Climbing the world’s     1     (high) mountain could not have been further from Xia Bo yu’s mind as a 25-year-old in 1974, when he played for the provincial soccer team in Qinghai. But when the Chinese Mountaineering Association announced it     2     (look) for climbers to join an upcoming journey, Xia put in an application so that he     3     at least get a free health check-up.

After just a few months of training. Xia and his fellow climbers started climbing the 8,848-metre mountain in January 1975. However, after lending a teammate his sleeping bag Xia suffered such severe frostbite (冻伤)     4     her later lost both of his feet.

Three years later, a foreign expert     5     (invite) to assess Xia’s condition concluded that with artificial legs, Xia would be able to walk again and even climb mountains. It made him determined to challenge himself to climb Mount Qomolangma again.

Xia set himself a demanding schedule,     6     (wake) at 5 a.m. to train for five or six hours. Unfortunately. Xia suffered another major setback in 1996, when he     7     (diagnose) with lymphoma (淋巴瘤). He had to undergo another round of amputation (载肢), losing part of his legs.

It was not until 2014 that he was able to organize a team to make another attempt at scaling the world’s highest mountain. Sadly, his team arrived at Qomolangma Base Camp, only to be informed that all journeys had been stopped, following an avalanche (雪崩)     8     had killed 16 people.

The Nepalese government announced a ban on double-amputee climbers on Qomolongma in December 2017, but it didn’t last long after a protest from a disabled support group. That allowed Xia, at the age of 69,     9     (climb) to the top on May 14, 2018. The feeling, however, was not     10     he had imagined it would be. “I had thought when I finally reached the summit, I would about it to the world. I would do all these poses for photos. But when the moment arrived. I just felt clam.” Xia said.

What did we do to deserve cats and dogs? Not only are they super cute and make us smile on a daily basis, scientists from Washington State University have now proved that touching our favorite _______ friends gently for just ten minutes is an effective way to reduce stress levels.

In findings published in AERA Open—an open access journal published by the American Educational Research Association — last month, scientists showed that the general _______ of students improves quickly, with even those who are highly stressed showing “significant” reduction in cortisol (皮质醇) levels — a chemical produced by our bodies in times of stress.

Many universities have adopted “Pet Your Stress Away” programs where students can _______ cats or dogs and it appears to be showing both psychological and physiological benefits now.

The research, conducted by Washington State University (WSU), shows that pets improve students’ moods, and their _______ has stress-relieving physiological benefits. “Just 10 minutes can have a significant _______,” said Patricia Pendry, an associate professor in WSU’s Department of Human Development.

This is the first study that has demonstrated reductions in students’ cortisol levels during a _______ intervention (介入).

The team chose 249 college students and put them into tour random groups and compared the effects of different _______ to animals. The first group were provided 10 minutes of actual interaction with dogs and cats. The second group waited in line while _______ others petting the animals. The third group watched a slide-show of the same animals, while the fourth group had to _______ and was told they would be allowed to see the animals after 10 minutes.

Salivary (唾液的) cortisol ________ were collected from each participant starting from the moment they woke up in the morning. There was significantly less cortisol in the saliva of students who had ________ interaction with the pets.

Many universities have started these ________ where students can interact with cats or dogs to help ________ the pressures of higher education. “We already knew that students enjoy interacting with animals, and that it helps them experience more ________ emotions,” Dr Pendry said. “What we wanted to learn was whether this exposure would help students reduce their stress in a less subjective way. And it did, which is ________ because the reduction of stress chemicals may, over time, have significant benefits for physical and mental health.”

When she was ten years old, Isadora Duncan dropped out of school to teach people dance. If that job was left to any other ten-year-old, it would have turned out frustrating, difficult, and a little discouraging.

But Duncan was different. Not only was she already talented enough to earn money even at that age, but she also had a rare kind of confidence that helped her treat troubles as fuel —something to elevate the fire that is already burning inside of her.

It’s no surprise, then, that when she moved to New York to join a theatre company, she found herself restricted. The existing dancing style, their way of operating—all of this seemed to her the work of a misguided past. Duncan was very direct about what she wanted, confidently telling people she had a different vision of dance that she was going to spread in the world. This, naturally, led to ridicule and laughs early on, but as she built up her work, these instances became less frequent. Today, she is remembered as “The Mother of Dance,” with much of the modern art owing its expressive style to her influence. Inspired by the ancient Greeks, she brought the style to life.

In her autobiography (自传), one of the things Duncan frequently refers to as the basis of her expressive spirit is the fact that she had a childhood where she wasn’t constantly watched. The expectations of her mother (who raised her) were open-ended. It was the freedom of this lifestyle that drove her to see what she could do.

