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UNIT1InAnotherWorldHereIam,inChina,halfwayaroundtheworldfromhome.AsIlookatmyclockandcalculatethetimebackhomeIrealizethathalfaworldaway,peoplearebusygettingreadyforawedding.Thebrideismyniece,apersonIfirstmetwhenshewasthreedaysold.IthinkbacktothefirsttimeIhadtheopportunitytobecomeacquaintedwithmyniece.Asmysistercradledherinherarms,theinfantgirlclaspedhermother'soutstretchedfinger.Myintuitiontoldmethathertemperamentwouldbeasunnydisposition,ajoytopeoplearoundher.Asshegrew,thecutelittlegirlhadaninfectiouslaughthatstartedasasmallgrin,thenbecameagiggleandgrewlouderandlouderuntilittriggeredaresponsefromallthepeoplearoundherandtheyjoinedin.Asanadolescent,shestudiedhardandenjoyedwelldeservedsuccessinsecondaryschoolassheinteractedwithherpeergroup.Afterreceivingherhighschooldiploma,shechosenursingashercareer.Fromthebeginningoftheyoungcouple’sromanceitwasevidentthattheywerecompatibleandwerecompletelyintriguedwitheachother.ThecouplehadanengagementpartywhenIwasathomeinCanadaafewmonthsago.Thepartywasintheformofapicnicinabeautifulrosegarden.Tocelebrateandtotoasttheirfuture,wedrankchampagne.Astheyposedunderanarchcoveredwithclimbingroses,wesnappedpicturesfortheirphotoalbum.Thecoupledecidedonafallwedding.Plansfortheweddingdaywereactivatedimmediately.Thedecisionsabouttheforthcomingeventweresharedbythewholefamily.Aclosefriendofthefamilywascontactedandinvitedtosingasolojustpriortotheceremony.Thedaybeforetheceremony,arehearsalwouldtakeplacesothattheremainderofthedetailscouldbelookedafterandattendedto.Theplanningthattakesplacebeforehandforoneoftheseeventsandalltheworkthatthebigdayentails,withmanypeoplecollaboratingtomaketheeventrunsmoothly,areimmense.Theconscientiousattentiontodetailwillbeevidenttothespectatorsofthisevent.Icanimaginetheexcitementandemotionsofthefamilytoday.Thetimeisnear.Theceremonywillbeginin3shorthours.Thebridewillberadiantasshecomesdowntheaisleescortedbyherfather.Shewillwearhergrandmother'spearlsasanaccessory.Herveilwillbethesameoneashercousinworelastyear.Asiscustomary,underhergarmentsshewillwearabluegarter.AspartofthetraditionofCanadianweddings,shewillbewearingsomethingold(thepearls),somethingnew(hergown),somethingborrowed(theveil)andsomethingblue(thegarter).Asthefirstchordsoftheweddingmarchareplayed(amelodyfamiliartoall),thecongregationwillrise.Gaspswillbeheardastheycatchaglimpseofthebrideinhergorgeousweddinggown.Themotherofthebridewillcalmlyviewthiswholeevent,thoughtearswillblurhervision.Shewillbeovercomewithsentimentatherdaughter'sapparenthappiness.Thepicturewillbeonethatwillembodyhopeforthefutureofhumanity.Asthecoupleexchangeweddingvowstheywillbeaffirmingtheirloveandmakingacommitmenttoeachother.Allthespectatorsaretheretowishthemwell.Asthetimeapproaches,Ithinkbacktootherfamilyweddingsovermanyyears.MyoldersisterswereallmarriedinthesamechurchandasbridestheycarriedawhiteBibledecoratedwithtinyroses.Thereceptionsfortheirweddingswereallheldinthesamechurchbasement,astherewasnolargebanquethallinthelocalarea.Thefeastwasusuallycateredbyagroupofchurchmembers.Today'sweddingreceptionwillbeheldinanarenathatwillbedecoratedwithjusttherightamountoffallflowersinwonderfularraystogiveitdignityyetatouchofglamour.Thetabledecorationswillbeamasterpiece.Oneofthetabledecorationswillbesmallpumpkins,usedascontainersforflowersthatwerecollectedfromfamilygardens,surroundedbyalargewreathmadefromlongstalksofwheat.Therewillbeafewcolouredleavesplacedinsidethewreath.Maybetheywilluseoakandmapleleavestoshowthesplendouroftheautumncolours.Thecolouroftheoutfitsthatthebridesmaidsarewearingwillbefallcoloursaswell.Theingeniousdecorationswillbeappreciatedbythemanyguestsattendingthefestivities.Ateachplacesettingtherewillbeaspecialpapernapkinwiththebrideandgroom'snameprintedonitandthedateoftheirwedding.Itwillbecarefullyfoldedplacedontopandofalinennapkin.Thiswillbeoneofthesouvenirstheguestswillhavetocommemoratethespecialweddingday.Alsoateachplacewillbeafewafterdinnermintsfortheguests.Aminiaturetreewillalsobeplacedateachpersonsplace.Theintentisforthegueststotakethelittletreehomeandtransplantittoaspecialplace.Inthisway,ourenvironmentisalsoimprovedandthetreewillbecomealivingtributetotheyoungcouple.Thegroomwillcarryheracrossthethresholdasiscustomaryforayoungcoupleastheybegintheirnewlifetogether.ThehoneymoonplanswilltakethemtothewestcoastofCanada.Theywillhaveaweekofprivacyfarawayfromfriendsandfamily.TheywillinhabitacondominiuminthetownofWhistler,BritishColumbia,intheRockyMountains.Theywillfeelasiftheyareroyaltylivinginamansioninthislittlebitofparadiseonearth.Thereafter,theywillreturnhometoOntariowheretheywillreside.TheiroriginalplantospendtheirhoneymoononboardayachtintheMediterraneanSeawasabandonedwhenworldcircumstancesdictatedthatourcountryCanadawasasaferchoice.Earlierthismonth,asIthoughtabouttheforthcomingmarriage,andknewthatIwouldbeunabletoattend,Idecidedtowriteamessagetotheyoungcouple.Theintentwasthatthemessagewouldbereadaloudduringtheweddingreception.Inthemessage,Iwishedthemwellandurgedthemtocherisheachothereveryday.（1083words）UNIT2Let'sDressUp--It'sHallow