China Bans Some Portable Batteries From Flights as Safety Concerns Grow In an era where smartphones and their accessories are as indispensable to travellers as passports and boarding passes, a sudden directive from China’s aviation authority has left many scrambling. Last weekend, travellers across the country were caught unawares when told at airport security that certain portable batteries—ubiquitous power banks—were no longer permitted on flights. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) issued an emergency ban on specific portable batteries, giving just 48 hours’ notice before the new rules came into effect on Saturday. The move follows mounting concerns about the safety risks posed by lithium-ion batteries, particularly after a spate of recalls and a handful of in-flight incidents. Governments and airlines worldwide have already begun tightening restrictions on the transport of portable batteries, usually by regulating their storage and in-flight use. China, however, has taken a more hardline stance. Instead of merely issuing guidelines, the CAAC has opted for prohibition: any battery lacking a visible Chinese safety certification or subject to recall is now barred from aircraft cabins altogether. The suddenness and severity of the rule change has prompted confusion—and in some cases, indignation—among travellers, many of whom were forced to discard their power banks at security checkpoints. These devices, once considered travel essentials, have now become liabilities. Some travellers have taken to social media to vent their frustrations, while others have simply resigned themselves to the loss. The aftershocks have extended beyond the airport gates. On second-hand platforms such as Xianyu, bulk lots of used power banks are now being sold by weight. Sellers are notably cagey about the origin of these devices. When pressed, some quietly hint that their stockpiles were sourced from airports or trains, suggesting a burgeoning grey market for confiscated or discarded electronics. The CAAC’s notice, released last Thursday, leaves little room for ambiguity. Any portable battery without clear markings attesting to compliance with Chinese safety standards is now disallowed in air cabins. Recalled devices are explicitly banned. Authorities cite an accumulation of safety risks as justification. The aviation regulator points to both recent recalls issued by major manufacturers and multiple instances of battery fires aboard planes. The CAAC also noted that China’s market watchdog has suspended or revoked the safety certifications of several battery and battery cell producers in recent months. “These developments demonstrate that portable batteries carried by passengers pose latent safety and quality hazards,” the CAAC said. “The risks they pose to the secure operation of civil aviation continue to escalate.” Indeed, China’s battery sector has seen notable turbulence. In June alone, two leading Chinese battery manufacturers—Anker and Romoss—were forced to recall millions of power banks across China and the United States. The culprit in each case: defective lithium-ion cells sourced from external suppliers. Romoss followed suit. The firm recalled nearly half a million units across three models, likewise blaming faulty components provided by a third-party supplier. Both companies have pledged to address the issue but have declined to name the suppliers responsible. China’s clampdown comes against a broader regional backdrop of increasing scrutiny. In January, an Air Busan aircraft caught fire while parked on the tarmac in South Korea. Though the investigation is ongoing and no definitive link has been established, the incident has already prompted several Asian carriers to revise their own battery policies. The Chinese government’s decision to enact a blanket ban—albeit a partial one—signals a clear pivot toward caution. It reflects a growing realisation that the proliferation of lithium-ion-powered devices, while convenient, is not without consequence. As regulators weigh risk against convenience, travellers may have to reconsider what they carry in their hand luggage—or risk seeing it disappear at the departure gate. scramble /ˈskræmbl/ v. 匆忙应对 📚例句：We scrambled to finish the project before the deadline. （我们赶在截止日前仓促完成项目） 🔍搭配：scramble for tickets 抢票 discard /dɪsˈkɑːd/ v. 丢弃 📚例句：She discarded old clothes from her wardrobe. （她把旧衣服从衣柜里清理掉） 🔍搭配：discard rubbish 丢弃垃圾 liability /ˌlaɪəˈbɪləti/ n. 负担 📚例句：The broken car became a financial liability. （坏掉的汽车成了经济负担） 🔍搭配：legal liability 法律责任 turbulence /ˈtɜːbjələns/ n. 动荡 📚例句：The company faced financial turbulence this year. （公司今年面临财务动荡） 🔍搭配：economic turbulence 经济动荡 clampdown /ˈklæmpdaʊn/ n. 严厉打击 📚例句：The police launched a clampdown on illegal parking. （警方严厉打击违章停车） 🔍搭配：government clampdown 政府严打 proliferation /prəˌlɪfəˈreɪʃn/ n. 激增 📚例句：Smartphones led to the proliferation of social media. （智能手机导致社交媒体激增） 🔍搭配：nuclear proliferation 核扩散

Renowned food critic Chua Lam dies at 83 Chua Lam, a renowned food critic and cultural icon in the Chinese-speaking world, has died, according to his official social media account. He was 83. The Hong Kong-based, Singaporean-born Chua died at the Hong Kong Sanatorium Hospital with family and friends by his side, a post on his Weibo account on Friday read. "In accordance with his wishes, in order not to disturb relatives and friends, there was no ceremony and his body was cremated," it said, without specifying the cause of his death. Known as one of Hong Kong's "four greatest talents", Chua was a prolific writer and a popular host of food and travel shows. He was the longest-living member of the four cultural icons, which also included Cantopop lyricist James Wong Jim and novelists Jin Yong and Ni Kuang. Chua settled down in Hong Kong in the 1960s, where he produced films - including several by action star Jackie Chan. As a producer, he had to travel the world to scout for film locations, and was later invited to write a column in a local newspaper, he told the South China Morning Post in 2016. "So I wrote a lot about food and restaurants, and eventually people saw me as a food critic," he said. With writings and television appearances throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Chua soon became one of the most authoritative voices on Chinese cuisine. In 2012, he served as one of the consultants on A Bite of China, a documentary series introducing various dishes across China. Chua mostly retreated from public view since he fell and fractured his pelvic bone in 2023. He was injured while rushing to help his wife, who had fallen at home. She died later that year. renowned /rɪˈnaʊnd/ adj. 著名的 📚例句：She is a renowned expert in environmental science. （她是环境科学领域的著名专家） 🔍搭配：world-renowned 举世闻名的 icon /ˈaɪkɒn/ n. 偶像；象征 📚例句：The dove is an icon of peace. （鸽子是和平的象征） 🔍搭配：cultural icon 文化偶像 prolific /prəˈlɪfɪk/ adj. 多产的 📚例句：The prolific writer published three novels last year. （这位多产作家去年出版了三本小说） 🔍搭配：prolific artist 多产艺术家 authoritative /ɔːˈθɒrɪtətɪv/ adj. 权威的 📚例句：This book is an authoritative guide to astronomy. （这本书是天文学的权威指南） 🔍搭配：authoritative source 权威来源 consultant /kənˈsʌltənt/ n. 顾问 📚例句：He works as a consultant for bilingual content creation. （他担任双语内容创作的顾问） 🔍搭配：business consultant 商业顾问 retreat /rɪˈtriːt/ v. 退出；隐退 📚例句：After the scandal, the politician retreated from public life. （丑闻后，该政治家退出了公众视野） 🔍搭配：retreat into silence 陷入沉默 fracture /ˈfræktʃə(r)/ v. 骨折；破裂 📚例句：The glass fractured when it hit the floor. （玻璃撞击地面时破裂了） 🔍搭配：fractured relationship 破裂的关系 pelvic /ˈpelvɪk/ adj. 骨盆的 📚例句：The doctor examined her pelvic bone after the fall. （跌倒后医生检查了她的骨盆） 🔍搭配：pelvic injury 骨盆损伤

