Практический курс иностранного языка (грамматический аспект). Методическое пособие
.pdfChe’w, which translates to “star” in Mam, was trained to understand the language by the students so it can serve as a personal tutor. The robot is also trained to speak Spanish and English.
“It doesn’t lose patience or get sick of talking to them,” said Mark Eastburn, Princeton High School’s science, research and engineering teacher. “It’s taking [AI] off the screen and putting it onto a physical structure that looks like a friend that can help you do whatever you need to do.”
In April, the students were one of the top three National Winners at the Samsung Solve For Tomorrow’s competition.
AI is now a part of students’ lives, Eastburn said.
“And it will be there when they’re in college and also in their careers,” he added, “so they might as well learn and use it in appropriate ways in high school, if not even earlier.”
Text 2. Scarlet Sweaters and Scotch Tape: Readers Share Their Travel
Hacks
A few months ago, we asked you for your favorite travel tips. Here are some standouts that could help make everyone’s next trip a bit better.
By Danial Adkison
The next time you’re on a plane, if the person next to you doesn’t seem to own anything that isn’t bright red, it might be Celia Paerels. Kindle case, sweater, sunglasses, headphones, charging cord, everything in shocking scarlet: It’s how she avoids leaving anything behind in the seat or the seat pocket.
“Everybody clues into red,” said Ms. Paerels, 62, of Hastings-on-Hudson,
N.Y. “If you see a cardinal, you’ll know it’s a cardinal. You don’t notice a sparrow.”
Ms. Paerels is one of more than 180 New York Times readers who responded to our invitation in September to share their favorite travel hacks. A large number of the tips focused on packing (Ziploc bags), sleeping better in hotels (binder clips for the curtains) or eking out more space on planes (strategies abound for snagging empty seats). But a few ideas stood out as especially clever, or unusual. Here, in addition to Ms. Paerels’s color-coded advice, are nine of the best.
1. Put the language where you can see it.
Technology has helped break language barriers. Translation programs abound, and travelers can always cram before the trip with a few Duolingo sessions. But inevitably, you’ll still end up accidentally wishing someone “Good night” over morning coffee as your brain struggles to retrieve the right words.
Derek Middleton, 42, of Dublin, has a solution in the palm of his hand. He takes a screen shot of common phrases like “Hello,” “Good morning/good evening,” “Please/thank you,” “Excuse me" and “Do you speak English?” and makes that image the lock screen on his cellphone, so every time he
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looks at his phone, he gets a language lesson and has the right terms handy at all times.
“I’ve found on my travels that if you put forth somewhat of an effort to speak the language, people are much more receptive,” Mr. Middleton said, “and it usually starts with a laugh at me butchering the words.”
2. Pack candy for the crew.
Good will goes a long way toward make flying smoother, particularly as planes get more cramped and the prospect of unruly passengers sours the mood for flight crews. Mary Anne Casey, 57, of Alcochete, Portugal, has a way to sweeten the experience: When she and her husband board a flight, they give the crew a bag of individually sealed bite-size chocolates to share.
She remembered once, as they were getting off a flight in Lisbon, “the lead flight attendant ran after us and started giving us small bottles of Port wine. She felt bad that she had forgotten to thank us for the chocolates during the flight.”
3. Avoid long lines with the U.S. Mobile Passport Control app.
You don’t see many happy faces standing in the seemingly endless line at immigration after an all-night flight. Sarah Miller, 62, Corvallis, Ore., recommends using the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Mobile Passport Control app to shorten the wait.
“I could bypass a long line in Portland when I was returning from a trip to England last June,” she said. “The line for standard passport control was several hundred passengers, and no one was in the M.P.C. line. After I opened the app, I could snap a photo, answer a few questions (all done while I was walking over to the correct line), and I was done.”
The Global Entry program offers some similar benefits but costs $100, requires an in-person interview and currently has an application backlog of up to 11 months; the Mobile Passport Control app is free and available to use at 33 U.S. international airports without any wait time. “It’s a timesaving tool for those of us who don’t travel abroad often,” Ms. Miller said.
4. Bring your Global Entry card, even for domestic flights.
If you do sign up for Global Entry, the ID card that comes with it can help speed up border crossings from Canada and Mexico, but it can also be a lifesaver if you’re traveling within the United States.
