1 . Common phrases like “no pains, no gains” give the impression that we ought to be suffering while we study. It’s almost as though the only way to know if we’re putting in enough work is the sense of hardship we bear.

When we haven’t taken the time to come up with another strategy, all we know how to do is shut ourselves in a room with a book. It’s no surprise that we find revision boring and difficult. Just as children learn from playing, we can learn from doing, or at least from study techniques that engage us, rather than make us switch off.

Shutting yourself away can make you learn to hate studying. This leads to a situation where instead of being able to concentrate on your work, you obsess about (唠叨)how unfair it is that you must study. When you feel bitter about your work it’s very difficult to make yourself start, or approach it with enthusiasm. This can be part of a vicious cycle (恶性循环) that traps you into ineffective revision, your poor progress fuelling further bitterness. Just being around other people really helps fight against feelings of loneliness and, thankfully, it’s perfectly possible to work in the company of other people. We just need to learn how to deal with distractions.

It’s not necessary to avoid all company, just idle (懒散的) company. Studying in the same room with someone who is ironing or working out is perfectly possible. People who are bored and looking to be distracted, however, are terrible to work around. They constantly try to keep others in conversation. It’s also a good idea to avoid the company of people engaged in activities that you would rather be doing than studying. Working while sitting next to someone playing video games is much more likely to end with a new high score than a productive few hours of revision. If being around others means working in a noisy environment, a pair of headphones and some background music can block out noises. They also act as a psychological barrier, so that people think twice before interrupting you.

When you’re studying for a big exam, it seems like your whole life is taken up with study. Being in the same room with friends and family can lessen feelings of isolation (孤立). Also connecting with other people makes us happy, so it’s important not to give that up and to make sure that we take the time to socialize.

2 . “You should get a cat, ”my therapist(治疗专家)said. “A cat?” I couldn’t even look after myself. . I took a deep breath and carefully considered the idea of welcoming a feline (猫科的)friend into my life. This seemed like too easy a fix for the fact that I couldn’t leave the house without bursting into tears.

When my partner and I found Cinnamon, her adoption profile made her out as the perfect kitten. We filled out the paperwork and prepared for her arrival.

When she came home, it became increasingly obvious that Cinnamon didn’t understand “no”, “stop it” or “don’t do that”. She was the worst cat I’ve ever owned. I was beginning to doubt my therapist’s advice.

After visiting our vet, she concluded that Cinnamon just wanted our attention. She fought tooth and nail to get a bite of our meals. She’d fearlessly lick sharp knives when left unattended for a split second. Cinnamon stole my heart with her bravery and kept me busier than I’d ever expected.

We decided to start taking her for walks. I could barely leave the house before, but my heart couldn’t say no to Cinnamon. Cinnamon showed me what bravery looked like. She didn’t stop to consider every possible outcome of a situation; she simply went for it. If there was a dog at a park, she would run toward it. She jumped without knowing where she would land. She loved adventure. I found myself mirroring her behavior after a while, jumping out of bed without a second thought. I began to find the motivation to get out of bed in the morning.

Cinnamon unfortunately passed away after a medical accident. I’m no stranger to sadness or grief, but losing my pet so suddenly was the most confusing emotional experience I’ve had to date. She no longer wakes me up at 5 am begging for breakfast, but she’s still the reason I get up every morning.

Our time is often cut unpredictably, unmistakably short. It would be a shame to live life being anything less than brave and adventurous.

6 . In 2019, the world generated 54.6 million tons of e-waste. However, just 17.4 percent of it was formally collected and recycled. Since 2014, the amount of e-waste recycled has grown by 1.8 million tons—a relatively small amount, considering that the amount of e-waste generated increased by 9.2 million tons in the same period.

Global reserves of some elements, such as platinum, are supposed to be fully used up within 15 years if the proportion of recycled stocks entering production doesn’t increase. E-waste and EV batteries are currently recycled through processes called pyrometallurgy (火法冶金术) and hydrometallurgy (湿法冶金术). However, they involve burning temperatures with a high energy demand and deep carbon footprint, and poisonous chemicals which are harmful to the environment. Alternatives are therefore being sought.