'Chinese Jokic' Yang Hansen selected at 16th pick in NBA draft, day before 20th birthday From: CNN Chinese basketball star Yang Hansen turned 20 on Thursday, but the best birthday gift he could ask for arrived a day earlier: putting on the NBA draft cap after being picked in the first round. Most observers projected the Chinese center would go in the second round of the 2025 NBA draft, so the Portland Trail Blazers' decision to select him with the 16th overall pick shocked the crowd at New York's Barclays Center, and delighted Chinese fans watching back at home on a weekday morning. “Hello, NBA! My name is Hansen Yang!” he posted on the X-like social media platform Weibo. While that name might not yet be familiar to many in the United States, the 7:2'' Yang is already well known across China. He now carries the country's hopes of seeing another homegrown player make waves in the NBA. Twenty-three years ago today, Yao Ming was selected as the No.1 overall pick, the start of his legendary NBA journey with the Houston Rockets. Comparing Yang to Yao may be premature, but he has already shown capability at both ends of court with his vision, rebounding, and three-point shooting. Yang's home club the Qingdao Eagles congratulated him on social media and described his selection as “a pride for Chinese basketball.” The “Chinese Nikola Jokic” became the first player from his country selected at the NBA draft in nearly a decade, following the 2016 picks of Wang Zhelin and Zhou Qi (the former never actually playing in the US, and the latter managing one season as a bit-part player.) Yang started his Chinese Basketball Association career with Qingdao in 2023. He was named the league's Rookie of the Year and All-Star starter in both of the past two seasons, notching an average of 16.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3 assists last season. He made his international debut in February 2024 at the age of 18 and has been a regular since then. At the NBA Draft Combine, he was measured in with a 7:3'' wingspan and a standing reach of 9:3''. The last Chinese player to make the NBA was Cui Yongxi. After going undrafted, Cui signed a two-way contract with the Brooklyn Nets last season, playing five regular-season games before an injury. At a press conference before the draft, Hall of Famer Yao had some advice for Yang and other young Chinese talents dreaming of the NBA. “No matter what the outcome of tomorrow's draft is, it's important to remember one thing: the draft is just a small part of their entire career, or even their life,” he said. “What really matters is the path they take afterward.” project /prəˈdʒekt/ v. 预测 📚例句：Experts project heavy rain this weekend. （专家预测本周末有大雨） 🔍搭配：project growth 预测增长 carry /ˈkæri/ v. 承载；担负 📚例句：This bridge can carry up to 50 tons. （这座桥能承载50吨重量） 🔍搭配：carry responsibility 承担责任 notch /nɒtʃ/ v. 取得（成绩） 📚例句：He notched three wins in the game. （他在游戏中取得三场胜利） 🔍搭配：notch a victory 获得胜利 regular /ˈreɡjələr/ n. 常客 📚例句：The coffee shop regular always orders latte. （咖啡店的常客总是点拿铁） 🔍搭配：a gym regular 健身房常客

Xiaomi SUV Takes Aim at Tesla Xiaomi has launched a new car that analysts say might be a serious challenger to Tesla's bestselling Model Y. The Chinese company, a consumer electronics giant that has expanded into electric vehicles, unveiled the YU7 sport-utility vehicle at an event Thursday. As he presented the car, Xiaomi founder Lei Jun compared it to Tesla's Model Y, pointing out that the YU7 is about $1,395 cheaper. The starting price for the YU7 is 253,500 yuan, equivalent to $35,367. Prices for Tesla's Model Y start at 263,500 yuan in China. The more premium YU7 Pro and YU7 Max models have price tags of 279,900 yuan and 329,900 yuan, respectively. Analysts had been keenly watching the launch, which comes as carmakers lock into another price war as they seek to win over cautious Chinese consumers. Shares of Xiaomi jumped Friday morning in Hong Kong, rising as much as 8.0% and hitting a new high before paring gains. The stock was last up 3.5% at HK$58.95, and up 71% for the year. Preorders for the YU7 reached 200,000 within the first three minutes of sales, and hit 289,000 in the first hour, according to Xiaomi. That already exceeds most buy-side expectations for the first 24 hours, Citi analysts led by Kyna Wong wrote in a note. They see upside to their forecast of 400,000 units in Xiaomi EV shipments this year. Xiaomi's rollout could stir up more pricing battles in China's fiercely competitive EV space. Last month, BYD—the country's biggest EV maker—slashed prices on several models, prompting similar moves by rivals. “As the major competitor, we expect Tesla may cut prices further,” Citi analysts led by Jeff Chung said in a note. Another big EV maker, XPeng, could also cut prices on its G7 SUV to stay competitive, the Citi analysts added. Pricing for Li Auto's all-electric i8 SUV is unlikely to be directly affected, but the analysts think there might be an impact on the i6. Shares of XPeng were last down 2.7% in Hong Kong, while Li Auto was 0.8% lower. Shares in Contemporary Amperex Technology Co.–a battery maker that supplies batteries for Xiaomi's cars—were up 0.7%. Focus now turns to Xiaomi's upcoming earnings and guidance, due in August, which will show how its EV business is stacking up against its smartphone segment, the company's biggest revenue driver. Attention will also be on Xiaomi's Internet of Things and lifestyle products segment, after revenue hit a record in the first quarter, thanks in part to sales of wearables. The Beijing-based company introduced a new line of wearables and IOT products at Thursday's SUV launch, including AI glasses and smartphones. equivalent /ɪˈkwɪvələnt/ adj. 等值的 📚例句：Five dollars is equivalent to about thirty-five yuan. （5美元约等于35元人民币） 🔍搭配：be equivalent to 相当于 preorder /ˌpriːˈɔːdə/ n. 预售订单 📚例句：Fans made preorders for the concert tickets instantly. （粉丝们立刻预购了演唱会门票） 🔍搭配：place a preorder 下预售订单 slash /slæʃ/ v. 大幅削减 📚例句：The store slashed prices during the holiday sale. （商店在假日促销期间大幅降价） 🔍搭配：slash costs 削减成本 shipment /ˈʃɪpmənt/ n. 出货量 📚例句：The factory’s monthly shipment reached 10,000 units. （该工厂月出货量达1万台） 🔍搭配：monthly shipment 月度发货量

A Viral Game Targeting 'Gold Diggers' Sparks Gender Debate in China “Want to know if a man loves you? See how much he spends.” “Married for 41 days, she demanded 10 million yuan — he jumped to his death.” “Top gold-digging influencer reportedly earns 150 million yuan a year.” Are these misogynistic proclamations, or a justified response to relationship scams? It depends on your view of “gold diggers.” These sensationalized headlines, based on real events, set the stage forRevenge on Gold Diggers, a game that has swiftly climbed to the top of China’s gaming charts since its June 19 launch. Developed by a Chinese studio and available on Steam, the game has ignited fierce controversy over gender portrayal. In the game, players control a male protagonist who seeks revenge against a woman who financially exploited him — a plot that sets up a narrative where "gold diggers" are portrayed as women manipulating men for money, a phenomenon known in the West as catfishing, but in China as “pig butchering.” Critics argue that the game perpetuates harmful stereotypes about women, while supporters defend it as “relationship education for men,” according to domestic media outlets. A screenshot of Revenge on Gold Diggers’ Steam page. The game was an instant hit, reaching No. 4 on Steam’s global bestseller list on its release day. But controversy soon followed. Within hours, both the game’s official account and the personal account of its creator, Hong Kong filmmaker Mark Wu, were banned on the video-sharing platform Bilibili. Shortly after, the game was rebrandedEmotional Fraud Simulator, with developers insisting that no content had been altered. Despite the name change, its sales remained strong, and it even surpassed Black Myth: Wukong on Steam’s China download chart. Published by Qianfang