More voices, better journalism. The article you are reading is in part the result of The Times inviting readers to share their experiences. With questionnaires, we get a wide range of views that often lead to a more deeply reported article. This helps us ensure that our journalism reflects the world we cover.
When Charlie Bishop, 73, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., found that his driver’s license wouldn’t scan at a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint for a domestic flight, his Global Entry card allowed him to proceed.
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“Pack it separately from your driver’s license,” Mr. Bishop suggested, “so if you happen to lose your wallet while traveling, you can still board your return flight and worry about replacing the license when you get home.”
5. Book backup flights using miles.
If you have enough frequent flier points with multiple airlines, Robert Cohen, 79, of Bixby, Okla., suggests using them to book backup flights on alternative airlines in case something goes wrong with your preferred flight.
“But don’t forget to cancel the backups on your day of travel before they depart so the unused miles get redeposited,” Mr. Cohen warned. Those cutoff times vary by airline and may be as tight as 10 minutes before departure. You may also want to book the outbound and return flights separately rather than as a round trip, he said, because “some carriers won’t permit a cancellation on just a portion of the itinerary.”
6. Know the secret airplane toilet paper stash.
Mary Jane Cuyler, 42, of Oslo, recalled being about 10 hours into a 15-hour flight between Los Angeles and Sydney — “I believe the plane was a Boeing 777” — when she noticed there was no toilet paper in the lavatory. She sought out a flight attendant, who pressed a lever beneath the mirror vanity and “to my complete astonishment,” she said, it popped open to reveal spare toilet paper and paper towels. “Ever since then, I’ve been able to take care of that problem myself (although it rarely occurs),” Ms. Cuyler said.
7. Pack a power strip.
Electrical wall sockets have been bedeviling international travelers for as long as there have been appliances to plug into them. And even as more devices can adapt to different voltages, travelers are simply bringing more things that need juice.
That’s why Andrea Diamond of Montville, N.J., typically brings a fiveor six-plug surge protector on international trips. “That way I only need one adapter to plug the power strip into the wall outlet, and can charge multiple devices,” she said.
She usually packs the power strip in her checked luggage, but recalled once being stopped for additional screening at a security checkpoint, she said, because “I had a lot of charging cables in my backpack, and I suppose that looked suspicious in the X-ray machine.”
8. Jog your memory with photo bookmarks.
If you take a lot of photographs, the process of sorting out what’s what can turn into a post-trip headache. Fred Essenwein, 78, of Colonia, N.J., has a trick for that. “I take a photo of the name of the town or landmark, or even just an admission ticket, before photographing the scenic views,” he said. These “little bookmarks” help him remember each place as he puts together photo books after each trip.
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Mr. Essenwein has been using online services like Shutterfly for about 10 years to make his photo books, whose subjects have included a cruise to Antarctica and classic American cars he spotted in Cuba.
9. Use Scotch tape to make a memento.
The English travel writer Bruce Chatwin inspired Doug Colligan’s decidedly analog way to document his explorations. Since the 1970s, Mr. Colligan, 79, of Amherst, Mass., has carried a slim Moleskine-type notebook, the brand said to be a favorite of Chatwin’s, and a small roll of
Scotch tape.
“I tape onto its pages business cards from good restaurants or shops that are worth revisiting, as well as brochures from sites and museum shows and ticket stubs from memorable concerts,” Mr. Colligan explained. “The notebook becomes a travel diary and a happy souvenir.”
Text 3. 10 Health Trend Predictions for 2024 by Amy Brangwyn
Every year, there are new trends that crop up in all areas of life. In 2023, we saw the meteoric rise of pickleball, face yoga, and medicinal mushrooms, to name a few. But, what does 2024 hold in store for our health? Let’s find out as we discover 10 health trend predictions for the new year and beyond.
Health trends for 2024
The new year is a time for reset and renewal and can often include resolutions to commit to a more health-conscious future. If you are looking for some inspiration for your health and wellness in 2024, then the following 10 health trend predictions might motivate you in the right direction.
