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In today's digital world, few things are as widely used as emojis. These tiny icons appear in text messages, emails, and social media posts, helping people express feelings that words alone cannot always 1. But where did they come from?
The first emoji was 2 in 1999 by a Japanese designer named Shigetaka Kurita. Working for a mobile phone company, he wanted a simple way for users to share emotions on their small screens. His original set 3 of only 176 symbols, each just twelve pixels wide. Compared with the colorful emojis we use today, they looked rather crude.
4, the idea quickly caught on. As smartphones spread around the globe, emojis became a common language understood across cultures. A smiling face or a thumbs-up means roughly the same thing whether you live in Taipei or Toronto.
Today, new emojis are added every year to 5 the growing needs of users. What began as a handful of tiny images has become a powerful tool for global communication.
Everyone yawns—babies, adults, and even animals like dogs and cats. Yet scientists still do not fully understand why we do it. For a long time, people believed that yawning was simply a 6 to being tired or bored.
One popular theory suggests that yawning helps cool down the brain. When we are sleepy, our brain temperature rises slightly. Taking a deep breath during a yawn 7 cool air into the lungs, which may help the brain work more efficiently. 8 this idea is still being studied, some experiments seem to support it.
Another interesting fact is that yawning appears to be 9. Have you ever yawned just because you saw someone else do it? Researchers believe this happens because humans are naturally sensitive to the behavior of others, a trait linked to empathy.
So the next time you can't stop yawning in class, don't worry too much. Your body may simply be trying to 10 itself alert.
Bubble tea, also known as boba, has become one of the most popular drinks in the world. 1 in Taiwan during the 1980s, this sweet beverage combines tea, milk, and chewy tapioca pearls. Today, shops selling bubble tea can be found on street corners from Tokyo to New York.
The drink's success 2 largely on its playful texture. The soft, round pearls sink to the bottom of the cup and are sucked up through an extra-wide straw. For many first-time drinkers, this unusual experience is 3 part of the fun.
Over the years, bubble tea shops have introduced countless flavors to 4 different tastes. Customers can now choose from fruit teas, cheese foam toppings, and even coffee-based versions. 5 its simple beginnings, bubble tea has grown into a global industry worth billions of dollars.
Honeybees are among the most social insects on Earth. To survive, thousands of them must work together, and this 6 excellent communication. Amazingly, bees share information not through sound, but through movement.
When a worker bee finds a good source of food, it returns to the hive and performs a special "waggle dance." By moving in a figure-eight pattern and shaking its body, the bee tells the others 7 the flowers are located. The angle of the dance points to the direction, while the length shows the distance.
This behavior was first 8 by an Austrian scientist named Karl von Frisch, who spent decades observing bees. His discovery was so important that he was 9 a Nobel Prize in 1973.
Thanks to this dance, a whole colony can gather food 10, proving that even the tiniest creatures can solve complex problems together.
The sandwich is one of the most convenient meals ever invented, but few people know how it got its name. According to a popular story, it 1 back to 18th-century England and a nobleman called the Earl of Sandwich.
The earl was said to be a passionate card player who hated to leave the gaming table. 2 stopping for a proper meal, he asked his servants to bring him meat placed between two slices of bread. This allowed him to keep one hand free 3 his cards while he ate.
Soon, others at the table began ordering "the same as Sandwich," and the name stuck. 4 this tale may not be entirely true, it has been repeated for centuries.
Today, the sandwich has become a global food, with endless 5 found in nearly every culture. From the Vietnamese banh mi to the Italian panini, this simple idea continues to feed the world.
Most people know that sleep is important, but many still 6 how much it affects their daily lives. A good night's rest does far more than simply make us feel refreshed.
During sleep, the brain is surprisingly busy. It sorts through the day's events and 7 new memories, which is why students who sleep well often perform better on tests. Sleep also gives the body time to repair muscles and fight off illness. 8, people who regularly sleep too little are more likely to get sick.
Experts recommend that teenagers get about eight to nine hours of sleep each night. 9, many stay up late using phones or playing games, and wake up exhausted. The blue light from screens can make it harder to fall asleep.
So if you want to stay healthy and focused, don't 10 the power of a good night's sleep. Your body and mind will thank you for it.
For much of the 20th century, street art was seen as nothing more than 1. City officials treated the colorful paintings on walls as damage to public property and quickly removed them. Artists who created them often worked at night to 2 being caught.
Attitudes, however, have changed dramatically. Today, many people 3 street art as a legitimate form of creative expression. Famous artists such as Banksy have sold works for millions of dollars, and some cities now invite artists to decorate public spaces.