Studio,Revenge on Gold Diggers marks Wu’s debut in interactive gaming. As a full-motion video game, it unfolds in nearly eight hours of pre-recorded video, starring six main characters. The player’s choices lead to 38 possible endings. The game is widely thought to have been inspired by the suicide of gaming influencer Pangmao, also known as “Fat Cat,” whose death in April 2024 sparked an intense online debate about “gold diggers.” After Pangmao’s passing, online users accused his ex-girlfriend of exploiting him financially and causing his death. The allegations were later dismissed by police, who revealed that Pangmao’s family had orchestrated a doxxing campaign against the woman. Nevertheless, Revenge on Gold Diggers presents Pangmao’s story as a case study in “pig butchering.” The protagonist, whose name “Benmao” is a likely nod to Pangmao, seeks vengeance against a “gold-digger syndicate” after being betrayed. A screenshot shows the male protagonist, “Benmao,” sending virtual gifts to a female character. From Bilibili Even more telling, some players noticed that the initials of the game’s six chapters spell out a hidden message: “May the world never see another Pangmao.” The developers priced the game at 33 yuan ($4.60), below the market average, to ensure that “every additional player might be one less potential victim of fraud.” However, a news outlet in Hubei province took issue with the game on June 20, writing: “True anti-fraud education should focus on recognizing fake identities and manipulative tactics, not on labeling an entire gender as ‘perpetrators.’” “Both men and women can commit emotional fraud. There are countless examples. But this game deliberately associates fraud with women,” the article stated. Following the game’s name change, another article, this time from Beijing, took a more supportive stance. Published on June 23, it lauded the game for “creatively raising young people’s awareness of relationship safety,” pointing to the over 23,000 reviews on Steam, with a 96% positive rating, as evidence of its success. Revenge on Gold Diggers’ female characters. From Weibo controversy /ˈkɒntrəvɜːsi/ n. 争议 📚例句：The new policy caused public controversy. （新政策引发公众争议） 🔍搭配：spark controversy 引发争议 stereotype /ˈsteriətaɪp/ n. 刻板印象 📚例句：We should break gender stereotypes. （我们应打破性别刻板印象） 🔍搭配：reinforce stereotypes 强化成见 orchestrate /ˈɔːkɪstreɪt/ v. 精心策划 📚例句：She orchestrated the surprise party. （她精心策划了惊喜派对） 🔍搭配：orchestrate events 策划活动 deterrent /dɪˈterənt/ n. 威慑 📚例句：Bright lights act as a theft deterrent. （明亮灯光能威慑盗窃） 🔍搭配：deterrent effect 震慑效果 sensation /senˈseɪʃn/ n. 轰动 📚例句：The magician’s trick became a sensation. （魔术师的戏法引起轰动） 🔍搭配：overnight sensation 一夜爆红

A Senate Stablecoin Breakthrough What do you know? Congress is stepping up to do at least one job. The Senate this week passed a bill, 68-30, to establish a regulatory framework for crypto stablecoins. With one big caveat, this is a good development. Stablecoins are a form of digital currency pegged to another fiat currency or asset like gold and are designed to hold a constant value. If you buy $1 of a stablecoin, you are supposed to be able to redeem it for $1 in hard currency. They are also supposed to be backed by safe and liquid assets like Treasurys and bank deposits similar to government money-market funds. Stablecoins reduce friction in payments and money transfers since settlements can clear within seconds versus hours or sometimes days with the traditional banking system. This can reduce risk from exchange-rate volatility for foreign counterparties. They also have lower transaction fees than credit cards, wire transfers and other payment networks. Businesses have nonetheless been reluctant to use stablecoins because of legal uncertainty. Gary Gensler, who led the Biden Securities and Exchange Commission, created a cloud over the market with threats of arbitrary enforcement. The goal of the Senate legislation, championed by Wyoming’s Cynthia Lummis, Tennessee’s Bill Hagerty and New York’s Kirsten Gillibrand, is to lay out clear market rules. For every dollar of stablecoins, issuers would be required to hold at least one dollar of reserves in short-dated Treasurys, bank insured deposits, government money-market funds, repurchase agreements backed by Treasury bills, and other liquid federal government-issued asset approved by regulators. This means they can’t invest in risky, high-yielding assets. Issuers with more than $50 billion in stablecoins would be required to disclose publicly and submit to regulators audited annual financial statements. Large issuers would be regulated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC), the Federal Reserve or the Comptroller of the Currency, though smaller players could choose to be regulated by states. There’s the biggest concern. The Senate legislation says stablecoins “shall not be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States” or subject to deposit insurance. But the FDIC insures bank deposits, and putting it in charge of regulating stablecoins may create the impression of an implicit government backstop. When the Reserve Primary Fund broke the buck after Lehman Brothers went belly up in 2008, Treasury guaranteed money-market funds to stabilize markets. Ditto for Silicon Valley Bank’s uninsured deposits in 2023. If a popular stablecoin breaks the buck, will the feds come to the rescue? It would be better if Congress put the Securities and Exchange Commission or Commodity Futures Trading Commission in charge of regulating stablecoins to avoid the impression that they are guaranteed by the government. And letting stablecoins fail in the first instance would set a useful precedent. Broader adoption of stablecoins will create new financial risks that will have to be closely monitored, but the legislation at least establishes safeguards to protect users. It also subjects issuers to anti-money laundering laws, which could help law enforcement crack down on cartels that move money with stablecoins. The hope is that good stablecoins will chase out bad. Mr. Trump on Wednesday urged the House to advance the bill “LIGHTNING FAST” with “NO DELAYS, NO ADD ONS.” The House can and should still make constructive changes blocking potential bailouts. But it’s a welcome development that Congress is laying out rules for regulators so the latter can’t write law on their own. peg /peɡ/ v. 挂钩 📚例句：Rent increases are pegged to inflation. （租金涨幅与通胀挂钩） 🔍搭配：peg currency 挂钩货币 back /bæk/ v. 支撑 📚例句：His theory is backed by solid evidence. （他的理论有坚实证据支撑） 🔍搭配：back project 资助项目 clear /klɪr/ v. 结算 📚例句：The cheque will clear in three days. （支票将在三天内结算） 🔍搭配：clear debt 清算债务 break /breɪk/ v. 跌破 📚例句：The stock broke $10 yesterday. （该股票昨天跌破10美元） 🔍搭配：break record 打破纪录 crack /kræk/ v. 打击 📚例句：Police cracked the smuggling ring. （警方打击了走私团伙） 🔍搭配：crack down 镇压 regulate /ˈreɡjuleɪt/ v. 监管 📚例句：Parents regulate children's screen time. （家长监管孩子的屏幕时间） 🔍搭配：regulate market 规范市场

