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As a demonstration sport at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, pickleball (匹克球) is rapidly gaining popularity across China, (unique) integrating fitness, friendship and fashion.

Emerging as a beloved pastime for American seniors in the 1960s, pickleball has evolved a dynamic sport. Playfully called the "fun cousin" of tennis, pickleball (play) by two or four players on a badminton court with oversized ping-pong paddles. Its rules are straightforward, (require) minimal physical efforts in the form of running, making it accessible to players of all ages and skill levels. Its low barrier to entry — only a paddle set and ball, both of which are widely accessible and budget-friendly — (ensure) that anyone can have a try.

Pickleball is also a sport centered around fun and friendship. Its social aspect can foster lasting friendships and (tie) beyond the court. The inclusive and welcome nature of pickleball communities enhances overall well-being and a sense of (belong).

Currently, not only does pickleball enjoy popularity in first-tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai, but it's also expanding its presence into smaller cities across China. you're a seasoned athlete or a beginner seeking a new, sporty activity, pickleball provides an (engage) experience for you. Ready to try? Find a local court and give it try.

On arrival, I urged my father to explain the4 of fishing to me. He demonstrated how to cast the line, how to feel for a bite, and how to reel in the catch. His5 approach was reassuring, yet I could not shake off the6 that came with the uncertainty of the experience.

As I cast my line into the water for the first time, I was7 with excitement. The initial excitement, however, soon8 impatience. Minutes felt like hours as I sat there, staring at the9 water, hoping for a sign of life. My father10 my growing impatience and shared his wisdom. "Fishing is about enjoying the process and being in the moment. Be11," he said.

His words12 me, and I began to appreciate the peacefulness of the surroundings. The singing of birds and the gentle lapping of water against the shore13 a symphony of natural sounds. Suddenly, I felt a pull on my line. My heart14 as I struggled to reel in the catch.

Fishing has since become my beloved hobby,15 in me a sense of patience and a profound appreciation for the natural world.

Silence is as critical to mental health as vitamins are to physical well-being. People are particular about what foods they put in their bodies: whether organic, vegetarian, or fat-free. The mental junk we absorb daily can be arguably harmful than the occasional cheeseburger or donut. The never-ending flood of sensory input taxes the brain's limited attention resources, leaving little room for deep thinking, reflecting, or creativity.

Quiet time helps the brain relax, sort through what it has taken in, and regain lost mental energy. As American artist Leonard Koren suggests in his book Wabi-Sabi, silence can be' "an emptiness full of possibilities," a space where creativity and clarity emerge.

Adding moments of quiet to your daily routine doesn't require dramatic changes. Better yet, research shows that brief exposure to nature, like a walk in the woods, lowers stress levels, reduces blood pressure, and sharpens focus. These benefits occur because green spaces and natural soundscapes provide a much-needed break from today's busy, stressful world.

Digital life crowds out silence, making simply sitting in silence almost unthinkable — yet the very moments of stillness are what our minds really need. They let us listen to our thoughts, reflect on our experiences, and connect with ourselves in a way that is impossible in the noise of modern life.

A. But rarely do we ask ourselves: at what cost?

B. So, shouldn't we make laws requiring quiet time every day?

C. It can be as simple as pausing 30 seconds to watch clouds.

D. Next time you reach for your phone, resist the urge and sit in silence.

E. We check our phone 58 times a day, 30%occurring during work hours.

F. But they aren't as picky about what they are exposed to through the senses.

G. Just as our bodies need nutrition, our minds require silence to function well.

The prototype (原型) of the smart car window has a device with an outside-facing camera. With just a press of a button, the system takes a picture of the current view. The colorful picture is then turned into an image with different shades of grey through LED lights, which vibrate differently. As the finger passes over different regions of the image, its shaking movements provide feedback through the sense of touch to the person using it. The smart window also comes with a voice assistant that uses AI to identify the scene and help the passengers get information on what they're seeing.

