Can you delay ageing with a positive attitude? When do you think 'middle age' starts? What about 'old age'? Unsurprisingly, the answer to these questions will depend on your culture, as well as how old you are when someone asks you. What is perhaps more surprising is that the answer to these questions could have an impact on how quickly your body begins to age. In 2003, the researchers Hannah Kuper and Sir Michael Marmot carried out a wide-ranging study in which participants were asked the question: when does old age start? They then followed up with the participants six to nine years later and found that those who had thought old age began earlier were more likely to be in poor physical health. But how could someone's answer to a question about age possibly have an impact on their health? It might be that the question prompts people to think about their physical health, underlying health issues or poor lifestyle, which might then make them feel that old age is coming sooner. People who say that old age sets in earlier, may also be more fatalistic and less likely to visit a doctor or to adopt healthier routines. It's even possible that the stress of having negative thoughts about ageing, contributes to more health problems. So, this is what happens when we think negatively about ageing, but what happens when we think positively? People who think old age starts later, may be more conscious about their health and fitness and therefore take steps to stay in better shape. They may see their twilight years as an opportunity to learn new things and make new plans. If they believe they are younger, they therefore behave in younger ways, creating a virtuous circle. Whatever the reason, according to data from the Ohio Longitudinal Study of Ageing and Retirement, people who think positively about ageing live longer on average. Of course, none of this research means that a positive attitude can magically stop the ageing process – our bodies get older with each passing year, after all. But it seems that if we try to be healthier and if we believe that there are still things we can do in old age, we might live longer and enjoy ourselves more too. 词汇表 wide-ranging [ˌwaɪd ˈreɪndʒɪŋ] 广泛的，范围广的 follow up with 跟进，跟踪调查 poor physical health 糟糕的身体状况，身体状况不佳 prompt [prɒmpt] 促使，推动；提示 underlying [ˌʌndəˈlaɪɪŋ] 潜在的，根本的；基础的 set in （不好的事情）到来，开始 fatalistic [ˌfeɪtəˈlɪstɪk] 宿命论的，相信宿命的 adopt healthy routines [əˈdɒpt ˈhelθi ˈruːtiːnz] 养成健康的生活习惯 stay in shape 保持健康，保持身材 twilight years [ˈtwaɪlaɪt jɪəz] 暮年，晚年 virtuous circle [ˈvɜːtʃuəs ˈsɜːkl] 良性循环 longitudinal study [ˌlɒndʒɪˈtjuːdɪnl] 纵向研究（指在一段时间内持续观察或研究） 📖 翻译、pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】

Is intermittent fasting good for your health? Intermittent fasting, or IF, isn't just a diet. It's a pattern of eating. It's not about what you eat, but when. The idea is simple. You cycle between periods of eating and fasting. Popular methods include the 16/8 method. This involves fasting for 16 hours each day and eating all meals within an eight-hour window. Or the 5/2 diet. You eat normally for five days of the week and restrict calories to about 500 to 600 calories on the other two days. Finally, there is the eat-stop-eat method that involves a 24-hour fast once or twice a week. What are the benefits of skipping meals? Supporters of intermittent fasting say it can lead to improvements in brain health, longevity and even reduce inflammation, and there is a growing body of research to support them. A review by the National Institute on Ageing highlights that intermittent fasting can lead to improvements in various health conditions, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancers and neurological disorders. Harvard Health Publishing also notes that intermittent fasting can lower blood sugar levels, reduce inflammation and help clear out toxins and damaged cells, which lowers the risk of cancer and enhances brain function. Furthermore, a study cited by Science Daily reports that intermittent fasting can produce clinically significant weight loss and improve metabolic health in individuals with obesity. While these findings are promising, it's important to note that more research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of intermittent fasting on human health. What are the disadvantages? Intermittent fasting is not without potential drawbacks. Some individuals may experience side effects such as increased hunger, headaches, mood changes and fatigue. There are also risks of malnutrition if it's not practiced correctly, as well as dehydration and digestive issues. Moreover, studies have shown that it might lead to muscular mass loss, and in some cases, it could exacerbate disordered eating behaviours, including binge eating. Long-term adherence to IF can be challenging due to severe hunger and the biological urge to overeat after fasting periods. So while intermittent fasting may offer benefits for some, it's essential to approach it with caution and consider individual health conditions, especially for those on medications or with specific dietary needs. There you have it. 