1.谁有关于英语的小知识
Thanksgiving is celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November, which this year (2004) is November 25th. Thanksgiving Day is the most truly American of the national holidays in the United States and is most closely connected with the earliest history of the country.In 1620, the Pilgrims sailed to America on the May flower, seeking a place where they could have freedom of worship. After a tempestuous two-month voyage they landed what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts on icy November day. During their first winter, over half of the settlers ①died of starvation or epidemics. Those who survived began sowing in the first spring. All summer long they waited for the harvests with great anxiety, knowing that their lives and the future existence of the colony depended on the coming harvest. Finally the fields produced a yield rich beyond expectations. And therefore it was decided that a day of thanksgiving to the Lord be fixed. Years later, the President of the United States proclaimed the fourth Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day every year. The celebration of Thanksgiving Day has been observed on that date until today. The pattern of the Thanksgiving celebration has never changed through the years. The big family dinner is planned months ahead. On the dinner table, people will find apples, oranges, chestnuts, walnuts and grapes. There will be plum pudding, mince pie, other varieties of food and cranberry juice and squash. The best and most attractive among them are roast turkey and pumpkin pie. They have been the most traditional and favorite food on Thanksgiving Day throughout the years. 11月的最后一个星期四是感恩节，今年（2004年）的感恩节是11月25日。
感恩节是美国国定假日中最地道的美国式节日，而且和美国早期历史的联系最为密切。 1620年，一批清教徒乘坐“五月花”号漂洋过海，去寻求一个宗教自由的地方。
他们在海上辗转颠簸了两个月之后，在酷寒的11月登上了陆地，登陆地位于现在的马萨诸塞州普利茅斯市。 在那里的第一个冬天，半数以上的移民都死于饥饿和传染病。
活下来的人开始在第一个春季里播种。整个夏天他们都热切地盼望着丰收的到来，他们深知自己的生存以及殖民地在今后是否能扎根都取决于即将到来的收成。
最终，庄稼获得了意外的大丰收。所以人们决定选一个日子来感谢上帝的恩赐。
数年后，美国总统宣布每年11月的第四个星期四为感恩节。感恩节庆祝活动便定在这一天，这个习俗一直延续到今天。
感恩节的庆祝形式多年来从未改变。丰盛的家宴早在几个月之前就开始着手准备。
人们在餐桌上可以吃到苹果、桔子、栗子、胡桃和葡萄。另外还备有葡萄干布丁、肉馅饼、各种其它食物以及红莓苔汁和鲜果汁。
其中，最棒和最诱人的菜肴当属烤火鸡和南瓜馅饼。数年来，这些菜一直是感恩节中最传统和最受人们喜爱的食品。
Everyone agrees the dinner must be built around roast turkey stuffed with bread dressing to absorb the tasty juices as it roasts. But as cooking varies with families and with the regions where one lives, it is not easy to ②get a consensus on the precise kind of stuffing for the royal bird. Thanksgiving today is， ③in every sense, a national annual holiday on which Americans of all faiths and backgrounds join to express their thanks for the year's bounty and reverently ask for continued blessings. 人们一致认为，感恩节大餐必须以烤火鸡为主菜，而火鸡在烘烤时要以面包作填料以吸收在烘烤过程中流出来的美味汁液。但由于烹饪方法因家庭和地区的不同而各异，所以在究竟用什么做火鸡的填料上就难以求得一致。