This shift has brought real benefits to certain neighborhoods. Bright, thoughtful murals can turn a dull street into a popular attraction, 4 visitors and supporting local businesses. 5, not everyone agrees on where the line between art and vandalism should be drawn. The debate continues, but one thing is clear: street art is no longer easy to ignore.
Every autumn, forests in many parts of the world burst into brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow. This beautiful 6 is not magic but the result of chemistry.
During spring and summer, leaves are green because they are full of a substance called chlorophyll, which helps plants 7 sunlight into food. As the days grow shorter and cooler, trees prepare for winter and stop making chlorophyll. 8 the green color fades, other colors that were hidden all along begin to show.
The bright reds, 9, are actually produced by new chemicals that form in the fall. The exact colors depend on the weather: sunny days and cool nights tend to create the most vivid displays.
Eventually, the leaves die and fall to the ground. Though it may seem sad, this process is 10 for the tree's survival, allowing it to save energy through the long, cold months ahead.
Today we think of the umbrella mainly as protection against rain, but its original 1 was quite different. The earliest umbrellas, used thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt and China, were designed to provide shade from the burning sun.
For centuries, umbrellas were a 2 of wealth and status, carried by servants over the heads of kings and nobles. Ordinary people rarely owned one. This slowly changed 3 the 18th century, when a British man named Jonas Hanway began carrying an umbrella in the rain.
At first, people laughed at him, 4 umbrellas were considered items for women only. Over time, however, the practical value of staying dry won out, and men across Britain followed his example.
Modern umbrellas come in countless styles, from tiny folding models to giant beach versions. 5 their long history, they have changed surprisingly little in basic design.
Learning a second language is often seen as a difficult task, but the rewards are well worth the 6. Beyond the obvious ability to talk with more people, speaking another language brings surprising benefits to the brain.
Studies have shown that people who are bilingual tend to have better memory and stronger problem-solving skills. Switching between two languages 7 the brain much like exercise strengthens the body. Some research even suggests that bilingual people may 8 certain age-related mental declines for several years.
There are practical advantages, too. In today's connected world, employers highly 9 workers who can communicate across cultures. Knowing a second language can open doors to opportunities that would otherwise be closed.
Perhaps most importantly, learning a new language helps us understand other cultures and ways of thinking. 10, it makes us not only smarter but also more open-minded citizens of the world.
In late 2019, a new virus began to spread in the city of Wuhan, China. Within a few months, it had reached almost every country, and the World Health Organization officially 1 it a pandemic in March 2020. Life around the world would never be quite the same.
To slow the 2 of the disease, governments took dramatic steps. Schools and offices closed, flights were canceled, and millions of people were asked to stay at home. Streets that were once crowded suddenly became 3 empty.
The pandemic put enormous 4 on hospitals, many of which ran short of beds and equipment. Doctors and nurses worked long hours under difficult conditions. 5 the hardship, communities found ways to support one another, from clapping for health workers to delivering food to the elderly.
Before 2020, few people in Western countries wore face masks in public. During the pandemic, however, masks quickly became a 6 sight almost everywhere. In many places, they were even required by law.
Masks help 7 the spread of viruses by trapping the tiny droplets we release when we cough, sneeze, or talk. Although a single mask cannot offer perfect protection, wearing one greatly 8 the risk of passing the disease to others.
At first, there was some 9 about whether masks really worked. Over time, though, most scientists agreed that they were a simple and effective tool. 10, mask-wearing became a normal part of daily life for billions of people, at least for a while.
When the pandemic struck, scientists around the world began a race to develop a vaccine. Normally, this process takes many years. This time, however, researchers managed to 1 it in a matter of months—an achievement many had thought impossible.
Several different vaccines were created, and by 2021 they were being given to people in country after country. The goal was to help the body 2 the virus before it could cause serious illness. As more and more people were vaccinated, hospitals slowly began to see 3 patients.
The rollout was not without problems. Poorer nations often struggled to get enough doses, and some people were 4 to be vaccinated at all. 5, the vaccines are widely believed to have saved millions of lives and helped the world return to normal.
The pandemic changed not only how we protect our health but also how we work. When offices closed, millions of employees suddenly found themselves working from home. What had once been a rare 6 became, almost overnight, the new normal.
Remote work brought clear 7. Without a daily commute, many people saved time and money, and some found they could focus better away from a noisy office. Companies, too, realized they could save on rent and other costs.
8, working from home also had its downsides. Some employees felt lonely or found it hard to 9 work from their personal lives. Others missed the energy of being around colleagues. Today, many companies offer a 10 model, allowing staff to split their week between home and the office.