词汇表 intermittent fasting [ˌɪntəˈmɪtənt ˈfɑːstɪŋ] 间歇性禁食，断食疗法（一种在进食和禁食循环的饮食模式） 16/8 method 16/8饮食法（每天禁食16小时，进食集中在8小时内） 5:2 diet 5:2饮食法（一周5天正常饮食，另外2天限制热量至500-600大卡） eat-stop-eat method 进食-停止-进食法（每周1-2次进行24小时禁食） skip meals [skɪp miːlz] 不吃饭，跳过用餐 longevity [lɒnˈdʒevəti] 长寿，长命 inflammation [ˌɪnfləˈmeɪʃn] 炎症，发炎 obesity [əʊˈbiːsəti] 肥胖，肥胖症 diabetes [ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz] 糖尿病 cardiovascular disease [ˌkɑːdiəʊˈvæskjələ(r) dɪˈziːz] 心血管疾病 neurological disorder [ˌnjʊərəˈlɒdʒɪkl dɪsˈɔːdə] 神经紊乱，神经系统疾病 blood sugar levels 血糖水平 clear out toxins [klɪə(r) aʊt ˈtɒksɪnz] 清除毒素 damaged cells [ˈdæmɪdʒd selz] 受损细胞 clinically significant [ˈklɪnɪkli sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt] 具临床意义的；临床显著的 metabolic [ˌmetəˈbɒlɪk] 代谢的，新陈代谢的 side effect [saɪd ɪˈfekt] 副作用；意外结果 malnutrition [ˌmælnjuːˈtrɪʃn] 营养不良，营养失调 dehydration [ˌdiːhaɪˈdreɪʃn] 脱水，极度干渴 muscular mass loss [ˈmʌskjələ(r) mæs lɒs] 肌肉量流失 exacerbate [ɪɡˈzæsəbeɪt] 加剧，使恶化 disordered eating [dɪsˈɔːdəd ˈiːtɪŋ] 饮食失调 binge eating [bɪndʒ ˈiːtɪŋ] 暴饮暴食 adherence [ədˈhɪərəns] 坚持，遵守 biological urge [ˌbaɪəˈlɒdʒɪkl ɜːdʒ] 生理冲动，生物本能 be on medications [ˌmedɪˈkeɪʃnz] 正在服药 dietary needs [ˈdaɪətəri niːdz] 饮食需求 🪴翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进入【打卡交流群】

What's your favourite kind of noodle Neil Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil. Beth And I'm Beth. Neil Do you enjoy eating noodles, Beth? Beth I love noodles, yes. I think my favourite are udon – the big thick ones. Mmm, they're so good! Well, some people buy them dried in a packet, others make them fresh from wheat or rice, but there is little doubt that noodles are popular around the world. From their origins, probably somewhere in China, noodle recipes were spread by traders on the ancient Silk Road. At each destination along the road, people gave noodles a twist, adding different flavours and ingredients to create a new dish. Neil In this programme, we'll visit the United States and Japan, two countries which have taken noodles and created exciting new varieties. Beth But first, Neil, I have a question for you. As well as different shapes and ingredients, noodles come in many different flavours. So which region of China is famous for its spicy flavours? Is it: a) Shanghai, b) Sichuan, or c) Guangzhou? Neil Well, I think actually, Beth, I know the answer to this. I've been lucky enough to have been to this place. I think it's b) Sichuan. Beth OK. Well, you sound confident. I will reveal the answer later in the programme. BBC World Service programme, The Food Chain, investigated how noodles spread from Asia through Europe to America. They uncovered a surprising story: that pasta comes from noodles brought back to Italy by Marco Polo in the 13th century. Jen Lin-Liu, author of the book 'On the Noodle Road', doesn't believe this story. Jen Lin-Liu So, noodles were very exotic in the 1920s and 30s in the United States, and there was a new pasta association in America that wanted to promote the manufacturing of dried pasta. And so they came up with a story about how Marco Polo went to China and found the noodle there, and brought it all the way to Italy. Neil In the 1920s, noodles were popular because they were exotic, meaning foreign, unusual and exciting. At that time pasta companies were promoting a new invention, dried pasta, so they came up with a story about Marco Polo to sell more pasta. If you come up with something, you suggest or think up an idea. And it worked – sales of pasta jumped as a result! Beth Now, our second destination, Japan, also has a history of eating noodles. One of the most famous Japanese noodle dishes is ramen, and Frank Striegl, a blogger living in Tokyo, knows all about it. He eats over 300 bowls of ramen a year! He explained to BBC World Service's The Food Chain how Chinese immigrants to Japan in the late 1800s influenced this Japanese dish. Frank Striegl And at one point or another, different chefs decided to localise these dishes. They said, "We love these Chinese noodle dishes. However, why don't we tweak them? Why don't we make them a little bit more Japanese?" Neil Frank says that at one point or another, chefs started to make noodle dishes more Japanese. Here, the phrase at one point or another means at some unspecified time in the past. Beth They did this by tweaking Chinese noodles – in other words, by changing them slightly to make them better, different or, in this case, more Japanese. Neil By making these tweaks, adding new toppings and slices of beef or chicken, Japanese chefs created the noodle dish we know today as ramen. Here's Frank Striegl again, talking with BBC World Service's The Food Chain. Frank Striegl And what I find fascinating about ramen, compared to perhaps other wonderful noodle dishes around the world, is that ramen continues to evolve. Unlike other Japanese foods, it's OK to push the boundaries. Beth Frank thinks that Japanese ramen continues to evolve – to develop and change gradually in response to new developments and ideas. Unlike other traditional food such as sushi, modern versions of ramen push the boundaries. If you push the boundaries, you act in a way which challenges normal acceptable behaviour. Neil Yes, noodles have changed so much since ancient times that today you can buy them dried in a packet and simply add hot water. But the flavours and the noodles themselves maintain a link to the past. Now, speaking of flavours, what was the answer to your question, Beth? Beth Well, I asked you which region of China is famous for its spicy flavours. You were very confident with saying Sichuan and that is the correct answer. Sichuan is a place that is famous for spicy food, such as the Sichuan pepper and Sichuan hotpot. OK. It's time to recap the vocabulary we've learnt. If you give something a twist, you change it in some small way to create something new and exciting. Neil The adjective exotic means unusual and exciting because of coming from far away. 📝字数限制，完整文本、 翻译及pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复1可加入【打卡交流群】

