If you're away from home, feeling a bit blue or searching for some comfort, the Danes have a solution. It's called “hygge”. Coming from Danish culture, but popularized by the British in 2016, hygge is much more than just a word, it's becoming a feeling around the world.

    The hygge refers to the sense of happiness you get when your family is gathered together at new year or Christmas. It is all about the pleasant feelings of home: the smell of your mother's cooking, your partner's arm around your shoulder and so on.

    Hygge is an antidote(良药) to stress. You know when you've got it, a gentle warmth starts spreading through your body. Another important part of hygge is that it has nothing to do with modern technology. It's a period time to relax your tired mind and eyes. So, put down that smartphone and turn off the computer.

    You should also know that hygge is not about healthy eating or more exercise. In fact, it's just the opposite. You're supposed to be lost in what you like: enjoy sweet snacks and calorie-laden cakes freely.

    Let yourself be carried on a wave of nostalgia(怀旧) back to your birthplace, and remember  the childhood songs of your distant youth with a smile. If it helps, wrap yourself in a warm blanket and sleep with one of your favorite books (not a pill or e-reader).

    If Denmark seems too far, then think of old Beijing with its hutong and courtyard houses. Picture yourself sit around a traditional stove with your loved ones, eating dumplings and chatting about the old days. Let yourself drift back in time to a period where everything is relaxing, and there is no need to reply to any e-mails or text messages. They did not exist(存在) back then.

    Now you've really understood hygge without even having to set foot in Copenhagen.

Make Changes to Lose Weight

    Making these easy changes realty can help you lose weight.

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    You can help prevent overeating by eating something about every three hours. Getting too hungry will get in your way to eat healthily. Make sure you know how many calories should come from snacks, and then aim for a healthy snack, such as an apple.

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    One of the worst ways to lose weight is meal skipping. Many people think skipping meals is a great way to cut calories, but in the end, they fail to lose weight. You'll be more likely to overeat if you do not eat regular meals.

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    Water helps you lose weight in several ways. Drinking water rather than other kinds of drinks can cut hundreds of calories. Don't wait until you're feeling thirsty to drink water; thirst can be mistaken for hunger, causing you to overeat.

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    It is impossible to lose weight and keep it off without exercising. Start out today by taking a walk or learn how to bike to lose weight. Work your way up from 10 minutes to 30-40 minutes a day, most days a week.

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    Keep a food diary. All you have to do is to put down what, when, and how much you eat in a notebook. A food diary will give you a clear picture of your eating habits so you can know the change you need to make to lose weight.

    Before you visit a country, knowing about the customs of the country is important and useful. Here are 4 customs you should know before traveling to Japan.

    No. 4 is avoided at all cost.

    In Japan, the number "four" is avoided because it sounds very similar to the word for death. No. 4 is very unlucky as No, 13 in Western culture. And it is used as little as possible. You must always avoid giving anyone something in fours because it can be seen as a very ominous(不吉利的)gt.No.49 is especially unlucky, as it sounds similar to the phrase that means "pain until death". The practice of avoiding No. 4 is called" Tetraphobia (四的禁忌)" and it is common in many East Asian and Southeast Asian regions.

    People will sleep on the trains with their head on your shoulder.

    If someone in Japan falls asleep with his or her head on your shoulder, it is common practice to Just tolerate(容忍) it, because the place where most people work is far from their homes. After working long hours, many people will get very tired and often fall asleep on the train.

    You must always bring a host a gift.

    If you want to visit someone, you must always bring a gift. The gift shoud also be wrapped(包). You should also never refuse a gift if someone visits you.

    Pouring your own glass is considered rude.

    It is common in the US and many other countries in the world to serve others before you serve yourself, _____in Japan you shouldn't pour yourself a drink. If you have poured for others, another guest will hope to see that your drink is empty and pour for you.

⑴题完成句子; ⑵~⑶题简略回答问题; ⑷题找出并写下全文的主题句; ⑸题将文中画线句子译成汉语

    My name is Bob. I am 16 years old now. I've felt lonely since I was 9. I didn't like my classmates, my parents or anyone else. My classmates didn't want to talk with me and my parents were always saying that other kids were better than me. One day I had a big fight with one of my classmates. I was so angry that I hit him on the face. Just at that moment, a boy stood up and stopped the fight. He was the monitor of our class.

    After that, he often helped me and we became good friends. Whenever I got angry or sad, he would help me to cool down. We spent a lot of interesting days together and became best friends. As time goes by, I have become happier with people and things. And it seems that people around me have changed, too.

Information Card

    Mrs. Cooper is over 90, but she can still play a game of Words with Friends, a popular puzzle game app, on her iPad. She says that the Apple product(产品) has changed her life.

    Mrs. Cooper lives in a house close to Manchester Airport in London. She often uses her iPad to track the planes that fly overhead and explore(探索) the world with Google Earth.

    "I'm crazy about the planes, so I choose the Flight Tracker to see where the planes around me are going. It's a wonderful way to keep in touch with the world," she said. "I use it nearly all the hours of daylight, 2-3 hours in the morning, then again in the afternoon."

    Mrs. Cooper taught painting when she left school. She had a laptop（手提电脑）, but struggled（费力）with it. " Her problem was that she couldn't see the cursor（光标）, and her hands shake so hard that she almost can't use the mouse." said her 63-year-old daughter, Jean. "I was in America visiting my daughter, and I played with an iPad and decided to buy one for my mother."

    Jean got some apps for the iPad, so her mother could learn how to use them. "She uses it several hours a day, and is curious(好奇的) to keep up with everything new. She reads the news, sends emails and uses Face Time to make video calls to us all. We're glad that she can enjoy her life with the magic thing." she said.

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    France is well known for its fine art, tasty food and romantic scenery. About 75 million visitors come here every year.

    France is the largest country in Western Europe. It has a population of over 66 million. The country is home to many famous places of interest, like the River Seine as well as the Eiffel Tower.

    Many visitors also come for the country's art. Sculptor Auguste Rodin and painter Claude Monet once created their great works here. If you visit France today, it is not a surprise to meet street artists in the city or come across a singer in the subway.

    No visit to Paris is complete without a trip to Louvre, one of the largest and most famous museums in the world. Inside, there are 35, 000 works of art, such as the painting Mona Lisa by Da Vinci and the statue David by Michelangelo. It would take nine months to enjoy all the pieces.

    Besides, French food is world-famous. Bread is very important in France. The best known French bread is called a baguette. They are long, delicious and taste salty. Snails are also a must have here. French people eat 40, 000 tons of snails every year!

    But France is not always good. Paris, the city of light, may also show its dark side to visitors. Chinese visitors feel sorry about the crowded subway in Paris.