The Black Death: A Nightmare in History

Good morning, everyone.

Today, I want to talk about one of the most terrifying events in human history: the Black Death. Imagine a disease so powerful and so cruel that it killed nearly half of the people in Europe. This wasn't just a normal sickness. It was a nightmare.

The Black Death arrived in Europe around 1347. It was carried by fleas that lived on rats. When these infected rats traveled on ships from place to place, the disease spread like wildfire.

But what made the Black Death so horrible? It was the way people died.

First, it started suddenly. A healthy person could feel fine in the morning, but by afternoon, they would feel sick. They would get a high fever, feel very tired, and their whole body would ache.

Then, the real horror began. Large, painful lumps would appear on their body—under their arms, on their neck, These lumps, called "buboes," were as big as apples and turned dark purple or black. They were extremely painful.

As the disease got worse, black spots would appear on the skin. These spots were caused by bleeding under the skin. This is why it was called the "Black" Death.

The final days were a living hell. The victims would cough up blood and suffer terrible pain. There was no medicine to help them. Doctors didn't understand the disease. Within three to five days, most people died. It was a very fast and very painful end.

In many cities, there were too many dead bodies to bury. The streets were filled with the smell of death. It felt like the end of the world.

The Black Death reminds us of the power of nature and the fragility of human life. It was a dark time when death was everywhere, and hope was hard to find.

Thank you.

黑死病：历史上的噩梦 

大家早上好。

今天，我想谈谈人类历史上最恐怖的事件之一：黑死病。想象一种如此强大、如此残酷的疾病，它夺走了欧洲近一半人口的生命。这并非普通的疾病，而是一场噩梦。

黑死病大约在1347年传入欧洲。它由寄生在老鼠身上的跳蚤传播。当这些受感染的老鼠随着船只四处航行时，疾病便如野火般蔓延。

但黑死病为何如此可怕？答案在于人们死亡的方式。

首先，它的发作非常突然。一个健康的人可能早晨还一切正常，但到了下午就会感到不适。他们会发高烧、极度疲惫，全身疼痛。

随后，真正的恐怖开始了。他们的身上会出现疼痛的大肿块——腋下、颈部……这些被称为“淋巴结肿块”的肿物大如苹果，颜色逐渐变为深紫或黑色，带来剧烈的疼痛。

随着病情恶化，皮肤上会出现黑斑。这些斑点是皮下出血所致，这也正是它被称为“黑”死病的原因。

最后的时日如同人间地狱。患者会咳血，承受着难以忍受的痛苦。当时没有药物能救治他们，医生也无法理解这种疾病。大多数人在三到五天内就会死亡——如此迅速又痛苦的终结。

许多城市尸体堆积如山，街道上弥漫着死亡的气息，仿佛世界末日降临。

黑死病让我们意识到自然的力量与生命的脆弱。那是一个死亡无处不在、希望难以寻觅的至暗时代。

谢谢。

教师代表

Teacher Representative

Good morning, everyone!

Today I want to talk about something that is invisible but very powerful in our lives. It is called mental drain. Unlike physical tiredness, which we can feel in our bodies, mental drain is like a silent war in our mind. It doesn’t leave wounds on our skin, but it steals our energy, weakens our motivation, and sometimes makes us doubt ourselves.

I will share my speech from four parts.

Part 1: Understanding Mental Drain – We’ll start by knowing what mental drain really is and why it matters.

First, what is mental drain? Simply put, it is the constant inner conflict that happens when our thoughts, feelings, and actions are not in harmony. For example, you want to rest, but you feel guilty for not working. Or you want to say something, but you keep worrying about how others may judge you. In the end, you waste more energy on hesitation than on action.

The typical signs of mental drain include:

Overthinking every small decision.

Comparing yourself with others all the time.

Feeling tired even without doing much.

Regretting the past and worrying about the future.

If you want to test yourself, here is a simple checklist:

Do you often replay conversations in your head and think about what you should have said?

Do you spend hours planning but hesitate to start?

Do you feel anxious even after finishing a task because you are not sure it’s good enough?

If you say “yes” to most of these, you may be trapped in mental drain.

Part 2: Tracing the Roots – Then we’ll explore where this problem comes from and what causes it.

Now, let’s ask: why do we get stuck in this endless cycle?

One major reason is perfectionism. Many of us want to do things perfectly, but life itself is not perfect. This gap between reality and our imagination often makes us feel disappointed and frustrated.

Another reason is high sensitivity. Sensitive people care deeply about how others see them. A small criticism may turn into hours of self-blame.

The third reason is overthinking. Instead of focusing on what we can control, we keep analyzing every possibility. As a result, we waste time in thinking but gain nothing in action.

Finally, there is fear of failure. Many students would rather not start than risk doing badly. But the truth is, avoiding action only makes us weaker, while trying gives us a chance to grow.

So we can see, mental drain is not just laziness. It is a product of deep psychological habits.

Part 3: Breaking Free – Next, we’ll talk about how we can overcome it and free ourselves.

