1 . During my visit to Xi’an, 1 met with a strange instrument. It has a loud and high-pitched (声调高的) sound, and is often used in traditional Chinese music ensembles (乐团), especially those that perform outdoors,     1    . He told me that it is a Chinese instrument called the suona. To find more information, I visited some Chinese online lesson websites.

Actually, the suona is a loud Chinese instrument, It’s loud and high-pitched sound is perfect for outdoor performances.     2     It is now widely used at traditional festival events, weddings and funerals (葬礼) in the countryside of North China.

    3     It was developed from Central Asian instruments such as the “surnay” or “zurna”, from which its Chinese name comes. A musician playing an instrument very similar to a suona is shown in a drawing at a historic place on the Silk Road in what is now the western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, dating back to the third to fifth century CE.

The suona only has eight holes, and breath and fingers (手指) are all a performer depends on lo control the pitch and tone (音质).     4     The instrument looks simple, but it can vividly imitate (生动地模仿) the voice or singing of a human being or even the sounds of Chinese opera.     5     The eight-hale instrument has been called the “eight-eyed monkey” because like a monkey it is difficult to control.

2 . I’ve learned a lot in my many years in the gym, and beginner-me would be shocked by the things present-me does during the workouts.     1    . And I’ve broken pretty much every other rule besides.

Rest days are a convenient tool for making sure you’re not overworking yourself, but that’s all. Organizations like the American College of Sports Medicine recommend leaving 48 hours between intense strength-training periods for a given muscle.     2    , it’s meant to be a general recommendation for beginners and for people who are exercising just to stay healthy. Once you’re talking about athletes or enthusiasts, they acknowledge that training most days of the week is fine, if your program manages tiredness effectively.

The “10% rule” is a not-terrible guideline for figuring out how quickly to improve your training.     3    . As running coach Jason Fitzgerald told us, “While the saying is to only increase weekly mileage (英里数) by 10%, this may be either too conservative or even too aggressive depending on where you start from.” If you’re a beginner and your mileage is overall very low; if we took the rule seriously, you wouldn’t be able to increase from zero to any other number.

    4    , but none of them are necessary. Creatine (肌酸) is one of the best-known muscle-building supplements (补充剂). It’s understood to be effective, but here’s the thing: That it does something for most people doesn’t mean it does very much. Likewise, protein powder is a helpful way to get more protein in your diet, but you don’t need to use a supplement.     5    .

4 . When we open a news app, we’ll notice that every second, we are presented with so much information that our brain just can’t keep it. The matter is made worse by our belief in “multi-tasking” which is, more often than not, simply another term for divided attention.     1     Understanding our limit allows us to fix it. So, here are three tips to give ourselves the peace we really need.

Control the information flow

Set up a new account on social media and follow only accounts or people that are really valuable.     2    . It’s much better to have a few healthy meals that fill you up, than eating fast food throughout the day.

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It is unnecessary to throw away the phone but do give ourselves a time limit, Say, “I will only use this app for 20 minutes” or “I will only read this magazine after dinner.”

Acknowledge our limits

We’ll never read all the news. We’ll never read all the “must-read” articles.     4    . Don’t beat ourselves up that we’re being unproductive or we’re missing out. We’re getting more out of those few than that “super-productive“ person on social media who says they read five books a week.     5    

5 . Do you know that about 71 percent of our planet is covered by the ocean (海洋) ?     1    . People around the world wear blue to celebrate World Oceans Day on 8 June every year. World Oceans Day is a special day for learning about oceans, including why they’re in danger and how essential it is to protect them.

Without oceans, life couldn’t exist. Scientists don’t know the exact number, but they think that oceans are home to 50 percent to 80 percent of all species on Earth, from large whales to tiny plankton. Oceans absorb carbon dioxide and give out oxygen (氧气).     2    .

Humans use the ocean in many different ways. Lots of our food comes from oceans.     3    . Besides getting oil and gas from beneath the ocean floor, we can produce electricity using the power of waves. We even rely on submarine cables for international communication.

