Americanhousesusuallyhaveprivatekitchens,alivingroomandsometimesseparateareasforeatingandwatchingtelevision.Ahouseusuallyhasitsownmailbox,ayardwithplantsorperhapsalawn,andaplacetostoregarbageoutofsight.
Abungalowisasmallhousewithoneortwobedroomsandusuallyonebathroom.
Amansionisarealbighousewithmanybedroomsandseveralbathrooms.
Aranchhouseusuallyhasthreeorfourbedrooms.Themasterbedroomforthemotherandfatherusuallyhasitsownbathroom.
Anapartmentisusuallyonelivingspacewithinabuilding.Severalapartmentcanbeinthesamebuilding,withasharedyard,parkingspaces,andgarbage.
Atownhouseisatwo-floorapartment.Thekitchen,livingroomanddiningroomareusuallyonthefirstfloorandthebedroomsareonthesecondfloor.
Astudioapartmentmayhaveaseparatekitchen,butthelivingroomisalsothebedroom!
Acondominium,orcondoforshort,isanapartmentthatisownedbytheoccupant,notthebuildingowners.
MostAmericanarehappytotalkabouttheirhomes.Andiftheyvedoneanythingspecialintheirhome,theyllletyouknowwhatitwas,andmaybetellyouwhatitcosttoputintheJacuzzi,deckorpatio,etc.MostAmericansliveincities,butnearlyasmanyliveinsuburbs.SuburbanAmericanhasshoppingcenterscalledmallsandresidentsusuallyneedacaretogetaround.Mostofthehousesinthesuburbsareoneortwostoriestall,withprivateyardsandgardensandgarage.Therearefewtallbuildingsinthesuburbs.Citieshaveneighborhoods,warehousestores,andpublictransportationisusuallyprettygood.Privatehousesmightonlyhaveabackyard,andifthereisagarageitprobablyissmall.Citieshavealotofapartmentbuildingsandsometallbuildingsmayseemtoscrapethesky,sotheyarecalledskyscraper.
Recently,themovieAmericanCaptainisveryhot,thethirdepisodehasbeenbroughtintothescreen.
SinceIseethefirstepisode,thisgreatherocatchesmyattentionallthetime.
heissohandsomeandbrave,what’smore,hefightsforthejustice,whichmakeshimacharmingperson.
Iwillsupportthismovie,AmericanCaptainismyhero.
Americaissaidtobeacountryonthewheelwhichmeansalmostoneinfourisdrivingontheroad.AsweallknowthatAmericaisabigmeltingport.ItprovesthatthelifethereisdifferentfromothercountryinmanyaspectssuchaslanguagereligonscultureandcustomsandtherearemanyholidaysinAmericalocalornot.IndependentdayisalocaltraditionalfestivalinAmericawhichisaaniversaryoftheindependentofAmericaninthehistoryitison4thJulythedaywhenthewarwasendandthencamethefoundationoftheunitedstatesofAmercan.
据说美国是车轮上的`国家，这意味着几乎有四是在道路上行驶时，我们都知道，美国是个大熔炉的港口。它证明了那里的生活在许多方面不同于其他国家，如语言、宗教、文化和风俗习惯，有美国的节日很多，地方或不是。独立日是美国当地的一个传统节日，这是历史上的一个周年的美国独立，它是在7月4日，当战争结束，然后是美国，美国的基础的一天。
Lastyear,myparentsandIarrivedintheUnitedStatesontheothersideoftheocean,livinginChicago,thethirdlargestcityintheUnitedStates.ThecitylifethereisverydifferentfromthecitylifeinChina.
Specialone:building
MostpeopleinChinaliveinpublichousingorapartments,andtherearenotsomanypeopleintheUnitedStates.Peopleusuallyliveinsemi-detachedhouses.Thelefthalfofthefamily,therighthalftheotherfamily,orupanddowntwofamilies,theeconomymanypeopleliveintheindependenthouse.Thetwohousesarenotlarge,usuallymadeofbeautifulbricks,andthefirstfloorhasstepstoconnectthegroundandhouses,andthehousesarenumberedwithmetal.Therewasasmallgardenaroundthehouse,withlushtreesandgreengrass,andsometablesandchairs.Thereisafenceoutsidethegarden,apasswordlockonthefence,someonewithakeytothepasswordcangoin,soit'ssafetoliveinit.
Special2:traffic
CarpenetrationinChinaislowerthanintheu.s.,wheremostChineseresidentstakepublictransportation,andalmosteveryhomeintheUnitedStateshasacar.Why?That'sbecausetheUnitedStateswasdesignedasabigcarinthefirstplace.TheroadsaredesignedtobespaciousandthegarageissomuchdesignedthattherearefewtrafficjamsorparkingSpacesintheUnitedStates.BackinChina,therearenoseatsleftforthetrainingcourses,andthehalfwayisstillstuckonthehighshelf,soitmustgetupearlytobenotlate.
WinterintheUnitedStates,peopledon'thavetowearthickwoolpantsandasweater,becauseindoorcentralheatinginthewinter,gooutisgivenprioritytowiththecar,gooutjustgetinthecar,thecaralsohasairconditioning,sodon'tfeelcold.It'skindoflikeournortheastChina.
Special3:diet
Youmustbeveryfondofpizzaandcookies.Thesearethesnacksthateveryoneenjoysduringthebreak.Butwhyeatwellandsometimesnottoeat?That'sbecauseamericanseathigh-caloriefoods,suchasapizza,sotheyeatthemfordinner.Americanspaymoreattentiontothenutritionoffood,liketoeathigh-proteinthings,andalsoliketoeatverysweetsnack,soyoucan'tburnChinesefoodintheUnitedStatescanonlyeatthesethingsalldaylong!