Dragon Boat Festival travel boom highlights China's economic strength During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, China's domestic cultural and travel consumption demonstrated strong vitality. China projected 657 million cross-regional trips during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday from May 31 to June 2, with an average of 219 million trips per day – a year-on-year increase of 3 percent. Box office revenue during the holiday exceeded 460 million yuan ($63.9 million), significantly surpassing the same period last year. According to data released by China Mobile's Wutong Big Data, the number of domestic travelers during this year's holiday was projected to increase by 6 percent compared to last year. These figures not only reflect the consumption potential of traditional festivals but also highlight the strong resilience and momentum of the Chinese economy. During this traditional folk festival, cultural heritage experiences became the core highlight of travel consumption. Some folk tourism destinations have seized the opportunity of dragon boat races to transform spectator enthusiasm into consumer spending, converting event traffic into consumption growth and turning dragon boat racing into a new engine for consumption increase. Take Foshan in Guangdong Province as an example, since the concept of "Longchao" (super league of dragon boat races) first emerged in Nanhai, Foshan City, in 2023, dragon boat races that blend traditional culture with competitive appeal have captured the attention of tourists nationwide. This year, the Dragon Boat Festival holiday coincided with International Children's Day, making family travel a dominant force in holiday tourism. According to Wutong Big Data forecast, the number of family travel nationwide is expected to grow by 12 percent compared to 2024. In addition to theme parks, zoos, and cultural venues, experiencing intangible cultural heritage related to the Dragon Boat Festival has become a popular choice for families. In many scenic areas, children can try their hands at making traditional festival items such as wormwood hammers, sachets, and colorful five-strand cords, immersing themselves in the charm of traditional crafts. 词汇表 travel boom [buːm] 旅游热潮 vitality [vaɪˈtæləti] 活力，生机，生命力 project [prəˈdʒekt] 预测，预计；规划，计划 cross-regional trip [ˌkrɒs ˈriːdʒənl] 跨区域旅行 box office revenue [ˈbɒks ɒfɪs ˈrevənjuː] 票房收入 surpass [sə(r)ˈpɑːs] 超过，超越；优于，胜过 Wutong Big Data 梧桐大数据（中国移动旗下的数据服务品牌） resilience and momentum [rɪˈzɪliəns][məˈmentəm] 韧性和发展势头（此处描述中国经济） folk festival [fəʊk ˈfestɪvl] 民间节日 seize the opportunity [siːz] 抓住机会，把握时机 dragon boat races [ˈdræɡən bəʊt reɪsɪz] 龙舟赛 spectator [spekˈteɪtə(r)] （尤指体育比赛的）观看者，观众 convert [kənˈvɜː(r)t] 转变，转化；兑换 engine [ˈendʒɪn] 引擎，发动机，推动力 Longchao 龙超（即龙舟超级联赛super league of dragon boat races的简称，佛山等地举办的龙舟赛事品牌） coincide with [ˌkəʊɪnˈsaɪd] 与…一致，与…同时发生 cultural venues [ˈkʌltʃərəl ˈvenjuːz] 文化场所（如博物馆、美术馆、剧院等文化活动地点） intangible cultural heritage [ɪnˈtændʒəbl ˈkʌltʃərəl ˈherɪtɪdʒ] 非物质文化遗产 scenic areas [ˈsiːnɪk ˈeəriəz] 景区，风景区 wormwood hammers [ˈwɜː(r)mwʊd ˈhæməz] 艾草锤（用艾草等制作的锤状手工艺品） sachet [ˈsæʃeɪ] 香囊，香包（佩戴有驱虫等寓意） colorful five-strand cords [ˈkʌləf(ə)l faɪv strænd kɔː(r)dz] 五彩丝线（系在手腕等部位的传统饰物） 📖 翻译、pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】

Obsessed with someone? It might be limerence Have you ever spent countless hours idly daydreaming about another? The mere inkling of an encounter, or even a simple DM reply, sending you into euphoria and reinforcing your belief that you simply can't live without them? For many, this could be considered the rumination of a hopeless romantic. But what if these thoughts and feelings begin to take a far more detrimental hold on your personal and work life? Limerence is an addictive form of romantic attraction, First defined in the late 1970s by American psychologist Dorothy Tenov. In contrast to a simple crush, which can come and go with little psychological impact, or a romantic engagement that can be mutually beneficial for both parties, limerence is an addictive intoxication with the pursuit of feeling in love. Tenov interviewed 500 anonymous individuals and concluded a person going through a limerent episode as having the following core characteristics: You obsessively think and fantasize about the person. Every song reminds you of them. You go out of your way to bring them up in conversation with others. You intricately plan your schedule in the hope you might just bump into them. They even appear vividly in your dreams. You constantly crave and long for their reciprocation. They are in your mind and you want you to be in theirs. Perhaps you'll just send one more text or that funny cat meme you just saw earlier. And when they do finally reply, you get a little thrill of satisfaction. Like a detective, you endlessly search for clues that they indeed do want you to. You overanalyze and replay each