1 . Flexible thinking for your career

Does work ever leave you feeling stuck in a rut with limited opportunities to be creative? To thrive, you might want to _________ your brain’s flexibility. But is this even possible, and if so, how?

Most jobs require the ability to solve problems and deal with _________, at least to a certain extent. Imagine a teacher who has a new and very nervous student in their class. If that teacher is a flexible thinker, he will be able to _________ his classroom management, even if he hasn’t seen this situation before. According to Leonard Mlodinow, author of Elastic, flexible thinkers rely on idea generation and imagination — they are willing to _________ and take risks. “Elastic thinking is what you need when the circumstances change, and you are dealing with something new. It’s not about _________ rules.” Therefore, instead of following the typical _________ for welcome a new student, the teacher might come up with a tailored response, based on prediction and previous experience.

So, how can you become a more flexible thinker? According to Dr Lisa Feldman Barrett, it’s all about _______   the brain. One way of doing this, she says, is through exposure to a variety of experiences which make it easier to adjust to new situations. A lot of companies now consider flexible thinking in the workplace, _________ when it comes to design. Workspaces may have couches(长沙发) where workers can _________ and relax, giving them the space to come up with and process new ideas. Mlodinow says it’s very important to take time to daydream, listen to ideas and concepts you disagree with and spend time doing activities outside of your __________. This will help you understand multiple points of view and therefore blossom in many different aspects of your career.

So, if you want to make a change, you can become a flexible thinker too, with a little practice.

2 . Acupuncture(针灸), an ancient Chinese medical practice, has been the remedy for countless patients for thousands of years. Before modern medicine came to life, ancient Chinese used stone tools to ______ pain. Over time, this primitive practice ______ evolved into a comprehensive and profound medical system and ______ the root of acupuncture.

Acupuncture is a treatment that aims to ______ the body’s self-regulating functions. Its therapeutic principles are in line with the ______ concepts of traditional Chinese medicine, which emphasizes all-inclusive treatment, meridian(经络) adjustment, balance of bodily functions and overall physiological well-being.

Practices can ______ in forms, including needle insertion, cupping and scraping. Needle insertion, the most common method, is______ by inserting hair-thin needles into meridians, ______ specific points on the body that ______ vital energy (the qi). Practitioners lift, twirl and rotate needles to unblock the flow of energy; ______ yin and yang balance; and stimulate the body’s innate ______ to heal itself.

Looking beyond China, acupuncture has become a global ______. Over the years, acupuncture has seen many advancements in scientific research and modern medicine. It is now a mainstream ______ and complementary treatment for a variety of weaknesses. According to a 2019 WHO report, acupuncture is used in 113 of its 120 member countries, ______ its widespread recognition and application.

As an ancient Chinese medical ______ with a rich history and deep cultural significance, acupuncture is an embodiment of profound cultural heritage and a holistic path to healing.

3 . Have you ever had a song stuck in your head and, no matter how hard you tried, you could not get rid of it? The song played on and on, whether you were loading the dishwasher, weaving in and out of traffic, or attempting to _________ your mind at the start of yoga class.

Having a song stuck in one’s head, known as an earworm, is an experience that over 90% of us have on a _________ basis. We’re more likely to catch an earworm after we stop focusing, in moments when the working memory is _________, when we’re relaxed, when work is finished or when we’re a bit sleepy.

Certain songs are _________ than others, and so more likely to “auto repeat” in your head. There are certain musical characteristics that make songs more likely to become earworms, such as if the piece is repetitive, if there is a longer duration of certain notes, if _________ between the notes are smaller. _________, we know that mood can have an impact, with some people reporting that they always get the same earworm when they feel good, or people experiencing a fast-tempo earworm when they are _________. And of course familiarity with a song is a key _________. Songs that you don’t know very well are less likely to pop up as earworms.

If you’ve had enough of your earworm and need to stop it in its tracks, you would be well warned not to try to block the song out, but rather to _________ accept it. A determined effort to block the song out may result in the very __________ of what you want. According to psychologist Daniel Wegner, __________ the song may make your brain keep playing it over and over again. To get rid of an earworm, you may be best served by simply __________ it, accepting it, and leaving it alone to let this phenomenon ends up weakening itself little by little.

Some people try to __________ themselves from the song, and it works. You can try reading a book, listening to a different song or even playing an instrument. Others __________ the tune in question, because it is commonly believed that earworms occur when you remember only part of a song; hearing the entire song may stop it. Neurologists (神经学家) point out that it’s recommendable to chew gum to reduce the __________ of an earworm because jaw movement interferes with musical memory. However, it’s important to note that this phenomenon usually lasts less than 24 hours.

4 . For most people, the longest relationship they will have is with their sibling (兄弟姐妹). It’s a shame, then, that we can’t choose them. As children, my younger sister and I were always _________ with each other. I was jealous of her looks and she felt threatened by my academic success. But our rivalry (竞争) was _________ compared to that of some famous siblings.

Take 1940s movie star Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine as an example. The competitive relationship between these sisters is famous in Hollywood. “I married first, won the Oscar before Olivia did. And if I die first, she’ll _________ be angry because I beat her to it,” Joan wrote in her autobiography (自传). Their rivalry became very _________ in 1946 when Olivia won an Oscar. Joan was asked to present the award but Olivia refused to even shake her hand. “They just don’t have much in common,” said one person at the time.

But it’s not just in _________ business where siblings fall out. Businessman Rudolf and Adolf Dassler started making sports shoes in the small German town of Herzogenaurach in the 1920s. Their factory south of the river became very successful but they were always very _________. Adolf, or Adi, was a quiet craftsman while Rudolf was “a loud-mouthed salesman”. _________, in 1948, the brothers fell out permanently. Rudolf moved across the river and set up a rival sports-shoe company, which he called Puma. _________, Adi used the first letters of his name and surname to create his brand—Adidas.

The brothers never spoke to each other again and their rivalry _________ the town. The residents wore either Adidas or Puma and would sometimes refuse to __________ each other. It became a place where you always looked at the __________ someone was wearing before starting a conversation. The brothers died in the 1970s and were buried in the same cemetery—at opposite ends.

But not all successful siblings __________ each other. Top tennis players Serena and Venus Williams have played each other in over major tennis tournament finals, but have always remained the best friends. They played doubles together, lived together, and even had breakfast together before these big matches. “We leave everything on the __________,” Serena once said. “We’re sisters the moment we shake hands at the net.”

So, now that we’re adults, have my sister and I learnt to be more like the William sisters and less like the Dasslers? Well, I’d love to say “yes” but the __________ answer is “not always”. I still hate seeing photos of us together because I still feel inferior (次的) to her. But our rivalry is not as bad as it used to be, and if I feel really jealous, I remind myself: __________ disappears but a sister is for life!