今天的感恩节是一个不折不扣的国定假日，具有各种信仰和背景的美国人会在这一天对上苍在今年的恩典表示感谢，虔诚地祈求上帝继续赐福。 Thanksgiving Fare Of all the Thanksgiving symbols the Turkey has become the most well known. The turkey has brown features with buff-colored feathers on the tips of the wing and on the tail. The male turkey is called a Tom and, as with most birds, is bigger and has brighter and more colorful plumage. The female is called a Hen and is generally smaller and drab in color. The turkey was originally domesticated in Mexico, and was brought to Europe early in the 16th century. Since that time, turkeys have been extensively raised because of the excellent quality of their meat and eggs. Some of the common breeds of turkey in the United States are the Bronze, Narragansett, White Holland, and Bourbon Red. Today there is such a large variety of food to choose from that a Thanksgiving Dinner can feature almost any main course. True, the traditional turkey is still the meat of choice, yet goose, duck, ham, even some of the sea's harvests can be used. In sweet potatoes, peas, rice dishes, greens, and even more exotic vegetables all ④make their 。
2.英语趣味小知识
趣味英语小知识 a)Ten animals I slam in a net. 我把十只动物一网打尽 你注意到这句话有什么特别之处吗？对了，无论从左到右，还是从右到左，字母排列顺序都是一样的，英语把这叫做Palindromes 回文（指顺读和倒读都一样的词语），关于动物的回文还有以下的例子 Otto saw pup ; pup was Otto. （奥托看见了小狗，小狗的名字叫奥托） Was it a car or a cat I saw ? Was it a rat I saw ？ （我刚才看见的是条老鼠？） b)the bee's knees 又来形容最好的至高无上的东西。
[例] She is a very poor singer but she thinks she's the bee's knees. （她五音不全却自认为是高高在上的一流歌手。） 该表现起源于20年代的美国，仅仅因为bee's 和 knees押韵，琅琅上口，迅速得到流传，直到现在， 还在日常生活非正式场合的对话中经常使用。
和时间有关的英语趣味小知识（一）时间是金，其值无价 Time is money.（时间就是金钱或一寸光阴一寸金） Time flies.（光阴似箭，日月如梭） Time has wings.（光阴去如飞） Time is a file that wears and makes no noise.（光阴如锉，细磨无声） Time stays not the fool's leisure.（时间不等闲逛的傻瓜） Time and I against any two.（和时间携起手来，一人抵两人） Time is life and when the idle man kills time, he kills himself.（时间就是生命，懒人消耗时间就是消耗自己的生命。或时间就是生命，节省时间，就是延长生命） Time spent in vice or folly is doubly lost.（消磨于恶习或愚行的时间是加倍的损失） （二）时间是风，去而不返 Time undermines us.（光阴暗中催人才。
或莫说年纪小人生容易老） Time and tide wait for no man.（岁月不待人） Time cannot be won again.（时间一去不再来） Time is , time was , and time is past.（现在有时间，过去有时间，时间一去不复返） Time lost can not be recalled.（光阴一去不复返） Time flies like an arrow , and time lost never returns.（光阴似箭，一去不返） （三）时间是尺，万物皆检 Time tries friends as fire tries gold.（时间考验朋友，烈火考验黄金） Time tries truth.（时间检验真理） Time is the father of truth.（时间是真理之父） Time will tell.（时间能说明问题） Time brings the truth to light.（时间使真相大白。或时间一到，真理自明。）
Time and chance reveal all secrets.（时间与机会能提示一切秘密） Time consecrates: what is gray with age becomes religion.（时间考验一切，经得起时间考验的就为人所信仰） Time reveals(discloses) all things.（万事日久自明） Time tries all.（时间检验一切） （四）时间是秤，衡量权质 There is no time like the present.（现在正是时候） Take time by the forelock.（把握目前的时机） To choose time is to save time.（选择时间就是节省时间） Never put off till tomorrow what may be done today.（今日事，今日毕） Procrastination is the thief of time.（拖延为时间之窃贼） One of these days is none of these days.（拖延时日，终难实现。或：改天改天，不知哪天） Tomorrow never comes.（明天无尽头，明日何其多） What may be done at any time will be done at no time.（常将今日推明日，推到后来无踪迹） （五）时间是水，淘金流沙 Time works wonders.（时间可以创造奇迹或时间的效力不可思议） Time works great changes.（时间可以产生巨大的变化） Times change.（时代正在改变） 英语趣味小知识（2）——你会犯这样的错误吗？ 你会犯这样的错误吗？ 英语有时候真是莫名其妙，你觉得你明明懂了，可实际上你又没有懂。
