相关试卷

If something that you' re doing doesn' t challenge you, then it doesn' t change you.  You can never see any improvement if you stick to your comfort zone. So challenge the following limits:

Figure out what you' re scared of and do it continuously.

If you' re a salesman, and you' re scared of talking to people personally or over the phone, now, instead of being scared and thinking you' ll fail, spend at least five minutes a day picking up the phone and making a call. Someone may hang up on you. 

Eventually, you can look at fear in the eyes and say, " Go on, I' m not scared!" 

Take a class for a hobby you' ve been wanting to develop.

Make sure this hobby is not linked to your career; you have to relax and relieve your stress while performing this. 

Apart from helping you challenge yourself, taking a class for your hobby may also give you extra income. 

Set aside at least nine minutes a day for physical exercise.

You don' t need to go to the gym.  Exercise can not only help you maintain your regular weight, but also make you feel better about yourself. 

Don' t just limit yourself to your fellow travelers —try to connect with the service staff. 

You never know what kind of people they' re going to be. Get out of your house or go online right now to book your class. Start to travel now and learn to challenge yourself. 

A. You should do it continuously. 

B. But don' t stop on the first try!

C. Go outside and do exercise regularly. 

D. We all need some normal stress in our lives, after all. 

E. Travel and allow yourself to be interested in new people. 

F. Some examples might be cooking, sewing, painting and so on. 

G. A simple 9-minute run around your neighborhood can do wonders for yourself. 

Like the rest of us, scientists have long suspected the healing capacity of a good hug. Unlike the rest of us, they' ve gone about trying to prove it. 

" Laboratory studies suggest that things like hugs help us feel safer. They can also make us less sensitive to physical pain and less reactive when we' re faced with threatening experiences, "  says Michael Murphy. He is a research professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Texas Tec h University. " This lab work has shown that hugs and other touch behaviors are related to stress. The more stress we have, the more our heart rates and blood pressure go up. At this time, hugs and other forms of personal touch may give off all sorts of feel-good chemicals, so that stress can be reduced. " 

" There' s a lot that we still need to learn, and there' s a lot we don' t know, "  Murphy says. " However, what seems to be rising up is that hugs, as well as other forms of loving and gentle touch, are really powerful. They remind people that they' re cared about and that they have someone in their corner. " 

" We expect touch. When we were born, we were placed in our mothers' arms almost immediately. In that first year of our life, we spend a lot of time being held by other people. And as we grow up, we seek out hugs and touch as a way of connection. I think what we have lost in the past few years are these really easy opportunities to be reminded of connection. " 

While he was at Carnegie Mellon, Murphy was the lead author of a hug-centered 2018 article in the scientific journal PLOS One. In a series of interviews with 404 adults over a two-week period, the researchers found that receiving a hug is associated with the attenuation of negative emotions that occur on days with interpersonal conflicts. That is to say, generally, hugs help to reduce the negative impacts that personal conflicts may cause in our daily lives. 

There was a lot of news related to artificial intelligence, or AI, and machine learning. Among the stories were two dealing with direct competitions between humans and machines. 

In one competition, machines that used AI performed better than human beings in a high-level reading test. Two natural language processing tools beat humans in the experiment. One of the tools was built by the American technology company Microsoft. The other was created by Chinese online seller Alibaba Group. 

In another competition, a computer took on humans in live, public debates. 

The event demonstrated how AI-powered computers are increasingly being developed to think and sound like humans. The organizer of the debates, U. S. technology company IBM, announced split results. It said a majority of those watching said they felt the machine had done more to improve their knowledge of the subject. But, the human got more praise for communicating their ideas. 

This year, we also explored the many ways AI and machine learning are now being used. For example, some U. S. judges use machine learning systems to help them decide when, and for how long, criminals should be jailed. The system uses computers to examine data from thousands of court cases. 

One fast-growing area of AI is facial recognition, which is increasingly being used for security purposes. Recently, Atlanta' s Hartsfield-Jackson airport became the first in the U. S. to permit passengers to use fa cial recognition technology to get on flights. A Chinese company showed off an AI system it developed to recognize individuals by body shape and walking movements. The system is already being used by Chinese police in Beijing and Shanghai. 

In addition, machine learning was used during 2018 to predict results of the World Cup soccer competition. The technology also created artwork that was sold for a large amount of money. And it is being used to help farmers save time and money, while reducing environment-harming chemicals. Other technology systems are being used to follow farm animals and wildlife to collect information on their activities. 

