sylviali/EDEN_ASR_Data huggingface dataset:
Sure, speaking of the place I'd like to spend time in, I would say there is a small cafe near my home and there are often few people in the weekdays, however, there are still some students on the weekends. Well I always go there for working with my laptop. I would just sit there and ordered a cup of coffee. I would say my favorite is the mocha and I would sit there for the whole afternoon and even the whole day to finish my job. Because I think working in a really quiet place without noises will make sure I can concentrate on the work. And also, there will be some relaxing music while you drinking, and which will definitely relax my mind so it's really a good place to do the work. And I gradually keep contact with the cafe owner, and we have become good friends so I will go there as frequent as possible.
I would say the biggest distraction when I'm trying to stay focused is when I have a lot of tasks that I simultaneously need to be that I need to do. And in that case, I will be distracted because I'm thinking about many things at once and cannot only focus on one thing. And also, if I'm with myself inside a room, it's more like that I can be distracted because unlike in an office or in a library where everyone else is studying, and which they create a environment for you to study, then it could be the case that they could not that you could not concentrate very well.
Well, I think AI is definitely big in healthcare. You know, computer vision will play a very important role in detecting diseases. And you know, general AI technologies will help doctors and even patients to understand based on the information that they have, what kind of diseases they have, what kind of suggestions or advice they should take. And in terms of developing new medicines, I think artificial intelligence will play a big role in really accelerating the pace of new drug discovery instead of having to trial...having to do trials one by one in the past.
Yeah, definitely. I think it's a good opportunity for young people to try new things because there are a lot of unseen difficulties or some dramatic things happening in the future. So I think especially for young children they should have the ability to, you know, face some difficulties bravely instead of always relying on their parents. So I really think down the road people should try as many as... like try new activities as many as possible. It's good for their overall like well-being.
When there are really large amount of things I have to finish within day. It's a day I find really hard to imagine my time. I mean the way I...I want to share really difficult is that I don't have time to have a...have a meal and even to go to the bathroom. So that's really busy. So I have to finish one thing after one another, and it seems that the things that I have to finish is not fixed by myself but it's arranged and assigned by my colleagues and my teammates. So I think it's really hard for myself to...to...
Sure, I'm going to talk about a lovely meal that I had while I was on holiday in Greece. I'm vegetarian, so it is sometimes very hard for me to find something to eat when I travel. This meal was very simple, but it was delicious. It was a Greek salad made of lettuces, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and cheese. It had a very simple dressing poured over it made from olive oil and lemon juice. So this is the one of the favorite meal that I had while I was on holiday and that I want to share with you in this response. So this meal means so much to me's that I really want to share with you.
Well, I think young people like to go to public places for several reasons. First, they want to be out there with...with their peers, with other people because they're full of energy and they don't want spend time all the time at home. And they need the outside place to release their energies and they...where they can socialize with other people, and that's a very important aspect. And also, apart from socializing, it's very important to do exercises and most of the good exercise that young people like are outdoors. So that's...I think that's the two main reasons.
Here's another text for Graham Arrow. Yesterday me and my family go to the beach. We bring a picnic basket with us. The weather was sunny and hot. We lay on the sand and play with frisbee. My brother catch it really well. Later we swim in the ocean. The water was so refreshing. My sister find a seashell and I found a starfish. We took them home as souvenir. In the evening we eated fish and chips for dinner. It was so tasty. We want a beautiful sunset before we leave. I will always remember that day.
Yeah, so the person that I met, you know, that I've met that I want to study with is...is one of my classmates, Tom. And how I met this...met Tom is when I was in high school and he's in my next classroom. And he is one of the best students in the other class. And I really admire his intelligence and I learn a lot from him. And I've known him since, you know, 2016. And he is one of his best...one of the best students in the other class. So that's why I want to study with her, sorry sorry study with him. Yeah.
Yes, the person I will like to study with is one of my classmates in psychology class. Her name is Katie and I just met her for less than a week. I wanted to study with her because she first of all she looks very smart and when she was performing the self-introduction she mentioned that she performed several important and critical projects in her college which I...I'm interested in and will like to know more about it. Secondly, she seems like a responsible person. I think that's one of the most important quality when looking for a teammate because you have to make sure that that person can be held accountable. Thirdly, I think she comes from...she is Asian as well so maybe we have more things to share in common. Maybe we share the same hobby or food that we like. So overall, even though I don't know her well, I have the feeling that I might get along with her very well.