YouseehowdifferentChina'surbanlifeisfromtheAmericancitylife!
Author:fourthgradeChen
Comments:theauthorintroducesthelifeoftheUnitedStatesandChinainthewayofsmalltitle,whichisclearandemphases.Ifyoucanexpressyourfeelingsintheintroduction,itwillbringyouclosertothereader.
theaveragefamilyincomeoftheu.s.a.hasincreasedfrom20,000dollarsperyearin1992to25,000in.alongwiththisconsiderableincreaseinpeople’sincome,thewayinwhichtheaveragefamilyspendsitsincomehasalsovariedtosomeetent.theaverageependitureoffamilyincomeisdividedintoseveralsectors,namely,housing,clothing,foodanddrink,transport,medicalcare,entertainment,savingsandotheritems.
fromthetable,itisquiteinterestingtofindthatthemoneyspentonsomesectorssuchasfoodanddrink(2%)andentertainment(6%)in1992andremainsthesame.fortransport,thepercentageofisonly1%largerthanthatof1992.itisalsoworthmentioningthatin,peopletendtosavelessmoneythanin1992becausepeopledepositonlyhalfthemoneytheyusedtoin1990.thereisagreaterincreaseintheepensesonhousingandmedicalcare,increasingby8%and6%respectively.ontheotherhand,peopletendtospendlessmoneyonclothes,forthereisa5%decreaseincomparedwiththatin1992.asfarasotheritemsareconcerned,thereisasharpdecreaseinthepercentageoffamilyincomespentonthem,accountingforonly7%ofthetotal.
itcanbeseenfromthestatisticsthatinamericanpeople’slifefoodanddrink,entertainmentandtransporthadalwaysbeenimportant.withfamilyincomeincreasing,americanpeoplebegantogivefirstprioritytohousingandmedicalcare,therebyimprovingtheirlivingconditionsandinvigoratinghealth.bysavingless,theypresentedtoustheimplicationthattheyepectedafairlysecureprospect.
LosAngeles,knownasLA,locatesonthewestcoastofthestates,whichisthesecondlargestcityinAmerica.Westcoastisknownfortheincredibleweatheryearround.DaysarelongerhereinAugust,andit'sprettywarmintheevening,sosummeristhebesttimetovisitLA.TherearealotofstufftoseehereinLA,forexample,Hollywood,DisneylandandChinaTownaswellasKoreantown,etc.Basically,LAisoneofthefewinternationalcitiesaroundtheworld,whereyoucantasteauthenticcuisinesfrommanyothercountries.SouthernCaliforniaisaveryrelaxingplace,peoplegotobeach,museumsandgamesjusttoescapefromaweekofhardworking.Youshoulddefinitelycomehereforyoursummervacation.Iwillbeyourtourguideforsure.
(AmericanStudentsinCountryside)
elevenstudentsfromworldcollege,westoftheunitedstates,kissedtheirnewly-madechinesefathersandmothers,brothersandsisters“zaijian”(goodbye),tearsineyes,whenleavingjiangwantownship,inshanghaisuburbs.thesestudents,whoarestudyingonaprogramofinternationalrelations,arebelievedtobethefirsthatch①offoreignstudentstolivewithchinesevillagefamilies.
thestudentsstayedinthevillagefortwomonths.atdaytime,theyweregivenchineselanguageandhistorycoursesinthevillageclassroomandtookpartinagriculturalpracticeinthefields.theyspenttherestoftheirtimewiththepeasants,carryingwaterfromwells,makingafireforcooking,evenfeedingbabies.mr.carloslikedtotakelittlechildrenforarideinbicyclewhereasmr.davidoftenplayedcardswithhisyoungchinesefriends.misstracy,aprettyl9-year-oldgirl,concentratedherenthusiasmongivingenglishlessonstopupilsatjiangwanprimaryschool.mr.richardwithhisvideocamera②finishedatvdocumentary③aboutchinesevillagelife.“welikethelifehere.itssoquiet,soplain,yetsointeresting,”saidmisssandra,oneofthestudents.
lunchtimewasthemostenjoyableforbothguestandhost.theytalkedabouteverythingthatinterestedthem.thevillagersregardedthesestudentsastheirownsons,daughters,brothers,orsisters.“thisnewformisalsobeneficial④toourselves,”saiduhongming,deputydirector⑤ofjiangwantownship.“wearelookingforwardtowelcomingmoreforeignstudentstocomehere.”
indeed,thestudentsnotonlylearnedchinese,butalsoknewmoredeeplyaboutchinawithinthetwomonths.“wevelearnedalotwhichwecouldntjustatchinesecolleges,”saidmissnonafromcanada.whenaskedaboutthepurposeofgoingtochinaandstayingwithchinesevillagers,tracyshowedherseveralarticlespublishedinanamericannewspaper:“living,studyingandlearningtoacceptandworkwithinanotherentirelydifferentcultureisanimportantaspect⑥ofeverysociety.communication,understanding,andaboveall,loveareimperative⑦forworldpeace.”
【词语解释】
①hatch[h$tm]n.(小鸡等)一窝;(喻)一群，一组(年轻人)
②videocamera[vidiuk$mr]n.电视摄像机
③documentary[?d&kjumentri]n.纪录影片
④beneficial[benifiml]a.有利的;有益的
⑤deputydirector[depjutidirekt]副乡(镇)长
⑥aspect[$spekt]n.(问题、事物的)方面
⑦imperative[impertiv]a.绝对必要的