Do you think laughter can help you deal with pain? Scientists from Britain did two experiments(实验). The first was done in a lab. People wore special wristbands(腕带). Some of them were asked to watch comedies while others watched serious programs. Then the scientists tightened(勒紧)the wristbands to see how much pain the people could feel.

    The other test was done at an art festival. Some people watched a comedy show and others watched a drama(戏剧). At the same time, they had to put their backs against the wall and keep their legs bent(弯曲的)just like sitting on a chair. They did this before and after the show.

Scientists found that just 15 minutes of laughter improves people's ability to stand pain by 10%. However, the serious programs and the drama didn't make a difference to pain at all.

    The study found that the magic power of laughter comes from endorphins(内啡肽). These are chemicals(化学物质). They are produced by the human body. They make you feel less pain and can make people feel happier. Exercise can produce endorphins. Your muscles(肌肉)move in and out when you are laughing. Scientists believe that this makes your muscles tiring, so we start to produce endorphins.

    Scientists also found that the only real and relaxing laughter works not just polite laughter.

    Next time you have a headache, get together with a group of Mends, watch a funny movie and laugh. You will soon feel a lot better because laughter is the best medicine.

    What time of day can you think most quickly? Are you a morning person?" Or does it take you a few hours to get your brain going? A lot of recent research suggests that we should pay attention to our body clock. It can tell us what time of day we can perform best at.

    Many people work best later in the morning. This is because the body's temperature takes time to rise through the day. Taking a warm shower when you wake up can help your body's temperature rise quickly.

    But everyone's body clock is different and some are special. Morning people will get up early and work better early in the day." Evening people will work later, but work better towards the end of the day.

    Research shows that we're better at some activities at certain times of the day." Physical performance is at its best between 3p. m. and 6p.- m.-,- so it's better to exercise later in the day.

    Between noon and'4p. m. , people begin to pay less attention. This is because we think less quickly after, a big meal. Research also shows we become sleepy around 2 p.m. This is why people in Spain take a short sleep in early afternoon.

    Finally'it is best to eat when we' re active. This allows our body to burn calories (卡路里) better and stops our blood sugar levels from getting too high.

    Imagine one day, the water taps in your house stop running. You have to buy water from shops. And still there {#blank#}1{#/blank#}water for everyone. Your mother has to save the family's shower water to do other things. Would you be able to stand that kind of life?

    Probably not. But that's what kids in Yemen are experiencing. Experts said Yemen is going to be the first country in the world to run out of water. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}a report, the capital, Sana'a, will run out of drinking water as early as 2025.

    Because of the shortage, the government often cuts the water supply. Hannan, an 18-year-old girl from Lahej, told the Times: "In a good week we'll have the water supply all week. But then the following week there will be water only for {#blank#}3{#/blank#}."

    Hannan said only rich people have enough water to use. They can buy water from the shops or from the water trucks. Private companies own the trucks. They {#blank#}4{#/blank#}every day to sell water—at very high prices. "A lot of people can't afford it," she said.

    The government is {#blank#}5{#/blank#}making use of seawater. But it will cost a lot and it may not happen soon enough to help the people of Yemen.

Hi, everybody! We' re the Phryges, the mascots of the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics(残奥会). We' re red - hats that come from a famous French painting made in 1830. In the painting, a young lady wears a red hat, called the" Phrygian cap(弗里吉亚帽) ," which stands for freedom. French people love this hat, and it shows up on their coins and stamps. Why are we mascots this time? The designers say we stand for France and the power of sports!

The Paris Olympics are full of exciting things to see! You can click the button to get more information. Here are some of the fun stuff.

Purple Running Track

The Stade de France is one of the most famous stadiums in France. It hosted the 1998FIFA World Cup. During the game, the French national soccer team won 3-0 against Brazil, lifting the World Cup trophy(奖杯) for the first time.

For the Paris Olympics, the athletics track will be purple for the first time in Olympic history. This special track can help athletes perform better and even break records. When the Games start, a lavender(薰衣草) color will fill the stadium, bringing a special French style.

Medals

The medals are round in shape with a hexagon(六角形) at the center. The hexagon of every me dal is a piece of iron from the Eiffel Tower. The leftover metal of the tower was stored secretly for years. The emblem(会徽) and the Olympic five rings are on it. Fine lines project(投射) outward around it, making each medal look like a shining sun.

New Sport

A new event called breaking will show up at the Games for the first time! This street dance stared in New York in the 1970s and is part of hip- hop culture, with cool moves like spins and flips.

The competition in Paris will have 16 males and 16 females, all born by Dec 31°,2008. They will compete in one- on- one battles to music chosen by a DJ. They will try to win each round and get the gold medal in the final.

After-school clubs

Do you want to make your after-school life more colourful? Here are some good choices for you. 

Outdoor Club

Sitting in a classroom for eight hours a day can be tiring.  How about joining an outdoor club? Activities like skiing and picnicking are possible choices.  You can take part in some of them to enjoy the adventures (冒险). 

Creative (创造性的) Writing Club

Want to write short stories and be the next J.  K.  Rowling? A writing club is a good choice for you.  Your writing skills will really improve because you can get helpful advice from other club members. 

Robotics Club

Machine learning and AI are hot topics today.  Do you want to know more about them? Join the club and our leader Mr.  Lu will help you find your talent (天赋) in this field.  It might even help you get a good job. 

Soup Kitchen Club

In this club, our leader Mr.  Zhang will show you how to cook delicious soup.  You can work at a food bank or a soup kitchen.  You will spend a few hours at a time giving food to people who really need it.  It's very helpful.