3105期高中进阶音频 Living Life or Just Posting It? Recently, an internet influencer sparked viral discussion after she “documented” her holiday in advance — creating an entire vacation’s worth of content in a single day. She spent an afternoon and evening taking over a thousand photos showing her in different outfits (套装), visiting various locations and enjoying delicious food, all as if she were on an actual vacation. This approach, which creates “pre-made moments,” has been widely adopted by many others, reflecting a growing trend. Some netizens praised this preparation, suggesting that it would allow people to fully enjoy special occasions without worrying about content creation. Others, however, criticized this strategy for being dishonest, as the posts didn’t reflect real-time experiences. I don’t think it matters either way. My only question is: Is it important to “document” every trivial part of your life? And my main concern is that people are so focused on creating content and building an “image” that they are very likely to miss out on real experiences. Are they recording their life instead of living it? People have long enjoyed capturing special memories like birthdays and vacations with photos and videos. It is a way to relive joyful moments. However, not every moment of our lives is special or worth sharing. For example, I have toast and coffee for breakfast every morning. Should I document this daily routine with the caption, “Here I am having breakfast ... again”? No, I’d rather sit here and have a quiet moment while enjoying my toast and coffee. Brendon Lemon, an American comedian and TikTok content creator, insightfully points out, “We live in a time when things online are strangely more important and more real than things that happen in real life.” He adds that now there is more content online than anyone could ever possibly watch. Professional influencers often edit their content to make it more engaging and attract more followers; in effect, they create “pre-made moments” regularly. Their content might be posted the same day, the next day, or even a week later. But for those who post simply to stay connected with friends, such “pre-made moments” feel neither genuine nor meaningful. Your friends would like to see the “real” you in “real” time. The future is where we are going, and the present is where we are now. We can never predict the future and it’s foolish to do so. And we shouldn’t exhaust our present trying to record every moment. Embrace spontaneity and savor life; not everything needs to be online content. Spain Hit by Deadliest Floods in Decades Spain was shocked by the worst flooding in decades at the end of last month. A heavy storm dumped a year’s worth of rain in just a few hours in the country’s southern and eastern regions. Towns and roads were flooded, rivers burst their banks, and thousands were left without power or running water.In the worst-hit region of Valencia (巴伦西亚), rural villages were underwater. People were caught off guard and trapped in the lower parts of buildings. Main highways became temporarily unusable, and trains were suspended. The storm began on October 29 with over 220 people dead at the time of writing, while dozens more remain missing. The post-disaster reconstruction is underway while a new round of storms might slow down the progress.The Spanish government did send emergency alerts upon the storm’s arrival, asking people to stay indoors or seek high ground. Extreme rain warnings were put in place for some areas, including around Valencia. However, the high death toll suggests that the country’s regional emergency alerts system failed. Many people didn’t receive the alert in time, leading to losses that could have been largely prevented. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez offered support, promising that his government would do all it could to help flood victims. The Spanish government also decided on three days of official mourning (哀悼), starting on October 31. While the locals were still recovering, scientists were researching the cause of the storm. The large amounts of rain were likely caused by what Spanish meteorologists call a gota fría, or cold drop. The term refers to a pool of cooler air high in the atmosphere that can separate from the jet stream, causing it to move slowly and often lead to high-impact rainfall. This phenomenon is most common in autumn. Studies found climate change to be the most likely explanation for the intensity of the downpours. Global warming increased the intensity and likelihood of rainfall in Spain. Hotter oceans provide more energy to storms, while warmer air is able to hold more moisture, absorbing it like a sponge (海绵). It then squeezes the moisture out in the form of torrential rain. Others looked at the recent removal of a number of small river barriers. Although these barriers wouldn’t have stopped the flood, a larger dam (水坝) could help next time a storm hits. Zheng Qinwen’s Destined Determinism In January 2024, Zheng Qinwen became the second Chinese tennis player in history to compete in a Grand Slam (大满贯) singles final, a decade after Li Na won the Australian Open in Melbourne. Although she was defeated by a dominant Aryna Sabalenka, I believed her rise was destined. However, Zheng herself wouldn’t put it that way. At eight, Zheng left home to attend a tennis academy 400 kilometers away in Wuhan. The day she left, her mother cried — the thought of separating from her only child seemed unbearable. But Zheng was determined to go, believing the training would last only a few days. It wasn’t until after the first practice session that she learned she wouldn’t be returning home. The news came as a complete surprise. “It was my parents’ decision, and I had to accept it,” says Zheng, who was already used to discipline by then. Zheng’s father, a former track-and-field (田径运动) athlete, was strict throughout her childhood. He introduced her to tennis when she was three as a form of physical activity. Zheng often spent hours hitting with her father or other players at nearby courts, and whenever she lost a match, her father would make her run to reflect on her performance. “When I was young, I didn’t find tennis fun,” she recalls. “I always felt that I had to win, or my father would punish me. Those early years were challenging.” When Zheng was six, her parents encouraged her to take one of her sports more seriously. They wanted to see how far she could go with her natural talent. She had shown exceptional ability and athleticism not only in tennis but also in basketball, badminton and table tennis. Ultimately, Zheng chose tennis because the sport valued the player’s ability to determine the outcome of each point. “You win for yourself and you lose for yourself. You take all responsibility,” she says. Tennis gave Zheng the sense of willpower and control that she perhaps lacked off the court. While training at the academy, she saw her parents once a week at most, and each parting was painful. Still, Zheng was determined to see how far she could push her potential. She understood, or had to understand, that mastering the sport would require even more discipline and independence than before. She was committed to giving everything to tennis. She thought of her family when they were together, but otherwise, she didn’t allow herself to dwell on missing them. She would focus strictly on improving her skills. Today, Zheng represents what it means to believe in the limitless potential of human determination. She lives in the realm of dreams, where there is no past or future, only the present — a place where she actively pursues what was once just a private corner of her imagination.