The good news is: mental drain is not unbeatable. We can learn ways to break free.

The first method is accepting imperfection. Remember, being “good enough” is better than being “perfect but never done.” When you accept that mistakes are part of learning, you free yourself from endless pressure.

The second method is separating tasks. This idea comes from a psychologist. It means we should focus only on our own responsibilities and not on things that belong to others. For example, your job is to prepare a presentation; whether others like it or not is their task, not yours.

The third method is reducing over-reflection. Reflection is useful, but too much of it becomes poison. Instead of asking “Did I do it well enough?” ten times, ask it once, write down the answer, and move on.

The fourth method is setting an action threshold. This means giving yourself a limit for thinking. For example, “I will think for 10 minutes, and then I must take the first step.” Action itself reduces anxiety more effectively than endless planning.

Part 4: Energy Management – Finally, we’ll learn some ways to protect and manage our energy better.

Of course, breaking free once is not enough. We need a long-term strategy to protect ourselves.

First, practice emotional management. Learn to notice your feelings, name them, and release them. Writing a diary, talking with friends, or exercising can all help.

Second, try decluttering, both in life and in mind. Keep fewer unnecessary things and say no to tasks that do not match your priorities. When you have less burden, you save more energy.

Third, develop a growth mindset. Instead of saying “I failed,” say “I learned something new.” This change of attitude makes challenges less scary and reduces inner conflict.

Finally, build a support system. Nobody can fight alone. Talk to friends, join communities, or seek help from mentors. When you share your struggles, the problem becomes lighter.

Conclusion: Say No to Inner War, Say Yes to Life

Mental drain is like a thief that steals our time and energy quietly. But once we understand it, trace its roots, learn practical methods, and build a healthy energy system, we can fight back.

So next time when you find yourself stuck in endless thinking, remember: stop the inner war, take a small step, and move forward. Life is too short to waste on self-consumption. Let us say no to mental drain, and yes to a more energetic, meaningful life.

Thank you!

大家早上好！

今天我想谈谈一种看不见却深刻影响我们的力量——精神内耗。与身体上的疲惫不同，精神内耗是场无声的内心战争。它不会留下伤痕，却会偷走我们的精力，削弱我们的动力，甚至让我们怀疑自己。

我将从四个方面展开分享。

P1：认识精神内耗——了解本质与影响
什么是精神内耗？简而言之，当我们的思想、情感和行为失去和谐，持续的内在冲突就会消耗能量。比如想休息却因未工作而愧疚，想表达却担心被评判——最终在犹豫中消耗的能量远多于行动。

典型征兆包括：

对每个决定反复纠结

持续与他人比较

未劳而疲

沉溺过去，焦虑未来

自我检测清单：
是否总在脑海中重播对话，懊恼当初该怎么说？
是否花费大量时间计划却迟迟不愿开始？
完成任务后是否仍焦虑于做得不够好？
若多数回答“是”，你可能正陷入精神内耗。

P2：溯源探因——解析内耗根源
为何我们会陷入这种循环？

完美主义是首要原因。现实与理想间的落差让人持续受挫。

高敏感特质让人们在意外界评价，细微批评都能引发长时间自责。

过度思考让我们沉迷分析各种可能，却未能推动实际进展。

畏惧失败使许多人宁愿不开始也不敢面对瑕疵。但逃避只会削弱力量，尝试才是成长之路。

可见，精神内耗绝非懒惰，而是心理习惯的产物。

P3：突破枷锁——走出内耗的方法
好消息是：内耗并非不可战胜。

方法一：接纳不完美。记住，“完成”远胜“完美却未开始”。承认错误是学习的一部分，方能挣脱无尽压力。

方法二：课题分离（心理学家阿德勒的理论）。

专注自己可掌控的部分，比如你负责认真准备演讲，而他人是否喜欢是他们的课题。

方法三：减少过度反思。反思当适可而止，与其反复质疑“我做得够好吗？”，不如写下答案就此翻篇。

方法四：设定行动阈值。给思考设限：“思考10分钟后必须迈出第一步”。行动本身比无休止计划更能缓解焦虑。

P4：能量管理——构建防护体系
单次突破不够，需要长期防护策略：

情绪管理：学会觉察、命名并释放情绪。写日记、与朋友交谈、运动皆有效。

生活与思维断舍离：拒绝非必要事务，清减负担即储蓄能量。

培养成长型思维：用“我获得了经验”替代“我失败了”，让挑战不再可怕。

建立支持系统：无人该孤军奋战。与朋友倾诉、加入社群、寻求导师帮助，分担能让问题变轻。

结语：停止内心战争，拥抱真实生活
精神内耗是窃取时光与能量的贼。但当我们认清本质、追溯根源、掌握方法、建立防护体系，就能重获主导权。

当下次陷入思虑漩涡时，请记住：停止内心战争，迈出一小步向前。生命短暂，不该消耗于自我斗争。让我们告别精神内耗，迎接充满活力的丰盈人生！ 

谢谢！