encounter with them, every word spoken, each gesture and every eye glance. And finally, you put them on a pedestal. Any flaws they may have pale in comparison. Quite simply, they are the most perfect individual in the universe, and they can do no wrong. All of this can lead to an exhausting and relentless lifestyle, where instead of a person focusing on a balanced life and work schedule, their main raison d'etre is a pursuit of affection from the limerent object. Ternov coined the term limerent object, or LO for short, because in the eyes of a person undergoing limerence, the desired becomes an object to project romantic feelings upon, rather than a person to interact romantic feelings with. Limerence can take form in a number of scenarios, but one of the most common is when an LO is unavailable due to already being in a committed relationship. If the limerent person believes the LO is sending them mixed signals and interest appears to be requited, then limerence may strengthen and last for months or even years. Building on the work of Ternov, psychologist Albert Waken estimates that around 5% of the US population struggle with limerence and describes the condition as a combination of obsessive-compulsive disorder and addiction. So if you're in the throes of limerence or you know someone that is, what can you do to counter it? The first is abstinence. Like other addictions, acknowledging that you first have a problem and then diligently cutting off the source which is fueling the negative habit is a powerful countermeasure. In the case of limerence, that means cutting off all contact with your LO, hiding them on social media and avoiding them in public. Of course this can be immensely difficult, especially if you work with them or share a close mutual friendship group. The second is to refocus your limerence onto a more suitable romantic candidate and that over time your feelings towards your original LO will dissipate. And last but not least, you own up and tell them in the hope that either the feelings are reciprocated or a suitable response of rejection is given. For better or worse, at least you will now both know and can make adequate steps moving forward. Limerence can be a confusing and debilitating psychological disorder, but with adequate self-realisation it can be conquered. Or, as 80s pop crooner Robert Palmer once sung, you don't have to face it, you're addicted to love. 💡 字数限制，词汇表，翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】

Stop Being Nice All the Time It's natural and beautiful to strive to be a nice person. In a world full of cruelty and thoughtlessness, nice people are committed to being generous, sympathetic and gentle. They never want to cause anyone to feel defeated or to lose sleep. They will go to great lengths to spare others tears. It sounds especially lovely. Nevertheless, it seems impossible to go through the whole of life being nothing but kind. Sooner or later, we are all called upon to take decisions that, even as they protect things we very much care about, will ruffle feathers, generate upset and may lead us to be (at least for a time) violently hated in some quarters. We might, for example, have to tell a romantic partner that, in spite of our deep affection for them, we don't see ourselves being together for the long term. Or we might have to tell a child that it's now bedtime and that there can be no more stories. Or we might have to explain to a colleague that we don't see them fitting into a team and that they might be better off looking for opportunities elsewhere. Such situations can be agony for committedly 'nice' people. There are great temptations to delay the moment of truth or avoid it altogether. The 'nice' still deep down hope that they might – while always smiling and agreeing – stay friends with everyone. However, being truly nice involves something 'nicer' still than constant agreement and emollience. It means signalling to others what one's value system is and sticking by it, even at the occasional cost of public opposition. It means taking on the burden of telling others where we stand and ruining their afternoon or month in order to save their long-term future and our own. It means accepting that there might be choices to be made between loyalty and sincerity and effectiveness and bonhomie. Mature people have come to terms with the tragic need to acquire something even more important than popularity: a character. 词汇表 thoughtlessness [ˈθɔːt.ləs.nəs] 欠考虑，轻率，粗心 be committed to [kəˈmɪtɪd] 致力于，忠于某一立场 feel defeated [dɪˈfiːtɪd] 感到挫败，感到受挫 go to great lengths [leŋθs] 竭尽全力，不遗余力 ruffle feathers [ˈrʌfl ˈfeðəz] 惹怒，激怒，使心烦意乱 quarter [ˈkwɔːtə(r)] 个人，群体；（某一人群生活或工作的）地区 agony [ˈæɡ.ə.ni] 极度痛苦，煎熬，苦恼 committedly [kəˈmɪtɪdli] 坚定地，忠诚地 temptation [tempˈteɪ.ʃən] 诱惑，引诱；诱人的东西 emollience [ɪˈmɒliəns] 温和，柔和，圆融；软化 stick by [ˈstɪk] 坚持，忠于，继续支持 bonhomie [ˈbɒnəmi] 友好，温和，和蔼 🏫翻译，视频和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进入【打卡交流群】

