1 . The attendance of accident and emergency department(A&E) is variable. We used to joke that Monday was the busiest day of the week. But some people argued that Sunday, and even Tuesday, were also very busy.
In the business sector, it is well known that Monday has an effect on trading volume: Monday has a lower volume than other weekdays. In the medical field, Watson mentioned that more people had heart attacks on Monday morning — the so-called “Black Monday Syndrome”. In fact, “Monday Syndrome” is variably defined in the literature to mean different things to different people: from occupational disease to increase in injury, etc. When these effects are grouped together and viewed from the macroscopic (宏观的) perspective, it could translate into an increase in demand of the healthcare service on Monday. If it can be shown that this pattern of service demand is reproducible in our local setting, then measures can be taken to redistribute resources to appeal to the uneven demand during the week.
The present study employed existing data obtained from the computer system of the A&E department of a regional hospital with a daily attendance of about 300 per day. The daily attendance from April to June 2010 was grouped in days of the week, in order to find out whether the attendance on Monday was different from the rest of the week. Main measuring variables were the mean (平均的) attendance data of different days of the week. Standard deviation (偏差) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of the means were calculated and compared. Lastly, mean attendance of Monday was compared to that of non-Mondays. Careful inspection of the data showed that Monday was the busiest day of the week (Figure 1) — it had significantly higher attendance than Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday (p<0.05). Monday was also busier than Tuesday, although this is statistically unconvincing.
For Q2 2010, Monday has 12% more attendance than other weekdays. Administrative measures to limit the “predictable” service demand should be taken to avoid overcrowding and long waiting-time on Monday.
Figure 1. Mean attendance Monday through Sunday (Q2 2010), with 95% CI (Attendance of Monday is different from that of Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the 0.05 level).
1. What most probably happens on Monday according to paragraph 2?
| A．Jane has classes energetically. | B．Sean earns a substantial sum of money. |
| C．Dr. Mike bursts out infectious laughter. | D．Our English Teacher gets a sore throat. |
| A．The second quarter data of 2010 was used. |
| B．The daily attendance was generated nationwide. |
| C．It was computer scientists that provided the data. |
| D．Monday and Tuesday attendances differed significantly. |
| A．To clarify a concept. | B．To compare statistics. |
| C．To stir up a debate. | D．To introduce a research method. |
| A．By doing experiments. | B．By making questionnaires. |
| C．By interviewing the subjects of the study. | D．By employing statistical and mathematical models. |
2 . This past year an issue has been bothering me. It’s the way scientists talk.
This is not a new concern. Many years ago science writer Susan Hassol and atmospheric scientist Richard Somerville wrote a humorous but serious piece about how the terms that climate scientists use mean one thing to them but often something very different to others. In the climate system, for example, “positive feedback” refers to amplifying (放大) feedback loops (循环), such as the ice-albedo feedback. (“Albedo,” basically means “reflectivity.”)The loop develops when global warming causes Arctic ice to melt, exposing water that is darker and reflects less of the sun’s warming rays, which leads to more warming, which leads to more melting ... and so on. In the climate system, this positive feedback is a bad thing. But for most, it brings to mind comforting images, such as receiving praise from your boss.
Hassol and Somerville call this “speaking in code.” Codes, of course, are not intended for outsiders, but some scientific language is mysterious even to many insiders.
Studies show that strange terms, in fact, confuse people and make them feel excluded (排除在外的). One study showed that even when participants were given definitions for the terms being used, materials full of technical terms made them less likely to identify with the scientific community and decreased their overall interest in the subject. In plain words: terms turn people off.
Of course, technical terms used in regulatory contexts may be hard to change for legal reasons. But if scientists could explain in a more accessible way, it would help us understand their claims and better appreciate their work.
1. What has bothered the author recently?| A．The latest scientific research. | B．The manner scientists behave. |
| C．The speeches delivered by scientists. | D．The terms employed by scientists. |
| A．Changeable temperature. | B．Lower reflectivity of water. |
| C．The expansion of Arctic ice. | D．The decrease in the sun’s warming rays. |
| A．Because it is intended for daily use. | B．Because only experts can understand it. |
| C．Because it rarely gets across to outsiders. | D．Because they want to make the language mysterious. |
| A．Scientists: Please Speak Plainly | B．Insiders: Be Friendly to the Public |
| C．Turn People off with Technical Terms | D．Get More Engaged in the Scientific World |
3 . There’s another universe not far from land. It lacks buildings, trees, cars, cellphones and the Internet. Seemingly limitless water extends uninterruptedly in all directions. Civilization goes away, along with any sign of humanity. And it is why I’m really into sailing. I grew up around boats. My father liked sailing and built them.
