1 . The woman bringing Mandarin to Uganda

Wang Lihong Sooma, who moved to East Africa from China more than two decades ago, is determined to teach Ugandans how to speak Mandarin (普通话).     1     The first 30 teachers have now completed their training and have started holding Mandarin classes in schools across the country.

Forty more teachers are now enrolled (入学) and classes start at 8:00 and finish at 22:00 from Monday to Friday.     2     However, Pavin Mulokwa, a teacher from Mbarara, sees it as an opportunity to broaden her job prospects. Another trainee, Praise Twebaze, agrees and hopes it will enable him to travel too.

    3     Gao Yahui, who has been teaching Mandarin in Uganda for a year, says it has changed her understanding of Africa. From Xi’an city in central China, the 39-year-old left her husband and child behind to come and teach but was warned by her family and friends not to because of “diseases and war”. “    4     When I go back to China, I will introduce the real Africa to the people in China and change their way of looking at Africa.”

Wang’s goal is to have 100 teachers trained up and teaching Mandarin in 60 Ugandan schools by 2023. She sees it as a win-win situation, giving the example of how Chinese have benefited from learning English. “    5     We learnt their technology and skills and then we developed.”

2 . This is something that all of us have noticed countless times in our daily lives. Whether you’re trying to read the fine print in a commercial or trying to make out a person’s face from a distance — it always helps to see better when you squint (眯起) your eyes.     1       

There’s a common assumption that you’re adding much stress to your eyeballs by squeezing them to make them work better.     2     If you think for a while, you’ll find squinting is a different matter. If squinting meant making your eyes become stress balls, we’d all be in a lot of trouble.

    3     When light hits an object, it bounces off its surface and enters our eyes. The light travels through the eye lens (晶状体). The lens then focuses the light rays, which fall on the retina (视网膜). A chemical present in the retina turns light into electric signals, which are then transmitted to the brain. The brain processes the signals and ultimately allows us to see stuff.

The act of squinting, quite obviously, alters the shape of the space through which light passes, which helps us form a clear image on the retina. What’s more, light from different directions enters and is subsequently perceived by the eye.     4     However, when you’re trying to focus on something, if there’s light entering from multiple directions, the lens will be overloaded. By squinting, focusing light rays becomes more precise.

Squinting does not damage your eyesight.     5     It’s one thing to occasionally squint in order to make out something far away. But if you find yourself doing it all the time, getting your eyes tested should be your focus.

3 . If staying optimistic (乐观) is something you struggle with, you`re certainly not alone. Here are five ways you can frequently practice to be optimistic.

The majority of negative thoughts are about the past and future, which can`t be changed. To be present, you need to exactly figure out whether they are in the past, present or future and bring them back into the moment.     1    

The thoughts of giving thanks can help improve your body functions and overall happiness. Start by writing down at least three things you`re thankful for each day.     2     This practice could transform into a formal habit of recalling things you`re grateful for and writing them down.

Laughter really is fantastic medicine. Loud laughs can calm the brain`s stress center. Watch one of your favorite TV plays or even try laughter yoga. It might be a good choice to reach out to others for help to laugh out loud.     3     It can help lift your mood during difficult times.

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Acts of kindness can increase your sense of well-being. Even something as simple as giving someone a smile can leave you both feeling happier. Challenge yourself to do at least one kind thing for someone else each day, such as buying a stranger a cup of coffee or donating to a cause that matters to you.

Exercise produces pleasurable brain chemicals and relieves bad emotions. When you participate in physical activities that bring you joy, your thinking will clear. If it’s hard to find time to get to the gym, there are many exercise videos you can follow online.     5     Then you’ll likely feel more positive afterward.

5 . In the 1960s and 1970s, some writers and university professors called themselves “futurists”. These futurists tried to forecast the future.     1     The problem was that none of these futurists were scientists or engineers. So, while they knew the future would have more powerful computers, they had no clue what these computers would look like, what they could do, or what impact they would have on our lives.

    2     Having said that, we can make some good guesses about future technology by looking at current scientific and technological advances. We can also ask the real experts: the scientists and engineers who are bringing us these advances.

Because so much of our daily life will be integrated with computers, virtual reality will become an actual, real reality for many of us. This virtual world will at times seem as real as — if not more real than — the actual world around us. Without leaving home, you will be able to take tours of foreign countries, or even get a medical exam by a doctor in another city.

    3     There is already, for example, technology which will allow blind people to see using cameras and deaf people to hear using microphones that are connected to their brains. Future technology will allow people to defeat all sorts of physical disabilities.

Much research is being done to unlock the human mind. Using technology that is being developed now, people in the future may be able to not just read someone else’s mind, but also record their thoughts like one would record a movie.     4     For example, robot hands are being developed for people who have no hands. These artificial hands are connected to a person’s nerves so that the person’s brain tells the hands what to do.

As a result of such advances, in the future, some people who are badly injured may become more robot than human.     5    

We should all eagerly view the future as a great adventure — a new world waiting to be explored. Who knows exactly what we will find?

7 . Plan a Friendsgiving meal

A Friendsgiyving is when friends gather together to celebrate their friendships.    1     Hosting a Friendsgiving can be a wonderful way to show thanks to their friends. Here’s how to get started.

Choose a date

Make sure to settle on a date when most of your friends are available.    2     This is because most of your attendees will most likely have plans with their family for that Thursday.

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A Friendsgiving meal is more informal. Instead of roasting a turkey, you could tell friends to each bring a dish to go with the main course you will provide. To avoid guests bringing the same dish, keep a list of who is bringing what.

Decorate your space

Make a sigh for your front door that welcomes everyone. On the dining table, there could be colorful place cards you made for each person. To make it more fun, instead of their- names, write a little clue about each person and see if everyone can guess theirs.    4    

Do an activity together

    5     One idea is for your group to do a fun craft together, and your guests can take home what they make. You could also work on a big puzzle (拼图) or just head outside for a ball game.

9 . Ways to keep your brain young

Every brain changes with age, and mental function changes along with it. Mental decline is common, and it's one of the most feared consequences of aging. But cognitive(认知的) damage is not unavoidable.     1     .

Get mental stimulation

Through research with mice and humans, scientists have found that brainy activities stimulate new connections between nerve cells and may even help the brain generate new cells.     2     Read, take courses, and try “mental gymnastics,” such as word puzzles or math problems that require mental effort like drawing, painting, and other crafts.

Get physical exercise

    3     . People who exercise regularly increase the number of tiny blood vessels that bring oxygen- rich blood to the region of the brain that is responsible for thought. Exercise also spurs the development of new nerve cells and increases the connections between brain cells.

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Good nutrition can help your mind as well as your body. For example, people that eat a Mediterranean style diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, unsaturated oils (olive oil) and plant sources of proteins are less likely to develop cognitive impairment and dementia. In this way, both your blood sugar and blood pressure will be in good control.

Care for your emotions

People who are anxious, depressed, sleep- deprived, or exhausted tend to score poorly on cognitive function tests. Immediate actions should be taken to prevent cognitive decline. Neglecting your emotional well- being can have a profound impact on your ability to think clearly, make decisions, and maintain a high level of mental sharpness.     5     .