Atule’er village in southwest China’s Sichuan province, known     1     a “cliff village”, has become an Internet-famous tourist attraction.

In the past, villagers used handmade ladders     2     (climb) the cliff when they returned from the outside. According to locals, about eight people died on the “road” while there were more people who fell and     3     (injure). Among those who climbed the high handmade ladders almost every day were 15village children     4     attend the primary school on the lower mountain. Life was     5     (extreme) hard for the village’s 84 needy households.

Chen Jie, a photographer and a     6     (journal), released the report, A Village on a Cliff on May 24, 2016, which revealed the unsafe situation. This aroused concern from the     7     (centre) government and the local government. At the end of 2016, the local government invested over one million yuan in building a 2,556-step and nearly 3-km-long steel ladder,     8     (improve) the travel conditions for locals significantly. Since then, the “cliff village”     9     (witness) steady improvement in its infrastructure (基础设施).

After being covered by5G signals, Atuleer village has become more widely known through live-streaming shows and seen a growing number of tourists. Even the steel ladder becomes     10     must-see tourist spot. In the future, the “cliff village” will become more famous with the help of the government.

4 . High school is a time filled with memorable events such as graduation proms (舞会). For Josephine, her high school experience ________ due to financial difficulties, before she had the ________ to go to prom in the tough 1961. However, her grandson, Michael Ganczewski, decided to give her a magical ________ during his own senior prom.

When Michael asked Josephine to be his prom partner, she initially ________ his idea, ________ saying she was too old for a prom and Michael would have many young girls to choose from. She was not going to the prom, but she was just ________ for feeling loved. But for Michael, his grandmother was the perfect ________, and then he ________ her. On prom night, Josephine wore a beautiful dress.

Though ________ about her dancing skills initially, she soon discovered that the true ________ of the evening lay in simply being with her grandson.

Josephine admitted she wasn’t too ________ with this generation’s latest dance trends, but she ________ to do her best. Her grandson’s desire to make her feel cherished ________ her deeply. As she remarked: “For the rest of my life, I will never ________ that he wanted to show me a good time. That to me is very ________.”

As if the gesture itself wasn’t ________ enough, Josephine’s prom night ended with a ________—Josephine was crowned (加冕) prom queen, fulfilling a(n) ________ she had waited for since 1961.

This wonderful night, filled with ________ and joy, just showed the importance of the ________ between a grandson and his grandmother.

5 . Feeling worthless can make you feel upset, and it could be difficult for you to function normally in your day-to-day activities. You may feel demotivated and can’t pursue your goals if you feel like your efforts don’t make a difference. Here are some tips on how to deal with it.

Accept your situation

    1    . You might think that there is no way out and that this feeling will last forever. However, you should face the feeling head-on and acknowledge that it exists and that you need to accept it. Thus you will find hope again to live a happier life for the sake of your emotional health.

    2    

Pay attention to your thoughts when you’re feeling low. You may find that the key to being happier and more confident is as simple as changing your thoughts. Paying attention to your thoughts may not be easy at first but you will master this skill and boost your self-confidence with time and practice.     3    .

Empower yourself

Feeling worthless is usually a result of the way you perceive yourself after life has thrown you difficulties that lower your self-esteem and raise your anxiety.     4    . Rid yourself of the negativity that prevents you from reaching your full potential and work towards remaining calm and balancing your emotions.

Do positive self-talk

Whenever you feel worthless, you always practice negative thinking. Try as much as possible to focus on being positive and engage in positive self-talk.     5    . For example, if you’re going through a challenge in your life, try and see it as an opportunity to learn from it, which will make you better off once you come out on the other side.

6 . In an era of digital technology, the art of writing by hand has slowly been downgraded to a past entertainment. However, recent research suggests that this physical act is essential to brain health and development, having multiple cognitive (认知的) benefits. It is time we should reevaluate the potential benefits it may have on our mental capacities.

According to numerous studies, writing by hand stimulates more complex and diverse brain connections essential for encoding new information and forming memories. For instance, a recent investigation found that brain connectivity patterns were far more complicated and widespread for participants who wrote by hand compared to those who typed. Thus, it is clear that handwriting has a distinct and significant impact on our brain health.

Handwriting isn’t just good for our brains health—it also has clear, practical benefits. Research has shown that students who take handwritten notes score significantly higher on quizzes, demonstrating improved learning. This extends beyond the classroom too. People who recorded information on paper calendars demonstrated more brain activity and recalled information faster than those who used smartphones. The act of handwriting, therefore, could be a valuable tool for students preparing for exams and adults managing daily tasks.

Despite its clear benefits, handwriting has been on the decline. However, 25states in the US have reintroduced writing back into school curriculums. This is a step in the right direction, as previous research has also indicated that handwriting is essential in children’s brain development. Preliterate (未识字的) children who wrote by hand demonstrated brain activity in a circuit of the brain used in learning to read, further strengthening the link between handwriting and cognitive development.

