1 . Atmospheric (大气层的) rivers are long and narrow bands of water vapor (水蒸气) in Earth’s atmosphere, which are called “large rivers in the sky”. These rivers form over warm ocean waters. They are huge. They can be 930 miles long and one-third that wide.

Like real rivers, they carry huge amounts of water. These large streams of small water drops are blown by wind over land. When that happens, the water vapor cools down and condenses (凝结). Atmospheric rivers can be good. They bring water to dry areas. However, they can cause huge, fast-moving storms. Some cause snowfalls that bury towns. They are also the main cause of floods on the U.S. West Coast.

Atmospheric rivers are hard to predict. But scientists are working to change that. Marty Ralph, a scientist who works at the University of California, directs the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E). They created the first computer model to predict atmospheric rivers on the U.S. West Coast. This model uses a program that runs on a computer to create a model of a real-world event. CW3E also studies atmospheric rivers using planes. Pilots drop instruments into atmospheric rivers to collect information like temperature and wind speed, which helps with forecasting.

Will climate change affect atmospheric rivers? Climate change happens naturally over a long period of time. But today, it is largely caused by human activities and is causing the Earth to warm, which affects atmospheric rivers.

Atmospheric rivers are pushed by the wind. Those winds are driven by the temperature differences between the poles and the equator (赤道). But the poles are also warming faster than areas near the equator. That makes the temperature difference between the areas smaller. This can make winds weaker.

Climate change might not cause more atmospheric rivers. But there may be very, very wet seasons and very, very dry seasons. Such a seesaw in rainfall could make it harder to manage what water there is.

The Chongyang Festival is a     1     (tradition) Chinese festival celebrated on the ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar. According to legend, during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), a Taoist named Huan Jing saved his hometown     2     a plague (瘟疫) by leading villagers up a high hill in Shangcai,     3     (wear) dogwood branches and drinking chrysanthemum wine to drive away evil     4     (spirit). Since then, the tradition of celebrating the double ninth day     5     (last) for more than 2,000 years. The star during the festival is the dogwood plant,     6     grows in most parts of China. Many women and children wear its branches on their arms or decorate their hair with it. Additionally, people fill dogwood into sachets (香囊), which come in various shapes and     7     (decorate) with lively patterns like birds and flowers. They stands for different meanings of luck.

The Chongyang Festival is not only a historical Chinese festival but also     8     opportunity to show respect for the elderly. It encourages family reunions and helps to     9     (strength) family bonds. Moreover, it shows the beauty of Chinese culture and allows people     10     (connect) with their roots.

4 . Let’s be friends!

If you feel that making friends as an adult isn’t as easy as it used to be, you’re right. Though it becomes increasingly difficult, healthy friendships make a difference in our life. They can help us age better, deal with stress and live longer lives.     1    

Be optimistic

In a 2022 study, researchers found that people who received an unexpected communication, such as a small gift felt more grateful than the senders thought. Not surprisingly, a positive attitude can help us make friends.     2     If we think we’re going to be liked, we will become more likable.

    3    

“Write down the names of three to five people you know but would like to be closer to,” suggest experts. Then reach out to each of them: Send a text message, a shared photo, or an article that make you think of them. See if a small action might make a deeper connection.

Branch out

    4     Nobody gives you all you need. Just a few good mates can make all the difference. A 2020 Study found that those with three to five close friends had higher levels of satisfaction with life.

Practice

After the pandemic (疫情), many of us forgot how to socialize.     5     In a 2022 study, participants were required to talk to strangers every day for a week. And what do you know? In the end, people were less worried and more confident.

6 . Students who are better able to understand and manage their emotions effectively, a skill known as emotional intelligence (EI), do better at school than their less-skilled classmates, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

“It’s not enough to be smart and hardworking. Students must also be able to understand and manage their emotions to succeed at school,” said Carolyn MacCann, lead author of the study. MacCann and her colleagues analyzed data from more than 160 studies, representing more than 42,000 students from 27 countries, published between 1998 and 2019. The students ranged in age from primary school to college. The researchers found that students with higher EI tended to get higher grades and better achievement test scores than those with lower EI scores. This finding held true even when controlling for intelligence and personality factors. What was most surprising to the researchers was the association held despite different ages.

As for why EI can affect academic performance, MacCann believes a number of factors may come into play. “Students with higher EI may be better able to manage negative emotions, such as anxiety, boredom and disappointment, which can negatively affect academic performance,” she said. “Also, these students may be better able to manage the social world around them, forming better relationships with teachers, classmates and family, all of which are important to academic success.” Finally, the skills required for EI, such as understanding human motivation and emotion, may overlap with (与……重叠) the skills required to master certain subjects, such as history and language, giving students an advantage in those subject areas, according to MacCann.

However, MacCann cautions against widespread testing of students to identify and target those with low EI as it may stigmatize (给……打上烙印) those students. Instead, she recommends interventions that involve the whole school, including additional teacher training and a focus on teacher well-being and emotional skills. “Programs that integrate emotional skill development into the existing curriculum would be beneficial, as research suggests that training works better when run by teachers rather than external specialists,” she said. “Increasing skills for everyone — not just those with low EI—would benefit everyone.”