There are a few tips that can make road cycling fun and safe for people of all experience levels. In the United States, riders should usually ride on the right hand side of the road, while they may ride on the left side of the road in other countries. Besides, if the traffic is heavy, cyclists may be required to let other cars pass first in some areas. If bikeways are available (可用的), use the bikeways and know how to do safely. Generally，all road cyelists are required to follow all traffic signs and rules, even if other cars are not present.
Before your cycling, make sure the bike helmet (头盔) fits according to the instructions. If the helmet is too large or too small, it can’t protect the cyclist’s head well. Protective eyewear (护目镜)is also a good idea and must fit so it doesn’t fall off while speeding downhill or cycling uphill. If there are windy conditions, protective eyewear can help prevent dirt (灰尘) from causing the discomfort of eyes which can be a danger to a rider.
In fact, it is also important for riders to learn how to brake (刹车). This is usually done by quickly shaking the front brake. A good tip is to practice using the front brake before heading out on the road. Besides, it is important to learn how to ride in a bike group. It is often taught in a professional training team.Finally, do not forget to plan and prepare for the bike route. For example, consider if road repairing is present on a given route. Besides，it may be more enjoyable to ride during times and on roads that do not have a heavy traffic. Meanwhile, consider whether a dog may be present；an angry dog may try to knock a cyclist over, and it may be best to find another route.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Second-hand fashion stages a comeback
Few followers of fashion will forget the moment when a super model arrived at a New York fashion week dinner, wearing a 1950s dress. The next day, a hunt for something similar began. That was 2003. Fast forward to the 2020s and second-hand fashion is renewing a new round of craze, and this time, arguably, it’s back for good.
When super models and designers were buying things at second-hand markets and matching them with expensive pieces, the act was more related to the old ideal of what fashion was — very trend-based and very season-based. Today, ordinary people always want to have new looks but they’re becoming more aware of the impact of their choices on the environment, and the best thing we can do in this climate crisis is to limit the resources we take out of the planet. Second-hand fashion speaks to what’s happening right now. And the world is speaking back. It’s estimated that the total resale clothes market is expected to rise in value from $96 billion in 2021 to $141 billion by 2023. More than ‘back for good’, second-hand fashion looks set to become the new norm.
The increased crafts of repair and upcycling offer another contemporary dimension to the trend. There’s a rise in young people looking at things that already exist, not only to take inspiration from, but also to use as material for next-stage creation. Current repair and upcycling skills make their wish a reality.
Even social media platforms are on board. “Once you start finding heat at the second-hand fashion shop, it quickly turns into an ever-growing addiction. Each piece has history behind it,” said an online celebrity with 1.7 million followers. He, along with other celebrities posting visits to shops of this kind, has pushed up sales. Their power in the field can’t be neglected.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Are Competitive Game Harmful to Children?
There is a cry of rage, and a tennis racket crashes to the ground. Jake, age 7, has just lost another match and is now in tears beside the court. His sister Sally, just one year older, looks at her mother and rolls her eyes: it is hard to enjoy when this keeps happening. It is not an unusual situation, and it is one reason why many people argue that competition is bad for children. However, the truth is that competitive games are a valuable preparation for life.
Games with winners and losers given children the chance to experience life’s ups and downs. Take Jake, for example: even though is unhappy now, he will probably be smiling and laughing with his sister in a few minutes, just like the last time this happened. Gradually, he will learn that the world does not end when you lose a game. Eventually, he may even be able to lose with a smile on his face. This is an important lesson. Not everything in life goes the way you would like, and it is important to know how to handle disappointment when it occurs.
Children who participate in competitive games develop qualities that will allow them to succeed in the complex world of adult life. For example, one of the missions of the Youth Olympic Games is to inspire young people to adopt the Olympic values, which include striving, determination, and optimism. Competition creates the desire to do better. Children have to learn to succeed in a competitive atmosphere in order to take advantage of opportunities in the future. Although it is possible to win by chance occasionally, people who win and keep winning work very hard to achieve their success.
Of course, there are parents who argue that children of Jake’s age are too young to handle the pain of losing. But whether we like it or not, adult life is very competitive, and keeping children away from competition does them more harm than good.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Working Around
According to the latest statistics, young men and women from the UK are leaving their country in large numbers because they want to work abroad. Is the idea of working abroad fact or fiction and what is it like to work in another country?
In order to find answers to these questions, the Guardian newspaper recently interviewed British workers in France, Germany, Spain and Holland. What they discovered was that if you have a marketable skill and can speak the language of the country you are in, then you will have no problem finding work. Let’s take the following examples. Peter Tate moved to France in 1991. He had studied lighting design in England and had worked for eleven years in theatres around the country. He wanted a different lifestyle and certainly didn’t expect to get a job in his field immediately.
He did a number of different jobs until he was finally hired by Disneyland Paris in 1992. First he worked there as a lighting technician, then he eventually got a job in design. After all his experience, he says that you have to be realistic about finding exactly the kind of job you want abroad. “The theatre is a small world,” he explains. “Jobs are usually found through contracts. I had to get to know people first and I didn’t speak very good French when I first arrived.”
He admits that his poor level of French was a big problem. He did a three-month language course before he moved to France permanently, but this still was not enough. He says that if you want to get a good job in another country, you have to be able to speak the language well. A lack of language skills is the main problem when trying to find work in Europe.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
It's a feeling we all get at some point or another. It’s the feeling of low self-confidence, a defeatist attitude and regret. Admitting to the feeling isn’t easy, and sometimes you may not even know it's affecting you, but no matter what the case, it has to be taken care of. To deal with it, you need to know how. These tips appear to be simple, but you need to think of how they apply to you.
