There are some differences between American English and British English. Some differences are quite interesting.

When my friend Lily from London used the word "larder", I didn't know what it meant. Realizing I didn't follow her, she used another word. I finally knew she wanted to find something to keep some food.

The next word came up when we were planning a lunch date. She jotted down the date and time in her diary, while I marked my calendar. If she called me on the phone, she would ring me up. But if the line was busy, she would say the line was engaged.

Most times, I can know what Lily means. Last week, she regretted sending her boys to watch an early morning tennis game without their fleeces. I thought that she meant without their jackets or something like those. Other times, we have to ask each other. She recently told me a funny tale about a woman who was pissed. I wondered what had made the lady angry. It turns out that pissed means drunk.

Here is one more example. My British friend Jane was filling out a ticket at the grocery store（食品杂货店）recently. She asked the young man if he had a rubber. When she noticed he didn't follow her, she quickly asked for an eraser, which, in England, is often called a rubber.

In order to communicate well with the British, we Americans should learn some words that the British use differently. And I think people who learn English as a second language should also realize that there are differences between American English and British English.

   Iggy Azalea doesn't look like a rapper（说唱乐歌手）.On May 17, she attended the 2015 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, US, with pink hair and a blue coat. She looked like a model, but won big as a rapper. The Australian beat out big names like Nicki Minaj and Drake to win the award for Top Rap Artist.

It's a great achievement in many people's eyes, but Azalea knew what she wanted from the beginning. At 15 she dropped out of high school because she was only interested in art classes. She worked as a house cleaner to save money for her dream the following year. Before her 16th birthday, Azalea left her home, a tiny town in Australia, for the US, making up her mind to become a rapper. Moving from Miami to Houston to Atlanta, she started rapping in the Southern-style accent of her surroundings and her single Ignorant Art came out in 2011.From then on, she never looked back.

However, her style has caused lots of discussions. She might be one of the most polarizing artists. She raps with a southern American accent, even though she speaks with an Australian one. Many people say that she overuses black culture in her music.

Her supporters are against it. Female American rapper MC Lyte defended（为……辩护）Azalea in an interview, saying she should not be judged because of where she's from. "Hip hop is universal（全世界的）, and has no color line, "MC Lyte said. Azalea herself is proud of her music. "I really want to be focused on what I'm doing, "she said in an interview." That's really dangerous when you're trying to figure out ways to entertain people and make them happy. I don't want to be a part of that."

   "Creativity is the key to a brighter future, "say education and business experts. Here is how schools and parents can encourage this important skill in children.

If Dick Drew had listened to his boss in 1925, we might not have the product that we now think of as great importance: a new type of tape. Drew worked for the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company. At work he developed a kind of material strong enough to hold things together. But his boss told him not to think more about the idea. Finally, using his own time, Drew improved the tape, which now is used everywhere by many people. And his former company learned from its mistake. Now it encourages people to spend 15 percent of their working time just thinking about and developing new ideas.

Creativity is not something one is just born with, nor is it necessarily a character of high intelligence. The fact that a person is highly intelligent does not mean that he uses it creatively. Creativity is the matter of using the resources one has to produce new ideas that are good for something.

Unfortunately, schools have not tried to encourage creativity. With strong attention to test results and the development of reading, writing and mathematical skills, many educators give up creativity for correct answers. The result is that children can gain information but can't recognize ways to use it in new situations. They may know the rules correctly but they are unable to use them to work out practical problems.

It is important to give children choices. From the earliest age, children should be allowed to make decisions and understand their results. Even if it' choosing between two food items for lunch, decision-making helps thinking skills. As children grow older, parents should try to let them decide how to use their time or spend their money. This is because the most important character of creative people is a very strong desire to find a way out of trouble.

   It is hard to say the first day of school in the United States because when the first day of school is and what happens on the first day of school usually are different by districts（地区）.

The first day of school for many school districts in different states is on the day after the first Monday in September. In some other school districts, school begins in mid-to-late August. For example, the Denver, Colorado schools go back in mid-August and schools in Cleveland, Ohio start back usually one week before the first Monday in September. The Boston, Chicago, New York City and San Diego schools start back on the Tuesday or Wednesday after the first Monday in September.

Schools in Cleveland, Ohio used to start the school year on the day after the first Monday in September, but in the 1976-1977 and 1977-1978 academic years, the school year was affected by several bad snowstorms, extreme cold. In the 1978-1979 school year, the Ohio Department of Education moved the start of the year to late August, one week before the first Monday in September. This went into effect in the 1980-1981 school year.