It is clear that handwriting is a valuable activity that has the potential to enhance our brain health, learning, memory, and problem-solving skills. As we continue to navigate the digital age, it is important not to overlook the value of this seemingly simple activity. So, the next time you reach for your keyboard, remember the benefits of picking up a pen instead.

7 . Climate change isn’t just about rising seas and hotter heatwaves; it’s also bringing about a pothole (坑洞) disaster on our roads! In 2023, the UK reported nearly 630,000 pothole complaints—a shocking five-year peak. Across the road, the USA saw a shocking 57% increase in vehicle damages due to potholes compared to 2021. What’s causing this asphalt (沥青) disaster? Climate change is a key factor, damaging our streets with severe weather and rising temperatures.

The science behind this damages is astonishing. Dr. Hassan Davani, an engineering expert, explains that intense heat can soften roads, leading to cracks and potholes. Floods, another climate change mark, wash away road surfaces. Adding to the mess are increased freeze-thaw (冻融) cycles, which create damaged ice lenses under the road. When these melt, they leave behind the terrible potholes.

But fear not! There’s hope on the horizon with cutting-edge innovations. Certain regions are adopting pavements designed to endure broader temperature ranges. Gabe Cimini, a pavement engineering expert, points to California’s use of specialized asphalt mixes that can resist temperatures from58℃ to a freezing -32℃.

And there’s more! Modern Hydrogen, a pioneering climate tech startup backed by Bill Gates, is transforming road repair. By using solid carbon from carbon capture in asphalt, they’re crafting roads that are 250% more solid, enduring higher temperatures and reducing CO₂ emissions. This revolutionary asphalt is already hitting roads in the US and Canada.

Self-healing pavement, or “smart asphalt,” is another game-changer. Imagine roads that can repair themselves! Some newer versions use steel fibres that heat up, melting the mortar (灰浆) to completely mend potholes.

While these innovations promise smoother and more solid roads in our climate-impacted world, widespread adoption might still be a few years away. So prepare for an uncomfortable ride, but remember, smoother streets are on the horizon!

8 . Children come with increased worry, anxiety and also make for a seemingly endless state of exhaustion for their parents. However, they also bring joy and love to a parent’s life. Most parents want nothing more than for their children to succeed and be happy, including when those children are in their early 70s.

Sam Kaplan is now a college graduate, having obtained an undergraduate degree in cinema and media arts from Georgia Gwinnett College. Sam is also 72 years old and the first of his seven siblings to earn a degree.

When Sam walked across the stage to accept his degree, he had someone special in attendance to cheer him on: his 99-year-old mother. Before the ceremony, Sam told the school that his mother would not miss it for the world, was looking forward to it and was beaming with pride over her son’s accomplishment.

Sam’s journey to a college degree came after earning his high school diploma in 1969. After becoming a high school graduate, he never gave higher education much consideration. Instead, Sam entered the workforce. He has had several jobs. He’s been a taxi driver and worked in customer service for a wholesale distributor of electronics. Sam even ran a telemarketing and a cleaning company.

Sam is also a writer, being the author of two books. It was Sam’s writing ambitions that ultimately led him to become a college graduate.

“I was riding down the highway and heard on the radio they were offering this degree,” Samsaid. The next exit was Collinsville, so I exited off and five minutes later, I was registering for class.” Sam also added that he hoped to turn his books into screenplays after he received his degree.

We’re sure Sam’s mother was absolutely over the moon to see her child obtain a college degree after all these years.

Congratulations, Sam!

9 . Christmas jobs for you

With Christmas getting more expensive year on year, it’s a time when many of us consider how we might be able to make a little extra cash over the festive period—for all the wine and cheese we want to buy, of course. Luckily, this time of the year is great for jobseekers, as thousands of temporary seasonal job roles crop up, creating a unique opportunity to earn an extra bit of cash to cover the cost of the extra food and gifts we’ll all be buying. So, if you need to boost your bank account this festive season, or just want to avoid getting into debt, here are several top Christmas jobs to consider.

Picker Packer

As a Picker Packer, you’ll be expected to pack a range of goods ready to fill the shelves for Christmas shoppers.

Location: Throughout the UK

Salary: £9.50 per hour

Ice Rink Marshall

Ice skating and winter go hand in hand. That’s where you come in. As an Ice Rink Marshall, you’ll be responsible for ensuring skaters stay safe and leave with smiles on their faces.

Location: London and Surrey

Salary: £11.21 per hour

Christmas Postal Worker/Mail Sorter

Mail increases over the Christmas period. From cards to gifts, as a Postal Worker, you’ll be responsible for delivering Chrismas parcels(and cheer)to homes across the UK. You may need a UK driving license for some roles.

Location: Throughout the UK

Salary: £12.00 per hour

Santa

Think you’ve got what it takes to imitate Saint Nick? Apply for a role as Santa. A theatrical spirit and ability to work well with children will help (along with a booming “ho, ho, ho.”).

Location: Throughout the UK

Salary: £9.60 per hour

Apply for other Christmas jobs, please click here for more information.