Benefits of sport

Every sport has its own specific health benefits. Swimming, for example, is an excellent physical activity as nearly all muscles are used when you swim. As a result, it provides a terrificfull-body workout, improving coordination, flexibility, balance and muscle strength.

Sport, as well as being a physical activity, has a mental aspect too. It can help define who you are and who you can become. Sport builds character and promotes the development of a number of qualities that are essential for a successful and fulfilling life.

● Sport requires self-discipline, without which there will always be the temptation to simply give up. In order to excel in sport, you will have to set goals, make plans and persevere with thoughts and actions, even without immediate rewards.

●  Everyone has their ups and downs, their triumphs and their tragedies and, therefore, a big part of life means having to deal with success and failure. Engaging in competitive sport will help you understand that winning a competition does not make you superior to every one else and that losing is only a temporary set back, from which you can learn and progress.

●Sport will help you understand the importance of teamwork. It will show you that you often need to rely on others for your success.

The world of sport is a fair ground of exciting opportunities where you can discover who you really are.

Self-esteem （自尊）is the opinion we have of ourselves. When we have healthy self-esteem, we tend to feel positive about ourselves and life. If we have low self-esteem, we may feel anxious and look down on ourselves.

Low self-esteem often begins in childhood. Our teachers, friends and parents send us positive and negative messages about ourselves. , Besides, stress and difficult life events can have a negative influence on self-esteem. Personality can play a part, too. Some people are just more likely to have negative thinking.

If you have low self-esteem, you may hide yourself away from social situations, stop trying new things, and avoid things you find challenging. You may also develop unhelpful habits, such as smoking and drinking too much.

To improve your self-esteem, you need to find out the negative beliefs you have about yourself, and then challenge them. . Write down these thoughts. Next, start to write some evidence that challenges these negative beliefs, such as "I'm really good at cross words" or "My sister calls for a chat every week". You could also write down other positive things about yourself on the list and add them to the list regularly. Then put your list where you can see it. .

You can also learn to be assertive （果敢的）to improve your self-esteem. One trick is to look at other people who act assertively and copy what they do:  . It's picking up tips from people you admire and letting your true self come out.

Ways to protect eyes from screens

Too much screen time may cause serious eye strain (眼疲劳) and even a sharp decline of eyesight. That's a big problem a lot of people are faced with nowadays, especially those who work on a computer. The following tips may be helpful.

Get regular eye tests

Experts recommend having a comprehensive eye exam every year to detect (探测）problems before they develop. During this test, you should tell the doctor how often you use your phone and your computer. Tell your doctor about it, and your eyes can be tested more accurately at that distance.

Give your eyes space

The closer your phone/computer screen is to your eyes, the harder they have to work to focus. If this makes it hard for you to read, consider increasing the size of the text rather than moving the screen closer.

Take breaks

This may not always be practical if you're quite busy，but it's important not to stare directly at a screen for too long. While surveys have shown that many office workers take no more than half an hour a day away from their computer, it's recommended that you take a 15-minute break after every two hours spent at your screen.

Staring at a screen continuously for hours on end may make it difficult for you to focus. To avoid this, many eye experts recommend the "20-20-20 rule"—looking away from your phone/computer screen every 20 minutes and focusing on an object at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. The science behind his trick is that looking at objects at a distance relaxes the focusing muscle in the eye.

I work as a meteorologist (气象学家) in Tampa, Florida. It's my job to follow hurricanes (飓风) and provide information about them to scientists.

I was working for the National Meteorological Office in Bracknell, near London, in the autumn of 1995, and I saw a documentary called Stormchasers with my family.  Two months later I came across an ad for a meteorologist to work in Florida. I was interviewed over the phone, moved to the US, and started to work here in Tampa in May 1996.

 I have been all over the world hunting hurricanes. It's exciting to end up in different cities and different countries day after day. If you are a meteorologist, you have to love flying. I also love working with top scientists.  For me, it's like a classroom in the sky.

People often ask me what an average day is like. In fact, there's no such thing as an average day in my job!  We often take off at a moment's notice to hunt storms.

Next, I would like to join a space program and be the first meteorologist in space.

 There aren't any hurricanes!

If you also want to be a meteorologist, study math and science and get a degree in meteorology. I have taken the hurricane hunter path, but you could do research.

