却犹如潜藏着有惹事危险的"地雷区"。

　　An anthropologist and a team of researchers have unveiled some of the arcane rituals of British pubs--starting with the difficulty of getting a drink. Most pubs have no waiters--you have to go to the bar to buy drinks. A group of Italian youths waiting 45 minutes before they realized they would have to fetch their own. This may sound inconvenient, but there is a hidden purpose.

　　一位人类学家和一组研究人员揭示了某些鲜为人知的英国酒吧文化。人们首先遇到的困难是从买酒开始的。大多数英国酒吧都没有酒保，你得到吧台去买酒。一伙意大利年轻人等了三刻钟才明白他们得自己去买。这听上去似乎让人觉得不方便，可却有它深刻的内涵。

　　Pub culture is designed to promote sociability in a society known for its reserve. Standing at the bar for service allows you to chat with others waiting to be served. The bar counter is possibly the only site in the British Isles in which friendly conversation with strangers is considered entirely appropriate and rea1ly quite normal behaviour. "If you haven't been to a pub, you haven't been to Britain." This tip can be found in a booklet, Passport to the Pub: The Tourists' Guide to Pub Etiquette, a customers' code of conduct for those wanting to sample "a central part of British life and culture". The trouble is that if you do not follow the local rules, the experience may fall flat. For example, if you are in a big group, it is best if only one or two people go to buy the drinks. Nothing irritates the regular customers and bar staff more than a gang of strangers blocking all access to the bar while they chat and dither about what to order.

　　在因其冷漠而出名的英国社会里，酒吧文化的形成是为了促进社会交往。排队的时候可以和其他等待买酒的人交谈。在英伦诸岛上，和陌生人亲切地交谈被认为是完全适宜的正常行为的唯一场所可能就是吧台了?quot;你如果没去过酒吧，那就等于没有到过英国。"这个忠告可在名为《酒吧护照：旅游者酒吧仪俗指南》的小册子中找到，它对那些想要领略"英国生活和文化核心部分"的人是一种行为准则。问题是如果你不入乡随俗的话，你将一无所获。譬如说，你们若是团体前往，那最好是一个或两个人前去买酒。酒吧常客和酒保最腻味的就是一大伙人一边聊着一边又优柔寡断不知喝什么酒好，把通往吧台的路给堵住。

                                           转自奥博教育网  （仅供英语学习使用）