InrainyLondon，alwayscarryyour"brolly"

BIGBen，theQueen，aplateofhamandeggs-no，no，no．Ifyou'relookingfora symbolofBritain，onlyonethingpassesthetest-theumbrella．

Now，Iknowwhatyou'rethinking-wehaveraininChinaandwehaveumbrellastoo．Certainly，IwillneverforgetthewayitrainedwhenIlivedinBeijing：thesweetsbecameinstantriversandtheskyflashedwithlightningforhoursonend．Peopledoveforcoverunderbinbags，theshopswereemptiedoftheirplasticponchos（斗篷）withinseconds，andIfoundmyselfsoaked（浸透）fromheadtofoot，mypoorly-chosenskirtandT-shirtnowtotallysee-through．ThiswouldneverhavehappenedinBritain．

Foronething，duringmyyearinBeijing，itonlyreallyrainedatabout10times．尊

ButalthoughwenevergetaBeijing-stylewashoutinLondon，thedrizzle（毛毛雨）thatdoesfallisallbutconstant．Evenwhentheskyisperfectlyblue，youcanbesureit'sgoingtocloudoverandstartdrizzlingagainwithinthehour．

Andwhenitdoes，thereischaos．Trainsstop，drains（下水道）block，andbusesbreakdownasifthiswasthefirsttimethelocalauthoritieshadseenthiswetstuffcomingoutoftheclouds．

So-aswithsomanythingsintheUK-it'suptoordinarypeopletosortthemselvesout．Noself-respectingBritonwilleverleavehomewithouthis"brolly"-astheumbrellaisaffectionately（亲切地）known．

Abrollyhashundredsofuses，evenonrarerain-freedays．ArealgentlemanofLondonwillusehisumbrellaasawalkingstick．Atraditionalgameofcricketcanbeplayedusinganumbrellaasahat．Nordoyoueverhavetobeafraidofrobbers-yourumbrelladoublesasadefensiveweapon．

ThereisnobrollymoreBritishthanmyown．Butit'snotfromLondonorManchesteroranywhereintheUK．ItwasagiftfrommyChineseteacher-inBeijing．

HowfittingthatmyNo．lsymbolofBrutishness-likealmosteverythinginBritain-wasmadeinChina．

41．TheauthormentionedherrainyweatherexperienceinBeijingtoshowthat___ A．manyforeignershaveembarrassingmomentslivinginBeijing

B．theraininBeijingisusuallymuchheavierthantheraininLondon

C．BritishpeoplearemoreusedtorainyweatherthanChinesepeople

D．b