Johannes Fritz, a biologist, needed to come up with a plan, again, if he was going to prevent his rare and beloved birds from going extinct. 

To survive the European winter, the northern bald ibis (秃鹃) — which had once disappeared entirely from the wild on the continent — needs to migrate south for the winter, over the Alps, before the mountains become blocked. But shifting climate patterns have delayed when the birds begin to migrate, and they are now reaching the mountains too late to make it over the peaks, locking them in an icy death trap. Determined to save them, Mr. Fritz decided he would teach the birds a new, safer migration route by guiding them himself in a tiny aircraft. And he was confident he could succeed in this daring, unusual plan —because he had done it before. 

Mr. Fritz was his young pupils' only provider of food and love since they' d been just a few days old, and the ibises eagerly followed their teacher. He learned to fly, modifying a tiny aircraft so it would fly at speeds slow enough for his winged students to keep up. In 2004, three years after some experiments, Mr. Fritz led the first flock from Austria to Italy, and has since led 15 such migrations. Over that time, he has rewilded (放归) 277 young ibises, many of which then started to pass the route on to their own young. For now, however, the main worry is getting the birds to follow the aircraft. " While they have a strong bond with their ' mothers' and follow them around on the ground, flying is more difficult, "  Fritz said. 

" Fly Away Home was a huge hit with us biologists, "  Mr. Fritz said, recalling the 1996movie in which a Canada geese was led to migrate by an aircraft. When Mr. Fritz claimed he' d do the same with the ibises, he was initially laughed at. But through years of trial and error, he succeeded. He even learned to fly like a bird, he said, laughing with ease. Mr. Fritz' s two sons, both now teenagers, followed their flying father and the migrating birds on the ground, and his family and colleagues witnessed the risks he was taking. But the unexpected risks are " necessary" , Mr. Fritz said. 

" It' s not so much a job, "  he added, " but my life' s purpose. " 

Recreational Sports Membership

Ohio State University has some of the best recreation facilities(设施) in the country. Our Recreation and Physical Activity Center (RPAC) has opened in the past 10 years, whose facilities and programs are designed to fit all your needs and schedule. 

RPAC Membership Rights

A membership is your ticket to take advantage of all the facilities and programs. 

Classes and Programs

Group fitness, sport clubs and outdoor adventure programs are only available to current RPAC members. You can attend unlimited free group fitness classes as part of your membership. An extra payment will be required if you prefer personal training classes. 

Guests and Family Participation

Members may sponsor up to two guests during a visit. A daily guest pass is required for each guest to enter RPAC, and members must be present at the time of buying a pass. The pass is accepted at all facilities for unlimited re-entries in a one-day period. 

RPAC aims to offer a family-friendly environment. Members are able to enjoy quality time with their families free of charge in a variety of family-friendly accommodations, including family changing rooms, the Lounge game room, and the Leisure pool. 

Locker and Towel Rental

RPAC offers full-service men' s and women' s locker rooms featuring large and medium size lockers, which can be rented either monthly or yearly. RPAC towel service is available in addition to day lockers at various locations throughout the facility. 

RPAC Membership Responsibilities

In an effort to create a welcome and safe environment for all members, you have the responsibility to follow the following policies:

Filming and photography in the facilities must be approved in advance. 

Cell phone photography and video are not permitted in locker rooms. 

Fighting and rough play are not permitted in all facilities. 

Shoes are required in all public areas of all indoor facilities, except for locker rooms and swimming pools. 

All equipment checked-out from RPAC must be returned at the required check-in time. You may be charged for the equipment returned late or damaged. 

Please contact member services if you have any other questions about your RPAC membership. 

There was once a strong wrestler (摔跤手) called Vijay Singh. Warm-hearted but fond of boasting (吹牛), he said he was brave enough to meet the ghost in the Haunted Desert. The evil ghost illegally gathered lots of treasures so the villagers suffered a lot.

That evening almost the entire village turned up to say good-bye to Vijay Singh. Just then an old woman came forward and forced a block of salt and an egg into his hands.

Stepping into the Haunted Desert, Vijay Sing h heard a ghost calling his name. "Really, I don't know why you longed to meet me," said the ghost. "That proves," said Vijay Singh, "that you are a stupid ghost."

Vijay Sing h picked up a piece of rock from the sand and told the ghost to press it hard to get fluid (液体). While the ghost tried hard, Vijay Singh secretly took out the egg from his pocket. Surely the ghost failed. Vijay Singh placed the rock between both hands and pressed it. At once the yellow yolk (蛋黄) flowed from around his fingers. The ghost was so astonished.