My older sister and I were stuffed into a car nearly every summer weekend until my late teens to make the trip from northeast Indiana to the south shore of Lake Erie in Ohio, where Talisman built by my father waited patiently through the week.
As a kid, I read the adventures of Robin Lee Graham, a traveller exploring the sea alone, in the pages of National Geographic and, later, in Graham’s book, Dove. However, it wasn’t until about 20 years ago, well into my adulthood, that I took up sailing in a serious way. I’ve made voyages in fair and stormy weather, on my own boats and those of my friends, and ranging from nearshore day sails to blue-water passages.
Still, I’ve made plenty of mistakes. While living in Asia, a sailing friend and I set off across the South China Sea and intended to get to Thailand, only to be pushed by a late-season typhoon that forced us to make landfall in Vietnam, glad to be alive.
Years later, my wife and I lived aboard our 37-foot ship, Symbiosis, while we saved enough to take a two-year leave from our jobs to journey down the U.S. Atlantic coast and through the Bahamas and the Caribbean. We visited many places that never see ships or airplanes and that are nearly impossible to reach anyway other than at the helm of a small boat. But boats are expensive and time-consuming.
After returning from the Caribbean a few years ago, we decided to sell Symbiosis, resolving instead to sail only “other people’s boats”. It didn’t last, though. A few months ago, we found a good deal on a smaller sailboat—easier to maintain but still capable of some short offshore journeys. I think we’ll name her Talisman.
1. What would the author do on summer weekends as a kid?| A．He would explore the lost civilization. |
| B．He would tour northeast Indiana by car. |
| C．He would patiently wait for his father. |
| D．He would sail with his father and his sister. |
| A．It is the most famous work by Graham. |
| B．It was published in National Geographic. |
| C．It has something to do with exploring the sea. |
| D．It was an inspiration for the author’s writing. |
| A．It didn’t function well. | B．He couldn’t afford to maintain it. |
| C．He was fed up with sailing. | D．He assumed others’ boats were better. |
| A．He is particular about boat names. |
| B．The new boat will be his favorite one. |
| C．Talisman bred his lifelong passion for sailing. |
| D．Talisman displayed his father’s craftsmanship |
4 . Removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is essential to meeting international climate goals, scientists say. Without it, it’s all but impossible to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in time to limit global warming to 1.5 or 2 degrees Celsius, the primary targets of the Paris climate agreement.
Yet carbon dioxide isn’t the only climate-warming gas that needs a sharp cutback in the atmosphere. Experts are turning their focus to methane (甲烷) as well.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine hosted a workshop dedicated to atmospheric methane removal, which is the process of removing methane emissions directly from the air. The workshop included presentations by dozens of researchers and policy experts addressing questions about the science and effectiveness of methane removal, potential side effects and unintended consequences and the ways it should be governed and regulated.
These presentations will be used to inform a forthcoming NASEM report on atmospheric methane removal. The study will examine the global need for methane removal, viable options for carrying it out and potential risks and benefits, while outlining a road map for future research. The subject is more complicated than carbon dioxide removal, which has received more attention and research.
Methane has a far shorter lifetime in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, yet it’s a much more powerful greenhouse gas while it lasts. The world already has warmed by more than 1 degree Celsius since the Industrial Revolution, and scientists estimate that methane may be responsible for as much as 0.5 degrees.
Reducing methane emissions at their sources is a growing priority. However, Methane removal, by comparison, is more complex. For one thing, methane is far less abundant in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, meaning methane capture systems must process much larger quantities of air in order to make a meaningful difference. For another, there are also uncertainties about unintended side effects of some emerging technologies. Adding chlorine (氯) to the atmosphere, for instance, can actually increase the lifetime of methane in the atmosphere if it isn’t carefully dosed. It can also attack the Earth’s protective ozone layer. Besides, chlorine-based methods could decrease certain other types of climate-warming gases in the atmosphere in addition to methane.
