The English have the reputation of being very different from ail other nationalities. It is claimed that living on an island separated from the rest of Europe has much to do with it. Whatever the reasons, it may be fairly stated that the Englishman has developed some attitudes and habits distinguishing him from other nationalities. Broadly speaking, the Englishman is a quiet, shy, and reserved person among people he knows well. Before strangers he often seems inhibited, even embarrassed. You have only to witness a railway compartment any morning or evening to see the truth. Serious-looking businessmen and women sit reading their newspapers or dozing (打盹) in a comer, and no one speaks. An English wit once suggested to overseas visitors, 'On entering a railway compartment shake hands with all the passengers.' Needless to say, he was not being serious. There is an unwritten but clearly understood code of behavior, which, if broken, makes the person immediately the object of suspicion, It is well known that the English seldom show openly extremes of enthusiasm, emotion etc. Of course, an Englishman feels no less than any other nationality. Imagine a man commenting on the great beauty of a young girl A man of more emotional temperament might describe her as 'a marvelous jewel', while the Englishman will flatly state 'Um, she's all right.' An Englishman may recommend a highly successful and enjoyable film to friends by commenting, 'It's not bad.' The overseas visitors must not be disappointed by this apparent lack of interest. They must realize that 'all right', 'not bad' are very often used with the sense of 'first class', 'excellent'. This special use of language is particularly common in English. One explanation for the different character of English people is that ________.