Actress Jia Ling topped the social media topics on the second consecutive day of the Chinese Lunar New Year as her great weight (lose)of 50 kilograms during the shooting of her movie Yolo triggered heated discussions over healthy lifestyle and allowed some viewers (draw) aspirations from her arduous weight-loss journey. 

The (high) anticipated comedy Yolo hit theaters across China on Saturday, the first day of the Lunar New Year. It is now leading the domestic movie box office. According to Douban, "YOLO" (adapt) from the 2014 Japanese movie "100 Yen Love".This movie is comedian-actress-director Jia Ling's sophomore feature, three years after her 2021 directorial debut box-office blockbuster "Hi, Mom" for which she holds the record as the world's highest grossing female movie director. 

Topics related  Jia's stunning weight loss were dominating Weibo such as "full record of Jia's losing weight journey" and "Jia Ling totally shocked me," as netizens discuss it is time to develop a more balanced habit starting from the Spring Festival. 

"Her achievement is quite ( inspire) and deserves a movie ticket," moviegoer Li Qiaoya,  regularly visits the gym to lose weight, told the Global Times on Sunday. "I feel (guilt)for eating too much during the Spring Festival already."

On Jan 10, YOLO (You Only Live Once) officially announced itself with a poster. YOLO is directed by Jia Ling, and will premiere on the first day of the lunar new year,  this year falls on Feb 10. According to Douban, in YOLO, Jia Ling is a girl who's withdrawn from society and closed up her social circle. This changes when she meets a boxing coach (played by Lei Jiayin), and she gets her life back  track.

The big story behind this movie is that Jia Ling stepped away from the public eye while  (film) it, and recently, a screenshot started making the rounds on Weibo, along with rumors that the 41-year-old actress had lost 110 pounds.

On Jan 10, Jia Ling shared a personal message on Weibo which (speak) to that. "My dear friends," she began. "Haven't seen you in more than a year. Miss you guys much. In the year I've disappeared, I've made a movie （call） YOLO. I shot this movie for an entire year, covering all four seasons. I also  (success) lost 110 pounds, and trained to look like a boxer. The night we wrapped filming, I sat alone my bed and ate five packs of chocolate wafers. Looking back, I felt like a tired warrior holding her trophy!"

She explains that she didn't want people to think that YOLO was just a movie about weight loss. It is movie about how kind people find themselves,  learn to love themselves. There is a past me and a new me in the movie. I hope you like them both. Lastly, I've been really (hunger) and tired this past year, it's felt like a lifetime."

Lufinha has crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a small boat powered only by the sun and wind. He used kites to move the boat and solar power to use lights and equipment on the boat. He expects his trip will earn him a Guinness World Record for Fastest Solo Atlantic Crossing by Kite Boat. He also hopes to help people understand the need to protect the oceans.

The kite-powered boat reached top speeds of over 30 kilometers per hour. Lufinha traveled 6,400 kilometers in 25 days. The 38-year-old set out from Cascais, near Lisbon, Portugal on November 3, 2022, and arrived in Martinique on December 20, Lufinha was not at sea for all that time, however. He made a planned stop at the Canary Islands on November 8. But he had to stay longer than planned because of the powerful storm and he remained there until November 30.

Lufinha made the crossing completely alone in a 7.2-meter-long and 5.6-meter-wide trimaran, a boat which has three long, thin parts, with a small room for sleeping and shelter. Lufinha used a hand pump (抽水机) to produce water for drinking and cooking. He said, "I have two such water makers, which I can pump and every hour I can make around four liters of water." The water pump has a special filter (过滤器) to remove salt from the sea water. Lufinha used the water to add to dried food he carried with him on the boat.

In 1880, fourteen-year-old Matthew Henson loved to hear sailors tell tales of their exciting lives at sea. The travel, the adventure, the danger, and the steady pay were all attractive to young Henson. One day he made up his mind. Baltimore was the nearest large seaport. The next morning he set out on the forty-mile journey to seek work on a sailing ship.

In Baltimore, Henson found a job as a cabin boy on a beautiful ship called the Katie Hinds. For the next five years, Henson sailed around the world. By the time he left the Katie Hinds in 1885, Henson was well educated and had become an excellent seaman.

Unable to find work anywhere else, Henson took a job in a hat shop in Washington, D．C． One day in 1887, a man came in to buy a hat. The man, Lieutenant Robert Peary, asked the owner if he knew anyone with experience at sea. Peary would soon travel to South America for the U.S. government. He needed experienced men to accompany him.