所以，今天我想讲几件轶事，都是因为没有理解听到看到的东西而闹出的笑话。也许，从他们的经验中，你也可以学到一些东西。
第一个故事发生在秘鲁，一位美国妇女在餐馆里用餐。她问服务员： Excuse me. Where could I wash my hands？ 服务员把她带到洗手间，可不巧，正有一些工人在粉刷洗手间的墙壁。
工人们一看有人要用洗手间，就准备离开。服务员拦住他们，说： That's Ok. Stay. She only wants to wash her hands. 在英语里，wash my hands实际上是上厕所的委婉说法。
那个服务员按照字面意思理解，结果闹了笑话。 还有一次，一个留学生在国外的学校第一天上学，心里又兴奋又紧张。
一个美国人见到一张新面孔，为了表示友好，就问： Hi! What's the good word？ 留学生一听到这个，立刻傻眼了，他想， My God! I don't know the good word. I've studied English for years, but no one told me about the good word！ 他犹豫再三，想，反正我也不知道，就问问他好了。于是他吞吞吐吐地问： Hello. What's the good word？ 老美听了，很随意地说： Oh, not much. 这下，这个留学生就更吃惊了！ 原来，What's the good word？ 在美语里，是一句问候语，意思是“你还好吗？”但问话的人并不指望你把遇到的高兴的事情都一一告诉他，只是打个招呼而已。
但这个留学生以为对方真的在问什么是Good word，所以闹了笑话，不过还好，也算给他歪打正着了。 下面的故事就更有意思了。
一次，一个美国公司的管理人员给公司一个驻外分部发了一份。
3.中西方英语知识都有什么
西方人眼中的数字 生活中的数字（number）无处不在，但有写数字带有固定的象征意义。
由于中西方国家文化背景和风俗习惯的不同，它的意义和用法也有很大的差异，听我来介绍一下吧。 就像咱们中国人（Chinese）偏爱数字8(eight)和6(six)，忌讳4(four)一样，西方人认为3(three)和7(seven)是大吉大利的数字，会给人带来幸福和快乐。
西方文化认为世界（the world）是由大地（land），海洋（sea）与天空（sky）三者合成的；大自然由动物（animal），植物（plant）和矿物构成，所以他们就特别喜欢3这个数字。 但是西方人认为13 (thirteen)是个不祥的数字。
重大活动不安排在13号，请客避免13人入席，电影院里没有第13排和13号座位。 这是因为耶稣受难的前夜，和12个门徒共进晚餐，师徒13人中出现了一个叛徒犹大，因此，信奉基督教的民族都认为13是个不祥的数字。
英语趣味小知识——英语和汉语对手指的称呼 1.thumb ：大拇指。与汉语相映成趣的是，英语的all(fingers and ) thumbs也表示"笨手笨脚"的意思，例如：（1）I'm all fingers and thumbs this morning. I don't seem to be able to button up my shirt.今天早上我的手怎么这么笨呢，好像连衬衫都扣不上了。
（2）He was so excited that his fingers were all thumbs and he dropped the teacup.他激动得手都不好使了，竟把茶杯摔了。 2. forefinger ：又称index finger，即食指。
前缀fore-表示"位置靠前的"（placed at the front），所以从排位上说，forefinger应为"第一指"。从功用上看，此手指伸出时有标示或指向的作用。
在一些英语工具书中，我们会见到这样的表示"参见"（index）含义的手型符号。 3. middle finger ：中指。
此指居中，名正言顺，且与汉语说法也一致。 4. ring finger：无名指。
从世界各地的婚俗习惯来说，结婚戒指（wedding ring）戴在这一手指（通常指左手）之上，表示已婚。 5. little finger： 顾名思义为小指。
在美国和苏格兰，人们又赋予它一个爱称，管pinkie(pinky)，后缀-ie (-y)有"小巧可爱"之意。 在美国打的 你经常打的吗？Do you often take a taxi？ 那么你们知道在美国“打的”的规矩吗？俗话说： “When in Rome, do as Romans do.”（入乡随俗）， 所以我们也要知道一些人家的风俗。
In America, if you sit ahead when you take a taxi,the driver will be very happy. 在美国，如果你坐在车前座上，司机会很高兴，他会一路上与你谈笑风生。But if you sit at the back, the driver will not say a word to you. 但是，如果你坐在后座上，司机则跟你一句话也不说。
即便你主动搭讪，人家也爱搭不理的。 原来啊，如果你坐在前面，说明你把司机当作了朋友；你若坐在了后面，便表明对方成了纯粹为你服务的司机，你们就是雇佣关系了。
现在人们往往还是寻求金钱（money）以外的尊重（respect）与友谊（friendship），这看上去虽然只是个座位的问题，但却体现了人与人之间的尊重。 所以啊，如果您有机会在美国打的“take a taxi”，可要记得坐在前面啊！猫猫的万种风情 1. fat cat 肥猫，指“为竞选出钱的富翁；享有特权或谋取特权的人；有钱有势的人，大亨。”
