The world is full of screens. They are on TVs, computers and smartphones. Screens are at school, at home, and just about everywhere in between. The time people spend every day looking at screens is known as "screen time." Most families have rules about how much time children can spend with screens. Why do they have rules? Are there good reasons to limit screen time?
In many ways, screens are helpful for communication and connecting with other people. Social media and video calls allow people to be always in touch with one another. ____By sharing and commenting on videos, photos, games or music, people can meet others who have similar interests.
However, some adults are worried that young people spend too much time on screens and not enough time meeting people in real life. As a result, they may not properly understand feelings or develop strong relationships.
Many kinds of screen time may be good for students. Students may use screen time to develop their skills in creating music or videos. They may even learn skills such as coding (编程) computer programs. When students use their screen time to do research online, they may meet people who are different from them or ideas they have never thought about before.
However, some researchers think that screens change how the brain processes information. Some have linked (连接) screen time to lower test scores or less attention time.
In the future, scientists will continue studying the effects of screen time. Parents will likely continue to make rules limiting screen time. Plenty of good things can come from all this screen time, but it's a good idea for people to pay attention to how much time in a day they spend looking at a screen. They should know how screen time influences their health, relationships, and learning.
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Two of the saddest words in the English language are"if only".I live my life with the goal of never having to say those words,because they convey regret,lost opportunities,mistakes,and disappointment.
My father is famous in our family for saying."Take the extra minute to do it right.I always try to live by the"extra minute rule.When my children were young and likely to cause accidents,I always thought about what I could do to avoid an"if only moment,whether it was something minor like moving a cup full of hot coffee away from the edge of a counter,or something that required a little more work such as taping padding()onto the sharp corners of a glass coffee table.
I don＇t only avoid those "if only" moments when it comes to safety.It's equally important to avoid＂if only＂in our personal relationships.We all know people who lost a loved one and regretted that they had foregone an opportunity to say "I love you" or "I forgive you".When my father announced he was going to the eye doctor across from my office on Good Friday，I told him that it was a holiday for my company and I wouldn't be here.But then I thought about the fact that he＇s 84 years old and I realized that I shouldn't give up an opportunity to see him.I called him and told him I had decided to go to work on my day off after all.I know there will still be occasions when I have to say ＂if only＂about something，but my life is definitely better because of my policy of doing everything possible to avoid that eventuality(可能发生的事).And even though it takes an extra minute to do something right，or it occasionally takes an hour or two in my busy schedule to make a personal connection，I know that I'm doing the right thing.I＇m buying myself peace of mind and that's the best kind of insurance for my emotional well-being.
The term "pseudo-working" is used to describe how many of us study. The pseudo-worker looks and feels like someone who is working hard—he or she spends a long time in the library and is not afraid to push on late into the night—but because of a lack of focus and concentration, he or she doesn't actually accomplish much.
This phenomenon can be seen on most college campuses. For example, at Dartmouth there was a section of the main library that was open twenty-four hours a day, and the students I used to see there late at night crowded in groups, drinking coffee. They were definitely pseudo-working. The roommate who flips through her chemistry notes on the couch while watching TV is pseudo-working.
By placing themselves in distracting environments and insisting on working long hours, these students are damaging their brain's ability to think clearly and efficiently accomplish the task at hand. In the end they get half the results with twice the effort.
The bigger problem here is that most students don't even realize that they're pseudo-working. To them pseudo-working is work—it's how they've always done it, and it's how all of their friends do it. It never crosses their mind that there might be a better way. Straight-A students, on the other hand, know all about pseudo-working. They fear it. It not only wastes time, but also is mentally tiring.
In fact, the most important skill in becoming a straight-A student is the ability to get work done quickly and with a minimum of wasted effort. Some cognitive science research concludes that about fifty minutes is the optimal learning period to maximize the material amount integrated per time unit. So how do these students achieve this goal? To understand their secret to success, consider the following simple formula (公式) ：work accomplished=time spent × intensity of focus.
Pseudo-working features a very low intensity of focus. Therefore, to accomplish something by pseudo-working, you need to spend a lot of time. The straight-A approach on the other hand, increases intensity in order to use less time.