    4    , but sadly they are in danger. You’ve heard of plastic pollution. Billions of pieces of plastic are floating around in our oceans, harming and killing sea creatures. It’s also dangerous for our health too, because fish eat the tiny pieces of plastic and then humans eat the fish.

For World Oceans Day, you can use social media platforms to share posts, photos or videos showing how important oceans are and why we need to protect them.     5    . Remember that every day we can make a difference by using less plastic and recycling, and talking to others about protecting our precious oceans.

6 . Creative ways to change your workouts

Most people know working out is good for your health, both physical and mental.     1     Sure, you may get excited about training for a 5 K or 10 K, but once the race is over, only to become tired of it after a few weeks.

Create a word or image with your exercise route

Runners often map routes through city streets that create a word or image, then use a GPS device to “draw” it as they run.     2     Not sure what image or message to create? You can always follow artistic routes others have created and shared in the apps.Some are impressively complex and may take several excursions to complete.But that’s part of the fun.

Join a free fitness group

Exercising can be more fun with others, so look for group fitness opportunities. Many communities offer free exercise opportunities. Fitness in the Park is a summer-long activity that has been operating in New York state for a decade. Everyone is welcome to head to one of 18 different parks.     3     “The best part is grabbing a partner that you don’t know, or getting together with one that you do,” Frion said. “It’s always so much fun.”

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Sure, you can run a 5 K. But why not try orienteering (定向越野赛)? This timed navigational sport requires you to use detailed maps to find orange-and-white flags that are hidden in parks or remote areas. Races involve difficult running routes

Dance

Whether you take a class or practice at home, dancing is a great way to get your body moving. Dancing doesn’t seem like exercise to a lot of people, which is why it’s always a popular choice.     5     “The workout allows for a creative aspect and meditation at the same time,” she said. “Many people come because it is an opportunity to try something different, as well as to dance in a nonjudgmental space.”

7 . Today, people use the Internet to shop, play games, make friends and read the news. Many young people can’t imagine life without it.     1     In fact, the Internet has been used for a much longer time than most people think.

In 1957, the United States was in the middle of the Cold War. The Soviet Union (苏联) had sent up the first satellite (卫星), named Sputnik, into space. This meant the Soviets were ahead of the U. S. in technology. Americans were afraid.     2     One of the ideas was a network (网络) that would let people across the country communicate by using computers.

    3     It was first tried out in 1969. For another twenty years, it was used only by scientists who worked with the U. S. government and by some engineers. Then, in 1990, the army of America gave the control of the Internet to the National Science Foundation.     4    

The biggest change in the way that people use the Internet came in 1992. For the first time, the Internet was opened to the general public, creating what is now known as the World Wide Web.     5     Today, no one government controls the Internet and it just gets bigger and bigger. It makes our world different.

8 . Doing fitness routines is challenging and sometimes boring. Here is some advice on how to make exercise as fun as video games.

When you’re playing a game, there’s always an objective. It helps us focus on the task at hand and motivates us to keep playing until we win the game.     1     Create a clear fitness goal. Aim to walk 10,000 steps a day, for example, or try to run a total of 6 miles every week.

Adding an element of competition to your exercise routine can actually help you work out harder. If you’re seeking a similar motivation, look into fitness programs that encourage friendly competition. The app Zwift, for example, is a good choice.     2    

Getting a group to work together toward a common goal was also an effective way to increase physical activity. You can try to recreate this dynamic by working toward an exercise goal with other people, particularly those who you have a close relationship to.     3     So grab a close friend or family member and bring them to the gym with you.

Some people love video games because there’s a lot of unpredictability and surprise.     4     You can recreate this sense of playfulness in your own exercises. For example, you can take photos of at least 5 different flowers on your neighborhood walk. Ride your bike from one friend’s house to another.

    5     If exercise makes you feel slightly happy or adds some kind of meaning to your life, that’s great.