Around the world, many people come together on 31st December to celebrate the coming of the New Year. In Scotland, this is a very important occasion, which is called “Hogmanay (除夕)”. For some time, the celebration was more popular in Scotland than Christmas. From early childhood, I remember large family gatherings on New Year’s Eve where everyone would come together to “bring in the bells”. It, another common phrase in Scotland, refers to the ten-second countdown (倒计时) to midnight when bells chime all over Scotland, meaning the beginning of the New Year. Most towns in Scotland have local celebrations with fireworks and family gatherings, but in the bigger Scottish cities, other events take place. The best-known event for Hogmanay is the Edinburgh Street Party. Every year, Edinburgh hosts a delightful fireworks display outside of the castle and this is broadcast on TV for those watching the celebration from their homes.

This year, I decided to stay in my home city, Glasgow. My friends 21 st birthday was on Hogmanay, so we went out to a party in Glasgow which took place in a bar. We had a lovely night filled with birthday cake, cocktails and dancing, and we all sang Auld Lang Syne at midnight. Despite being a Scottish song, Auld Lang Syne is sung internationally on January 1st. There is a very friendly atmosphere in Glasgow, with everyone hugging each other and wishing each other a Happy New Year!

On New Year’s Day in Scotland, it is traditional to have a meal with your family. My family always eat a steak pie with vegetables and we have a cake with pudding, but this tradition varies from family to family. Another tradition I have to mention is the first-footing, a tradition that the first person to enter the home after Hogmanay has to bring something with him. Otherwise it brings bad luck for the coming year. I like this tradition, as people are usually very generous with their first-foot’s gifts. This year, our house received a bottle of wine and homemade bread.

In recent years, Hollywood has been trying to catch the eyes of Chinese audience by showing the elements of Chinese culture. In Roland Emmerich’s latest sci-fi disaster movie Moonfall, many Chinese elements are presented to Chinese viewers. Several conversations in the Chinese language are included in them. 【小题1】

Moonfall tells about how a team of heroes try to save the Earth from a disaster.

Emmerich has already been famous. 【小题2】, because he used easily noticeable Chinese elements. One movie lover, Zhao, is interested in the re-entry capsule (太空舱) used at the end of the team’s task in the film. It is similar to the one that has appeared in TV programs showing the successful landing of Chinese spacemen after their tasks in space. “ 【小题3】. This not only shows the solidarity (团结) of humans, but also shows the country’s international influence, ”Zhao said.

【小题4】. The influence of China’s science and technology is growing too. Those are the reasons why Chinese elements can appear in Hollywood movies. The size of the Chinese market is another reason. In 2021, the total box office takings hit around $7. 4 billion, and the total number of screens reached 82, 248.

With the Chinese elements, Moonfall has easily interested Chinese audience. Rao, founder of the Future Affairs Administration, however, pointed out that most Hollywood movies are not properly introducing the elements of Chinese culture. 【小题5】 Market observers expressed the hope that Hollywood will gain a deeper understanding of China to present Chinese elements better.

Informal conversation is an important part of any business relationship. Before you start a discussion, however, make sure you understand which topics are suitable and which are considered taboos (禁忌) in a particular culture. Latin Americans enjoy sharing information about their local history, art and customs. They expect questions about their family and are sure to show pictures of their children. You may feel free to ask similar questions of your Latin American friends. The French think of conversation as an art form, and they enjoy the value of lively discussions as well as disagreements. For them, arguments can be interesting ---- and they can cover pretty much or any topic ---- as long as they occur in a respectful and intelligent manner.

In the United States, business people like to discuss a wide range of topics, including opinions about work, family, hobbies, and politics. In Japan, China, and Korea, however, people are much more private. They do not share much about their thoughts, feelings, or emotions because they feel that doing so might take away the harmonious (和谐的) business relationship they’re trying to build. Middle Easterners are also private about their personal lives and family matters. It is considered rude, for example, to ask a businessman from Saudi Arabia about his wife or children.

As a general rule, it’s best not to talk about politics or religion with your business friends. This can get you into trouble, even in the United States, where people hold different views. In addition, discussing one’s salary is usually considered unsuitable. Sports is typically a friendly subject in most parts of the world, although be careful not to criticize a national sport. Instead, be friendly and praise your host’s team.