【推荐2】To give a tip or not? If so, how much? They can be headaches even for the most experienced tourists. This week, the main political parties in the UK have finally come to rescue by passing laws to forbid bars and restaurants taking tips from the customers.

However, not every country in the world takes the matter as seriously as the British, who are believed to have invented the custom in the 17th century — originally as a noble practice of giving small gifts to the so-called “inferior (低等的) classes”. Later, tipping has become a habit widely accepted in the world, although it is influenced by a nation’s culture and values.

A common joke among Americans is that only getting tax return is more confusing than tipping. Tips were imported into the country in the 19th century, when wealthy Americans began travelling to Europe. The custom was originally disapproved in the US. Critics accused tippers of creating a class of people who “begged for favors”. Fast forward to the 21st century and you will still find Americans debating the pros and cons. But tipping is now completely ingrained (根深蒂固的) in the national soul.

Like many Asian countries, China is largely a no-tipping culture for decades it was actually prohibited and considered illegal. To this day, it remains relatively uncommon.

Japan’s complex manner system includes tipping. It is socially acceptable on special occasions such as weddings, but on the other occasions, it can actually make the receiver feel ashamed, if not abused. Even on occasions where tips are expected,the money is expected to be sealed in special envelopes as a sign of gratitude and respect. Otherwise, it will be refused because tips are usually included in the payment for the service.

【推荐3】Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday. The day after it has been known as Black Friday.     1    and it has been the busiest shopping day of the year in the US since 2005.

 Black Friday is a great time to go shopping.     2     The biggest one is that there are not enough low-priced items. Each store may only have a few. These items are in great need, so people stand in long lines to get them. They may wait three to four hours before a store opens. They may be hoping to get a low price on a TV or computer, but not everybody can get one.     3     

    4     It was first used in Philadelphia in the 1950s. The police called this day Black Friday because of the heavy traffic it caused. In the 1960s, stores tried to rename the day “Big Friday”. It did not stick. The name “Black Friday” continued to spread across the country. It seems that it is here to stay.

 Now people all over the country take part in Black Friday events.     5    Stores have held Black Friday events in the UK, Australia, and Brazil since 2012. In Mexico, stores offer a weekend of discounts every year. They call it “El Buen Fin”, which means “the good weekend” in Spanish. I guess people everywhere like to buy things on sale.

【推荐1】Mindful eating is maintaining an in-the-moment awareness of the food and drink you put into your body. For many of us, our busy daily lives often make mealtimes rushed things. We find ourselves eating in the car going to work, at the desk in front of a computer screen, or parked on the couch watching TV. We eat mindlessly, taking food down regardless of whether we’re still hungry or not. In fact, we often eat for other reasons instead of hunger — to satisfy emotional needs, to free from stress, or deal with unpleasant emotions such as sadness, anxiety, loneliness, or boredom. Mindful eating is the opposite of this kind of unhealthy “mindless” eating.

Mindful eating isn’t about being perfect, always eating the right things, or never allowing yourself to eat on-the-go again. And it’s not about establishing strict rules for which foods you have to include or avoid in your diet. Rather, it’s about focusing all your senses and being present as you shop for, cook, serve, and eat your food.

While mindfulness isn’t for everyone, many people find it worth trying. By paying close attention to how you feel as you eat, you can learn to enjoy both your food and the experience of eating. It can keep you full with less food, and influence wiser choices about what you eat in the future. It can also help you free yourself from unhealthy habits.

To practice mindfulness, you need to participate in an activity with total awareness. In the case of mindful eating, it’s important to eat with all your attention rather than on multitasking (reading, watching TV, daydreaming, etc). When your attention moves away, gently bring it back to your food and the experience of cooking, serving, and eating.

【推荐2】Eating a traditional Mediterranean-type diet-rich in foods such as seafood, fruit, and nuts- -may help reduce the risk of dementia (痴呆) by almost a quarter, a new study has revealed.

Experts at Newcastle University found that individuals who ate a Mediterranean-like diet had up to 23% lower risk for dementia than those who did not. This research, published today in the journal BMC Medicine, is one of the biggest studies of its kind.

Scientists analyzed data from 60,298 individuals from the UK Biobank, including individuals from across the UK, who had completed a dietary assessment. The authors scored individuals based on how closely their diet matched the key features of a Mediterranean one. The participants were allowed for almost a decade, during which time there were 882 cases of dementia.

The authors considered each individual’s genetic risk for dementia by estimating what is known as their polygenic (多基因的) risk-a measure of all the different genes that   are related to the risk of dementia. They found that there were similar associations between sticking to Mediterranean diet and dementia risk in individuals with higher and lower genetic risk for this condition, which may indicate that even for those with a higher genetic risk, having a better diet could reduce the likelihood of developing the condition.

Dr Janice Ranson, joint lead author on the paper, said: “Dementia impacts the lives of millions of individuals throughout the world, and there are currently limited options for treating this condition. Our study shows a Mediterranean diet that has a high intake of healthy plant-based foods may be important for future strategies to reduce dementia risk. For example, the dementia prevention efforts could go beyond general healthy diet advice and focus on choosing specific foods and nutrients.”

The authors caution that their analysis is limited to individuals who self-reported their ethnic background as white, British or Irish, as genetic data was only available based on European countries, and that further research is needed in a range of populations to determine the potential benefit.