A year ago, I paid no attention to English idioms, though my teacher emphasized the importance again and again. But soon, the importance of English idioms was shown in an amusing experience.

One day, I happened to meet an Englishman on the road, and soon we began to talk. As I was talking about how I was studying English, the foreigner seemed to be astonished, gently shaking his head, shrugging his shoulders, saying, “You don’t say! ” “You don’t say! ” I was puzzled. I thought, “Perhaps this is not an appropriate topic. Well, I’d better change the topic. ” So I said to him, “Well, shall we talk about the Great Wall?   By the way, have you ever been there? ”“Certainly, everyone back home will laugh at me if I leave China without seeing it. It is magnificent. ” He was deep in thought when I began to talk like a tourist guide, “The Great Wall is one of the wonders in the world. We are very proud of it. ” Soon I was interrupted again by his order, “You don’t say! ” I couldn’t help asking. I said, “Didn’t you say you don’t say? ” Hearing this, the Englishman laughed. He explained, “ ‘You don’t say’ actually means ‘Really? ’. It is an expression of surprise. Perhaps you haven’t learned that English idiom. ” Only then did I realize I had made a fool of myself. Since then, I have been more careful with idiomatic expressions.

My nephew Sam was the only child of the family. His parents proudly showed him off; his aunts and uncles tried to be the first to hold him. But later things changed.

Due to the need of my job, my family lived with Sam’s family for a short time. By this time, my daughter Sophie was almost 3, and was a remarkably intelligent little girl. She could sing children’s songs and recite little poems. Sophie’s aunts and uncles were fascinated by her sweetness. Sam, who was seven, had to tolerate this new little human, but wasn’t quick to give away his high position.

Sophie’s third birthday was about to be celebrated, and the family had gathered presents. We were all busy getting the party ready when we heard the sharp cry from Sophie. Instantly, a half dozen adults moved as one and found Sophie sitting on the ground crying. She might have fallen off the seat of her well-decorated chair. We picked her up, comforted her and dried her tears. Finally, she settled like a queen on the royal throne of the birthday girl.

Nine years later, we went camping. Around the campfire, Sam spoke. He spoke of the agony he had been feeling for almost a decade. With a deep sigh, he shared his secret. During Sophie’s 3-year-old birthday, a fire of jealousy came from the proud and depressive guy when his position had been taken away by Sophie. He had waited for his moment. And then it came as Sophie was going to sit on her birthday chair. How he delighted in hearing the sound of his competitor hitting on the floor and crying. Sam really apologized then; his voice was soft and sincere.

Though Sam was seven, he was old enough to feel jealous of his cousin and played his hoax.

As he grew older, he realized his mistake, and eventually apologized and laid his burden down.

A year ago, Marian Wilson was just-a university student looking for a quiet and peaceful place to study, but it seems she wasn’t the only one. Her once quiet study room became a busy eating and meeting place. Now she has turned it into a book cafe. Helen Sheldon talked to Marian just before the opening of the cafe. Her study room has been one of the most popular meeting places for university students. It all started a year ago when she was preparing for graduation, she was looking for a place to study and write her final project. She couldn’t stand the dark unfriendly feeling of the library. She preferred a comfortable, sunny study room so she rented the top floor of an old house near the university and spent her afternoons reading books and working on her project. Then word spread and her friends started turning up. It was a great place to relax, talk and compare ideas. They even started leaving their books behind and leaving some money for the things they used, like coffee and pens etc. She also doesn’t want a stressful nine-to-five job. She’s trying to find a lifestyle that suits her.

She knows she’ll enjoy it. It’s going to be a challenge but, hopefully, she’ll also have time to write. Actually, She wants to be a writer but she knows it’s difficult to make a living doing that. There’s a need for relaxing places like this for people - especially students - to eat, talk and have fun without spending too much money. If the feeling of the place is right, people are going to come to the cafe. Anyway, it’s more than just a business decision. It’s also a decision about the lifestyle she wants to have and about trying to create something new and different. It opens tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. so she can come by for something to eat, drink or just to have a chat.