Sleep in Different Cultures

It is apparent that there are significant differences in sleep patterns in different parts of the world, and that sleep patterns have also changed over time. Traditions, cultural values, local conditions and environments all influence sleep patterns.

One major source of these differences is the widespread use of artificial(人造的) light, which has led to changes in the sleep patterns in the industrialized world. It is thought that today we sleep several hours less than before industrialization. Artificial light has encouraged people to go to bed later and to sleep the whole night through (Monophasic Sleep), rather than the more broken up and flexible sleep patterns (Biphasic Sleep), During the long nights of the winter months, our ancestors used to break sleep up into two or more parts, separated by an hour or two of quiet restfulness.

Even within the developed world, there are still significant differences in sleep patterns. A study carried out in ten countries in 2002 showed some of these regional variations. For instance, the results of sleeping time at night from individual countries varied from 6 hours 53 minutes in Japan to 8 hours 24 minutes in Portugal. Over 42% of Brazilians took regular afternoon naps (short sleeps), compared to only 12% of Japanese people.

A daytime nap is a common habit among adults in many countries. Spain, in particular, has raised the nap almost to the level of an art form. The experience of Japan is a clear example of the way a culture change can affect sleep patterns. In the 1950s, Japan was keen to rebuild. Japanese workers were encouraged to wake early and finish late as well. The work-place nap was encouraged as a way for a worker to increase productivity, even though in fact it probably degraded the quality of night-time sleep even more. Today, sleep is perhaps more undervalued in Japan than anywhere else.

It is clear, then, that there are cultural and historical differences in our sleep patterns. Yet the one thing that stays the same across all cultures is the one truth about sleeping: We all do it!

Ed Viesturs grew up in Rockford, Illinois, where the tallest thing on the horizon was the water tower. But on Thursday, Viesturs became the only American to climb to the top of the world's 14 highest mountains.

His last hike was up Mount Annapurna, in Asia's snowcapped Himalayas. At 26,545 feet, its peak is the 10th highest in the world. It is the mountain that inspired him to start climbing.

"It tends to be the trickiest, the most dangerous," said Viesturs. "There's no simple way to climb it. There are threatening avalanches (雪崩)   and ice falls that protect the mountain."

In high school, Viesturs read French climber Maurice Herzog's tale of climbing the icy

Annapurna. Herzog's story was of frostbite (冻伤) and difficulty and near-death experiences. Viesturs was hooked right away.

Viesturs got his start on Washington's Mount Rainier in 1977, guiding 扣kes in the summer.

Fifteen years ago, he set out to walk up to the world's highest peaks. Finally, he's done.

The pioneering climber talks about mountains as if they were living creatures that should be treated with respect. "You have to use all of your senses, all of your ab 山 ties to see if the mountain will let you climb it," said Viesturs. "If we have the patience and the respect, and if we're here at the right time, under the right circumstances, they allow us to go up, and allow us to come down."

What's next for a man who can't stop climbing? "I'm going to hug my wife and kids and kind of kick back and enjoy the summer," says Viesturs. But for a man who's climbed the world's 14 tallest mountains, he will probably soon set off on yet another adventure.

The Grand Canal is a vast waterway system in China, running from Beijing in the north to Zhejiang province in the south. It stretches for nearly 3,200 kilometers and passes through eight of the country's provinces and municipalities.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the canal is the longest and oldest artificial river in the world. It has played an important role in ensuring China's economic prosperity and stability, and is in use today as a major means of transportation.

The Beijing section of the Grand Canal is 82 km long. Along it, cultural relics and sites on both banks are important symbols of culture and are considered a top priority for protection by the local government.

The city government has unveiled two development plans: the first is an implementation plan for the protection, inheritance and utilization of the canal's cultural values; the second is a construction plan for building a Grand Canal-themed national cultural park.

The plan sets up three implementation milestones in the next five years. In 2020, efforts have been made to lay a firm foundation for the construction of the Grand Canal National Cultural Park, with the Tongzhou section of the canal open to navigation and a management mechanism of the park established. By 2023, significant progress is expected to be made in coordinating the protection and utilization of cultural resources along the canal, with the national cultural park basically set up. By 2025, the park will become a new cultural landmark in Beijing. The Grand Canal, with its cultural resources put under protection and ecological conservation along its banks significantly improved, will embrace improved cultural and tourism development. Cities along the canal by then will welcome further coordinated or integrated development.

