2 . Of all the stories of Olympic medalists, the most touching one is that of weight-lifting champion Oscar Figueroa.

During his athletic _________, the 37-year-old man had the chance to _________ in the Olympic games four different times. But he met with plenty of heartbreak and _________ before he finally succeeded.

In the 2004 Olympic games, Figueroa made his first _________. Because he wasn’t satisfied with his result, he looked _________ to competing in the Beijing 2008 Olympic games to prove himself. _________, just two weeks before the event, his hand was _________, which set him back in his weightlifting and _________ him the chance. By the London Olympic games in 2012, Figueroa took home the silver medal.

In spite of all, he’d already _________, he still aimed higher. In 2016, he headed to Rio to __________ the highest prize and he did. After his final lift, he __________ his shoes and put them on the stage, indicating that he would __________ from the Olympics. Amazingly enough, he took home the gold that year!

No matter how hard he felt, he never gave up, serving as a __________ example of hope, perseverance, and determination. Oscar Figueroa is the __________ Colombian man to have even taken home the gold in his field. He said he was __________ for the whole country in the competition in an interview.

3 . Emma Gatewood — called “Grandma Gatewood” by the world — was one of the early thru-hikers of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.), the longest walking-only footpath in the world. She was not the first person — or even the first woman — to hike the trail (路线). Her hike was notable because she was the first woman ever to complete the trail alone at an advanced age.

When Gatewood did her first thru-hike in 1955, there were few hikers and it was hard to follow the trail. There were also many fewer resources for hikers — fewer stores near the trail and much less information available about the trail. But still, Gatewood hiked it alone, carrying only a bag and a hiking stick. She ate a lot of sausages and trail mix. Sometimes she ran out of food and ate berries she recognized in the forest.

After her hike, Gatewood had this to say about the trail in an interview: I thought it would be a nice lark. It wasn’t. There were terrible burnt-over areas and sand washouts, and most of the shelters were blown down, burned down or so dirty I chose to sleep out of doors. This was no trail. This was a nightmare. I would never have started this trip if I had known how tough it was, but I couldn’t and I wouldn’t quit.

All things considered, the only thing more improbable than Emma Gatewood’s completing the trail at the age of 67, is that she turned around and did it again. Twice — once in 1957 and again in 1964, at the age of 76, but this time in sections.

“Gatewood inspired many hikers over the years,” says Luxenberg, president of the Appalachian Trail Museum, “People think, ‘if this elderly woman could do the trail by herself, then I should be able to.’”

4 . For millions of people sitting in a traffic jam or standing on a crowded train, the daily commute (通勤) probably isn’t the best part of their day. But cars and trains aren’t the only travel options.

For those who have a short commute, you could consider getting an electric bike or scooter. An electric scooter has the advantage of being highly portable (轻便的): small and light enough to carry to your office. You’ll just need to check if they are allowed to be used in your area.

Take RYNO for example. It’s a single-wheel electric scooter, whose highest speed is about that of a bicycle. And like other electric vehicles, it can be charged anywhere.

If you want transportation for short distances, the WalkCar might be perfect for you.

The WalkCar looks like a laptop and only weighs three kilograms. It’s also incredibly easy to use — stand on it and it will start to move; move your weight to one side and it will change direction. The WalkCar will take you at a speed of up to 10 kilometers per hour and can travel 12 kilometers on one charge.

Weighing around 200 kilograms, jetpacks aren’t exactly portable, but they’re sure to have a lot of fun and attract a lot of attention. Running on petrol, the jet engines allow the user to lift off the ground and fly in the air.

The world’s first jetpack is the Martin Jetpack. Once you’ve attached this tiny personal jet plane onto your back, you’ll be able to travel up to 50 kilometers at a height of 1,000 meters. With a price tag of about $150,000, this is probably the most expensive option, but it will almost certainly be the coolest!

5 . There are some great winter sports that are just waiting to be explored. Some or more extreme than others, but still definitely worth a try...

Invented more than 4000 years ago by the Finnish, it remains loved by so many all over the world. People of all ages can take advantage of this fun sport, as it is a great way to be outdoors and get a bit of exercise. Experts say that the more you practice, the belter your balance, co-coordination, and flexibility will become. So put on a pair of skates and get moving on the rink.

Snowcross is a sport suitable for people who are a bit more adventurous. Over the last several years, snowcross has increased in popularity and is one of the most sought-after forms of snowmobile races and a really trendy winter sport. Snowcross is popular in the USA, Canada, Sweden, and Finland. Sound fun? Why not give it a try?

Ice hockey is not just one of the most popular winter Olympic sports but has also recently become a common international sport. Ice hockey is fast passed and full of energy that also involved numerous intricate (复杂精细的) tricks and movements. It doesn’t only have a competitive side, it also is super fun!

Snowboarding is another really fun snow sport that is definitely worth trying this winter. It’s not the same as skiing, the main difference between snowboarding and skiing is that snowboarding does not use poles and most people use softer boots for flexibility. Snowboarding has only recently been added to the winter Olympics. There are hundreds of different resorts around the world that allow you to experience this popular sport.

