Memorize the following paragraphs and recite them...

Dictionary:English-Chinese|Chinese-English|English-English

Chi Haotian said the Chinese armed forces and people will not accept it if the U.S. government attempts to evade its responsibility, Xinhua reported.
President George W. Bush was briefed Saturday on the latest meeting between the crew and U.S. diplomats.
One U.S. official said details of the U.S. plane's collision with a Chinese fighter jet were discussed, but did not elaborate.
As the standoff approached the one-week mark, Fleischer described the president as "both concerned and persistent" and said he believed diplomatic efforts were making progress, despite tough words from the Chinese.
Later, asked if Bush viewed the latest letter from Chinese officials as a setback to the diplomatic efforts, the official said, "No."
In that letter, Chinese Vice Premier Qien Qichen said U.S. statements of regret were not enough and held fast to China's demand for an outright U.S. apology.
The president is spending the weekend in Maryland at the Camp David presidential retreat but is keeping close tabs on the standoff.

04/03/2001

The local mall in Chattanooga has been a time-honored hangout for teens who have had few places to socialize at night.

However, in an effort to cut down on rowdy behavior and fights between youngsters, a curfew has been instituted at the mall on weekends.

The policy has been criticized by teens who say they have nowhere else to hang out.

Also, some mall merchants fear the curfew will cut into sales.

Other malls across the country have found that implementing the policy contributed to a comfortable shopping atmosphere.

New words:

etched in stone:    permanent
alienated:    separated from
hiring freezes:    temporary stop on job recruitment
upcoming:    having potential; aspiring
influx:    surplus
backing:    to support
impart:    to give, as in knowledge
procrastinate:    to wait until the last minute to do something
inundated:    flooded
recruiter:    one who seeks out employees
adjunct:    temporary, as in professor
shutdown:    to close temporary
cutbacks:    to reduce, as in jobs
lousy:    sorry conditions
vindictive:    revengeful
affairs:    business matters
interpersonal:    ability to relate to others
uncivil:    warlike, unruly
suffice:    to be enough
fickle:    always changing
cut down:    chop/reduce
cut up:    use a knife/a joker, prankster
cut in:    interrupt
cut out:    remove/lose reception

01/23/2001

While Super Bowl XXXV airs this Sunday, some advertisers will be hoping to attract the attention of millions of consumers with creative TV ads.

Typically, an advertiser will have paid about 2.3 million dollars for a 30-second spot to be aired during the game.

CBS is able to command such exorbitant prices due to the fact that the Super Bowl is expected to attract 120 million viewers.

Adding to the attraction for advertisers are half-time performances by Aerosmith and 'N sync and the debut of the TV series "Survivor: Australian Outback" after the game.

This could help offset the typical drop-off in viewers during half-time and the fourth quarter.

By shelling out such extraordinarily large sums of money, advertisers hope to entice the viewers to purchase their product with the end result of increased profits for the company.

01/22/2001 Monday

Commonly heard terms referring to race or ethnicity:
Native American / American Indian
Latina / Latino (southern American)
Chicano (Mexican moved to US a long time ago)
Mexicano
Hispanic / Immigrant Hispanic
African American / Black American
White / Gringo

The following terms should be avoided (they are politically incorrect):
Crackers, Wigger (White)
Negro
Oriental, Chinks (Asian)
Wetback (Mexican)

Other terms and concepts:
Racial profiling
Multiculturalism
Mixed
Racial reconciliation
Integration/segregation/desegregation
Civil rights movement
Majority vs. minority
Quotas (proportional share)
Affirmative action
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Relevant Idioms:
Don't judge a book by its cover.
Color is just skin deep.
Bent out of shape. (angry)
Bury the hatchet (make peace)
Different strokes for different folks.

North American Restaurant Etiquette

If you receive your food before others at your table, it is polite to wait for the others to receive theirs. However, if someone tells you to go ahead and begin eating, you are free to do so.
Most North American use one hand to eat, keeping the other in their lab unless cutting meat or holding bread. The European style of holding the knife in one hand and the fork in the other is acceptable.
Generally, keep your elbows off the table until after you are finished with your meal.
Never, ever talk with food in your mouth unless you can do so without showing the contents of your mouth to others (Talking with your mouth full can also cause you to choke on your food!). Also, do not chew with your mouth open or make unnecessarily loud noises.
Soup and other liquids should be eaten or drunk as quietly as possible. If the liquid is too hot, softly blow on it in your spoon.
Avoid "unappetizing" topics of discussion (bodily functions, graphic descriptions of wounds or illnesses, etc).
In restaurants where a server serves your meal at your table, the standard for tipping is 15% of your bill; in buffet or other serve-yourself establishments, the tip can be slightly less; in fast-food restaurants, tipping is not expected. If service is bad and you prefer not to leave a tip, it is best to leave a very small amount. That way, the server will not think that you simply forgot to leave a tip. Many restaurants will automatically include the tip in the bill for large groups, so check the menu or your bill to find out about that policy. It's a good idea to check your bill carefully each time, anyway, and count your change before leaving the table.
At many restaurants, one pays the server at the table; in other restaurants, there is a check-out counter near the entrance.
When a group of North Americans goes out to eat together, each individual usually pays for her/his own meal. If a friend suggests going out to eat, it doesn't necessarily mean that s/he plans to pay for your meal, so always keep some cash or your debit/credit card on hand. If another person pays for your meal, it is polite to offer to pay the tip, if one is expected.
In fast-food restaurants, you are expected to bus (clean) your own table.
"Please" and "Thank you" are the magic words in North American culture; be kind to your servers and your hosts.
"Smoking" and "nonsmoking" policies are strictly observed. Do not smoke if you are sitting in a nonsmoking section.
If you would like to take the last portion of a dish, ask first if any would like to share it with you.

01/18/2001 Thursday

Throughout the United States the electric companies are receiving complaints about high bills. It is because of the fact of cold temperature and high gas price and the electric bills skyrocketed. As a result the companies are providing helpful hints to consumers to reduce the cost. However, there are limited ways for Americans to decrease their bills. The companies suggest to keep the thermostat between 68 and 70 degrees. Nonetheless it is our responsibility to pay the bills or the service will be cut off.

01/16/2001 Tuesday

George W Bush will be sworn in this Saturday as the 43rd president of the United States. Despite winning the election by the slimmest margin in US history, he declared to unite the nation. Bush will push for his platform. His main priority is to lower taxes. While the ceremony is taking place, some people will protest against the inauguration. The protesters believe that if the votes in Florida had been counted completely, Bush would have lost the election.