I usually read books before going to bed. Not really, because I think reading is a very intimate and personal thing. I only want to keep it between me and the author, but I do track a reading journal for myself. I think reading makes us see completely different world in our imagination. If we only live in our real world, the world is like single dimension. It's too deep. But reading makes us see a world through time and beyond geographical limitations. I've never... I seldom go to the zoo.
In a span of 24 hours this past week, Elon Musk made three big bets with three different companies together, showing his pension to plow ahead despite sizable risks. Between Wednesday and Thursday evenings, he stripped celebrities, journalists, and other high-profile users their free legacy verification on Twitter, risking a VIP revolt on the social media platform. He promised that the electric car maker, Tesla, would chase sales volume at the expense of profitability, and he launched SpaceX first of its giant space rocket, which exploded on its the way to the heavens. In an era when risk management is a standard part of C-suite calculations, Ms. Musk has made his career and fortune, tolerating the kinds of bets that would strike panic in many corporate soldiers. Yet these gambles come as the 51-year-old billionaire enters the stage of his entrepreneurial career when big stumbles could end up overshadowing previous triumphs and undoing what he has built. Today's SpaceX, his rocket company, and Tesla, the electric car maker, grew out of near-misses dating back roughly 20 years ago. Mr. Musk said many times that he initially gave those ventures each a 10% chance of success. He put his personal fortune into them anyway. In doing so, he weathered failed rocket launches and avoided close calls with bankruptcies. When things have looked most bleak…
“If the odds are probably in your favor, you should make as many decisions as possible within bounds of what is executable," Mr. Musk said in a few years ago. This is likely being a house in Vegas. Probability is the most powerful force in the universe, which is why the house always wins. Buy the house. Be the house! In 2018, for example, when Tesla's cash was running low and car productions was slowed because of a mistake in over-automating his factory, Mr. Musk green-lighted an unprecedented idea to build cars under a tent outside the factory so that the company could move faster in remaking its assembly line and churn out the vehicles needed to generate needed revenues. Within the year, Tesla was printing a quarterly profit.
Brazil's Congress is poised to vote on contentious legislation to curb the spread of fake news, which has drawn opposition from Google and other tech groups facing tougher laws governing their content globally. Parliament is expecting the coming week to vote on the measure being pushed through as speed by the government led by President Lula. It aims to tackle the spread of misinformation, but critics decry it as draconian, rushed and open to abuse by special interests. The law would impose strict requirements on how tech companies deal with illegal and other damaging content, as well as punishment for groups that spread falsehoods at scale using robots or artificial intelligence. It has drawn a sharp backlash from the diverse correlation, including the lobby group for tech companies such as Google and Meta, free speech advocates and members of the far right. They variously argue that the bill may lead to censorship and is being rushed through. “Hasty legislation can make the internet work worse, restrict fundamental rights and create mechanisms to put legitimate speech and freedom of expression at risk,” said Marcelo Lassada of Google Brazil in an online post. The shift in Brazil, one of the most…one of the world's biggest social media markets with about 165 million users according to the data company Statistica, comes as digital platforms face new laws governing their content globally, with requests by more authoritarian governments presenting regulatory dilemma. In India, critics of internet law announced in 2021 argue that they…
When asked by a user if he thought it…Mr. Musk has been the best possible leader for Twitter, Ms. Dorsey replied, “No. Nor do I think he acted right after realizing his timing was bad. Nor do I think the board should have forced the sale. It all went south,” wrote Mr. Dorsey, who has been a supporter of Blue ski. Blue ski was first announced in 2019 while Mr. Dorsey was the chief executive of Twitter. That year, Ms. Dorsey said Twitter was founding a small independent team for the project aiming at building a decentralized network for social media. Blue Sky formed its own company in 2021 with initial funding provided by Twitter and Mr. Dorsey as one of its board members, according to a blog post from Blue Sky CEO Jay Grabber.