"As the prototype started taking shape, we realized we were giving birth to a completely new language that would give blind people a new chance to visualize and experience traveling," Federico Russo, one director of GTB Roma, said. "When the idea was at its first stage, we looked for suppliers all around the world to make it come to life." He believes the technology can be employed not just in cars. "It could be introduced into schools and institutions for blind people as a tool that could be used in multiple ways."

The technology may show up in a Ford autonomous vehicle. It's known that the company is testing their technology and future business model and struggling to figure out how an autonomous vehicle gives different passengers the details needed to get from one destination to another. It's unclear when this technology will be made available. However, the idea of building something for the less advantaged is indeed a kind and influential action.

That's how most people see innovation: A flash of brilliance and Eureka, a new world is born in an instant. The truth, however, is not that simple. It wasn't until 1943 that penicillin came into widespread use.

To put Fleming's discovery in context, consider Ignaz Semmelweis, who pioneered hand washing in maternity wards (产房), significantly reducing childbed fever but receiving criticism instead of fame. That was because in the 1850s, his ideas conflicted with the popular theory, which suggested that disease resulted from "bad airs". After his death in 1865, germ (病菌) theory was finally accepted, paving the way for Fleming's later work.

Fleming was a gifted biologist but a poor communicator. When he published his results in 1929, few took notice. In 1935, Howard Florey and Ernst Chain discovered Fleming's paper, understood its importance, and developed methods to produce penicillin in quantity. By 1943, with World War Ⅱ going on fiercely, the War Production Board asked 21 companies to mass-produce penicillin, saving countless lives and ushering in the new age of antibiotics. Fleming, Florey and Chain received the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1945.

Penicillin owes much of its success to government support. For many other groundbreaking innovations like the Internet and GPS, their innovators, while carving their own path, are often uncertain of where the opportunity lies until they team up with other informed officials and big firms that might have the resources to turn their ideas into reality quickly. So, look at any significant innovation and the myth of the lone genius, and the "eureka moment" breaks down.

Even before she had these two successful "practices", Deborah was aware of the power of poetry. She noticed how it could bring people a positive change. This inspired her to become the "Emergency Poet" traveling the country in an ambulance to offer poetry prescriptions (处方). The 1950s ambulance, which was bought on eBay, carried 200 poems, each with advice like "take this poem with a cup of tea" or "listen to some birdsong".

After about a decade of mobile medicine, Deborah parked up her practice for a permanent location in Shropshire. This became the world's first poetry pharmacy, and — unlike the ambulance — it had central heating. From a cozy coffee corner to an inspiring physic garden, the pharmacy is described as "a peaceful place to rest and dream". "What happens in the shops is that people are often buying things for others. That act of giving and thinking about someone else is heartwarming." The pharmacy also provides a more personalized service. "We ask about people's reading habits, how they relax, rather than their problems. It should be a pleasure to answer these questions," Deborah says.

Despite never having done any online marketing, the poetry pharmacy has a dedicated following of creative souls, including Mark Constantine, CEO and co-founder of LUSH. We don't know what the future holds for the poetry pharmacy and its founder, but one thing is certain — the next chapter is bound to be a good one!

A Century in Circulation

This year's annual classics collection is particularly special, given it is the magazine's 100th anniversary year. Peeling back the covers of the thousands of editions, published in numerous countries, and dating back to the first issue in February 1922, is always a task we enjoy doing.

This collection offers a wide range of different subjects. Each one we hope will inform, delight, amuse and perhaps even confound our readers: from stepping inside the French artist Pierre-Auguste's inner circle of friends (Page 84), to finding peace from depression in a solitary walk on the beach (Page 92) and meeting a cat who held a family together as they began to fall apart (Page 20). My favorite article, Exploits of Charles (Page 100), is written by a mother about the increasingly odd behavior of a little boy in her young son's kindergarten class. I am sure you'll enjoy this amusing account of a small boy adjusting to his new classmates and teachers. With an endless supply of wonderful stories, surprising insights and experiences to share, Reader's Digest remains a place to find fresh perspectives and a great read.

Happy reading!

Louise Waterson Editor-in-Chief

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