Growing up, before she left school, she was told one of two things: that she was either completely useless or that she was a genius. There was nothing in between. Even when she started working, people either bowed to her or they basically ignored her. But there wasn’t one moment Duncan doubted her own genius.

There is an old quotation “if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” And it captures an important truth. At school, Isadora Duncan was a failure. In the dance hall, she gave form to brilliance.

We offer a full range of services to make your IKEA experience more complete.

Old Kitchen Removing Service

Are you going to buy a brand-new kitchen in IKEA? So how to do with your old kitchen at home? Don’t worry! IKEA is now providing professional dismantling and removing service for old kitchen to you. By this service you can have your new kitchen at home easily. (For service detail and charge please go to the staff of kitchen department.)

Transport Service

Need a way to get your new home-furnishings home? You can rent a transport or hire us to deliver it for you. Just talk to our Customer Service Department for details.

Return Policy

As long as the items are undamaged, unassembled and unused, you could return them in their original package within 60 days (IKEA FAMILY member within 180 days) together with your original receipt.

Sorry, we cannot accept exchange or return of food, plants, liquid bathing products, AS-IS products, customized products, kitchen electrical appliance and all products that have already been cut, sewed or painted. “The exchange and return policy above applies only to the products purchased from IKEA stores in mainland China.”

IKEA Restaurant/Café

The restaurant/cafe serves both classic Swedish dishes and local favorites, and is one of the most popular areas of the whole IKEA store. Shopping at IKEA is fun and offers great value, but can also be hard work, so stop by and treat yourself to a refreshing drink and a bite to eat.

Here’s the deal: you’re as hungry as a horse and you want a delicious meal from a fine restaurant, but you’re a little low on funds.

So what do you do? If you happen to live in Europe, the answer is as easy as pie: you pull out your smart phone or tablet, and tap Too Good To Go, Europe’s most popular app. Approximately 23,000 restaurants and food sellers post their leftover offerings on the app for half their usual cost.

Why all this incredible generosity? Unbelievably, one-third of the world’s food is thrown away, and nearly one billion people don’t have enough to eat. Besides, burning wasted food releases harmful carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, which contributes to climate change. That’s why environment-minded companies around the world are creating apps for phones, tablets, and other smart devices that connect uneaten food with people who want or need it.

After a long day at work, Anne, a 34-year-old student, pulls out her smart phone and chooses a noodle dish —pasta with mushrooms. Then she heads to a restaurant on the banks of the Spree River, where the owner packs her dinner and also offers her a spoon of free icecream, which is a reward for bringing her own container.

Indeed, there are many programmes serving the same mission around the world. In America, people are using an app called Food for All. One hour before a restaurant closes, its staff can post leftover meals to the app for up to 80 percent off menu prices. The app also allows customers to donate leftover meals to others.

In the Netherlands, 77,000 people have downloaded an app called No Food Wasted. This programme allows grocery store workers to share products that are approaching their expiration dates with customers who might need them.

Some countries are taking their commitment to reducing food waste a step further. France and the Czech Republic, for example, have laws that prohibit restaurants and grocery stores from throwing away food. Instead, workers are required to donate that food to charity.

So think about if there might be a better use for your uneaten vegetables. The planet will thank you.

Screen Time: How Much Is Too Much?

Many children spend a lot of time watching or playing with electronic media—from televisions to video games, computers and other devices.     47     Perhaps parents now should ease up on their concerns about screen time, at least for older boys and girls.

Until last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggested that children and teenagers have no more than two hours of screen time a day. It also suggests that parents balance a child’s screen time with other activities.

    48     Christopher Ferguson, who teaches psychology at Stetson University in Florida, notes a lack of evidence supporting reports that too many hours spent playing video games or watching TV is truly harmful.

Ferguson seems interested in one idea: the link between video games and violent or risky behavior. When he saw results from a recent British survey on screen time, he wanted to know more. The British study found a small negative effect—about a one percent increase—in aggression and depression among children who had six or more hours of screen time a day.     49     So, Ferguson and his team examined answers from a survey on risky behaviors. The study involved about 6,000 boys and girls in Florida, whose average age was 16.

Data from this survey found that American children are also fairly resistant to the negative effects of electronic media. Among those who used screens up to six hours a day, the survey found: a 0.5 percent increase in criminal behavior; a 1.7 percent increase in signs of depression; and a 1.2 percent negative effect on school grades.     50     To further argue his point that screen time is not harmful, Ferguson adds that children should become familiar with screen technology. Electronic devices, he says, are a part of our everyday lives.