Today we talk about a word that is a feeling as well as a place. This word is “home.” Long ago in the 1700s, “home” was used as a verb,{#blank#}1{#/blank#} (mean) “to be guided to a destination.” So, when you home in on something, you get {#blank#}2{#/blank#}(close) to your target. For example, you could say, “Police are homing in on the suspects.” That is also where we get homing pigeons－pigeons that can find {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (they) way home after being released.

    But today, “home” is more often used as a noun. And it has a very emotional {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(connect) for American English speakers. You can remember the meaning of the word by the expression “home is {#blank#}5{#/blank#} the heart is.” That expression means home is anywhere you feel love and comfort. It is a place where you belong, and often a place you consider your origin. In other {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (word), “home” is not {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(simple) a building where you live—that's a house. There is a big difference {#blank#}8{#/blank#}a home and a house.

    The writer, Thomas Wolfe, had {#blank#}9{#/blank#} different idea about home. In 1940, his book “You Can't Go Home Again”{#blank#}10{#/blank#} (publish). Today we use this title to mean that the ideas and feelings that you had as a child often change when you are an adult. So, even if you return to the place where you grew up, time and distance have changed your perspective (观点).

    Do you Douyin？

    Got a moment – or, perhaps, 15 seconds? In the age of fragmented (碎片化的) time, Douyin, which is a massive hit in China right now, can perfectly fill in the gaps when people have nothing {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (good) to do between two events; its daily plays {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (spread) over one billion in the past few years. The Meipai(美拍)-like app allows users to produce creative short videos that combine music with mouth shapes or body moves. They can dance, sing, cook or do {#blank#}3{#/blank#} their hearts desire.

    Launched in September 2016, Douyin {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (own) by Zhang Yiming, one of China's top tech leaders; he chairs ByteDance. Similar to how Meipai worked {#blank#}5{#/blank#} a time-limited video platform (平台), Douyin is a {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (collect) of brief 15-second music videos, mainly focused on young people, {#blank#}7{#/blank#} it's certainly suitable for all ages.

    On the platform, childish and strange behaviors are {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (total) acceptable. In high-pressure world, it is no surprise that Douyin has become so successful – all you need to do is pick up your phone and open the app to relieve some stress and have {#blank#}9{#/blank#} laugh. The app pushes related videos and products based on users' preferences and consequently, Douyin can be quite addictive – many people just want to enjoy a few minutes at first, but end up {#blank#}10{#/blank#}  (consume) several hours' video time.

    Did you know that what you think you like and don't like is often the result of false beliefs? As humans, we tend to be {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (easy) influenced when it comes to liking or disliking something, and we're happy to have our existing beliefs confirmed. But once these beliefs became fixed, we often lose our ability to be {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (object) and we don't like to have our ideas challenged.  Generally speaking, human beings are not good at taking a {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (balance) view of things. For instance, we unconsciously start to listen for and select information that {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (match) our beliefs and turn a blind eye to information that doesn't, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (reject) it out of hand. We don't always like to accept new information that doesn't match up with what we already believe.

    As a result, we often don't even consider the reasons behind {#blank#}6{#/blank#} opposing point of view. Instead, we look for evidence that confirms {#blank#}7{#/blank#} we had already thought, and which conforms to our own point of view. We're more likely {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (give) meaning to information that matches the beliefs we already have. In other words, we are biased (偏见) towards certain information. {#blank#}9{#/blank#} can come as a shock when information we {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (trust) is actually exposed to be untrue.

    With a timid voice, the little boy greeted his father as he returned from work, "Daddy, how much do you make an hour?"

    Greatly {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (surprise), the father said, "Look, son, not even your mother knows that. Don't bother me now, I'm tired."

    "But Daddy, just tell me please! How much do you make an hour," the boy insisted.

    The father, {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (final) giving up, replied, "Twenty dollars per hour."

    "Okay, Daddy? Could you loan me ten dollars?" the boy asked.

    Showing his restlessness, the father yelled, "So that was the reason {#blank#}3{#/blank#} you asked how much I earn, right? Go to sleep and don't bother me any longer!"

    It was already dark and the father was thinking about what he {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (say) and was feeling guilty. Maybe he thought his son wanted to buy something. Finally, trying to ease {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (he) mind, the father went to his son's room.

    "Are you {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (sleep), son?" asked the father.

    "No, Daddy. Why?" replied the boy.

    "Here's the money you asked for {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (early)," the father said.

    "Thanks, Daddy!" replied the son happily, putting his hand under his pillow and removing some money. "Now I have enough! Now I have twenty dollars!" the boy said to his father, who was gazing at his son, confused {#blank#}8{#/blank#} what his son had just said.

    "Daddy, could you sell me one hour of your time?"

    Time is {#blank#}9{#/blank#} precious to spend it all on work! Appreciate your loved {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (one) and don't take them for granted.