1 . Binge-watching (刷剧) is when a person watches more than one episode of a show in a row. With developments in the speed and connectivity of the Internet, increases in technology and the rise of on-demand entertainment companies, people can now have their favorite shows stream (流播) directly to their television at their convenience.

This behavior is nothing new. In fact, binge-watching has been officially listed in dictionaries since 2015. The entertainment companies recognize this behavior and many take steps to encourage it. Often, instead of releasing each episode on a week-by-week basis, an entire series will become available concurrently. Once the episode finishes, many platforms will display pop-ups with “you might like” suggestions, or will automatically play the next episode.

However, recent research suggests that out of the more than half of British adults who watch more than one episode of a show back-to-back (一集接一集地), almost a third have admitted missing sleep or becoming tired as a result; and 25% have neglected their household chores (家务活). Next we’ll be missing work!

Bingeing has other connections — binge eating, binge drinking and binge smoking. All of them are often associated with a lack of control and a possible route to addiction. Lindsey Fussell, consumer group director, said, “The days of waiting a week for the next episode are largely gone, with people finding it hard to resist (抗拒) watching multiple episodes around the house or on the move.” If people find binge-watching hard to resist, are we witnessing the birth of a new type of addiction?

The countless number of information and entertainment that television and online media can bring us is, many would say, a good thing. However, when the activity begins to bleed into other areas, causing us to stop functioning, then it becomes a problem. So, what’s the answer? Moderation! Neither a tiny amount, nor too much. After all, as the old proverb says, “A little of what you fancy does you good.”

4 . When it comes to work, workers, and jobs, much of the concern of the modern age boils down to the fear that we’re witnessing the final stage of the game, and that there will be nowhere for humans to withdraw as machines take over the last few tasks. The most recent example comes from the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Is there no area of human experience that can’t be replaced by AI? And if not, what is left for humans to do except the tasks involved in taking care of the machines?

At the heart of this concern is our desire for good jobs — jobs that make the most of workers’ natural abilities and where the work provides the worker with motivation and work-life balance. More importantly, good jobs support workers in learning by doing — and, in so doing, deliver benefits on three levels: to the worker, who gains in personal development and job satisfaction; to the organization, which reforms as staff find new problems to solve and opportunities to pursue; and to the community as a whole, which harvests the economic benefits of hosting positive organizations and workers. This is what makes good jobs productive for the organization, as well as engaging and fulfilling for the worker.

Does the ongoing advance of AI threaten to get rid of all the learning, creativity, and meaning that make a job a good job? Certainly, some have blamed technology for just such an outcome. Headlines today often express concern over technological innovation(革新) resulting in bad jobs for humans, or even the complete disappearance of certain professions. Some fear that further technology advancement in the workplace will result in jobs where employees are being asked to work in split times or for longer periods over more days.

The problem here isn’t the technology; rather, it’s the way the technology is used — and, more than that, the way people think about using it.

5 . A competition making up Versailles literature was launched on Sina Weibo recently. So what is Versailles literature?

Actually, the term has nothing to do with the French palace nor with literature. It came from The Rose of Versailles, a Japanese manga series about aristocratic life at the palace of Versailles in France in the late 18th century, and was coined by a Chinese influencer earlier this year. Known as humblebragging, it is a boast disguised as a complaint. “I have too many houses. How can I decide which one to decorate?” and “I thought I lost weight this morning. So disappointed when I realized it was because I took off the huge diamond ring my boyfriend gave me last night” are some examples of Versailles literature. The intention is to show off — usually things of materialistic values, yet one ought to pretend that’s not the point.

As the 19th century English author Jane Austen famously wrote, “Nothing is more deceitful than the appearance of humility.” The psychology behind humblebragging is to be recognized for one’s successes and be liked by others at the same time, according to scholars. In her article titled Why do people hate humblebragging? published in Psychology Today, psychologist Dr. Susan Krauss Whitbourne at the University of Massachusetts Amherst noted that humblebragging is a “strategy in pursuit of respect” because it draws attention to one’s accomplishments in a circuitous way.

However, studies on social media users show that humblebragging as a self-promotion strategy does not work. In the essay Humblebragging: A distinct and ineffective self-presentation strategy, the University of North Carolina researcher Ovul Sezer and Harvard University scholars Francesca Gino and Michael Norton concluded from their research that humblebraggers are perceived more negatively than straight braggers due to                                        the former’s insincerity. “The critical factor differentiating the two groups of people is sincerity. People don’t like braggers, but they at least see them as more sincere than humblebraggers,” said Francesca Gino.

So, how can we annoy humblebraggers back? “Just pretend you don’t get whatever it is they try to show off,” a netizen advised. “And respond with genuine sympathy for their complaints.”

6 . One of the newest taboos (禁忌) in American society is the topic of fat. Unlike many other taboos, fat is a topic that America talk about often. It is not taboo to talk about fat; it’s taboo to be fat.