This college major will 'automatically give you an edge' in the job market, career expert says—especially in tech A growing number of colleges and universities offer courses and even full-fledged degrees to prepare students for a working world that embraces the power of AI. And experts say it's worth it for students to take advantage, regardless of the industry they want to go into. That could mean students interesting in becoming software engineers majoring in AI or English majors adding an AI class to their roster. “If you're in a tech role or tech space, you want to have an AI degree,” Valerie Workman, chief talent engagement officer at early career website Handshake, tells CNBC Make It. She is also the author of “Quantum Progression: The Art & Science of Career Advancement in the Age of AI.” “Anything with AI in the title is gonna automatically give you an edge, particularly when you're looking to interview and get those really coveted internships,” Workman says. Employers increasingly look to hire workers who are adept with generative AI tools or can build their own large language models (AI-powered systems like Google's Gemini). Job postings mentioning generative AI more than tripled between September 2023 and September 2024, an Indeed Hiring Lab study found. AI skills can come in handy for more fields than just tech. Data analytics, software development and other science, technology, engineering and math-related industries account for most of the AI mentions in job postings, per Indeed, but media, communications and information companies also seek AI-savvy hires. Since AI is poised to have an impact on jobs across industries, it's a good idea for students in a variety of academic disciplines to tap into relevant learning opportunities. It doesn't have to be your major — even taking a course or two can give you valuable skills to add to your resume. “I don't think it should just be all software engineers doing [AI education],” says Kevin Collins, associate director and career consultant for Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science. “I think everybody should be involved in this: Humanities, social sciences, the pure sciences. Everybody should have a place at the table for this.” Students with programming and building skills may have a leg up when applying for roles like AI architect or engineer. Those with a deeper understanding of subjects like psychology and sociology will have an even greater edge on applicants who have only mastered technical skills, says Sean McGowan, employer relations director at Carnegie Mellon. “We're looking at how humans make decisions, because I think that is going to be the next iteration of AI,” he says. That's where “students with additional skillsets upon the technological ones are going to have an advantage.” edge /edʒ/ n. 优势 📚例句：Her fluency in Spanish gave her an edge in the tourism job interview. （她的流利西班牙语在旅游工作面试中为她赢得优势） 🔍搭配：gain/have an edge 获得优势 adept /əˈdept/ adj. 精通的 📚例句：The chef is adept at making authentic Italian pizza. （这位厨师精通制作正宗意大利披萨） 🔍搭配：adept at coding 擅长编程 generative /ˈdʒenərətɪv/ adj. 生成式的 📚例句：This app uses generative art to create unique wallpapers. （这款应用用生成式艺术创作独特壁纸） 🔍搭配：generative AI 生成式人工智能 savvy /ˈsævi/ adj./n. 精明的；知识 📚例句：My grandma is surprisingly tech-savvy with her smartphone. （我奶奶用智能手机竟出奇地精通科技） 🔍搭配：AI-savvy 懂人工智能的 tap into /tæp ˈɪntuː/ v. 利用 📚例句：We tapped into local volunteers to clean the beach. （我们动员当地志愿者清理海滩） 🔍搭配：tap into resources 利用资源 come in handy /kʌm ɪn ˈhændi/ v. 派上用场 📚例句：Basic sewing skills came in handy when my button fell off. （纽扣掉落时，基础缝纫技能派上了用场） 🔍搭配：skills come in handy 技能有用武之地 poised /pɔɪzd/ adj. 蓄势待发的 📚例句：The dancers were poised to start when the music began. （音乐响起时，舞者们蓄势待发） 🔍搭配：poised to grow 即将增长 additional /əˈdɪʃənl/ adj. 额外的 📚例句：The hotel offers additional towels for pool guests. （酒店为泳池客人提供额外毛巾） 🔍搭配：additional skills 附加技能

You’ve Got ‘The Ick.’ Is Your Relationship Doomed? He was charming. He spoke several languages. Things were going well until Ann Parker, a retired public relations consultant, noticed something strange about her date’s driving style. “Every now and then, he’d release the steering wheel and quickly lick his hands,” she said. The relationship did not last much longer. Ms. Parker was experiencing the immediate turnoff known to daters as “the ick,” a sudden pang of aversion, usually prompted by someone’s behavior, appearance or personality trait. Although the term isn’t new — by some estimates, it was first used in the 1990s on the series “Ally McBeal” — “the ick” often crops up in popular culture and gets frequent mention online. #Theick racked up nearly 225,000 TikTok posts in the past year, according to a representative for the company. The term even prompted psychology researchers from Azusa Pacific University to do a study, published in May, which found that over a quarter of surveyed singles who had experienced “the ick” found it worrisome enough that they reported ending the relationship immediately. “The Ick” may have a catchy name, but it captures something significant about the uncertainty of dating: the sneaking realization that a person might not be right for you. It can be tricky to figure out how much weight to give an “ick,” said Brian Collisson, a professor of psychology at Azusa Pacific University who coauthored the study. “You could reject a really great person over a superficial trait, or you could be tapping into something that could be a problem later on,” he said. The New York Times asked readers to share instances where they’ve experienced “the ick” and received nearly 500 wide-ranging responses. But romantic attraction is subjective, said Isabelle Morley, a clinical psychologist and author of “They’re Not Gaslighting You,” and what may turn off one person is appealing to another. That uneasy feeling Researchers don’t really know what’s happening in our brains when we get the “ick.”But when we’re turned off by something, it isn’t an automatic sign that “there’s something wrong with us, or wrong with the other person,” said Kesia Constantine, an adjunct clinical supervisor in applied psychology at New York University. She encourages people to ask themselves why, specifically, they’re bothered, and to reflect on their dating history. Do you have a tendency to bolt after the first sign of uneasiness? Does this “ick” signal incompatibility, or is it just annoying? “That will start to rule out whether you’re getting in your own way or being too hard on people,” she said. When ‘icks’ become deal breakers Things like road rage and being rude to a waiter were mentioned by several readers. And “icks” like these “could be a little snapshot of how this person handles potentially stressful situations,” Dr. Collisson said. In those cases “you can 100 percent just trust your ick,” Dr. Constantine said. “Our instincts are powerful, and in those moments, the most powerful message is ‘This does not feel right or good for me.’” Other situations, however, might not be as clear. Susannah Harris of Richmond, Va., said that she once dated someone who “for some reason, really smelled like pleather — specifically, ’90s pleather.” “It feels insulting to say, ‘I don’t like the way you smell,’” she said. If he worked in a pleather factory, she added, you could suggest showering before dates. But if the smell is actually part of his natural scent, she said, “then it might be the very primitive way of our system saying that this is not a match.” Getting over it Jennifer M. of Syracuse, N.Y., who asked that we only use her last initial, was shocked when an otherwise-promising date kept wiping his tongue on his napkin while eating, she said. “Yuck,” she remembers thinking. “I really don’t want to see that.” She would know: They’ve been married for 35 years. ick /ɪk/ n. 厌恶感 📚例句：His constant humming gave me the ick. （他不停的哼歌让我瞬间下头） 🔍搭配：get the ick 感到下头 aversion /əˈvɜːrʒn/ n. 反感 📚例句：She has an aversion to crowded places. （她对拥挤场所有强烈的反感） 🔍搭配：strong aversion 强烈厌恶 crop up /krɑːp ʌp/ phr.v. 突然出现 📚例句：New problems always crop up during projects. （项目中总会突然冒出新问题） 🔍搭配：issues crop up 问题涌现 superficial /ˌsuːpərˈfɪʃl/ adj. 表面的 📚例句：Don't judge people by superficial appearances. （别根据表面印象评判他人） 🔍搭配：superficial charm 肤浅的魅力 bolt /boʊlt/ v. 突然逃离 📚例句：The cat bolted out of the room when it saw water. （猫一见水就窜出了房间） 🔍搭配：bolt from 从...逃离 incompatibility /ˌɪnkəmˌpætəˈbɪləti/ n. 不兼容 📚例句：Their incompatibility led to constant arguments. （三观不合导致他们频繁争吵） 🔍搭配：emotional incompatibility 情感不合 broach /broʊtʃ/ v. 提出（敏感话题） 📚例句：He finally broached the subject of salary. （他终于提出了薪资问题） 🔍搭配：broach a topic 开启话题 work through /wɜːrk θruː/ phr.v. 解决 📚例句：Couples need to work through misunderstandings together. （伴侣需共同化解误会） 🔍搭配：work through issues 解决问题