The shop owner knew about his young employee's skills and experience on ocean voyages, so he introduced Peary to Henson. Henson and Peary soon found they had a great deal in common, including their love of the sea.

Using his map-reading and sailing skills, Henson proved himself to be a worthy and intelligent seaman. One day Peary told Henson about his real dream: to be the first man to stand on "the top of the world" at the North Pole. He asked Henson to help him make his dream come true.

Over the next five years, the two explorers made two trips together to the Arctic. However, they were not able to reach the pole either time.

In 1908, Peary and Henson were ready to make their final attempt at reaching the North Pole. Both men were over forty years old. The years of hardship and suffering in the arctic cold had taken their toll on both men. This would be their last chance.

In April 1909, Henson's instruments showed they were standing at the North Pole. Together Henson and Peary planted the American flag in the snow.

In later years, Robert Peary and Henson were greatly honored for their achievement. Today, the two friends and fellow explorers lie in heroes' graves not far apart in the Arlington National Cemetery.

Shenzhou-17 crewed spaceflight mission successfully launched

（文章来源：Global Times）

On the momentous occasion of the 20th anniversary of China's first manned spaceflight the Shenzhou-5, the Shenzhou-17 spacecraft soared into the sky from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China on Thursday morning at 11:14 am. 

Sitting atop the Long March-2F Y17 carrier rocket, the spacecraft, carrying taikonauts Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie, and Jiang Xinlin, embarked on the journey toward the China Space Station. Following a smooth flight of around 10 minutes , the Shenzhou-17 spacecraft entered its planned orbit, marking a successful launch, according to the official release by the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA.)

The average age of the crew of taikonauts of Shenzhou-17 mission is a markedly young at 39, setting a record for China's manned space history. 

The Shenzhou-17 spacecraft is now on its way to the China Space Station, and according to the mission plan, it will carry out a fast rendezvous and docking with the Tianhe space station core module at the front port around 6.5 hours after liftoff. 

The Tiangong space station is hours away from staging another a great feat of an in-orbit reunion of six taikonauts, continuing the new norm for the China Space Station with permanent occupation of taikonauts, mission insiders hailed. 

The collaboration between the two crew groups will mark a significant step in China's ongoing space exploration endeavors, reinforcing its capability and commitment to long-term space habitation and research, they noted.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of China's first manned spaceflight mission the Shenzhou-5. In the past 20 years, China has carried out 12 such crewed missions including the latest Shenzhou-17 mission, with a perfect success rate.

Since its inaugural flight in 1999, the Long March 2F rocket, the country's first and only manned carrier rocket, has maintained a flawless record. 

Through continuous efforts to address weak links and optimize technical conditions, the reliability assessment of Long March 2F rocket has now increased to 0.9896, with a safety assessment value reaching 0.99996. This showcases the rigorous enhancements and technical advancements that have been implemented to ensure the rocket's reliability and safety over the years, the rocket developer the state-owned China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) told the Global Times on Thursday. 

Currently, the "one-launch-one-standby" launch process of the Long March 2F rocket has been compressed from 49 days during the initial construction phase of the space station to 35 days. Now, efforts are underway to further optimize and improve the process aiming for a 30-day target, to better meet the demands of the space station's application and development phase, developers said. 

According to them, in the coming years, the Long March 2F rocket is set to continue its high-frequency launch schedule with two launches per year. It will play a crucial role in the operation of China's space station, demonstrating its pivotal role in supporting the country's ambitious space exploration and operation endeavors.

The Shenzhou-17 crewed flight mission, the 30th flight mission since the establishment of China's manned space program in 1992, has some crucial objectives. 

The mission's primary goal includes completing the in-orbit crew rotation with the Shenzhou-16 trio, before they carry on to conduct an approximate six-month stay in space until April 2024.

During this period, the crew will engage in on-orbit trials of space science and application payloads, conduct extravehicular activities, commonly known as spacewalks, and perform payload extravehicular operations, which according to the CMSA, will also involve the installation of extravehicular payloads and maintenance tasks on the space station.

Moreover, the mission will continually evaluate the functional performance of the space station assembly, accumulating precious data and experience regarding space station operations. This initiative aims to assess the coordination and compatibility of the ground support center in managing space station operational tasks, thereby enriching the operational efficiency and troubleshooting capabilities of the space station, the CMSA said. 

A significant highlight of the Shenzhou-17 mission is the pioneering experimental extravehicular repair operations to be undertaken on the space station, which will be a historic first. 

Also, the Shenzhou-17 mission will carry a significant "Space Protein Molecular Assembly and Application Research" project, the Global Times learned from the space application system personnel on Thursday. 

