Questions you should ask yourself when you fail

    The more new things we try the more failure we are likely to have.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Experiencing failure can be a learning experience and an opportunity for a fresh start. A good way to begin this process is by asking yourself some tough questions.

⑴What can I learn from this?

    Take responsibility for what went wrong. OK, so it was not all your fault—but some of it was. Successful people don't make excuses or blame others. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} So you should look at the experience objectively(客观地).

⑵Do I need to acquire or improve some skills?

    Did the problem reveal some lack of skill on your part? How could you learn or improve those skills? Perhaps there are books or courses or people you could turn to. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

⑶Who can I learn from?

    Is there someone to whom you can turn for advice? Did a boss, colleague or friend see what happened? {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Most people do not ask for help because they believe it to be a sign of weakness rather than strength. It's not. It shows that you are ready to learn and change.

⑷What will I do next?

    Now draw up an action plan. Will you try something similar or something different? Revisit your goals. Failure doesn't mean you have to give up; maybe you just need to change it in another way. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

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    Sleep, as we know, is important to us because it helps restore tired organs and tissues in our body. But how much sleep do we actually need?

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    For most of us, eight hours seems to be about the right amount. Yet we know that there are a great many people who get along perfectly with less sleep and some who may even need more. A great deal depends on the way we live. But a good general rule to follow is to sleep as long as we have to in order to feel happy and be able to work at our best when we are awake.

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    There are actually different levels of sleep. There is a deep sleep and a shallow sleep. In a shallow sleep our body does not get the same kind of rest as it gets in a deep sleep, so that after eight hours of a shallow sleep we may still feel tired. But a short deep sleep can be very restful.

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    Alexander the Great was able to get a deep sleep whenever he needed it. Once, during the night before an important battle, he remained awake longer than anyone else. Then he wrapped himself in a cloak and lay down on the earth. He slept so deeply that his generals had to wake him three times to give command to attack!

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    Normally when we go to sleep, our “ sleep center” blocks off nerves so that both our brain and our body go to sleep. One prevents us form wanting to do anything and the other makes our internal organs and limbs go to sleep. But someone will fall asleep (brain sleep) and keep on marching, because his body is not asleep!

    We eat in our cars, at our desks, on the go, and in front of die TV. We eat take-out, packaged and prepared meals. Why? Because it fits our not-enough-time-in-the-day lifestyles.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Well, I'm certainly not the first one to think it-or say it-but we all need to slow down.

    Consumer trends around the globe show that over the past three decades people are purchasing more prepared foods at grocery and eating out more than ever before. It's predicted that we'll spend more at restaurants in the coming years.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} However, we're getting less healthy.

    While debates can be seen in different media over diet food industry's contribution to our growing waistlines and our health problems, the bottom line is this:{#blank#}3{#/blank#} We can choose to eat a fast—food lunch on the go. We can throw a frozen meal in the microwave and call it dinner. We can eat without thinking, in front of the tube, at our computers, and while driving a car.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Studies have shown meaningful links between family meals and kids' mental and physica I well— being. Eating sensibly doesn't take much time or money, but it does require you to make a conscious decision to do so. Wrapped in endless work, appointments and social activities, we often fail to enjoy a relaxing meal with our families.

    While it can be a challenge to always put healthy eating first, just do your best. Remember that diet food you eat has a more significant intact on your health, weight and well-being than almost any other activity you do.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} Every meal made at home—even just once or twice a week—is a step closer to a healthier body and a slower food lifestyle.

A. Lunch is the biggest calorie intake when it comes to eating out.

B. Treat it with the importance that it deserve, but start small.

C. Our food matches our lives.

D. Purchase food locally and skip as many packaged items as you can.

E. What we eat, where we eat and how we eat are all under our control.

F. We're consuming an increasing number of calories.

G. We can devote an hour of the day to enjoying a meal with our families.

    Old-fashioned carpooling (拼车) where a group of people take turns driving each other to work has always faced a resistance. In a study by ABC News, 84％of those who drive to work say that they still do it alone.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} For example, sometimes they simply cannot find anyone to share a ride with.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} NuRide, a company providing online carpooling service, offers daily travelers not just a web-based list of would-be carpoolers but also a way to arrange a trip online. Here's how it works: rider seekers enter the positions where their trip will begin and end, the time they want to leave and if they're willing to drive or just ride in someone else's car. The website's search engine then looks for matches and makes lists of the names of traveling companions, along with the car model and the exact time and place to meet for each trip.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Then they meet their car mates when it's time to go.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} They are required to provide the name of their employer and a work e-mail address. Both need to be checked before being listed on the website.