Sure, when asked by a user if he thought Mr. Musk has been the best people possible leader for Twitter, Mr. Dorsey replied, “nor do I think he acted right after realizing his time was bad, nor do I think the border should have forced the sale, it all went south,” wrote Mr. Dorsey, who has been a supporter of …ski, who was first announced in 2019 while Mr. Dorsey was the chef executive of Twitter. That year, Mr. Dorsey said Twitter was founding a small independent team for the project aiming at building a decentralized network for social media. Blue Sky formed its own company in 2021 with the initial founding provided by Twitter and Dorsey as one of the…its board members, according to blog post from Blue Sky CEO…
The seizure of First Republican, the rapid sale of the remains of the bank to JP Morgan, was thrashed out in nearly hours of Monday morning as investors and financiers descended on Beverly Hills for the Milken Institute Conference, one of the biggest gatherings of its kind. Although the failure of the … California Bank resulted in a sell-off in some lender’s share on Monday, it did not spark the same degree of market mayhem as the early collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, prompting relative relief among the financial executives and Biden administration officers. However, several prominent investors used the opening day of the conference to predict aftershocks following the recent turmoil. They argued banks would be forced to comply with tougher rules that could crimp their ability to lend just as the US economy is starting to feel the full force of the Federal Reserve's aggressive interest rate rises. There is a little bit of a tendency to kind of breathe a sign of relief on morning like this. David Hunt, chief executive of 1.2 trillion, asset manager FGIM, told Milken attendees digesting the First Republican rescue, “Actually, we're just starting the implication for the US economy. First of all, we're gonna see a real ratcheting up of regulations in the banking system, particularly on many regional lenders,” said Hunt, adding that the impact of the new rules would be quite constraining. What that would do is further hinder the supply of credit that going into the economy. And I think that we're going to see now…
Describe a piece of good news that you heard about someone you know well. You should say what the good news is, when you heard it, and how you knew it, and explain how you felt about it. Alright, remember you have one to two minutes for this. I will tell you when the time is up. Can you start speaking now please? I'd like you to describe a piece of good news that you heard about someone you know well. You would say it was, and when you heard it, how you knew it, and explain how you felt about it. You have one minute preparation start from now.
First Republic rescue fails to arrest a slide in U.S. regional bank shares. The rescue of First Republic this week has failed to arrest a sell-off in regional bank shares, which plunged on Tuesday afternoon as investors digested JPMorgan's takeover of the troubled California lender. Trading in PacWest, seen as one of the weakest of the mid-sized regional banks, was briefed out for volatility and was down 28% for late afternoon in New York. The fall put PacWest on course for the worst day that it could find since March 10, when Silicon Valley Bank collapsed, keep pressure on the entire sector. Western Alliance was down more than 15%. Both banks have drawn scrutiny because of their similarities of to SVB and First Republic, which were taken over by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation after they suffered huge deposit outflows and large paper losses on long-dated assets. JPMorgan bought First Republic's deposit and most of its asset on Monday. The shareholders were entirely wiped out. “They are going from weakest bank to the weakest bank. And it's not just the short sellers, but it's their customers as well as…as we're asking if their deposits are safe,” said Chris Welding, chair of Welding Global Advisors. The market is focusing on the weakest things and looking for banks that are vulnerable. The KBW index of regional banks stocks slide more than 5%. Utah-based Zion Bancorp was the biggest falter on the SP500 index, dropping 12%.
In this part, I'm going to give you a topic and I would like you to talk about it for 1 to 2 minutes. Before you talk, you will have 1 minute to think about what you are going to say. You can bring a pencil right next to you for making notes. I would like you to describe something that you did with someone or a group of people. You should say what it was, who you did with, how long it took you to do it, and explain why you did it together. Your 1 minute preparation starts from now. Alright, remember you have 1 to 2 minutes for this. I will tell you when the time is up. Can you start speaking now please?
Well, I do not think so. Because basically, as I've said, because of the AI nowadays, social media basically just feeds you information that you already agree with. And I do not think that is the right way to...to hand out information. I think people should have different aspects given to them, have people who disagree with them, you know, talking to them, and seeing information from other perspectives. So basically, I think I won't work for social media because my philosophy on...on...on information messaging is just total different.
Sure, I think technology is a big part of my life. It's big part of anyone's life. Well, people...when people talk about technology in...in their lives, people think about, you know...you know, more people think about computers, phones, but it's been true, you know, ever since the dawn of humanity right. At the early stage of humanity, people...farm is actually a new form of technology. Using plow is a new form of technology. Using, know, oil lamps is a new form of technology. I mean, if you see technology as a broad sense, everything has come...come down to technology. That's what separates us from, you know, animals and what makes us a civilization.
The reason I...I think I would prefer big companies...big companies is more insured, the quality is more controlled, and if you have any issues with the product, you have easier time to get a refund or replacement. For small companies, I do understand that they have higher operation costs, so sometimes they would try not to have refunds and replacements and so on. So it's understandable, but as a...as a consumer, I would prefer big companies with their insurance policies. So I think that is my choice.