What are the four types of attachment in our relationships? The types of attachment were theorized by British psychologist John Bowlby in the 1950s. They're widely used to help us understand how we react to situations in our relationships, whether it be with romantic partners, friends, or family members. Bowlby relied on research on the impact of early separations between infants and their mothers, and emphasized the importance of attachment relationships in the social and emotional development of children, as well as their long-term mental health. During the 1970s, American psychologist Mary Ainsworth expanded on Bowlby's work, helping him develop an observational method to assess different types of attachment in children and adults. What exactly is an attachment style? According to psychology today, our attachment style is the way we establish bonds with other people, which develops in infancy. and becomes refined in children, adolescents and adults. In simple terms, it's the way you interact with those around you. There are four main types of attachment. The first is secure attachment. Children with secure attachment feel safe and protected when they're with their parents or caregivers. They seek comfort from them when they feel anxious or scared, but are also capable of exploring the world around them, knowing they can always return to their attachment figure if needed. The second type is avoidant attachment. Children with avoidant attachment tend to avoid or ignore their parents or caregivers when they feel anxious or scared. They're less likely to seek comfort from them and prefer to explore the world without their assistance. What about the other two types then? The third type is anxious attachment. Children with anxious ambivalent attachment constantly seek attention from their parents or caregivers but struggle to be reassured even when they're close to them. They may appear preoccupied with the possibility of being abandoned and can be highly reactive to signs of separation. Finally the fourth type is disorganized or chaotic attachment. It's characterized by a child's paradoxical and disorganized behavior in the presence of their attachment figure. This type of attachment is less common and brings chaos into the lives of those affected. Their emotions can be excessive and devastating and at times the person may seem absent or disconnected from reality. There are many online tests which can help you work out your attachment style. It generally stems directly from our childhoods. If you're not aware of it and haven't considered it before, it tends to remain the same throughout your life. But looking into it may help you understand your reactions towards friends or partners in certain situations. You may even learn to predict your own response and with time develop a more secure attachment style. There you have it. 词汇表 attachment style [əˈtætʃmənt] 依恋风格（个体与他人建立联结的方式） secure attachment [sɪˈkjʊə(r) əˈtætʃmənt] 安全型依恋（感到安全和受保护，必要时寻求安慰） avoidant attachment [əˈvɔɪdənt əˈtætʃmənt] 回避型依恋（倾向于回避和忽略，独自探索） anxious attachment [ˈæŋkʃəs əˈtætʃmənt] 焦虑型依恋，又称anxious ambivalent attachment [æmˈbɪvələnt] 焦虑矛盾型依恋（持续寻求关注，难以感到安心） disorganized / chaotic attachment [dɪsˈɔːɡənaɪzd / keɪˈɒtɪk əˈtætʃmənt] 混乱型依恋（表现出矛盾和混乱的行为） theorize [ˈθɪəraɪz] 建立理论，创立学说，推理 infant [ˈɪnfənt] 婴儿，幼儿 observational [ˌɒbzəˈveɪʃənl] 观察的，观测的 bond [bɒnd] 纽带，联系 infancy [ˈɪnfənsi] 婴儿期，幼年 refined [rɪˈfaɪnd] 精炼的，完善的；文雅的 caregiver [ˈkeə(r)ɡɪvə(r)] 照料者，看护人 reassure [ˌriːəˈʃʊə(r)] 使安心，使消除疑虑；安慰 be preoccupied with [prɪˈɒkjupaɪd] 全神贯注于，一心想着 paradoxical [ˌpærəˈdɒksɪkl] 自相矛盾的，似是而非的 disconnected [ˌdɪskəˈnektɪd] 分离的，脱节的，断开的 stem from [stem] 源于，来自 🪴翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进入【打卡交流群】

Turning uncertainty into opportunity Starting a new job, moving house, quitting your job to start a new business – all of these can be great opportunities, but all of them can lead to uncertainty. We can't know for sure that they will turn out well. Could this fear of the unknown be holding us back? Improving things in your life often requires some uncertainty, whether that's making time to learn something new, or moving to a new area. And It's not just about radical change. We often make negative assumptions about people we don't know, but if we go through the uncertainty of getting to know someone new, we can establish positive social or working relationships. So, how can we learn to make the most of uncertainty? First, it can help to adjust the way we think about not knowing what will happen. Being curious about a new job can help us grow, while being afraid of any negative changes can stop us taking advantage of new opportunities. It can be helpful to see threats as challenges that can be overcome. One thing that can help with this is having faith in your own abilities. When assessing an uncertain future situation, consider your own capability in being able to mitigate any issues that come up. If you know that you have the skills, knowledge or flexibility required to address unforeseen problems, then uncertainty can seem like less of a threat. Believing in yourself is one way to build resilience. E-commerce entrepreneur Alexandre Bonvin highlights the importance of building up a cash buffer in business. Another way to build your resilience can be to take on small tasks that have some uncertainty and reflecting on how you deal with each one. A positive mindset and building up our own personal resilience can help us use uncertainty as an opportunity for growth. 词汇表 quit [kwɪt] 离开，辞职，停止，放弃 hold back [həʊld bæk] 阻碍，妨碍（发展、前进等）；抑制，控制 radical [ˈrædɪkl] 根本的，彻底的；激进的，极端的 assumption [əˈsʌmpʃn] 假定，假设，臆断 take advantage of 充分利用，好好把握 mitigate [ˈmɪtɪɡeɪt] 减轻，缓和（问题等） flexibility [ˌfleksəˈbɪləti] 灵活性，适应性；柔韧性，弹性 unforeseen [ˌʌnfɔː(r)ˈsiːn] 未预见到的，意料之外的 resilience [rɪˈzɪliəns] 适应力，恢复力；弹性，韧性 cash buffer [kæʃ ˈbʌfə(r)] 现金缓冲（指为应对突发情况而储备的资金） positive mindset [ˈpɒzətɪv ˈmaɪndset] 积极的心态 📖 翻译、pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】