The Beijing section of the Grand Canal, a valued asset for the capital, is marked out as a river boasting rich cultural resources, ecological value, social benefits and economic potential. The capital is set to roll out more measures to bring out the best in the canal.

Before ending upon a supermarket shelf, an avocado (牛油果)has produced 1.3 kilograms of carbon into the atmosphere. Its production alone consumes 60 gallons of water. Despite this, the fruit will often be thrown away as household waste.

Household food waste is the result of mismanagement. Much of the waste is avoidable and the food may have been eaten had it been better managed. To reduce household food waste, a growing number of food retailers decide to remove date labelling (标签), such as the "use-by" or "best-before" date, from some fresh food items.

Past studies have confirmed the importance of date labelling. Almost 60% of western European consumers surveyed said they "always" check date labels while purchasing. But date labelling has long come under criticism because failure to truly understand date labelling often leads to unreasonable decision making. Indeed, consumers commonly don't accept edible (可食用的), but date-expired (过期的)food.

The removal of date labelling is therefore a promising start. Without date labels, information that may affect consumers' understanding of what is edible, is removed. Instead, consumers are encouraged to sense-check fresh food items.

In the case of an avocado, the advice given to consumers is that when ripe, it should have a "pleasant and slightly sweet aroma (气味)", while the skin should be "dark green or brown". Information is also provided on how an avocado should look, taste, and feel when "overripe". It is hoped that a better informed consumer will be less likely to blindly throw away food due to an expiration date.

Self-reflection

Do you ever feel like you are running from one activity to another? When things happen at such a fast pace, it is easy to lose sight of what you are doing, or what you are learning. It is important to stop yourself every now and then to think about what you have been doing or learning.

Self-reflection means stopping the mad rush of activity and calming yourself and your mind so your brain can evaluate the input it has already received. Some people prefer to do their self-reflection mentally, while others keep a journal of written notes of some kind. Either method can work depending on your own personal style.

School textbooks are often divided into chapters and units of study. This can make it easier for someone who wants to begin the process of self-reflection. Watch for times when you complete a unit of study in any of the subjects you are learning: math, social studies, science, art, or any other topic in your school. Sometimes you are reminded that a unit is over because there is some kind of test or quiz. Use these breaks as a chance to stop and reflect.

Find a quiet place. This can even be sitting at your desk at school when you finish something early and other students are still working. If you are going to take notes, take out paper or your reflection journal. Jot down（记下）some notes on things that you learned in this unit that you did not know before you began.

Sometimes just pausing to think deeply allows your brain to make connections so that new information can be quickly retrieved（检索）when you need it again. Next, think about things that you still want to know. For example, maybe you learned a new way to solve a math problem, but you're not sure when to use it. Writing down your questions will help you remember to continue seeking answers the next time you are exposed to the same topic. Self-reflection is an essential skill for a successful student. If you have never taken the time to reflect, try it now.

Pranks (恶作剧) are a popular way of making fun of others and getting a laugh. While some experts point out potential negatives, pranking can also decrease stress, raise a smile, and strengthen relationships.

Prank Aliens, a best-selling book, tells a story about a boy named Max who is searching for the greatest prank of all time. His author Matt Stanton once said that pranking in the home can build strong relationships between parents and kids.

"Some of the best relationship-building moments I have with my own kids are when I enter into their space," Stanton said. "An adult joining in their games can be surprising for kids and bring wonderful moments of joy. It's a great way to demonstrate to our kids that we can laugh at ourselves and still feel loved and safe," he added.

But playing tricks can come with unintended consequences, said psychiatrist Mark Cross. Pranks that are intended to harm or embarrass can anger the target and even ruin a relationship. However, Cross also added "Pranking can be good when the outcome is laughter for everyone, including the pranked person. It can be a great release of stress. When you laugh, you breathe deeper, which helps ease anxiety."

So why not try some pranks? Wrapping vegetables and shoes up as presents for kids on their birthdays always gets a great reaction. Putting plastic spiders in guests' drinks or placing a whoopee cushion on an unsuspecting person's chair is sure to cause a belly laugh. All these might just be good for you and everyone involved.