When schools shut their doors during the pandemic, education did not stop—it simply moved online. Almost overnight, teachers had to 1 their lessons for a screen, and students attended class from their bedrooms and kitchens.
For some, online learning was a welcome 2. They could study at their own pace and review recorded lessons whenever they liked. For many others, however, it was a real 3. Not every family had a computer or a stable internet connection, and younger children in particular found it hard to stay focused.
Teachers worked hard to keep students 4, using online games, quizzes, and video chats. Even so, most agreed that nothing could fully 5 the experience of learning together in a real classroom.
As people were forced to stay apart, video-meeting apps such as Zoom became part of everyday life. Suddenly, everyone from schoolchildren to company directors was 6 on camera.
These tools allowed friends, families, and coworkers to stay 7 even when they could not meet in person. Birthday parties, business deals, and even weddings took place through a screen. For many, this technology was a real 8 during a lonely time.
Of course, video calls came with their own problems. Weak signals, frozen screens, and the awkward question "Can you hear me?" became familiar to all. Some people also suffered from so-called "video fatigue," feeling 9 after hours of staring at a screen. 10, video meetings are likely to remain a normal part of work and life long after the pandemic.
In February 2022, war broke out in Ukraine when Russia launched a large-scale invasion. The conflict shocked the world and quickly became the largest war in Europe since 1945. Millions of Ukrainians were forced to 1 their homes to escape the fighting.
The war caused terrible 2 to many cities, with homes, schools, and hospitals damaged or destroyed. Countless families were separated as men stayed behind while women and children traveled to safer countries.
The rest of the world responded in different ways. Many nations sent 3 aid, including food, medicine, and shelter, to those in need. Others placed economic sanctions on Russia in an 4 to bring the war to an end. Years later, the conflict 5 unresolved, a painful reminder of how quickly peace can be lost.
The effects of the war in Ukraine were felt far beyond its borders. Ukraine and Russia are among the world's largest producers of wheat and other grains. When the war disrupted their exports, food prices began to 6 in many countries.
Energy was affected too. Europe had long 7 on Russia for much of its natural gas. As supplies were cut, the cost of heating homes and running factories rose sharply. 8 families around the world suddenly found their monthly bills much higher than before.
Governments searched for solutions, from finding new suppliers to encouraging people to save energy. The crisis was a powerful 9 that events in one region can affect the entire planet. In our connected world, no country is truly 10.
Wars, disasters, and poverty force millions of people to leave their homelands every year. Those who cross borders in search of safety are known as refugees. Leaving everything behind, they often arrive in a new country with little more than the clothes they are 1.
Welcoming refugees is not always easy. Host countries must find ways to provide food, housing, and schooling, which can put a 2 on local services. Language barriers and cultural differences can also make it hard for newcomers to 3 in.
Still, many communities have shown remarkable kindness. Volunteers offer language classes, jobs, and friendship. History shows that refugees, given the 4 to rebuild their lives, often 5 greatly to their new societies, enriching them with fresh talents and ideas.
When one country wants to punish another without going to war, it may use economic sanctions. These are official measures that 6 trade or financial dealings with the target country. In recent years, sanctions have been used against several nations following international conflicts.
The idea behind sanctions is to put economic 7 on a government until it changes its behavior. By cutting off exports, freezing bank accounts, or banning certain products, other nations hope to force a change without firing a single shot.
Sanctions, 8, do not always work as planned. They can take years to have an effect, and they often hurt ordinary citizens more than the leaders they are meant to 9. For this reason, experts continue to debate how 10 sanctions really are as a tool for peace.
For many years, relations between the United States and Iran have been 1. The two countries disagree over many issues, and in the early 2020s, tensions between them rose once again, worrying leaders around the world.
One major 2 of concern has been Iran's nuclear program. Western nations fear it could be used to build weapons, while Iran insists its aims are peaceful. Talks aimed at reaching an agreement have repeatedly broken down, and trust between the two sides remains 3.
At times, the tension has come dangerously close to open conflict. A single incident in the region can send 4 through global markets. Because the Middle East is so important to the world economy, leaders everywhere watch the situation closely, hoping that diplomacy will 5 over violence.
Few things affect the global economy as quickly as the price of oil. Because the Middle East holds much of the world's supply, any conflict in the region can cause prices to jump within 6.
When oil becomes more expensive, the effects 7 throughout daily life. It costs more to fill a car, to ship goods, and to run factories. These higher costs are often passed on to consumers, 8 the price of almost everything we buy.
