The Coolest Travel Adventures
Our annual Best of the World list ranks the great travel experiences. Here's our ranked list of the top travel experiences right now.
Gallery hop in São Paulo
São Paulo, Brazil's largest city holds numerous galleries and exhibitions. The crowning jewel is the Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP), which is expanding to showcase more of its11,000-plus artworks, from pre-Renaissance paintings to contemporary sculptures. Breaking the tradition of the usual model of exhibiting works on walls, MASP hangs some pieces against clear panels, allowing visitors to view the art from all angles.
Ride classic rails in Scotland
Exploring Scotland's wild, scenic Highlands doesn't have to mean roughing it. Departing Edinburgh from April through October, the elegant Royal Scotsman train leads to Highlands adventures such as wild swimming, hiking, and delicacy tasting. After a day spent hiking to waterfalls or playing rounds of golf—a sport tied to the nation, guests can wind down with a massage(按摩) at the onboard.
Dive with sharks in Western Australia
Stretching almost 700 miles along the Indian Ocean, Western Australia's Coral Coast is decorated with natural wonders. But Ningaloo Reef is the star. Here, you can dive with giants: Some 300 to 500 whale sharks, one of the largest groups on Earth, gather along the reef(礁) each year between March and July. Decent agencies secure divers and ensure they give the sharks space, avoid feeding them or using flash photography.
Hike a glacier (冰川) in Chile
Chile has the third largest continental ice extension, after only Antarctica and Greenland. In Laguna San Rafael National Park, visitors can hike to glaciers. Some 17.300 glaciers still cover the whole of Patagonia's ice fields, but rising temperatures are rapidly melting them. Climate scientists say sustainable tourism, such as hikes, supports local communities and inspires travelers to learn more about how to protect glaciers.
A dad from Texas didn't miss a beat when it came to supporting his daughter recently. Cecelia Simmons shared a video of her husband, Andre Simmons, dancing in the stands while their daughter Jazlyn and her Temple High School cheer team performed. In the video, as the cheer team members raise the small balls and go through their routine, Andre Simmons follows right along, nailing the moves right alongside them.
The post shared on social media has obtained over 312,000 views. With tens of thousands of overwhelmingly positive comments on his post, people online quickly shared their reactions. They recommended Andre Simmons as "Cheer Dad of the Year" or applauded his energy and spot-on moves. Simmons himself was quick to say he's not the best dancer and it took him a few days to learn the routine. "Once I got it down pat, I just jumped up there when I heard the band finally bring the song up and I got up there and did it with her," he said.
But the father of five said he persisted because he wanted to create a lifelong memory with his girl Jazlyn, mostly because he was constantly away for work, thereby affording limited opportunities to be in the company of her. "Since she made the cheer team, that was my way of supporting her and kind of relieving the guilt of the lost time. She thought I was doing things that she loved and surprising her with joining her in the cheer during the football game," Simmons said.
Simmons said Jazlyn and her cheer team friends were surprised and "absolutely loved" that he could join in on the fun. The proud dad said it meant "the world" to him to be able to be there for his daughter too. "I love to try to be a super dad when I'm here and create those lifelong memories and it's something for us to look back on and enjoy together," he said and planned on cheering some more and making more memories with Jazlyn.
In present-day Romania, a decreasing number of craftsmen practice what's thought to be a centuries-old craft. They search the forest for a fungus (真菌), which grows within trees and sends out shelf-like mushrooms a few inches wide. The fungus is shaved lengthwise into thin strips. Those strips are then stretched to form broad sheets, which can be crafted into hats, bags, jewelry, and ornaments. As far back as 1903, Tlingit craftsmen in what is now the state of Alaska were recorded crafting purses out of a material from agarikon fungus.
However, the craftsmen's process in the early times was about searching for materials, not cultivating them for mass production. Today, the biotechnology company MycoWorks in the US is pioneering in cultivating mycelium (菌丝). Mycelium is a structural wonder—soft, dense, and strong, making it a great potential replacement for leather.
