Episódios
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主播：翩翩（中国）+ 梅莉（法国）
歌曲： boundaries
最近中国有一部新电影很火，叫做《好东西》，它的英文翻译很有意思，是“Herstory”。
01. The English Translation of Herstory 《好东西》的英文翻译
It is a play on the word “history”, replacing “his” with “her”. 这是一种文字游戏。The term “herstory” is used to emphasize the importance of women’s experiences and contributions (强调女性经验与贡献的重要性).
其实近年来，英语中有很多词汇和用法都在因现代文化（包括女权主义、LGBTQ+权利运动等）而发生变化。
And “herstory” is a great example. The idea is to highlight women’s narratives, rather than sticking to “history,” which some see as hinting at (暗示)“his story.” 有些人可能会觉得history是“his + story”，是男性的故事，但其实并非如此。
The word “history” comes from the Greek (希腊) word “ἱστορία (historía)”, which means “inquiry”. 这个词最初的意思是“调查”、“知识”或“询问”，其实跟男性没有什么关系。
Even though “history” itself doesn’t come from “his story,” the change is symbolic (象征性的). 这让人们更关注女性在历史中的角色。It is probably to hint that it’s about female empowerment (女性力量).
那除了“herstory”之外，英语中还有哪些因为现代文化和社会运动而改变的语言现象呢？
02. Pronouns 代词
Many people now use “they” as a singular pronoun (单数人称代词).
这个有一个文化背景要了解，就是现在在西方，尤其是美国，已经不是单一的二元分类——male和female了。There is Non-binary (非二元性别的).
非二元性别是指那些不完全认同传统男性或女性性别的人。他们的性别可能是流动的、混合的或介于两者之间。Gender fluid（性别流动）就是他们觉得自己的性别在不同情况和场合下是不同的。除此之外还有Agender（无性别）这一类，指的是那些不认同任何性别的人。
此外，还有很多其他的性别种类。所以，单数“they”被广泛用于代替“he/she”，以避免性别限定。
For example, someone left their bag here. 这里的they就是单数用法，代替 his/her。再或者：Alex said they would join us later. 这里的they就是用来描述非二元性别者。
2019年，“they”被《韦氏词典》选为年度词汇，显示其流行度。
You can see the impact of modern culture, like feminism and the LGBTQ+ rights movement, on the English language. 现代文化对于英文的影响真的是令人瞠目。
03. Changes in job titles and the use of “Ms.” 职业称呼的变化和“Ms.”的使用
像以前的“policeman”现在常说“police officer”，“fireman”也变成了“firefighter”。
Another interesting shift is in how we talk about relationships. Instead of “boyfriend” or “girlfriend,” many people say “partner” to avoid implying gender and to be more inclusive of all types of relationships. 因为“partner”适合各种类型的情侣关系，不论性别或取向。
As for the popularity of “Ms.", it’s used to replace "Miss" or "Mrs." to emphasize that a woman’s identity doesn’t depend on her marital status (强调女性身份不需要基于婚姻状态).
There are so many changes that Maelle is also confused sometimes.
Language mirrors cultural shifts. As people become more aware of sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and ableism, the language has also been English adapted. 语言是活的，它也反应着当代英语世界的价值观。
So next time you see “herstory,” “they” used as a singular pronoun, “partner” instead of “girlfriend,”or “spouse” instead of “husband or wife”, remember there’s a cultural story behind it.
之后再遇见这些用法，我们可能就会明白背后的文化背景和价值取向。希望今天的播客借助电影《好东西》的英文译名，能帮助大家在学习英文时，也感受到一些文化层面的东西。
请在评论区告诉我们：
你还知道英语中有哪些类似的的语言现象呢？
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主播：翩翩（中国）+ 梅莉（法国）
歌曲： You Are Not Alone
01. 琼瑶的小说为什么大受欢迎？
前段时间，梅莉读到了一个新闻，“Renowned Chinese romance novelist Qiong Yao passes away at 86”（中国著名言情小说家逝世，享年86岁）。
这则新闻标题非常尊重琼瑶女士，因为它用到了一个词：renowned。
都是表示著名的，那相比较famous来说，renowned更加书面化，同时也带有一种积极、尊敬的意味，强调此人在某领域内因成就而广受赞誉。
梅莉通过新闻得知：it was suicide and she left a suicide note (遗书) addressed to (写给) her son and facebook.
这真的是一个让人痛心的事。Her works influenced so many people’s idea of love and romance. 作为一个novelist (小说家)，她的影响力很大在于她的很多作品拍成影视剧了（Many of her works were adapted into movies and TV series）。
比如《还珠格格》《梅花三弄》，都是80年代人很熟悉的经典，就连打小从中国长大的梅莉都有印象，那时候everyone was talking about it。
It remained popular for decades(几十年过去，热度依然是有的). Her stories are super dramatic (很戏剧化). 因为是纯爱小说，所以角色 often have a “恋爱脑” 。They are love-obsessed. 而且琼瑶的小说语言很简单，加上戏剧冲突较多，很有吸引力。
这就是为什么她的小说容易改编成电视剧，而且很容易火，它们都是emotional（有感染力的）、accessible（易懂的），并且full of twists（情节曲折）。
02. 国外有哪些“琼瑶式”作家？
① 美国作家Nicholas Sparks
He’s an influential figure in American literature (他是美国文学中一个很有影响力的人物). He’s the author of The Notebook《恋恋笔记本》.
他的作品深深影响了美国的流行文化和文学市场，跟琼瑶一样，many of his works were adapted into movies and TV series (他的很多作品改编成了影视剧)。
除了《恋恋笔记本》，他的小说Message in a Bottle《瓶中信》，A Walk to Remember《漫步记忆中》都是成人学英语、可以用来开启英文阅读的入门小说。
② 美国非常著名的畅销小说作家Danielle Steel
斯蒂尔在美国被称作当代最持久的文学现象之一，无论是老读者还是新读者，都对她的作品充满热情。Her novels are very accessible (非常容易上手).
Her novels are often focusing on emotional relationships, family dramas, and love stories (她的小说往往围绕爱情、家庭和情感纠葛展开) that readers find easy to get into.
就像琼瑶的小说一样，语言并不复杂，读者容易上手。It’s easy to get into and are very accessible.
③ 法语作家Anna Gavalda
Her style might feel a bit quieter than Qiong Yao’s drama, but still very much about emotional connections between people. 她的作品可能没有那么戏剧化，但是笔触非常细腻，也是主要描写人物之间的情感联系。
琼瑶和以上举例的西方作家相比，区别就在于：
Qiong Yao’s stories are very rooted in Chinese culture (植根中国文化)—family expectations, traditional values, and so on.
Western romance novels might focus more on individual freedom or personal growth (更强调个人的自由与成长).
But both styles are about love, heartbreak, and the emotional journey of the characters. 不管怎样，爱情题材是共通的，都是围绕爱、心碎、角色的心路历程展开描写。
Love is universal (普遍的). 不同的文化背景下，都会诞生一些代表性的爱情故事。大家可以从中学习外语，同时感受到不同国家和文化对“爱情”这个主题的不同诠释。
请留言告诉我们：
你是不是小说爱好者？有没有想推荐的作品给梅莉呢？
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Estão a faltar episódios?
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主播：Flora（中国）+ Erin（美国）
歌曲： Forget Me Nots
Today, we’re talking about a topic that’s always fascinating (有吸引力的): the Words of the Year (年度热词) chosen by major English dictionaries (各大英语词典).
It's already December now. 每到年末的时候各大媒体都会公布自己的“Word of the Year”。These words capture the mood, trends (趋势), and even social challenges (社会挑战) of the past year.
How a single word can capture the mood (捕捉情绪) of an entire year, or why certain words suddenly dominate conversations across the globe? We’ll mainly explore Collins’ and Cambridge’s Words of the Year (柯林斯和剑桥词典的年度最佳词汇) for 2024, along with some shortlisted words (入围词汇).
01. Collins’ Word of the Year: brat 柯林斯词典年度热词——“brat”
Here is the definition of 'brat' from the Collins Dictionary:
如果你叫一个人“brat”，那说明你觉得他表现非常不好or he or she annoys you（让你生气）。
Collins chose brat as their Word of the Year, but not in the way we might expect (并不是以我们可能预料的那种方式).
Traditionally, “brat” was a pretty negative term (贬义词). It’s pretty much the equivalent of the Chinese term “熊孩子”.
However, in 2024, brat got a glow-up. 现在“brat”用来形容一个人：confident（自信），independent（独立），甚至是形容someone with a hedonistic attitude（有享乐主义的人）。
How did this happen?
It started online. Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram popularized (使流行) the term during the summer because of an album called “Brat” by Charli XCX (因为Charli XCX的一张专辑).
People began celebrating what they called “brat energy (能量)” , which is all about embracing personal freedom and indulgence (享受). It’s the opposite of self-denial or rigid discipline (与自我克制和严格的纪律相反).
It’s interesting how a word with such a negative connotation (带有如此负面含义的词) has been reclaimed (被重新定义) and given this empowering twist (变化). 在一些语境下（In some contexts），现在叫一个人“Brat”已经是对他的夸奖了(it’s a compliment）。
“This is so brat coded.”
“Coded” is a slang term (俚语). 它表示强调一种vibe（氛围）或者行为。所以“This is so brat coded.”我们可以理解为“这真的很brat!”
比如，当一个人表现得很sassy（自信又时髦），carefree（无忧无虑）or even a little cheeky（厚脸皮），you could compliment them by saying：“You are so brat coded.”
So, it’s no longer a bad thing to “be a brat”! Instead, it reflects this generation’s focus on enjoying life and rejecting unnecessary societal constraints (拒绝不必要的社会限制).
“Bratsummer”
一些人用“bratsummer”形容人live unapologetically（没有歉意地活着），在夏天拥抱自己的playful or confident side（顽皮又自信的一面）。
And if we can have bratsummer, then why not bratwinter? Imagine someone rocking their sassiest outfits, sipping hot cocoa (喝着热可可), and living their best life by staying true to themselves (忠于自己), even when it’s freezing outside (即使外面天寒地冻).
Whether it’s summer, winter, or any season, the whole brat vibe is about living boldly (大胆地), unapologetically, and embracing whatever makes you feel most you (拥抱一切让你感到最真实自我的东西).
Some criticism一些批评
当然，有些人会criticize this mindset（批评这种心态）觉得这有些自私（selfish）or even a little indulgent（放纵）。
But honestly, it is really about balance. It’s not about being selfish or disregarding others (不是自私或无视他人)—it’s about prioritizing (优先) your happiness in a healthy way. It’s like saying, “Hey, I deserve to enjoy my life and be unapologetically me, as long as (只要) I’m not hurting anyone.”
So, this mindset can be empowering. 它鼓励人们主动放弃一些unnecessary guilt (不必要的愧疚) or societal pressures (社会压力) and focus on living authentically (真实生活)。
Everyone deserves their brat era!
02. Cambridge’s Word of the Year: manifest 剑桥词典年度热词：“manifest”
Here is the definition of “manifest” from the Cambridge Dictionary:
In Chinese, it means “清楚地显示，显现”.
Traditionally, it means to show something clearly, like evidence or emotion. But in recent years, it’s taken on a new meaning:
That means to imagine achieving something you want will make it more likely to happen (想象自己实现某件事会让它更有可能成为现实). 有点像中文里的“念念不忘必有回响”。
所以当你听到有athletes (运动员)、一些有影响力的人说“I manifested this success.”他们并不是在说他们是通过自己的hard work（努力）实现了成功，而是强调mental focus (心理专注) and positive thinking (积极思考)的作用。
It reflects how people are blending mindset techniques with their everyday goals (将思维方式技巧与日常目标相结合).
比如，如果你终于花了几个月时间得到了你梦寐以求的工作，你可以说：“I spent months manifesting my dream job, and now it’s finally happened.”如果是终于实现了一次期待已久的旅行，你可以说：“I’ve been manifesting this vacation for so long, it feels like a dream.”
The rise of self-help culture 自我提升文化的兴起
This word resonates with the rise of self-help culture and the belief that mindset shapes outcomes (心态塑造结果的信念).
其实 self-help culture就是平时我们看到的教大家如何更好地生活、如何赚钱、或者提升心理健康的视频。那么“manifest”无非就是强调了乐观的心态（optimism）对结果的作用。It’s interesting how the concept combines optimism with action.
A warning (警告) against manifesting
Professor Sander van der Linden of psychology at Cambridge University warned against manifesting.
It may lead people to overlook realistic challenges (忽视现实中的挑战) or the need for practical steps (采取实际措施的必要性). It’s a thought-provoking perspective (发人深省的观点).
It’s easy to get caught up in (陷入) the idea that just thinking positively is enough. But without action, it feels kind of hollow (空洞).
Manifesting alone can’t guarantee success. It’s like hoping to pass an exam without studying. Positive thinking should inspire action, not replace it (积极的思考应该激发行动，而不是取代它).
Erin guesses another issue is how people might blame themselves if things don’t work out. Like, “Oh, I must not have manifested hard enough.” It’s kind of ironic (有点讽刺). Manifesting is supposed to reduce stress, but if taken too far, it could actually do the opposite.
So, finding a balance is key.
03. Cultural significance of words of the year 年度热词的文化意义
“Brat” reflects a focus on individuality and hedonism, while “manifest” speaks to self-empowerment (自强) through mindset.