Governments try to protect their economies from such shocks. Some keep large 9 of oil in storage for emergencies, while others invest in cleaner energy so they will one day depend less on it. Until then, the world's economy will remain closely 10 to the ups and downs of the oil market.
Few companies are as important to the modern world as TSMC, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Founded in 1987, it has grown into the world's largest maker of advanced computer chips, quietly 1 a huge share of the global supply.
TSMC does not usually design the chips it makes. Instead, it 2 them for other famous companies, such as Apple and Nvidia. This business model has proved hugely successful, turning the company into one of the most 3 in the world.
Because so much of the world's technology 4 on its chips, TSMC has been called Taiwan's "silicon shield." Some believe this vital role gives the island a form of protection, since the global economy simply cannot afford for its factories to 5 producing.
Semiconductors, often simply called "chips," are the tiny brains inside nearly all modern electronics. From smartphones and cars to hospital equipment and washing machines, almost every device we use 6 on them.
Despite their importance, chips are incredibly difficult to make. Producing them requires some of the most advanced 7 on Earth, along with extremely clean factories where even a speck of dust can ruin a product. Only a handful of companies can make the very best chips.
This became painfully clear during the global chip shortage of 2021, when a lack of semiconductors forced car factories to 8 down. The event reminded everyone just how 9 these tiny components are to the modern economy—and how much the world 10 on the few places that can produce them.
Not long ago, Nvidia was known mainly for making chips that powered video games. Today, it has become one of the most valuable companies in the world, thanks to the sudden 1 for artificial intelligence.
Training an AI system requires huge amounts of computing power, and Nvidia's chips happen to be perfectly 2 for the job. As companies rushed to build their own AI, they lined up to buy these chips, and demand quickly 3 supply.
Nvidia's rise has been extraordinary. In 2024, its value passed three trillion dollars, a figure that would have seemed 4 only a few years earlier. For many investors, the company came to 5 the enormous promise—and the excitement—of the AI age.
Behind Nvidia's success lies a quiet but crucial 6: its close relationship with TSMC. Nvidia designs the chips, but it does not build them. Instead, it relies almost entirely on TSMC's factories in Taiwan to turn its designs into 7.
This partnership shows how the modern technology industry works. One company focuses on 8 the most advanced products, while another focuses on making them at the highest quality. Together, they can achieve what neither could alone.
The arrangement also highlights Taiwan's central 9 in the world of technology. When people ask where the chips that power AI actually come from, the answer almost always 10 back to the island's remarkable factories.
In late 2022, a chatbot called ChatGPT was released to the public, and the world took notice. Within just two months, it had reached a hundred million users, becoming one of the fastest-growing apps in history. Suddenly, artificial intelligence was no longer science fiction but a tool anyone could 1.
These systems are trained on enormous amounts of text, learning to answer questions, write essays, and even create poems. Their ability to produce human-like language left many users 2. For the first time, a machine seemed able to understand and respond in a truly natural way.
The technology has sparked both excitement and worry. Supporters believe it will 3 how we work and learn. Others 4 that it may spread false information or replace human jobs. What everyone agrees on, however, is that a new 5 of technology has clearly begun.
Although artificial intelligence often sounds futuristic, it is already 6 in the tools we use every day. When a phone recognizes your face, a map predicts traffic, or a website suggests a film you might enjoy, AI is quietly at work.
These systems are useful because they can 7 huge amounts of data far faster than any human. They spot patterns, make predictions, and improve over time as they learn from experience. In fields such as medicine, AI can even help doctors 8 diseases at an early stage.
Still, AI is far from perfect. It can make mistakes, and it sometimes reflects the 9 found in the data it learns from. For this reason, experts stress that AI should support human judgment rather than 10 it completely.
In recent years, Taiwan's stock market has drawn attention around the world. The TAIEX, the main index that 1 the overall market, climbed to record highs, at one point rising above 20,000 points for the first time in history.
Much of this growth has been 2 by the global boom in technology and artificial intelligence. As demand for advanced chips soared, the share prices of companies like TSMC rose sharply, 3 the whole market upward with them.
Of course, markets never move in a straight line. Prices can fall as quickly as they rise, and sudden drops remind investors that going up is never 4. Experienced investors know that patience and careful research usually matter far more than trying to 5 the perfect moment to buy or sell.
A stock market may sound complicated, but the basic idea is simple. When a company wants to raise money, it can sell small pieces of itself, called shares, to the public. Anyone who buys a share becomes a part-6 of that company.
