Love to sink into your chairs and relax when you get to school? Then you will not be happy to hear that schools all over the world are seriously considering exchanging traditional desks for ones with no seats at all — Yes, that means you will be encouraged to stand through those already too long math and science lessons! Why would anyone even think of putting kids to such cruelty? Experts say it improves their health and helps fight obesity. While that may seem a little far-fetched (牵强的), the officials at the few schools around the world seem to agree.

    Among them are educators from the College Station Independent School District in Texas, who recently completed aweek-long experiment involving 480 students across three elementary schools. The 374 kids that agreed to participate in the study were provided with adevice that helped record step count and calorie consumption over the entireperiod.

    All 25 teachers involved in the study reported that students appeared to be more alert and concentrate better, when allowed to stand. The one thing that did surprise the researchers was that younger kids were more willing to stay standing than kids in higher grades. They believe this may have something to do with the fact that after years ofbeing asked to “sit still”, older kids have a harder time adjusting to this unexpected freedom.

    American schools are not the only ones reporting success with stand-up desks. Four Catholic schools in Perth,Australia, which have been testing them since October 2013, have seen similar results. In May 2014, Grove House Primary School in Bradford, West Yorkshire,became Europe's first test one, with a seven-week trial that involved the useof desks made by Ergotron in their fifth-grade classrooms. While official results are not out yet, early reactions from both teachers and students, have been extremely encouraging.

    The findings of these studies and othersdone previously, all seem to mean that allowing kids to move around in classrooms is a win-win for students and teachers — it helps kids get healthier and provides educators with a more engaged audience.

    Chinese writer and translator Yang Jiang died early on May 25, 2016 in Beijing at age 104. The longest-living Chinese woman writer, she was known for her modest, subtle and witty writing style.

    Yang became a household name in China for her novels, essays, plays and translated works. Her most popular novel, Baptism, describing a group of intellectuals (知识分子) adjusting to a new society in the early 1950s, has been translated into French and English.

    Yang began learning Spanish in 1959 at age 48, and started to translate Don Quixote in 1962. She was the first to translate Don Quixote into Chinese. The work was stopped twice due to the "cultural revolution". She completed it in 1976, and the Chinese edition was published in 1978 and has sold more than 1 million copies. In that year, the Spanish king and queen visited China, and then-leader Deng Xiao-ping gave the royal couple Yang's translation as a gift. Yang was received by Deng at the Great Hall of the People. While shaking hands, Deng asked her when she had completed the translation. "It's just published," she replied, having no time to tell the full story.

    She was married to Qian Zhongshu, a well-known scholar and author of the best-selling novel Fortress Besieged. Yang's memoir about her family, The Three of Us, written after her husband and daughter died, in 1998 and 1997 respectively, was translated into German.

    Yang never stopped writing. At 94, she started writing the book Walking onto the Edge of Life to reflect on her life. It won China's top book award in 2007. At 100, she was still writing articles for newspapers.

    A farmer grew some vegetables in his garden. One day his wife was ill and he had no money. He had to sell some cabbages and carrots in the market. The next morning he took two baskets of vegetables to town, but it was raining hard that afternoon and there were few people in the street. When his vegetables were sold out, it was dark. He bought some medicine and hurried to his village.

    On his way home he saw a person lying on the ground. He placed his baskets on the ground and was going to help the person to get up. At that time he found it was a dead man and there was much blood on his body. He was so afraid that he ran away quickly, without taking his baskets.

    The next afternoon the farmer was sent to the police station. Having shown the baskets, an officer asked, “Are these yours?" “Yes, sir." The farmer answered timidly（胆怯地）. “Have you killed the man?” “No, no, sir.” The farmer said in a hurry. “When did you see the dead man?” “About seven last evening." “Did you see who killed the man?” “No, sir." The officer brought out a knife and asked, “Have you seen it yet?” “No, sir." The officer became angry and told the policemen to beat him up and sent him into prison(监狱)。

    That evening the officer went on trying. Pointing to the knife, he asked again, “Have you seen it yet?” "yes, sir.” The officer was happy and asked, “When and where?” “I saw it here this afternoon, sir.”