年度热词“brat”和“manifest”都体现了身份认同 （personal identity），自我表达（self-expression）和心理健康（mental health）在文化交流中的地位和作用。It’s really interesting to see how language evolves with culture (语言是如何随文化而演变的).
节目最后和大家分享两个shortlisted words（入围年度热词的词）。
delulu
For example: “I’m totally delulu about marrying my celebrity crush.” 我完全怎么样和我暗恋的明星结婚。That’s intriguing. 大家可以猜一下这里的delulu 是什么意思。
romantasy
It feels like a mix between 'romance' and something else. Romantasy是"romance"和另一个词的合体，大家可以猜一下另一个词是什么。
Whether you’re manifesting success or embracing your inner brat, we hope you’ve enjoyed learning about this year’s hottest words.
请留言告诉我们：
What other Words of the Year would you like us to dive into (你还想听我们聊哪些年度热词)? And which one is your favorite (哪一个是你最喜欢的)?
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主播：Wendi（中国）+Erin（美国）
歌曲： Imagine
01. 中国“春节”申遗成功了！
China’s Spring Festival has officially been inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. 中国春节已被正式列入联合国教科文组织人类非物质文化遗产名录。
This announcement was made on December 4, 2024, during the 19th session of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee in Asunción, Paraguay. Spring Festival is now globally recognized (被全球公认) as a cultural treasure (文化宝藏), and it’s the 44th Chinese item to be listed, putting China in first place (第一) worldwide for the number of heritage items (遗产项目).
The term “intangible cultural heritage” (非物质文化遗产) in English refers to traditions, practices, and expressions passed down through generations (代代相传). The word intangible (无形的) means “not physical” or “not material”, and its opposite is tangible (有形的、可触摸的), like in “tangible assets (有形资产)”.
The news is making waves. 消息一出立刻引起轰动。
For example, Global Times《环球时报》 ran the headline: "China's Spring Festival inscribed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity."
《环球时报》的标题运用了inscribe这个词，这个词让人感觉“春节”不仅是被列入了非遗名单，还有一种被刻在了人类文明的史册中的隆重感。That’s a powerful title.
And it’s not just about the celebration—it’s about the deep cultural and historical significance behind it.
申遗成功的Spring Festival不仅仅是这个节日本身，还包括它背后深刻的文化和历史意义，比如它所涵盖的很多习俗和民族文化。
02. “春节”申遗成功对中国以及全球意味深远
A lot of people in the world are no strangers to the Spring Festival. It is the culture and customs behind that truly matters and perhaps can now be better understood by more people abroad (其背后的文化和习俗现在被更多的海外人更好地理解).
It’s a recognition (认可) of the rich cultural and historical value (丰富的文化价值和历史价值) of Spring Festival. As Professor Xiao Fang(萧放) from Beijing Normal University (北京师范大学) explained, Spring Festival is a time of emotional connection (情感连接), honoring ancestors (纪念祖先), and celebrating the renewal of time (庆祝万象更新). It reflects family, social, and natural ethics—all tied together in one grand festival (它反映的是家庭、社会和自然伦理都在这个盛大的节日联结在一起).
萧教授强调，it’s a festival of peace and harmony (这是一个和平、祥和的节日)。It’s not just about personal joy but also about sharing values with the world (向世界传递和平、祥和的价值观). Because some of these values, like the connection of family, are naturally and universally shared by humans.
With globalization (全球化), Spring Festival is becoming even more influential (更有影响力). Over one-fifth of the world’s population celebrates Lunar New Year in some form (世界上有超过五分之一的人会庆祝春节).
03. 中国和美国过新年有什么不同？
在中国，春节几乎都是关于family reunions (家人团聚), festive meals, and traditions like red envelopes (红包), fireworks, and temple fairs (庙会). It’s a time to honor the past and welcome the future (是一个辞旧迎新的时刻). 在这个时候，all your families come back, and everything and everyone slow down (慢下来) to just enjoy the pure happiness (纯粹的幸福)。
而在美国，New Year is more about partying and making resolutions (制定新年决心). People gather in Times Square (时代广场) or watch fireworks, but it’s not as family-oriented (以家庭为中心的) as Spring Festival.
美国的新年的概念一般是指元旦。Christmas is more comparable to the Spring Festival (圣诞节更像是春节), because it’s also a mark of time and values the reunion of family.
一些美国人庆祝春节更多的会eat dumplings, make paper lanterns（做纸灯笼）, or watch dragon dances（看舞龙）。Erin上的一些课程would have all the students participate in paper cutting（会让所有的学生都参加剪纸活动）。
Erin在美国生活已经很多年了，对她来说，celebrating the Spring Festival overseas always feels like connecting both of her cultures（在海外庆祝春节总是感觉像是在连接她的两种文化）.
04. 为什么文化遗产在全球化的时代很重要？
When a tradition becomes part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list, it’s not just a title. It’s a call to protect and celebrate these practices as treasures that belong to all humankind.
Take yoga from India (印度的瑜伽) or flamenco from Spain (西班牙的弗拉明戈舞)—both are vibrant (充满生机的) traditions that have been passed down through generations. When they were recognized by UNESCO, it not only boosted pride in their countries of origin (增强了对自己国家和地区的自豪感) but also encouraged people worldwide to engage with and appreciate them (尝试并欣赏它们).
It’s a reminder (提醒) that globalization doesn’t mean cultural absorption (全球化并不意味着文化的同化). Instead, it gives us the chance to share, learn from, and preserve unique traditions (保留独特的传统). Spring Festival is a perfect example—it started as a deeply Chinese tradition but has now become a global celebration.
It’s also a reminder that traditions can evolve (传统也可以“进化”). For instance, in the U.S., Erin has seen Spring Festival celebrated with fusion (融合) events—like Chinese New Year parades featuring samba dancers in Brazil (在巴西有桑巴舞主题的新年游行) or dim sum-inspired pop-ups in London (在伦敦有以广东早茶为主题的快闪店).
dim sum 粤式点心
pop-ups 快闪店/餐厅
At the same time, recognition (对文化的认同) like this helps us remember to protect these traditions in their original forms (以原本的形式). It’s easy to lose cultural roots(丢掉文化的根) when adapting to modern lifestyles (适应现代生活方式). That’s where initiatives like UNESCO’s list play a crucial role (关键作用)—they encourage us to preserve traditions in their authentic, unaltered states (在它们正宗的，不被改变的状态下) while still sharing them with the world.
And as we mentioned earlier, there are now 44 Chinese practices on UNESCO’s list. It’s not just about celebrating the Spring Festival—it’s about embracing a shared responsibility (承担共同的责任) to protect the diversity and richness of human culture (人类文化的多样性和丰富性).
Whether it’s storytelling, festivals, music, or food, each tradition has a story to tell. And every time we celebrate, participate, or even just learn about a tradition, we help keep that story alive for future generations (让这个故事带有生命力地留给子孙后代).
请留言告诉我们：
What traditions from your culture do you cherish? Are there any you’d love to see recognized or preserved on a global scale? 你的文化中有哪些传统是你所珍视的？有哪些是你想让全球认可或保留的吗？
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主播：Flora（中国）+Selah（美国）
歌曲： Live Your Beautiful Life
As some of you may know, Selah is getting married in just a few weeks (Selah再过几周就要结婚了). 目前她也在筹备自己的婚礼中，那么本期节目就由Selah带大家走近西方婚礼。
A wedding maybe one of the most important events in life, but different cultures have unique ways to celebrate it. Actually, in China nowadays, we have both traditional Chinese weddings (中式婚礼) and Western-style weddings (西式婚礼). 但是这肯定跟西方国家的婚礼还是有区别的。
So today, we have Selah to share with us some of the authentic wedding customs from Western culture (正宗的西方婚礼习俗).
01. Before the wedding: bachelorette and bachelor parties 婚前的单身派对
Typically, a bride will have a bachelorette weekend (新娘会有一个单身周末) where she goes on a trip or celebrates with all of her closest friends. The groom will also have a bachelor weekend where he does the same (他会做同样的事).
And nowadays, a lot of people do creative activities for these parties. Some may have a themed costume night (主题盛装夜: 人们一般会化装出席,一般扮成 fictional characters --虚拟角色).
他们可能会rent a cabin（租一间小屋），甚至是going to another country。
Selah打算举办一个chill and simple（轻松又简约的）bachelorette（单身派对）。Her bridesmaids (伴娘团) are coming in town a few days before her wedding, and they are all hanging out together in a large Airbnb (在一个大的爱彼迎民宿里)。
Since it’s usually the maid of honor who plans the bachelorette (通常是首席伴娘规划新娘的单身派对), Selah doesn’t know exactly what it will look like. As Maid of Honor, it's your job to ensure you have all activities planned ahead of time (提前计划好所有的活动).
Selah knows that it will be full of quality time and celebration. 比如说outings（郊游）, having dinner。
02. The old traditions at the Western wedding 西方婚礼的老传统
传统的西方婚礼中，新娘在结婚时身上都要有四样东西：something old, something new, something borrowed（借来的东西）, something blue。
There’s actually a meaning behind each of these items. “Something old” represents continuity(延续性), like staying connected to your family or your roots. “Something new” symbolizes optimism (乐观) and hope for the future.
“Something borrowed” is about borrowing happiness, usually from a happily married (已婚的) friend or family member. It’s like sharing their good luck.
Something blue象征purity（纯洁）、love和fidelity（忠诚）. It’s a really old tradition dating back to ancient Rome (古罗马). These traditions are so meaningful.
However, this tradition that has started to phase out (逐渐消失), but still is special to some people.
phase out 逐步淘汰：逐步停止使用
Some are not doing this as much anymore, but it is up to their personal preference (取决于他们的个人喜好).
And for good measure, there’s also a tradition to include “a silver sixpence in her shoe (在她的鞋子里放一个六便士银币).” It’s an old British tradition. The sixpence was meant to bring wealth and good fortune (财富和好运) to the couple’s marriage. 这样的话，在西方的传统中，新娘应该是要准备5样东西了。
03. Where the ceremony happens? 婚礼仪式在哪里举办？
Western weddings can take place in a variety of places, like a church (教堂), a beach, a garden, or even a private venue (私人场所).
It’s pretty different from a Chinese wedding nowadays, which is usually held at a hotel or at home (在酒店或者家里举行).
在一些西方国家，婚礼仪式（the ceremony）一般会在一个 church 里举行。而the reception（招待会）会在一个hall or banquet room（大厅或宴会厅）这样的地方。
banquet /ˈbæŋkwɪt/ n. 宴会厅
现在，中国婚礼一般都是ceremony和reception在一起进行了，仪式进行完之后就可以宴请宾客了，也许在这一点上我们是有区别的。
Where is Selah planning to hold her wedding?
Selah: “For me personally, I am going to have my wedding in a family friend’s backyard (后院)! It is going to be outdoors and more simple than a huge wedding venue (大型婚礼会场).”
Being surrounded by nature must make the whole atmosphere feel so peaceful and special. 一定很自然也很温馨。
04. Giving cash or gifts? 随份子还是买礼物？
In the West, guests often buy a gift from the couple’s wedding registry (婚礼礼物登记) instead of giving cash.
Selah has a wedding registry with essentials (必需品) that she wants to start their life together-like kitchen supplies (厨房用品), house decorations(房屋装饰), tools, furniture (家具) etc.
在收到这些礼物之后，新人一般会write thank you cards (写感谢卡) to everyone who gifted them money or gifts off their registry.
05. How do they send wedding invitations? 婚礼请柬怎么发？
Often, people will send out “Save the Date (预留日期)” cards to people to tell them to mark that day on their calendars (告诉人们在日历上标出这一天). 也是为了让人们给这一天预留出时间。
Then, they will send invitations (发请柬), with a website or QR code on the back (背面有网站或二维码) that directs (引导) people to more information. It’s quite convenient these days.
06. Unforgettable moments during the ceremony 婚礼仪式上的难忘时刻
On the wedding day, one of the traditions in the U.S. is the “First Look (第一眼).” This is a private moment when the groom sees the bride in her wedding dress before the ceremony (这是新郎在婚礼仪式前看到新娘穿着婚纱的私密时刻). It’s often very emotional (激动人心).
Another fun tradition is the bouquet toss (扔手捧花)! The bride throws her bouquet over her shoulder to a crowd of single women, and whoever catches it is said to be the next to get married (据说接到手捧花的单身女性就是下一个步入婚姻殿堂的人).
It is a sign that there will be good luck to come (好运到来) and whoever is single that catches it, will likely get married next.
In many Western weddings, couples write personal vows (个人誓言) to share during the ceremony. They express love, promises, and dreams for their life together. It must take a lot of courage to stand up and share something so personal in front of everyone. But that’s what makes it so beautiful.
These are just a few of the many beautiful and interesting wedding traditions from Western culture.
请在评论区告诉我们：
What else wedding traditions in the West do you know about (你还知道西方有哪些婚礼的习俗呢)?
