5 . Nowadays, poor sleep and anxiety are common among young people, causing too much pain and even severe physical and mental problems.     1    .

Wind down

Reading a book can help slow breathing and relax muscles, while yoga stretches or even a gentle walk can reduce anxiety.     2    . Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that bathing in water of 40-42.5℃ one to two hours before bedtime was related to better sleep.

Protect the bedroom

Keep the bedroom as a place for sleep. Blackout blinds or an eye mask (眼罩) can help block out light,     3    .

Go to bed at regular times

Going to sleep and waking up at regular times — even on weekends — will strengthen your body clock. Regular mealtimes are also an important reminder for your circadian rhythm. Avoid exercise too close to bedtime, as it can cause restlessness and an elevated body temperature.

    4    

If your mind is buzzing from the day, try keeping a journal or worry book. The experts also recommend writing to-do lists for the next day in order to organize thoughts and clear the mind.

Get ahead on the next day

    5    . Choose your clothes for the next day when you reach for your pyjamas or pack your bag while brushing your teeth.

Some habits will help you more than others, but when all of them are combined, the real magic happens.

6 . Recently, video clips of Zhang Jianna, a city cleaner from Chaoyang Sanitation (环境卫生), have gone viral online.

The 49-year-old Zhang is from a village in Hebei province. With only a high school diploma, she had previously worked as a restaurant server and a store seller. In 2012, she took on the role of a sanitation worker in the embassy area of Sanlitun in Beijing’s Chaoyang District. One morning, a foreigner came to her and spoke a long string of unfamiliar words to her. Zhang didn’t know how to react. The special experience deeply moved Zhang and she was determined (下定决心) to learn English.

“I just want to help whenever someone is in need,” said Zhang. Without a teacher, she began learning English from her children’s textbooks, starting with basic words and phrases. With no fixed study hours, she used every free moment. While others rested, she memorized vocabulary and practiced speaking. Upon arriving home after work, she would note down new knowledge points and review them until thoroughly understood.

“Learning English at 40, I would easily forget the words I learned the previous day,” Zhang said. However, she persisted (坚持), reviewing words at night and then repeating them one more time the next day morning. She also downloaded over a dozen English learning apps on her computer and phone. “Learn step by step, learn every day.” Zhang said. To date, she has collected a vocabulary of around 3,000 English words, enabling her to talk fluently with foreigners. “Growing up without a college education, I sometimes feared being looked down upon. But every time I help a stranger in English, I feel incredibly achievable.”

“To serve others makes me happy and it’s where I prove my self-worth,” said Zhang. “After retirement, I also want to introduce my hometown in English and develop local tourism.”

7 . Studies have shown how we understand our strength contributes to the extent to which our muscles might waste with disuse. When researchers at Ohio University examined the strength among a group of adults, who agreed to have their wrists immobilized for a week to cause weakness, they found that only imagining having strong muscles reduced the loss in strength by 50 percent.

Crum, a pioneer in this area, found in his study that having a different attitude can maximize (最大化) the benefits of all the occasional exercise we do each day, such as housework or walking around the shops. It appears that tracking our steps through smart watches and other wearable technologies can make a difference to how we understand our fitness. The study showed people who had previously regarded themselves as inactive, were found that they were actually completing about 7000 steps a day and began to report improved mood, better confidence and even an increase in aerobic fitness measurements, even though they weren’t exercising more than usual.

An even more unexpected fitness trick might come from our gut. It seems that having the right populations of gut bacteria (肠道菌群) makes you more likely to exercise. Last December, Christopher Thais sat the University of Pennsylvania and his colleagues found that differences in gut bacterial populations appeared to play a much greater role than genetics (遗传学) when it came to running performance in mice. They identified two particular bacteria as being especially important. When the mice were given these in supplements, it seemed to increase their desire to exercise.

It remains to be seen whether this works effectively in humans. We still have much to learn about whether changing microbial populations can make us fitter, says Shrushti Shah at the University of Calgary in Canada. This could be significant, as many of us struggle to find the motivation to exercise.

8 . In a world featuring endless choices, the search for simplicity has become more than just a desire—it’s a necessity. The book Yes Means Yes, Everything Else Means No explores the philosophy of simplicity and decision-making. Written by Bruce Mullen, this book goes beyond self-help clichés (陈词滥调) and offers a genuine, actionable approach to guiding life’s choices.

The book recognizes decision-making as the centre of human existence and invites readers to admit each decision carries a weight. “Yes Means Yes, Everything Else Means No” sums up a sign if can’t rule—a definite “Yes” and a clear “No.” It encourages readers to focus on the “Yes” and stop readers from puting their effort into uncertain things. Another rule stressed in the book is simplicity in decision-making. By adopting simplicity, decision-makers aim to get the key information, focus on the most related factors, and avoid unnecessary aspects, enabling quicker judgments and swifter conclusions.

The book is a practical guide to enhance decision-making skills. The author doesn’t merely express the philosophy but equips readers with the tools they need to apply effectively. From techniques to give preference to tasks to methods for avoiding distractions (分心), the book offers skills for simplifying the decision-making process.

Through personal experiences, Mullen determined the power of simplification, guiding people to make decisions according to one’s own values and desires. Beyond individual context, this book also influences business strategies, relationship dynamics, and societal considerations. Mullen not only explores the essence of   “yes means yes” but stresses the significance of making clear decisions at a crossroads.

“Yes Means Yes, Everything Else Means No” is more than a book; it’s a philosophy that can change how we approach decisions. For those seeking to guide life with clarity and purpose, this book is a guiding light in the fog of in decision.

9 . This is an unbelievably moving and beautiful film. It shows a father’s _________ at its very best. It is a tear-jerker and I must admit that I am moved to tears.

It is a story _________ in 1939 at the start of World War II. Guido, a cheerful Italian-Jewish waiter, gets _________ to Dora, who is not Jewish. They are in love and have a _________ named Giosuè. As they are preparing for Giosuè’s fifth birthday, Guido and Giosuè are arrested (逮捕) and _________ to a concentration camp. Dora begs to _________ with them even though she is not Jewish. She is sent to the _________ part on the other side of the camp.

To hide the awful _________ from his son, Guido pretends (假装) they are at a holiday camp and are playing a game. In the _________, they have to win points. He __________ his son that the goal is to get 1,000 points — and the prize is a real tank in which they can leave. Here he is talking about the tanks __________ the allies (同盟者) that he hopes will eventually come to save them from the concentration camp when they win the war. He pretends Giosuè can get points for things such as not crying, not saying he is hungry, not asking for his mother, and so on. __________, Guido hides Giosuè, all the while pretending it is a game and they are playing hide-and-seek.

I won’t tell you how the film ends. You will have to watch it for yourself. Many reviewers have __________ this film, and said that it is a must-see. I completely __________, as it is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen — one that I will __________ forget.