    Volunteering abroad is a great way to help others, improve your skills and become a more confident, independent person. If you are interested in volunteering abroad, here are some places to go.

    Australia

    If you seek a life on the beach, in a great climate with friendly people, Australia might be your best bet. With thousands of volunteers already signing up to leave for Australia during the holidays, it will be a very popular option.

    Brazil

    This vast country has some great opportunities on offer and is especially popular this year. A lot of volunteer work is available in Brazil centers on conservation and ecological projects. With the world's largest rainforest in Brazil, of which huge part is in danger, there are lots of different jobs you can do.

    Kenya

    Kenya is the destination for those seeking an African experience. Generally volunteers in Kenya work in orphanages (孤儿院) or with local children living in slums (贫民窟). There is a great demand for volunteers in Africa because many people live in poverty, so if you truly feel like making a difference to a community, Kenya should be at the top of your list.

    Costa Rica

    Golden sandy beaches, clear coastlines and beautiful cities are what Costa Rica is all about. Because of its small size, you can see a lot of the country in just a short time. You can really make the most of your time as a volunteer. A lot of work is needed with wildlife and ecological work, so if you want to look after turtles (海龟) on the beach, Costa Rica could be just the place for you.

Best Tours of France 2024

If you're planning a visit to France, we've picked the best tours in France where the experience is built around the things YOU want to see and do. 

Loire Valley Bike Tours—the very best way to travel

One of the best ways to visit the castles, vineyards, pretty little villages, historic towns and beautiful gardens of the Loire Valley is on two wheels. . . Loire Brakes guided tour s are relaxing（e-bikes provided）, and you'll stay in a comfortable and cosy farmhouse and visit the very best of the Loire Valley with local guides Denise and Kevin. A superb slow travel experience for those who like to discover real France and enjoy the most delicious food and wine. loirebrakes. com

Tours for those who love the authentic（真实性）

Discover southern France—from attractive Carcassonne to the postcard-pretty blooming lovely lavender fields of Provence, as well as Normandy, Bordeaux and Dordogne. On these luxury, small group tours you'll get to experience France like a local, experience the best cuisine and wine, and discover the beauty and culture of France. www. tripusafrance. com

Tailor-made tours

Osprey Boutique Travel creates unique and authentic travel experiences. Their tailor-made tours are particularly made to each client's preferences, based on personally tested experiences and native French special knowledge. With Osprey, expect access to wonderful experiences at famous wineries and Michelin-starred restaurants, creating a lifetime journey. Find out more: ospreybt. com

Culture & cookery tours in Provence

Cooking classes with chefs in their homes where you'll cook authentic French dishes. Shop at fascinating street markets with chefs, and dine at the most delicious restaurants in beautiful towns of Provence on this fully accompanied, small-group, delicious and cultural trip of a lifetime. goutetvoyage. com

Based on his own research at Washington University in St. Louis and other scientific studies, psychology lecturer Bon o offers the following tips for getting and staying happier in your life.

{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Looking forward to an enjoyable experience can make it all that much sweeter. Wait a couple of days before seeing a new movie that just came out, plan your big vacation for later in the summer, and try to take time to enjoy each bit e of dessert. On the opposite, get negative tasks out of the way as quickly as possible —any delay will only make them seem worse.

People who focus more on process than outcome tend to remain motivated in the face of setbacks. They're better at sticking with major challenges and prefer them over the easy route. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Because it celebrates rewards that come from the work itself. Focusing only on the outcome can lead to premature burnout if things don't go well.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Find an activity that allows you to get together with friends on a regular, ongoing basis. A weekly happy hour, poker night, or TV show ensures consistency and motivation in your social interactions. People with high-quality relationships are not only happier, but also healthier. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

The next time you are attracted to use your phone to look through social media, look through your list of contacts instead. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} The happiness you get from a real connection with another person will be far greater than any comments or likes you get on social media.

A. Anticipation itself is pleasurable.

B. Decrease unnecessary socializing.

C. Find someone to call or Face Time.

D. This "growth mindset" helps people stay energized.

E. Facebook and Instagram often overstate how much better off others are.

F. Nothing is more important for our psychological health than high-quality friendships.

G. They recover from illnesses more quickly, live longer, and enjoy more enriched lives.