Well, I think it's better to live in...to work in a big company because in big companies you have a bigger platform. You have chances to learn from people who came before you who were also working the company. You have chances to work across companies because you have lot of business dealing with them. And big companies often give their staff training, which something that most small companies lack. So at least at the beginning stage of your career, I think working in a big company is definitely a better way. They're the better way...the better choice for most people.
As of the moment, I do not have that plan because starting your own business is kind of hard. You need to have not necessarily funds, you have to have people in different fields, you need to have people who understand finance, have people who understand operations, then you have people who understand the business you're in to do products. So is...I think it's very hard. So just working in my company now or working for another company, and, you know, established company, all I need to do is do my job, do things I know, so I think that is actually easier.
Okay, thank you. Speaking of a good news I've heard about someone I know well, I'd like to share with you the real experience of a friend of mine. I mean, I'm so glad that he has got into the habit of having a healthy lifestyle. That's definitely a good news cause, I mean, in the past, the...the friend of mine didn't have a very healthy lifestyle, you know, such as sitting front of the computer for too long or eating too much fast food or barbecue, maybe having an irregular bedtime, staying up late at night, things like that. And the...the truth was that he wasn't really a sporty person. He was definitely a homebody. But things had completely changed since he had been using an app called Keep Running. I mean, with using the app with the help of it, the friend of mine, he...he would love to share his runs online. And he even recommended this to me, saying that, oh, it's very handy to keep track of your speed, distance, and calories. So by using this app, he has successfully lost his weight. And by now, he's been sticking to his running plan. He also invited me to join this jogging group. So...so I'm so proud of him. And that's the piece of good news I heard from him. And that's basically what I like to talk about by now.
I mean, if you want to enlarge your circle friend, or if you like to have your daily routines being...being known by others, the social media allows you to share some photos or videos online, so that everyone may give you a like, or they may leave some comments, so you may interact with every of your friend, if possible. And in that case, as for someone who wants that talkative in reality, they might use this tool to achieve that purpose, you know, to really connect with others.
Not really. I mean, everyone has the right of knowing the truth. So for sure, we...we would like to see more good news, but that's not how the world works, right? So if something bad happened, I guess that using social media to find out the...the truth, the...the real situation can be important. So I think that if we know the correct background of the event, maybe in the future we can avoid making the same mistake. Yeah, so in that case, we...we learned a lot from bad news and good news as well. So I would say they are equally important.
Well, social media offer us tons of information every day, from entertainment, daily life, to academic issues. So as for, for example, students, they may use social media to chat with their friends and maybe they can work as a group. A lot of academic projects require students to work as a team. So social media may have this function. It's like a super tool which allowed us to talk to or share some files on the same platform. And it has overcome the time zone or people working in different cities. Yes, so the...the platform allowed us to connect with each other in a very handy way.
Okay, so a...a meal that I really enjoyed was the one I had last...last year. It was last Spring Festival. We had this family reunion and we had a huge feast on that day. I really enjoyed a meal because we had a lot to eat at that...at the dinner because my grandparents they prepare a lot of dishes made of all kinds of meat you can think of. We have chicken, ducks, mutton, pork and beef. I'm not a huge fan of vegetables so I really enjoy that. And because it's Spring Festival, we also had some special food like dumplings and it's something we Chinese people eat when if...if there is a special day, on special days. We don't normally eat those kind of food when...in everyday life so I really enjoy the meal. And apart from that, I think it is a time when whole family gets together, so we also had some great chat on the table. It's not something we normally do in everyday meals. It's also the reunion makes me feel quite enjoyable. That will be the end of the description.
I don't think so, because with or without parents, children will figure out ways to buy things like snacks and well like things like fried chicken, fast food. So beause I think most children, most kids, they just like this kind of junk food and no matter if their parents told them not to eat those kind of things, they will figure out a way to buy them for themselves. So I don't think they will...they will eat healthy...they will eat healthily in the future.
I would say people had a better diet nowadays because back then, I would say decades ago, people simply don't have enough food to eat so they will eat whatever...they will ate...they would eat whatever they...they had in handy. So it's not about eating healthily or well like having a balanced diet, things like that. But nowadays, well we had sufficient food supply. So, well people start to think whether we were eat...we were eating healthily or not. So, well I think nowadays people eat more healthily.
