Xiao Wei Nong from China Some time ago, I happened to meet my friend Mindy in a restaurant, and chatted about a lot of things. Suddenly, she asked me, "Do you know how the people here say xié jià in English? Xié jià is the Chinese word for a kind of shelf which shoes an be put on in China. It is always placed near the entrance of the house, behind the door. I replied as soon as possible, "It's shelf!" and asked her , "Why do you ask this kind of question?" Mindy said, "Because my teacher asked us to write down a list about all the furniture in the house, but I am sorry to tell you that your answer is wrong just like mine. The reason is there isn't a shoe shelf in American English at all. Most American people aren't like us. They never take off their shoes after they come into the house. They usually have a closet to keep their shoes..." Then, we began to discuss the different ways of consuming between Chinese and Americans. Finally we reacher a common realization: It is well-known that Chinese people always have the desire to save their money.
On the contrary, most American people never save their money. They enjoy life completely. Once they earn money, they will go splurge--maybe buy some new furniture or a new car, or buy a lot of new and expensive clothes they have wanted for a long time, or maybe go traveling or bet a lot of money. If the carpet is old and no longer looks nice, they just change it. It's a piece of cake! Last night, I went to Auchain Hypermarket. I was looking for an ironing board, but I found another thing-- a shoe rack! It is the same thing just like a Chinese xié jià. I have to tell Mindy as soon as possible.
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