2. cool cat 酷猫，指“时髦人（尤指嗜好冷爵士乐的人）；嗜好摇滚乐的人；做出孤傲冷漠的样子的人”。 3. hepcat 迷恋爵士乐的猫，指“爵士（或摇摆舞）音乐迷；爵士（或摇摆舞）乐队乐师。
4. copy cat 好模仿的猫，指“盲目的模仿者（通常为儿童之间的用语）”。 5. hell cat 好发脾气的猫，指“泼妇，巫婆”。
关于hell cat 是巫婆的说法要追溯到中世纪，那是迷信的人认为魔鬼撒旦（Satan,the Devil）常以黑猫的样子出现。巫婆抱着一只黑猫，骑着一把扫帚，在夜空游荡。
所以，黑猫象征着“厄运”。“不要让黑猫从你面前走过”Don't let a black cat across your path是西方人众所周知的禁忌。
6. the scaredy-cat/ fraidy-cat 恐惧的猫，指“胆小鬼”。 a)Ten animals I slam in a net. 我把十只动物一网打尽 你注意到这句话有什么特别之处吗？对了，无论从左到右，还是从右到左，字母排列顺序都是一样的，英语把这叫做Palindromes 回文（指顺读和倒读都一样的词语），关于动物的回文还有以下的例子 Otto saw pup ; pup was Otto. （奥托看见了小狗，小狗的名字叫奥托） Was it a car or a cat I saw ? Was it a rat I saw ？ （我刚才看见的是条老鼠？） b)the bee's knees 又来形容最好的至高无上的东西。
[例] She is a very poor singer but she thinks she's the bee's knees. （她五音不全却自认为是高高在上的一流歌手。） 该表现起源于20年代的美国，仅仅因为bee's 和 knees押韵，琅琅上口，迅速得到流传，直到现在， 还在日常生活非正式场合的对话中经常使用。
很多同学觉得英语的词汇量大，英语单词很难记。记英语单词有没有什么小窍门呢？下面向大家介绍十种记忆英语单词的方法： ①分类记忆：把单词进行分类如：颜色、文具、动物、食品、称谓、职 业等进行分类记忆。
②整体记忆：把几个字母看作一个整体来记 如 ： “ow” 再加上不同的字母，可组成 how, cow, low, now, town, down, know ” 等 ； “ight” ，再在前面 加上不同。
4.英语小知识
让我们学习一些有趣的小知识吧。
以下是一些的英语和汉语对手指的称呼： 1.thumb ：大拇指。与汉语相映成趣的是，英语的all(fingers and ) thumbs也表示"笨手笨脚"的意思，例如：（1）I'm all fingers and thumbs this morning. I don't seem to be able to button up my shirt.今天早上我的手怎么这么笨呢，好像连衬衫都扣不上了。
（2）He was so excited that his fingers were all thumbs and he dropped the teacup.他激动得手都不好使了，竟把茶杯摔了。2. forefinger ：又称index finger，即食指。
前缀fore-表示"位置靠前的"（placed at the front），所以从排位上说，forefinger应为"第一指"。从功用上看，此手指伸出时有标示或指向的作用。
在一些英语工具书中，我们会见到这样的表示"参见"（index）含义的手型符号。3. middle finger ：中指。
此指居中，名正言顺，且与汉语说法也一致。4. ring finger：无名指。
从世界各地的婚俗习惯来说，结婚戒指（wedding ring）戴在这一手指（通常指左手）之上，表示已婚。5. little finger： 顾名思义为小指。
在美国和苏格兰，人们又赋予它一个爱称，管pinkie(pinky)，后缀-ie(-y)有"小巧可爱"之意。和时间有关的英语趣味小知识职场英语 2010-02-24 17:52:16 阅读264 评论0 字号：大中小 订阅 （一） 时间是金，其值无价1. Time is money.（时间就是金钱或一寸光阴一寸金）2. Time flies.（光阴似箭，日月如梭）3. Time has wings.（光阴去如飞）4. Time is a file that wears and makes no noise.（光阴如锉，细磨无声）5. Time stays not the fool's leisure.（时间不等闲逛的傻瓜）5. Time and I against any two.（和时间携起手来，一人抵两人）6. Time is life and when the idle man kills time, he kills himself.（时间就是生命，懒人消耗时间就是消耗自己的生命。
或时间就是生命，节省时间，就是延长生命）7. Time spent in vice or folly is doubly lost.（消磨于恶习或愚行的时间是加倍的损失）（二） 时间是风，去而不返8. Time undermines us.（光阴暗中催人才。或莫说年纪小人生容易老）9. Time and tide wait for no man.（岁月不待人）10. Time cannot be won again.（时间一去不再来）11. Time is , time was , and time is past.（现在有时间，过去有时间，时间一去不复返）12. Time lost can not be recalled.（光阴一去不复返）13. Time flies like an arrow , and time lost never returns.（光阴似箭，一去不返）（三）时间是尺，万物皆检14. Time tries friends as fire tries gold.（时间考验朋友，烈火考验黄金）15. Time tries truth.（时间检验真理）16. Time is the father of truth.（时间是真理之父）17. Time will tell.（时间能说明问题）18. Time brings the truth to light.（时间使真相大白。