In most school districts in Utah, the school year starts between August 25 and August 30, and goes until the last week of May or the first week in June next year.

In American high schools, the freshmen class usually goes back one or two days before the rest of the school body for an orientation（迎新）period. An orientation period helps the freshmen get familiar with their new school, its rules, and surroundings.

In some schools, the freshmen classes have their photographs taken for identification purposes. Some high schools have tried to make the first week of school fun for incoming freshmen.

   Carl Kenton is a wealthy businessman. Five years ago, after returning from abroad to his motherland, he _____ his small company. Speaking of success, Kenton often tells us a story about his extra（额外的）expensive "school" fee. He always owes his _____ to it.

At that time, Kenton, who already got a Ph. D. degree, decided to return to the homeland, starting a company. Before _____, he bought a Rolex watch with the _____ made through years of work after school and the scholarships. At the airport he had to accept the routine customs check. The watch on his wrist was also asked to be _____down for a check. Kenton knew that carrying the _____ goods out had to pay the tax, and he worried about paying _____ for his watch. So when he was checked, he told a lie that his watch was a _____ fake（假货）. When he was proud of his "smarts", immediately, in the _____ of Kenton, the officers hit the watch, which ______ nearly $ 100, 000, into pieces on hearing Kenton's words. Kenton was ______. Before he understood why, he was taken to the office to be examined ______. For many times of entry-exit ______ he knew that only those people on the "blacklist" would "enjoy" this special ______.

The officers looked over everything carefully in the box, and ______ him no matter what time of entry and exit he must accept the check and if ______ using and carrying fake and poor goods again, he would be charged according to law! Suddenly, his face turned red, and he had nothing in mind even after ______ for long.

After returning to the homeland, he often told the story to his family, and his employees, too. He said that this made a deep ______ on him, because the extra high "school" fee that he had ever paid made him realize the value of ______, which he would ______ as the secret of his success forever.

I was in the ninth grade when I began to suffer depression（精神忧郁）. My parents noticed but felt that since I'd always been 【小题1】 good child, this was temporary（暂时的）.

【小题2】（unfortunate）, it was not to be so. I didn't have friends. Hardly could I share my problems. Deep worry began to destroy my 【小题3】（confident）. Finally I refused to attend classes, 【小题4】（shut）myself in my room for hours.

The examination was coming near, but I simply didn't care. My parents and teachers were 【小题5】（surprise）at my bad performance. One morning, 【小题6】 a particularly severe lecture from my father, I stood at the school gate, sad. Then as the other students went to their classrooms, our headmaster called me. The next forty-five minutes was one of the 【小题7】（wonderful）moments in my life. She said she 【小题8】（notice）a big change in me and wondered why.

At first she took my hands in 【小题9】（she）and listened patiently as I mentioned my worries. Then she hugged me as I wept. Months of frustration and loneliness disappeared.

No one had tried to understand what the real problem was except the headmaster, 【小题10】 helped me out simply by listening and hugging.

I have a good friend whom name is Rose. Last month, she borrowed one of my favorite book. Yesterday I asked her to return the book back to me. To my surprised, she said that she had already given the book to me. I search my desk and school bag, but I didn't find one. I became very angrily with her and shouted at her. She left the classroom with tears in her eyes. However, when I came home last night, I was surprised to find my book lain under my pillow. Now I regret quarrelling for her. I am afraid I will lose friend, so I want to get her back. What should I do？

   Do you want to be at the top of your class？Add these tips to your life and you should be on your way to being a top student！

【小题1】 I cannot stress（强调）enough how important it is to pay attention to what your teacher is teaching you. Take part in class discussions if you have something worthwhile to add. Pay attention during class, especially during lectures.

Taking notes is important. You don't need to write down every word your teacher says but write down what he writes on the board, or any special fact you think you might need for a test.【小题2】 This way it will help you learn more effectively by actually thinking about what you are writing.

Don't skip school（逃学）.You will be missing out on stuff.【小题3】 However, you will have more work because you have missed lectures. Also, try not to be late for class. It's most likely that your teacher won't appreciate it and you will get yourself behind.

【小题4】 If you have an "I don't care about school or this class" attitude, then teachers will be less willing to offer you extra credit（学分）.The same goes for lazy attitude. Have a respectful attitude to the teacher and other students. Try not to laugh when other students make a mistake.

Always ask questions.【小题5】 If you don't understand, ask someone. Read your textbook and notes, and then if that fails, seek help. Ask a teacher, friend, classmate, parent, etc. Get a tutor if you need one.