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主播：Wendi（中国）+ Erin（美国）
歌曲： HOT TO GO
现在，在国外TikTok上，有一个很火的Chinese challenge（中文挑战），已经成为了一个new trend，今天我们就来聊一聊这个话题。
01.“说中文挑战”是怎么一回事？
在TikTok上，现在有一个“Mandarin Fruit Voices”（用中文说水果名）的挑战，游戏玩法是say the names of fruits in Mandarin to pass levels（说对了水果的中文名就可以过关）。大家都在努力地模仿翻译软件里的中文发音来闯关，真的很搞笑。
It sounds easy, but if you don’t know Mandarin, it can get pretty wild. TikTok’s been full of foreigners trying to say “mango” or “banana”, and some of the mispronunciations (错误的发音) are hilarious. 因为英文和中文拼音的拼读很多是不一样的，比如芒果的“果”好像在英文里没有完全对应的发音。Also, 芒果and mango sound so similar, people can get really confused.
People are accidentally calling mango “man gou”, and banana sometimes becomes “shang zhao”. “猕猴桃”也是非常有挑战的一个词。It has three characters, probably the most challenging one.
Mandarin is tough for almost anyone who didn’t grow up speaking it. There are four main tones (四个声调), and mixing them up changes the meaning. 声调不仅对外国人来说很难，哪怕是中国刚学习拼音的小孩子也会被音调难哭。
另一个比较难的点是pronunciation（发音）。It’s different from anything they’re used to in English.有些中文的发音也是其他语言里没有的，比如“香蕉”这两个字的声母“x”和“j”，在英文里是没有这两个音的。
Trying to say even basic phrases can lead to funny moments, which makes for great TikTok content. It’s fascinating, challenging, and often hilarious (很搞笑). 对于中文母语者而言，it’s so funny to watch people trying so hard to speak your language。
Chinese challenge is more than just a language trend. People are genuinely interested in Chinese culture, and they want to learn through these challenges. Also, TikTok makes it so easy to share successes and struggles, so people really get into it. TikTok这种社交媒体氛围非常轻松，经常就会带起这种“中文热”甚至是“中国文化热”。
It’s great because even when they struggle, they just laugh it off or try again. And for Mandarin speakers, it’s super entertaining! 中文母语者在看这些视频的时候会觉得很搞笑。Even some Chinese-speaking users are joining in to give pronunciation tips to help others beat the game. 有些会说中文的人也参与挑战录制了视频，来给其他人做参考。That’s better because the translator may not be so helpful sometimes.
其实通过挑战不是最重要的，重要的是give it a go (尝试), and just have fun with it。Perfection isn’t the point—it’s about trying something new. 让参与者对其他文化好奇，以及愿意去了解其他文化也是这个游戏的意义之一。
02. TikTok上还有哪些和中国有关的元素很流行？
Besides the language challenge, there are other Chinese-inspired trends on TikTok, too.
# Get Ready With Me
One of Erin’s favorites is the Get Ready With Me in Chinese trend. 就是用视频记录自己出门前的准备。There are some influencers that speak a limited amount of Chinese (说着有限的中文) whether they learned in school or they are Chinese Americans (美籍亚裔), and they make the popular GRWM videos, but they speak Chinese the whole time (视频全程都在说中文).
It’s really fun to watch and often surprising how good they are at getting their point across (使自己的观点得到理解). Even if they don’t know the word for something, they figure out a way to describe it in Chinese using words they do know. 其实这对我们学习其他语言的人也是一个很好的建议，有时候在进行口语表达的时候会担心有不会说的单词，但其实没关系，我们也可以用别的方式把它描述出来。这样能让我们更大胆地开口说。
#Chinese food trends
中国的美食实在是太多了，特别像boba tea（奶茶），hot pot（火锅）这些在国外都比较火。
#Chinese-style makeup
People in the west call it “Douyin Makeup” and it is pretty popular to recreate it right now. 中式妆容在TikTok上也非常火。
It’s a style that typically involves the use of shimmery eyeshadows (闪闪发光的眼影), really really pink blush (粉嫩的腮红), and lips with a soft, blurred (模糊的) finish. It puts a lot of emphasis on the eye make-up, and netizens are often stunned (被惊艳到) by how beautiful and ethereal the people look. It’s very different from makeup popular in other Asian countries, because it’s very bold and bright (很大胆夸张、明亮).
It’s great seeing people get inspired and bring a bit of Chinese culture into their own style. That’s the fun of living in such a globalized and diverse world where you can expose yourself to so many different culture (置身于不同的文化之中).
请留言告诉我们：
你还知道哪些在外网上比较火的Chinese-inspired trends？
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主播：Flora（中国）+ Selah（美国）
歌曲： I Count on Me
Today, we will discuss life lessons (人生道理) about interpersonal relationships (人际关系). 有哪些人际关系的道理是你现在才悟到的？
Almost every problem in the world can be traced back to relationships (世界上几乎每一个问题都可以追溯到人际关系). Whether it’s misunderstandings, conflicts, or even broader societal issues (更广泛的社会问题), it all often starts with how we connect with one another.
其实relationship这个词不光是指romantic relationship（恋爱关系），还包括friendships（朋友关系）, relationships with your family and co-workers（家庭关系和同事关系）等等。这些都是属于interpersonal relationships（人际关系）。
01. Always be sincere 永远保持真诚
Sincerity is the foundation of building a relationship (建立人际关系的基础). 你要向别人display your sincerity (展示你的真诚)，关键在于你是否真的真诚待人。Basically, sincere people really mean the things they say.
This means that when you care for someone, you really care and not just try to gain something from your relationship with them. You care about them as a human being, and want what’s best for them (你关心的是他们的人格，并希望他们得到最好的).
Flora thinks it's a quite valuable quality, especially nowadays when some people are no longer willing to remain honest and tell the truth in many situations. Sometimes they just create a persona (塑造一个人设) for themselves to be liked by others. But that's not who they really are.
Just show them your true self; those who like you will naturally be drawn to you. And it's also important to talk about your true feelings and thoughts, both positive and negative. But some may just feel ashamed to talk about these sometimes (但有些人有时会觉得羞于启齿).
They might have all sorts of concerns (担忧), like what others think of them. But it can really let each other know where your relationship is headed in the future (让彼此知道你们关系的走向). How you feel in a relationship matters, and it determines whether or not you want to stay in the relationship (决定了你是否想要留在这段关系中).
Flora wasn't very good at expressing her feelings, but then she realized that doing so has so many benefits. 比如说简单的一句“今天和你玩得很开心”就会让对方收到一个正向的信号，这意味着你们的关系可能在向好的方向发展。
Similarly, alert the other person when you feel offended (感受到被冒犯) and tell them how you feel, which will prevent them from hurting you and your relationship further, even though they may not mean to (即使对方不是故意这样做的).
02. Communication is the key 沟通是关键
Being able to communicate effectively is an invaluable skill (很宝贵的技能). 世界上绝大部分问题是由人际关系引起的，而其中靠沟通能解决的问题其实是占很多的。You need to be able to communicate what you want, need, feel or think to someone else.
Otherwise there can be miscommunications (误解) that lead to walls being built in this relationship (在这段关系中造成隔阂). 有时候换位思考也达不到和解的时候，可能是别人不知道你的需求是什么。这时候能破冰的一点就是：You need to communicate what you want, need directly：Conform? Apology? Help? Or something.
Good communication can take time and practice especially as you learn the communication style of that person (尤其是当你了解了对方的沟通方式之后), but it is important.
不过大家可能还担心的一个点是："I want to express my needs directly, but what if he or she thinks I'm just being too sensitive or high-maintenance (太敏感或者让人耗神了)?" 但是，如果对方真的在乎你以及你们的关系的话，只要你的需求是合理的，他大概率应该是不会这么想的。
If someone actually tells you, 'You're just too sensitive,' and expresses that they can't accept your feelings, then congratulations—now you know that this relationship isn't right for you. Maybe they are just gaslighting (煤气灯操纵). 遇上这种人的话你要考虑一下你们的关系了。Maybe this relationship isn't right for you.
•gaslight vt. <非正式> PUA，心理操控使人产生自我怀疑
Part of learning to communicate is also learning to accept and respect differences (接受和尊重差异). Just because someone is different from you, does not mean they are bad or weird. They are just different.
It is important to know that someone sees something differently and learn how to accept it and accommodate (适应) it, just like you would want someone to do for you.
03. Interpersonal relationships must be maintained 人际关系是需要维持的
Especially in today's fast-paced lifestyle, it's easy for us to overlook the maintenance of our relationships (很容易忽视对关系的维持). Especially as an adult, they require investment (需要投入)- time and effort.
If you are not watering a seed, how do you expect it to grow into a flower? Even when it became a flower, you had to fertilize (施肥) it, water it, and even catch bugs sometimes.
04. Relationships without personal boundaries won't last long.
没有边界感的关系是不会长久的。
You should put time and effort to invest, but at the same time, you have to heave boundaries to protect others and yourself. 有时候我们遇到一些和自己特别聊得来的人就容易忘记一些boundaries（边界）。
But it's these boundaries that can keep your relationship stable. That's why it's important to gradually learn their boundaries and demonstrate your own (了解他们的界限并展示自己的界限) when dealing with others. 这样双方就都会在一种很舒服的状态下沟通了。
Selah has some relationships that take more out of her and take away from her life, in which case she needs to set boundaries. Actually, boundaries have always existed within us; it's just that when they're constantly being crossed, we feel the need to make them clearer (只是当它们不断被跨越时，我们觉得有必要让它们更加清晰).
Another similar one is don't compromise your principles for them (不要在自己的原则上有所妥协). 大胆展示自己的原则，对方才会知道和你交谈的范围在哪，而不是疯狂踩雷。
05. Relationships: it’s good to consider quality over quantity 注重质量胜于数量
Our time and energy are limited. You cannot be best friends with everyone. When you feel that maintaining relationships has taken too much of your energy and time, maybe you should consider which ones are unnecessary.
When thinking about relationships, it’s good to consider quality over quantity. So sometimes you may need to have fewer friends to cultivate good and meaningful ones.
A bunch of acquaintances may not measure up to a true friend (一群泛泛之交可能比不过一个真正的朋友).
Thank you for joining us as we explored these insights together. We hope you feel inspired to cultivate deeper, more meaningful relationships (培养更深层次、更有意义的人际关系) in your life. Until next time, take care and keep fostering those connections!
请在评论区告诉我们：有哪些人际交往的道理是你后来才悟到的？
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主播：Flora（中国）+ Erin（美国）
歌曲： I Count on Me
今天我们要聊一个非常有趣并且比较深刻的话题，关于一些看似流行但其实可以被视为toxic (有毒) 的建议。
Today, we’re unpacking some of these popular “toxic” suggestions and exploring a healthier, more realistic way (更健康、更现实的方法) to approach them.
This isn’t to say all advice is bad (并不是说所有的建议都是不好的), but it’s crucial to recognize when advice doesn’t quite apply to your own situation.
01. “Just be yourself.” 做你自己。
It sounds positive. 但是这句话省略了一个非常重要的premise（前提）that is you’re already self-aware and respectful of others (你建立了自我意识和对他人的尊重). The problem with this advice is that it implies any version of yourself is perfect (任何时候的你自己都是完美的) just as it is.
But personal growth is about identifying areas where we can improve, not just accepting everything at face value (从表面上看). Growth is about learning, progress and transformation (转变) and going beyond yourself. 片面地理解这句话可能会lead you astray (让你误入歧途)。
So, instead of using “be yourself” as a blanket excuse, think of it as “be the best version of yourself (做最好的自己).” Ask yourself, “Am I truly living up to my potential (发挥了我的潜力吗)? Is this really my best self?”
02. “Show them what they’re missing.” 做出点什么让他们看看。
This is the idea of proving others wrong by showing them you can succeed. 但是如果你的动力是建立在向别人证明自己的基础上，actually the mindset can become toxic.
If your motivation is solely to get validation (仅仅是为得到认可) or prove something to others, then your success isn’t really for you (你的成功不是真正为了自己), is it?
Live for yourself, guys. If you think their assertions (断言) are ridiculous and toxic, just stay away from them. Not all people are careful with their words (审慎发言), but you don't have to take responsibility for their mistakes.
一种更健康的说法是“Achieve your goals because they matter to you, not as a form of revenge or validation.” Let your accomplishments be something that fulfills you—not something that proves a point (而不是证明观点的东西).
03. “Why are you sad? You have everything to be happy about.” 明明有值得高兴的一切，为什么要难过呢？
Flora thinks, to a certain extent, the person who said it is demeaning other people's emotions (贬低别人的情绪). Because no one can fully empathize with someone else (完全感同身受), we never have the right to judge how they really feel.
It implies that external circumstances should control your emotions (意味着外部环境应该控制着你的情绪). 但是情绪并不是这样运作的。This kind of advice can make people feel ashamed of their sadness. But it’s just a natural emotion. So don’t ignore and disrespect your true feelings.
We should recognize that it’s okay to feel down even if things seem fine on the surface. Emotions aren’t something you can rationalize away (合理化)—they’re valid and deserve to be acknowledged (值得被承认).
Instead “Allow yourself to feel what you feel without judgment. Acknowledge it and give yourself the space to work through it.” Then your emotions feel taken care of. Sometimes you think that ignoring your emotions will save you more time, when in reality it will only accumulate more problems (积累更多的问题).
04. “Follow your passion.” 跟随你的激情。
Sounds good, right? But sometimes, this advice can actually be misleading (误导性的).
Flora has heard a lot of successful entrepreneurs say this. It’s often well-intentioned (出于好意的) but it always seems like the reason why people find this quote valid isn't because all those who follow passion can be successful, it's that those who follow passion and aren't successful don't have a voice (而是那些追随激情而不成功的人没有发言权).
