There is a strong connection between our energy use and the environment.

There are increasing signs that our planet is being damaged and our energy use is a major cause of this.

In order to create electricity, for example, power plants burn fossil fuels and produce carbon dioxide, which traps hot air in our atmosphere and causes rising temperatures.

Therefore, overusing energy generated by burning fossil fuels can lead to serious global warming.

Travelers to foreign countries often discover cultural differences that can come as a surprise.

In the U.S., people are expected to tip after meals unlike in many Asian countries.

Japan is a country where people take off their shoes inside the home, which is not a usual custom in many Western countries.

Each country has various customs which are important parts of their culture.

When talking with people from other cultures, we should keep an open mind and respect their customs and ways of thinking.

You might think that English is the most spoken language in the world.

However, this is not correct if you are talking about only native speakers.

The language that is most spoken as a mother tongue is Chinese.

Spanish also ranks highly.

If you take into account speakers of second and foreign languages, English is the most common.