1 . It’s commonly acknowledged that our lives are ruled by algorithms (算法), but have we really collectively understood how they have transformed our culture and personality?

In Filterworld: How algorithms flattened culture, Kyle Chayka argues convincingly that the rise of algorithm-driven feeds, used everywhere online from Instagram to Spotify, has led to a more uniform culture. Our tastes and desires increasingly don’t belong to us, but to algorithms that are designed to keep people engaged at all costs. If the collection of our tastes truly shapes our entire personality, then this loss is more psychologically damaging than it first appears. Aimlessly scrolling (滚屏) through Netflix or TikTok may seem harmless, but over days, months or years, we lose touch with what we like and enjoy.

Taste-making algorithms are inescapable. Chayka shows this by working through all corners of life: what we wear(TikTok), where we eat(Google Maps), music we listen to(Spotify), even who we date or marry(Tinder). This universe of algorithm-driven decisions has society-wide implications: “It extends to influence our physical spaces, our cities, and the routes we move through…flattening them in turn.” No one gets out of the Filterworld untouched.

If you’re lucky enough not to need any sort of algorithm-based system for your work, then you have the option to step back from algorithms for a while. But if your friend suggests a film recommended on X/Twitter or you feel the need to buy those shoes suddenly everyone has started wearing after social media advertisements, what are you to do? It all feels fruitless.

This Filterworld may be inescapable, but there is hope. You can start by engaging more with the media you do choose to consume. This could mean reading up about a film you watched or paying artists you like directly. Even the thoughtful act of recommending an album (专辑) to a friend is more rewarding than a random TikTok feed. As Chayka says, resistance to algorithms “requires an act of willpower, a choice to move through the world in a different way.”

2 . Talking to your children about the misinformation they may find online is a great idea. Children don’t always have the judgment or critical thinking skills to test what they read or watch, but they’ll develop these abilities quickly if you help them figure out how to separate fact from fiction. We’re here to help you do just that!

Don’t wait for your kids to approach you with questions——instead, take a few minutes to sit down with them. Let them know that there’s a lot of content out there on the Internet, and not all o£ it is true. With everything going on in the world, remind your kids that they might be seeing a lot of confusing, false information going around on social media and other parts of the web.

It’s a good idea to turn news reports and TV shows into teachable moments. Look for small opportunities to start helpful conversations about misinformation with your kids. Take a TV show or newspaper article and transform it into a helpful, easy way to understand what misinformation is₉ and how to avoid it.

Misinformation can be really upsetting and stressful for your kids to think about. Let them know that you’re always available to listen and answer their questions if they’re feeling confused. Reassure your kids that there are no stupid questions, and that you’re always willing to explain something for them.

Teach your kids a few tricks to fact-check misinformation online. Remind your kids to be on the lookout for strange-looking website like those ending with co. Tell them to read through the headline. If it has a lot of mistakes, or if it’s written in all capital letters, there’s a good chance that it might be misinformation. Additionally, introduce your kids to official websites, which are quick and easy ways to fact-check information.

4 . We know it can be hard to put your phone to bed before you sleep. However, if you’re trying to improve your sleep, you really should ditch your phone at least an hour before bedtime. Luckily, our experts can help.

Scientific evidence suggests that the blue light emitted from your phone, tablet, computer, and TV suppresses (抑制) your body’s production of melatonin, a hormone (荷尔蒙) that plays an important role in your sleep cycle. Melatonin release in the evening helps you relax before bedtime. A 2013 study that analyzed technology use and sleep patterns with data from a National Sleep Foundation poll found that using devices like phones was tied to more sleep disruption than electronics that aren’t interactive.

Many of us use the excuse that our mobile devices serve as our wake-up calls, or keep them nearby to use meditation apps. If you want to use your phone as an alarm, consider setting it a couple of hours before you turn in for the night, and then setting the phone itself to bedtime mode for the rest of the evening.

Here’s another groundbreaking idea: You could get a real alarm clock. After reviewing them at Reviewed, we recommend the Sharp Dream Caster. Not only is it easy to set a wake-up time, the clock includes white noises and rain noises to help you sleep, plus a number of volume settings to pick what works best for you.

But an alarm clock won’t help you avoid doom-scrolling through social media. Take things a step further by avoiding using electronic devices. You can try reading a book (one made of paper), taking a bath or drinking a cup of chamomile tea.

Finally, if you want to keep up your meditation practice screen-free, consider the Morphée. It looks like a little music box and comes with a variety of breathing exercises and soundscapes to help you get to sleep.

6 . Over the past 50 years, it turns out that high-speed trains are not just reducing journey times, but most importantly, it’s driving economic growth, creating job opportunities and bringing communities closer together.