Aiming to advance humanity's health, the project encompasses 29 samples across five categories: proteins, polypeptides, nucleic acids, biological materials, and pharmaceutical materials. Samples include insulin, cancer treatment protein complexes, nano-hydroxyapatite/collagen polypeptide, and lysozyme, which were transferred to the launch tower about eight hours before launch, and placed inside the Shenzhou spacecraft to be launched into space, Cang Huaixing, a research fellow with the Center for Space Application Engineering and Technology, under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told the Global Times.

With such a wide range of platforms and devices available to the everyday reader, the physical book, while not yet extinct, may end up going that way. Why? .

With a rapid increase in digital reading platforms, reading is no longer a common problem for bookworms. They're designed to simplify the process of reading on the go. You can select a book, track your progress, and even submit reviews. With no need to carry around physical books, readers are much more likely to pick up where they left off whenever and wherever they may be.

Readers can also carry around their favourite books within an e-reader. Common examples include the Amazon Kindle, Onyx Boox, and PocketBook. These hand-held devices offer fantastic portability, readability and variety.  They are much smaller and lighter than physical books, making them an ideal option for those always on the go.

Social media has had a great effect on our reading habits. It governs our daily life. With physical books no longer a key form of entertainment for children, it has been replaced with digital alternatives. Social media and video games have replaced the ways in which we traditionally read and tell stories. .

As is known to us all, technology has changed the ways in which we read at home as well as in the classroom.  Exposure to the digital potential of reading is introduced at an early age. Virtual learning platforms have also exploded in popularity in recent years. Technology in the classroom is no longer a luxury but a necessity to keep up with the modern age.

A. There are a number of apps out there.        

B. Books and lessons are delivered online.

C. We are still reading but just in a different way.        

D. Lots of people find it difficult to fit reading into their daily routine.

E. Some e-readers also allow users to access the Internet for various purposes.

F. There's nothing worse than realizing you have forgotten your favourite book.

G. Here are some ways technology has transformed our reading habits in recent years.

Released on Aug 30, a three-episode web series titled Escape From the British Museum has gone viral online for its touching and innovative narrative (叙事). The series follows the journey home of a Chinese jade teapot that has come to life as a girl. She runs away from the British Museum and comes across a Chinese journalist who helps the artifact return to China. The series, created by two Chinese vloggers, aims to raise broader awareness of Chinese artifacts that were stolen or looted (掠夺) from China and are displayed or stored in the British Museum. 

The video series echoes the Chinese people's call for the British Museum to return these Chinese artifacts. However, some UK media outlets said that the video series promotes nationalism (民族主义). In fact, every country whose artifacts are displayed or stored in the British Museum wants them back. These countries, such as Greece, Nigeria and Sudan, have already issued their demands for the return of artifacts. It's fair enough to say these demands are shared. They can correct centuries-old wrongs by having the UK return artifacts to their rightful homes.

An opinion in the UK newspaper The Telegraph said that if the British Museum gives back its collection of artifacts, then nationalism will win over humanity's common heritage. It also said that the artifacts were "lawfully acquired (合法取得) " by the UK. By "lawfully acquired", does the writer mean the artifacts were acquired with the "help" of machine guns and warships? Or does he mean that the cultural artifacts of African, Asian and American countries should be kept in the hands of looters, rather than in their land of origin?

For even the most city citizens, a quick escape into nature is always a welcome breath of fresh air. Try looking for an urban garden nearby — they often hide themselves just around the corner. Click here to know more of the coolest gardens in cities around the world.

Sky Garden   As London's highest public garden, this social space offers splendid 360-degree views of the city. With a restaurant, observation decks and beautiful plant life, there is something for everyone in this city-center escape from urban life.

The BeltLine   In a massive, 22-mile loop (环线) around the city, the BeltLine connects many Atlanta neighborhoods with parks, trails, restaurants and art shows. Although it is still under construction, the sections that are open to the public act as alternative space to enjoy the outdoors.

Jardins de Rubió i Lluch   This walled, shady garden is in the courtyard of the historic Hospital de la Santa Creu. Decorated with lilac and mandarin trees — and string lights in the evenings — this small garden square is the perfect place to sip a coffee away from Barcelona's crowded atmosphere.

Dumbarton Oaks   The garden at this historic estate in Georgetown was listed as one of the 10 best gardens in the world by National Geographic in 2014. It has both a formal, carefully manicured (修剪整齐的) garden as well as a naturalistic garden — allowing visitors the ability to choose what they want to see.