2 . You really can make free phone calls using the Internet.

Google Meet

Google Meet is an app-to-app calling service that works across desktop and mobile platforms. Video meetings are encrypted (加密), it also supports audio calls, and you can form massive group calls with up to 100 people. What’s more appealing is that Google Meet display s real-time captions (字幕) as the other person is speaking.

Signal

Signal lets you send and receive texts, make voice and video calls (including group calls), and share your location and files. It was developed with a focus on privacy and security; it uses end-to-end encryption to protect your messages and calls, so only you and the recipient can see or hear what you’re exchanging.

Google Voice

Google Voice is one of the best ways to make a call over the Internet. You get a real phone number, so you can make free calls to an actual phone number. Free calls you make with Google Voice must be to numbers in the United States or Canada, and they’re limited to three hours. However, you can continue to make a free call to the same number over and over again.

WhatsApp

Meta-owned WhatsApp is a popular texting app with hundreds of millions of users. However, you can also call your WhatsApp friends right from the app using only your Internet connection. You just need to confirm your phone number to get started. Once you’re using the app, you can start a new conversation to clearly see which of your contacts are also using WhatsApp, and then you can call them for free no matter where in the world they’re located. Group calls can include as many as 32 people.

4 . Like working out or eating healthily, being happy is something you have to work on.     1     The good news is that a growing body of research shows there are simple things you can do to help you learn how to be happy at work, and they don’t require huge changes.

    2     It affects how you feel at work for the rest of the day. In one study, researchers analyzed the moods and performance of customer service representatives. Those who were in a good mood in the morning were more productive during the day and reported having more positive interactions with customers.     3     You can take a few minutes to enjoy your morning coffee and you can get some fresh air.

One of the hardest aspects of your job is making dozens of decisions daily, often with little or incomplete information. So how can you make fewer decisions? You can do something of your day without thinking about it. For example, have the same thing for lunch or breakfast for a week. Then you can change it up the following week.     4     Steve Jobs said that he wore the same clothes daily so that he wouldn’t have to spend energy deciding what to wear.

Helping others makes you happier.     5     Helping your co-workers seems to create a virtuous (良性的) cycle. Another study says happier workers are 33% more likely to help their colleagues than those who aren’t happy.

5 . The argument over video games has been ongoing for decades. While some argue that e-sports require skill, there is disagreement over whether they meet the standards of a traditional sport. According to the dictionary, a sport is a physical activity for pleasure. While playing video games requires skill and coordination (协调), it lacks the physicality associated with traditional sports. Strategy is also present in board games like chess or card games like solitaire, but these activities are not classified as sports. Similarly, playing a musical instrument requires practice and training, yet it is not considered a sport.

Sports require full-body movements and coordination while video games mainly involve finger and hand movements. Although it is possible to include physical movement while playing, it is not a requirement for success. Many e-sports enthusiasts sit in front of their screens, filling themselves with snacks while controlling the game. This lack of physicality not only sets video games apart from sports but can also have negative effects on health. Unlike traditional sports, which have been shown to improve well-being, too much video gaming can lead to headaches and anger.

While e-sports and competitive gaming may be comparable to activities like chess in terms of competition, they do not possess the physical effort and health benefits associated with traditional sports. However, as the industry continues to develop, the idea of e-sports is evolving. Studies have stressed the demanding motor skills and reaction times required in e-sports. Professor Ingo Frobose conducted a study that demonstrated the impressive motor skills of e-sports “athletes”, with up to 400 movements per minute on the keyboard and mouse. The strategic aspect of e-sports, including team planning, is also often ignored. Games such as League of Legends, Dota 2, and Honor of Kings have attracted large audiences and showed the skills of players.

While some argue against the classification (分类) of e-sports as real sports, evidence suggests that they possess unique skills and abilities. As the industry grows, the understanding and recognition of e-sports as a lawful competitive activity are gradually changing.

8 . Carmel, an Uber driver, found a bag full of $8,000 left behind in his car. Carmel knew someone out there was probably very _________ about losing such a large amount of money. He held onto the money, planning to _________ it to its rightful owner.

Meanwhile, Alex was _________ searching for his lost cash. He had saved up the money for months to help his struggling parents _________ their debts and provide a better life for his younger sisters. But now, it seemed as if all their _________ had come to an end.

Both Alex and Carmel _________ the missing bag on the Uber app. This was a smart _________ because it helped them get in touch with each other. Uber _________ them over the phone, and they could finally talk about the lost cash.

Carmel _________ back to give the cash to Alex. Imagine how __________ Alex must have felt seeing Carmel with the money! Alex was so glad that he __________ Carmel $10. It might not seem like a lot compared to $8,000, but it was Alex’s way of saying thank you. Carmel was really touched by this __________. He said he would never __________ it.

Carmel’s act of __________ teaches us a valuable lesson. Doing good things for others can make a big difference in their lives. It’s not just about the money; it’s about __________.

Though traveling is not a big deal for me today, before my trip to the mountains, I used to be a homebody. I had friends to hang out with, several hobbies, and I felt completely comfortable spending weeks or even months in my hometown — or sometimes even on my block — without going anywhere. All my demands of novelty were satisfied by the Discovery and National Geographic channels, and I seriously thought there was no difference between seeing something on the TV and with one’s own eyes.

The situation changed when one day David, my best friend who always has a couple of colorful bugs in his head (or, in other words, was always carrying out several crazy plans at once), walked into my room and declared his disgust (厌恶) for civilization. I will not describe how he managed to persuade me to join him on his journey to the Rocky Mountains; all I will say is that we departed in five days. This was my first time in the mountains, so I was turning my head in all directions. Unfortunately, the weather was foggy most of the time, and the higher we got into the mountains, the worse the visibility was.

Even despite this fact, I still enjoyed the hike — I felt like I was Bear Grylls, whose show I used to watch with excitement: in the wild, with food and water in my backpack, carrying a flashlight and a knife. On the first day, we were making our way along the foothills; but the next day, we started to climb on one of the peaks. Though it was not that steep and high, I was still excited. I regularly hastened, and because of that, I ran out of energy long before we got to the top; David, on the other hand, was more well-paced.

When we finally got to the top, nothing had changed. The same fog was covering the surroundings, and even though I was filled with positive emotions, I felt disappointed, because I counted on seeing the view from above and perhaps being able to take some photos.

We spent a couple of hours on the top, and decided to turn back.

Seeing all this scenery with my own eyes was truly an eye-opening experience for me.