Although Japan started the trend with its Shinkansen “Bullet Trains” in 1964, it was the coming of France’s TGV in the early 1980s that really promoted a global high-speed train revolution that continued to speed up. China has built around 42, 000 kilometers of high-speed railways since 2008 and plans to top 70,000 kilometers by 2035.

But the United States detoured the revolution. For the rich and economically successful nation on the planet, with an increasingly urbanized population of more than 300 million, it is increasingly difficult to give a good reason. Cars and airplanes have dominated long-distance travel in the United States since the 1950s.Now Americans still almost entirely depend on crowded highways or airline networks that are easy to collapse.

“Many Americans have no concept of high-speed rail and fail to see its value,” says William C. Vantuono, editor-in-chief of Railway Age, North America’s oldest railroad industry publication.

“It’s logical that the United States hasn’t yet developed a nationwide high-speed network, "says Scott Sherin, chief commercial officer of train builder Alstom’s US division. “For decades, traveling by car wasn’t a hardship, but as highway congestion (堵塞) gets worse, we’ve reached a stage where we should start looking more seriously for the alternatives.”

“The magic numbers are centers of population with around three million people that are 200 to 500 miles apart, giving a trip time of less than three hours — preferably two hours, where those conditions apply in Europe and Asia, high-speed rail reduces air’s share of the market from 100%to near zero. The model would work just as well in the USA as it does globally.” adds Scott Sherin.

8 . Movie stars might think their lives are private after leaving the acting location, but they ought to know that they have much power over their audience. The power gives them an ability to change people, events, even history, making them to have the responsibility of being good role models.

With time going on, movie stars become celebrities (名人) and in the process get a large number of fans. Some of them follow their deeds, dress, and act like them. In reality, they want to be like their favorite movie stars. If a movie star engages in acts that the society does not approve, those who look up to them, especially the teens, will do the same. Movie stars should be responsible for what they do and say as following the actions is now simpler because of social media. It is important to behave like a role model even when they think no one is watching.

Nobody is perfect, and movie stars also have had their down moments. They may not have been good role models at the time, but they can change the narrative by doing the right things. They can also turn the past shortcomings into positives by opening up about problems and how they overcame the challenges. And their audience can learn to discuss their problems and seek help.

People starring in movies are the target of companies to promote their products or services for a fee. Their celebrity status is a reason enough to think beyond the payment. A movie star should not recommend something that will influence the way teens live negatively. It would be wrong to promote something like sweetened drinks or foods without health benefits. Movie stars face problems like other people, but because of their influence, they have a responsibility to be role models in the public eye.

9 . In the 1890s, Oscar Wilde tried to change the way men dressed. In summer, he said, the standard dark suits were too heavy and hot. _______, men should wear light shirts and shorts.

Did anyone follow his _______? Certainly not. They just laughed.

Last week, Mayor of New York said he was concerned about New Yorkers in the heat. He suggested dressing _______. His words were not meant for the women, who already know how to _______ hot weather in light clothing and little dresses. But what about the men? Have they made any changes? No. The mayor himself _______ to go to work in a dark suit.

It didn’t seem _______. The women all looked so cool, while the men were all _______.

So the next day, I put on _______. As I walked down the street, I felt quite cool but very _______. Everybody looked at me. Some people even ________. At noon I went to the park. As usual in summer, there were lots of people eating lunch. Some men had ________ their jackets, but they all were wearing long pants. I sat beside a man eating sandwiches. He asked me, “What country are you from?” I told him I was from America.

My ________ surprised him. “I wish I could wear shorts too,” he said. “But all the other men in my office are wearing long pants, so I have no ________ but to follow them.”

After lunch, two young men were pointing at my shorts and ________. I guess some things haven’t ________ since Oscar Wilde.

The next day I wore long pants again.

10 . Strategies for Getting Kids off Screens

It’s time to keep kids off the screens! Parents should use the winter vacation to remind their children of what it’s like to play freely, offline for hours on end.     1    . Here are some practical strategies for giving kids a screen-free winter.

Set clear screen time limits

Establish how many minutes or hours you’re OK with them each week, and make it something that can never be changed. For example, you could say they’re allowed to watch for an hour on Sunday morning, or for 15 minutes in the evening while dinner is being made, or none at all for the rest of the winter—and then stick to it.     2    

Get kids cooking

Involve them in meal preparation by assigning recipes that you’d like them to make each day.     3    . And you’ll have many tasty dishes at the end of it,

    4    

There are numerous half- and full-day camp options and lessons that can occupy a child’s time, such as swimming, art classes, tennis, dinosaur camp and sports camp. Look around your community for activities that can get them out of the house for a few hours each day.

Establish a reading routine (习惯)

    5    . Take your kid along to choose what she or he wants to read, and that will help keep them enthusiastic. Back home and see if you can set up a comfortable reading corner where they will be willing to read and let reading become a good habit gradually.