In order to add variety to our lives, a tug- of-war (拔河) competition was held by our school recently. Before the game, we were quite unsure of ourselves, as we had no significant advantage over our competitors. We even joked, “we’ll be satisfied just as long as we don’t get last place.”

Though we had no great ambitions, everyone looked forward to the game and took it pretty seriously. Right before the games started, our participants gathered together to discuss the right strategy, while the rest of us formed a cheer leading team.

Finally, the first match began. Fortunately, neither of the two competing classes were particularly strong rivals. Despite being tired, our first victory came smoother than expected. After that first success, we all gained some confidence. A day later in the semi-finals, we were determined to make it into the top two—and we did it!

The final game was the toughest. We faced off with the champions from the last game: Class 5. By the time we arrived at the playground, we were excited to discover, unlike the other classes, almost all of our teachers were there to cheer us on!

However, that excitement didn’t last very long. As we went up to compete with the class that had won with a score of 2:0, we were once more full of doubt - how could we possibly beat them?

The cheers of the crowd were deafening. The instant we heard the whistle, we fell back with all of our might and held onto the rope as tightly as we could. At first, it was unclear who had the advantage. It seemed like centuries, and we were suddenly amazed to find that the marker was slowly moving towards our side.

Encouraged, we pulled harder and harder.

As the competition was over, the result was announced.

4 . In a year that has been characterized by the restriction, there are two activities I have found myself doing more of: running and writing.

At first glance, these two passions seem to be completely opposite. When I write, I’ll retreat (缩进) into my head, where I dig memories, ideas, characters to shape into stories. When I run, I’ll fully inhabit my body. The sounds and feelings of physical effort—foot strike, heartbeat and sweat—drown out the thoughts.

Despite their differences, though, there are similarities. Running and writing are both things we do alone. They both demand at times that we dig deep, keep going and never give up. I’ve also found that running can be complementary to writing. If I’ve been sat for hours, there’s nothing more restorative than getting out for a run. Sometimes when I’m least expecting it, solutions to tricky twists present themselves and ideas drop in as if the movement of running has itself shaken things into place. On the other hand, running especially long-distances has taught me to be brave, to look inside myself to see if there’s more to give. It has also taught me patience.

I’m far from the first runner to notice that running can help the writing process. Reflecting on her writing methods in an article in The New York Times, author and lifelong runner Joyce Oates wrote: Running seems to allow me, ideally, to have an expanded consciousness in which I can imagine what I’m writing as a film or a dream. I can’t say there is an expanded consciousness when I put on my trainers after a hard day’s writing, but there’s some evidence that working up a sweat can also fire up the imagination.

It’s not clear what’s behind the creativity though increased oxygen to the brain has been shown to help cognitive processes, so there’s no reason to think it’s useless. Whatever the link between running and creativity is, next time I find myself struggling to find the right words in the face of a deadline, I’ll run for it.

In today’s competitive world, the emphasis in athletics is so often put on breaking records. A runner’s creed: “I will win; if I cannot win, I shall do my best.” Those inspirational words, and others like it, fuel the soul of the long distance runners. Competing not only with one another, they hope to achieve their own “personal best”.

For one teen Brandon Schutt, a student in Omaha Burke High School, had been looking forward to his final cross-country race before graduating from high school. He was determined to finish the race with a respectable enough time to qualify for the upcoming state meet. Like him, all other runners were accumulating strength for a take-off.

One runner, Blake Cerveny, whose record was the fastest, tried to beat his own best. After a fast start, he continued to push himself to the limit. If he could hold on to his lead, there was no doubt that he would win. However, with less than 400 meters to go, Cerveny’s legs cramped up(抽筋)and failed him. Resolve to finish，Cerveny rose up from the ground, and continued on his way,only to fall again.His legs had simply given out. Seconds later, he lay curled on the ground, frustrated and disappointed. Other runners surpassed Cerveny with-out stopping. His will to go on faded from his body gradually.

A few moments later, Brandon, running at a very aggressive speed, drew near Cerveny. He had actually been in the same position three weeks prior when he wasn’t able to complete a race. He felt awful about not finishing. He had trained so hard for this final race in high school, to hopefully qualify for the state meet. So this time, he had made up his mind to prove himself under no circumstances.

However, noticing Cerveny’s struggle at arm’s length, Brandon hesitated.

Everyone in attendance recognized Brandon’s decision as true sportsmanship.

I had many experiences studying in groups. But the most impressive experience for me was an English singing competition.

Last term, we had to sing an English song in groups in the singing competition. The song our team chose was Try Everything.

Although most of the team members quickly learned the melody (曲调), there were still a few students who couldn’t sing it or were too shy to sing it in public. So, we taught those who couldn’t sing and encouraged those who were very shy. Finally, we sang it really well and got first prize.

From this experience, I realized that studying in groups has a lot of superiority. Everyone has advantages and disadvantages. When we work in teams, we can learn from each other and fill in teaming gaps. Also, it’s easy to give up when studying alone. And with each other’s encouragement. We’ll be more likely to be able to persist. What’s more, when we discuss in groups, we can learn how to communicate with others and achieve the team goals together.

Just as the saying goes, “Alone we can run faster, but together we can go further?” So, let’s enjoy group study!

9 . Some people prefer to have a bite to eat before hitting the gym, known as a fed workout. Others would like to wait until after exercising to refuel their bodies, called a fasted workout.    1     Many experts say there’s no easy answer because it depends on the person.

If you want energy and strength for an ideal workout, you need fuel. A fed workout will provide your body with power. Eating before exercise may help you sustain longer sessions and lift heavier weights.     2     Muscle preservation is also an essential component of strengthening your body. Nitrogen (氮) is critical for processing protein that builds healthy muscles. People tend to lose less nitrogen during a fed workout than a fasted one.

Many fitness enthusiasts are not on board with this idea. They report feeling sick and inactive while trying to exercise after eating. With a fasted workout, you may not get the usual indigestion. Experts for fasted workouts further claim that eating afterwards makes your body use its fat reserves for energy, meaning you will burn more fat.     3     It can cause a sudden drop in your blood glucose (葡萄糖) levels, and you may feel dizzy. You may even be more likely to overeat.

    4     Not all foods are created equal. For example, if you choose a fed workout, you’ll probably lose a lot of water during an intense training, so you should consider drinking some beforehand. With a fasted workout, it would help if you had some nutrition right after your session is complete. Drink some water. Then, have a light meal or nutritional snack.

Deciding when to eat for an ideal workout is a personal choice. Both fasted workouts and fed activities have their benefits and shortcomings.     5