1. Longevity
Longevity has been somewhat of a buzzword on the health and wellness scene for a few years, but 2024 is going to see it emerge into the mainstream. Far from simply prolonging life, longevity promotes the idea of maintaining vitality and optimal health as we age. There is a lot of emerging research focused on the ability of certain supplements, types of exercise, and lifestyle changes to help us improve longevity. Some of these include:
NMN supplementation
Resistance training
Mostly plant-based diet
Intermittent fasting
2.Biohacking
Biohacking uses our own biology in a do-it-yourself approach to becoming the very best version of ourselves. Through the implementation of biohacks, such as making changes to our diet, ensuring we get sunlight and fresh air every day, cold water therapy, and regular saunas, we aim to optimize mental and physical health.
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You can also combine biohacking with habit stacking. For example, you might take a walk out in nature while listening to a binaural beats meditation and that’s 5 different biohacks rolled into one activity — exercise, getting out in nature, breathing fresh air, movement meditation, and shifting brainwave patterning with sound.
3. Smart tech and wearables
Knowing how our lifestyle is affecting our health metrics is going to be huge in 2024. It’s all very well to hit the gym regularly, drink green smoothies, and aim for a healthy amount of sleep, but it’s even better to know how and when these kinds of activities affect us most.
Wearable health monitors, which connect to apps on our smart devices, are such an effective way to measure what’s working best for us. Everyone's body is different. One person might burn through a lot of calories first thing in the morning in a fasted state, while another might have better results in the evening an hour after a healthy and balanced dinner. Wearables take the guesswork out of our health and wellness lifestyle choices, giving direct measurements to let us know how and when our bodies work best.
4. Sleep hygiene
We all know that a good 7–9 hours of sleep is crucial to our health and well-being. You only need one night of less sleep to notice the effects of tiredness on your whole body. In 2024, sleeping in might be the new going out as more and more people choose an early night over staying out late and partying.
Different sleep hacks, like apps, wearable sleep monitors, and lifestyle changes, saw a massive rise in popularity in 2023 as more people wanted to know about not just sleep quantity but sleep quality. Here are a few suggestions for improving the quality of your sleep:
Use blackout blinds or a sleep mask
Sleep in a cool room
Wind down before bed by turning off overhead lights
Use brainwave meditation before sleep
5.Digital detoxing
Spending too much time online doom scrolling through social media has been shown to have a negative effect on our mental health. From body image to lifestyle comparisons, this constant exposure to so many images and videos of what American culture perceives to be 'perfection' isn’t healthy for us.
In 2024, we’ll see more and more people making a conscious choice to switch off from the digital world. This might look like going for walks out in nature and local parks but leaving the smartphone at home. It could be choosing one day of the week when you don’t switch on your phone or your computer. You might even spend a weekend away in the forest, completely switched off. Whatever you choose for your digital detox, just make sure to reconnect to yourself and the natural world.
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6. Social connection through sport
The trendy sport pickleball blew up in 2023, and with it came the rise of partaking in more group sports and exercise as a way to create and enhance social connections. You can make new friends and deepen existing friendships; all while burning calories, building muscle, and improving mobility.
If you want to build up a more sporty social life, check out some local outdoor fitness groups, such as running clubs, and HIIT in the park groups, or explore your nearest health and fitness club. Keep an eye out for a rise in badminton’s popularity — many fitness influencers are saying it's going to be the most popular group sport of 2024!
7. Sobriety
The fact that drinking alcohol is bad for you isn’t anything new. But there’s a teetotal health trend sweeping the globe in 2024, championed by healthconscious millennials and Gen-Z influencers. Intentionally sober parties, concerts, and festivals are on the rise all over the world, with more and more people choosing sobriety over getting drunk.
For dry January and beyond, opt for healthy drinks, such as cacao and matcha, non-alcoholic cocktails, and gut-friendly tonics containing kombucha and other good bacteria, for great alternatives to drinking alcohol.
8. Hydration hacks
We all know the saying, 'water is life,' but so few of us actually drink enough of it. 2024 is going to be the year that ushers in even more hydration hacks to ensure we are getting enough of this vital elixir into our bodies.
Hydration apps are great for showing us how much water we've had and how much more we need to hit our daily goals.
You can purchase a wearable 12 oz wet sleeve that you fill with water and strap around your arm for long hikes or runs.
