1 . Critical thinkers start by asking questions about whatever is in front of them. They consider ______. If this, then what? If that, then how is the outcome different? They understand that every action has a ______, and they think about all possible outcomes of decisions before they make them. Asking questions helps this process.

Once you have asked every question you can come up with about a matter, ______ information that will help you answer those questions.____! Do some research. You can learn almost anything on the Internet, but it’s not the only place to do your research. _____ people. I’m a big fan of polling (民意调查). Ask the experts around you. Gather ____ and various opinions you can use to make your own determination. The wider the variety, the better.

You’ve got _____ information, and now it’s time to analyze it all with an open mind. This is the most _____ part, in my opinion. It can be pretty difficult to recognize the filters that were instilled (灌输) in us from our first families. We are products of our environments, of the ways in which we were treated as a child, of the role models we've had throughout our lives, of the opportunities we have said yes or no to, of the sum of all of our experiences.

Try to be as aware as possible of those ______ and biases (偏见), and turn them off. Question everything during this step. Are you being _______? Are you speculating? Assuming anything? This is the time to look at every thought as _____ as possible. Do you know it to be absolutely true? What are the facts? Have you considered the situation from every different point of view?

Critical thinkers are more interested in solutions than in placing ____ complaining, or gossiping. Once you’ve reached a conclusion through critical thinking, it’s time to communicate and ______ a solution if one is called for. This is the time for compassion (同情), empathy (同理心), diplomacy. Not everyone involved will have thought the situation through as ______ as you have. It’s your job to understand that, and to _____ solutions in a way that everyone can understand.

2 . Methane (甲烷) is a greenhouse gas. Over 20 years it has over 80 times the planet-cooking power of carbon dioxide, and is _________ for nearly 45%of warming today. Because methane is the main _________ of natural gas, much of man-made emissions comes from the energy industry. Yet because it is short-lived, controlling methane offers the world its best possible chance for _________ progress against climate change.

As COP28, the UN’s climate summit, gets _________ in Dubai, it is greatly encouraging, therefore, that the chances of such a deal on methane are good. Negotiators must _________ at a rare opportunity to strike one.

The reason a deal looks possible is that the politics are promising in all the biggest markets. China has recently announced that it will start including methane in its national climate plans. America will soon finalize regulations to _________ methane emissions from its huge oil and gas sector, including measures that cover leaky pipelines and storage. And the European Union has also agreed on tough methane standards, covering both domestic sources and _________ fossil fuels.

_________ are helping, too. A range of new technologies for monitoring methane will help _________ large sources of emissions from the energy industry. Because oil and gas firms can often sell methane (rather than wastefully burning or releasing it), many investment s to avoid __________ will pay for themselves. Most firms do not invest because of the trouble, higher returns on other projects, or wells’ distance from consumers. Whatever the reason, they suffer no __________ for adding needlessly to global warming.

Since green-washing, the process of conveying a false impression about how some products or measures are environmentally sound, is quite common, if a global methane deal is to be more than that, __________, it will need rigour (缜密). Methane-control seemed to __________ at the UN climate summit in Glasgow two years ago, when negotiators __________ came up with a proposal to cut emissions by 30% by 2030．Yet the deal was voluntary, and had no enforcement mechanisms (机制); emissions have since __________. An agreement this time round must link promises to national climate plans and, crucially, to domestic enforcement mechanisms.

3 . On March 16th I left the offices of The Economist to head home. That was the last day when all editorial staff assembled in our London office. And, at the time of writing, no date for a return to the office is in _______

It is remarkable how quickly we have adapted. The newspaper has been written, edited and produced from couches and kitchen tables. January and February seem like an ancient era — the BC (before coronavirus) to the new AD (after _______).