Okay, when I was young, one of my favorite activities in my free time was playing basketball with my buddies. We used to play in a park near my house where there was a basketball court. I would usually play with a group of like five or six friends who are all around the same age as me. We would play for hours on end if I remember. It was just a fun and casual game that we all enjoyed. We would often try to come up with three-pointer shots or try to make the game more challenging by, you know, playing one-on-one matches. And what I enjoyed most about playing basketball with my friends was the sense of competition. Yeah, it was a great way to team up with my friends and we may build a stronger relationship with them. So we would often laugh and joke around during the game, and which made me even more enjoyable. Additionally, playing basketball was a great way for me to stay active and improve my physical health. So it was a fun way to get some exercise without feel like I was working out in the gym. So I also enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment that came with making a difficult shot or winning a match. So, in short, playing basketball with my friends was one of my favorite activities in my free time when I was in primary school, and it gave me a sense of accomplishment and joy. So that's basically what I did in my free time.
Yes, taking breaks during work or study is crucial for one's productivity and well-being. So when we take a break, for example, we...we give our brain a chance to rest, which allows it to recharge and process information more effectively. What's more, taking breaks can also have positive effects our physical health. For example, taking a walk, you know, like doing some stretching exercises during a break can help reduce blood pressure, blood sugar, and avoid a sedentary lifestyle. So I think that's why is can be so crucial.
Yes, I believe there were more activities for young people to do now than there were 20 years ago. You see, the advent of new technologies coupled with changes in society has led to the creation of new forms of entertainment and activities for especially the young people. For example, they now have access to digital entertainment options, including video games, streaming services, and social media. In addition, there has been a significant increase in the number of recreation activities available, such as fitness classes, outdoor adventure activities, and hobby clubs. So I believe that...that the increase in the number of activities available to young people has had a positive impact on their development.
Oh, I guess that it varies from person to person. Specifically, it depends on individual preferences and also their time management skills. Some people may be able to find a balancing point. I mean, they...they can leave their office on time or spend more time with their kids. And in some other cases, some people may value the opportunity to meet up with friends or go to the gym, you know, during the lunch break. So in that case, I would say those groups of people have successfully found the balance between work and life.
In my opinion, it depends on individual circumstances. Some adults and children may have plenty of leisure time, while others may struggle to find any time for activities outside of work or school. For adults, you know, factors such as work demands, family responsibilities, or other commitments can limit the amount of leisure time available. And similarly, children may also have a packed schedule of academic activities, leaving little time for leisure. However, at the same time, there are also many people who make a plan for relaxation. This includes anything from playing sports to reading books to spending time with friends and family. So basically, it all comes down to individual preferences and their time management skills.
Of course, I often use social media to talk with my friends or my family. For instance, I...when I studied in Canada before and I cannot go back to home sometimes I feel I'm homesickness people. So under that circumstance I need to talk to my parents or my relatives or my friends who stay in China with the...we chat with the video...with the video call. So yeah, it helps us a lot, so, and also I'm very appreciative about the development of the technology in this society.
Of course I want to use...I want to work with the social media like...I want to do some program on the internet which is much helpful for me and also I like to type on the keyboards because that's more convenient for me and I...and I also did my speed of typings very fast and it's a little fast I think, okay, so, and also yeah in conclusion it is more helpful and more convenient now so yeah I'm so...I'm a big fan of the technology and..and the computer so that's the answer
Although I like the technologies I use like...like WeChat or TikTok, etc., however, there only one software which I don't like and that name called Pingoduo. Because many users, they sent me link and help them to cut the...to...to...to...to...to cut something by them because if I cut something for them, and they will reduce the...the fans that...of their products. So it's very...so I hate everybody sent me about link and that...to help them. It's a trouble.
It is commonly know that...known that in the...at the beginning of the 21 century, and there no technology open and...and go to the public. And even the...yeah just for an old...old instance like Wechat...no like Tencent QQ, when it just came out and it's just type...and just talking, yeah there nothing useful and more helpful to people. Now the...the tendency to trends in...in the present society is to work through the digital, so...so the world will be more convenient to people.
Of course I, I can buy the products from the small company or small business because I, when I buy the stuff, when I buy products and, I pay more, concentrated, I pay more attention and more concentrate in the quality of the products no matter how it came from the big company or small company. Or even there are small some company who's very, the boss of the company is very, how do you say, it's not so bad and, and they also provide the very good stuff to people and some of the big companies they provide bad things to people which is very suck.
Well, I think it is quite critical to take photos for traveling because for one, you can capture the moment to...for your reference in the future. And if you look back many years later, you would think it's a great piece of memory that you really treasure. And in addition it's...in the moment, it's also somewhat more enjoyable to talk with your...you know to...to capture the pictures of...with your friend. You know, you've shoot for him or her, he or she will shoot for you. So this way, you can also increase the bond and make the moment of traveling more enjoyable.