并不是每个人的热情都与一个stable career（稳定的职业生涯）或他们的技能相一致，这可能会导致很多frustration（挫折）。
Pursuing your interests is great, but sometimes it’s more practical to look for a balance—finding a job that’s fulfilling but also realistic in terms of earning potential and job prospects (收入潜力和工作前景). 梦想和热忱是要有的，但也要建立在生活的基础之上。
Sometimes we discover new passions while working in a field. You might start out in something practical, and then realize you love certain aspects of it that you wouldn’t have considered otherwise (意识到你喜欢某些你不会考虑的方面). This gives you the chance to enjoy what you do while also having stability (稳定).“Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.”
Maybe what you felt was against your heart is exactly what you love. There are some things that you don't appreciate until you do them. 有些领域是真正接触后才会感受到它的魅力。所以关键就在于你有没有真正踏实去做。
So, rather than blindly following passion, maybe the better advice would be to find purpose in what you do and keep space for personal growth outside of work too (也为工作之外的个人成长留空间).
You might find a mix of stability and interest that actually works better in the long run (把兴趣和稳定性相结合才是长远之计).
05. “Failure is not an option.” 没有失败这个选项。
没有失败这个选项，也就是只许成功不许失败了。听起来有一种破釜沉舟的决心。
It sounds so determined and tough (坚定而强硬), but if we’re honest, failure is almost always an option—and often the most available one.
Flora doesn't believe there should be anyone in the world who hasn't had a failure. Failure is something that is so common that if we don't allow ourselves to experience it, then it can be a huge blow (巨大的打击) to you when it does happen. 因为你假设自己能够成功但是却没有为失败做任何准备。
As Steven Crowder once said, failure is usually “the easiest and most readily available option.” Trying to pretend it doesn’t exist just isn’t realistic (试图假装它不存在是不现实的), and it doesn’t make you any more likely to succeed (这也不会让你更有可能成功).
A better way to look at it might be, “Failure is likely, but the odds of success increase when you try (失败很有可能，但如果你尝试，成功的几率会增加).”
Flora also has a favorite quote that is very similar to this one: the opposite of success is not failure, it's doing nothing (成功的反面不是失败，而是什么都不做). 总之也是鼓励大家不要惧怕失败，只要尝试就会有成功的可能。
Accepting failure as part of the process can actually be motivating. When you recognize that success often takes multiple tries (成功往往需要多次尝试), failure just becomes part of the learning curve, not some terrible end.
Knowing this will bring you closer to the truth, rather than being deceived by the lies you create (被自己的谎言欺骗). And that’s a mindset shift that helps. It turns failure into something manageable, rather than something you avoid at all costs (而不是一些你不惜一切代价避免的东西).
So, next time you hear popular advice, take a moment to consider how it applies to you. Just because advice sounds good doesn’t mean it’s always good.
Popular advice may be very eye-catching (引人注目的), but it may not always be right for you (不一定是适合你的).
That’s the key—make sure advice aligns with your values and goals. It’s okay to question (质疑) what you hear and even to reject advice if it doesn’t feel right for you.
树立自己良好的values（价值观）会让我们更有判断力，不会人云亦云、随波逐流。
Remember, the best guide for your life is your own informed perspective (你自己的知情视角). Thanks for joining today! Until next time, keep thinking, keep questioning.
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主播：Maelle（法国）+Selah（美国）
歌曲：I Count on Me
今天梅莉和Selah要聊一聊“what they miss about China”! 到国外后最想念中国的什么。
Selah has not been back to China since she moved to the US in 2019, so it has been a long time. Maelle has been back a few times, since her family still lives in China. China is considered Selah’s childhood home, so she has many fond memories and nostalgia (怀念).
Maelle在国外和她的中国朋友说她准备“回国”时，他们都会笑，因为Maelle虽然是外国人，但是她说的回国也是中国。China is truly home for Maelle.
What do they miss most after leaving China？
01. China's Cuisine & Convenient Lifestyle 中国的美食和便捷的生活方式
Selah misses food being delicious, fresh, and cheap. When Maelle really misses Asian food, she finds it quite hard to find good and reasonably priced places (价格合理的地方). 在国外找好的中餐厅真的不容易，而且价格会比中国贵。
In the US, food is often very processed (大量加工), and eating out can be very expensive. In France they have really good food. Maelle would not complain on that, but it can be quite expensive for sure, especially coming from China.
Besides food, Selah also misses public transportation. 在中国想去任何地方可以乘公共交通工具and it is very easy! You can take a bus, metro (地铁), taxi and so much more.
It is so different in the states. 在美国公共交通不是特别的方便。In the US, everyone has to have their own car. 除了大城市like New York or Los Angeles, 其他地方必须得有自己的交通工具。It’s not so convenient.
This is something Maelle really misses about China, how quickly and convenient everything is. 梅莉觉得在中国生活真的很方便, like ordering food, and all the services such as滴滴, 达达, 代驾, and so much more. It is cheap, fast, easily accessible (容易获取) and makes life so much easier.
02. Chinese Healthy Lifestyle and Hospitality 中国人健康的生活方式和待客之道
Selah really misses the ability to walk everywhere. In the US, she mostly sits, either at her desk at work or in her car. Selah感觉中国人每天walk so much everywhere, this has to be so much healthier!
Maelle really misses going to the parks in the morning or at night in China and seeing the older people dancing and exercising. She always found it to be so wholesome (有益健康). This isn’t something she sees old people do in France. 在中国，梅莉经常会看到老人早上在公园里健身，晚上跳广场舞，真的很有意思，而且很健康！
Something Selah also misses is how welcoming Chinese people are towards foreigners. They always want to have a conversation with her. Maelle definitely misses the hospitality (热情好客) in China. 梅莉觉得中国人的待客之道非常好，她非常喜欢这一点。
When Selah lived in China, she would get many questions every time she left the house like, “你是哪里人？你怎么会说中文？你在这儿住了多久？你更喜欢美国还是中国？你喜欢吃饺子吗？”
Maelle would have very similar experiences. She always finds it so nice to be able to start a conversation and get to know people. They are very approachable (平易近人).
Selah said people in the US are kind and welcoming, but they can sometimes look intimidating or unapproachable (令人生畏或难以接近). It can be like that in France as well.
03. Interesting Traditions of Chinese Festivals 中国节日的有趣传统
China has many holidays, like 中秋节，端午节，春节 with many traditions. The US has holidays and traditions, but they have a shorter history. There are so many fun activities during the holidays, it is always so fun to participate.
Selah misses the red decorations (装饰品) around 春节 and the traditions like 红包 and 包饺子.
Maelle totally agrees. And she thinks that how everyone gathers to set fireworks is so special!
Selah misses hearing fireworks for holidays. They are not allowed where she lives other than New Years and the 4thof July.
They are not allowed in France either. Maelle doesn’t see them often expect for special occasions (除了特殊场合). 在美国和法国，她们不是经常可以看到烟花，在中国尤其是过节的时候放烟花都是很热闹的时刻。
04. Changes and Constancy in Chinese Cities 中国城市的变与不变
Maelle really misses speaking Chinese everyday. Selah does not use it as much anymore.
Maelle also misses the dynamic pace of development (充满活力的发展步伐) in China. There is always something changing. Cities in China are always evolving, with new buildings, restaurants, and innovations popping up (突然出现). It is always exciting and you don’t know what might pop up next!
Lastly, the 24/7 availability (全天候服务). In France, everything is basically closed on Sundays, and shop hours are quite limited. Maelle really misses how in China, food delivery (外卖), shops, and restaurants are always open. It’s great for emergencies or spontaneous plans (紧急情况或临时计划)—there’s always something open (总有营业的地方)！
There are some places like that in the US, but it is mostly fast food and even then, they will usually close after midnight (在午夜后关门).
After the conversation today, they miss China even more! If you have any questions or comments feel free to comment below !
请在评论区告诉我们：你还想听梅莉和Selah聊什么话题呢？
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主播：Flora（中国）+ Erin（美国）
歌曲：Double Trouble
我们今天来聊聊最近在全球重映的魔法题材系列电影——Harry Potter。
It has captured the hearts of millions worldwide (俘获了全世界数百万人的心). Even now, with the re-release (重映) of the films, fans—both old and new—are flocking to (涌向) cinemas to relive the magic (重温).
前几天Flora订票的时候发现Harry Potter的放映厅位置爆满。You really had to scramble to get the best seats (抢最佳观影位置) for the movie!
It’s the same thing in the U.S. Erin knows a lot of people would seat in theaters for hours on end, watch like an entire marathon of the movies (很多人会在影院里一坐就是几个小时，就像看一整部马拉松式的电影一样). So Today, we’re breaking down the top reasons (首要原因) why Harry Potter remains so beloved.
01. The relatability of its characters 角色的亲和力
They’re real, flawed (有缺点的), and far from perfect. 让人觉得没有距离感。In fact, there are actually a lot of movies and TV shows that simplify (简化) the characters and their emotions.
We see them deal with everyday problems, especially as teens and young adults. They aren’t portrayed (被描绘) as overly mature (过度成熟)—they are as messy and unsure as we were at their age.
And it perfectly reflects the everyday challenges that we face as teenagers. From Harry’s insecurities (不安全感) to Hermione’s perfectionism (完美主义) and Ron’s feelings of inadequacy (不自信), these are issues we’ve all faced.
相信这些是大家经历过的事情，所以我们很容易resonate with them（与他们产生共鸣）。That authenticity (真实性) makes us connect with them on a personal level.
02. A magical world intertwined with reality 与现实交织的魔法世界
Another reason the series feels so magical is how the wizarding world (魔法世界) is intertwined (交织) with our own. It’s not some completely distant, far-off place. Instead, the magical world runs parallel to our reality (与现实平行).
This makes a lot of kids believe in Hogwarts (霍格沃茨) even more. 所以很多孩子到了11岁的时候会期待收到来自Hogwarts的录取通知。
It seems like magic could actually be hidden around the corner. You can almost imagine bumping into (撞见) a wizard in Diagon Alley (对角巷) or stumbling onto (偶然发现) Platform 9¾ (9¾站台) at King’s Cross (国王十字). That connection makes it feel closer and more real.
03. Distinctive school divisions 独特的学院划分
In fact, Hogwarts itself is another huge draw (巨大的吸引力). 他们没有按照教授的内容去划分学院，而是按照学生的traits and characteristics（特征和特性）。It is unlike traditional magical schools at all.
Gryffindors (格兰芬多) are known for their bravery, Ravenclaws (拉文克劳) for their intelligence, Hufflepuffs (赫奇帕奇) for their loyalty, and Slytherins (斯莱特林) for their ambition. It’s not just about learning magic—it’s about belonging to a group that reflects who you are.
找到一个属于你的群体会帮你建立a sense of belonging（一种归属感）。Wherever in Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff or Slytherin, you will all find a place where you belong.
Fans love imagining which house they’d be sorted into (被分到哪个学院). It’s more than (不仅仅是) just a school; it’s a home where your values and traits are recognized and celebrated (这是一个让你的价值观和特质得到认可和庆祝的家). Anywhere on the internet that mentions Harry Potter, you see people discussing what house they are.
Flora did a Personality Test-Which Hogwarts House Are You in (你在哪个霍格沃茨的学院里)?
Basically, you need to do some multiple choice questions (多选题) where you'll get points for each option, and at the end you'll need to add up the points. 一个分数区间会对应一个霍格沃茨学院。
大家如果对这个测试感兴趣也可以去搜一下：Which Hogwarts House Are You in? If you're interested in MBTI 16 personality, you must be very much the same with this one.
04. The stunning visuals 令人惊叹不已的视觉效果
Like Gloucester Cathedral (格洛斯特大教堂——位于英格兰南部的格洛斯特郡) and Alnwick Castle(阿尼克城堡——位于英格兰东北部的诺森伯兰郡), it makes them even more special.
These places are not just CGI (computer-generated imagery)—they have history, depth, and character. This makes them more relatable and appealing.
05. Memorable quotes 令人难忘的名言
It’s like magic brought to life (魔法被赋予了生命). Harry Potter最powerful（强大）也是最伟大的地方就在于它教会我们的life lessons（人生教训），it’s about love, friendship, and loyalty（爱、友谊和忠诚）。These values that transcend gender, race, and age.
和我们大多数人一样，他们一开始只是nobodies（无名小卒）。Over the course of the series (在这个系列中), they grow, face incredible challenges, and mature in ways we can all admire. 也许这才是我们普通人崇拜的英雄。
It’s a story of resilience (坚韧) and growth. No matter who you are or where you start, you can become something greater through courage, friendship, and perseverance. They're all precious treasures in life.
Finally, the series is packed with memorable quotes(充满了令人难忘的名言) that stick with (继续跟着) you long after you’ve closed the book or left the theater.
Like Dumbledore (邓布利多)’s wisdom: “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live (人不要依赖梦想而忘记生活).”
Or “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light (即便在最黑暗的时候，也可以找到幸福，只要你记得开灯).”
“We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are (每个人内心都有光明与阴暗的一面，重要的是我们如何选择，那才是真正的我们).”
These lines aren’t just magical—they’re reminders of how we can approach life (对待生活). 它们讲述了the struggles we all face and the choices we make。
That’s why we love Harry Potter so much. It’s the characters we relate to, the magical world that feels so close, the life lessons that guide us, and the quotes that stay with us forever.