或时间一到，真理自明。）19. Time and chance reveal all secrets.（时间与机会能提示一切秘密）20. Time consecrates: what is gray with age becomes religion.（时间考验一切，经得起时间考验的就为人所信仰）21. Time reveals(discloses) all things.（万事日久自明）22. Time tries all.（时间检验一切） （四）时间是秤，衡量权质23. There is no time like the present.（现在正是时候）24. Take time by the forelock.（把握目前的时机）25. To choose time is to save time.（选择时间就是节省时间）26. Never put off till tomorrow what may be done today.（今日事，今日毕）27. Procrastination is the thief of time.（拖延为时间之窃贼）28. One of these days is none of these days.（拖延时日，终难实现。
或：改天改天，不知哪天）29. Tomorrow never comes.（明天无尽头，明日何其多）30. What may be done at any time will be done at no time.（常将今日推明日，推到后来无踪迹）（五）时间是水，淘金流沙31. Time works wonders.（时间可以创造奇迹或时间的效力不可思议）32. Time works great changes.（时间可以产生巨大的变化）33. Times change.（时代正在改变）。
5.关于美国语言文化小知识
世界上有10多个亿人的母语或第二语言是英语，有将近30个国家和地区通用英语。
不同国家和地区的人们所讲的英语， 或多或少都带有一些本土的色彩和风格。美国英语尤其如此。
一、美国英语的一致性 二、丰富多彩的美国英语词汇美国英语词汇是指在美国形成或主要在美国使用的一些词语。 新增加的美国英语词汇中最多的是以下三类词语： 一是从印第安语中吸收的词汇， 二是英语复合词， 三是从其他语言中借用的词汇（即“外来词”）。
1 美国英语的起源及发展 2 美国英语与印第安文化遗产 3 多元移民文化对美国英语的影响 4 美国英语与个人价值观念 5 结语。The world has more than 10 hundred million people first language or second language is English, there are nearly 30 countries and regions in general english. People in different countries and regions of English speaking, more or less with some local color and style. Especially the American english. One, the consistency of American English two, rich and colorful of American English vocabulary American English vocabulary refers to the words in the United States or are mainly used in the United States formation. New American English vocabulary is the most in the following three categories: one is the words absorbed from the Indian language vocabulary of English compound words, two is, three is borrowed from other languages vocabulary (namely "foreign words"). 1 American English in origin and development of 2 American English and the cultural heritage of Indian 3 diverse immigrant culture on American English 4 American English and personal values 5 conclusion.。
6.关于英国或英语的文化常识
英语姓名的一般结构为：教名+自取名+姓。
如 William Jafferson Clinton。 但在很多场合中间名往往略去不写，如 George Bush，而且许多人更喜欢用昵称 取代正式教名，如 Bill Clinton。
上述教名和中间名又称个人名。现将英语民族 的个人名、昵称和姓氏介绍如下： I. 个人名 按照英语民族的习俗，一般在婴儿接受洗礼的时候，由牧师或父母亲朋为其 取名，称为教名。
以后本人可以在取用第二个名字，排在教名之后。 英语个人名的来源大致有以下几种情况： 1. 采用圣经、希腊罗马神话、古代名人或文学名著中的人名作为教名。
2. 采用祖先的籍贯，山川河流，鸟兽鱼虫，花卉树木等的名称作为教名。 3. 教名的不同异体。
4. 采用（小名）昵称。 5. 用构词技术制造新的教名，如倒序，合并。
6. 将母亲的娘家姓氏作为中间名。 英语民族常用的男子名有：James, John, David, Daniel, Michael， 常见的 女子名为：Jane, Mary, Elizabeth, Ann, Sarah, Catherine. II. 昵称 昵称包括爱称、略称和小名，是英语民族亲朋好友间常来表示亲切的称呼， 是在教名的基础上派生出来的。
通常有如下情况： 1. 保留首音节。如 Donald => Don, Timothy => Tim. 如果本名以元音开头， 则可派生出以'N'打头的昵称，如：Edward => Ned. 2. +ie 或 -y 如：Don => Donnie, Tim => Timmy. 3. 采用尾音节，如：Anthony => Tony, Beuben => Ben. 4. 由一个教名派生出两个昵称，如：Andrew => Andy & Drew. 5. 不规则派生法，如：William 的一个昵称是 Bill. III. 姓氏 英国人在很长的一段时间里只有名而没有姓。
直到16世纪姓氏的使用才广泛 流行开来。英语姓氏的词源主要有： 1. 直接借用教名，如 Clinton. 2. 在教名上加上表示血统关系的词缀，如后缀-s, -son, -ing；前缀 M'-, Mc-, Mac-, Fitz- 等均表示某某之子或后代。