The operation starts with agricultural waste, like sawdust (锯末), which is heated to remove existing microbial life. Once done, it goes into deep plates of varying sizes. Then fungus joins the party, digesting and growing. In some cases, fabric can be added for the mycelium to weave around. The sheet of mycelium is eventually peeled off the wood blocks, and growth comes to an end. It can be easily mistaken for traditional leather.
MycoWorks is one of a wave of innovators, all of whom assume that a better understanding of mycelium can redefine the limits of fashion and design. In recent years, MycoWorks' products have been used in designer bags and pillows. CEO Matt Scullin praises mycelium as a material in fashion, "It has a bit of a soft touch, and it has a bounce. It can absorb the oil s and heat from your fingers when you touch it." "The early efforts appear to be more moral, and improve eco-footprint. Products made from such material are fully biodegradable—allowing for a future in which dealing with an old pair of shoes might mean simply composting (堆肥) them," he added.
When you hear the word "uncertainty", how do you feel? Scared, anxious, excited or challenged? With many global challenges still ongoing, we are likely to face even more of the unknown, so we had better get accustomed to managing it.
So how do we detect uncertainty and which part of the brain is responsible for it? Researchers have found that noradrenaline (去甲肾上腺素) is the key chemical involved in our response to uncertainty.
To investigate the role noradrenaline plays when we are faced with uncertain events, scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology conducted an experiment with mice. The animals were trained to push a lever(杠杆) down when they heard a high frequency noise. If they did this, they were rewarded with a drink of water. They were also trained to learn that they'd receive an unpleasant puff of air if the lever was activated when a low frequency noise was played. But the researchers added in an element of uncertainty by including a sound where the frequency was unclear.
From this experiment, the researchers discovered that a small part in the brain called the locus coeruleus—an area that modulates noradrenaline—was essential in detecting uncertainty. When the high frequency was clear and the reward was expected for the mice, their noradrenaline release was small. But when the outcome wasn't clear, and the reward was a surprise, the release was much larger. This was how the mice's brains learned to deal with uncertainty.
A study with humans was also carried out. They discovered that the subjects' neurons (神经元) in the prefrontal cortex (前额叶皮质) respond much more to loss than to gain. Namely, this area rules our avoidance behaviour when we are under stress. This helps us understand our unwillingness to expose ourselves to uncertainty.
Once we understand that our cognitive and emotional responses to uncertainty are a necessary part of the human experience. Acknowledge instead of fear them, perhaps making big decisions can seem less stressful.
How to Improve Your Social Life?
Being social can help you build meaningful connections, come out of your shell, and feel less isolated. If you want to know how to be social, see the following steps to be on your way.
Be fully engaged. If you want to seem interesting to others, you will have to show interest in them. When you are talking to somebody, listen to what they are saying rather than worrying about what you should be saying. Avoid constantly checking your phone or looking around while you are in the middle of a conversation. These types of things come across as rude.
Watch your gestures. How you position your body sends a message to other people. If you want to be approached by others, you should avoid standing in the corner, crossing your arms, staring at your phone, and frowning. Making eye contact with others shows them that you are friendly, open, and non-intimidating. .
Embrace opportunities to meet new people. This means you will have to get out of your comfort zone to interact with others. Take trips to new places and strike up casual conversations with those you meet. You never know when a stranger can turn into your new best friend, business partner, or love interest!
If you are constantly waiting around for people to call you or invite you, then you are wasting your life. If you want to show people that you value their friendships, you will have to reach out to them. Keep in touch with friends, even if you don't live in the same town. Pick up the phone and call them, send them a text, or e-mail them asking how they've been.
A. Initiate interactions.
B. Fit in with the occasion.
C. Accept invitations to parties and social gatherings.
D. You'll be more likely to stir up positive interactions.
E. Plus, everybody looks more attractive when they smile.
F. Relationships are built upon joint efforts of both involved.
G. Make eye contact, nod your head, and ask them follow-up questions.
I was to retire three months later. My wife Sonia and I had planned to go for a three-week trip to Canada. Then one day, Sonia noticed fluttering (颤动) in my shoulders, but I didn't give it much 1 . A month later, however, my hands started becoming 2 .