The shift may _______ great workplace transformations in the 19th and 20th centuries, and it has been a much more sudden transition than occurred with factories, enabled by advanced economies that revolve around services instead of manufacturing. Back in the 1970s, when Britain adopted a three-day week (to commit a miners strike), there were power cub and TV stations had to close down early. This pandemic has not turned the lights _______

Not only that, it has made remote work seem both normal and acceptable. In the past employees who stayed home had to overcome the _______ that they were bunking off (偷懒). Now those who insist on being at the office sound self-important.

Things are _______, of course. Video calls Jack the spontaneity of a normal meeting; no off-the-cuff (即兴的) remarks to lighten the mood. Distance makes it difficult to generate camaraderie. Creativity is probably harder to foster. Experts say new ideas come from weak links in networks — i.e., people you meet occasionally. Such “ _______ collisions” have become rarer.

Yet _________ offices will not disappear, it is hard to imagine that working life will return to BC ways. For more than a century workers have stuffed themselves onto crowded trains and buses to get into the office. For the past two months they have not had to commute. _______, for their part, have maintained expensive offices in city centers because they needed to gather staff in one place. The rent is only part of the cost; there are the cleaning, lighting, printers, catering and security ________.

Another aspect of the AD era may be the disappearance of the five-day working week. Even before the pandemic many workers became used to taking phone calls or answering emails at the weekend. In the AD era, the ________ between home and working life, a useful way of relieving stress, will be even harder to sustain.

In future employees may work and take breaks when they please, with the company video call the only ________. The downside, however, is that the rhythm of life has been disrupted and new ________ are needed. Looking further out, the AD era may bring other changes. Some may decide to live in small towns where housing costs are lower, since they have no need to commute. Men will have ________ excuses to skip cleaning or child care if they are not disappearing to the office. In a sense, this is a(n) ________ to normal: until the 19th century most people worked at or close to their homes. But social historians may still regard 2020 as the start of a new age.

4 . If you are experiencing physical symptoms that could indicate burnout, consider seeing your primary care doctor or a mental health professional to determine whether they are driven by stress or rooted in other physical condition, Dr. Dyrbye said. Don’t just take no notice of the symptoms and assume they are _________.

“It’s really easy to _________ your own symptom, especially in our culture, where we are taught to work hard,” Dr. Gold said.

If it is burnout, then the best solution is to _________ the root of the problem. Burnout is typically recognised when it is job-driven, but chronic stress can have a variety of _________ — financial problems, relationship difficulties, and caregiving burdens, among other things. “Think about the pebbles in your shoe all the time that you have to _________,” Dr. Maslach said, “and brainstorm ways to _________ some of them, at least some of the time. Perhaps you can ask your partner to help more with your toddler’s bedtime routine, or get takeout when you’re especially busy so you don’t have to plan dinner, too.”

Despite popular culture coverage of the issue, burnout can’t be “fixed” with better self-care, Dr. Maslach said — in fact, this _________ only worsens the problem, because it lays the blame and responsibility on those with burnout and implies that they should do more to feel better, which is not the case, she said. However, some lifestyle _________ can make burnout less likely. Social support, for instance, can help, Dr. Gold said. This could include talking to a therapist or meeting with friends (even if over Zoom). It may also help to _________ mental health or exercise benefits offered by your employer. Sleeping more can help too — so if you’re __________ from a lack of sleep, talk to a doctor about possible treatments, Dr. Bennett suggested.

When burnout __________ job-related difficulties, it may help to request better working conditions. Dr. Maslach suggested brainstorming with co-workers and presenting your __________ with ideas that would help — like providing quiet areas for breaks and personal phone calls, creating “no meeting” days so that employees can have more time to __________, or ensuring that there’s always coffee in the break room. Even small changes like these can reduce the risk for burnout if they fix a problem people __________ at work every day. “It’s the lasting job stressors that make people really __________ after a while. They don’t have the right equipment, they don’t have the things they need, they don’t have enough people to do the work,” Dr. Maslach said.

5 . In a culture obsessed with measuring talent and ability, we often overlook the important role of inspiration because of its complicated nature. Its history of being treated as supernatural hasn’t helped the______. But as recent research shows, inspiration has a major effect on important______.