The price of a share goes up and down depending on how well the company is expected to do. If investors believe a company has a bright 7, they buy its shares, and the price rises. If they lose confidence, they sell, and the price 8.
Investing can help ordinary people grow their savings over time, but it also carries 9. Prices can fall, and money can be lost. That is why experts advise people never to invest more than they can 10 to lose, and to think of investing as a long-term journey rather than a quick way to get rich.
In 2021, the world faced a problem few people had expected: a serious shortage of computer chips. As the pandemic changed how we lived, demand for laptops and phones soared, while factories that made chips struggled to keep 1.
The effects were felt far and wide. Carmakers, which use hundreds of chips in every vehicle, were among the hardest 2. Some were forced to slow or even halt production, leaving buyers to wait months for a new car.
The crisis taught the world an important 3. Many companies had relied on keeping very few parts in storage to save money, a system that worked well until supply was suddenly 4. Since then, governments and businesses have invested heavily in new factories, hoping to 5 such a shortage from happening again.
For over a century, most cars have run on gasoline. Now, that is beginning to change. Electric vehicles, or EVs, are becoming increasingly 6 on roads around the world, and many countries plan to stop selling new gasoline cars within the next few decades.
EVs offer several 7. They produce no exhaust fumes, which helps improve air quality in crowded cities. They are also cheaper to run, since electricity generally costs less than gasoline. As battery technology improves, EVs can travel 8 on a single charge than ever before.
Challenges 9, however. Drivers still worry about where to charge their cars on long trips, and EVs remain more expensive to buy. Even so, most experts believe the switch to electric power is not a passing trend but the 10 of driving.
Around the world, weather is becoming more extreme. Heat waves, floods, droughts, and powerful storms seem to strike more often than they used to. Most scientists agree that these changes are closely 1 to a warming planet.
The main cause is the burning of fuels such as coal, oil, and gas, which releases gases that 2 heat in the atmosphere. As these gases build up, global temperatures slowly rise, upsetting the delicate 3 of nature.
The consequences are already visible. Ice at the poles is melting, sea levels are rising, and some low-lying areas face the threat of one day disappearing. Scientists warn that unless we act 4, the damage may become impossible to undo. The good news is that it is not too late to make a 5, if the world chooses to act together.
To fight climate change, the world is turning to renewable energy—power that comes from sources that never run 6, such as the sun and the wind. Unlike coal and oil, these sources produce little or no pollution.
The cost of renewable energy has fallen dramatically in recent years. Solar panels and wind turbines, once seen as expensive, are now often 7 than fossil fuels in many places. As a result, more and more countries are building them on a large 8.
There is still work to do. The sun does not always shine, and the wind does not always blow, so better ways to 9 energy are badly needed. Yet the direction is clear. Step by step, the world is moving toward a cleaner future, one that 10 less and less on the fuels of the past.
In the summer of 2024, the eyes of the world turned to Paris as the city hosted the Summer Olympic Games. It was the third time Paris had welcomed the Games, having done so a full 1 years after it last hosted them in 1924.
The organizers were determined to make the event 2. The opening ceremony, for the first time in Olympic history, was held not in a stadium but along the River Seine, with athletes sailing through the heart of the city on boats. Millions watched, 3 by the bold new idea.
As always, the Games produced unforgettable moments. Athletes broke records, and some competed in new sports added to 4 younger audiences. When the closing ceremony finally arrived, Paris had reminded the world of the unique power of sport to bring people from every nation 5.
Not long ago, the idea of watching other people play video games might have seemed strange. Today, competitive gaming, known as e-sports, 6 millions of fans around the world.
Professional gamers now train like traditional athletes, practicing for hours every day to sharpen their skills and 7 as a team. The best players can earn large salaries, and major tournaments fill huge stadiums and offer prize money worth millions of dollars.
The audience is enormous, especially online, where fans watch their favorite players 8 live. Some universities have even begun to offer scholarships for talented gamers. 9 not everyone agrees that e-sports should be called a true sport, its popularity is impossible to 10. For a new generation, it has become a global form of entertainment.
After the pandemic, people in many countries noticed the same worrying trend: prices seemed to rise almost everywhere. This general increase in prices is known as inflation, and in the early 2020s it reached its highest 1 in decades.
There were several causes. During the pandemic, factories and shipping had been disrupted, so many goods were in short 2. At the same time, the war in Ukraine pushed up the cost of energy and food. When many people want goods that are scarce, prices naturally 3.
Inflation hits ordinary families hard, since their money buys 4 than before. To slow it down, banks often raise interest rates, making borrowing more expensive. It is a difficult 5, as such measures can cool the economy but may also slow growth.