9 Easy Ways to Simplify Your Life We overcomplicate our lives, relationships, goals, and to-do lists. We, as human beings, have a tendency to make things more difficult than they need to be. Happiness is found in simplicity – so, how do you simplify your life? 1. Get rid of what no longer serves you. When was the last time you really wore that shirt? Throw it away. When was the last time you really used that membership? Cancel it. When was the last time you really talked to that friend? Stop making promises to hang out. "Trim the fat," as they say, and only keep in your life what you really need. 2. Create clear expectations. Conflict arises in ambiguity. Mistakes occur in ambiguity. Disappointment lives in ambiguity. Frustration is bred in ambiguity. If you want to avoid all of those things, set crystal-clear expectations. The result, then, is far more objective, instead of subjective. 3. Scale vertically, not horizontally. When people think of growth, they tend to think horizontally, adding as many pieces to the puzzle as possible. But the more pieces you add, especially different types of pieces, the more difficult it becomes to switch your brain from one mode of thinking to the next. Too many different types of projects, or ambitions, or commitments, and you end up spinning your wheels. Instead, think depth. Think about diving deep, instead of spreading wide. Less becomes more. 4. Change your crowd. 改变你的社交圈子。 Financially, life becomes complicated when you try to live or associate far beyond your means. Too often, people want to "appear" successful or "appear" wealthy, and so they attempt to live a lifestyle they can't truly afford – and live on the edge because of it. But unless you are doing so with a very specific goal in mind and seeing it as an investment (e.g. "I want to rub shoulders with the right people"), you are doing yourself a disservice. 5. Don't overbook your calendar. Is it smart to schedule back to back to back to back meetings? Probably not. I know what it's like to hustle, and if you have to do it, OK, get it done. But realize where the tipping point is and when that schedule is no longer the exception but the expectation. It's not healthy, and it's not sustainable. Make things simple: Create your schedule with downtime in mind. 6. Do not gossip. Ever. The fastest way to complicate your life is drama. Take the higher road. 7. Build the right daily habits. Whenever something "bad" happens, it's easy to look at the trigger event. But the real question is: What habits carried out over a long period of time built up to this? Make the easy day-to-day habits – what you eat, going to the gym, etc. – the standard so that you're not constantly in recovery mode. Be proactive instead. 8. Give, give, give, give some more, and then ask. The best things in life come as a result of what we have first offered ourselves. Things get complicated when we're constantly in "ask" mode. But when we give, things tend to reveal themselves exactly when they need to. Give, give, give, and all will fall into place. 9. Don't try to be everything, to everyone. And finally, one of the biggest sources of life stress for many is attempting to be what everyone needs, all the time. It's just not worth it. Be you. Focus on you. Do what you need to do first. Express yourself. Stay true to yourself. And you will attract everything you need in life, naturally, like a magnet, and repel anything else. It doesn't need to be any more complicated than that. 词汇表 overcomplicate [ˌəʊvəˈkɒmplɪkeɪt] 使复杂化，使过于复杂 simplicity [sɪmˈplɪsəti] 简单，朴素，简易 membership [ˈmembəʃɪp] 会员资格，成员资格，全体会员 trim the fat [trɪm] 去掉多余部分，删减冗余部分 ambiguity [ˌæmbɪˈɡjuːəti] 模棱两可，含糊不清，不明确 breed [briːd] 产生，引起，招致 crystal-clear [ˌkrɪstl ˈklɪə(r)] 清楚明了的，清澈透明的 scale vertically [skeɪl 'vɜːtɪkli] 纵向深耕，垂直扩展（指在某一领域深入发展） horizontally [ˌhɒrɪˈzɒntəli] 水平地，横向地 puzzle [ˈpʌzl] 拼图游戏；谜；难题 spin your wheels [spɪn][wiːls] 白费力气，原地打转 dive deep [daɪv] 深入探究，潜心钻研 beyond one's means 超出某人的经济能力，入不敷出 live on the edge 生活在边缘（处于危险或不稳定的状态） rub shoulders with [rʌb]与…交往，接触，有来往（尤指与重要或有名的人） do somebody a disservice [dɪˈsɜː(r)vɪs] 伤害，损害，帮倒忙 overbook your calendar [ˌəʊvə(r)ˈbʊk][ˈkælɪndə(r)] 把日程安排得太满，过多安排日程 tipping point 临界点，转折点，引爆点 downtime [ˈdaʊntaɪm] 休息时间，停工期，停机时间 gossip [ˈɡɒsɪp] 说长道短，说闲话；流言蜚语，闲话 drama [ˈdrɑːmə] 戏剧，戏剧性事件；闹剧，纠葛 take the high road 采取高尚的方式，保持高姿态（以一种更加高尚、正直或成熟的方式来处理问题） trigger event [ˈtrɪɡə(r)] 触发事件，引发事件 build up to 逐步发展到，逐渐导致 proactive [prəʊˈæktɪv] 积极主动的，主动出击的，先发制人的 fall into place 水到渠成，步入正轨，就绪 be everything to everyone 取悦所有人，满足每个人的需求 stay true to yourself 忠于自己，保持真实自我 magnet [ˈmæɡnət] 磁铁，磁体；有吸引力的人或物 repel [rɪˈpel] 排斥，击退；使厌恶 💡 翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】