Inspiration is the springboard for creativity. Being in a state of inspiration ______the creativity of writing samples across scientific writing, poetry and fiction. Inspired writers are more ______and productive, and spend less time pausing and more time writing. The link between inspiration and creativity is in line with the surpassing aspect of inspiration, since creativity involves seeing possibility beyond existing restrictions.

Inspiration facilitates progress toward goals. In a recent study conducted by Marina Milyavskaya and her colleagues, college students were asked to report three goals they intended to_______ throughout the course of the semester. They then reported on their progress three times a month. Those who scored higher on the Inspiration Scale displayed increased goal progress, and their progress was a ______of setting more inspired goals. ______, people who were generally more inspired in their daily lives also tended to set inspired goals, which were then more likely to be successfully achieved. ______the relationship between inspiration and goal progress was mutual: goal progress also predicts future goal inspiration. Finally, inspired individuals reported experiencing more purpose in life and more gratitude.

Inspiration increases______. In another study, those who were exposed to Michael Jordan’s greatness experienced higher levels of Positive Affect, and this increase in Positive Affect was completely explained by their score on the Inspiration Scale. This inspiration was not______ though, foretelling positive well-being (e.g., life satisfaction) three months later!

Inspiration was more strongly______ future than to present satisfaction. The extent to which inspiration lasted was explained by self-reported levels of purpose and gratitude in life.

These findings show that inspiration______ a lot, which may put the burden on someone to become inspired and helpless to do so. The writer Elizabeth Gilbert rightly expresses this ______in her inspiring TED talk. I agree with Gilbert that one should not put______ on oneself to become inspired. These key scientific findings suggest that inspiration is not______— it happens. Knowing this should free you from the pressure to make inspiration happen.

6 . Charity in Action

In a busy city like Shanghai, the hustle and bustle often overshadow the needs of those less fortunate. However, amidst this chaos, there are still stories of _________ and kindness that warm our hearts.

One such story unfolded one sunny afternoon in the heart of the city. Li Hua, a high school student, was walking home from school, _________ by the noise and crowds. Suddenly, her attention was caught by a small group of people gathered around a street corner.

Curious, she approached and saw an elderly woman sitting on the ground, _________ and alone. Her clothes were tattered, and her face showed signs of _________. Li Hua’s heart went out to her, and she knew she had to do something.

Without _________, Li Hua reached into her pocket and handed the woman all the money she had. The woman’s eyes lit up with gratitude, and a _________ smile spread across her face.

Inspired by this encounter, Li Hua decided to take action. She organized a charity event at her school, _________ awareness about the situation of the homeless and poor in the city. She _________ flyers, made posters, and even gave a speech to her classmates, urging them to contribute whatever they could.

To her surprise, the response was _________. Many students donated their pocket money, while others donated clothes and food. Even teachers and staff got involved, __________ their support.

The charity event was a huge success. Not only did it raise a significant amount of money and goods, but it also __________ a sense of community and unity among the students and staff. More importantly, it __________ the importance of helping others and the impact one individual can have on those in need.

Li Hua’s actions not only __________ the elderly woman that day but also inspired countless others to do their part in making the world a better place. Her story is a reminder that charity is not just about giving money; it’s about __________ a hand to those who need it, about showing compassion and kindness in even the smallest of ways.

In the busy and often impersonal world of Shanghai, Li Hua’s story is a beacon of hope, a reminder that amidst the noise and crowds, there is still room for __________ and compassion.

7 . It is a human nature to hunt for what is beautiful, and we do so because beauty is appealing. I hold that the same is true of mathematics. Beauty -- or aesthetics (美学) more generally--is not just a by-product of the _____. It isn’t that you look back at the end of day and notice that a proof or definition is beautiful. It seems to be that beauty is an essential part of the _____.