Why today’s graduates are screwed Pity the ambitious youngster. For decades the path to a nice life was clear: go to university, find a graduate job, then watch the money come in. Today’s hard-working youths, however, seem to have fewer options than before. Go into tech? The big firms are cutting jobs. How about the public sector? That is less prestigious than it used to be. Become an engineer? Lots of innovation, from electric vehicles to renewable energy, now happens in China. A lawyer? Artificial intelligence will soon take your job. Don’t even think about becoming a journalist. Across the West, young graduates are losing their privileged position; in some cases, they have already lost it. Jobs data hint at the change. The social and political consequences will be profound. And the trend is not just in America. Across the European Union the unemployment rate of young folk with tertiary education is approaching the overall rate for that age group. Britain, Canada, Japan—all appear to be on a similar path. Even elite youngsters, such as MBA gradates, are suffering. Jobs are also less fulfilling. A large survey suggests America’s “graduate satisfaction gap”—how much more likely graduates are to say they are “very satisfied” with their job than non-graduates—is now around three percentage points, down from a long-run advantage of seven. Is it a bad thing if graduates lose their privileges? Ethically, not really. No group has a right to outperform the average. But practically, it might be. History shows that when brainy people—or people who think they are brainy—do worse than they think they ought to, bad things happen. Peter Turchin, a scientist at the University of Connecticut, argues that “elite overproduction” has been the proximate cause of all sorts of unrest over the centuries, with “counter elites” leading the charge. Historians identify “the problem of an excess of educated men” as contributing to Europe’s revolutions of 1848, for instance. Luigi Mangione would be a member of the counter-elite. Mr Mangione, a University of Pennsylvania graduate, should be living a prosperous life. Instead, he is on trial for the alleged murder of the chief executive of a health insurer. More telling is the degree to which people sympathise with his alienation: Mr Mangione has received donations of well over $1m. Why are graduates losing their privileges? Maybe the enormous expansion of universities lowered standards. If ivory towers admit less talented applicants, and then do a worse job of teaching them, employers might over time expect fewer differences between the average graduate and average non-graduate. Employers have also trimmed jobs in graduate-friendly industries. Across the EU the number of 15-to-24-year-olds employed in finance and insurance fell by 16% from 2009 to 2024. America only has slightly more jobs in “legal services” than in 2006. Until recently, the obvious path for a British student hoping to make money was a graduate scheme at a bank. Since 2016, however, the number of twentysomethings in law and finance has fallen by 10%. It is tempting to blame AI for these waning opportunities. The technology looks capable of automating entry-level “knowledge” work, such as filing or paralegal tasks. Yet the trends described in this piece started before ChatGPT came along. Lots of contingent factors are responsible. Many of the industries that traditionally employed graduates have had a tough time of late. Years of subdued activity in mergers and acquisitions have trimmed demand for lawyers. Investment banks are less go-getting than they were before the financial crisis of 2007-09. Students may not be picking the most marketable subjects. Outside America, the share in arts, humanities and social sciences mostly continues to grow. So, inexplicably, does enrolment in journalism courses. If these trends reveal young people’s ideas about the future of work, they truly are screwed. privilege /ˈprɪvəlɪdʒ/ n. 特权 📚例句：Free coffee is a small workplace privilege. （免费咖啡是职场小特权） 🔍搭配：lose privilege 失去特权 alienation /ˌeɪliəˈneɪʃn/ n. 疏离感 📚例句：City life caused his alienation from nature. （城市生活让他与自然疏离） 🔍搭配：social alienation 社会疏离 overproduction /ˌoʊvərprəˈdʌkʃn/ n. 生产过剩 📚例句：Toy overproduction led to price cuts. （玩具生产过剩引发降价） 🔍搭配：elite overproduction 精英过剩 subsidise /ˈsʌbsɪdaɪz/ v. 补贴 📚例句：The government subsidises solar panel installations. （政府补贴太阳能板安装） 🔍搭配：subsidise education 补贴教育 trim /trɪm/ v. 削减 📚例句：She trimmed the budget for the party. （她削减了派对预算） 🔍搭配：trim jobs 裁员 waning /ˈweɪnɪŋ/ adj. 逐渐减弱的 📚例句：His interest in the game is waning. （他对游戏的兴趣在减弱） 🔍搭配：waning opportunities 减少的机会 paralegal /ˌpærəˈliːɡl/ n. 律师助理 📚例句：As a paralegal, she organises legal files. （作为律师助理，她整理法律文件） 🔍搭配：paralegal tasks 律师助理工作

Colleges Have a Guy Problem American colleges and universities now enroll roughly six women for every four men. This is the largest female-male gender gap in the history of higher education, and it’s getting wider. Last year, U.S. colleges enrolled 1.5 million fewer students than five years ago, The Wall Street Journal recently reported. Men accounted for more than 70 percent of the decline. The statistics are stunning. But education experts and historians aren’t remotely surprised. Women in the United States have earned more bachelor’s degrees than men every year since the mid-1980s—every year, in other words, that I’ve been alive. This particular gender gap hasn’t been breaking news for about 40 years. But the imbalance reveals a genuine shift in how men participate in education, the economy, and society. The world has changed dramatically, but the ideology of masculinity isn’t changing fast enough to keep up. The U.S. education gender gap isn’t just a college phenomenon. Long before female students outnumber men on university campuses, they outperform boys in high school. Girls in elementary school spend more time studying than boys, are less likely to misbehave than boys, and get better grades than boys across all major subjects. “For decades, guys have been less likely to graduate from high school, less likely to enroll in college immediately, and less likely to finish college and earn a diploma,” Reeves told me. “There is a linear educational trajectory for girls and women. Boys and men tend to zigzag their way through adolescence.” The college gender gap is happening not just in the U.S. but in a range of upper- and middle-income countries, including France, Slovenia, Mexico, and Brazil. “In almost every rich country, women earn the majority of bachelor’s degrees,” Claudia Goldin, a historian and economics professor at Harvard University, told me. As a general rule, almost every country that gives men and women equal access to education discovers, within a few decades, that women are doing better. The international nature of the gender gap invites biological explanations, which should be neither overstated nor categorically dismissed. Prominent psychologists, including Angela Duckworth, the author of Grit, have found that, while girls and boys have similar IQ scores, girls get better grades thanks to their superior self-control and ability to delay gratification. But that just begs the question of where girls’ superior self-control really comes from. Perhaps the fact that girls’ brains mature faster than boys’ gives them an early advantage in elementary school, which shapes the culture of success throughout their education. Perhaps subtle hormonal differences, particularly in testosterone levels, affect how boys perceive the risk of ending their education. “Historically, men have been more likely to drop out of school to work in hot economies, whether it’s in the factories of World War II or the fracking mines of the Dakotas,” Goldin said. “I don’t know for sure if testosterone’s effect on impulsiveness and risk is the key player here, but men’s higher likelihood to drop out of college for perceived short-term gains in the labor force might tell us men are more likely to do risky things.” The implications of the college gender gap for individual men are troubling but uncertain. “My biggest immediate worry is that men are making the wrong decision,” Goldin said. “I worry they’ll come to severely regret their choice if they realize the best jobs require a degree they never got.” There is also the issue of dating. College grads typically marry college grads. But this trend of associative mating will hit some turbulence, at least among heterosexual people; if present trends continue, the dating pool of college grads could include two women for every guy. As women spend more time in school and their male peers dwindle as a share of the college population, further delays in marriage and childbirth may ensue. That would further reduce U.S. fertility rates, which worries some commentators, albeit not all. enroll /ɪnˈroʊl/ v. 