Memorial Day is a time that many associate with a slower pace affording, maybe, a little more free time to read. We asked some of our regular book reviewers what titles they are most looking forward to reading this summer. Here's what they said.
The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende When I learned that the novel has Nogales, Arizona, where I was born, as its backdrop, I put it on the top of my reading list. It shapes romanticism around social political history. I'm extremely eager to find what she discovers in our borderlands. —Marcela Davison Avilés | Time's Mouth by Edan Lepucki Time's Mouth is a story by The New York Times bestselling author Edan Lepucki, about mothers, memories, what we inherit(继承) and what we choose to keep. It's set in the New Age world of California featuring time travel, life force and psychoanalysis. —Lily Meyer |
Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo Elizabeth Acevedo has won the book world's most desired prizes, including the National Book Award and Carnegie Medal for The Poet X. Family Lore, her first novel for adults, is an American drama and one of her most personal creations—inspired in part by her eight aunts and interest in how culture and traditions are made. —Carole Bell | Witness by Jamel Brinkley Jamel Brinkley's first publication, A Lucky Man, was one of the best books of 2018, which looks at family, identity and desire. His follow-up collection contains stories about people who choose to speak on behalf of others. Brinkley is extremely talented, making this one of the year's most desired works of American fiction. —Michael Schaub |
A group of Dexter cows fitted with mini-loudspeakers playing beats around their necks has been gathered to graze (吃草) around Little Doward Hill Fort (山堡) , which was built in the 5th century BC, in the Wye Valley.
Grazing cows help support soil health, spread seeds and stop the plants from growing wildly, and the Woodland Trust hopes they will help restore the 820,000 square meters of woodland.
But to get rid of the need for unsightly fences made of wooden posts and rails which can prevent cows wandering off, they are using new technology instead. A small device on a solar-powered collar will play a musical sound as the cows approach a virtual fence tracked by a positioning system which also allows the Woodland Trust to change the grazing area the cows can enter when necessary.
"Little Doward is a really ancient and special site with not only the fort which looks over the beautiful Wye Valley, but ancient woodland as well, "said Richard Brown, Woodland Trust site manager. "It is a bit of a battle to protect the fort from plants and we have turned to grazing a small group of friendly Dexter cows. " The woods contain several rare species of wildlife, including the endangered Cosnard's net-winged beetle, a kind of insect. The site still contains a significant number of ancient and dead trees which provide deadwood for its rare species.
"For nature and restoration the cows are ideal grazers across a wide range of species that help spread seeds through their waste and gently move the soil around but without destruction, "said Mr Brown. "For the fort itself they are able to stop plants completely surrounding it and the virtual fencing technology, with an app, helps us to move the cows around—in effect, move the fence." "The cows are very friendly too, so if people do visit, don't be scared-they may just want to come up to you and say hello!"
How To Be More Productive At Work
Do you sometimes feel like you have a lot to do but very little time to do it? You are definitely having productivity problems but relax, it happens to everyone. Here are some important work tips that you can follow to improve your productivity.
Focus On One Task
Some people have the habit of multitasking (多重任务处理), which is great but it might distract you from the bigger picture. Multitasking might help you with different tasks, you might also feel like the master of all trades but your productivity won't increase in the long run. Focus on one task at a time, this will allow you to complete that task with high standards. .
Learn To Take A Break
This might seem a bit unbelievable at first but you really need to know when to take a break. Regular breaks are actually great at the workplace. . Most workplaces ensure that their employees take regular breaks, which improves their overall productivity. . At home, move away from work and focus on yourself, then return back to work, this will allow your work to progress effectively.
Set Small But Effective Goals
. Stress might be the normal response here but you can also play it smart. You are going to get the task done eventually but let's make the process even more efficient. You can break any large task into small but manageable tasks, which will help you stay productive and will also make the best of time.
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Many people love to perfectly carryout a task, but the thing is that perfection doesn't actually exist. You can only do the best according to your abilities and wait for the results. You can also revisit some tasks or projects and try to improve them if you can.