A team of scientists from the University of Coventry are extending one such alternative. They have been using non-poisonous bacteria to oxidize and recover the precious metals—a process known as “bioleaching”. They have shown that copper is widely recoverable from e-waste, and that all metals present in EV batteries can be recovered by using microbes (微生物). If extended, bioleaching facilities would mean that manufacturers of EV batteries and other electronic goods would be able to recover metals locally, relying less on costly exports to recycling centers abroad.

“At present, a key limitation for e-waste recycling is the lack of certification detailing the types and amounts of metals contained in electronic goods. But with an efficient recycling process appearing, manufacturers have the motivation to use more recycled material in their products, which will change the very design of electronics goods. It’s about closing the loop of a product’s life cycle,” said the leader of the Bioleaching Research Group, Sebastien Farnaud.

Ultimately, bioleaching technology is born out of the idea of creating a truly circular process for the things that we consume. We need to shift from a mindset and economy where we see waste as an end product, to one where there isn’t even a start or an end at all.

7 . In 2020, compared with the previous year’s film market, the popularity of domestic films this year improved, the themes were more diverse, and the coverage was more extensive. Here are some of the top 10 domestic box office movies in 2020.

The Eight Hundred

It is based on the battle of Songhu in 1937 and tells the story of a camp of the Chinese National Revolutionary Army and its adherence in Shanghai. To strengthen the momentum, the actual number of 400 people was changed to 800 people. The “800 heroes” fought hard for four days and it wasn’t until Oct. 30th that they were ordered to withdraw to the British concession (租界).

The film was released in Chinese mainland on Aug. 21st, with a total box office of 3.09 billion yuan ($ 472.39 million) by Oct.25th.

Coffee or Tea?

It tells the story of three young people with different personalities who return to an ancient village in Yunnan from a big city to start their own business. They understand that e-commerce going the countryside is not only to sell things in the city to the countryside, but also to sell things from the countryside. They change everyone with sincerity and start an extraordinary journey.

The film was released on Oct.4th, with a total box office of 306.19 million yuan ($46.79 million) by Nov. 8th.

Leap

The film tells the story of China’s women’s volleyball team’s life and death battle from its first World Championship in 1981 to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. It also tells the legend of several generations of women’s volleyball players who have experienced setbacks but remained indomitable (不屈不挠) and consonantly struggling.

The film was released on Sept. 25th, with a total box office of 827.37 million yuan ($126.43 million) by Nov. 8th.

Love You Forever

A young dancer finds Lin Ge s diary while rescuing the elderly theater manager. In the diary, the old man with white hair is like her best friend. To fulfill his promise, Lin Ge goes back to the past, corrects his mistakes and saves his love. However, he is teased by fate and cannot be satisfied.

The film was released on Aug. 25th, with 8 total box office of 510.1 million yuan ($76.47 million) by Sept. 27th.

8 . In one Nebraska teen running race before graduating from high school, Brandon Schutt’s personal best turned out not to be about marking the fastest time but displaying the biggest heart.

During the race, he knew he had the potential to ________ for the upcoming state meet, so he slowed to a comfortable ________ that would allow him to simply enjoy the moment and the day. Meanwhile, aiming to ________ his own personal record, after a fast start, Blake Cerveny continued to push himself ________. With less than 400 meters to go, Cerveny got a cramp (抽筋) in his legs and they ________ him. ________ to finish, Cerveny rose from the ground and continued on, only to ________ again after another 150 metere... and again. This time he’d ________ it only 25 meters more before going down. With tremendous effort, the young runner pulled himself up and with a(n) ________ pace, moved forward for one final push. It wasn’t enough. Less than 100 meters from the ________ line, he lay curled on the ground. His ________ had simply given out.

Brandon Schutt, who was at his side, ________ a helping hand. His first ________ to get Cerveny up failed, but like Cerveny, he too refused to ________. With a second tug (拖拽), Cerveny was on his ________. With Cerveny holding Schutt for ________ and Schutt helping Cerveny maintain balance, the two ________ the Final 75 meters. Schutt even made sure the injured runner crossed the finish line first, securing his ________ a faster time.

In today’s competitive world in which the emphasis in athletics is so often put on breaking records, it was ________ to see that for an athlete like Brandon Schutt, the value of true sportsmanship still had legs. And for others, like Blake Cerveny, knowing that finishing the race, no matter the odds or adversity, is the true ________ of a win.