Vijay Singh then picked up another piece of rock for the ghost. "That stone contains salt. Break it and see." Again the ghost tried hard, but in vain. Vijay Singh quickly got the block of salt in his hand before taking the stone from the ghost. Then he let the stone drop in the darkness, held out his hand and commanded the ghost to taste the powdered stone. The ghost was now beginning to doubt his ghostly powers.

Later the ghost invited Vijay Singh to his cave for the night. The ghost led him to a luxurious bed to sleep on. But Vijay Sing h lay awake listening to the snores (鼾声) of the ghost. At midnight, he slipped off his bed. He placed a pillow in the centre of the bed, and covered it to make it look exactly like a sleeping man. Then he sat watchfully in a dark corner.

注意：

1. 续写词数应为 150左右；

2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Just before the daybreak, the ghost approached the bed armed with a strong stick.

Disturbed by the noise, the ghost surprisedly saw Vijay Singh stretching his arms and yawning.

1. 你的观点；

2. 说出理由。

注意：

1. 写作词数应为80左右；

2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

My View on Pre-cooked Food for Students

China's Changan(sign) a deal last week with the Thai authorities to build a vehicle-producing plant in the Southeast Asian country, as state-owned carmaker, it speeds up efforts to explore overseas markets,(especial) those involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

The Chongqing-based carmaker said it will invest 8.8 billion baht (around $240 million) in the production facility, initially (design) to produce 100,000 new energy vehicles a year.

The NEVs to be produced in its Thai plant  (sell) in the country and exported to other  (market) such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Changan is joining the ranks of other major Chinese carmakers including SAIC, Great Wall Motor as well as BYD, have release d plant plans or are already producing vehicles  Southeast Asia.

Their local production can boost the local automotive industry and will allow those Chinese carmakers (become) more competitive in the market, said Yahaya Ahmad, technical leader of the ASEAN New Car Assessment Program.

Ahmad said the  (popular) of Chinese branded vehicles is growing thanks to their improved quality.

"I would expect Chinese carmakers to be competitive…they can compete in terms of the safety, in terms of the cost, in terms of the quality," he said.

The elementary school in Minnesota has a great playground. But it wasn't 1 to children with some kind of physical disabilities. There was no wheelchair merry-go-round or any adaptive 2 in the playground. And the students of Betsy Julien's fifth grade class felt like that should 3 . Wyatt Feucht, one of the students, told CBS News, "It just didn't seem 4 that some kids were just left out." So, they asked their teacher if she could buy the equipment for the playground. Julien said yes but 5 the costs to be around $300.

So, the children decided to 6 the money themselves. They 7 bake sales, saved their money and went door to door to ask for 8 . With the 9 of the Glen Lake Parent Teacher Organization, they 10 reached their goal. Julien is 11 of her students. She told the news channel, "My future as an adult is 12 knowing that this generation of students, of changemakers, sees something that needs fixing, and they 13 for it headfirst." And the students with physical disabilities are really 14 , too. John Buettner, who is in a wheelchair, told CBS, "First time I set foot on this playground I'm probably going to start crying from seeing the 15 that all the school has made."

Life is what you make it. What is more, you only get one, so you do need to make it the very best you can. Therefore, don't waste time. But how you can increase the quality of your life?

·Treat yourself.

Make the first thing you do a treat that you have been expecting for some time. Don't make excuses excites about not having time or money. Treats can be free, and you can always make time. It's not hard to organize some time in your day if you want to. Remember, no more excuses! You are worth it!

·Learn a skill.

Learning a new skill is one of the most satisfying things you can do.A great way to learn a skill is to join a class. Not only will you learn, but you will make new friends.

●

If you are lucky enough to have a loved one in your life who brightens your day when you speak to him, give him a call. You will feel better for making contact, and then feel much more positive after talking to him. Send a text or make a phone call. 

●Bring on the humor.

Laughing is very good for you. It will lower your stress and put you in a good mood.  Set off your laughter by watching a funny movie or a comedy show.

A. Contact a loved one.

B. important things first.

C. Arrange to meet up if you can.

D. It even burns up a few calories!

E. You will feel a sense of achievement.

F. You often lose sight of the positive things in life.

G. It doesn't matter if it's a meal out, or a visit to a theater.

D

You have identified your goal in life. You know what you want to do and when. You also understand how you set about achieving your final goal. These three elements form the basis of your master plan. "What", "how" and "when".