How does it feel to die? Host: Death, dying — the inevitable demise of our being. But for most people, death isn't completely instantaneous. So what can modern science tell us about the experience of those very final moments? What does it feel like to die? A very interesting experiment conducted at Imperial College London in 2018 did shed some light on what dying might feel like for human beings. Scientists wanted to investigate similarities between two very different phenomena. On the one hand, near-death experiences or 'NDEs' — the hallucinations experienced by around 20% of people who have been resuscitated following clinical death. On the other, DMT trips — the hallucinations provoked by a pretty hardcore psychedelic drug. So the scientists administered a dose of DMT to test subjects who found themselves promptly and legally off their faces. Then, once they'd returned to reality, the scientists had them describe their experiences using a checklist commonly used to evaluate near-death experiences, and they were shocked to see an incredible amount of commonalities. Both NDE and DMT experiences included sensations like 'transcendence of time and space' and 'oneness with nearby objects and people'. The experience of almost dying, as it turned out, was strikingly similar to a powerful hallucinogenic. When we consider death, we think of it as a grim and boring process. But science asks, 'what if it's psychedelic?' I'm joined by Dr. Chris Timmermann, who led the research at Imperial. Dr. Timmermann, what can this experiment tell us about death? Dr. Timmermann: I think the main sort of lesson I think of the research is that we can find death actually in life, in life experiences. What we know now is that there appears to be a surge of electrical activity. These gamma waves appear to be quite pronounced, and those may be responsible for these near-death experiences. There's also specific regions in the brain, like what we call the medial temporal lobes — areas that are in charge of memory, dreaming, and so on, even learning, which might be related also to these experiences. In a way, our brains are somehow simulating a form of reality. Host: In terms of NDEs, I read it was around 20% of people who have been pronounced clinically dead and come back, report them. Could it be that some people are remembering these and everyone does have an experience like this, or could they actually be quite rare? Dr. Timmermann: It is a strong possibility that there is a lack of recollection because of different reasons. So we see in our experience with the psychedelic DMT, when we give them high doses, there is a part of the experience that is forgotten as well. What I think is going on there is that the experience is so novel. It's so what we call 'ineffable' or difficult to put into words. And therefore, when the experience itself transcends this ability to put things into language, we are also having a hard time recalling it. Host: The science of death is a pretty murky landscape, but what we do know paints a surprisingly optimistic picture. For instance, we know that people who have had near-death experiences often report feelings of peacefulness and serenity and show a long-lasting reduction in the stress associated with death. Research also implies that people tend to lose their senses in a specific order. First, hunger and thirst, then speech and vision. Hearing and touch seem to last the longest, meaning that many people may be able to hand-feel their loved ones in their final moments, even when they appear unresponsive. And one recent brain scan of a dying epilepsy patient showed activity related to memory recall and dreaming, leading to speculation that there might even be some truth to your life 'flashing before your eyes'. Finally, we know from these experiments that the experience of death could involve heightened, possibly hallucinatory consciousness. One last psychedelic journey before the 'nothing times'. 💡字数限制，词汇表、翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】

Why We Love Crunchy Food Georgie Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Georgie. Beth And I'm Beth. Georgie, what do apples, carrots and celery have in common with insects like beetles, crickets and grasshoppers? Georgie Hmm, that's a tough one, Beth. I'm going to say I can fit them all in my backpack. Beth OK. Well, the answer is actually, they're all examples of foods that crunch. There's something very satisfying about the crunch when you bite into a fresh apple, a stick of celery, or even a roasted beetle! Yes, that's right. In some parts of the world, edible insects are crunched too. Georgie Scientist Danielle Reed has been exploring our love of crunchy food for BBC World Service programme, The Food Chain. Danielle Reed A crunch of a fresh apple is nothing better in the world, honestly, to me. I grew up as a small child in an apple orchard and so we could pick them fresh off the tree. And so I have a very nuanced understanding of the different crunches of apples and the different types of apples. And so, yes, I really find that to be one of life's real true pleasures. Beth Danielle says there's nothing better in the world than the crunch of a fresh apple. She uses the phrase, nothing better in the world, to emphasise how much she loves it. Georgie Danielle thinks eating crunchy apples is one of life's true pleasures – an experience she finds enjoyable. But why are we so attracted to crunchy food? That's what we'll be investigating in this programme. Beth But first, I have a question for you, Georgie. Like Danielle, many British people enjoy the crunch of an apple, but according to a 2024 YouGov study, which is the most popular type of apple in the UK? Is it: a) Pink Lady, b) Gala, or c) Red Delicious? Georgie I'm going to say