We're often taught to believe what's inside a person is more important than what's on the outside.
But whether we1it or not, most of us hate at least one thing about our body. From the 2 of our nose to our height, there's always something everyone 3For some people, the way they look can even change their whole 4.
"Every time l look in the mirror, I 5 have a battle(斗争) with myself, Lily told us.
6, Lily isn't alone. According to a recent survey, 89 percent of US women are dissatisfied 7their physical appearance(外貌). The survey found that most of women thought they 8too much. And 15 percent of them said they would 9 five years of their life if they could be thinner.
So, if you're one of them, what can you do?10 the time you spend on social media could be a good start. In addition, thinking about the things we like about our body could help us feel 11. You have a choice: feel bad about your body or love and accept12.
In fact, learning to accept who we are is the best way to solve the problem. As we grow older, we 13 begin to care less about our appearance and more about bigger problems.
"14the time you hit your 20s, you should realize that there are more important things in life than looks, ""reporter Mike said, "No matter15 beautiful or ugly you think you are, your life has value." So, remember to accept who you are.
These days, more young people have the chance to go to another country to study. They go abroad for 1 reasons.
Many western children go on student exchange programs. For example, Frank, a boy from Germany, studied in Australia for six months. He wanted to travel to a faraway 2, make some friends and improve his English. A fifteen-year-old girl called Jean, who's from Canada, 3 in Sweden for a year. She wanted to learn another language and see how people in Europe lived, 4 she applied for the student exchange programs in her school. Luckily, she got the 5 . Most western students like to travel and experience a different culture. Some of them want to learn a new language, but making new friends is what they 6 the most.
Thousands of students from Northeast Asian countries also go abroad to study, especially students from Korea, Japan and China. They usually 7 a three-week or six-week camp in the United States or the UK to develop their English skills during the summer holiday.
Generally speaking, Asian students 8 to go to English-speaking countries. They want to experience different cultures and make new friends, but most of them 9 want to improve their English ability. And they can improve their spoken English easily by practicing with native speakers. They hope that having 10 English skills will help improve their grades when they return to school in their home countries.
Teens are not as healthy as they used to be. They are putting on weight. A recent research shows 97% of the teens need more1. Exercise helps in two ways. First, exercise can help their mind. People who get plenty of physical activity might2less and sleep better at night. They may even learn better in3. Second, exercise helps their body. Physical activity can make their body4. It can also keep them at a healthy weight. But how can teens be5to do more exercise? Here are some good suggestions.
6from the screen. Doctors call watching TV or playing video games screen time. Teens should have no more than two7of screen time a day. Then they will enjoy their life more.
Find a sport they are interested in. Interest is the best teacher. They can choose the8sports, such as basketball, soccer, or baseball. Those are all great sports and if they like them, play them.
Exercise with others9. Find a friend or a family member to exercise with them. They will have more fun and it's not10for them to give up.
All in all, it's necessary for teens to do more exercise.
Now, it seems that artificial intelligence(人工智能) is becoming more and more popular in our life, and it has greatly influenced the ways we live, work and play. Can you 1 that you can play table tennis with a robot one day? Recently, a scientist has invented a special robot that can be a table tennis 2. That 3 people can learn how to play table tennis not only from humans but also from a robot.
Named Forpheus, the smart table tennis robot is quite special. It can study the 4 of human players and the speeds of the ball. In this way, it can 5 judge(判断) the players' skill levels. Then it uses the information to 6 the ways to play. If the players are just beginners, Forpheus will play in a slow and easy way. But if the players are better ones, the robot will play in a 7 and more difficult way. 8, while playing, it encourages players to try their best with words like: "Good job!", "Come on!" and so on. At the same time, it gives some good 9 to improve their skills. So, it is both a good partner and a clever coach.
Science and technology is developing quickly these days and no one knows what will happen in the future. "In the next 20 years, it will be 10 that one robot teaches another to play table tennis or even invents another one!" Takurya, the inventor of the robot, said.
The COVID-19 virus is still spreading around the world. It hangs over all of us. But some good news about vaccines (疫苗) for COVID-19 is bringing us closer to ending this terrible pandemic.
On Dec.8, the UK rolled out (推出)a vaccine made by Pfizer and BioNTech. The US 1 its own COVID-19 vaccine rollout nationwide on Dec.14, Xinhua reported.
China will start vaccinating highrisk groups over the winter, Zeng Yixin, deputy head of the National Health Commission(NHC,国家卫生健康委员会),said at a press conference2Dec. 19.
This means that those who work in the coldchain industry, healthcare, customs(海关), seafood markets3public transportation are among those who will receive the vaccine first. Their work puts them at 4 risk of being infected(感染).
This is the first step in China's COVID19 vaccination plan, Zeng said. As more vaccines are approved (批准) and5, elderly people, people with underlying conditions(基础疾病)and the general public will receive vaccines in an orderly manner.
China's COVID-19 vaccines can offer effective 6 for at least six months, Zeng7.Vaccination trials(实验) have shown that the vaccines are safe and effective.
As for those who are not among the first to receive vaccines, officials at the NHC said there's no need8. "Wearing masks in public places, practicing social distance and washing hands are protective9that have been proven to be very 10," said Cui Gang, a senior NHC official.
There is a new restaurant which is called the Robin Hood Restaurant in Spain. It is named after Robin Hood, a hero who steals from the rich to help the poor. Though named Robin Hood, it doesn't mean anyone can 1 in the restaurant. In this restaurant, the poor 2 have the opportunity to enjoy very expensive food for the rich.