Well, I do trust people's travel journals on the internet because for one, they write it because they really, usually because they really believe that they have something great, something meaningful to share with the general public. And if they have already made the decision or have the confidence to write it down and they did spend the time to write down the travel journey, then overall in general, I believe they do have something that really good to share. And also, I won't just trust one source, I would like check across different sources to...to think about it.
Well, first it's about their time, which means that first they have to have enough time to travel if someone's very busy on their work and they don't have...they can't spare much time, you know, outside their work and their daily routines, then it will be pretty hard for them to travel. And second is about the cost or expense. And of course, the expense is correlated with how far it is, and if it's very far away and expensive, then people are less...have less tendency to go there. So in summary, both the cost and the time.
I would definitely go to a foreign country to travel simply because the distinct landscape. And you know, this is something that's, if something is very picturistic, you can take great pictures there and share on your...with your friends and post it online. And in the future, you can boasted it about it and it really makes you feel very good. And the meaning, the purpose of traveling is all about, you know, the experience and the reward you can get. And I believe that by doing the things that I mentioned above, like sharing with friends, boasting about it, add great meaning to the travel itself. And of course, I would think it's worthwhile, worth the time and worth the cost.
Well, because, mainly because we are free human beings capable of traveling, but more...in more detail, people travel because of many reasons. For one, they want see something different out of their mundane and routine life. They wanna try something new. They want see a world with different landscape, with different people, with different languages. So that really enriches their life experience according to. you know, Maslow's hierarchy for...for... of needs. It's really going up the hierarchy of needs and that really satisfy people and that's what people want.
Well they have the capital, they have the resources in the first place to...to make a fame to...to attract the tourists in the first place. And why do places with historic site develop tourism industry more actively, of course, is because they know that they have the reputation to attract users, attract the tourists. And of course, given the, you know, natural endowments, why don't they do that? People have the resource, people have the endowments, they would do that.
Yeah, tourists are new to a city and if they don't do enough background investigation, background checks, they could...and underestimate the danger or the level of uncertainty in a city like the crime rate, like, you know, whether there is something that they should specially take care of before going to the city. Like in the Islamic countries for women, you have to be very careful about what you're wearing. If you're not prepared, if you didn't do enough background investigation, then you could be...put yourself in danger. So it's definitely possible.
Alright, I would like to talk about a meal that I really enjoy, which is a meal my father usually cooks for the Spring Festival, which is pertains to me. He would cook a big meal for whole family. Sometimes relatives would come and eat with us as well. There are more than 10 different dishes. They all taste different and…but delicious. Right. Like I said, obviously my dad prepares the meal and although my mom and sometimes I would also help. We usually…we usually just eat at home. And yeah cause that's where he would cook it and that's how we enjoy it, and yes. The meal I talk about…I have been talking about was the last one before I went abroad that's why I remember it so well.
Okay, actually I moved to Hangzhou just one year ago. And after a week, my landlord told me that there would be a hiking in the next weekends. And that time, I had no friend in Hangzhou, so I'm lonely and I would like to make some new friends. So I think it was a great opportunity for me to make some friends with maybe the same hobbies or some person in the same situation with me. And I went to hiking and the most difficult part for me is actually to remember many people's name because I'm not good at…good at it. So I just ask my neighbors and landlord to introduce me to others. I think it’s…it was a very good activity because I actually made some new friends from hiking. And one of them is still my friends who chat often. So I think maybe some hikings and other outdoor activities is very good for a person who moved into a new city and have no friends in this city.
Actually, it depends on different kinds of people. For example, for the middle-aged male, fishing is the most popular activities for them. Every weekend when I go to subway, I can see many middle-aged men. They carry a lot of instruments and catch the subway and trains to go to some fishing park. Well, on the other hand, for maybe for the young students, the most popular adult activity is hiking, because it good for people's health and they can maybe enjoy the beautiful scene.
I...I...I'd like to...tell you about the...the meal that I had when I was 10 years old. It...it...it was on my birthday party. My...my mom bought me a pizza...a pizza. I think it's...it's...it was very big, like 12 inches big. I ate the meal at home. I also invited some friends of mine, and we had a really good time. I...I still remember the meal. I...and...I...I just...I like it so much.