A. Wait For The Best Results Patiently
B. Forget About The Idea Of Perfection
C. When the task is done, you can move on to the next one
D. What matters at this time is to improve your productivity
E. You are given large tasks, but what matters is how to deal with them
F. You can also try this approach at home, if you are not being monitored
G. They help in reducing stress and also increase your overall productivity
It's never easy to say "nо", especially when we're asked by someone close to us.Don't worry, we've put together some tips to help you politely refuse a request without feeling guilty or hurting anyone's feelings in the process.
Be kind but forthright. Though you can always just say "nо" on your own terms, you might find more success by filling your refusal with positivity. There's no need to hide the real reason why you're saying "no" , as long as you can express it in a polite manner.
It's important to set boundaries(界限) with co-workers and close friends alike. People shouldn't expect they can take advantage of you or that you'll drop everything for them at the last minute. Aim for relationships in which both of you feel glad to say "yes" when you can but are also understanding when one of you can't.
Offer a brief explanation. Providing an explanation as to why you're refusing a request is one polite way to say "nо". For instance, if you already have other work this week , let the person know that. You'd better avoid adding too much fluff(无足轻重的东西)to your explanation.
Know yourself. Knowing yourself and your needs will help you decide if you should say "no". Have a brainstorming session about areas where you have too much on your plate. You need to be able to take care of yourself before you can show up fc others.
A. Set healthy boundaries.
B. Be honest about your own needs.
C. When should you say "no" to them?
D. Set boundaries between work and your personal life.
E. That can very likely give the other person false hopes.
F. You can try keeping your voice calm, kind and welcoming.
G. How can you stand your ground politely without feeling guilty?
How to Plan a Party on a Budget
Throwing a party can be lots of fun, but you might be worried about the cost. Keeping your food bill down will decrease one of the biggest expenses. If you plan ahead, you can add special touches to make your party look and feel special, even if you're working with a small budget.
Cook simple but crowd-pleasing dishes. You don't have to go all out when it comes to feeding your guests. Baked chicken fingers/wings, green salads, stews (炖煮的菜肴) ... can all be inexpensive. In this case, everyone will have plenty to eat and you'll have more time to socialize.
For an even more inexpensive option, ask each guest to bring a food or drink of their own to share. It can be lots of fun to learn about each other's favorites. If you don't want your guests to be responsible for the whole meal, you can ask them to bring just part, like a drink or dessert, and you provide the main food.
Stick to snacks and appetizers instead of main dishes. Serving finger foods and small plates gives people more opportunities to talk to other guests, instead of being stuck at a seat with a full meal.
Throw a dessert party. Everyone wants sweets, so why not come to the point? Host a party where you serve a few desserts. You can also ask guests to bring their favorite so everyone can share and have a taste.
A. Go for a recipe exchange.
B. It can also cut your party costs.
C. Even store-bought ones will be a hit.
D. Don't panic—you have other options.
E. It's also easy to make a large amount at one time.
F. There's no need for a great party to break the bank, however.
G. Look for everyday items you can use to add appeal to your party.
Do you have certain friends with whom you can share your happiness and anxiety
Longmen Grottoes
Set on the banks of the Yi River, 12km south of the current Luoyang City, the Longmen Grottoes are ranked first of the Four Great Grotioes in China, together with Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Yungang Grottoes in Datong and Mount Maiji Grottoes in Tianshui. They were also listed in the World Cultural Heritages and Relics by UNESCO in 2000.
(Locate) between the Xiangshan Mountain and the Longmen Mountain, with the YiRiver flowing below, the Longmen Grottoes are (harmony) with mountains, forests and rivers displaying a peaceful atmosphere. Viewing it at a distance, it looks like natural gate, which gave it the name "Yi Que (the gate of the Yi River)". According to legend, Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty climbed on Mount Mang north of Luoyang, he was very pleased and ordered the eastern capital (build) here with its palace gate opposite the Yique. Thus, it came to be named, Longmen Gate.