Around that time, I was watching The Split. There was a 3 about a doctor diagnosed (诊断) with motor neurone disease (MND)—a rare condition that affects the brain and nerves, for which there is no cure. I had 4 symptoms (症状) and it got me thinking. Then I met with a 5 and the test results took a week to be 6 .
Exactly on the day after I retired, I received the diagnosis I'd been 7 —MND. Sonia and I were supposed to be going to take our holiday in five days! We were so 8 and considered quitting, but a friend convinced us, "If you don't go, you'll regret it." 9 , we set off on the adventure as scheduled.
For the initial days, we weren't in the mood for fun, as we were still 10 by my diagnosis. But quickly we realized we wouldn't let MND 11 our every day. Then we made a (n) 12 : Every day we'd allow ourselves only 10 minutes to talk about my illness and cry if we wanted. After that, we'd focus on having fun.
These days, my 13 is limited. In spite of the case, we're delighted to have gone on our Canadian adventure, which was 14 with special moments. We don't know what the future holds, but the memory will 15 .
Mamianqun or the horse-faced skirt originated from the Song Dynasty, but it gained popularity among women during later Ming and Qing dynasties. truly sets Mamianqun apart is the intricate pleats (褶) that are both abundant and distinctive. The pleats are not only decorative, they allow for (free) of movement. Now designers draw their inspiration from traditional Chinese cultural elements to create charming patterns on the skirts.
Mamianqun isn't just for historical reenactments (重演). It's an item of clothing (perfect) suitable for everyday wear, even in a contemporary office setting. design of Mamianqun combines tradition with modernity, (make) it not just a relic of the past, but a functional and stylish addition to the modern wardrobe(衣橱).
Now, Mamianqun is making an even (huge) comeback compared to most of times. People wear it either in the streets or in the office. This resurgence(复兴) is fueled by a growing sense of cultural pride, which promotes people (honor) their heritage by having traditional clothing into their daily wardrobes.
Caoxian, (know) as the heart of Mamianqun manufacturing, is a county in Shandong Province. Caoxian holds a deep cultural heritage of hanfu, Chinese traditional clothing, and is home numerous hanfu enterprises. With the rise of online shopping, the local hanfu industry of Caoxian (grow) rapidly in recent years.
注意：1.写作词数应为80个左右；2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dear Mr. Smith. …… Yours, Li Hua |
That year, I was 16 years old and my father had just passed away in that cold late autumn. There were no Thanksgiving celebrating plans in my family that year. To make ends meet, my mother worked two jobs as a cleaning lady, and I had a part-time job in the downtown. It was the Thanksgiving night and it was raining and blowing. The shops were closed and the streets were decorated with the colorful lambs for the grant festival. My shift at work was over and I waited for the bus alone in the station.
The wind blew my thin coat and threatened to tear my worn-out hand-knit hat that my mother had knitted for me years ago. Wearing a pair of discolored pants, I shivered against the cold wind, deep in thought about how my father's death led to my family heart broken and how my mother and I struggled to work to support our family.
A bus approached as I thought these things. Fortunately, a seat on the bus was unoccupied and I took it with delight, placing my feet on the perfect spot close to the heater. I cherished the small comfort of the warmth as it seeped(渗透) through the bottom of my wet feet.
Then a gentleman, perhaps in his 60s, appeared from somewhere in the back of the bus. He wore a hat and a fine woolen scarf. Then he stopped and sat down next to me, placing a shopping bag between us. Through the transparent shopping bag under my nose, I vaguely saw a box with chocolate printed on it, a box with a music box printed on it, and a clothing-type thing. These must be the gifts for a certain girl and I also wished to get such gifts. When he noticed my stare, I looked away immediately and curled up to keep warm, or rather, to hide my embarrassment.
注意：1.续写词数应为150个左右；2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Then the gentleman took the initiative to break the silence and started talking to me. …… He was nearly off the bus when suddenly I found he forgot his shopping bag. |