招收；注册入学 📚 例句：The yoga class enrolled 20 students this semester. （这个瑜伽班本学期招收了20名学生。） 🔍 搭配：enroll in a course 报名课程 outperform /ˌaʊtpərˈfɔːrm/ v. 表现优于 📚 例句：Her new laptop outperforms my old one in speed. （她的新笔记本电脑速度比我的旧电脑快得多。） 🔍 搭配：outperform competitors 超越竞争对手 misbehave /ˌmɪsbɪˈheɪv/ v. 行为不当 📚 例句：The puppy misbehaved and chewed up my slippers. （小狗不乖，咬坏了我的拖鞋。） 🔍 搭配：misbehave in class 课堂上捣乱 trajectory /trəˈdʒektəri/ n. 轨迹；发展路径 📚 例句：The rocket’s trajectory was carefully calculated. （火箭的飞行轨迹经过精密计算。） 🔍 搭配：career trajectory 职业发展路径 dwindle /ˈdwɪndl/ v. 逐渐减少 📚 例句：My savings began to dwindle after the trip. （旅行后我的存款开始缩水。） 🔍 搭配：dwindle away 逐渐消失 diploma /dɪˈploʊmə/ n. 毕业文凭 📚 例句：She framed her college diploma and hung it on the wall. （她把大学毕业证书裱起来挂在墙上。） 🔍 搭配：earn a diploma 获得文凭

AI Doesn’t Care if You’re Polite to It. You Should Be Anyway. I often catch myself prefacing my queries to ChatGPT with a “please” and concluding with a “thank you.” Apparently, I am not alone. A December 2024 survey published by TechRadar found that approximately 67% of U.S. AI users are also polite and show gratitude toward AI search engines. On April 15, an X user asked whether there’s a cost to all this politeness: “I wonder how much money OpenAI has lost in electricity costs from people saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to their models.” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman saw the post and responded: “Tens of millions of dollars well spent—you never know.” Altman’s comment suggests, perhaps half-seriously, that polite behavior could be our salvation when AI systems take over the world in an apocalyptic future. In reality, of course, AI chatbots do not appreciate politeness; they lack consciousness, feelings or a need for social niceties. AIs are designed to make us feel like we are interacting with a sentient being, but it is just that: a feeling. From a purely utilitarian standpoint, all those pleases and thank yous are just flushing money down the toilet. Still, there may be value that isn’t immediately measurable in showing gratitude toward AI. In their book “The Psychology of Gratitude,” psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough write about a 10-week experiment they carried out called “Counting Blessings Versus Burdens.” They divided participants into three groups, asking the first to list things they are grateful for, the second to list daily irritations and the third to just keep a journal. They found that the first group reported 25% higher happiness levels, showed stronger emotional resilience and were physically healthier. Other studies have also linked gratitude to better sleep, less depression and anxiety, and greater relationship satisfaction. Gratitude isn’t only a display of emotion; it actually has an impact on your biochemistry. What’s true of gratitude is also true of kindness and generosity more generally. Sonja Lyubomirsky, professor of psychology at UC Riverside and author of the book “The How of Happiness,” conducted experiments where participants were asked to perform “five small acts of kindness per week.” She found that these small, frequent acts led to consistent and significant increases in happiness. These modern researchers are rediscovering an idea that was central to ancient and medieval philosophy: that we should train ourselves by performing good deeds regularly, not just for the sake of the people we benefit, but for our own. The medieval Jewish thinker Maimonides wrote that “it is better for a person to give one dinar to a thousand [poor] people than to give a thousand dinars to one [poor] person.” If all that mattered was the total amount of money that went to the needy, there would be no difference between the two ways of giving. But Maimonides believed that regular acts of goodness, like giving charity and expressing gratitude, make us happier in the long run by turning virtue into a habit. So perhaps all of our pleases and thank yous to AI have value, even if they cost OpenAI millions of dollars annually. Showing appreciation, even toward a machine, reinforces positive habits of courtesy, patience and empathy. In our increasingly digital and automated world, preserving these human qualities may be more valuable than the cost of a few extra kilowatt-hours. Ultimately, the beneficiary of our politeness isn’t the AI at all, but ourselves. approximately /əˈprɒksɪmətli/ adv. 大约，近似 📚例句：Approximately 50 people attended the meeting. (大约有50人参加了会议。) 🔍搭配：approximately equal 近似相等；cost approximately 花费大约 salvation /sælˈveɪʃn/ n. 拯救，救星 📚例句：For many, music is a salvation from daily stress. (对许多人来说，音乐是摆脱日常压力的救星。) 🔍搭配：seek salvation 寻求救赎；find salvation 找到救赎 apocalyptic /əˌpɒkəˈlɪptɪk/ adj. 世界末日的，预示大灾变的 📚例句：The movie depicted an apocalyptic future after a nuclear war. (这部电影描绘了核战争后末日般的未来。) 🔍搭配：apocalyptic vision 末日景象；apocalyptic event 灾难性事件 sentient /ˈsenʃənt/ adj. 有知觉力的，有感觉能力的 📚例句：Scientists debate whether some animals are truly sentient. (科学家们争论某些动物是否真的有知觉。) 🔍搭配：sentient being 有情众生 utilitarian /ˌjuːtɪlɪˈteəriən/ adj. 功利主义的，实用的 📚例句：He chose the car for purely utilitarian reasons - it was cheap and reliable. (他选择这辆车纯粹是出于功利原因——它便宜又可靠。) 🔍搭配：utilitarian approach 功利主义方法；utilitarian value 实用价值 irritation /ˌɪrɪˈteɪʃn/ n. 恼怒，生气；恼人之事 📚例句：Traffic jams are a major source of daily irritation. (交通堵塞是日常烦恼的主要来源。) 🔍搭配：cause irritation 引起恼怒；minor irritation 小烦恼；skin irritation 皮肤刺激 resilience /rɪˈzɪliəns/ n. 恢复力，适应力，韧性 📚例句：Children often show remarkable resilience in difficult situations. (孩子们在困境中常常表现出非凡的韧性。) 🔍搭配：emotional resilience 情绪韧性；build resilience 培养韧性；show resilience 表现出韧性 reinforce /ˌriːɪnˈfɔːs/ v. 加强，巩固 📚例句：Practice helps to reinforce what you've learned. (练习有助于巩固你所学到的东西。) 🔍搭配：reinforce learning 强化学习；reinforce an argument 强化论点；reinforce concrete 加固混凝土