Longmen Gate also houses (rough) 2860 stele inscriptions (碑刻), making a treasure for ancient calligraphy study. In total, more than 100,000 Buddhist statues and niches (carve) into the cliffs by ancient Chinese people ranging from the largest one, the Vairocana Buddha with a (high) of 17.14 meters, the smallest one of 2 centimeters.
Wandering in the Longmen Grottoes, one is amazed by the delicate carving skills, deep Buddhist culture and great art achievements of Chinese people.
For the past twenty years, Chen Huili, a cultural heritage monitor and guide, has devoted herself to (protect) the carvings of the Yuanjue Cave, part of the Dazu Rock Carvings in Chongqing, were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999.
While showing visitors around, Chen became painfully aware of the serious damage to the cave (cause) by the passage of time. The flat-roofed cave lacked something to support its weight. As a result, the ceiling was coming off in pieces, posing a great threat to the priceless carvings. With related knowledge and great eagerness (save) the sculptures, Chen joined the protection centre.
time went by, Chen's experience grew and eventually she developed her unique approach to protecting cultural heritage. She (involve) in a number of major projects so far, including the eight-year restoration of the Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara (千手观音). And with her team's hard efforts, (effect) measures such as hydraulic iron frames (液压铁架) have now been (successful) introduced to support the roof of the Yuanjue Cave.
her remarkable achievements, Chen remains unsatisfied. In her opinion, it's highly necessary to improve the role of technology in cultural heritage protection and to train young talent for this field. For Chen, the Yuanjue Cave will remain a focus and she believes there will be many fruitful (discovery) further down the line.
In November 2023, China launched a three-year action plan to promote the use of bamboo as a replacement plastic. Actually, I've been using bamboo products more often over the years.
The look and feel of bamboo are absolutely above and beyond plastic, there must be more positive aspects to bamboo other than just aesthetics(美学). When compared to (healthy) plastic, bamboo is a highly renewable, natural material that is biodegradable(可生物降解的) and (become) the "green gold" of modern times in recent years because it has so many good qualities. (live) in a time when most of our homes are filled with plastic, I think it's time to wake up to the green alternative and realize (it) full potential as a planet protector.
This super-powered plant is actually a grass and looks like a weed in terms of quickly it can grow and where it can live. The production costs of bamboo are extremely low due to the easy (available) of this material, and it requires almost zero adjustment (make) when people produce bamboo products. From household objects to decorative settings, the quantity of uses bamboo has (go) beyond your wildest dreams and I'd love to see it becoming more popular as time goes on.
注意：1.写作词数应为80左右；2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Safety Education against Drowning
注意：1.写作词数应为80词左右；2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；3.首句已给出，不计入总词数。
How to protect ourselves in school bullying
Recently, school-bullying is a hot topic again, which has raised concern of people from all walks of life.
注意：1.写作词数应为80左右;2.请按如下格式作答。
Dear Sir or Madam,
……
Yours,
Li Hua
High school graduations are one of the most important moments in a teenager's life. 1 , heading into the ceremony on June 6th, David was stopped at the door by a gatekeeper. So you can imagine how 2 David was. Although his sneakers were not extremely unacceptable, David learned it was not allowed to wear them at school and he was 3 entry.
David was about to 4 his chance to walk across the stage with his classmate when he caught sight of a 5 face. Butler, a famous local educator, came to the graduation as a parent. Learning David's unpleasant situation, he accompanied the young man back to the entry to see if he could 6 the gatekeeper's mind.
"I was hoping that she would let it go, but she 7 not letting this young man in, and I didn't have time to 8 with her," Butler said. "I wasn't going to let him miss the most 9 moment in his life for anything." Without missing a beat, Butler simply changed his 10 with David. Just as the 11 closed, David made it inside the hall. Eventually he saved David from ruining his graduation day.
Although firstly 12 by the last-minute exchange, Butler's family were thrilled that his quick thinking turned a very 13 situation into a joyful celebration. "I wasn't 14 because Mr. Butler is always helpful," a grateful parent of David's said.
It's said that a truly 15 man will give the shirt off his back to someone in need. Now it seems, the saying also applies to the shoes off his feet.