3. 在教名前附加表示身份的词缀，如 St.-, De-, Du=, La-, Le-. 4. 放映地名，地貌或环境特征的，如 Brook, Hill等。 5. 放映身份或职业的，如：Carter, Smith. 6. 放映个人特征的，如：Black, Longfellow. 7. 借用动植物名的，如 Bird, Rice. 8. 由双姓合并而来，如 Burne-Jones. 英语姓氏虽然出现较教名晚，但数量要多得多。
常用的有：Smith, Miller, Johnson, Brown, Jones, Williams. IV. 几点说明 1. 较早产生的源于圣经，希腊罗马神话的教名通常不借用为姓氏。 2. 英国人习惯上将教名和中间名全部缩写，如 M. H. Thatcher；美国人则习惯 于只缩写中间名，如 Ronald W. Reagan。
3. 在姓名之前有时还要有人际称谓，如职务军衔之类。Dr., Prof., Pres. 可以 用于姓氏前或姓名前；而Sir 仅用于教名或姓名前。
7.中学生必知的外国常识
加拿大的文化：（包括教育，历史，喜剧，艺术等等）Overview, history, and defining influencesCanadian culture is a product of Canada's history and geography. Most of Canada's territory was inhabited and developed later than other European colonies in the Americas, with the result that themes and symbols of pioneers, trappers, and traders were important in the early development of Canadian culture.[1] The British conquest of Quebec in 1759 brought a large francophone population under British rule, creating a need for compromise and accommodation, while the migration of United Empire Loyalists from the Thirteen Colonies brought in strong British and American influences, combined with a sense of anti-Americanism that survives to this day.[2]Although not without conflict, Canada's early interactions with native populations were relatively peaceful, compared to the experience of native peoples in the United States. Combined with relatively late economic development in many regions, this peaceful history has allowed Canadian native peoples to have a relatively strong influence on the national culture while preserving their own identity.[3][edit] Bilingualism and MulticulturalismMain articles: Bilingualism in Canada and Languages of CanadaFrench Canada's early development was relatively cohesive during the 17th and 18th centuries, and this was preseved by the Quebec Act of 1774, which allowed francophone culture to survive and thrive within Canada.[4] In 1867, the British North America Act was designed to meet the growing calls for Canadian autonomy while avoiding the overly-strong decentralization that contributed to the Civil War in the United States.[5] The compromises made by Macdonald and Cartier set Canada on a path to bilingualism,[6] and this in turn contributed to an acceptance of diversity that later led to both multiculturalism and tolerance of First Nations culture and customs.[7]Multicultural heritage is enshrined in Section 27 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In parts of Canada, especially the major cities of Montreal, Vancouver, and Toronto (for example, in Toronto's Kensington Market area), multiculturalism itself is the cultural norm and diversity is the force that unites the community.