1. According to the passage, what is not the issue of the workshop?| A．The effectiveness of methane removal. | B．The side effects of removing methane. |
| C．The predictable results of methane removal. | D．The method of controlling methane removal. |
| A．To persuade the readers to focus on the presentation. |
| B．To inform the readers of the significance of the study. |
| C．To call on the people to reduce the Methane emission. |
| D．To discuss about the problems that may arise from the removal. |
| A．The carbon dioxide has a longer lifetime in atmosphere. |
| B．The methane is harder to be caught because of its traits. |
| C．Scientists have doubts about the effectiveness of the methods. |
| D．The new technologies may bring about the negative effects. |
| A．The NASEM faces a great challenge | B．The methane contributes to global warming |
| C．The government reports on methane removal | D．The scientists explore pulling methane out of air |
5 . A few months ago, I was in a cinema queue behind a man whose two sons were asking if they could have Tango Ice Blasts bright blue partly frozen drinks. The father hesitated for a moment. They’d already had too much sugary stuff that day, he said. “But it’s sugar-free,” replied one of the boys. That sealed the deal. The boys walked off happily into the cinema holding their drinks.
In an era when sugar is widely seen as enemy No.1, sugar-free drinks and treats, sweetened with low-calorie additives (添加剂), become well-liked and promise guilt-free sweetness. Some people deliberately choose low-sugar options in the hope of losing weight or managing diabetes; others just enjoy the taste.
But even if you aren’t seeking them out, it’s hard to avoid artificial sweeteners. In 2021, researchers looked at foods for sale in Hong Kong and found that sweeteners were present not just in products where you would expect them, such as sugarless chewing gum, but also in salad dressings, breads, instant noodles and many crisps.
They have become such a common part of our diet that environmental scientists have started looking for traces of them-particularly acesulfame potassium, which passes through the body largely undigested — as a marker for human waste in lakes and rivers.
The rise of sweeteners is, in part, a sign of the spectacular success of sugar taxes, which have been introduced in more than 40 countries since 2010. In the UK, the soft drinks industry tax was announced in 2016 and fully carried out in 2018, as part of a plan to “tackle childhood obesity”. The tax charged manufacturers 24p a litre for any drink with 8g or more of added sugar per 100ml. Almost all the major soft drinks brands in the UK cut the sugar content of their products and replaced the missing sweetness with some kind of artificial alternative. “Original” Coca-Cola and “blue” Pepsi were among the few drinks to keep their recipes the same. Once they became more expensive, compared to the sugar-free alternatives, their sales fell.
1. What made sugar-free drinks and treats popular?| A．The public’s pursuit of health. | B．The taste of low-calorie additives. |
| C．People’s promise to manage diabetes. | D．Parents’ expectation of guilt-free sweetness. |
| A．Because they are present in every food product. |
| B．Because they can be found in the environment. |
| C．Because they are widely used in our diet. |
| D．Because they are part of a plan to deal with obesity. |
| A．Major soft drinks brands reduced their products’ sugar content. |
| B．Coca-Cola and Pepsi refused to change their recipes. |
| C．Nearly all big soft drinks brands turned to artificial sweeteners. |
| D．Drink companies lowered the price to raise their sales. |
| A．Sugar, Enemy No.1. | B．The Rise of Artificial Sweeteners. |
| C．The Secret to Health: Low-calorie Additives. | D．Scientific Facts Behind Health. |
6 . By tradition, on Lunar New Year, you’re supposed to put on new clothes, from inner to outer ones. If they’re the lucky red, all the better. You can never have too much luck.
But when you turn a multiple of 12, 24, 36, 48, 60 and so on — the tradition gets extended: Red underwear every day of that lunar calendar year. When I first heard about the practice a few years ago, I considered it nonsense. It also seemed ridiculous to buy so many pairs in a color vivid under light clothes. My practical immigrant Chinese parents, an engineer and scientist, didn’t pass this tradition down. Adding another superstition (迷信) also seemed like a thing I could do without. But as I approach my fourth time around the wheel for the “Year of the Dragon,” — in what’s known as “ben ming nian” or the threshold year — I’ve been reflecting upon the milestones of those past intervals: puberty at age 12, moving across the country for a job at 24 and giving birth to my twin sons at 36.
The more I’ve looked into the practice, the more I realize the significance of its popularity. As an American-born Chinese, I have always adopted and adapted what comes from my birthplace. Logically, I know it won’t matter if I wear red or not, but for me, for now, this shared tradition strengthens my bond with my culture.
So often, life goes by so quickly before we could realize. Days become weeks, months, years and suddenly a dozen years go by. My newborns have grown into tweens and I’ve transformed from not quite middle-aged to now very much so. With the turn of the Lunar New Year, I value a chance to reflect on my past struggles and how I found a way through.