When I was young, I enjoyed reading adventure stories because it's full of imagination, adventure, courage and heroes. And the other reason I enjoyed it is when I was a little kid, my parents read a lot of stories for me, so I am a big fan for stories. I read in my home and library because you know we...my parents...my parents couldn't buy the whole adventure stories for me. And the...the library actually has had a lot of those books. So I went to library every weekend. After I read those books and stories, I would share those stories with my friend. And one of them I remember, she was Tina, she also found out adventure stories, so she go to...she went to library with me maybe one third time. And I think reading adventure stories actually taught me a lot. I learned courage, working with others and how to make new friend from the books. So I enjoy reading adventure stories very much when I was young.
Well, I think I'm still young, to be fair. But anyway, an activity that I used to enjoy when I was young in my first year at university was dancing. I used to attend a dance class that was run by one of the South African teachers on campus. I think she was from Brazil. I can't recall exactly. Anyway, I loved going to this dance class. It took place two evenings a week and was a great way to stay healthy and fit, enjoy great music, and get to know other people. Because a lot of these kinds of dances are interactive. Men and women dance together as partners and change partners too, then it's a really good way to break the ice with people of the opposite sex and become friends or maybe more. We would often go out for drinks after the dance evenings and sometimes stay out late chatting or even clubbing in the city. So yeah, these evenings I particularly enjoyed and for a while the dance society at the university was one of the most important things in my life. Apart from studying and all that, it was my social outlet as well as my form of regular exercise and a nice chance to get involved in something more international. It's a shame that I don't seem to get time to do something like that now really, or at least I don't create time and opportunity. Maybe I should make the effort, just thinking about it makes me feel a bit...
There are more activities for young people now than 20 years ago. It's undeniable that there are more activities available for young people today than there were 20 years ago. New technology combined with an increase in awareness with the importance of physical and mental health has resulted in a wider range of opportunities for young people to engage in meaningful activities. From outdoor sports to arts and crafts to volunteering, young people now have more way to explore their interests, develop their skills and make a...make a positive contribution to their communities.
As far as I am concerned, some people experience intense pressure to make the greatest decision during their downtime, such as doing more research, planning ahead, and spend more money. However, as the data show, this drive to maximize our enjoyment could interfere with how much we actually enjoy our leisure time. Additionally, some people find it difficult to see the value of leisure at all. These people prioritize productivity to the point where they are unable to enjoy downtown...downtime, actually, frequently at expense of their mental health. They frequently work in high-stress, high-paying industries.
My favorite food is hot pot. So it's a very traditional type of Chinese food. The interesting part is for hot pot, you don't actually... the chef doesn't cook it. You cook it yourself. Basically, what happens is you order a pot of boiling water and also you...you order ingredients and you put the ingredients into the water, the pot of boiling water. Whatever you want to eat, pour it in there, wait for it to be boiled, and you will might eat it. It's interesting kind of food because you get a lot of choices, you get to cook it yourself and it's a great way for people to communicate during the entire process.
Both have advantages and disadvantages obviously. Small companies tend to be more flexible and there are a lot of things you can try in a small team and they tend to be more personal and close knit. But big companies tend to be more stable and they have a bigger platform and more resources and there's more vertical space for you to...for you to develop your own portfolio for your career development. So you can enjoy working in both types of companies. It really depends on what you want and what kind of person you are.
I would like to tell you about the time when my wife, well then girlfriend, got an offer from Cornell University. We went to the US in 2012 together and I went to Cornell and she went to Purdue University and pursued her Masters degree in Linguistics. And then in 2013 she applied to Cornell, the Linguistics Department at Cornell because we want...obviously wanted to be together with each other. And finally one day in February 2014, she got an email and it's an offer from the Linguistics Department at Cornell. And I almost lost my mind and...and I... I was pretty sure I was even more excited than she is. And obviously I immediately told her the news and I even went to the Linguistics Department just down the road and took some pictures for her. It was probably one of the best days of my life and I would remember it forever.
It's fine to share something good on social media. It's...well it's at least better than sharing toxic content on social media. But the...it can be addictive. And it's important to, you know, understand the boundaries and respect boundaries between people. And limit the time you spent on social media. Because social media is not a substitute for real life. If you would like to share some news with friends, consider asking them out. And relay the news to them in person. That could actually feel kind of special these days.
To be honest, I think it depends on different age groups. I feel like for young generations, they really like playing basketball because especially for boys, I think for them playing basketball is a good way for them to socialize with others and it's a...it provides them a good opportunity to exercise and also have fun to kill time and something like that. But for older generation, for example, my grandparents, they always like play badminton with their friends in the park. I think basically because they want to breathe some fresh air or to have some chit chats with them.