For much of 2020 and 2021, one of the world's largest industries came to a near stop. With borders closed and flights grounded, global tourism 6 billions of dollars, and countless hotels, airlines, and restaurants struggled to survive.
When restrictions were finally lifted, however, people were eager to travel again. This burst of demand, sometimes called "revenge travel," saw airports crowded once more as tourists rushed to 7 the trips they had missed.
The recovery brought challenges of its own. Popular destinations were suddenly 8 with visitors, and prices for flights and hotels soared. Some cities even worried about "over-tourism." 9, the swift return of travelers showed how deeply people value the chance to explore the world—and how quickly an industry can 10 once the conditions are right.
Not long ago, watching a film or show meant sitting down at a fixed time or renting a DVD. Streaming services have completely 1 that experience. Today, millions of viewers watch whatever they want, whenever they want, on almost any device.
For a monthly fee, these platforms offer thousands of films and shows, all available at the 2 of a button. They also study what we watch, using that information to 3 new titles we might enjoy. Some even produce their own award-winning shows.
The change has not been entirely positive. With so many services now competing, viewers must 4 to several of them to see everything, which can become expensive. Traditional cinemas and TV channels, 5, have had to work harder than ever to keep their audiences.
In recent years, a new kind of content has taken over social media: the short video. Lasting often less than a minute, these clips are designed to grab our 6 instantly and keep us scrolling for hours.
Apps built around short videos have become some of the most popular in the world, especially among young people. Their clever systems quickly learn what each user likes and keep 7 an endless stream of similar clips. Before we know it, a "quick look" can turn into an hour 8 away.
These apps can be fun and even educational, but experts also raise 9. Spending too long scrolling may harm our attention spans and our sleep. Learning to use such apps wisely, rather than letting them use us, has become an important modern 10.
After decades of focusing on missions close to Earth, humanity is once again setting its 1 on the Moon and beyond. Space agencies, together with private companies, are working to send astronauts far into space for the first time in over fifty years.
One major goal is to return people to the Moon, and this time, to 2 there rather than simply visit. Scientists hope a permanent base could serve as a stepping stone for an even bolder journey: a crewed mission to Mars.
What makes this new space age different is the growing 3 of private companies. By building reusable rockets, they have dramatically 4 the cost of reaching space. Thanks to this progress, a journey that once seemed like pure fantasy is slowly 5 within reach.
High above our heads, thousands of satellites are constantly circling the Earth, quietly shaping modern life in ways most of us never notice. Without them, much of the technology we 6 for granted would simply stop working.
Satellites make many everyday services possible. When you use a map app to find your way, 7 signals from satellites are guiding you. They also carry television broadcasts, connect phone calls across oceans, and help forecasters 8 the weather.
In recent years, companies have begun launching huge numbers of small satellites to provide internet access to 9 parts of the world. This could bring millions of people online for the first time. As the sky grows busier, however, scientists warn that we must manage this space carefully to 10 crowding and collisions.
Plastic is one of the most useful materials ever invented, but it has also become one of our biggest environmental 1. Cheap, light, and strong, it is used in almost everything—yet most of it is thrown away after a single use.
The trouble is that plastic does not easily break 2. A single bottle can last for hundreds of years, and much of our waste ends up in rivers and oceans. There, it harms sea creatures, which may mistake it for 3 and eat it.
Solving the problem will take effort from everyone. Governments are banning some single-use items, while companies search for materials that are kinder to the planet. As individuals, we can help by choosing reusable products and making sure we 4 whatever we can. Small changes, repeated by millions, can make a real 5.
As the world's population grows, more and more people are moving into cities. This creates a challenge: how can crowded urban areas become cleaner, greener, and more pleasant places to 6?
Many cities are finding creative answers. Some are planting trees and building parks to cool the air and give residents space to 7. Others are adding bike lanes and improving public transport to 8 the number of cars on the road. Rooftops are being turned into gardens, and old factories into green spaces.
These changes do more than simply look nice. Trees clean the air and provide shade, while green spaces have been shown to improve people's health and 9. As more cities follow this path, planners hope the urban areas of the future will be not only bigger, but also far more 10.
For a long time, people were reluctant to talk about mental health. Struggles such as anxiety and depression were often kept 1, and those who suffered sometimes felt ashamed to ask for help.
In recent years, that has begun to change. Public figures, from athletes to pop stars, have openly 2 their own struggles, helping others feel less alone. Schools and companies now pay far more attention to the emotional 3 of the people in their care.