It’s a mindset we could all benefit from.
1. What is the tradition on Lunar New Year?| A．Wearing lucky red clothes all year round. |
| B．Putting on new clothes from head to toe. |
| C．Never having too many lucky clothes. |
| D．Extending the superstition at a multiple of 12. |
| A．To prove it is ridiculous to wear red clothes. |
| B．To honor her practical immigrant parents. |
| C．To blame her parents for not passing the tradition down. |
| D．To justify her not following the extended tradition. |
| A．Her approaching the age of 48. | B．Its connection with her culture. |
| C．Her illogical thinking patterns. | D．Its popularity among immigrants. |
| A．Reflect on her way through. | B．Develop a new beneficial mindset. |
| C．Buy underwear in the vivid red. | D．Realize time going by quickly. |
7 . Whether you’re a thrill-seeker looking for the world’s most intense roller coasters or a family planning a vacation filled with fun for parents and kids, theme parks have something for everyone. Disney and Universal rank first with their famous theme parks in the U. S. and abroad, but regional options offer unique experiences, rides, and themes that you won’t find anywhere else.
Tokyo DisneySea, Japan
Tokyo Disney Resort tops the must-visit list for many Disney theme park fans. Tokyo Disneyland is very similar to Magic Kingdom in Florida or Disneyland Park in California, but Tokyo DisneySea is unique with its nautical (海上的) theme, fantastical lands, and beautiful sections inspired by the Mediterranean, Arabian, and American coasts.
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
This primarily indoor Ferrari-inspired theme park in Abu Dhabi is a must-visit for car and thrill lovers. It’s home to the world’s fastest roller coaster Formula Rossa, which reaches speeds of 149 mph. When visiting, make sure you also take advantage of the driving experiences, on which you can go around Yas Island behind the wheel of a Ferrari.
Tivoli Gardens, Denmark
One of the world’s oldest operating amusement parks, Tivoli Gardens is a must-visit attraction in the heart of Copenhagen. The park dates back to 1843, and it has rides, theaters, and restaurants spread across its charming grounds and gardens. During the holidays, the park is extra magical with its annual festival when the scene lights up with decorations.
Efteling, Netherlands
Efteling is the Netherlands’ largest and one of Europe’s most-visited amusement parks. Its imaginative rides, gardens, and attractions are themed to Dutch folklore and fairy tales, including a 15-acre Fairytale Forest with more than two dozen scenes. For example, adrenaline-seekers can line up for a thrill ride on the Flying Dutchman water coaster.
1. Which one should you choose if you are into beaches?| A．Tokyo DisneySea. | B．Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. |
| C．Tivoli Gardens. | D．Efteling. |
| A．It is the only indoor theme park in Abu Dhabi. |
| B．It provides imaginative rides for tourists. |
| C．It is mostly visited by car and thrill lovers. |
| D．It has the fastest roller coaster in the world. |
| A．Disney or Universal theme park fans. |
| B．Families planning a staycation. |
| C．Distinctive theme park seekers. |
| D．Thrilling rides lovers only. |
8 . Marie Curie is remembered today for her pioneering work on radioactivity, which not only earned her two Nobel Prizes but also the recognition as the “mother of modern physics”. But while her research into the radioactive elements polonium and radium may have secured her a lasting scientific legacy, those same substances have also had a lasting effect on her body.
Then, in 1911, after much personal tragedy (Pierre Curie had died suddenly in 1906), Curie was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for isolating pure radium. She would go on to devote her research to the study of the chemistry of radioactive substances as well as their applications in medicine. In fact, if it were not for Curie’s work, our treatments for cancer would likely not be anywhere near as developed as they are today. But despite advocating precautions (预防), Curie’s consistent and prolonged exposure to these substances came at a cost.
Marie Curie died on July 4, 1934, from aplastic anemia (再生障碍性贫血) caused by her work with radiation. Despite its name, aplastic anemia is more than just anemia; it is a rare blood condition that appears when bone marrow cannot make enough new blood cells for your body to function properly. When Curie died, her body was so radioactive that she had to be laid to rest in a lead-lined (铅封的) coffin. However, no one knew this until 1995 when her coffin was unearthed.
At the time, the French authorities wanted to move the Curies to the national cemetery, the Pantheon, in honor of their contributions to science and for being great figures in French history. The officials responsible for the exhumation (掘尸) contacted the French radiation protection agency with concerns about remaining radiation and asked for assistance to protect workers in the cemetery.
