Bilingual: Michelle Obama 'begged ITV bosses' for Downton Abbey DVDs 2012-11-16 15:09:10
It has been reported that Michelle Obama is such a big fan of hit show Downton Abbey, that she turned to ITV bosses to try and get her hands on season three, ahead of its official US release date.
Language tips: Cookie-cutter excuses 2012-11-16 15:09:10
If the teacher says his students all give him cookie-cutter excuses, he means to say that the excuses are all the same.
Culture: Ancient skills of making oil-paper umbrellas in Guizhou 2012-11-15 16:49:13
Learn more about the oil-paper umbrella making skill in Guizhou. The skills of making oil-paper umbrellas were introduced to Guizhou in early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
Video: Xi leads top leadership to meet press 2012-11-15 16:21:27
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), led the other newly-elected members of the Standing Committee of the 18th CPC Central Committee Political Bureau to meet the press Thursday morning at the Great Hall of the People.
Bilingual: ‘GIF’ named word of the year by Oxford American Dictionary 2012-11-15 15:19:20
It's been delighting people around the world for 25 years but now formally holds a honored place in the cultural lexicon: "GIF" has been chosen as word of the year by the Oxford American Dictionary.
Buzzword: Plebs 2012-11-15 15:19:20
Plebs is short for plebians, derived from the period of the Ancient Romans.Nowadays, plebs is one associated with those in the lower class.
Culture: West Lake Art Fair kicked off in Hangzhou 2012-11-14 17:15:53
The 15th West Lake Art Fair kicked off in Hangzhou. More than 200 exhibitors participated in the event and tens of thousands of newly created art works by hundreds of artists from both home and abroad were displayed at the fair.
Video: CPC congress concludes, new central committee elected 2012-11-14 15:48:29
The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) concluded in Beijing Wednesday morning, after a new CPC Central Committee and a new Central Commission for Discipline Inspection were elected.
Bilingual: Tourists swim in Venice square as heavy rain pounds Italy 2012-11-14 13:57:29
Nearly three quarters of Venice was flooded on Monday and tourists swam in St Mark's Square as a wave of bad weather swept through northern and central Italy, forcing the evacuation of 200 people from their homes in Tuscany.
Buzzword: House money effect 2012-11-14 13:57:29
House money effect refers to the premise that people are more willing to take risks with money they obtained easily or unexpectedly.
