Black Cat －黑猫 2007-9-24 9:15:08 　·Black CatIt is probably because of its slyness and shrewdness, the cat is often supposed to be connected with witch,witches and the devil.This fear may stem from the Middle Ages. In Europe,the time between the Middle Ages and the 18th century is known as the witch-hunting era. In most of the cases, the witches were typically older women whose crimes were eccentricity,solitude and,especially,the inability to withstand the ordeals.Frequently,the evidence the witch-hunters gave was that the old w…… Friday the 13th－黑色星期五13号 2007-9-24 9:15:08 　·Friday the 13th The standard nineteenth-century explanation for the supposed unluckiness of the number 13 was that there were thirteen at Jesuss Last Supper --Judas was generally thought of as the thirteenth. This widely repeated interpretation led to the fear of the number 13 in general, and people would avoid having 13 at table or in a party. The supposed misfortune of Friday also originated from Christian beliefs, for the Crucifixion took place on that day. But both fears have their ea…… Opening an Umbrella Indoors－屋内打伞 2007-9-24 9:15:05 　·Opening an Umbrella IndoorsThere is no doubt that the umberella is employed both as a shield against bad weateher and as a shade against the sun. Therefore,it is understandable that opening an umbrella indoors would be considered unnecessary or foolish. But why would this action be seen as dangerous? Some people believe that an umbrella unnecessarily openned during fine weather may bring down the rain. A more subtle rationale suggests that indoor umbrella usage violates the right order of thi…… Walking under a ladder—梯下可行吗? 2007-9-24 9:15:04 　·Walking under a Ladder Avoiding ladders used to be linked to the story of the Crucifixion: one kept away from the instrument that had taken Jesus down from the cross,or else one would suffer bad luck. This is highly suspect reasoning,since no ladder is mentioned in the Bible. The superstition has also been linked to the fear of entering the Holy Trinitys emblematic triangle,formed by ladder,wall and ground. Maybe the simplest reasoning for not walking under a ladder is that in going around it yo…… Broken mirrors－不祥之兆-破镜 2007-9-24 9:15:04 　·Broken Mirrors Mirrors have been used in divination, or fortune-telling since ancient times. Because of their presumed value in seeing the future, superstition grants them magical and potentially dangerous significance. On the simplest level, breaking a mirror is the destruction of a means of knowing the will of the gods, or a signal from the gods that they didnt want you to poke into their affairs. Either way, the indication of unseeable hazards was obvious. The Romans believed that the mirror…… Spilling Salt－盐撒了是好事吗? 2007-9-24 9:15:04 　·Spilling Salt We do not know when man first began to use salt, but we do know that it has been used in many different ways throughout history. Historical evidence shows,for example, that people who lived over 3,000 years ago ate salted fish. Thousands of years ago in Egypt, salt was used to preserve the dead. Because of its value as a preservative, and flavoring, salt was considered, Romans and Hebrews it was a common sacrificial offering. Throughout the Middle East, moreover, it was a token o…… Saying God Bless You to a Sneezer－打喷嚏时说上帝保… 2007-9-24 9:15:03 　·Saying God Bless You to a Sneezer When you sneeze, Americans would sayGod Bless You to you. In many European cultures, sneezing traditionally is associated with death and Americans believe that you are very close to death when you sneeze, because sneezing can expel the soul, and thus life will escape from the body. So they say God Bless You to a sneezer as a charm against the danger of the moment. Neglecting this magical words could mean that the sneezer would end up in the next world.However, m…… Horseshoes－马蹄铁代表幸运吗? 2007-9-24 9:15:03 　·HorseshoesSince at least the days of the Romans, horseshoes have been considered lucky, both for their healing powers (it is said that they can cure hiccups), and for their protective influence (specifically, against witches). Nowadays, the horseshoe is usually placed above doorways for good luck. There may be a lot of reasons for its popularity, but among them at least two are worth considering.The more convincing explanation is that the horseshoe is in a horn shape and resembles the new moon. …… Knocking on wood－敲一敲树就能进天堂吗? 2007-9-24 9:14:58 　·Knocking on Wood The English touch wood for luck; Americans prefer the more sounding knock. These actions reflect the early Christian worship for the cross. Making contact with wood is a way of connecting symbolically with this holy article of Christianity. Others see the custom as a survivor of the medieval tradition of sanctuary. In the days when any fugitive could find protection behind the doors of a church, touching the wood of these doors would be a signal that he was safe.These Christian …… Burning Ears－别人说坏话,耳朵会发热. 2007-9-24 9:14:57 　·Burning Ears When someone is speaking ill of another out of that persons hearing, it is said that the persons ears are burning or tingling; then superstition supposes that when a person s ears burn, it is a sign of some distant malevolence. This belief can be explained by the assumption that there exists a kind of universal fluid that could carry the curse and touch ears at a distance, even though it was out of range of hearing. The more common-sense explanation seems a better one. When someone…… Break a leg!