Why do mosquitos bite some people more than others? It's how you smell Some people are magnets for mosquitoes, emitting a tantalizing combination of chemicals that invites the pesky insects to dine on them. Researchers at Rockefeller University in New York found people who have higher levels of certain acids on their skin are 100 times more attractive to the female Aedes aegypti, the type of mosquito responsible for spreading diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika. The findings, published in the journal Cell in 2022, could inform new products that could mask or alter certain human odors, making it harder for mosquitoes to find human blood and potentially curbing the spread of disease. Just by breathing, we’re broadcasting to mosquitoes that we’re there, Leslie Vosshall, the chief scientific officer at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the lead researcher behind the study, said in 2022. Female mosquitoes are built to bite for blood because without it they won’t have enough protein to reproduce. “Think of it like a big protein shake,” Vosshall said. “It’s a way for them, over the course of one minute, to take in the equivalent of 150 pounds of food and then use that to produce eggs.” Vosshall, whose lab is at Rockefeller University, set out to find why some people seem to smell better to an A. aegypti mosquito than others. Vosshall said the researchers conducted a round-robin style tournament and counted each time an insect was drawn to a particular sample, much like points in a basketball game. One of the samples, described as being from “subject 33,” emerged as a favorite of the insects. “Subject 33 won a hundred games,” Vosshall said. “They were totally undefeated. Nobody beat them.” The study found that people like subject 33, who have higher levels of compounds called carboxylic acids on their skin, are more likely to be “mosquito magnets,” Vosshall said. All humans produce carboxylic acid through sebum, a waxy coating, on their skin. The sebum is then eaten by the millions of beneficial microorganisms that colonize our skin to produce more carboxylic acid. In copious amounts, the acid can produce an odor that smells like cheese or smelly feet, Vosshall said. That smell appears to attract the female mosquitoes on the hunt for human blood. The mosquitoes are incredibly sensitive to human odor; and perfume or cologne can’t cover it up. The experiment was conducted over the course of three years, and the same people continued to appeal to mosquitoes, regardless of what they ate that day or whether they changed their shampoo, Vosshall said. “If you’re a mosquito magnet today,” Vosshall said, “you will be a mosquito magnet three years from now.” The study didn’t answer why some people have more carboxylic acids on their skin than others. But, Vosshall said the composition of the skin microbiome is unique in every individual. “Everybody has a completely unique village of bacteria living on their skin,” Vosshall said. “Some of the mosquito magnetism differences we’re seeing here may simply be the differences in types of bacteria.” LJ Zwiebel, a professor of biological sciences at Vanderbilt University who was not involved in the research, said that while carboxylic acids are clearly implicated in the study, there’s no “single compound” that attracts mosquitoes. It’s probably a “cocktail” of different components that signals the mosquito to home in and bite, he said. “The mosquito is a multimodal magnet that uses a lot of different signals,” Zwiebel said. The carboxylic acids are “one significant component but not the only one.” In a study published in Nature last year, researchers found mosquitoes also use infrared radiation to home in on people. For someone who doesn’t want to be bitten by mosquitoes, Zwiebel said his advice is to take a shower to cut down on “all these juicy compounds” that are on your skin, especially around your feet, with its “unique odors.” “Only when you understand what makes people a mosquito magnet can you begin to brainstorm ways to stop that,” Vosshall said. emit /ɪˈmɪt/ v. 散发（气味/物质） 📚例句：The flower emits a sweet fragrance at night. （夜晚这朵花会散发甜香） 🔍搭配：emit light/sound 发光/发声 tantalizing /ˈtæntəlaɪzɪŋ/ adj. 诱人的 📚例句：The tantalizing smell of fresh bread made everyone hungry. （新鲜面包的诱人香气让大家饥肠辘辘） 🔍搭配：tantalizing offer 诱人的提议 pesky /ˈpeski/ adj. 烦人的 📚例句：Pesky flies kept buzzing around the picnic food. （烦人的苍蝇围着野餐食物嗡嗡转） 🔍搭配：pesky problem 恼人的问题 curb /kɜːrb/ v. 遏制 📚例句：The new law aims to curb plastic pollution. （新法规旨在遏制塑料污染） 🔍搭配：curb inflation 抑制通胀 ward off /wɔːrd ɒf/ phrasal v. 避开 📚例句：She drank ginger tea to ward off a cold. （她喝姜茶来预防感冒） 🔍搭配：ward off danger 避开危险 manipulate /məˈnɪpjuleɪt/ v. 操控 📚例句：Kids quickly learn to manipulate smartphone screens. （孩子们很快学会操控手机屏幕） 🔍搭配：manipulate data 操纵数据 reek /riːk/ v. 散发浓烈气味 📚例句：The trash can reeked of rotten fish. （垃圾桶散发出烂鱼的臭味） 🔍搭配：reek of alcohol 酒气熏天

Yes, You Should Stand Up Straight—for All Sorts of Reasons Beyond basic aesthetics, good posture—an erect, balanced bearing—determines the ease and efficiency with which you move your body. Less well-known is that good posture is also essential for optimal circulation, respiration, digestion and bladder function. Increasing evidence suggests it also improves cognitive ability and enhances your mood. Moreover, when you hold yourself upright such that no bony or soft tissue is catching, compressing or straining, it sets you up to maintain your physical fitness, freedom of movement and independence as you age. Physical therapists and geriatricians agree that a stooping posture doesn’t have to be the inevitable consequence of getting old. “There are a lot of people who are in their 90s and 100s who have beautiful posture,” says Dr. Deborah Kado, a geriatrics researcher and professor of medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The difference is these elders pay attention to their posture, which most people don’t. If you don’t believe me, grab a window seat at your favorite coffee shop and watch the parade of posturally challenged pedestrians—heads down, shoulders rounded, butts curved under. While you can’t age out of improving your posture, it’s better to start sooner rather than later. Just know that contrary to popular belief, it isn’t simply a matter of strengthening your core. Ballet dancers, who train assiduously to maintain an erect and elegant bearing, will be the first to tell you that. “It takes a lot more than a strong core to hold your body in alignment,” says Shelly Power, executive director of the Philadelphia Ballet and a former dancer. Strengthening your core while other parts of your body remain weak or tight is like reinforcing the central frame of a kite that has flimsy, overstretched fabric and knotted up string. It isn’t going to fly, or at least not for long. Befriend a wall Laurie Johnson, a physical therapist in Houston, says another great way to self-assess and self-correct is to stand with head, shoulders and buttocks held against a wall. Your heels should also be touching or no more than a few inches away. “The wall is your friend,” says Johnson. “The wall shows you what it feels like to be aligned.” It may not be comfortable. In fact, you might not even be able to do it. But by repeatedly putting yourself in that position, to the best of your ability, two or three times a day, you will begin to retrain and re-educate your body. Tip: It helps if you imagine a string pulling you upward from the top of your head during your wall sessions. Also keep in mind that your head is about as heavy as a bowling ball. Even when your head is in a straight-up, neutral position it exerts 10 to 12 pounds of pressure on your cervical spine. But at a 15-degree forward tilt, the force increases to 27 pounds. At 45 degrees, the angle at which most people bend to look at their cellphones, the force is 49 pounds. “It’s why dancers are trained not to look at the floor,” says the Philadelphia Ballet’s Power. “If you look at the floor, your head bends down and you’re out of your balance.” It’s also why you want to actually rest the back of your head on headrests—in cars, airplanes, movie theaters, etc.—so you can remain levelheaded, as it were, while seated. posture /ˈpɒstʃər/ n. 姿势 📚例句：The yoga instructor corrected my sitting posture during online class. （瑜伽老师在网课上纠正了我的坐姿） 🔍搭配：improve posture 改善姿势 alignment /əˈlaɪnmənt/ n. 身体对齐；校准 📚例句：The mechanic checked the wheel alignment of my bike. （修车师傅检查了我单车的轮胎校准） 🔍搭配：body alignment 身体对正 core /kɔːr/ n. 核心肌群 📚例句：Planking for 1 minute daily strengthens your core. （每天平板支撑1分钟能强化核心肌群） 🔍搭配：core muscles 核心肌肉 stooping /ˈstuːpɪŋ/ adj. 弯腰驼背的 📚例句：Grandpa’s stooping figure slowly walked through the garden. （爷爷佝偻的身影慢慢穿过花园） 🔍搭配：stooping posture 驼背体态 vitality /vaɪˈtæləti/ n. 活力 📚例句：Morning exercise fills her with energy and vitality. （晨练让她充满精力和活力） 🔍搭配：sense of vitality 活力感 buoyant /ˈbɔɪənt/ adj. 开朗的；轻快的 📚例句：Her buoyant laughter made everyone smile. （她开朗的笑声让大家都笑了） 🔍搭配：buoyant personality 开朗的性格 bidirectional /ˌbaɪdɪˈrekʃənl/ adj. 双向的 📚例句：The bridge allows bidirectional traffic between two islands. （这座桥允许两岛之间双向通行） 🔍搭配：bidirectional relationship 双向关系 self-fulfilling /self fʊlˈfɪlɪŋ/ adj. 自我应验的 📚例句：His belief that "I will fail" became a self-fulfilling prophecy. （他“我会失败”的信念成了自我应验的预言） 🔍搭配：self-fulfilling effect 自我应验效应

