We spoke to three students from around the world about different national holidays. There are different customs（习俗）for each festival.

Tan Xiaodong, 15, Hong Kong, China

“It’ll soon be Chinese New Year. Before it, we’ll clean the house and decorate it for good luck. Every shop is going to close for a few days and go out a lot to celebrate in the streets. We might go and see the lion and dragon dances in the city center. I love this festival.”

Wendy, 16, Sydney, Australia

Australia Day is on 26th January and it’s an important holiday here. We always have a Monday off, so we celebrate for three days. My parents and I go to the countryside for a picnic and friends always come over. Many people go to beach parties or street parties and there is lots of music and dancing. What fun!”

Amy, 14, New York, USA

The first Thanksgiving Day was hundreds of years ago when Europeans who came to America thanked God for his help. It’s still a very important day for families to be together. This year we’re going to visit my grandparents and we’ll eat a delicious meal of turkey. Thanksgiving Day is on the fourth Thursday in November every year.”

The weather has always been much talked about in our daily life. But bad weather is sometimes hard to stop, no matter who he is-rich or poor, young or old-in every part of the world. Maybe that is why there are so many expressions about the weather, especially about rain.

Sometimes, when you need rain, you do not get any. Other times, you get rain when you don’t want it. Take a football game for example. A sudden heavy rain can stop a wonderful game, making the players and the 20,000 persons watching the game run for cover. If the game can’t go on, people who have bought the tickets are given “rain checks”. These are special tickets that will let them watch a later game for free.

“Rain Check” now means a second chance at something. Often, a rain check has nothing to do* with rain.

Shops may give a “rain check” when they sell something all out-a TV set, for example-at a special low price. After all the TV sets are gone, the shop gives rain checks to those who wanted to buy one. The rain check lets a person have another chance to buy the TV set later, at the same low price, after the shop receives some more from the factory.

“Rain Check” is also used in our daily life. It’s a way of accepting invitation, but for a later time. You may ask for a “rain check” if you are asked to a friend’s house for dinner, but can’t be there. You say, “I would love to join you for dinner, but I’m busy. Could I have a rain check?” You are asking, in other words, if you could join your friend for dinner at another time.

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