－坏话能带来好运！ 2007-9-24 9:14:57 　·Break a Leg （祝你摔断腿） This is an odd but traditional good luck wish to an actor about to go on. Among highly superstitious theater people, it is thought that if people wish for good luck, something will inevitably go wrong. So they wish for bad luck instead, and hope that the efficacy will just be the reverse.There are some other superstitious beliefs among actors. It is good luck, for example, to have their shoes squeak during an entrance, and it is good luck to have a theater cat. But bad luck c…… Farewells－告别语也反映了时代的变迁 2007-9-24 9:14:57 　·Farewells The story of English farewells is the process of becoming less religious. In the Middle Ages, people parted by saying God be with you, a characteristically religious comment. At Shakespeares time came you God bye, a form which lost its blatant godliness. And Good-bye,which is commonly used today, is a distortion of that in the early nineteenth century. That century also gave us the alternative So long, which suggests it is so long until we see each place in California, where late-1960s…… Tipping ones hat－轻轻摘帽是一种礼节 2007-9-24 9:14:53 　·Tipping Ones Hat Few Americans tip their hats today, partly because etiquette has loosened and partly because they dont wear hats. Until the 1950s, however, men commonly tipped their hats to women, and removed them entirely indoors and in elevators. (In 1949, the first known guidelines for elevator etiquette were issued: men were told to leave their hats on because too many women were complaining of knocks on their heads when men saluted in crowds.) But in the 18th century it was not considered …… Laddies first－女士优先反映了什么? 2007-9-24 9:14:53 　·Laddies First The forms of respecting the weaker sex that social custom keeps as treasures might be called the repecting ploy. The apparent function of the ploy is to proclaim the moral superiority of women by giving them benefits once reserved for royalty: giving up ones seat, opening doors, pulling out chairs, and rising when a woman enters the room. The polys hiden intention, however, is quite different. Over the centuries such pleasant things have tendered women, kept them in their higher pl…… The military salute－行军礼表示友好吗? 2007-9-24 9:14:53 　·The Military Salute 军礼In spite of the minor differences, military salutes of many countries have the similar gesture: raising the right hand to the same side of the head. A fanciful idea of the origin of the military salute is that it dates from medieval tournaments, when knights addressed the queen in this manner to shield their eyes from her blinding beauty. A more credible explanation is that in the age of visored and armored horsemen, raising the visor was a signal between two knights that t…… Bowing－鞠躬 2007-9-24 9:14:53 　·BowingThe bow, like the curtsy, is out of fashion today since so few of us ever meet royalty. Most of us witness true bowing --rather than the slight head nod, its democratic descendant--only in theaters and nightclubs. The bow that one gave a prince in former days and the bow that a performer gives today are at root the same gesture. Both reflect the ancient movement of lowering the head before a superior to signify respect, service, or obedience. The message of the bow is You are greater than …… 生活在美国(一) 无所不在的快餐点 2007-9-24 9:14:52 　·生活在美国(一) 无所不在的快餐点 随着美国人生活节奏的加快，快餐食品便应运而生．其快餐连锁店遍及世界各地，其中影响最大的当属麦当劳快餐连锁店．供应的快餐食品有：汉堡包、烤牛肉、牛排、火腿、三明治、肯德鸡、油炸土豆片、烘馅饼、冰淇淋以及各种碳酸饮料等．　　Fast Food 快餐食品　　Fast-food chains，American-style， are currently on the increase all over the world．Most of these places work on a similar principle． There is a long counter ， above which is displayed a list（often with pictures） of the items available， and behind which several people（often students working for the minimum wage）are serving． Individual queues form in f…… 生活在美国(二) 美国人的用餐习惯 2007-9-24 9:14:49 　·生活在美国(二) 美国人的用餐习惯 美国人吃饭用刀叉，而且他们的用餐方式是很有讲究的。因此，在应邀与美国朋友一起吃饭时，应特别注意他们的用餐习惯。一般情况下，餐桌上摆放有一幅餐刀和两幅餐叉，外边的餐叉供你吃色拉，里边的餐叉用于吃主食和其它点心食品，餐刀用来切肉食。如果你两手并用，应左手握叉，右手握刀，而且一次握刀时间不能太长。美国人的早餐有：炒或煮鸡蛋、香肠、油炸土豆片、薄煎饼、果子冻、烤面包、松饼、桔子汁以及咖啡等。　　Eating Custom and Practice 用餐习惯　　American eating is funny. They eat almost everything with a fork, and it appears that holding a knife in ones right hand longer than a few seconds is considered to be against good table manners.　　The system is that if it is absolutely necessary to use…… 生活在美国(三) 美国人的主食 2007-9-24 9:14:49 　·生活在美国(三) 美国人的主食 美国人吃午餐和吃晚餐之前通常要喝点鸡尾酒，但在加利福尼亚州，人们大都喝葡萄酒。吃主食之前，一般都要吃一盘色拉。炸磨茹和炸洋葱圈可作为开胃食品，牛排、猪排和鸡（腿）为主食，龙虾、贝壳类动物以及各种鱼类甚至包括淡水鱼被统称为海鲜。炸土豆条是深受人们喜爱而且几乎成了必不可少的食物。另外应特别注意的一点，如有吃剩的食物，一定要打包带回家，以免浪费。　　Cocktail鸡尾酒　　It is quite usual to drink cocktails before lunch and dinner in America and somewhat less usual, except in California, to drink wine with a meal. You can either have a cocktail in the bar, if there is one, while you wait for a table or for friends, or you can have one served before your dinner…… 生活在美国(四) 美国用餐常识 2007-9-24 9:14:48 　·生活在美国(四) 美国用餐常识 中国菜着重色、香、味， 西餐讲究实惠。初到美国餐馆用餐，应该注意如下事项： 1）选择合适的餐馆（如：家庭式餐馆、特色餐馆以及自助式餐馆等）； 2）餐馆营业时间（上午11：30开门营业，直到夜晚）； 3）一般都应事先预订餐位： 4）到达餐馆后，不能径直地到餐桌旁入桌，除非餐厅有“随意就坐”的告示； 5）付款时，别忘了留给服务员一定比例的小费（一般为实际总额的10%～15%）。Eating out is one of the joy of being in the USA. The food is usually good and often excellent; the prices are reasonable ; and the service is mostly fine. Choosing a Restaurant 选择餐馆 Some restaurants are open for breakfast; others are open twenty-four hours a day. A n……