       So far, NuRide has arranged more man 50,000 rides on the website.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. NuRide users aren't riding with total strangers.

B. It has resulted in 1.4 million fewer miles driven.

C. They insisted that carpooling is just too inconvenient.

D. Now technology makes carpooling easier and more fun.

E. It is an environmentally friendly and economical way to travel.

F. Carpooling reduces travel cost, such as fuel cost and stress of driving.

G. People who want to share the ride can show their interest in joining in online.

Digitalization could Pay Off in Health and Sustainability

With technology permeating (渗透) everything we do, it has led to a significant transformation in the workplace — specifically, how, where, who is working and what work employees do. The speed of change across industries has also caused greater uncertainty as many businesses rethink the way they manage their talent and real estate.

For one, automation and artificial intelligence will change many job functions—particularly jobs and tasks that are manual or process driven. Research has found that the future workforce will be divided into three parts；core employees，freelancers（自由职业者）and consultants．Core employees will be concentrated in smaller and fewer locations, ideally in central business districts with transportation and amenities(便利设施) concentrated nearby —reducing their energy and resource usage. This smaller core workforce could mean smaller office footprints requiring less energy from power and less waste produced. In parallel, the appearance of the “liquid workforce”— freelancers, consultants and more — means potentially less commuting(通勤) and perhaps a cleaner way of working. The need for flexibility to accommodate the uncertain operating environment and more project-based work could require possibly less material and waste in the building process.

We've seen how many forward-thinking organizations have already adopted more efficient real estate management in the form of smart buildings and smart offices. This is essentially powered by the Internet of Things(物联网) to drive efficiency and real-time optimization (最优化）of building operations such as automatic monitoring and optimization of air conditioning— of particular interest in Asia, where indoor as well as outdoor air quality is a long-time issue.

    Some features of smart buildings and workplaces also announce a shift to a less paper-based workplace. Companies are also accepting a whole view of sustainability. They're thinking about more than cost-savings or making the most of space. They are considering creating a healthy, fulfilling, and productive environment for employees.

We now speak about healthy buildings instead of simply sustainable ones. In fact, the World Green Building Council now promotes the concept of healthy green buildings—buildings that are not only environmentally sensitive but also provide for the well-being of staff. For instance, buildings with more access to nature and greenery make a significant difference to workers. A survey done last year found that over 90% of those surveyed felt more productive and creative with access to fresh air, indoor light, healthy food, fitness centers and even mental health services.

    Overall, the drive towards a digitized workplace and improved employee experience could just lead us to a healthier, happier life and a more sustainable future.

Ready for final year

    Even though they're anxiously awaiting their gaokao, Senior 3 students feel relieved after having survived their busiest year of high school.

    Your milestone year begins in just two months, so how can you make the most of it? Here, three graduates offer some practical advice to help you navigate (航行) your final year in the right way.

    Sun Hairuo, High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China, Beijing:

    Think ahead about your major. Even though some universities allow students to switch to a new major after enrollment, it still involves a lot of effort to do. So while you're preparing for the gaokao, start to consider what field you want to major in at the same time.

    When I was aware of my interest in social science, I began to collect information on the internet about what courses I'd like to take in university and what life would be like on campus if I chose this direction. Don't judge a major before you know everything about it, since your entire future depends on it.

    Qian Wenjing, Hangzhou Foreign Language School, Zhejiang:

    Enjoy a hobby alongside your studies. It's important to get high marks in all subjects, but if you have nothing that can distract you from the piles of homework, you'll have no motivation.

    For example, I run a WeChat public account, which you can find by searching for “大嘴小个儿” on WeChat. On it, I share my reflections on life, recommend good books and introduce learning methods to others. I also make videos on how to write an interesting daily journal for the video platform bilibili.com.

    So, keep on top of your schoolwork, but make sure you find time to let your hair down sometimes too.

    Wang Zixin, Beijing No 4 High School, Beijing:

    Create your own system of knowledge using a notebook. In the review stage, find your weak points on every science subject after each exam. Summarize the knowledge behind the errors in your notebook — this will not only identify the problem, but will also save you time when you don't have to spend so long figuring out the answer.

    As for liberal arts subjects such as Chinese and English, write down any memorable sentences you come across in your notebook.

    And keep it in mind that improvements don't happen right away — it takes time to get better.

    Ready for final year