6 . In recent years, science fictions are becoming increasingly popular. Science fiction writers using their magical imagination create imaginary worlds that attract a great number of readers especially teenagers. But how can they make it so believable?     1    

The way things work in your imaginary worlds will be based on actual science. So you must be familiar with the scientific laws related to your creation. If you’re writing about humans living on a planet with zero gravity, then you need to know the effects of zero gravity on the human body.     2     Only in this way can you gain the readers’ trust.

Then the rules in your creation can be different from our daily life, so you have to figure out the exact rules of your imaginary worlds.     3     For example, if humans in your creation are able to breathe underwater in Chapter 1, your characters can’t drown (溺水) in a swimming pool or river in Chapter 3.

    4     You should decide the following issues: the history of the world, the geography, what possibilities it offers, how everything works in this new reality, as well as how all of these factors affect the way your characters think, feel, and react. You don’t have to tell your readers all the rules in the first chapter. But you have to let readers know enough to understand what’s going on.

When you are writing, remember to make it feel real. You are creating a new real world for the readers.     5     They are able to see, hear, feel, smell, and even taste what it’s like in the new world. Whether your novel is about a world without disease or an undiscovered planet, help your readers feel like they’ re actually there.

8 . Travel has become increasingly inconvenient and sometimes impossible over the last couple of years. However, museums around the world are digitizing their collections, enabling people to tour the museums from afar.

The British Museum, London

The British Museum contains objects from around the world, including the Rosetta Stone, with three versions of a text that helped researchers learn to read ancient Egyptian. The Great Court’s ceiling, in the middle of the museum, is composed of 3212 pieces of glass, none of which are alike. The virtual tour of the museum offers a 360-degree view of the room, allowing visitors to look at every piece.

MASP, S ão Paulo

The first modern museum in Brazil, the Museu de Arte de São Paulo includes art from the 14th to the 20th centuries. The paintings, which are placed on glass panels, appear to be floating in mid-air. This setup, included in the virtual tour shows, makes the art appear almost magical.

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea

This Korean museum includes four branches in different cities and features works of art from Korea and around the world. The art includes a variety of media such as print, sculpture and photography. There are also online exhibitions such as “Artists in Their Times” which traces trends in Korean art since the late 1970s.

The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles County

This museum, with locations in two different places, features art going back to The Neolithic Period. Its virtual tour, accessible through Google Arts & Culture, offers views of more recent works, including some by van Gogh and Renoir. Another platform, Xplorlt, also features views of some of the museum’s outdoor spaces.

9 . For one month, I turned down all in person activities with friends: going out for drinks, dinners, parties and non-work events, to see if it would make me more productive and improve my focus on my career.

Gradually, I came to enjoy the moments of doing nothing, sitting at cafes without any technology, and found myself daydreaming more frequently as I was no longer attempting to fill every spare moment. Such moments are linked to creative problem solving, brainstorming new ideas and reimagining existing projects.

However, such benefits would be a concern if I remained alone at home for too long. “For many working in an office environment, socializing is one of the most important parts and people with a ‘best friend’ at work are seven times more likely to throw themselves fully in their work,” says Silvia Bellezza, professor of Harvard University. Workplace friendship also creates a common sense of purpose and a social support network. Of course, off-hours socializing is also an important way to build work contacts. While one month of no social life did not impact people’s relationship with existing connections, it may have reduced their ability to build new ones.

During the month, I learned that I couldn’t cut out an area of life in order to lift another — a connection with people is linked to our work and helps us deal with life’s ups and downs. Researcher Ellen Galinsky has found that people who are dual-centric (兼顾的) are the most satisfied in their lives. “We find that people who are dual-centric tend to be healthier, do better at work and do better at home,” says Galinsky. Perhaps the secret to a successful career is not cutting out my social life, but combining the two.

10 . Pablo Picasso was an artist who worked in early part of the 20th century. Recently it was discovered that underneath his masterpiece, The Blue Room, there is another painting.

Four major art collecting institutions worked together for five years to prove the existence of the second painting, which they had long suspected. The first clue that there were two paintings on the same canvas, was the unusual brush strokes on The Blue Room. The brushstrokes didn’t quite match the painting on The Blue Room.

To identify the second painting, the artwork was set up in front of special cameras called infrared cameras. Those cameras showed that there was something underneath the main painting. Then using other high-tech equipment, the scientists were able to see through the first painting to one of a bearded man in a bowtie, sitting in a chair, leaning on his hand.

It was an exciting discovery. Now, people are asking many questions about the painting that Picasso covered up. Everyone wants to know who the man in the bowtie is, and why Picasso painted him.

The bowtie painting was likely completed shortly before The Blue Room painting was. Pablo Picasso was a very prolific painter. That means he painted a lot. In order to save money, he often wouldn’t buy new canvasses for his ideas. Instead, he would simply paint over some of his other paintings.

Experts believe they will discover many more secondary paintings under Picasso’s masterpieces because today’s technology is so much more effective for this kind of work.