The “in” look is thin. In the work world, most companies prefer youthful-looking, slim executives to sell their image and their products to the public. The thin look is associated with youth, vigor and success. The fat person, on the other hand, is thought of as lazy and lacking in energy, self-discipline and self-respect. After all, people think, how can people who care about themselves, and therefore the way they look, allow themselves to become fat? In an image conscious society like the U.S. , fat is “out”.

It is not surprising, then, that millions of Americans have become obsessed (着迷) with staying slim and “in shape”. The pursuit of youthful physical appearance is not, however, the only reason for America’s obsession with diet and exercise.

Recent research has shown the great importance of diet and exercise for personal health. As in most technologically developed nations, the life-style of North Americans has changed very quickly during the course of last century. Modern machines do all the physical labor that people were once forced to do by hand. Cars and buses transport us quickly from point to point. As the result of inactivity and disuse, people’s bodies can easily become weak and vulnerable ( 脆弱的 ) to disease. In an effort to avoid such a fate, millions of Americans are spending more of their time exercising.

The effects of this new appreciation of the importance of exercise is clear: parks are filled with joggers and bicyclists, physical education programs are enjoying a newly-founded fame and many companies are providing exercise equipment for their employees to use during the work day.

7 . Parties and social gatherings no longer excite us the same way they once did. This is not due to a lack of desire to socialize, but the smartphone.

At parties, people focus more on their smartphones than on their drinks. According to a recent study from International Data Corporation, over half of all Americans have a smartphone and reach it the moment they wake up, keeping it in hand all day. In addition, too many people are using smartphones while driving and as a result, they get into car crashes. 34 percent of teens admit to text while driving, and they confirm that texting messages are the major interruption while driving. People’s attachment（依恋）to their smartphones is unbelievably becoming more important than the lives of themselves and others.

Just as drivers dismiss the importance of focusing while on the road, many people also fail to recognize the significance of human interaction. When with their friends, some people pointlessly check or send messages in the presence of their friends, which means that their friends are less important. In addition, relying on our smartphones to make friends does not give us the same advantages as making new friends in the real world. Face-to-face conversations will give us the chance to improve our communication skills in the long run.

As many people risk their lives and the lives of people around them just to send a text or mindlessly check their messages, smartphones are in many ways more dangerous to people. The technology shows the achievement weaken the value of communication. Not only is the smartphone affecting our desire to interact face to face, but it is also lowering people’s ability to communicate.

9 . Mobile phones have become a problem for middle schools. Some middle schools in Australia have prevented students from carrying mobile phone during school hours.

Mobile phone use among children has become a problem for the school this year. Several children have got mobile phones as Christmas gifts, and more students will want them.

Mary Bluett, an official, said mobile phone use is a distraction to students during school hours and it also gives teachers so much trouble in their classrooms. Teachers were also saying that sometimes students might use phone messages to cheat during exams.

She said some schools had tried not to let students use mobile phones at school. Some parents felt unhappy because they couldn't get in touch with their children.

Many teachers said students should not have mobile phones at school, but if there was a good reason, they could leave their phones at school offices. They also said there were many reasons why the students should not have mobile phones at school. They were easy to lose and were a distraction from studies.

Many people say that they understood why parents would want their children to have mobile phones, but they think schools should let the students know when they can use their mobile phones.

10 . Many people wrongly think that cities don't have farms and that fruits and vegetables are only grown in the country. Believe it or not, more and more urban farms are popping up in cities all over the world.

Alexandra Sullivan, a food system researcher in New York City, studies urban agriculture. Urban agriculture is another name for farming and gardening in a city environment. Ms. Sullivan studies everything from tiny gardens in empty lots between buildings to bigger fields that have been planted and grown. According to Ms. Sullivan, "Urban agriculture has existed since cities have, across the world."

The number of humans living in urban areas, or cities, is increasing. The amount of people who want to garden in urban areas is also rising. Ms. Sullivan says, "In small gardens, on rooftops and indoors, they grow fruits, vegetables, grains, and herbs, and raise animals to produce milk, eggs, honey, and meat. They use these foods as supplements to food produced by rural agriculture." Even though some people who live in urban areas grow crops, urban residents still need to rely on food grown in rural areas. This is because a city doesn't have enough space to grow enough food for everyone living in it.

In New York City, urban farmers have come up with many different ways to grow their own produce, even though there isn't a lot of room. For example, Brooklyn Grange is a farming operation that has two rooftop vegetable farms in New York City. All together, the farms are made up of 2.5 acres of rooftop space. This makes Brooklyn Grange one of the largest rooftop farming operations in the world.

Brooklyn Grange grows all kinds of things. The farming company sells its vegetables to local residents and restaurants. And because the farms are on rooftops, they are specially adapted to their urban location. They use available space that is not needed for anything else. As more urban farmers find ways to grow food in cities, urban residents will be better able to get fresher materials for their meals.