Experts stress that mental health is just as important as physical health, and that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Simple habits—exercise, enough sleep, and staying connected with others—can make a big difference. Above all, they say, no one should ever feel afraid to 4 up and ask for the support they 5.
Everyone knows that exercise is good for us, yet many of us still find it hard to fit into our busy lives. The benefits, 6, are well worth the effort, and they reach far beyond simply staying in shape.
Regular physical activity strengthens the heart, builds muscle, and helps control weight. It also 7 the risk of many serious illnesses. Perhaps just as importantly, exercise is good for the mind: it releases chemicals that lift our mood and help us 8 stress.
The good news is that you do not need to become an athlete to enjoy these rewards. Experts say that even a brisk daily walk can bring real benefits. The key is to find an activity you 9 and to make it a regular 10. Once it becomes part of your routine, staying active feels far less like a chore.
A new kind of celebrity has risen with the age of social media: the influencer. These are people who have built large online 1, and whose opinions can shape what millions of followers buy, watch, and believe.
Brands quickly realized the power of this trend. Instead of relying only on traditional advertisements, they now pay influencers to 2 their products to a loyal audience. A single post from a popular figure can sell out a product within hours.
This power, however, comes with 3. Followers may not always realize when they are being advertised to, and not every influencer is honest about the products they promote. Learning to think 4 about what we see online—and to ask who might 5 from a message—has never been more important.
The internet has made it easier than ever to share information—and, unfortunately, to spread false information too. "Fake news," or made-up stories designed to look real, can travel across the world in 6 before anyone checks whether it is true.
False stories spread so quickly partly because they are often designed to shock or anger us. Strong emotions make people more likely to share a post without 7 it first. In this way, a single false claim can reach millions within hours.
So how can we protect ourselves? Experts suggest a few simple habits. Check whether a story comes from a 8 source, and be careful of headlines that seem too shocking to be true. Look to see whether other news outlets 9 the same story. Taking a moment to think before we share is one of the best 10 against the spread of fake news.
Throughout history, new technology has always changed the way people work, and today is no 1. Machines and computer programs can now perform many tasks that once required a human, from building cars to answering customer questions.
This process, known as automation, brings clear benefits. Machines can work quickly, cheaply, and without tiring, which helps companies 2 more goods at lower cost. Dangerous or boring jobs can be handed to robots, freeing people for safer, more interesting work.
Yet automation also causes worry. If machines can do so much, what will 3 for human workers? History offers some comfort: while old jobs disappear, new ones are usually 4. The challenge for society is to help workers learn fresh skills so that no one is left 5 as the world of work changes.
In the past, education was often seen as something that ended when we left school. In today's fast-changing world, that idea no longer 6. Skills that are valuable now may be out of date in just a few years.
For this reason, more and more people are embracing "lifelong learning"—the idea that we should keep 7 new skills throughout our lives. Thanks to the internet, this has never been easier. Online courses allow anyone with a connection to study almost any subject, often for 8.
Learning as an adult brings many rewards. It can open the door to a new career, keep the mind sharp, and simply make life more interesting. Above all, those who stay 9 to learning are best prepared to 10 whatever changes the future may bring.
In late 2021, scientists launched the most powerful space telescope ever built: the James Webb Space Telescope. After traveling far from Earth, it began sending back images of the universe more detailed than anything seen 1.
Unlike earlier telescopes, Webb can peer through clouds of dust and look deep into space. Because light takes so long to travel, seeing distant objects is like looking back in 2. Some of the galaxies Webb has captured are so far away that their light left them not long after the universe 3.
Each new image has amazed scientists and the public alike. The telescope has already helped researchers study how stars and planets are born, and it may one day help answer one of humanity's oldest 4: whether we are 5 in the universe.
Are we alone in the universe? It is one of the oldest questions humans have ever asked, and today scientists are searching for the answer more seriously than 6.
Most of this search focuses on finding planets that might 7 life. Astronomers look for worlds that are the right distance from their star—not too hot and not too cold—where liquid water could exist. Thousands of such planets have already been 8 beyond our solar system.
So far, no clear sign of alien life has been found. Yet the universe is almost unimaginably large, containing billions of galaxies, each with billions of stars. Given these numbers, many scientists believe it would be 9 to assume that Earth is the only place where life exists. The search 10, and each discovery brings us one step closer to an answer.
When you use a smartphone, a laptop, or almost any modern electronic device, there is a good 1 that a part of it was made in Taiwan. Though small in size, the island plays an enormous role in the global technology supply chain.
For decades, Taiwan has specialized in making the advanced components that power the world's electronics, above all its famous computer chips. Its companies have earned a reputation for quality and 2, becoming partners that the world's biggest brands depend on.
