In western society, especially in the English-speaking world, the chance for young people to visit other countries is considered important. Many young people spend a year traveling in different countries after they finish high schooly at the age of 18 before they go to university (They call “it” a gap year). 【小题1】.

Parents often want their children to grow up a little and see what the real world is like, some parents may be worried about their children’s safety but more think that the advantage of independence are worth the worries. 【小题2】.

Young people also want to experience freedom and see what life is like on the other side. This other side could be the other side of the world or just the other side of life. 【小题3】

【小题4】 A little bit of growing up and experience will help them make their important decisions about jobs, especially when they are unsure about what they want to study in college.

Another reason for a gap year is to get a break from studying before they start the next few years of university. So anywhere you travel in the world, you will meet western young people exploring the world.

So much of the world has been traveled and explored. Today’s young people are looking for more worthy experiences. 【小题5】 Many gap year volunteers are now spending a few months teaching English in Thailand, helping to feed giant pandas in China or digging wells in a village in Africa.

These young people’s wish to explore the world is an expression of their values (价值观). Both discovering the world and making a difference to it are important parts of the western values.

As Chinese young people, will you do the same?

My name is Lisa Baker. I have a big family. My dad is from America and my mum is from China.

I also have a Chinese name. It’s Bei Lisha. In English, your given name is before your family name. But in Chinese, your family name goes first.

My mum has two names, too. Her Chinese name is Huang Bixia. Her English name is Patricia Baker.

Our new foreign students are going to arrive very soon, and here are some ways to communicate with them politely.

How close do you stand when you talk to a friend? You can stand close to people in the Middle East but don’t stand too close to North Americans! Give them more personal space. Do you know how to touch people correctly? Chinese girls often walk arm in arm with their friends. South Americans sometimes hold your arm when they talk to you, so you can’t move away! But in Britain many people don’t like other people to touch them at all.

Do you look at people when you talk? In some places, it isn’t polite to look at people when you talk, but in other countries it isn’t polite to look somewhere else. In Britain and the USA, people usually look at each other when they talk.

And how do you say goodbye? That’s easy, wave（挥手）to say goodbye. But be careful! In Greece, it’s not at all polite! In fact, it’s very rude!