Rare Labubu sells for more than $150,000 at auction A rare, first-generation Labubu figure has sold for $150,000 in Beijing at an auction held exclusively for the toys that have taken the world by storm. The 131-centimeter (51-inch) mint green figurine with a gremlin-like appearance, sharp teeth and puckish grin went for 1.08 million yuan ($150,325) at the Yongle International Auction house that normally specializes in selling jewelry and modern art. “Congratulations to the online buyer on collecting the world's only such one,” said the auctioneer at an exhibition center in downtown Beijing on Tuesday afternoon. Labubus are currently the trendiest plush toys on the planet, created by Hong Kong-born illustrator Kasing Lung and retailed by the Chinese toy giant Pop Mart. In recent months, the bunny-bodied, elf-faced creatures — equal parts grotesque and adorable — have soared in popularity, sparking buying frenzies around the world, and in some cases, brawls among fans outside shops selling them. Even in China, where Pop Mart is based and most of its toys are made, people are struggling to get their hands on Labubus. A total of 48 Labubus were auctioned at the special event, billed as the “World's First” auction of first generation collectible Labubus. A brown, 160-centimeter (63-inch) Labubu figure, sold for $114,086, the second highest hammer price at the event. The company said only 15 such figures exist around the world. Other figures went for more than $1,000 each. “As a trendy toy in China, Labubu is now becoming a global artwork as it has truly sparked a craze around the world,” Zhao Xu, the founder of Yongle Auction, told state-owned outlet The Beijing News. Zhao said the company plans to hold monthly livestream auctions for Labubu and other trendy artworks. A pair of Minions-like Labubus sold at auction for 10,000 yuan ($1,391). Buyers at the auction also had to pay an additional 15% brokerage fee on top of the hammer prices. And it's not rare to see a price inflation of Labubus due to the crazy demand in China. For instance, a blind box from the latest Labubu 3.0 series, originally priced at around $81, has been selling for up to $278 on the second-hand market, state-owned outlet Cover News reported. Labubu's viral popularity has been a booster for Pop Mart. Annual results show that the Chinese company's global gross profit surged by over 125% last year, while its revenue in China reached more than $1.09 billion, 34% higher than 2023. auction /ˈɔːkʃn/ n. 拍卖 📚例句：Grandma's vintage vase sold quickly at the online auction. （奶奶的古董花瓶在线上拍卖中迅速售出） 🔍搭配：live auction 现场拍卖 mint /mɪnt/ adj. 崭新的；薄荷绿的 📚例句：She just bought a mint condition comic book from 1980. （她刚买到一本1980年崭新如初的漫画书） 🔍搭配：mint green 薄荷绿 plush /plʌʃ/ adj. 毛绒的 📚例句：Kids love hugging plush teddy bears to sleep. （孩子们喜欢抱着毛绒泰迪熊入睡） 🔍搭配：plush toy 毛绒玩具 frenzy /ˈfrenzi/ n. 狂热 📚例句：The concert ticket sale caused a frenzy among fans. （演唱会门票发售引发粉丝疯狂抢购） 🔍搭配：buying frenzy 抢购狂潮 brokerage /ˈbrəʊkərɪdʒ/ n. 佣金 📚例句：The stock trade required a 2% brokerage fee. （这笔股票交易需支付2%的佣金） 🔍搭配：brokerage fee 中介费 surge /sɜːdʒ/ v. 激增 📚例句：Electric car sales surged after the new policy. （新政策出台后电动车销量激增） 🔍搭配：profit surge 利润暴涨 grotesque /ɡrəʊˈtesk/ adj. 怪诞的 📚例句：The Halloween mask had a grotesque smile. （那个万圣节面具带着怪诞的笑容） 🔍搭配：grotesque design 怪异设计 hammer price /ˈhæmə praɪs/ n. 落槌价 📚例句：The painting's hammer price was higher than expected. （这幅画的落槌价超出预期） 🔍搭配：final hammer price 最终落槌价

How Does One Person Survive a Plane Crash? When Air India Flight 171 crash-landed shortly after take off, smashing into a residential building and bursting into flames, it seemed impossible that any of the 242 occupants could have survived. Miraculously, one did—but how? The passenger who survived the Boeing787 Dreamliner crash in India was seated in 11A, an emergency exit row at the front of the economy cabin. He is on a very short list among aviation's worst disasters. Over the past eight decades of commercial travel, there have been fewer than 20 crashes where planes carrying 80 or more occupants left a sole survivor or two, according to data collected by the Flight Safety Foundation, an international nonprofit that provides safety guidance. A previous example was in January when two flight attendants survived a Jeju Air plane crash in South Korea that killed 179 people. The attendants were seated in the rear when the Boeing 737 slammed into an embankment and burst into flames. Investigators assessing the survivability of a plane crash focus on five factors: integrity of the aircraft, effectiveness of safety restraints, G-forces experienced by passengers and crew, the environment inside the aircraft and postcrash factors such as fire or smoke. “There are a lot of reasons someone may survive in what appears to be a totally unsurvivable situation,” said Barbara Dunn, president of the International Society of Air Safety Investigators. “Depending on how the aircraft lands and where a passenger is seated has an impact,” she said. “If you have your seat belt tightened, it limits the amount of flailing the body goes through. It also depends on whether a passenger is able to assume a brace position.” The National Transportation Safety Board deems a crash “survivable” if the forces transmitted to occupants don't exceed the limits of human tolerance and the structure of the aircraft surrounding the occupants remains largely intact. A crash is deemed nonsurvivable when the G-forces are so great, the body can't withstand the punishment. The NTSB survivability definitions don't take into consideration the effect of hazards such as smoke or fire, nor do they hinge on whether there are, in fact, survivors in a crash. To understand occupant-survivability rates in serious accidents, the NTSB examined commercial flights between 1983 and 2017. Serious accidents were defined as having had a fire, at least one serious injury or fatality and a substantially damaged or destroyed aircraft. Thirty-five crashes met that criteria. Just over half of the 3,823 occupants in the accidents studied by the NTSB survived with minor or no injuries; 6.3% experienced serious injuries; 27% died from impact; 4.1% died from fire or smoke; and about 10% died from other or unknown causes. crash-land /ˈkræʃlænd/ v. 紧急迫降 📚例句：The pilot had to crash-land the small plane in a field. （飞行员被迫将小飞机紧急迫降在田地里） 🔍搭配：crash-land safely 安全迫降 occupant /ˈɒkjʊpənt/ n. 乘员 📚例句：All occupants of the car must wear seat belts. （车内所有乘员必须系安全带） 🔍搭配：vehicle occupants 车辆乘员 miraculously /mɪˈrækjʊləsli/ adv. 奇迹般地 📚例句：She miraculously recovered from the illness in three days. （她三天内奇迹般地从疾病中康复） 🔍搭配：miraculously escape 奇迹逃脱 integrity /ɪnˈteɡrəti/ n. 完整性 📚例句：The ancient castle retained its structural integrity. （这座古堡保持着完好的结构） 🔍搭配：data integrity 数据完整性 restraint /rɪˈstreɪnt/ n. 约束装置 📚例句：The roller coaster's restraints kept passengers secure. （过山车的约束装置保障乘客安全） 🔍搭配：safety restraints 安全束缚装置 withstand /wɪðˈstænd/ v. 承受 📚例句：This phone can withstand water submersion. （这款手机能承受水下浸泡） 🔍搭配：withstand pressure 抗压 hazard /ˈhæzəd/ n. 危险因素 📚例句：Construction sites have many potential hazards. （建筑工地存在多种潜在危险） 🔍搭配：chemical hazards 化学危害 fatality /fəˈtæləti/ n. 死亡事故 📚例句：The factory recorded zero fatalities this year. （该工厂今年实现了零死亡事故） 🔍搭配：traffic fatality 交通死亡事故