[8]In Quebec, cultural identity is strong, and many Quebecois commentators speak of a Quebec culture as distinguished from English Canadian culture, but some also see Canada as a collection of several regional, aboriginal, and ethnic subcultures. [9] John Ralston Saul argues that Gabrielle Roy is better known in anglophone Canada than in France, and more French-Canadians know of Margaret Laurence and Atom Egoyan than Americans.While French Canadian culture is the most obvious example, Celtic influences have allowed survival of non-English dialects in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland; however, the influence of Ulster immigrants to Toronto has had the effect of minimizing Irish influences in Ontario's culture, and highlighting British influences instead, until the 1980s. Canada's Pacific trade has also brought a large Chinese influence into British Columbia and other areas.Canada's cultural diversity also creates an environment much more accepting of gay and lesbian people than one finds in the United States or most other countries.[10] For example, in 1995, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in Egan v. Canada that sexual orientation should be "read in" to Section Fifteen of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, a part of the Constitution of Canada guaranteeing equal rights to all Canadians. Following a series of decisions by provincial courts and the Supreme Court of Canada, on July 20, 2005, Bill C-38 received Royal Assent, legalizing same-sex marriage in Canada. Canada thus became the fourth country to officially sanction gay marriage nationwide, after The Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain. Furthermore, by 2005, sexual orientation was included as a protected status in the human rights laws of the federal government and of all provinces and territories.Further information: Gay rights in Canada [edit] Geography, climate, and immigrationMain articles: Geography of Canada and Immigration to CanadaCanada's geography and climate have influenced culture, with themes of isolation and environmental adaptation, and a heightened conflict between urban and non-urban subcultures.[11][12] Canada's dispersed geography also allows strong regional cultures to survive without the pressures of assimilation that exist in more densely populated countries.[edit] American influences and "anti-Americanism"Easy access 。
8.关于英语的百科知识
英语（English ）属于印欧语系中下的西日耳曼语支，由古代从欧洲大陆移民大不列颠岛的盎格鲁、撒克逊和朱特部落的日耳曼人所说的语言演变而来，并通过英国的殖民活动传播到世界各地。
由于在历史上曾和多种民族语言接触，它的词汇从一元变为多元，语法从“多屈折”变为“少屈折”，语音也发生了规律性的变化。英语是世界上最被广泛使用的第二语言，是欧盟和许多国际组织与英联邦国家的官方语言之一，也是联合国的工作语言之一。
英语的母语使用者数量位居世界第三，少于汉语和西班牙语，但上两个世纪英国和美国在文化、经济、军事、政治和科学上的领先地位使得英语成为一种国际语言，如今许多国际场合都使用英语作为沟通的媒介。英语也是与电脑联系最密切的语言，大多数编程语言都与英语有联系，而且随着网络使用，使英文使用更为普及。
英语的音节结构是三个辅音、一个元音和四个辅音。最长的例子就是strengths(/streŋθs/，不过也可以读成/strθs/)。
9.关于英语的知识
大家都比较喜欢阅读《读者》、《青年文摘》这样的杂志，其实每一篇完形填空或阅读就是一篇很好的文摘，只是用英文写的而已。
所以，做这两样题的时候，不妨把它们当作美文来欣赏。你要是总把它们当题来做，总是追求正确率，就会有压力，就会感觉到难受，哪里还谈什么快乐！一张英语试卷就是一本薄薄的杂志，里面都是老师推荐的美文。