Whether you’re watching the re-release in theaters or picking up the books for the hundredth time, Harry Potter’s magic never fades (哈利·波特的魔法永不褪色). 他会一直提醒我们：friendship, bravery, and staying true to ourselves（友谊、勇气和忠于自己），这三样东西是何其宝贵。
06. Online reviews of the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone movie
接下来是来自Rotten Tomatoes“烂番茄网站”的一些影评。
（1）《哈利·波特》系列电影是少有的违背 “原著总是更好 ”这一观点的系列电影。
（2）看到孩子们自己动手、智胜同龄人和成年人、战胜强敌，总是令人激动不已。
（3）......第一部电影还算不错（decent-enough），很好地建立了罗琳笔下令人印象深刻的细腻世界和人物形象。
If you love Harry Potter as much as we do, share your favorite reason with us. Thanks for joining us today. Until next time, keep the magic alive (让魔法永存)!
请在评论区告诉我们：你觉得《哈利·波特》系列电影怎么样？
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主播：Flora（中国）+ Erin（美国）
歌曲：Out There
我们来聊一个在不同文化背景下都能引起人们共鸣的一个话题—anxiety（焦虑）。
Anxiety is something most of us experience regularly. Whether it's work, school, relationships, or the day-to-day stress of life, anxiety tends to creep in (悄悄蔓延). 真的是生活的方方面面都有可能滋生焦虑。
关于处理anxiety，大家有想过：不去fight it（和它做对抗），而是和它make peace（和平相处）吗？Today, we’ll talk about how to accept and manage anxiety in a healthier way (今天，我们将讨论如何以一种更健康的方式来接受和管理焦虑).
01. Sources and Manifestation of Anxiety 焦虑的来源和表现
Anxiety can come from all kinds of sources. Relationships, work, school, and just navigating (驾驭) life can all contribute. It’s not uncommon to feel like we’re constantly juggling too much at once (我们经常会觉得自己要同时处理太多事情).
But anxiety isn’t just about what's going on around us; it affects us in various ways. We might feel physical symptoms (身体上的症状)—like a racing heart (心跳加速) or tension (紧张)—or find ourselves stuck in cycles of worry (陷入了一个无限担忧的循环中).
And that brings us to the heart of today’s discussion: how can we effectively manage anxiety (如何有效地管理焦虑)?
We’ll explore techniques like cognitive restructuring (认知重组), journaling (写日记), and brainstorming solutions (头脑风暴解决方案) to help manage those overwhelming feelings.
02. The Right Mindset 正确的心态
It’s important to recognize that these sources are part of being human, not something we need to completely eliminate (需要完全消除). But, how we react to them makes a huge difference.
Flora can relate to that on a personal level. There was a time when she tried to tackle her anxiety head-on, thinking that if she just fought it hard enough, it would go away. But then she realized that the more she resisted her anxiety, the stronger it seemed to become.
Eventually, she learned to acknowledge her feelings instead of battling them (承认自己的感受而不是压抑). She thinks this is a very important mindset for us to have when dealing with anxiety.
03. How to Manage Anxiety Effectively？如何有效管理焦虑？
(1) Cognitive Restructuring (认知重组)
To manage anxiety, one key approach is challenging our thoughts. 其实很多时候我们的认知或者想法和事实是有很大差距的。With a little bit of reasoning (稍做推理), you may find that the truth is actually far from what you thought.
进行认知重组的时候可以问自己一些问题：Is my worry logical（我的担心是符合逻辑的吗）? What’s the evidence behind it（这背后有证据吗）? 总之就是不要让你的emotion（情绪）占据自己的大脑。
You might find that a lot of what you’re anxious about is unlikely to happen, or that you’re exaggerating the problem in your mind (你夸大了心中的问题).
(2) Journaling (写日记)
Writing things down helps make the problem feel more concrete and manageable (更加具体和易于管理). When you put your thoughts on paper, it’s easier to break them down and find a solution.
当你有焦虑却不表达的时候，那它就成为了一种abstract feeling (抽象的感受)，会让你觉得it's difficult to manage，这样的话只会加深焦虑。那么这时候通过journaling把它具象化，就会打破你对这种未知抽象的恐惧。
(3) Brainstorming Solutions (头脑风暴解决方案)
When faced with a problem, listing out as many solutions as you can (尽可能多地列出解决方法) is a helpful way to ease anxiety (缓解焦虑). It reduces that feeling of uncertainty and helps you regain a sense of control (找回掌控感).
这个其实是可以刻意练习的。You might feel a bit lost at first, but once you open your mind (打开思路), you'll find that there are at least three solutions to your problem (一个问题至少有三种解决方法). It also calms your mind and helps it think of something else.
04. Classification of Anxiety (焦虑的分类)
(1) Acute Anxiety (急性焦虑)
Sometimes, we have acute anxiety, which comes on suddenly, like before a big presentation (一场大型演讲之前). 此外，在日常生活中大家轮流发言交流自己的想法的时候也有可能产生acute anxiety。So what can we do about this?
在这种情况出现时，deep breathing（深呼吸）or distracting yourself for a short period（短暂地分散一下注意力）都是比较有效的。
如果大家想要直接从源头上减少acute anxiety的话，Flora的建议是：Create more opportunities for yourself to deal with acute anxiety (多给自己创造一些能去应对急性焦虑的机会). 次数累积到一定程度之后，你可能就会惊喜地发现你没有之前那么紧张和焦虑了。
In fact, this method could take a lot of courage in the beginning. But when you actually take that step, you'll realize it's not that hard. It is like exposure therapy (暴露疗法). The more you do it, the less scary it is.
(2) Chronic Anxiety (慢性焦虑)
Chronic anxiety is probably more likely to bother us, and we often have a hard time dealing with it. If it’s chronic anxiety, where the feelings build up over time (随着时间的推移而积累), it’s important to approach it differently.
First, adjust your mindset (调整心态). 千万不要试着去suppress or avoid the anxiety（压抑或者回避焦虑），这只会适得其反。
其实anxiety是大脑对我们的一种保护。When we feel anxious, it's our brain reminding us to react ahead of time to unknown dangers (提醒我们提前对未知的危险做出反应) so we can better protect ourselves.
Whether we are humans or other animals, when faced with a threat we either choose to run or fight. Either choice requires our bodies to function at maximum capacity (都需要我们的身体发挥最大功能) to protect us from harm.
自古以来都是这样的。产生焦虑并不是错误，而且是我们身体的一种protective mechanism（保护机制）。
After realizing this, you can consistently do things that boost your mood (持续地做一些能改善情绪的事情). It could be exercising, connecting with loved ones, or taking breaks during stressful moments.
By balancing out life’s negatives with positive actions, you’ll prevent anxiety from becoming overwhelming. 当你生活中积极的事比重变大之后，心情自然也会变好了。
At the end of the day, anxiety is part of life, but it doesn’t have to control us. The key is learning how to approach it with the right mindset (关键是学习如何以正确的心态来处理它), accept it for what it is, and find practical (实用的) ways to manage it.
So next time you feel anxious, remember: you don’t need to fight it. Instead, try to make peace with it (尝试和它和解), understand where it’s coming from, and use the tools we talked about today to take back control. And remember, it's perfectly okay to seek support (寻求帮助), whether from friends, family, or professionals.
We hope today’s episode helps you feel more empowered to face anxiety head-on and find balance in your life.
欢迎在评论区告诉我们：你都有哪些管理焦虑的方法呢？
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主播：翩翩（中国）+Selah（美国）
歌曲：Like I Loved You
最近外网有个话题被热议：
什么东西极大地改善了你的心理状态？（What massively improved your mental health?）
01 运动 Exercising
运动真是让人又爱又恨。It sucks at how well it works.
然而，心情低落的时候，运动是最不想做的事（when you are depressed, exercising is the last thing you feel like doing.）
但又是真有效果。所以说it sucks at how well it works.
坚持锻炼带来的精神状态改善是其他任何方法都比不上的。Nothing else has much of a positive effect on your mental health as regular exercise.
02 养宠物 Having petsMany people think having pets helped their mental health. 因为life can be lonely, 宠物可以给到陪伴。It makes life a little easier. 让孤独的日子能好过一点。
“其实我有一个心理体验，就是在低谷期时，可以选择将一部分心力拿出来，去照料植物、动物，或者教学生、帮助别人，在这种过程中，会得到一部分自我救赎。”
This might be why having pets can improve mental health.
03 走出去 Getting outside因为外面有大自然。Yes! Nature！
Nature can work wonders for your mental health. 就像梭罗在《瓦尔登湖》所体验的那样，大自然是内心的避难所。
When you realize that so much is alive and around us, it makes you stop and think how small we really are. 天地有大美而不言，身处其中，会时常有这种humbling moments。
前天在一席，翩翩还跟同事开玩笑，说人什么时候会意识到自己有脚？When do people become aware that they have feet?
答案是：脚疼的时候。(When your feet hurt！) 同理，人在痛苦的时候更能意识到“自我”的存在。当人处在大自然中，“自我”会瞬间变渺小，那么人与自我的巨大矛盾也就会平息很多。
04 觉察 Reevaluate what is causing that就是要重新评估一下，什么引发了你的心理危机。
Is it a person in your life? Is it a living situation? 是接触的人？还是生活环境？
现在流行一个词叫做toxic，有毒的。
外媒上的网友建议，首先要远离那种不友好、不公正、人际关系复杂，得不到肯定的工作环境，这种就是有毒的工作环境（a toxic work environment）。
So leave a toxic work environment. 远离有毒的人（Remove toxic people）。
这位外国网友说：
It’s amazing how much your mental health can improve just by removing toxic people from my life. Toxic people bring nothing but negativity to your life.
05 睡足觉 Getting enough sleep睡觉，是被严重低估的精神改善大法！这位国外网友简直是嘴替，他说：我要是十几岁就知道这事儿就好了 （If only I’d realized this in my teens）。
睡眠太重要了。It has a great impact on your day, productivity and mood. 最终影响的是mental health。 长期睡眠不足一定会让人产生精神危机。所以好好睡足觉。
06 停用社交媒体 Putting a stop to social media use但话又说回来了，很多东西又绝对会影响睡眠，比如说 spending too much time on screens or social media （玩太久的电子产品和社交媒体）。
这位外国网友说：我停用社交媒体，改成读纸质书，今年1月份以来我已经读完6本书了，这让我感觉自己棒棒哒。（Putting a stop to my social media use and replacing that time with reading books. I have completed 6 books since the beginning of January. It makes me feel really good about myself.）
大家觉得，什么东西极大地改善了你的心理状态呢？
Selah是：周围环境干净整洁，东西各归各位（keeping everything in its place）。
翩翩是：读书、写作、喝茶、以及教课。
你们呢？So what massively improved your mental health, our dear followers?
请大家留言分享：什么东西极大地改善了你的心理状态？说不定你的经验方法能够帮助到很多人。
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主播：Flora（中国）+Selah（美国）
歌曲：fuzzy wuzzy
今天我们要谈的是：哪些话醍醐灌顶，永久改变了你对生活、对事物的看法？We both have some quotes (名言) that really impacted (影响) our lives and perspectives (观点).
01. “You might be the sweetest peach on the tree, but some people just don't like peaches.”
“你可能是树上最甜的桃子，但是有些人就是不喜欢桃子。” It is a very sweet quote that is also very deep. It reminds Flora of a story:
有一个人很喜欢吃橘子，但是他的父亲不喜欢。No matter how much he tried to tell his father about the benefits of oranges: rich in vitamin C (富含维生素C), or to buy the best variety of oranges (买最好品种的橘子), he just didn't like them. 最后他父亲说了一句话：“再好的橘子我也不喜欢吃，我根本就不喜欢橘子的味道。”
It doesn’t matter if it is the best orange. He wasn’t going to like it. 被每个人喜欢当然是大家都希望发生的。But it's impossible. You may be the sweetest peach or orange, but some people just don't like it, and it's not your fault.
It is impossible to make everyone happy all the time. Some people, you will just never win over to your side (你永远也无法把他们争取到你这边来)!
The quote actually helped Flora get over (克服) her desire to be liked by everyone. She realized she can’t please everyone, and that’s perfectly okay. Instead, she started focusing on becoming someone she herself actually likes. 不要成为别人眼中的你，要成为你眼中的自己。
02. “You cannot control the way someone else reacts.”
“别人的反应并不是你能控制的。” You can only control yourself and how you react to something, not other people.
Don't expect people to always react the way you want them to (不要期待别人总是按照你所希望的那样做出反应). If someone reacts poorly, that is out of your control (那是你无法控制的). But you can reflect and see if you can communicate better next time.
Maybe the only thing we can control in this world is ourselves. 虽然我们不能控制别人的reaction（反应），但是我们可以反思一下下次有没有更好的交流方式。That's what we can and really should do, rather than blaming ourselves.
This is good in any situation and is helpful in friendships, relationships, with your family or in the workplace.
03. “Courage doesn't always roar.”
“勇气并不总是轰轰烈烈的。” Sometimes it is a quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "l will try again tomorrow." Getting back up is the most courageous thing you can do (重新站起来是你能做的最勇敢的事情).
很多时候我们会觉得像电影中的主人公与死神交手的瞬间才算是有“courage（勇气）”，但殊不知生活中大多数的courage都是无声且沉默的，也许那只是一天结束后的暗下决心：“明天再试一次。” 其实内心经历了波涛汹涌之后，你早已成为了生活的勇士。
04. People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
“人们会忘记你说过的话，人们会忘记你做过的事，但人们永远不会忘记你给他们带来的感受。”
We think that what matters is what we do for people the success we achieve (我们取得的成功) and the status we have (拥有的地位). But often it is more about how we relate to and treat other people (我们如何与他人相处和对待他人).
