【明報專訊】The 6th International Space-Out Competition (國際發呆比賽) took place in Hong Kong in March. Started by Korean artist WoopsYang, the competition was aimed at slowing down the pace of life and promoting a stress-free lifestyle, helping people to relieve stress. In the competition, 80 competitors in costumes, pyjamas or even uniforms lolled back on their mats in the sun, some with their own dolls which made them comfortable.

The 90-minute competition required participants to "do nothing": no falling asleep, no laughing, no chit-chat, no moving around too much, and most importantly: no checking their phones. They also had to wear gadgets which measured their heart rate stability.

Many people may think that spacing-out and doing nothing, especially in a busy city like Hong Kong, is a complete waste of time. Carvin Chan Ka-kin, organiser of the competition, said Hong Kong people needed to let their mind go blank sometimes and pay more attention to mental health.

(Sources: Ming Pao, www.spaceoutcompetition.com)

■English highway﹕space out

If you space out, you stop paying attention and just look in front without thinking, especially because you are bored or have taken medication.

e.g. The lesson was too boring that the kids completely spaced out.

■Game １

The timers below show the space-out records of the Smarties, measured in different units. Try to arrange their space-out records in descending order. (Hint: Convert all the records to "minutes" for comparison)

_________ ＞ _________ ＞ _________

■Game ２

The champion of the Space-Out Competition can get a trophy. It is in shape of The Thinker (沉思者), a masterpiece by French sculptor Auguste Rodin. Eason has secretly made four trophies in the shape of himself and hid it somewhere in the competition venue. Can you find them out?

(Answers on next text)

■Glossary

pace (n) 節奏

chit-chat (n) 聊天

stability (n) 穩定性

descending (adj) 下行的

[Smarties' Power English 第215期]