This is not to say that all mathematical work is beautiful. Some proofs are boring and long. Some require computer code and are difficult to check. And it is not clear that aesthetic experiences are _____.What is beautiful to a geometrician might not be to an algebraist. What was beautiful to you as a graduate student might not be after 20 years of research.

Although research on the nature of mathematical beauty is under way in several fields--such as philosophy, psychology and education--there are still many _____ questions. What do we mean by beauty? Is it objective or subjective? Can equations be beautiful in their own right, or must they be connected to some sort of visual or sensory _____?

Answers are beginning to _____. For example, a recent study led by Semir Zeki at University College London involved scanning the brains of mathematicians while they viewed different formulae (公式), such as Euler’s identity, e^iπ+1=0, an equation rated as beautiful by the participants. The scans showed that the _____ of mathematical beauty excited the same area of the brain as music or art.

Whatever we mean by the term “mathematical beauty” and how we judge it, there is no doubt that aesthetics plays a significant role in the working life of mathematicians._____, it is not obvious whether the beauty of mathematics can be conveyed at the school level, but this question is not one that has _____ a great deal of attention. _____ tend to be centred on a standard set of mathematical topics and processes. There has been little discussion of aesthetics, despite its _____ potential. A leading journal, Educational Studies in Mathematics, called mathematical aesthetics one of the most under-researched areas in the field.

The question for school mathematics is simply this: do we teach it without conveying its true _____? Teaching maths just in terms of procedures such as practising sums is like teaching music through practising scales without ever _____ children to Beethoven.

When experiencing a moment of true mathematical understanding--_____ why something is so, or seeing how everything hangs together--you can feel a sense of meaningfulness, connection and purposefulness, just as you might with poetry or music.

Once you realise that mathematics is, in addition to its scientific values, an essentially aesthetic subject, you realise that teaching it to students without conveying its beauty might be to _____ the essence, the very life, of the subject.

8 . Studies have shown that when people’s mental health improves, they’re more likely to _________ in their relationships and careers — and adopt healthier habits. People become more productive, find meaning in everyday experiences and are more equipped to cope with changes and obstacles when they feel mentally well. Here are four New Year’s resolutions experts expect people to make _________ mental health.

Reflect on whether you’d like to continue with the same online habits in 2024, says Nedra Glover Tawwab, a therapist. “Do you want to set some _________ for yourself? Are there people you need to _________?” “For example, you might limit yourself to 15 minutes on social media per day, delete the most _________ apps from your phone during the workweek, or challenge yourself not to check social media when you’re feeling gloomy.

“Make new friends, but keep the old” is an adage (格言) for a reason. Loneliness affects physical and mental health while _________ social bonds are a slave. Resolve to reach out to “one person you lost touch with who used to be _________ to you,” Winch says. He recommends opening with a text like this: “I was thinking about you. It’s been so long. How are you?” _________ the message with a smiley face, he adds. “That’s important because when you say, ‘It’s been so long’, it can sound accusing.” A smiley face, Winch says, can ensure the _______ meaning — “I miss you” — comes across.

The “core four” help guard against life’s stressors. First, do something __________, like attending a football game or belting out a Taylor Swift album. Having fun “__________ the stress by helping you accumulate more positive events than negative ones,” says Calvin Fitch, a clinical health psychologist. Then check off a “mastery activity”, like cleaning or running errands. Also important are being __________— a sense of belonging facilitates better health — and doing physical activities that get your heart rate going.

If you’re __________ about the state of the planet — and more of us are — worrying won’t help. Instead, take a cue from Winch’s family: each year, they decide to do one thing to __________ their climate anxiety, like eliminating plastic bags, composting food scraps, or walking 15 minutes to nearby destinations instead of driving. “It’s overwhelming — I feel like I can’t get my arms around it,” he says. “But doing one small thing is a way of feeling like you’re __________ your goal.”

