There is a lot to learn about the unusual habits and qualities of the British people when you first visit London.

Get to know what to wear. Most men now go for a shirt, and women go for a smart-casual skirt or trousers and top(上衣), or a dress. Some men might keep a jacket and tie at work that they can put on if they have a client meeting or some other reason to look extra smart. 【小题1】 For example, if you head to the Ritz Hotel for tea, or visit the members’ section at: Lord’s Cricket Ground, you will be expected to dress appropriately.

Pay attention to the art of giving praise. 【小题2】 We receive praise, we will often make a self-deprecating(自嘲) comment to emphasize modesty. For example, if you tell somebody “I love your dress”, you expect the reply to be “This old thing? I bought it in Primark ages ago!” In this example, when faced with a self-deprecating British person, you could say, “Well, I think it’s lovely.” 【小题3】

Visiting gardens is common. Gardening is one of the most popular leisure activities in the UK. Two-thirds of British people visit a garden centre each year, which results in great economic value. 【小题4】 In fact, we love the gardens so much that each year the National lead 10Garden Scheme opens over 3,000 private gardens to the public, raising money for charity in the process.

【小题5】 The truly wealthy rarely show off their wealth, and we don’t like to talk about money or how much we earn. A common saying is “money can’t buy taste”. In other words, if you are truly “upper class”, you do not need to show it.!

Christmas is still a few weeks away. But in Holland, Germany and other parts of central Europe, man dressed in red with a big white beard will already be flying from house to house with a big sack and presents for children. “Sinterklaas komt!” as Dutch children say-Saint Nicholas is coming!

It’s obvious from the name that “Santa Claus” comes from “Sinterklaas”. Saint Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 6, but there are many things about the saint and his festival that are similar to Christmas. Just as Santa has reindeer, so Sinterklaas has a white horse. Dutch and German children put their shoes out in front of the chimney just like children hang up their stockings on Christmas Eve, hoping that in the morning they will be full of presents. With Sinterklaas, however, you’re also expected to put a carrot in your shoe as a present to his horse.

Like Santa, Sinterklaas also judges whether children have been “naughty or nice” in the past year to help him decide whether they deserve presents. But while good children get sweets, the consequences of being bad are far worse than they are with Father Christmas. Naughty children are given a stick so their parents can beat them. If you are really, really bad, Sinterklaas will put you into a sack and take you away.

In parts of Germany and Austria, people also celebrate December 5, but it is a celebration of naughtiness rather than niceness. On “Krampus Day”, bizarre, horned demons (or rather boys dressed in costumes) run around causing havoc and hitting girls with sticks. Authorities have struggled for years to ban the tradition, but have not been successful. Luckily Saint Nicholas always comes next day to put things right.

World No Tobacco Day is celebrated each 31st of May. The aim is to bring attention to the growing use of tobacco and its deadly effects. The World Health Assembly established the event in 1987. This year, special attention is being given to the harmful effects of tobacco marketing to women and girls.

The WHO says the tobacco industry has increasingly directed its marketing campaigns at women and girls. Study shows that women currently represent about twenty percent of smokers while tobacco use among girls is increasing. Data collected from 151 countries show that about seven percent of young girls now smoke. That compares with twelve percent of boys. In some countries, however, the rates are almost equal.

Almost 170 countries have signed an agreement called the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control which calls on those governments to ban tobacco advertising to the fullest to protect women. The agreement seeks to reduce the demand and supply of tobacco products. This year marks the fifth anniversary since the treaty went into effect. Up to now, eighty percent of the signers have banned the sale of tobacco products to young people. Seventy percent have required health warnings on tobacco products.

Events are planned in a number of countries to mark World No Tobacco Day. Many of the events are aimed at persuading people, especially the young, not to start smoking. Others aim to educate people about the many health benefits of giving up smoking.

The World Health Organization says tobacco kills nearly five and a half million people a year and has become a top cause of death worldwide. It is estimated that so far in the world one billion people smoke. More than eighty percent of tobacco users live in low and middle income countries. The WHO estimates that tobacco use caused one hundred million deaths in the twentieth century. If current rates continue, that number could reach one billion in this century.