Ben is in     1     total mess now. They lost a football match and he thought the team members     2     (let) down by one member, the point guard. But his best friend shared his     3     (disappoint) with others. Ben was embarrassed and ashamed.

Now Ben is turning     4     Agony Aunt for help. Agony Aunt shares an old saying: “Loose lips sink ships.” She asks Ben     5     (apologize) to his teammate first     6     to talk to his friend because friendship is one of the     7     (great) things in the world. And most     8     (important), Ben should think about his own behaviour.     9     (fill) with anger, we tend to speak out our opinions quickly without thinking clearly.

Agony Aunt suggests Ben raise his     10     (concern) with his teach coach if he feels the teammate isn’t pulling his weight.

5 . “Our temperature’s not what people think it is,” said Julie Parsonnet, MD, professor of medicine and of health research and policy in Stanford. “or our common sense that our normal temperature is 37 ℃ or 98.6 F, is wrong.”

That standard of 37℃was made famous by German doctor Carl Reinhold August Wunderlich in a book in 1868. Modern studies, however, have called that number into question, suggesting that it’s too high.

In a latest study published in eLife, Parsonnet and her colleagues explore body temperature trends and conclude that temperature changes since the time of Wunderlich reflect a true historical pattern, rather than measurement errors or biases (偏见). The researchers propose that the decrease in body temperature is the result of changes in our environment over the past 200 years, which have in turn driven physiological changes. 

The researchers analyzed temperatures from three officially-recorded datasets covering different historical periods, using the 677,423 temperature measurements from these datasets to develop a linear model (线性模型) containing the temperatures over time. They determined that the body temperature of men born in the early to mid-1990s is on average 1.06 F lower than that of men born in the early 1800s. Similarly, they determined that the body temperature of women born in the early to mid-1990s is on average 0.58 F lower than that of women born in the 1890s. These calculations match a decrease in body temperature of 0.05 F every 10 years.

The decrease in average body temperature in the US could be explained by a reduction in the amount of energy being used. The authors believe this trend may be due to a population-wide decrease in inflammation (炎症): “Inflammation produces all sorts of proteins and cytokines that speed up your metabolism (新陈代谢) and raise your temperature,” Parsonnet said. Public health has improved sharply in the past 200 years due to advances in medical treatments, more convenient environment, greater availability of food and improved living standards. The authors also argue that comfortable lives at constant surrounding temperature contribute to a lower metabolic rate. Homes in the 19th century had irregular heating and no cooling; today, central heating and air conditioning are commonplace. A more constant environment removes a need to expend energy to keep a constant body temperature.

6 . How to Grow Taller

As we all know, your height is mostly determined by your genetics. Once your growth plates (生长板) are joined together, you will stop growing taller, which usually happens between 14 and 20.     1     Of course, there are many ways you can find on the Internet to help, such as, good nutrition, a healthy lifestyle and exercise. But today, we’re just going to focus on nutrition.

Add more protein into your diet.

Protein helps your body build healthy body mass, like muscles.     2     Not only eat protein at every meal, but also include it in your snacks. For instance, you might eat yogurt at breakfast, tuna fish for lunch, chicken at dinner, and string cheese as a snack.

Eat an egg every day if you’re not allergic to them.

Kindergarten teachers have observed something typical and interesting. Young children who eat a whole egg daily may grow taller than kids who don’t. And this has been proved clinically. Eggs contain protein and vitamins that support healthy growth and they’re also quite affordable. Eat an egg for one meal every day to potentially help you get taller. But here is a tip for you.     3    

Take calcium and vitamin supplements.

    4     However, your daily meals can’t supply enough for your growth. Supplements may help you grow taller by meeting your nutritional needs. Calcium and vitamins A and D are especially important because they support strong bones. Talk to your doctor to find out if supplements are right for you. Keep in mind that vitamins won’t make you grow taller than your genetics allow.

    5    

Dairy contains protein, calcium, and vitamins to nourish your body. While milk is a great choice, yogurt and cheese are also great sources of dairy. Include 1 serving of your favorite dairy product into your daily diet.

8 . Four unique European music traditions that are protected by UNESCO

Inuit drum dancing, Greenland

In 2021, UNESCO(United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) recognised Greenland’s Inuit drum dancing and singing as an intangible cultural heritage (非物质文化遗产) of humanity. The drum dance typical of the tradition can be performed by one dancer alone or accompanied by a group of people singing songs about love, humour and hunting.

Uilleann piping, Ireland

Uilleann piping was included in the UNESCO’s list in 2017. It involves playing Irish music on a particular type of bagpipe (风笛) known as the “uilleann”. It is a highly developed and complex instrument, with some functions that cannot be found elsewhere. It often accompanies music played at weddings and parties, and it’s been passed on through several generations of Irish musicians.

Kaustinen folk music, Finland

In 2019, UNESCO added to its list Finland’s Kaustinen folk music, a tradition where the violin, with or without accompanying instruments, is played by ear. The style is characterised by rhythms or accents that make it easy to dance to. The 250-year-old tradition is played during wedding parties, public concerts and at music festivals in the small village of Kaustinen.

Fado, Portugal

Fado music, which originated in Portugal in the early 19th century, is now a symbol of Portuguese culture and tradition. It combines poetry and music to create a sometimes sorrowful, and always passionate melody, usually performed by a solo singer accompanied by guitars. It was included in the UNESCO’s list in2011.

Once celebrated as “the sport of kings”, polo (马球), a unique sport with ancient roots,     1     (play) on horseback with a ball. Its exact origins remain uncertain,     2     one early version of this sport emerged in ancient Persia (modern Iran) around the 6th century BC.

Different cultures developed similar games and, over time, polo evolved     3     the sport we know today. It also has a deep historical connection with ancient China, as     4     (show) through the discovery of numerous artifacts, including murals (壁画), stone carvings, mirrors and paintings.

During the 1930s, the modern version of the sport enjoyed a period of     5     (popular) , with polo grounds established in cities with foreign populations like Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Qingdao.

Polo’s noble and warrior-like characteristics have won it many     6     (passion) players, and among them is Jackie Wang. She and her family     7     (spend) the past three years researching and writing Polo in China, a book that documents the lengthy history of the sport in China.

Published by the Cultural Relics Press, the book gives a detailed introduction to polo in China, with photos of artifacts and events, and an engaging storyline     8     brings the sport to life.

As     9     combination of historical reference and artistic representation, the book serves both as an academic work and a general interest publication,     10     (contribute) to the study of polo in China while sharing the sport’s charm through its design and presentation.