3 . A few weeks earlier, my pastor (牧师) had called upon me to be one of ten team leaders to help with the church’s upcoming fundraiser for building improvements. Though I said yes, this was definitely outside my _________.

Each team leader needed to find five to seven people to _________. I already had three team members. I only needed a couple more. _________ the crowd, I noticed Beth. I thought she might have time for the project. I explained everything to her. She listened _________ and agreed that the church needed some _________, and then she said, “I’ll happily donate towards the improvements, but I had the _________ to say no.”

I stood there shocked by her _________. I wasn’t upset about her refusal. _________, I was completely awed (充满敬畏的) by the way in which she _________ it. “I’m giving myself the right to say no.” It had never __________ me that I could say no when asked to help out or volunteer for a project. I was afraid that by saying no, they would __________ me.

Beth had just opened up an entirely new world to me, and I __________ it was time that I gave myself right to say no as well. The next time I was asked to __________ in a project that I didn’t feel was a good fit, I __________, just like Beth had taught me. I discovered that there were no hard __________ when I said no, and it gave me the necessary free time to do a better job with other projects.

7 . Winter seems to drag on endlessly this time of year, so it’s only natural to start thinking about getting away, and the sunny south of France is calling your name!

Avignon

If you’re looking for history, then visit the town center of Avignon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you want to learn even more about this attractive town, then take a tour— it is often guided by a local expert. Hear the history first-hand and come away with a greater understanding as to how the town came to be.

Chateau

Nothing says French countryside more than a chateau surrounded by acres of vineyards. There are wines to choose from. You can also explore the surrounding natural beauty on a horse ride, and they even run vineyard tours on horseback for a truly unique experience. Be sure to bring back a bottle or two of the Chateau des Bertrands wine so you can share a glass with friends as you tell them all about your trip.

Magnificent Marseille

The oldest city in France, starting out as an ancient Greek colony (殖民地), with its rich history, can keep every holidaymaker happy. A unique way to see as much as possible of what this great city has to offer is to book onto a segway tour. See the sights of the Museum Marseilles, Cathédrale La Major, and the historic Le Panier, while you walk around the streets.

Cannes

With amazing blue waters, fresh seafood, and mild winters, it’s an attractive destination to visit all year round. If you want a beach day, we’d recommend the Plage du Midi, easily accessible from the center of town. If you want to make the most of the Mediterranean Sea, don’t just look at it — sail on it!

8 . Zandra Cunningham is the founder of a skincare brand. She has been recognized by the media as one of the youngest and most successful business owners in America.

When she was a kid, Zandra always loved lip balms (护唇膏) and bought a lot of them. But she found they eventually hurt her lips instead of relieving the dryness because of all the chemicals in them. She then started experimenting with different ingredients (成分) together with her mom. They tried a lot of times until they found the natural and healthy combinations they liked. Slowly, Zandra began selling her products at local farmers’ markets and trade events. Before her 10th birthday, she launched her brand and hoped it would empower other young girls.

Soon, it became a challenge for Zandra to separate her personal interests from what her customers actually wanted. “There are a lot of ideas that I feel are excellent but wouldn’t fit into the market,” she said. Being part of the younger market herself, Zandra recognized the issue and improved her products after truly listening to customers. “There are so many brands doing similar things, but there’s still so much room to grow. Your customers are out there, and you just have to reach out to them. That’s what will set you apart,” the 23-year-old shared.

When asked about her experience as a promising young businesswoman, Zandra said, “It wasn’t frightening. When you’re young, fear doesn’t have a strong hold on your mindset. ‘Maybe it’s not going to work’ never really crossed my mind.”

Characterized by encouraging statements and featuring a playful color combination, the packaging (包装) is a big part of why Zandra’s business has been so impressive. “There are a lot of products on the market that seem natural, but they actually aren’t,” she said. “I make sure my packaging can help people understand what each term means, and how to read and check ingredients.”

9 . The walls of ancient Egyptian tombs (坟墓) can teach us much about the ancient Egyptians’ life. However, many paintings in the tombs were damaged by unlawful tomb diggers. Now a new study shows how a technology called portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) can be used to better study the paintings.

Developed in the early 20th century by physicist Henry Moseley, XRF and pXRF can be used to decide materials’ elemental composition (元素组成). Rather than the huge and immovable tool often used to study historical objects in labs, the tool needed in the pXRF study weighs only a few kilograms and can be taken into the field.

The research team headed by Philippe Martinez from Sorbonne University used the new tool to perform chemical imaging on paintings on site, allowing for the study of paint composition. As the ancient Egyptians used paints made from minerals (矿物), the paints have specific chemical markers. By using pXRF, scientists can use the chemical markers to create a map of damaged areas.

The team used the pXRF tool in the study of a painting of Ramesses II found in the tomb of Nakhtamun, which has traditionally been dated at the19th dynasty of ancient Egypt. And they discovered the necklace worn by the king in the painting may have been changed.

The king was first painted to be wearing a shebyu necklace, which was trendy during the 20th dynasty, some years after Ramesses II’s death. And it appears that the necklace was later changed to a wesekh necklace, which usually appears in paintings during his time. This means the tomb painters at first painted this 19th-dynasty ruler wearing a 20th-dynasty necklace, realized their mistake and then corrected it. The technology enabled the team to learn that the tomb owner, Nakhtamun, may actually have lived in the 20th rather than the 19th dynasty, and that the painting is not of a living king, but rather of a former ruler.

According to the researchers, the pXRF technology allows in-depth studies while helping prevent further damage. And it presents important details about the technological and artistic achievements of the ancient Egyptians.