2 . Many westerners find it so interesting that they always see Chinese people carry a vacuum (真空) cup no matter which season it is. If you go to a restaurant in western countries, they usually serve you a cup of cold water, sometimes even with ice. And every time when Chinese people ask the waiter if they can change to hot water, actually they may receive a strange look from the waiter or people nearby. Hot water? Seriously? Why do Chinese people drink hot water? The answer may exist in the following aspects.

Actually, water quality became a matter of debate in the 1930s in China, when the water supplies were polluted. In order to prevent people from infectious diseases, the government suggested people drinking boiled water, because they considered it a way to kill off bacteria. They always boiled water daily and stored it in a kettle to keep the water warm for the day. Even now, you can find hot water devices everywhere, in schools, factories, and government departments across the country.

Besides, it is well known that Chinese people prefer hot meals every day. Therefore, some parents always teach their children to drink hot water with meals, because they think mixing cold liquids with hot meals is really bad for the stomach, and cold liquids may solidify fats in your stomach, which can cause digestive problems, while hot liquids aid in digestion.

According to the traditional Chinese medicine, health is due to an internal balance of Yin and Yang. In the Yin-Yang theory, water is Yin-type while hot stuff is Yang-type, drinking hot water can enrich Yin and tonify (滋补) Yang in your body, keeping Yin and Yang in balance. If you have cold symptoms or other Yin-type imbalances such as frequent chills, thirst, depression or sleepiness, hot water plays the role of the Yang and brings your body back into balance. Doctors of traditional Chinese medicine always tell patients to drink more hot water.

3 . In January 2020, I left for a mission, along with a 75-person crew. I had got to know everyone quite well, which made me feel confident that everything would run smoothly. The main goal of the mission was to voyage through the water, identifying boats and aircraft with our sensors while remaining undetected. We were the eyes and ears of the French navy, 300 metres under the ocean.

Being in a submarine (潜水艇) is a bit like being in a spaceship. Letters from family were allowed to keep crew members motivated, but for safety and caution, all communication from the crew’s families was seen first by navy staff who removed any content that could cause panic on board.

In February 2020, as Covid-19 started to emerge in Europe, the navy began to block all Covid-19-related news in our life. Throughout March and April, we had no idea that Covid-19 was even a thing, let alone that France was under strict lockdown.

The day finally came when we were set to come back. The radio channels on the submarine announced the news: “There is a deadly virus, and the country is locked down.” Actually, the information didn’t make any sense to me at that time. “Lockdown” was a new word to me. I didn’t know what to expect.

When I got out of the submarine. I got my phone back and received weeks’ worth of panicked messages. I took a train back to Paris, where my family lives, and was completely lost. People had masks and gloves on. I put over my mouth a fireproof mask that had been given to me by the navy. I just thought, everyone is hiding their mouths, so I’ll do it, too, even though I didn’t know why.

8 . “Who's that, Grandma? ” Four-year-old Taylor pointed to a delicate gold photo frame I had placed on my desk. “That's great-grandma Gladys, ” I replied.

I ________ the picture, my fingers carefully tracing the outline of the familiar face returning my gaze(凝视): her clear blue eyes, the wrinkle lines that ________ her forehead and the tender smile that always comforted me.

My mind was filled with remembrances of my mother. Always the ________, it seemed she never made anyone angry. Even though she was ________ able physically, she baby-sat my young daughter so I could work. She always made ________ for her grandchildren. Even when she wasn't with them, she was making something for them with her hands.

Then her illness ________ . The doctor wanted to experiment with a (an) ________ that might give her another year of life. She agreed so she could be around to ________ her long-awaited first great-grandchild.

The surgery ________ . Several weeks later, Mom passed away, exactly a month before Taylor's birth. Still in great ________, I traveled five hundred miles to be with my family and welcome my new grandson.

A few days later, as I ________ Taylor gently to help him sleep, suddenly I understood why she was so ________ taking care of for our family. Her love for us was so deep and so ________ —a love I was only beginning to learn to give.

“She looks like you, Grandma! ” Taylor's voice brought me back to the ________. He touched the gold-framed photo tenderly. My eyes turned to his, and a ________ smile came to my lips and heart, for then I knew my mother's love and peace. It's a legacy (遗产)of love.

9 . Why do we universally appreciate cartoons? Because they are visual — the humor unfolds right before our eyes. As writers, we have a unique challenge to craft worlds, including humorous ones, using only words.

At first glance, writers and cartoonists have vastly different toolboxes and skill sets. But if you look closely, you will notice similar devices, such as simplification, exaggeration (夸张), and contrast.

In many literary forms, decoration enriches a piece. That’s not true for humor writing — humor can get lost with too many details. Adding a bit of shading will give depth to an illustration, yet there’s usually no need to detail every feature. There’s a thin line between plain and funny, and the difference often lies in whether a writer adheres to the universal comedic principle, “less is funnier.” By simplifying complex situations, characters, plots, and reactions, your work becomes more digestible and humorous.

Exaggeration is one of the most straightforward and effective comedic tools. As a humor writer, don’t shy away from every chance to stretch the truth, whether by understatement or overstatement. However, effective humor is truth based. The relationship between exaggeration and realism in humor is like stretching a rubber band (橡皮筋). A little stretching, even repeated stretching, is no problem. However, overstretching the band will cause it to break, as well as the humor and the reader’s trust.

Contrasting is the juxtaposition (并列) of elements not usually coupled, a technique that cartoonists use to create humorous mismatches by placing significantly different elements side by side. As writers, we can use juxtaposition to brainstorm new humor angles and create funny mismatches.

Humor is at its funniest when it’s visual, and writers can craft more humorous material by employing the same techniques used by cartoonists. By thinking and writing visually, you can show the funny to readers.

10 . Rushing down the path, the traceur (跑酷者) is on the lookout for his next obstacles such as fire escapes, walls, or fences. As soon as he realizes a massive brick wall stands between him and where he wants to be, he unintentionally grabs on the wall with his hands and lifts himself to stand on top of it. His next move is a jump that lands him back on solid ground; however, noticing that he is unstable, he rolls to avoid injury.

Traceurs are athletes who perform remarkable gymnastics actions in urban environments. Serious traceurs are fascinated not just by the physical challenges of Parkour, but by its philosophy. Those who learn to excel at Parkour claim to develop not just physical fitness, but increased self-confidence and critical thinking skills, as they train themselves to find ways around every obstacle in their paths.

Because of these philosophical foundations, Parkour is often described by traceurs as more of a lifestyle or an art form than a sport. Passionate traceurs are determined to keep Parkour from becoming a competitive attempt. Competition, they argue, devalues the philosophical theory behind Parkour. People who practice Parkour should be more concerned with their relationship to the environment than with a ticking clock, a score, or a cheering crowd. Furthermore, traceurs should work with each other to improve confidence, awareness, and unity. Competition, they argue, only brings about feelings of conflict and disharmony.

While Parkour purists suggest that the philosophy behind Parkour helps to limit injuries, they must remember that not everyone who tries to leap over a mailbox is an experienced traceur trying to get in touch with his or her environment. Adolescents attempting to carry out these acrobatic (杂技的) skills could severely injure themselves. So while newcomers to Parkour might be eager to investigate this art of movement, it would be wise for them to remember the physicality behind the philosophy. After all, philosophy is not much good to a broken leg.