1 . Here are the Disney movies recommended by Brandon Dammit for this weekend.

Fantasia 2000

Budget: $80 million

Score: 75%

I remember disliking Fantasia 2000 in theaters as a young child, but I have developed a much deeper appreciation for the fantastic music as an adult. Disney has employed advanced sound tools to produce a movie that was under-appreciated at its first appearance.

Pete’s Dragon

Budget: $65 million

Score: 60%

I love Disney as much as the younger generation. But it’s disappointing to see flavorless remakes like The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast harvest billions at the box office while more soulful remakes like Pete’s Dragon is largely ignored.

The Rescuers Down Under

Budget: $38 million

Score: 70%

I won’t lie to you, kind reader. The Rescuers Down Under is the only movie that I’ve never seen here and my honor won’t allow me to pretend otherwise. According to Disney, it’s about the world’s bravest mice, Bernard and Bianca, who race to Australia to save a boy and a rare golden eagle from a cruel hunter. So, you know, normal Disney stuff.

The Great Mouse Detective

Budget: $14 million

Score: 72%

Picture this: a young mouse named Olivia is committed to discovering the truth of her father’s disappearance in 1897 London, and she got the help from his friends, Dr. Dawson and Toby. It’s basically Disney’s Sherlock Holmes.

2 . NYCRUNS Brooklyn Half Marathon

Join us on Sunday, April 28, 2024, for the NYCRUNS Brooklyn Half Marathon! Starting in North Brooklyn, the route offers stunning waterfront views and passes under the historic Williamsburg, Manhattan, and Brooklyn Bridges. Experience the vibrant streets of Brooklyn, from Fulton Street & Flatbush Avenue to the grandeur of Grand Army Plaza, and finish in Prospect Park.

Registration:

Fees for NYCRUNS members are $135 if registered by December 13th. Non-members pay $150. Register early to secure your spot in this unforgettable race! NYCRUNS members can enjoy a $10 discount on the registration fee. Additionally, up to 50% of the race fee can be covered using Race Credit.

Amenities:

NYCRUNS is known for putting on running events of the highest quality. After the race, celebrate your achievement with the official race shirt and an incredible medal with pride! When you finish, enjoy fresh Brooklyn bagels, NYS apples and more!

Awards:

Top finishers in various age groups will be recognized. Prize money will only be awarded to athletes who complete the NYCRUNS Brooklyn Half Marathon in a gun time faster than the qualifying time. Athletes may be subject to drug testing to ensure a fair and equal field.

Volunteer Opportunities:

Non-profits interested in group volunteering, please contact us.

Transportation:

Public transportation recommended.

Closest stations: L train to Bedford Avenue, G train to Metropolitan Avenue.

Register today and be a part of this unforgettable Brooklyn experience!

4 . A self-taught painter in Chongqing, who spent four years creating 100 illustrations of 100 cities in China, has attracted a lot of attention online.

Pu Zhen, who was born in Chongqing in 1993, ________ in animation design at college. He started teaching himself painting nine years ago. “The most difficult part is to ________ my own painting style through ________ practice,” he said.

In 2018, ________ by an old notebook he had filled with the names of Chinese cities, he ________ the idea of doing a unique illustration for each. “I just ________ my inspiration in creating the city series. Each illustration ________ a city’s typical features,” he said.

The creative ________ of the main elements of each city are ________. Some are mountains, rivers, and iconic (标志性的) buildings, and some are cultural legends. However, they all have the moon as a common image.

“The biggest ________ is myself,” said Pu, adding that during the time-consuming ________, he had to overcome loneliness and inner conflicts. “But I do feel ________ that my works are acknowledged by many fans online. Traditional Chinese city ________ are always worth passing on.”

Not only are Pu’s paintings well ________ online, but the netizens are eager to appreciate more. ________, everyone wants to see their hometowns painted by Pu Zhen. In the future, Pu plans to travel around the country and create illustrations for more cities.

Jimmy’s bar     1     (挤满了) people. Suddenly, a woman claimed her wallet was lost,     2     (里面是她最重要的物品) — a wedding ring. She was     3     (陷入了绝望). Jimmy searched cameras. A boy named Oliver was recognized. Jimmy leaned back in his chair, lost in thought. It’s time to do something, he thought. Finally he found Oliver and asked     4     (伸出手),   “Would you like to work in my bar?”   The boy widened his eyes, surprise written over his face. “Yes, Jimmy! I will work as hard     5     (像你期望的那样). And... sorry for taking the wallet,” Oliver responded with his head lowered.

The world is changing at an increasing speed. In such a world, our ability     1       (anticipate) the future is very important. Here are some tips that may help us ensure a brighter future.