我们一边学英语，一边还可以学到很多人生的哲理、幽默故事、世界风情、地理历史介绍……岂不美哉！阅读下面这篇短文，你会有惊人的发现吗？A little boy was spending his Saturday morning playing in his sandbox. He had with him his box of cars and trucks , his plastic pail , and a shiny , red plastic shovel. In the process of creating roads and tunnels in the soft sand , he discovered a large rock in the middle of the sandbox.在一个周六的早上，一个小男孩在他的沙箱里玩耍，还带了一盒子的玩具车、一只塑料桶和一把闪闪发亮的塑料小红铲。在柔软的沙中堆砌道路和隧道的过程中，他在沙箱的中央发现了一块大石头。
The boy dug around the rock , managing to dislodge it from the dirt. With a little bit of struggle , he pushed and nudged the rock across the sandbox by using his feet. ( He was a very small boy, and the rock was very large.) When the boy got the rock to the edge of the sandbox ,however, he found that he couldn't roll it up and over the little wall.小男孩在石头的周围挖呀挖，成功地把它从泥沙中挖了出来。接着，他有点吃力把石头往沙箱上推。
（他只是个小男孩，石头显得很大。）当他把石头推到沙箱的边缘是，却发现自己没办法把石头滚过沙箱那堵矮小的墙。
Determined , the little boy shoved, pushed, and pried, but every time he thought he had made some progress, the rock tipped and then fell back into the sandbox . The little boy grunted, struggled, pushed , and shoved; but his only reward was to have the rock roll back , smashing his chubby fingers .小男孩下定决心要把石头移走，他又推又撬，但每次自以为取得一些成果时，那石头又滚了下来掉回沙箱中。小男孩咕哝着，使尽全力去推。
但唯一的结果就是石头滚回来，撞到他胖胖的手指上。Finally he burst into tears of frustration. All this time the boy's father watched from his living room window as the drama unfolded. At the moment the tears fell, a large shadow fell across the boy and the sandbox. It was the boy's father. Gently but firmly he said, “Son, why didn't you use all the strength that you had available?” Defeated, the boy sobbed back, “But I did, Daddy, I did! I used all the strength that I had!” “No, son,” corrected the father kindly. “You didn't use all the strength you had. You didn't ask me.” With that the father reached down, picked up the rock and removed it from the sandbox.最后，小男孩沮丧地大哭起来。
小男孩的父亲一直在客厅的窗户旁注视着这一幕。当小男孩开始掉眼泪的时候，一个大大的身影落在小男孩和他的沙箱上。
那是父亲的影子。他温和而坚定地问： “儿子，为什么你没有用尽你所有的力量？” 小男孩很受挫，呜咽的回答道： “我用了，爸爸，我用了！我用尽了我全身的力量。”
“不，儿子，”父亲温柔地纠正他说： “你没有用尽你所有的力量。你没有叫我来帮你。”
父亲边说着边弯下腰，捡起那块石头丢出了沙箱。Do you have “rocks” in your life that need to be removed? Are you discovering that you don't have what it takes to lift them? There is ONE who is always available to us and willing to give us the strength we need. Isn't it funny how we try so hard to do things ourselves？在你的生命中，你也遇到过需要移开的“石头”吗？你有没有发现你缺少挪动它的力量？但无论如何，总会有某人在我们需要帮助的时候愿意向我们伸出援手。
我们单靠自己的力量来办事不是很傻吗？这是湖北省8校联考的完形填空题，这样简单的哲理故事结果连优秀的学生都做得很糟糕。其实，我们只要思索，就会很受启迪：你学习尽力了吗？很多同学会回答说，是的。
真的吗？我们以前的思维也许很不开阔，总以为这是自己个人的事情，与别人无关，所以会自认为我尽力了。然而通过这篇文章我们发现，能够得到别人的帮助也是尽力的表现！闭门造车，还努力些其实也没尽力：尽力原来是要用自己及周围的一切力量来达到目的！通过欣赏这篇文章，除了学到了这个人生的重要道理外，我们还可以学习到高中课本上的重要短语和词汇，例如：In the process of；（新人教版第三册）Determined , the little boy shoved；（第二册）the rock tipped （第二册U8）as the drama unfolded（第二册）……这样的学习，既巩固了旧知识，又见到了新的例句，难道不比死读课本将吗？坚持这样学习，何愁不能学好英语呢？。