Flora thought the only way she can get people to remember her and want to be friends with her is to make some contribution or achievement (做出一些贡献或成就). But at the end of the day she figured out what really attracts them is our character, the way we treat people (待人的方式).
This is especially true when working with kids. Often kids do not remember their teachers or activities they did, but they do remember how they felt at school.
因为Flora和Selah平时工作都会和一些孩子相处，所以她们有相似的感受。So if you're a teacher or a parent or anyone who has to spend time with kids on a regular basis (需要经常与孩子们相处的人), the way you treat them really matters to them.
05. “You can't blame a blind person for being blind… you just don’t let them drive your car.”
“不要责怪有视力障碍的人看不见，不让他们开你的车就行了。”
It points out that we need to be wise on how to protect ourselves and not just trust anyone to do anything for us. 有时候一些人造成一些事情并不是他们的本意，也许他们就是没有办法理解这些，但是这并不妨碍你采取措施保护自己。
You can be kind to everyone, that is your choice. But at the same time, protect yourself.
06. “When we hit our lowest points is when we are open to the greatest change.”
“当我们达到最低点时，我们就会愿意接受最大的变化。”
Flora would have a strange curiosity when she is at that point in her life: let's see if it can get any worse (这个情况还会更糟吗)? 可能因为那个时候已经没有那么多包袱了。有时候拥有的越多越怕失去。但是当你本身就赤手空拳的时候反而更愿意接受一些改变，承担一些风险。
When Selah looks back on her life, she has grown the most (成长得最多) or made the most positive changes when life was hard (生活艰难的时候). 这个低谷会让你pause（暂停）并reevaluate（重新评估）一下现在的生活。So, take this opportunity to make some positive changes!
There we have it—six powerful quotes. Each of these quotes invites us to reflect on how we see ourselves (思考我们如何看待自己) and how we connect with others (如何与他人沟通).
We’d love to hear from you. 哪些话醍醐灌顶，改变了你对生活的看法？哪些话最能引起你的共鸣呢？Share the quotes and your thoughts in the comments below! Remember, your insights might just inspire someone else (你的见解可能会激励别人), so don't hesitate to share!
我们期待在评论区看到你的分享！
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主播：Wendi（中国）+Selah（美国）
歌曲：Que Sera Sera
今天，我们要讲一个让人振奋精神的话题——resilience（复原力）。
01. 什么是复原力？
Resilience is the process of adapting well (很好地适应) in the face of adversity(困境), trauma(创伤), tragedy(痛苦), threats or significant sources of stress.
The key is that people adapt and change as needed to face these things.
Resilience不仅强调忍耐，更重要的是adapt and change（能够根据情况及时调整和适应），是一种随遇而安的能力。
事情本身不会变得简单，但是我们可以通过不同的responding（应对方式）调整我们的心态。
Highly resilient people are flexible(灵活的), adapt to new circumstances quickly(能迅速适应新环境), and thrive in constant change(在不断的变化中蓬勃发展). Resilience is important because it allows us to grow and learn from hardship(困难), as well as get through it well.
It allows us to live our lives more calmly and peacefully. Like the saying goes, the only constant in the world is change (世界上唯一不变的东西是变化). Since we cannot avoid it, it’s better if we can adapt to it (接受它).
如果复原力比较低的话，当周围事物和人haven’t met your expectations（没有达到你的期望）时，you will easily be annoyed。You will have a worse reaction to change, not be able to handle hardship (应对困难), and be impacted (冲击) by things for a long time.
02. 提升“复原力”的方法
#1 Practice meditation. 练习冥想
冥想时，找一个你觉得舒服的地方，可以是你的房间，也可以是室外的某个地方，只要你能感受到平静、安全和自在就可以。When you are in a state of tranquility（宁静的状态）, your whole mind will be clear and strong. 在冥想中，你会进入心流的状态。It calms your body and soul enough to see through problems and reflect. 冥想能让你看清楚、想明白很多事情，也是一个自省的机会。
It helps you to reset the brain (重启大脑) and find new perspectives (新的视角) towards challenges instead of sweating the small stuff (纠结小事).
#2 Get out in nature. 走进自然
Immersing yourself in nature helps reset your body and clear your mind, just like meditation does. 大自然里的能量是非常高的，所以有的人也会在大自然中做冥想。It provides a good perspective (它提供了一个很好的视角).
#3 Surround yourself with positive and high spirits. 多接触高能量的人或者事物
People often say that you are what you eat, you are who you spend time with, and you are what you surround yourself with. 近朱者赤近墨者黑，多接触高能量的人也能让自己变得更积极。
#4 Move your body. 运动
运动也是一种提高resilience的方法，但更重要的是要做你喜欢的运动。运动过后，your mind will be very quiet and peaceful.
#5 Take time to learn more things. 保持学习
不断地学习，汲取新知识也可以有效提高复原力。Resilience comes from expanding knowledge and skills, either by watching videos, listening to podcasts or reading books. The key is to make a daily habit of continually learning (关键是养成日常不断学习的习惯). 学习新知识不仅能让头脑更清醒，而且会让你有不同的视角去看待事情。
#6 Work from a to-do list. 列日程计划
Resilience comes from seeing positive outcomes(积极结果) from your work. At an early stage, what’s critical to driving success is doing the right work. By creating a priority list (优先级列表) and ruthlessly working from there, you’ll be able to gain momentum(动力) — and build trust in yourself and your process — to overcome obstacles (克服障碍).
#7 Work on becoming immune to rejection. 努力做到对拒绝免疫
To become immune to rejection（对拒绝免疫）就是要能够坦然接受别人的拒绝。
在你听到一声yes之前，you’re going to hear a lot of “no”s。Letting all that rejection slide off your back will help you keep moving forward when times get tough.
总之，你要practice cognitive restructuring（练习认知重构）。It can change the way you think about potentially negative situations (潜在的负面情况) by helping you better understand your feelings of fear or discomfort. The ability to reframe your failures (重新定义失败) as important lessons is what makes a truly resilient leader. 改变面对消极情况的情绪，换一个看待视角，任何事情都会有积极的一面。
Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving (生活本身不会变得更容易或更宽容), but we get stronger and more resilient (而我们可以变得更强大，更有复原力). It just requires us being proactive (积极主动的) on how we want to do this.
困境本身不会变得容易，但我们可以发挥自己的主观能动性，努力提升自己的复原力，提高能量，或者转换视角去更加积极地面对。
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主播：Maelle（法国）+Selah（美国）
歌曲：Colorful
今天的节目是一个special edition（特别版），由Maelle和Selah两位外国主播来聊一下她们在中国成长的经历。
其实她们经常会聊这样的话题，因为她俩都有相似的经历，特别是她们都上过中国学校！So it is indeed really fun to talk about it. Many foreigners in China have had this experience.
（图中间的小女孩为Selah）
They both attended a Chinese school. Maelle started from kindergarten all the way to 5th grade (从幼儿园一直到五年级). Selah attended Chinese kindergarten and then attended primary school (小学) for 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade (从幼儿园一直到三年级).
（梅莉和她的双胞胎妹妹）
01. Unique experiences
Selah said “the first time I felt different is when I realized that I was the only one in the whole school that looked like me (全校没有一个人长得像我一样), and kids used to call me a 芭比娃娃.” (Because Selah has blond hair.)
（小时候的Selah）
“The Chinese teacher would also ask me to help her teach English class for her and even asked me to grade the tests when I was only in 2nd grade (甚至让我在二年级的时候就给考试打分)! I also had a TV station come to school once and interview me (接受电视采访).”
Maelle totally got that: “For me, I think I never really saw myself as different from the other kids, other than physically obviously (除了身体上的明显差别).”
“But I realized when it came to things that holidays and all. Christmas was a big deal for my family. If it happened to be in the middle of the week we would often skip school to celebrate as a family (如果它碰巧是在周中，我们经常会不去学校，然后全家庆祝圣诞节).” “当时我们中国学校的同学都不怎么会特别庆祝这个节日，但是过年的时候当然就不一样了！”
02. Interesting stories on campus 校园趣事
(1) Distinctive appearance 与众不同的外貌
Selah问梅莉：“你还记得第一次上学的时候发生了什么吗？”
Maelle: “The first time I was in Chinese school I do not remember because I was very young, but I remember some of my classmates would touch my hair because it was different, or even ask me to give them a strand of hair because they thought it was gold (有一些同学甚至会问我要一根头发，因为他们以为是金子) haha!”
（梅莉和她的双胞胎妹妹）
Selah: “Me too! They actually did that exact same thing to me, and they would use my hair as bookmarks (书签)… but they would lose it so I would always have to get new ones for them (给他们一根新的), haha! Especially for other little girls, they would touch my eyelashes (眼睫毛) too, and say that it looked like a horse!”
（小时候的Selah）
Maelle agreed: “Since I have a high nose, everyone loved to touch my nose!”
Selah: “I also have a lot of freckles (雀斑) on my face, and they would ask to touch it or whether I was sick with a disease (问是不是我生病了).”
（童年时的Selah）
(2) Cultural differences文化差异
Maelle thinks one of the most memorable parts of school in China was some cultural differences she encountered (她遇到的文化差异).
“我们小时候掉牙的时候会把掉的牙齿放在枕头下面，然后会得到钱，当然那是爸爸妈妈给我们的，但是我们不知道。我们以为是tooth fairy（牙仙子：传说中如果儿童把脱落的牙齿放在枕下，牙仙子会在他们睡着时把牙齿取走，留下硬币）。”
“So we would tell our Chinese classmates to do the same!” “但是因为在中国没有这个传统，所以很多家长没有这个做法。她们有朋友会尝试但不会告诉他们的爸爸妈妈，所以他们不会得到钱，就会觉得很奇怪。”
“They would come back to school and tell us about it and we would think it was very weird as well (我们也会觉得很奇怪). But now it’s just really funny to think about it because there clearly was a cultural difference there haha!”
Selah: “This is the same for Christmas, as we did Santa and Christmas gifts (我们做了圣诞老人和圣诞礼物), but other Chinese kids did not celebrate this. I had to learn that just because something was normal for me, does not mean it was for them (对我来说习以为常的事，并不意味着对他们也是)!”
Maelle: “Exactly, I had the same thing happen to me and it was really confusing as a child (作为一个孩子会很困惑).
(3) “We're all the same (其实我们都一样).”
Selah: “ But because I attended Chinese school for many years, I thought this was normal and did not really think about the fact that I was different (并没有真正觉得我与众不同). I was just another kid (我只是另一个孩子)!”
Maelle thinks that it is such a special and super cool experience.
Selah: “I learned everything with the other Chinese children though, like 古诗 and regular (常规的) 语文课 so my teachers loved hearing me 背古诗 because it was so different for them.”
（童年时的Selah）
这些对于梅莉来说是a core memory（一段核心记忆）！She remembers learning pinyin, and the Chinese characters with all of her Chinese friends at school. “很小的时候我们就和我们的中国同学一起学拼音，怎么写字，不同的偏旁等等。这真的很有趣。当时我特别地喜欢语文课，小时候我没有怎么去想我是外国人，像Selah说的一样我们都是小孩。”
Selah: “In fact, the teachers always used to laugh, because I would eat more food than all the other kids at lunch (我午餐要比其他孩子吃得多). 我小时候非常喜欢吃鸡爪 and would eat it off my friends' plates (还会吃我朋友们盘子里的). My teachers thought it was so funny! That is hilarious (太搞笑了)!”
（正在啃鸡爪的Selah）
Selah: “I have so many fun stories. All of my younger brothers and sisters also attended Chinese school. I remember that they used to threaten the other kids that (他们还这样吓唬其他孩子) ‘你如果不听老师的话老师就把你送到老外家!’ I don’t even know why it’s a threat (我都不知道为什么这也能吓唬他们). Haha it's so funny!”
This makes me think about the analogy of the egg (鸡蛋的类比)。 我们都是鸡蛋，里面是黄色的，外面是白色的 (Yellow on the inside and white on the outside)。
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主播：Wendi（中国）+Selah（美国）
歌曲：Birds of A Feather
今天的节目我们来聊一聊time management（时间管理），尤其是“四象限法则”。This is such an important skill today when we often have to multitask.
·multitask v. 多任务工作
01. Four Quadrants Work Method 四象限工作法
The Four Quadrant Method, also known as the Eisenhower Matrix (艾森豪威尔矩阵) or the Time Management Matrix (时间管理矩阵), is a popular tool for prioritizing tasks based on their urgency and importance (紧急性和重要性).
So, it is a tool for time management. 它的基本原则就是根据任务的轻重缓急来决定处理的先后顺序。It was popularized by Stephen Rechards Covey (史蒂芬·柯维) in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (《高效人士的七个习惯》). 这个四象限工作法则就是在这本书里被带火了。
It was created by Dwight David Eisenhower (德怀特·戴维·艾森豪威尔). 根据urgency and importance这两个维度，任务被分成了四种类型。Its key benefits are that it clarifies priorities (明确优先级), helps with decision-making (决策制定), and improves focus on important tasks.