First, staying optimistic is of great importance because a     2     (pessimism) person sees difficulties in every opportunity, thus giving up easily.     3     is apparent that those who make the most of every opportunity will achieve their goals. Besides, there is a general     4     (recognise) that pressure and fear will produce doubt and disbelief. So, we should let go of them and pursue our goals bravely. What’s more, the ability     5     (cooperate) with others is quite essential. No matter how old we are, working with other people benefits us a lot. Finally, stick to keeping a     6     (purity) heart and a strong mind whatever difficulties and obstacles we may meet.

7 . As I write this, a Bob Seger song is stuck in my head. It’s been playing on repeat ever since I heard it in a movie. I hated it a lot when it first came out years ago, and I still really hate it now. Why, oh why, does an earworm happen? This phenomenon, known as an earworm, is both fascinating and annoying. Earworms are a type of auditory imagery, where we perceive a tone without actually hearing it. When a familiar song is heard and suddenly stopped, some areas of the brain become overly activated in expectation of hearing the rest of the song, and then it fills in the missing pieces.

Anyone can experience earworms, but certain personality characteristics, like openness to experience, may increase their frequency. You may have seen a popular TikTok recently of a guy saying earworms aren’t normal but are instead symptoms of ADHD (多动症) or OCD (强迫症). That’s generally not the case. “It is entirely normal to experience earworms: Over 90% of participants in large-scale surveys report having had earworms at least once a week, and they are not a symptom of any other underlying mental condition,” says Jakubowski. Interestingly, earworms aren’t all bad. Research indicates that they can enhance our ability to recall past events, as the repetitive nature of the song strengthens our memory.

There are several strategies to get rid of earworms. Listening to the entire song can help resolve the unfinished loop. Alternatively, distracting yourself with another melody or engaging in activities that require focus can also be effective. Chewing gum or eating something crunchy may interrupt the song playing in your head. Despite these strategies, sometimes the best approach is to simply accept the presence of the earworm and let it fade away naturally. In my case, trying to actively rid myself of the song only made it more persistent. It seems patience is key when dealing with these stubborn musical guests in our minds.

8 . Blue jeans are as American as eating a hot dog at a baseball game. But have you ever stopped to wonder why most of us have blue jeans but not red, purple, or green jeans?

Jeans are made of denim, which is a type of strong cotton cloth. Jeans became wildly popular in the American West during the California Gold Rush. This period in the mid-1800s saw 300, 000 people pack up their lives and head west in search of fortune (财富). Searching for gold was difficult work, as people would dig into the side of mountains and look for gold that had made its way into rivers and streams, and they needed durable clothing to help them. Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis saw a chance not in gold, but in selling clothes to the tens of thousands of people arriving every year. They teamed up to create indigo — washed cloth.

So why did they use indigo(blue)to color their jeans? It has to do with the character of indigo. While most other colors penetrate (渗透) deep inside clothing, indigo stays on the surface of the threads (线). This means that when clothing colored with indigo is washed, some of the threads and coloring are removed. Over time and after much cleaning, jeans colored with indigo become softer and more comfortable as well as get that “worn in” look we all love.

Blue jeans are blue — or indigo — because they need to be tough and stand up to a hard day’s work, and also be soft and comfortable. And while many of those in search of gold never found their fortune, Levi Strauss’ blue jeans became wildly popular, and the company is still selling blue jeans 150 years later.

10 . For nearly two decades, a thin, sun-burnt postal worker could frequently be seen carrying packages along a dangerous mountain trail in the Taihang Mountains.

The 10-kilometer-long route, which is between 20 centimeters and 1 meter wide, is known as the “cat road” by locals, meaning that it is so dangerous that only cats could walk on it. Whereas, Zhao Yuefang, a postal worker in Ewu township in Huguan county, Shanxi province, had to walk the route every day to deliver mail.

Every day at the crack of dawn, he would start his journey along the “cat road”. From picking up the day’s post to delivering it to villagers and returning along the same route, it took Zhao four days. During rainy and snowy seasons, the mountain road, part of which hugs the cliffs, would become slippery and dangerous. One day in the winter of 2003, the “cat road” was covered in thick snow and he slipped off the trail. Fortunately, he was able to stop his sharp descent by grabbing a tree branch and slowly managed to climb to safety.

By 2012, Zhao had walked more than 300,000 km and delivered over 800,000 pieces of mail. Born and raised in the deep mountains, Zhao truly understands the significance of mail deliveries to villagers. “They depend on the mail to keep in touch with the outside world,” he said. “Their sheer joy written on their face while receiving any post struck me,” he added.

In 2012, a 67-km-long tourist highway was built and gone were those days when Zhao risked his life to walk on the “cat road”. But Zhao was even busier than before. “The number of packages I handle daily now exceeds the number I used to deal with in the past,” said Zhao, adding that villagers are turning to online shopping and ordering more and more goods by post.