If you’re away from home, feeling a bit blue or searching for some comfort, the Danes have a solution. It’s called “hygge”. Coming from Danish culture, but popularized by the British in 2016, hygge is much more than just a word, it’s becoming a feeling around the world.

The hygge means the sense of happiness you get when your family is gathered together at new year or Christmas. It is all about the pleasant feelings of home: the smell of your mother’s cooking, your partner’s arm around your shoulder and so on.

Hygge is an antidote (良药) to stress. You know when you’ve got it, a gentle warmth starts spreading through your body. Another important part of hygge is that it has nothing to do with modern technology. It’s a period time to relax your tired mind and eyes. So, put down that smartphone and turn off the computer.

You should also know that hygge is not about healthy eating or more exercise. In fact, it’s just the opposite. You’re supposed to be lost in what you like: enjoy sweet snacks and calorie-laden cakes freely. Let yourself think of what happened in the past, and remember the childhood songs of your distant youth with a smile. If it helps, wrap yourself in a warm blanket and sleep with one of your favorite books (not a pill or e-reader).

If Denmark seems too far, then think of old Beijing with its hutong and courtyard houses. Picture yourself sit around a traditional stove with your loved ones, eating dumplings and chatting about the old days. Let yourself drift back in time to a period where everything is relaxing, and there is no need to reply to any e-mails or text messages. They did not exist (存在) back then.

Now you’ve really understood hygge without going to Copenhagen.

4 . Do you have true friends? Do you want to know better between you and your friends? There are three different kinds of friends: “pest friends”, “guest friends”, and “best friends”.

The first kind of friends is simply acquaintances (熟人), and all you usually know about them is their names. You may meet this kind of friends at school, at work, or on the bus, but you don’t miss them when they’re not around. When this kind of friends do something bad, you don’t tell them. That is why they are called “pest friends”.

The second kind of friends could also be called “social partners”. They are closer than acquaintances, but not as close as true friends. You know their names, a little about what they like or dislike, and a little about their family histories; you usually have a few things in common, but you don’t talk about anything deep, such as your wishes or fears, and they don’t open up to you how they really feel.

The last kind of friends, the “best friends”, are the people you know the deepest.

You’re like family, and know everything about each other. You have no problem staying at each other’s houses, and you share your deepest feelings and thoughts. They will correct you when you’re wrong, and though they may not be perfect, they at least will always care about you, and never do anything on purpose (故意地) to hurt you.

       We all have our pest, guest, and best friends. We should value (重视) all friendship. Remember, all best friends start out as just acquaintances.

A．	B．
C．	D．

5 .

Have you ever shouted at your computer because it wasn’t working? Of course, your computer can’t “shout” back. But AI researchers have been working on computers that can argue and perhaps even win debates (辩论) with humans.

IBM scientists recently published a paper in Nature about their new AI system—Project Debater. It can debate with people in front of a live audience (观众). After listening to arguments from its opponent (对手) the system can search around 400 million online articles in less than five minutes. And then it looks for ideas that can support its own argument.

Testing on the system began in 2019. When it debated with Harish Natarajan, a professional debater who holds the world record for the most debate competition victories. The topic was about subsidizing preschool (资助幼儿园)—and Project Debater argued to support this idea. Although Project Debater lost the debate in the end, the audience said it performed very well Interestingly, 58 percent of the audience said that Project Debater increased their knowledge about the topic—only 20 percent said the same about Natarajan.

According to Scientific American, results show that the system is able to form logical statements (有逻辑的陈述). However, ★ . Their goal is to help humans make better decisions, according to Ranit Aharanoy, manager of the Project Debater team. “It can debate both sides, so it can very quickly help you understand both sides of the problem, thus you can have a wider view of the problem and make a more thoughtful decision.” Aharanoy said.

Let’s wait and see how the Project Debater will develop in the near future.

10 .

The word “low-carbon” sounds familiar to most of us. But do you know “low-carbon community (低碳社区)”? What is the community like? What benefits (好处) will it bring to our environment? Let’s have a look at Hanbei Road Community of Ya’an, Sichuan Province.

Walking into the community, people can see the hanging environmental slogans (环保标语) at first sight. And the most eye-catching items are idle bins (闲置物品投放箱) around. Many people in the community would give their idle things into the bins. Xu Juan, a mother of two, once put a pair of gloves there. “I think it’s meaningful to help others.”

In order to encourage more people to join in the “low-carbon” activity, the community introduced a reward program. Anyone can get some points if he/she gives idle things or takes part in volunteer activities. With certain points, people can exchange things in the “low-carbon supermarket” in the community.

There is also an “exchange corner” in the community. People can exchange their idle things (except the living things) with others. If he/she is not interested in any idle things in the corner, he/she can donate (捐赠) his/her things to poor families in the community.

“We are trying to make the best use of idle things by free exchange and donation. We hope all the people in our community can live low-carbon life,” said Wang Lu, leader of Hanbei Road Community.