Stop saying “I should have ...” It’s so important to learn from our past and recognize where we went wrong, but you will never be able to feel good about yourself if you’re constantly counting those mistakes. Perhaps you really messed up and lost your friends for certain reasons that were totally preventable. Now you’re feeling there’s a hole in your life because you know something is missing. Rather than dwelling on the reason why something happened and what could have been, find a way to make new friends and surround yourself with people who love you for who you are now.
Remember that there’s no such thing as “Perfect”. You’ll always be a work in progress, as will every single person on this earth. The key is to use that to your advantage. You may be learning a new language and feel you’re really getting the hang of it one day and the next you can’t remember a single thing about what you learned the day before. That’s okay. If you accept this truth and start clearing the chimney of negative thoughts such as “I’m not good enough” and “I shouldn't try again because I’ll fail”, you will feel better.
Stay hungry, stay foolish. Challenge yourself to take chances, to create and to explore who you are. This means not always taking yourself so seriously. You’ll find yourself stumbling upon some of the greatest discoveries in your life by accident rather than by design.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A hobby can be almost anything a person likes to do in his spare time. Hobbyists raise pets, build models ships, or weave baskets. They watch birds, hunt animals, climb mountains, raise flowers, fish, ski, skate, and swim. Hobbyists also paint pictures, attend concerts and plays, and perform on musical instruments. They collect everything from books to butterflies, and from shells to stamps.
People take up hobbies because activities offer enjoyment, friendship, knowledge, and relaxation. Hobbies help people relax after periods of hard work, and provide a balance between work and play. Hobbies also offer interesting activities for persons who have retired. Anyone, rich or poor, old or young, sick or well, can follow a satisfying hobby, regardless of his age, position or income.
Hobbies can help a person’s mental and physical health. Doctors have found that hobbies are valuable in helping patients recover from physical or mental illness. Hobbies give bedridden or wheel-chair patients something to do, and provide interests that keep them from thinking about themselves. Many hospitals treat patients by having them take up interesting hobbies or pastimes.
In early times, most people were too busy making a living to have many hobbies. But some persons who had leisure（闲暇） did enjoy hobbies. The ancient Egyptians played games with balls made of wood, pottery, and papyrus. Some Greeks and Romans collected miniature soldiers.
People today have more time than ever before for hobbies. Machines have reduced the amount of time they must spend on their jobs. Hobbies provide variety for workers who do the same boring tasks all day long. More people are retiring than ever before, and at an earlier age. Those who have developed hobbies never need to worry about what to do with their newly-found leisure hours.
Sir William Osler, a famous Canadian doctor, expressed the value of hobbies by saying, “No man is really happy or safe without a hobby, and whatever your hobby is, it can make a difference to your life.”
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
There's more of a connection between food and culture than you may think.
On an individual level, we grow up eating the food of our cultures. Many associate foods from our childhood with warm feelings and fond memories, tying us to our families.On a large scale, food operates as an expression of cultural identity, Traditional cuisine (烹饪法) is passed down from one generation to the next. Immigrants bring the food of their countries where they go, and cooking traditional food is a symbol of pride for their ethnicity (民族特色) as well as a means of coping with homesickness.
Many immigrants open their own restaurants and serve traditional dishes. However, the food does not remain exactly the same. Some ingredients needed to make traditional dishes may not be readily available, so the taste and flavour can be different from what they would prepare in their home countries. Additionally, immigrants who sell dishes have to alter the original dishes to satisfy a wider range of customers. Alterations to original dishes can create new flavors that still preserve the cultural significance of the dish.
What stays the same is the extent to which each country or community's unique cuisine reflects its unique history, lifestyle, values, and beliefs. For example, in China, harmony is a vital characteristic in almost every aspect of life. This is reflected in Chinese cuisine, where almost every flavour is used in a balanced way. Throughout history, Chinese people are of the belief that food not only needs to be nutritious but also needs to look appealing, so they put a lot of effort into decorating the dishes，with vibrant red as their traditional colour.
As the world becomes more globalized, it is easier to access cuisines from different cultures. We should not only accept our traditions through our culture's food but also become more informed about other cultures by trying their foods. It is important to remember that each dish has a special place in the culture to which it belongs, and is special to those who prepare it. Food is a window to culture, and it should be treated as such.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Family Disputes and Arguments
There may be nothing worse than slammed doors,raised voices and tears but,according to new research,it's actually a good idea for parents who want to be close to their teenage children to have a row(吵架）a day.
Instead of causing alienation(疏远)，conflict can strengthen parent-adolescent relationships, says Tabitha Holmes,a specialist in adolescent development.“It was a complete surprise to me to discover during my research that teenagers themselves saw heated arguments as something that brought them closer to their parents,'said Holmes.“While their parents talked about how upsetting and destructive arguing with their child was,the adolescents were able to see how arguments helped them to understand their parents' points of view more clearly.
They were also very aware that a good row forced them to think through,express and defend their opinions and desires.'According to Holmes,it is the day-to-day conflicts-the very ones that can be so draining-—that are most constructive:the endless rows over homework,clothes and friends.It's vital for conflicts to be heated: calm discussion or animated debate does not count.‘Adolescents said they only told their mothers what they really felt and thought when they were forced to defend their position.'
“If your teenager is rowing with you,it's actually a mark of respect,'Holmes said.“It shows they value you enough to tell you their genuine feelings and thoughts.'To be positive,conflicts have to be handled in the right way,Holmes admitted.Parents need to listen genuinely to their teenager's viewpoint;it's necessary for them to be able to modify their own position in the light of what their child tells them;and they need to be respectful,to go into the row acknowledging that their child's point of view is worthwhile.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