The fourth element is, of course, "you". You are the only one who knows what you want to achieve and how you intend to do that. The final success or failure of the plan is in your hands. One important secret of success is to keep the whole strategy and any short-term plans, simple.

Simplicity is a huge factor in the success of any project. The more complicated the business is, the more likely it is to fail Achieving simplicity can be a short-term goal in itself, one that should make the success of the activity certain.

How to achieve simplicity is a skill in itself. There are several ways of approaching the issue of simplicity. First of all, you will need to decide what it is that you are trying to achieve. How is this currently achieved, or what is your plan to do it? Secondly, you need to examine that process and determine what can be taken away and still allow the desired result.

Next, consider the problem from every possible angle and see if there is a simpler way of doing the same job. Lastly, when you are doing a job, are you likely to consider something you do as necessary when, in reality, it is not?

Simplifying a task does not mean doing an unsatisfactory job. Often it can lead to doing a better job. Take the example of a messy desk. Organizing the mess is an excellent first step, then reducing it by removing what is not needed. Then ensure that everything on the desk has a purpose that you understand. You can then trust that what you need is there when you need it.

C

If you have kids, you know how hard it can be to get them to put away their phones and do something active. BlazePod is a revolutionary, smart reaction training platform, uses flashing lights to create a fun and interactive workout experience that kids love. Whether you're a parent, teacher, or coach, BlazePod is the perfect tool to get kids moving and improve their coordination (协调性), speed, and overall fitness levels.

One of the key benefits of BlazePod is its versatility. The platform can be used in a variety of settings, from the gym to the comfort of your own home, making it easy to incorporate into your existing fitness routine. Whether you're a fitness trainer that is looking to boost your training session in the most engaging way for your clients, a professional athlete looking to improve your performance, or a recreational exerciser looking for a new way to mix things up, BlashePod is the solution for you.

But the benefits of BlazePod go beyond just the convenience and variety it offers. By incorporating element of gamification into your workouts, BlazePod helps to keep you engaged and motivated, making it easier to stick with your fitness goals. The platform's smart pods also provide real-time feedback and tracking, allowing you to monitor your and your clients' progress and adjust your workouts as needed to continue seeing results.

In addition to the benefits for individuals, BlazePod also has the potential to revolutionize the way fitness professionals build and deliver workouts. The platform's customizable features allow trainers to create unique interactive routines that are tailored (定制) to their client's needs and goals. This can lead to more effective works and greater satisfaction for both trainers and clients.

BlazePod has been a game-changer for a kid's workout routine. The interactive nature of the pods and the gamified (游戏化的) workouts have made exercising a fun and exciting experience for them.

B

I enjoyed this trip for the opportunity to witness the Cranes (鹤) returning from Wood Buffalo National Park,some with their young of the year. I wondered, at the changing skies of Saskatchewan, often the vivid oranges and pinks of a sunset made me pause, but it was the clouds clouds of feathers as ducks, geese, and cranes lifted off fields and lakes in numbers so numerous, they blocked out the sky at times, that blew my mind.

The desire to travel and explore is strong within the human condition. We might think we must journey "away" to enjoy a holiday, and sometimes we do. But other times, a simpler exploration, digging deeply into landscapes and cultures that we think we know. reveals the best sights.

I grew up in Saskachewan when cranes were fighting back from extinction, and I wasn't a birdwatcher. But, returning with Eagle-Eye Tours as a bird-loving RCGS Travel Ambassador, I wondered at the conservation successes that allowed us to find these rare birds reliably.

My favourite memory from the trip is of an old farmer driving a large trick who slowed down for our group,standing in the middle of a road, excitedly watching a flock of cranes. Rather than scolding us for blocking traffic, he invited us into his backyard for a better view! He explained how he's been providing quiet reserves for many years as the birds stop to rest and feed before flying south to Texas. It's moments like this that make the travel special, and companies like Eagle-Eye Tours craft itineraries (行程) that allow these unexpected discoveries.

I enjoyed sharing these experiences with other nature lovers on the Royal Canadian Geographical Society branded trip and look forward to doing it again in October 2024.

A

Former Colorado high school state wrestling (摔跤) champion Jonathan Andreatta will be hosting an open— and most importantly free —wrestling camp at Pueblo West High School for anyone that falls between 6th-12th grade from July 26 27.

Andreatta is a three time state champion and two time NCAA All American wrestler with an NCAA DivisionⅡNational Championship under his belt. He is currently an assistant wrestling coach at Glenville State University in West Virginia.