Adding electrolytes to your water improves rehydration after exercise.
Eating high water-content foods, such as watermelon and cucumber, adds to your hydration levels.
9. Creatine supplements
Every year, there is always one dietary supplement that is crowned king. 2024 might be the year that creatine supplements have their moment in the spotlight. Creatine is reported to improve athletic performance by enhancing muscle growth and strength, helping muscle cells produce more energy, and may also enhance cognitive function.
You can take creatine as a powder or in capsules with food just like any other dietary supplement. It's been the subject of many years of research, and according to clinical trials, it's safe to use regularly for up to 5 years.
10. Functional fitness
Last year, we saw a rise in what's known as functional fitness, and the trend shows no sign of slowing down as we move into 2024. It's a type of exercise that uses both hand-held weights and body weight while moving in
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specific ways that train your body to perform better in everyday activities. Functional fitness aims to enhance mobility, range of movement, and core stability.
Functional fitness asks that instead of using the leg press machine at the gym, you try using dumbbells while performing squats. The thought process here is that you are much more likely to need to squat down to pick something up from the ground than push something heavy with your legs along the floor.
Final thoughts
Health and fitness are always high on the agenda at the beginning of the year, with millions making resolutions that prioritize health. It's a time to review our goals, make new commitments, and try new hacks that may optimize our fitness. These 10 health trend predictions for 2024 aim to inspire you to implement lifestyle changes that may make 2024 the best year yet for your well-being, fitness, and vitality.
Key takeaways:
The new year is the perfect time to make the lifestyle changes you want to maintain for the rest of the year.
Trying out health and fitness trends can be a great way to inject some variety into your exercise and diet regimen.
Remember that optimal health and well-being come from a sustained and dedicated approach to diet and exercise, not just the current trends.
Text 4. Try the Animal Movement Workout
By Connie Chang
Lately, my workouts have looked a bit odd: I’ve been slithering like a lizard, crawling like a bear and scuttling like a crab. It’s called quadrupedal movement training (or animal movement), and it’s taken over TikTok (the related hashtag, #primalmovement, has 2.4 billion views).
At first glance, the workouts seem a little goofy — more like an audition for
Gollum in “Lord of the Rings” than a workout. But are they effective?
Proponents say the exercise targets muscles often neglected by other workouts, and that moving your arms and legs diagonally across the body (rather than, say, running, where they just move in line forward and back) is important for building resilient joints and body awareness.
To put animal movement to the test, I gathered some common exercises and tried them four times a week, for a month. Here’s what I learned.
How It Works and Feels
There is a lot of overlap between animal movement and more established practices like yoga, Pilates and dance, which aim to improve balance and core strength, as well as increase joint mobility and stability, said Dr. Sachin Allahabadi, an orthopedic surgeon in Houston, who sometimes warms up with “bear crawls” before HIIT sessions.
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But research specific to animal movement is still limited. One small study found it burns about the same number of calories as a similar duration of other moderate aerobic exercise, like a game of doubles tennis. Another suggests that it improves coordination and hip and shoulder flexibility, which is especially important as we age.
Initially, I found that the workouts were awkward and demanded intense focus: What was my right hand doing, and where was my left foot? But after a few weeks, they began to feel familiar, almost like dancing. It also made me move in ways that I rarely had, even in a yoga class, challenging my shoulders and arms. And while a 30-minute session doesn’t pack the punch of a 10K run, I was definitely panting as if I had hiked a series of hills.
But it’s not a panacea: It can get repetitive, and to retain (or build) muscle mass, you need to add resistance training. Also, it’s hard to do while watching Netflix.
Going forward, I’ll use animal movement to break up long stretches at my desk, the way Jeffrey Buxton, an exercise scientist at Grove City College, does. Or I’ll sprinkle it into circuit-training workouts — a round of crab walks to replace jumping jacks, for example. “It’s an accessible exercise and checks a lot of boxes,” Dr. Buxton said.
How to Move Safely
Similar to other body-weight programs such as calisthenics and yoga, the risk of injury with animal movement is low compared to using free weights, said Jon Ide-Don, a physical therapist with Hinge Health, a virtual clinic for muscle and joint pain. However, you should “be cautious with really fast or dynamic movements, which put more force through your joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons,” he said.
