1 . When I was a child, the new year’s activity for my family is dumpling-making, but it’s been years since I’ve last experienced the uniquely carefree comfort and connection I felt during moments. My family has changed a lot, and gatherings like these simply don’t come together with the same ease as they once did.

This year, I came home in the evening to a dark house with pieces missing. I noticed things that I wouldn’t have before, like how my family slept earlier and got up later and how my dog had more trouble jumping up on my bed. After all, it’s easier to become blind to its subtle changes when you occupy it virtually every day of the year, and much harder when you must be exposed to months of accumulated change all at once.

Personally, the most precious childhood privilege is not the free extra snacks from flight attendants, but the privilege of thinking of the people and relationships around you with a sense of permanence. I mean this in the sense that it escaped my eight-year-old brain to think about how my parents were aging as I did or about the sacrifices they made for me until suddenly, I was an adult as they were.

I turn 20 in a couple months, so I’ve been seized with a feeling of adulthood, which feels far stronger than the transition into legal adulthood at 18 ever felt. It seems as if the “teen” part of“19”keeps me attached to the same category as the one my newly 13-year-old self occupied, carrying with it a certain comfort in the social allowances made for the immaturity inherent (固有的) to youth. But marching into 20 is different.

I’d so desperately wanted to move away and get a taste of independence upon starting college, but now I know that such freedom comes with loss and responsibility. Now I start to understand the governance of a circularity (循环) inherent to our lives and have a newfound appreciation for the things that remain the same.

2 . Art Appreciation

Art appreciation is an often overlooked skill. It’s more than simply looking at a piece of art and judging it based on what we see. It requires us to look deeper, beyond the surface into the artist’s intention.     1     The following tips would help you achieve it.

The first step is to prepare yourself mentally. Before you begin viewing any artwork, take moments to clear your mind of what a piece you think should look like.     2     That’s because an artist can present a unique visual experience by combining line, shape, form, color and space creatively.

Besides, examine the artwork closely. Take note of its elements mentioned above. Consider how these elements work together to convey meaning or emotion in the piece. Notice how the work makes you feel.     3     What can I see? What is the artwork saying? What feelings does it arouse in me?

    4     Information about the artist and when the artwork was created can help you uncover the deeper symbolism present in the work that may not be immediately evident. Art is often used as a tool for social change. To appreciate art, it’s important to understand the context where it was created. The context behind a piece can be found through research and analysis.

Last but not least, sharing opinions on art also helps. Try discussing your thoughts on artwork with friends or family who may have different opinions. Taking the diverse understanding into consideration, you can approach viewing art work from different viewpoints. As a result, you can gain a new appreciation every time you look at it.     5    

Edward and Stephen were both eighteen years old. They were so together in friendship that they felt themselves to be brothers. They had known each other since childhood, growing up in the same block in Liverpool.

Edward was fair and lean, while Stephen was dark and short. Edward’s brown hair was always falling over his eyes, while Stephen wore his black hair in a natural style.

Each youngster had a dream of someday becoming champion of the world. Whenever they had time, the boys worked out at the Fencing (击剑) Club. Early morning sunrises would find them running along the Mersey River, wrapped in sweatshirts, with short towels around their necks.

Edward and Stephen studied hard and dreamt positively. Between them, they had a notebook filled with torn tickets of every fencing match they had ever attended. They each had taken part in many elimination bouts (淘汰赛) and had won many gold medals. The difference was in their style.

As fencers, Edward’s lean form and long reach made him better in attack, while Stephen’s short and muscular frame made him speed y in movement. Whenever they had met in the piste (击剑台), it had always been intense and competitive.

After a series of elimination bouts, they were informed that they were to meet each other in the finals next month —the winner to represent the Club in the Championship Tournament.

Fencing was like any other profession. The two boys knew friendship had nothing to do with it. But how would the competition affect their relationship? Everyday they continued to run together along the Mersey River. However, while joking with each other, they both sensed an invisible wall rising between them.

The day before the finals, they met as usual for their daily workout. After a mile or so, Stephen stopped.

“I think we both got something to say to each other.” Stephen said.

As the two went onto the piste, the audience held their breath.

6 . Clair Hughes first began to research money-saving ideas to get out of her £3,500 student overdraft (透支额). The shopper started surfing the Internet for discount coupons (优惠券) and cut price offers. Revealing how she seldom pays full price for an item, Ms Hughes says, “Discounts are always there; it’s just a matter of being organized. Before starting this, I thought it’d be much work, but now I’m so used to this lifestyle that it’s automatic to me. I must have easily saved over £15,000.”

Ms Hughes first focused on saving money back in 2010, when she moved in with her partner, Shane Byrne, a phone company trainer. After turning to the web for advice, she tried out a few clever money-saving tricks like switching her overdraft to a zero-interest account. Then, several years later, she came across an online community for “couponers” and decided to give it a go.

She started spending hours surfing the web for coupons, printing them all out to take with her whenever she went shopping. Over the years, she has managed to get some impressive catches. Once, two lamps worth £140 cost her just £35.

Two years ago, Ms Hughes also began using cashback apps where you are given money back on items ranging from beers to toiletries. After each shop, she uploads pictures of her receipts, which are then scanned, and money is given back on certain items.

Among her other top money-saving tips, Ms Hughes recommends taking part in paid online surveys, which have earned her hundreds in discount coupons. She says, “I’ve heard a lot about collecting other people’s abandoned receipts from shopping trolleys to check for missed discounts. I can’t believe how much coupons and cashback apps have helped me. The community does benefit me a lot. There will always be someone on hand to explain how it works.”