16．Many Europeans have not only weekends and bank holidays but also five to seven weeks paid leave．Usually parents plan to spend three or four weeks with the family in summer．Because of my earlier years in China，I found it difficult to understand the European attitude towards holidays．
During my childhood in the 1960s，my parents were always busy with work and meetings．I was left alone with Grandma．The only long period of time we could get together once a year was the Spring Festival．I missed our parents badly，but didn't say so because I had been told that hard work was everyone's duty and that we could not have our own small family without a big family．
Later I was a hard-working student at university．I was always told holidays were a waste of time and I felt as if I had done something wrong if I did nothing during a holiday．
I didn't change this idea until I met my boss abroad．When I called him at home after office hours for business，he politely told me he preferred talking about work with me in the office．
When the holiday season came near，he asked me to plan my holidays．He told me holiday was a right for everyone．
Giving up a holiday for the company is encouraged in China，but is foolish here．I began to think about holidays．
Nowadays，Chinese take long weekends and have paid holidays．But do they use their holidays to enjoy family life？I hope so because my experience in China and Europe has helped me understand that work is not my whole life and that a family is also very important．I do not want to feel sorry in the future and I certainly spend as much time with my son as possible．
There is nothing wrong with either working hard or taking holidays，but we shouldn't have one instead of the other．It is important to keep a balance between work and play．
93．Did the writer find it easy to understand the European attitude towards holidays at first？No，he didn't
94．Why was the writer left alone with Grandma during his childhood？Because his parents were always busy with work and meetings．
95．When did the writer change his idea on holidays？He didn't change his idea until he met his boss abroad．．
96．Who thought holiday was a right for everyone？The boss．
97．What has helped the writer understand the meaning of holiday better？The writer's experience in China and Europe．
98．Which do you prefer when a holiday comes，working hard or taking holidays？Why？I prefer taking holidays because I don't think work is my whole life．