The wrists and shoulders, in particular, aren’t used to bearing much weight.
To prevent injuries like tendinitis, rotator cuff problems or labral tears, start slow. Take a day or two off between sessions, suggested Ben Geletka, a physical therapist at University Hospitals in Cleveland.
I did not follow this advice and paid a price. A few weeks into my own routine, I woke up with pain in my left shoulder and a soft click whenever I rotated my arm. After three days of rest, I returned — slowly — to a light workout.
Although beginners to animal movement could benefit from an initial session with a trainer from one of the programs (such as Animal Flow, Primal Play or GMB Elements), videos of the movements are also available online. Here are some exercises, based on the Animal Flow method, to get you started.
Warm Up
It’s important to first warm up the wrists, hips and shoulders because we typically don’t move these very much, said Holly Roser, a personal trainer in San Francisco who includes animal movements in some of her classes.
Wrist rolls: Clasp your hands together, palms facing, and roll your wrists in a circle, clockwise for 30 seconds, then counterclockwise for 30 seconds.
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Hip abductions: In a standing position, with the toes on your right foot pointed up, lift your right leg to the side 30 times. Repeat with your left leg. Shoulder-arm circles: With both arms raised out to the side and parallel with the floor, make small, forward circles 30 times. Reverse direction for another 30 circles.
The Exercises
The easiest way to begin animal movement is to get into the starting position of each move and hold it, as you would a plank or yoga pose. Engage your core by “drawing in your navel like you’re bracing yourself when someone’s going to punch you in the stomach,” Ms. Roser said. Next, try lifting a foot or a hand an inch off the ground while maintaining the pose.
Once you can hold a pose comfortably for 30 seconds, you’re ready to move.
Start out with positions where your body is stacked over itself, like a tower of blocks, Dr. Allahabadi said. “If you’re balancing on your hand, for example, the wrist, elbow and shoulder are all in the same line.”
As your strength and stability increase, move to exercises where your hands and feet are farther from your center — like the crocodile crawl, Dr. Buxton said.
Animal Movements
Start with three sets of 10-second stints, with up to a minute’s rest in between each. Gradually increase to 30-second or even one-minute stints, punctuated by 30-second breaks. Cycle through the six exercises below or pick and choose your favorites.
Beast crawl
A playful version of a plank. Support yourself with the palms of your hands and balls of your feet on the ground. Hands should be below the shoulders, your back should be flat and your knees should be beneath the hips and hovering above the ground. Step forward with your right foot and left hand, then with your left foot and right hand. Then go backward, if you like.
Crab walk
Interchangeable with a glute bridge. Start by sitting on the ground with your legs bent and your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your hands behind you, fingers pointing away, and raise your hips an inch off the floor; your body should be in an M-shape. Move forward with your right foot and left hand, then with your left foot and right hand. Then go backward, if you like.
Sideways ape
Similar to a squat that also works your shoulders. From a deep squat, plant your left hand in front of you and between your feet, and your right hand to the outside of your right foot. Shift your weight to your hands while hopping to the right with both feet. Repeat, then go in the opposite direction.
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Crocodile crawl
A more challenging, moving version of a push-up. Start from a push-up position with your feet hip-width apart and your elbows bent. (If this is too hard, straighten your arms a bit.) Bring your right foot toward your right hand and sweep your left arm forward, straightening it as you touch the ground. To take the next step, repeat with your left foot and right arm. Then go backward, if you like.
Animal transitions
Transitions are more challenging; work up to them after you feel comfortable with the single movements. Use them as individual exercises or as a way to link single movements together.
Underswitch
Go from crab to beast and back again. Starting from the crab position, lift your right hand and left foot. Bring your left leg under your body while rotating your trunk. Plant your left foot and right hand down — you’re now in the beast position. Reverse the process by lifting your right hand and left foot and rotating your body back to crab.
Beast to side kick-through
Start in the beast position. Lift your right foot and your left hand, then rotate your body (and the planted left foot) while tucking your right leg underneath you. Next, extend the right leg (the kick) so that it’s parallel to the ground and bring your left hand toward your ear with your elbow pulled back. To return to beast position, tuck your right leg back under and rotate your body so that you’re back on all fours.
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