This success did not happen by 3. It is the result of years of investment in education, research, and skilled workers. Today, Taiwan's role is so important that any disruption there could affect 4 everywhere. The island stands as a powerful example of how a small place can have a 5 impact on the entire world.
Decades ago, the label "Made in Taiwan" was often attached to cheap toys and simple goods. Over the years, however, its meaning has completely 6. Today, it stands for some of the most advanced technology on the planet.
This remarkable change did not come easily. Taiwanese companies chose to invest heavily in research and to focus on quality rather than simply low 7. Step by step, they moved from making basic products to producing the high-tech components the modern world cannot live 8.
The story holds a valuable 9 for businesses everywhere. Success often comes not from staying still, but from a willingness to learn, improve, and take on greater challenges. "Made in Taiwan" is now a label many companies are 10 to carry.
In recent years, more and more people have been choosing to eat less meat. Some do so for their health, others out of 1 for animals, and many because of the environment. Whatever the reason, plant-based foods have moved from a small trend into the 2.
Raising animals for food uses huge amounts of land and water and produces gases that contribute to climate change. By eating more vegetables, beans, and grains, people can 3 their impact on the planet. In response, food companies have created a wide range of plant-based products that look and taste surprisingly 4 the real thing.
Experts are careful to note that no one has to give up meat completely to make a difference. Even small changes, such as one meat-free day a week, can 5 up over time.
For millions of people, the day does not truly begin until they have had their first cup of coffee. Once a simple drink, coffee has grown into a global 6 enjoyed in countless forms around the world.
Each culture has made the drink its own. In Italy, people stand at a counter to enjoy a quick, strong espresso. In other countries, a visit to a coffee shop is a relaxed social 7, a chance to meet friends or work quietly for hours. In recent years, elaborate drinks topped with foam and flavors have become especially 8 among young people.
Behind every cup lies a long journey. Coffee beans are grown in warm regions, often far from where they are finally 9. The next time you take a sip, it is worth remembering the many hands that 10 to bring that simple pleasure to your table.
Not so long ago, almost every purchase was made with cash. Today, in many parts of the world, we are moving toward a "cashless" society, where a quick 1 of a phone or card is all it takes to pay.
Digital payments offer real 2. They are fast, and they save us from carrying coins and notes. For businesses, they mean less cash to count and store. During the pandemic, contactless payments also grew popular because they 3 people from touching shared surfaces.
Still, going cashless raises 4. Not everyone has a smartphone or bank account, and such people risk being left behind. There are also worries about privacy, since digital payments leave a record of everything we buy. Balancing convenience with fairness and security remains an important 5.
In the last decade, a new kind of money has captured the world's attention: cryptocurrency. Unlike traditional money, it exists only in 6 form and is not controlled by any government or bank. The best-known example, Bitcoin, was created in 2009.
Supporters believe cryptocurrencies could one day change how the world handles money, making payments faster and giving people more 7 over their own funds. The technology behind them, called blockchain, keeps a secure record of every transaction.
However, cryptocurrencies are also highly 8. Their prices can rise or fall dramatically within a single day, and some people have lost large sums of money. Because the field is still new and lightly regulated, experts often 9 people to be extremely careful. Whether cryptocurrency becomes a lasting part of our future or fades away, its rise has certainly 10 people to rethink what money really is.
Artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape the classroom. Around the world, schools are exploring how these new tools might 1 both teachers and students. Used wisely, AI could make learning more personal than ever before.
One exciting possibility is that AI can adjust to each learner. A program might notice which topics a student finds difficult and offer extra practice, 2 lessons to that individual's needs. This kind of personal attention was once possible only with a private tutor.
Yet the technology also brings real 3. If students simply let AI do their work, they may stop thinking for themselves. Teachers worry, too, about false information and cheating. Most agree that AI should be an 4 to good teaching, not a replacement for it. The goal is to use these powerful tools to help students think more deeply, not 5 less.
Few things about the future are certain, except that it will be full of 6. The world today is changing faster than at any point in history, driven by new technology, a shifting climate, and a closely connected global economy.
In such a world, the most valuable skill may be the ability to keep 7. Facts learned today may be replaced tomorrow, but curiosity, creativity, and the willingness to adapt will always be in 8. These are the qualities that help people meet challenges no one can yet predict.
Just as importantly, the great problems of our age—from disease to climate change—cannot be solved by any nation 9. They call for people who can work together across borders and cultures. The students of today, in other words, are being prepared not merely to find jobs, but to help 10 the world they will inherit.