During the daytime, Robin Hood is a 3 restaurant which serves coffee and Spanish dishes for breakfast and has a lunch menu. At night, it turns into an amazing restaurant, serving free dinners to the 4 people. The money that is 5 earlier in the day is used to offer free dinners later that night. It's a nice dinner, prepared by cooks who work in five-star hotels. The restaurant seats 50 people a time and there are 6 times of seating for dinner, so each night the restaurant feeds totally 100 homeless people. Since the opening, the restaurant has become very7whenever day or night.
And the Robin Hood Restaurant is about a lot 8 than just providing food. In addition to warm and hearty meals for the homeless, it is a rare 9 for the homeless to eat with the same dignity(尊严) as any other customer. They can sit at the table 10, with a nice tablecloth, fine forks, knives and glasses.
The restaurant is run by an organization called Messengers of Peace, which was 11 54 years ago by Father Angel. Messengers of Peace has been running many other 12 as well, including a church that offers free coffee and tea, free meals and Wi-Fi, and even places to sleep. Talking about the restaurant, Father Angel said, "it is very important that everybody should be treated with 13, whether it's through bread or through work. So, why not open a restaurant with tablecloths and proper cutlery（餐具） and waiters? At night people with 14 can come and eat here in the restaurant and get the same treatment as everyone else."
The Robin Hood Restaurant has become quite the hotspot. The 15 is to open more around Spain so that the spirit will be spread. It's an initiative(倡议) of Spain's Messengers of Peace and Father Angel.
Celebrating the ox
The ox has significance in Chinese culture. The Year of the1is coming. In China, you will find all kinds of ox figures2of gold, wood, plastic, paper, shell and stone on sale in stores and on streets to celebrate the coming.
Centuries ago，most people earned their living3farming. The ox was4to help plow(犁地), cultivate and carry heavy goods.
The ox is considered a5of diligence (勤劳) and earnestness (认真)in Chinese culture. To this day, the phrase "the spirit of ox" still refers to conquering（战胜)6that may present itself as an obstacle(阻碍). The spirit is7praised and many people follow it as their work rules. When someone achieves a great accomplishment through hard work, people often use "niu", meaning "great", to describe him or her.
Oxen seldom bully (欺负) the weak or fear the8. They work hard and face everything bravely. This is reflected in a couplet(对句)from a poem by Lu Xun (1881-1936):"Fierce-browed, I coolly defy a thousand pointing fingers; Head bowed, like a willing ox I serve the children",(“横眉冷对千夫指，俯首甘为孺子牛”) which fully expresses the poet's loyalty (忠诚)to the people.
So naturally, those people9were born in the Year of the Ox are often10to be hardworking, reliable(可靠)and loyal.(忠诚) "They never seek to be the center of attention and do not look for praise, "the website China Highlights noted.
The weather in different places is different. In some but in places it is1but in others it is dry. If the weather is too dry, the land will not be2for farmers to plant. In humid (潮湿的) weather there may be too much3. The rivers may go4their sides. It's dangerous to walk near them. The water may take the bridge away. And a lot of people may not have enough5. If the dry weather6for a long time, the river beds may be dry.
In some other parts of the world the7may be very cold. There may be snow. When it snows, the trees, the buildings and everything else8white. When there are no clouds or winds, the sky is very clear. The moon and the stars9very beautiful. People may put on their coats10go out to talk a walk with their family. When they come back to their houses, they may be happy to chat with their family by the fire.
Briana is 13 years old this year. And she is a middle school student in Salem, a city in Massachusetts, US. She often walked1on the streets after school. "I know it wasn't good, but I really had 2 else to do, " Briana said. She was not the 3 one. Many kids in her city had too 4 free time and nothing to do. To solve this problem, four schools in Salem began a 5 called Big Brothers/Big Sisters. The program helps students 6 good use of their afterschool time. Big Brothers/Big Sisters invite teachers to 7 students in grades 6 to 8 build healthy relationships and take part in helpful activities. The "Bigs" and "Littles" 8 meet once a week. They play games, share stories and 9 trips.
The program helped quite 10Salem students. Briana's teacher is the school principal, Syeda Woods. Woods took Briana to go iceskating, to hamburger parties and for a 11 to Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. "When I got out, I saw that Salem is a very 12 place. Other cities are bigger than it," Briana said.
Kathy Jennings, 13, said she was very 13 before, but now is much more open. "In the program, I 14 like my teacher is a big sister, not a teacher. I can tell her anything," Jane said. "And she taught me a lot about thinking for 15. I think it will make a big difference in my life. "
Jim is a well-behaved boy. He 1 had an argument with his parents before. But when this boy became a ninth-grader, things began to 2. He said, "Now, I often argue with my parents, sometimes about something unimportant."
He might be suffering from puberty(青春期). Education experts think ninth grade is a special period for 3. They go through difficult physical and psychological changes during puberty.
A recent survey by the National Institute of Education Science shows that the lack(缺乏) of support from parents makes the situation even 4. Meanwhile, the 5 also shows that as ninth-graders reach puberty, they want to be more independent. As a result, about 80 percent of ninth-graders and their parents always have different opinions. Jim had the feeling deeply. "I thought I was an adult already. I can make 6 by myself, but most of the time my parents disagree with me," he said. 7, he thinks there is nothing wrong with hanging out with friends at night. But his parents don't 8 him to do that.
To 9 these problems, an expert has given tips to students. First, talk with your parents. Sometimes, they may not fully understand you, but keep trying. Second, calm down and focus on your studies. Finally, learn about these changes and get to know yourself through reading and other things. Then try to 10 your emotions(情绪).