02. The four categories
(1) Quadrant I: Urgent and Important 象限1——紧急且重要
These tasks require immediate attention and are critical to achieving your goals. They often include crises (危机), pressing deadlines (紧迫的最后期限), and emergency issues (紧急问题).
(2) Quadrant II: Not Urgent but Important 象限2——不紧急但重要
象限2的这些任务一般对我们的long-term success（长期发展）很重要，比如personal growth（个人成长），building relationships（建立人际关系），and long-term planning（长期规划）。
Examples: strategic planning (战略规划), relationship-building, self-care, exercise, learning, and professional development (专业发展).
(3) Quadrant III: Urgent but Not Important 象限3——紧急但不重要
These tasks demand immediate attention but do not contribute significantly to (对......有重大贡献) your long-term goals. They are often interruptions or distractions (干扰或者导致我们分心的事情).
Examples: some emails, phone calls, meetings, and minor issues (不重要的问题) that feel pressing but aren't crucial.
(4) Quadrant IV: Not Urgent and Not Important 象限4——不紧急且不重要
These tasks often leading to time-wasting activities. They can be a source of procrastination (拖延症的根源).
Examples: mindless web browsing (漫无目的地刷手机), excessive social media use (过度使用社交媒体), watching TV, or engaging in trivial activities (从事琐碎的活动).
03. How do we use it?
(1) Categorize Tasks (任务分类): List all your tasks and place them into one of the four quadrants based on their urgency and importance (把你目前的任务按照紧急性和重要性这两个维度放到这四个象限中).
(2) Prioritize Quadrant II (重点关注象限2): Focus on activities in Quadrant II to achieve long-term success (获取长期成功) and reduce the time spent in Quadrant I. 也就是说在完成这些紧急且重要的事的时候要提高效率，不要占用太多时间。
(3) Minimize Quadrant III (缩减象限3): Try to delegate or limit the time spent on tasks in Quadrant III.
(4) Avoid Quadrant IV (取消象限4): Eliminate or minimize (取消或缩减) activities in Quadrant IV to use your time more effectively.
Overall, this method of prioritizing your tasks based on the four quadrants sounds really workable (可行的). 但实际上第一步可能相当困难，因为你必须要figure out which task is truly important to you (弄清楚哪项任务对你来说是真正重要的).
That is why it takes time to evaluate (评估) what is important and why things might need to be done in a certain order (为什么事情可能需要按照一定的顺序来做). Does it affect other people? What will happen if it isn’t done immediately? 所以在用这个方法之前最重要的是要先分清楚任务的重要性。
04. Are there any other methods?
(1) Using a shared calendar (共享日历): this is especially helpful when coordinating with a spouse or family members to balance multiple schedules (当与配偶或家庭成员协调平衡多个日程安排时).
Selah uses this with her Fiancé (未婚夫). 她在iPhone上有一个共享的日历（我们也可以用谷歌日历）。When one of them has an event, they put it in. It saves so much effort and miscommunications (省去很多精力和误解). 在手机上和家人或者朋友建一个共享日历，既方便又能起到一个互相督促的作用。
(2) Timeboxing (时间盒): It involves setting a fixed amount of time (设置一个固定的时间) for a specific task or activity. The difference is that you stop working when the time is up, regardless of whether the task is completed (当时间结束时，无论任务是否完成，你都将停止工作).
这样就不会导致上一个事情的进程耽误之后的事情。But, to be honest, as somewhat of a perfectionist (完美主义者), this can be a bit annoying (有点恼人), not being able to get something 100% done.
But you have to zoom out (从大局看) and realize that this can be essential within the grand scheme of things (这在宏大的计划中是必不可少的).
Wendi doesn’t really have a method for time management. What she did was to simply list out all the deadlines on her calendar (在日历上简单列出所有事情的截止日期), and then break down these tasks into smaller ones (把这些任务分成更小的任务) and put them on her to-do-list (待办事项清单) every day.
05. Benefits of good time management 良好的时间管理的好处
Once you are good at time management, it not only reduces stress, but helps you spend time on the most important things, and not waste time and energy on things that do not matter! It makes life more fulfilling and efficient (使生活更充实和高效). It also makes sure you don’t forget important things.
For Wendi, managing tasks can really help her to relieve anxiety (减轻压力), because most of time our anxiety comes from not having control over the uncertainties in the future (因为大多数时候，我们的焦虑来自于无法控制未来的不确定性). So being more organized (更有条理) allows her to deal with these tasks one step at a time (一步一步处理这些工作) and know when or how she will finish them.
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主播：Flora（中国）+Erin（美国）
歌曲：黄风起兮
关于《黑神话：悟空》我们已经谈了两期节目了，但是最近有一件事不知道大家有没有关注：Tesla（特斯拉）和SpaceX（太空探索技术公司）的CEO马斯克（Elon Reeve Musk）在X也就是原来的Twitter（推特）上发布了一条关于黑神话的内容。
他发了一张AI-generated image（AI合成的图片），把自己的脸P到了游戏中的悟空身上，还配文说“impressive 3A game from China（来自中国的让人印象深刻的3A游戏）”。We have to say that the influence of this game has spread all over the world.
今天我们就来谈一谈Black Myth: Wukong这款游戏为什么不只是在中国，而是在全球都making waves（掀起了波澜）！
01. A Fresh Mythological World 全新的神话体系
你敢相信吗？黑神话还没正式发行就已经在多个地区登顶pre-sale charts（预售排行榜）了。这简直是不可思议！So, what makes this game so special?
首先就是《黑神话：悟空》给世界带来的全新的游戏世界观，或者说a fresh mythological world（一个全新的神话体系）。Actually, 3A games are typically dominated by major western and Japanese studios (3A游戏常年由西方和日本的一些大型工作室主导).
As for China, the main focus of its gaming industry is often on mobile games (手机游戏).
其实在此之前，西方的一些3A games的世界观就来自它的神话体系。There are a lot of game canons out there that take cues in (汲取) their world-building (世界构建) from existing mythologies (现存的神话). Hades (《哈迪斯》), God Of War (《战神》), Valheim (《瓦尔海姆》), and Assassin's Creed (《刺客信条》) build around foundations that have existed for centuries.
canon /ˈkænən/ 规则，标准
说到西方神话体系，就不得不提到：Egyptian Mythology（埃及神话）、Greek Mythology（希腊神话）和 Norse Mythology（北欧神话）了。These are classic Western myths.
People are already familiar with these mythic systems, so it's very exciting when players are exposed to (接触到) a new kind of world-building.
有一个玩家是这么说的：对于3A游戏界而言，黑神话绝对是满满的异文化冲击，那是一种神秘、有历史感、高壁垒，又让人忍不住去探索的未知领域。It's a mysterious kind of culture shock (神奇的文化冲击).
But let’s not ignore the fact that this game could be a bit hard to get into for those not familiar with Chinese culture (对那些不了解中国文化的人来说会有些困难).
But it is normal that we always have to put in a lot of effort (花很多精力) when learning something new. Just as we have learned about Western culture before by looking up information (查阅信息), learning their language, etc.
Now is perhaps the best time for the world to learn about China.
It hasn’t stopped international players from wanting to dive deeper into (更深入地了解) the story and cultural background. For example, some players learn about the myth by reading Journey to the West and watching the Journey to the West TV series. Erin thinks it actually made the game more intriguing (有趣) since it is so different.
02. Hardcore Technology 硬核技术
接下来我们从technical aspects（技术方面）聊一聊这部游戏的影响力。
Game Science used a cutting-edge (尖端的) tool called Unreal Engine 5 (虚幻引擎5). 其实“虚幻5”是2020年才发布的一款软件，而在此之前《黑神话：悟空》已经启动了好几年了。所以它算是中途切换到了一个新的graphic engines（图形引擎），但是这一换可以说是让这个游戏的画面清晰度直接提了几个等级。
Unreal Engine 5 is the latest version of Unreal Engine (虚幻引擎的最新版本) developed by Epic Games. Nanite 虚拟几何体（virtual geometry）的出现意味着由billions of polygons（数以亿计的多边形）组成的影视级美术作品可以被直接导入虚幻引擎。这也就是为什么我们玩游戏能玩出影视大片的感觉了，每一帧都是高清壁纸。
From its humble beginnings using Unreal Engine 4 to upgrading (升级) to Unreal Engine 5, the shift is like going from 720p to 4K. 在这种极致的画面下所呈现出来的场景简直太美了！
Actually, a lot of the buildings and sculptures (雕塑) in the game are scanned from (扫描自) real life China. The developers traveled around China, scanning actual historical sites (历史遗址) to create aesthetically stunning setting (美轮美奂的场景).
No wonder it won the “Best Visual Effects” award (最佳视觉效果奖) at Gamescom 2023 (2023年科隆游戏展). It shows that Black Myth: Wukong is already being recognized on a global stage, not just as a game, but as a serious contender (竞争者) in the world of visual storytelling (视觉叙事).
What’s really fascinating is how this technology allows players to experience real Chinese environments, from ancient temples (古寺庙) to mystical (神秘的) landscapes. It would be more reasonable and believable. 现实中存在的东西就是比凭空创造出来的要更加reasonable（合理）一些。
或许我们可以说，这是一种realism（现实主义）或者写实风格，它用一种只有cutting-edge technology（尖端技术）才能做到的方式把你拉到了这个世界中。The authenticity (真实性) adds to the storytelling, making it feel more grounded and relatable (更接地气、更贴近生活), especially for Chinese players.
One comment said, “When I see the temples and hear the familiar conversations in the game, it feels like I’m home.”
While there were many fantastic 3A games before Black Myth: Wukong, non-Western gamers don’t have that cultural resonance (文化共鸣). 尤其是游戏中的梗、笑点都是对不上的，特别是在本地化没有那么完善的时候。那么在这种情况下，黑神话的出现让众多中国玩家感觉像是回到了家一样。
That emotional connection (情感联系) is powerful, especially for a game based on such an iconic piece of literature (标志性的文学作品) like Journey to the West.
Now in China, almost everyone has seen the Journey to the West TV series. And what’s funny is that it’s not just Chinese players feeling this; international gamers are diving deep into the lore (传说) and even learning about Chinese culture just to appreciate the game more.
And a lot of people are starting to watch different versions (不同版本) of the Journey to the West TV series. If you are one of them, Flora recommends the one made in 1986. You may love the character of Wukong after watching it because it is played so well.
03. Global Gamer Reactions
Here are a few comments we found:
一位中国玩家写到：作为一个《刺客信条》系列游戏的爱好者，每当我蹲在欧洲各个著名建筑顶端和历史神话人物对话交互的时候都在想，我们也有五千年历史文化，也有各种神话故事璀璨的文明，我们的建筑也很美，什么时候才能玩到我们自己的3A游戏，现在我们有了！相信《黑神话：悟空》只是起点！
A foreign gamer commented, “This is like Assassin’s Creed but with Chinese mythology. The graphics (画面), the story—it’s unlike anything I’ve ever played (不同于以往我玩的任何游戏)!”
Black Myth: Wukong is finally giving Chinese gamers a taste of their own mythology (让中国玩家体验到他们自己的神话) in a way that feels just as epic (如史诗一般). It represents a milestone for China’s video game industry (中国电子游戏的里程碑).
Its success shatters the notion (打破了这种看法) that 3A titles are more likely to be money losers (做3A游戏是赔钱买卖). In addition, it is making the world more aware of China.
04. Expectations for China's Game Industry
Black Myth: Wukong shouldn’t just be seen as a vehicle (工具) for exporting Chinese culture. The game’s primary goal (主要目标) is to be a fun, well-made game. Cultural export (文化输出) is a bonus (锦上添花), not the endgame (最终目的).
我们希望Game Science在“文化输出”“国风”这样的褒奖声中能够不忘初心，继续给世界呈现更多制作精良的内容和文化产品。
The “national style” or “cultural export” tags (标签) don’t automatically guarantee success (并不能自动保证成功). The quality of the game needs to speak for itself. If a product is genuinely good, it will naturally attract attention and spread globally.
That’s why there’s a lot of responsibility on the developers to keep refining and improving (改进和完善) the game. “国风”“海外”这样的标签不但不会成为“免死金牌”，反而赋予了Game Science更大的责任。如履薄冰、努力深耕，才会给世界呈现出更多足够震撼的中国作品。
Black Myth: Wukong is not just a game, but a glimpse into the future of Chinese AAA development (未来中国3A游戏开发的一个缩影) and a gateway to Chinese culture for gamers around the world (全球玩家了解中国文化的窗口). We can’t wait to see where this journey goes.
See you next time！
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主播：翩翩（中国）+Selah（美国）
歌曲：Hero
最近，青岛发生了一些事。
身为青岛市民，我们觉得好难过。It’s really heartbreaking to see these stories. 感觉青岛在叹息（the city is sighing）. 青岛是一个非常美好的城市，而且，青岛还是一个非常值得的城市。Please don’t let this create any prejudice against Qingdao.
01 青岛的三件“人间值得”
来青岛前，要知道来青岛图什么（what you’re looking for in Qingdao）？
There are three main things to visit in Qingdao:
* the beautiful scenery 美景
有人说青岛就像济州岛的城市版，老上海的青春版。
青岛是一座山海小城，the roads wind up and down（道路起起伏伏），and the seaside setting gives it a very fairytale-like feel（沿路都是海景，让整个城市充满了童话梦幻感）.