9 . When authoring his epitaph (墓志铭), Thomas Jefferson omitted his two terms as the nation’s third president yet included “Father of the University of Virginia.” The Founding Father spent the last years of his life not in the _____ but instead pursuing one of his most treasured missions: it was creating the University of Virginia. As mastermind of the university’s architecture and curriculum, Jefferson assured that what he _____ was sound.

Jefferson personally designed and oversaw the _____ of what he would regard as an “academic village.” At the front and center of a tree-lined lawn area, Jefferson _____ positioned the Rotunda, a round brick building featuring classical Greek columns in front. The domed (圆顶的) top of the Rotunda contained a library stocked with 7,000 books _____ by Jefferson himself, while the area beneath included two floors of classrooms. At that time, such noticeable placement of the Rotunda was a marked _____ from other universities’ designs, which generally featured chapels (小教堂) for the training of clergy (牧师).

_____ use of the grassy area in front of the Rotunda, Jefferson added ten two-story houses for teachers’ housing and connected them to student dormitories with colonnades, column- lined covered walkways. To keep teachers _____ while they were talking heated, Jefferson included dining halls in his design, referring to them as “hotels.”

In the spirit of his new nation, Jefferson introduced the notion of what we now call electives. Instead of a strictly dictated curriculum, students could _____ from ten academic disciplines. These disciplines were subject areas that _____ from ancient and modern languages to certain branches of science. To support the _____ components of the university’s curriculum, Jefferson included a botanical garden, an experimental farm, and an observatory. (Not one to _____ the slightest detail, Jefferson showcased the ten categories by placing a carefully chosen Roman symbol on each of the ten house.)

Although he didn’t live to see the full completion of the university’s construction, or _____ the graduation of the first senior class, Jefferson ensured that the university, which would later be named a World Heritage site, _____ free choice in classes, respect for classical routes, and curiosity about the sciences.

Those principles are forever remembered in the last part of his epitaph, which, if stated differently, could easily have read “____visionary for all Americans.”

10 . Maps, number lines, shapes, artwork and other materials tend to cover elementary classroom walls. However, too much of a good thing may end up _______ attention and learning in young children, according to research published in Psychological Science.

Psychology researchers Anna V. Fisher, Karrie E. Godwin and Howard Seltman of Carnegie Mellon University looked at whether classroom displays affected children’s ability to maintain _______ during instruction and to learn the lesson content. They found that children in highly decorated classrooms were more distracted, spent more time off-task and demonstrated smaller learning _______than when the decorations were removed.

“Young children spend a lot of time — usually the whole day — in the same classroom, and we have shown that a classroom’s _______ environment can affect how much children learn,” said Fisher, lead author and associate professor of psychology in the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Should teachers _______ their visual displays based on the findings of this study?

“We do not suggest by any means that this is the answer to all _______ problems. Furthermore,_______ research is needed to know what effect the classroom visual environment has on children’s attention and learning in real classrooms,” Fisher said. “_______, I would suggest that instead of removing all decorations, teachers should consider whether some of their visual displays do make it difficult for young children to _______.”

For the study, 24 kindergarten students were placed in ________classrooms for six introductory science lessons on topics they were unfamiliar with. Three lessons were taught in a heavily decorated classroom, and three lessons were given in a sparse (稀疏的) classroom. The results showed that while children learned in both __________ types, they learned more when the room was not heavily decorated. Specifically, children’s __________ on the test questions was higher in the sparse classroom (55% correct) than in the decorated classroom (42% correct).

“We were also interested in finding out if the visual displays were removed, whether the children’s attention would __________ to another distraction, such as talking to their peers, or the total amount of time they were distracted would remain the same,” said Godwin, a Ph.D. candidate in psychology and fellow of the Program in Interdisciplinary Education Research.

However, when the researchers totaled all of the time children spent off-task in both types of classrooms, the rate of off-task __________ was higher in the decorated classroom (38.6% time spent off-task) than in the sparse classroom (28.4% time spent off-task).

The researchers hope these findings will lead to further studies into developing guidelines to help teachers design classrooms __________.