I think it really depends on situation. I think every coins has two sides. If you want to get promotions in a, like, in a specific industry, it takes a long time for you to climb up the ladder. But if you are a kind of person who like to... like new challenges or you like to get out...get out of your bubble, then I think changing jobs when there are new chances is a good choice for people to expand their perspectives and to, you know, have access to some new opportunities or expand their interpersonal skills.
Sometimes, because you need to post your moment on the WeChat or other social medias, and if you post it and a lot of your friend will view it and you will go back to the social media to see what's your...what's your...which friend has already liked your moment. And it will cost us so much times. And sometimes when you look at others life...life, their good lifestyles and you will be jealous sometimes and it will make you...make you feel lost.
Actually not. But one thing for example like phone, you can get a lot of entertainment from phone and because of it's so appealing, you cannot get rid of it. You will stuck into the game. You cannot get rid of game. And it takes so many times. It makes you happy but after happy, you will feel lost. You waste your time on the entertainment and not on the productivity things, for example like work, study, reading book. Those are good things. But technology make game become more popular and you cannot get rid of them.
I have the issue with well-rounded scientists. Well, scientists are not meant to be well-rounded. They're not meant to be, to be know-it-alls. They're meant to be experts in certain fields. And...and I think human knowledge has come to the extent where it's hard for people to be experts in multiple fields, given the intellect that we have as Homo sapiens. So I think well-rounded scientists might not be a good idea because they might take time away from truly discovering new things. Well, I do agree that interdisciplinarity research is key, but I think that is more of a...the issue of collaboration between scientists rather than having people who can understand multiple fields, which is really hard as it is.
I think, I'm...I'm not sure this is counted as literature, but this growing popularity for comics. Well, I know what you're thinking, comics seems to be childish and boring, but that's more of a, there's a more of a understanding of comics prior to 1990s. Since 1990s, comics have become more serious, they explore darker themes, they start to discuss the human condition, and as well as the growing conflict between humanity and the creation of humanity, which is technology or the society we're in. So once something as easy as comics starts to discuss this, I think it has potential becoming what we'll understand as classical literature.
Well, yeah, I think there are multiple points that's discussing the theme of nature versus humans, especially under this stage, you know, where...where our technology is slowly eroding the environment that we are living in. This used to be subtle, this used to be regional, where people have pollutions and destroyed habitats, but now it's more of a global...global thing, where greenhouse gases cause rising sea levels. That might lead to problems not for a community, but also for entire civilizations. For example, people live on the polynesian islands does have this, you know, crisis on our hands where the rising sea levels might destroy their homes entirely. So I think that is something really valid and really speaks to the...to the time that we're living in.
Well, I think the biggest sort of distraction nowadays is cell phones. In the past, you know, where you have a phone or have mail, it doesn't really bother you that much cause you can expect to be called upon at any moment. But now with...with the cell phone, you know, the phone seems to be constantly ringing, not only from text messages, from apps, but also from notifications of different websites and apps. So I think, yeah, this is major sort of distraction. And also sometimes your phone just calls on you, you know, trying to trick you into using it, to...to watch a video or something. So that also is a distraction, but I think it's not as much as the notifications that's bugging me quite a lot.
I think one way to be focused or to concentrate is basically to shut off all communications, turn off your cell phone, turn off your computer if you're not using it of course. Basically you have to get into this mindset where you just tell yourself that nothing is going to, you know, distract me from doing what I'm doing right now. So you think it's more of a mind thing, it's more of a control, psychological control you have, rather than physical technique.
Well, it's not really difficult for me, because I...I want to do things that interest me. So if I'm interested in it, basically I just...get lost in the task itself, so it's not hard for me per se, but I think it's hard for a lot of people now, because, you know, with the apps, again, you know, more interesting, the algorithm...just trying to...to...to...to trick you into watching videos that are similar to your likes. So I think it's hard for a lot of people, but personally I think it's not that hard...
Well, it's necessary because you have to have a source of information, knowledge basically, that is reliable. Now people actually use websites and, you know, TikTok or other...YouTube more as a source of information, but that's user-generated content where the authenticity of the knowledge itself is really comes to the question of how reliable it is. But with books, it's a published version of something and of course there are hocus pocus books everywhere. But you know, it's more reliable than just a TikTok. So I think that's important for learning.