在青岛，其实不用去网红点看人从众，如果是为了美景的话，随便一条街走走就很漂亮。And as you walk around, you'll eventually come across the sea. 在青岛走着走着，就会碰到大海了。
我们有一个朋友，她是江苏人，前些年搬到青岛市南区定居，她每天上班前一定是去海边看海，海边有些人在晨起散步、运动；而且一年四季大海的颜色都是不一样的，她会每天认真地记录。这是一位很会在青岛生活的人。
我们还有一些青岛的朋友go hiking in Mount Laoshan or Mount Fushan every weekend（每个周末去爬崂山、浮山），到山顶看山海一色———这是在青岛应该体验的。
*the great food (especially seafood and beer) 海鲜和啤酒
来青岛的话，其他菜系就不要考虑了，当地特色就是海鲜，以及最正宗的青岛啤酒。（You should focus on trying the seafood and beer. Don't worry too much about other cuisines.）并且，尽量不要在景区吃海鲜（Try not to get seafood at tourist spots.）
其实青岛本地人有一种吃法，就是从市场买海鲜，去啤酒屋买点扎啤，顺便让店家把海鲜给加工了。在家吃就比较简单了：市场上买回来，回家自己一蒸，很简单就可以上桌了。It's straightforward, but fresh and delicious.
*the opportunities it offers 机会
为什么定居青岛？
作为生活在青岛二十多年的外地人，翩翩说：
我当时在青岛读大学，because my major was English, and back then, there were a lot of native English speakers in Qingdao. 所以我当时真的觉得如鱼得水，英文很快练好了。
青岛这个城市has a really diverse culture（文化非常多元）。大学毕业之后我在自己的城市一直没有找到合适的工作，感觉跟周围的世界格格不入。最终还是回到了青岛，这边企业多，机会很多，而且毕竟是港口城市，得风气之先，自己很多年轻的不成熟的想法和创意，都被这个城市包容和接纳了。就像Selah说的：This city has welcomed me. 我当年两手空空而来，是青岛给了我机会，给了我工作、给了我朋友、爱人、给了我家，而且还给了我们“一席”，让理想成为现实。
我一直觉得，青岛是一个允许年轻人有梦想的城市。It’s a city of dreams.
大家还关注的一个问题：Do you think people in Qingdao are hostile towards outsiders?（你觉得青岛排外吗？）
No, never. 我们从来没有感受到过。
作为一个从外地来青岛的outsider, 我所见过的青岛本地人，都非常地朴实、善良。反而很多青岛的老百姓会羡慕济南、北京、杭州等一些城市厚重的历史和人文积淀，因为that’s something you don't find in Qingdao（这是青岛没有的）。
总之，没有感受到丝毫的hostile, 就像Selah说的：Qingdao is home.
02 每一位市民，都代表着你的城市作为青岛市民，有责任维护城市形象，it’s our responsibility to maintain and share Qingdao's positive image。
每一位市民都应当记得：you represent the city—you are Qingdao. 你，就是青岛。
翩翩说：这几天我这种觉悟很高。前天在一席书院，有一对杭州来的游客，路过一席，进来参观，我非常热情地邀请他们在书院免费喝茶，还给她们提供在青岛的旅行建议。她们临走时说：青岛的山海跟别处的不一样，非常地宏大开阔。
This is the impression Qingdao should leave on the world. 这才是青岛应该留给世界的印象。
希望你们留言跟大家分享：Have you ever been to Qingdao? What do you love most about the city? Any suggestions? Feel free to leave a comment and share with everyone! 同时，如果有青岛本地的粉丝，也希望你能留言与大家分享你生活中的青岛。
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主播：Flora（中国）+Selah（美国）
歌曲：Turnin'
今天，我们从电子游戏的角度谈一谈不同的人对《黑神话：悟空》等游戏的看法。
01. Impressive video games
Some things you should know about Black Myth: Wukong is that it has many achievements, like being the first 3A game in China (中国的第一部3A游戏). 此外，关注游戏的朋友可能知道Gamescom（科隆游戏展）——世界上最大的游戏盛会。而Black Myth: Wukong正是在这个展会上获得了“Best Visuals（最佳视觉效果奖）”。
该展会呈现了the latest trailers (最新的预告片) and announcements (公告) from the international games industry，由Geoff Keighley（加拿大电子游戏记者、电视节目主持人）主持。
《黑神话：悟空》火了之后，当然不乏鲜花和掌声，但是其中也有一些不同的声音。
For some reason, there are stereotypes (刻板印象) about video games that they are only detrimental (有害的) to learning and life.
Selah thinks this view is a bit one-sided (有点片面). People can sometimes get relaxed (放松) and relieve stress (缓解压力) with video games, and a good gaming experience can change your mood for the better (让心情变得更好).
And a good video game is always something to look forward to, it may carry a lot of cultural information (承载很多文化信息).
Assassin's Creed (《刺客信条》), a historical action-adventure (历史动作冒险类) video game series (系列电子游戏), depicts a fictional millennia-old struggle (虚构的千年斗争) between the Order of Assassins (刺客组织), who fight for peace and free will (自由意志), and the Knights Templar (圣殿骑士团), who desire peace through order and control. In most games, players control a historical Assassin while also playing as an Assassin Initiate (新成员).
Many people are impressed by this game because players can crouch on top of (蹲在......顶端) various famous buildings in Europe, talk and interact with historical and mythological figures (历史和神话人物), see what those relics and monuments (文物古迹) looked like when they were just built.
02. Video games: the Ninth Art（第九艺术）?
有些人把电子游戏称作“the Ninth Art（第九艺术）”。
关于前八项艺术，其实也有不同的说法。比较常见的一种说法是：Architecture （建筑）、 Sculpture（雕塑）、 Music、Dance、Literature、 Film、Theatre（戏剧）。
但是把电子游戏称为“第九艺术”这个结论目前还有争议。While this is a rather controversial conclusion, it does reflect what people expect from video games.
· controversial /ˌkɑ:ntrəˈvɜ:rʃ(ə)l/ adj. 有争议的
There's a reason people say that. Video games can often communicate their messages (传达信息) better than the movies they’re based on. 前八种艺术，不管是听还是看都是在appreciating the results of a work of art（欣赏一个艺术作品的结果）。
电子游戏的不同之处就在于它的interactivity（交互性）。In the game, people are no longer spectators (旁观者), but someone integrated into (融入) the whole game world, in which you can become whatever you want to be and can have a different story.
但是，要被列为“第九大艺术”确实不是一件容易的事情。Over all, the first eight are representative of their times (有时代的代表性) and are widely recognized (被广泛认可).
03. Prejudice against video games 对电子游戏的偏见
就像不是所有的书都能称得上是文学艺术，游戏也有优劣之分。There are some great games like Black Myth: Wukong, but we cannot deny there are some bad quality, illegal games (低质量、非法游戏). We must learn to distinguish between them (学会分辨).
不过有些人确实是对电子游戏是有偏见的。Some parents were like: I don’t care if it is a great video game or not. I don’t even need to know what a video game is. Once my kid started playing video games, I’m sure all his or her failures stemmed from it (所有的失败都来源它).
In fact, it's normal to have difficulties at work and school, everyone experiences failures (每个人都会经历失败). But it's not a wise choice to blame it all on video games. The point is what games you play or how you organize your time outside of playing games (如何安排游戏外的时间).
Flora remembers one of her teachers saying something that’s very interesting. She said:“ grades don't depend on when you're not studying, but when you're (你的成绩并不取决于你不学习的时候，而是学习的时候).”
04. A ban on the sale of game consoles 游戏机禁令
Why do some Chinese parents stereotype video games so deeply (对电子游戏有这么深的刻板印象)? This may have something to do with the following.
In 2000, China issued a ban on the sale of game consoles (颁布了一项游戏机禁令). 从那以后，进口游戏市场一直处于灰色地带。无数玩家只能通过parallel imports（水货）、山寨以及piracy（盗版）等来体验喜欢的国外游戏和游戏主机。
This is bad for the entire gaming market. After the regular games and consoles are not allowed (正规的游戏和游戏机被禁止后), those illegal behaviors in the shadows will start (暗处的非法行为就会开始). 因为中国的游戏和游戏机需求始终存在。
因而，在相当一段时间，进口游戏机市场成为水货盗版横行的畸形生态圈。
So this has been an underground market for games, and there has not been much supervision (没有太多监管) and there was pirating with acquiring consoles. Because of this, they have been looked down upon (被......看不起) by the public.
就这样，乱象丛生的进口游戏机被人们扣上了disturbing social order (扰乱社会秩序)，affecting student’s performance (影响学生学习) 的帽子。但最后这顶帽子却到了“所有的电子游戏”头上。而“spiritual opium（精神鸦片）”，“electronic heroin（电子海洛因）”这样的标签也让人们对“电子游戏”的误解越来越深。
Just like in China, the US stereotypes video games too. Many people either love them or hate them. 一些常见的片面观点有：1. 这对你的大脑有好处2. 这纯粹浪费时间、还会助长暴力的行为。
05. Balance is the key 取得平衡才是关键
Selah is not a huge fan or very interested in them. But she thinks if you use it wisely (明智地使用它) and not spend all your time on it, it could have some benefits. 还有，玩游戏的时候会感觉时间过得很快，所以在体验的同时我们也别忘了游戏外的精彩世界。
Overall, experiencing some good video games can be relaxing and a way to experience something different, but don’t get addicted to the games (不要沉迷). 其实不光是电子游戏，很多事情并不是非黑即白。如果你多做一些研究也许就会发现和自己以往认知完全不同的观点。
Selah also thinks it is important to think about the amount of time you are spending on it- too much of anything can be harmful (任何事情过度就会产生危害). So balance is the key (平衡是关键).
愿我们每个人都能在体验和享受美好时做好分辨、有所节制。并不是所有的电子游戏都能称为艺术，也莫要让电子游戏成为你精神的鸦片。
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主播：翩翩（中国）+Selah（美国）
歌曲：Love Story
Selah recently got engaged!!! Selah最近订婚啦!!!
今天，我们一起来盘点一下外网热议的话题：the best relationship advice we have ever gotten （你听过哪些最好的恋爱建议）。
1. 常感恩 （Show appreciation often.）
Never take each other for granted. Show appreciation often.
“我从来不会把对方的好当作理所当然，我会经常对我爱人表达感激、肯定与欣赏。”
2.吵架时，你俩也是一伙的。（You are a team)
When you are resolving an issue, you and your partner are a team, not people fighting against each other. It is the two of you versus the problem itself. (吵架的时候你对抗的，不应该是你的另一半，而应该是你们俩一起对抗问题。)
“对两个相爱的人来说，吵架除了破坏身体健康、耽误事儿、以及事后后悔之外，没有其他的用处，所以有不愉快的时候，尽量提醒彼此及时止损，互相配合着把问题解决掉，而不是把对方解决掉。It’s all about the issue. It’s not personal.
3. 让你人生充实的，不是伴侣。(It’s your own responsibility.)
They can never make you ultimately happy and fulfill everything you need in life. (让你获得最终幸福，以及让你人生充实的不是你的伴侣。)
能做到这些的，有且只有你自己。It’s your own responsibility to have a happy and fulfilling life.
They will make your life better, but they cannot guarantee your happiness. 好的伴侣会让你的生活更甜蜜，但不能为你的人生幸福做担保。
因为，幸福在自身之内，不在自身之外。True happiness cannot be found in another person。
4. 跟谁结婚？(Marry your best friend.)
You should marry your best friend and someone you enjoy spending time with.(跟那个能成为你最好朋友的人结婚，跟那个你喜欢与其过日子的人结婚。)
无论对方多么地make you feel a certain way, “感觉”，都是靠不太住的。
Feelings change but friendship can help you stand the test of time. （感觉会变，但友谊经得住时间考验。）
“我跟我爱人都认识十多年了，现在依然是每天聊不完的天，我们真的是对方最好的朋友。所以我觉得感情保鲜的秘诀里，一定有一条是友谊。”
5. 爱是一件又一件的小事 (little acts of love)
影视剧会给我们另一种misconception（误解），就是love is about big gestures（爱是惊天动地的大事），但是，many times, little acts of love mean more。
The New York Times《纽约时报》出过一个特刊，征集了100位读者说说how they show their affection day-in and day-out（日常怎么通过一些小的行为表达爱意）。题目叫做 ‘100 Small Acts of Love’ (一百件爱的小事）。
很多读者的回答琐碎而动人，比如：
每天晚上刷牙时会顺便在对方的牙刷上放上牙膏（put toothpaste on the other person’s toothbrush）；
每次上车、下车时，互相亲吻对方一下（kiss each other every time they get in and out of the car）。
一位加州的女士说：21年了，我丈夫总是会把最后一口甜点留给我。（For more than 21 years, my husband has given me the last bite of his dessert, always.）
真的都是一些small acts, but strong relationships need this kind of regular care and attention。
6. 他/她不会读心术( They cannot read your mind.)
If there is something bothering you, you should talk about it. 你的伴侣不会读心术（your partner cannot read your mind)，所以心里话要及时说出来，要告诉对方，及时沟通。
不然，憋久了，you will feel bitter about everything（会看什么都怨气冲天）。
那我们今天关于“你听过哪些最好的恋爱建议”就盘点到这里，每段感情都会有起伏（every relationship has its ups and downs），但是只要多一些努力和理解，感情会越来越牢固美好。
也希望你们留言告诉大家：
你听过哪些最好的恋爱建议？
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