a) Pink Lady, because that's my favourite. Beth Ah, and me! OK. We'll find out the answer later in the programme. As well as the satisfying sound of a loud crunch, the texture of crunchy food is important too. It tells our bodies to get ready for the raw and rough fibre needed to develop our chewing muscles and teeth. And there are other ways in which crunchy food keeps us healthy, as Danielle explains to BBC World Service's The Food Chain. Danielle Reed The first bite of crunch is the most essential bite because, really, when we put something in our mouth, we don't think about it this way, but we have to decide whether we're going to swallow, right? So that first bite gives us a ton of information. I mean, everybody, I think, has had the experience of biting into a mushy apple and saying, "No thank you!" Ruth Alexander So, the crunch is telling us about the quality of food, specifically the high quality of the food. Danielle Reed Yes. Or not – you know, we've also had cases where we've bitten into something that has a crunch and found an eggshell in our scrambled eggs. That's no good! Georgie When we put food in our mouths, we need to know it's safe. A loud crunch means, this food is fresh and OK to eat. The crunching sound gives us a ton of information, meaning a lot of information, about the food's freshness. Beth Nobody likes biting into an apple which is mushy, an adjective meaning soft, because we understand that that means it's bad to eat. Georgie So crunchy food sounds healthy, feels good, and tells our body it's safe to eat. No wonder that when astronauts on the International Space Station were asked what they missed the most, crunchy food topped their list! But apples and carrots are one thing, Beth – it's something else to crunch down on insects, isn't it? Beth Well, not in some countries, Georgie – Zimbabwe for one, where celebrity chef, Dulsie Mudekwa, uses the crunchy texture of beetles, termites, and locusts to convince people to try insect protein as a cheap alternative to meat. And if you think you could never eat insects, listen as Dulsie explains how she changed her mind to Ruth Alexander, presenter of BBC World Service programme, The Food Chain. Ruth Alexander So, are you an insect convert then? Dulsie Fadzai Mudekwa Now I am. I love them as small snacks, just roasted with salt… or what I did with most of them is turn them into flours and meals, so I make them into cakes, biscuits. I grind them together with chicken or beef and then turn them into beautiful sausages, and then that's how I love them. Georgie Ruth asks Dulsie if she's an insect convert, a person who has changed their ideas or way of living, and Dulsie replies, "Yes." She didn't before, but now she loves eating roast insects as snacks, small bits of food you eat between meals. Beth Hmm, they do sound crunchy… but I think I'll stick to apples thanks, Georgie. Georgie Well, speaking of apples, it's time you revealed the answer to your question. Beth Yes, I asked you which was the most popular apple, according to a survey of people in the UK. Georgie I said Pink Lady, didn't I? 📝字数限制，完整文本、词汇表、翻译及pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复1可加入【打卡交流群】

Clay & Wings: The Macaws' Salt Quest Seven Worlds, One Planet｜South America Warmed by the tropical sun, the Amazon's trees release so much moisture from the surface of their leaves that they create their own clouds. And these, over the course of a year, release up to six metres of rain. The water flows through the saturated forest along 1,000 streams. They eventually unite to form the largest river of them all. The Amazon carries more water than the world's next seven biggest rivers combined. Some sections of its banks are particularly sought-after. Scarlet macaws travel over 50 miles to visit them. Macaw couples bond for life, and may stick together for over 40 years. Pairs return to favourite trees - ones they've known for decades. Parents provide their chicks with fruits and seeds. But they're far from the ocean, and their diet lacks salt. Without it, the chicks' brains and bones will not develop properly. So, someone has to go and fetch it. Many other creatures are looking for the same thing. A clay lick. The earth here may be 40 times richer in valuable minerals than anywhere else in the surrounding forest. Over a dozen species of parrot jostle for space. There's a strict order in who feeds first. Everyone is in a rush to fill up and get airborne. Parents have to carry over five kilograms of clay to their nest before their chicks are ready to leave. Once fledged, these young will follow their parents for up to a year, learning where to find the salts. 词汇表 quest [kwest] （长久而艰难的）搜寻，寻找；追求 the Amazon [ˈæməzɒn] 亚马逊河（世界流量最大的河流，位于南美洲） moisture [ˈmɔɪstʃə(r)] 水分，湿气，水汽 saturated [ˈsætʃəreɪtɪd] 湿润的，饱和的；浸透的，湿透的 bank [bæŋk] 河岸，堤 sought-after [ˈsɔːt ɑːftə(r)] 受欢迎的，备受青睐的 scarlet macaw [ˈskɑːlət məˈkɔː] 五彩金刚鹦鹉，绯红金刚鹦鹉（生活在中南美洲热带雨林的大型鹦鹉；实行终身伴侣制；以水果、坚果和种子为食，会到河岸附近的泥土区进食泥土，以补充矿物质等） bond for life [bɒnd] 终生相伴，终身羁绊 stick together 团结一致，互相扶持，彼此相守 chick [tʃɪk] 雏鸟，幼鸟；小鸡 clay lick [kleɪ lɪk] 黏土盐碱地，泥浆舔食地（指一些动物舔食黏土以获取矿物质的地方） mineral [ˈmɪnərəl] 矿物质，矿物 jostle for space [ˈdʒɒs(ə)l] 争夺空间，争抢位置 fill up 填饱肚子；装满，填满 get airborne [ˈeə(r)ˌbɔː(r)n] 起飞，升空，跃起 fledge [fledʒ]（幼鸟）长出飞羽，变得羽翼丰满 🌍 翻译、视频版和pdf见公众号【琐简】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】