I'be camp is something Andreatta tries to do every year when he comes back to Colorado during the summertime. When he isn't coaching at the collage.Andreatta tries to give hack to a wrestling community that has given him so much in the past.

"The camp will be four sessions over two days ,and each session will be about two hours," Andreatta said. "We will work on techniques, but most importantly it's a way for me to give back and help grow the sport of wrestling in Colorado."

Andreatta hosts the camp in Pueblo as it's close to his hometown of Walsenburg.

Camp sessions will be on July 26 and 27 at Pueblo West High School. There will be two sessions each day —the first session is from 2.30 —4:30 p. m. and the second session is from 5:30-7:30 p. m.. There will be T-shirts available for purchase during the camp as a way of giving back to the coaches and those putting on the event.

This camp does require reservations before the start of the camp. If you are interested in joining. contact CoathJoe Gonzales at 719-369-8799. Reservations are welcome up to the day before the event starts.

Alex sat quietly at the back of his Chinese class, his eyes fixed on the textbook before him. As a shy and unnoticed student, he felt like a lone wolf, struggling against the complexities of high school life. Ms Lau, his Chinese teacher, was a light in his otherwise dark world. Her warm smile and gentle behavior made her stand out among the sea of teachers. She was the only one who seemed to understand his conservative nature, always encouraging him to step out of his comfort zone. 

One day, after class, Ms Lau approached Alex with excitement shining in her eyes. "Alex, I have an offer for you," she said, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "I am organizing a cultural exchange program to China, and I believe it would be a great opportunity for you to explore a new world."

Alex's heart skipped a beat, the prospect of traveling to a foreign country both exciting and terrifying. He hesitated, unsure if he had the courage to start such an adventure. But Ms Lau's firm belief in him gave him the push he needed to take a leap of faith.

Under Ms Lau's guidance, Alex began preparing for the trip. He got really interested in Chinese culture and learned about its long history and traditions. Ms Lau became his mentor(导师), teaching him not only the language but also invaluable life lessons. She taught him the importance of being confident and not giving up, reminding him that growth only happens outside one's comfort zone.

The day of departure arrived, and Alex found himself on a plane headed for China. He couldn't help but feel amazed as he stepped off the plane and into a world so different from his own. The busy streets, bright colors, and unfamiliar sounds flooded his senses. Yet, Ms Lau's comforting presence by his side provided him with the strength to face the unknown.

注意：

1. 续写词数应为150词左右；

2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

During their time in China, Alex wholeheartedly enjoyed the experience. 

Back in the United States, Alex was a changed person.

Henry Tyler made the catch of the year on the weekend. When he saw a young child hanging from a sixth-floor apartment balcony (阳台), Henry ran one hundred metres, jumped over a 1.2-metre fence, and held out his arms to catch the  (fall) child.

Eric Brown, only three years old, knocked Henry down when he fell. The boy is in the hospital and doctors say he'll be OK.

 Brown family live in an apartment building outside Toronto. On the day of the accident, Mrs. Brown was at work and Eric was at home with his father. They both fell (sleep) while watching TV.

Eric woke up a little later when he heard children playing outside. He pushed a chair onto the balcony, and climbed up (see) them. When he looked down, he (accidental) slipped and fell over the edge. He hung on for a few minutes  screamed for his father, but his father didn't hear him.

Henry (fix) his car when he heard the screams. He looked up and saw Eric hanging from the balcony. He quickly (throw) his tools aside, and started running, arms out.

"He saved my (son) life," said Mrs. Brown. "I don't know to thank him."

"I just didn't want the boy to be hurt," said Henry.

Like many young people, Jessica wants to travel the globe. Unlike most of them, this 25-year-old is doing it 1 . She and her husband have spent the last two years traveling the world, stopping everywhere from Paris to Singapore. It might sound like one long, expensive 2 , but the couple has an unusual way to make their travel 3  .

They're part of a new form of the 4 economy: an online group of house sitters. Throughout their no-cost stays in 5 homes, they feed pets and water plants in the homeowner's 6 .

It's not all sightseeing. The two travelers carefully 7 their trips, scheduling their days around the pets that are sometimes difficult to 8 . But house sitting also offers a level of 9 they can't find in a hotel. "It's like 10 at a friend's house," Jessica says.

The couple has a high 11 rate in getting accepted as house sitters and they always go beyond the homeowner's 12 . For Jessica, that means 13 plenty of pictures of happy pets, keeping the house 14 and leaving a nice small gift before heading to the next house. "You want to make the homeowner feel that they made the right 15 ," she says.

Indoor plants might look as if they just sit around not doing much, but in many ways they are the unsung heroes of the home. , but studies have shown that they can promote people's wellbeing by improving their mood (心情), reducing stress and helping their memory. What's more, indoor plants are easy to look after and are not very expensive.

What are indoor plants?

Indoor plants, also known as houseplants or pot plants, are plants that like to grow indoors. Many of these species (物种) are not ideally suited to growing outside in the UK, especially in the winter. .

Why are indoor plants good for you?

Will Spoelstra, who works at the Royal Botanic Gardens, says, ". I find during the winter months, plants around the house can really lift your mood." Several studies have backed this up and found that indoor plants can improve creativity, focus and memory. There is also research showing that pot plants can clean the air around them by removing harmful gases, such as carbon dioxide. They also remove some harmful chemicals from paints or cooking. .

Which plants can you grow?

Aloe vera, peace lilies and spider plants are some of the species that are easy to grow indoors. You can buy plants from supermarkets, garden centres or online. Younger plants are often cheaper than fully grown ones, and you get to care for them as they mature — which is part of the joy of owning plants. "," Spoelstra says. "It can bring a new interest and focus into people's lives and help to make the link between home and nature."

A．All plants are different

B．Not only do they look beautiful

C．There are many benefits to growing plants indoors

D．Instead, they grow better inside, where it is warmer

E．Plants like peace lilies and devil's ivy are among the best

F．Changing the pot of your plant from time to time will also help

G．Learning about the requirements of each plant can be very rewarding

If you want to tell the history of the whole world, a history that does not privilege one part of humanity, you cannot do it through texts alone, because only some of the world has ever had texts, while most of the world, for most of the time, has not. Writing is one of humanity's later achievements, and until fairly recently even many literate (有文字的) societies recorded their concerns not only in writing but in things.

Ideally a history would bring together texts and objects, and some chapters of this book are able to do just that, but in many cases we simply can't. The clearest example of this between literate and non-literate history is perhaps the first conflict, at Botany Bay, between Captain Cook's voyage and the Australian Aboriginals. From the English side, we have scientific reports and the captain's record of that terrible day. From the Australian side, we have only a wooden shield (盾) dropped by a man in flight after his first experience of gunshot. If we want to reconstruct what was actually going on that day, the shield must be questioned and interpreted as deeply and strictly as the written reports.

In addition to the problem of miscomprehension from both sides, there are victories accidentally or deliberately twisted, especially when only the victors know how to write. Those who are on the losing side often have only their things to tell their stories. The Caribbean Taino, the Australian Aboriginals, the African people of Benin and the Incas, all of whom appear in this book, can speak to us now of their past achievements most powerfully through the objects they made: a history told through things gives them back a voice. When we consider contact (联系) between literate and non-literate societies such as these, all our first-hand accounts are necessarily twisted, only one half of a dialogue. If we are to find the other half of that conversation, we have to read not just the texts, but the objects.

I was about 13 when an uncle gave me a copy of Jostein Gaarder's Sophie's World. It was full of ideas that were new to me, so I spent the summer with my head in and out of that book. It spoke to me and brought me into a world of philosophy (哲学).

That love for philosophy lasted until I got to college. Nothing kills the love for philosophy faster than people who think they understand Foucault, Baudrillard, or Confucius better than you — and then try to explain them.

Eric Weiner's The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers reawakened my love for philosophy. It is not an explanation, but an invitation to think and experience philosophy.

Weiner starts each chapter with a scene on a train ride between cities and then frames each philosopher's work in the context (背景) of one thing they can help us do better. The end result is a read in which we learn to wonder like Socrates, see like Thoreau, listen like Schopenhauer, and have no regrets like Nietzsche. This, more than a book about understanding philosophy, is a book about learning to use philosophy to improve a life.

He makes philosophical thought an appealing exercise that improves the quality of our experiences, and he does so with plenty of humor. Weiner enters into conversation with some of the most important philosophers in history, and he becomes part of that crowd in the process by decoding (解读) their messages and adding his own interpretation.

The Socrates Express is a fun, sharp book that draws readers in with its apparent simplicity and gradually pulls them in deeper thoughts on desire, loneliness, and aging. The invitation is clear: Weiner wants you to pick up a coffee or tea and sit down with this book. I encourage you to take his offer. It's worth your time, even if time is something we don't have a lot of.