When the exhumers approached the grave, they detected normal levels of radiation on the air, which then rose as the grave was opened (though not by large amounts). At first, Marie Curie’s coffin appeared to be made of wood, but when opened, they found it was lined with 2.5 millimeters (0.09 inches) of lead. Later examination of Curie’s body revealed that she had remained remarkably well preserved and only small levels of alpha and beta contamination were detected. This, according to The Journal of British Society for the History of Radiology, was likely because Curie had taken steps to limit exposure to radiation in later life.
1. We can infer from the text that Marie Curie ________.| A．invested amounts of money in her research |
| B．was awarded the Nobel Prize for radium precaution |
| C．is credited with the development of cancer treatment |
| D．abandoned her research after her husband’s sudden death |
| A．They overestimated the actual radiation level. |
| B．They were not licensed for the exhumation work. |
| C．They had no regard for the safety of their workers. |
| D．They were previously informed of the lead-lined coffin. |
| A．Her body remained remarkably well preserved. |
| B．Curie was less exposed to radiation in later life |
| C．The exhumers lacked adequate assistance technically. |
| D．The lead-lined coffin protect her body from radiation. |
| A．Remarkable but careless. | B．Successful but aggressive. |
| C．Ambitious and considerate. | D．Committed and persistent. |
9 . I had heard Taylor Swift’s soft and catchy pop music, harmless at best. Yet, when my daughter secured a precious ticket for Swift’s Eras Tour in Boston, over 680 kilometers away from our home in Eastern Canada, Swift became surprisingly real. With only one ticket, I hesitated to let my daughter go alone.
In the end, I became the taxi driver (or rather, credit card), staying at a hotel next to the stadium while she enjoyed the concert. This journey introduced me to a world I never imagined. Swift’s music is not my type, and I felt the concert scene these days was meaningless and complete nonsense. But I still tried to be a “with-it” TS Nation mom to keep up with the times, despite accidentally referring to myself as a Swiftie, only to be corrected.
Arriving in Boston, my daughter was over the moon, and I found myself in a world filled with cowboy boots and sequins (亮片). The concert experience unveiled the good, the bad and the ugly.
The bad: the secondary market where desperate fans pay up to 20 times the original face value for a ticket. The ugly: the environmental impact of people driving from all over the place to get to the concert and all the trash from 100,000 people.
The good: Okay, I admit it. After an evening of taking it all in, I saw that Swift is a force to be reckoned with. She is young and beautiful, and superbly talented and smart. Her ability to persist, be savvy (有见识的) and entertain makes her an impressive figure.
Once the concert began, I turned and started back to my hotel. And then I stopped and listened. The voice s of a hundred thousand people joined in a joyful song. I knew my girl was having the time of her life, and I sensed something special was happening: the boundless potential of empowered youth. An army of young people was being led by a queen. A queen with so much potential was making people happy and making a difference in the world. Long live the queen.
1. By saying “I still tried to be a ‘with-it’ TS Nation mom”, the author means ________.| A．She is bored with the latest concerts |
| B．She wants to know a lot about new ideas and fashions |
| C．She hopes to learn everything about Taylor Swift |
| D．She wants to be a mom who always keep her daughter company |
| A．Her close friend. | B．Her daughter. |
| C．Her husband. | D．Her best colleague. |
| A．Because she doesn’t think it worthwhile to watch the concert. |
| B．Because she considers the tickets to be too expensive. |
| C．Because she hates the traffic jam caused by much driving. |
| D．Because she is not satisfied with the people’s polluting behavior. |
| A．Positive. | B．Neutral. | C．Negative. | D．Indifferent. |
10 . Community partners need you!
●Swissvale Farmers Market
We’re looking for students to help us set up and take down our tent and spend the morning under the tent with us. Activities include some heavy lifting (optional), engaging with community members, picking up litter, handling small sales and lots of breaks!
Time: September 10, 8: 30 am-1:15pm
●Food Pantry Distribution
The CHS. Food Pantry needs volunteers to assist during preparation and distribution each week. This involves sorting food, stocking shelves, preparing the outdoor market and assisting families. Customer service skills are important as volunteers may be assisting families directly. Understanding different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds is helpful.
Time: September 1-December 22, Wednesdays Thursdays: 1:30pm-6:00pm
●Garbage Olympics
Join us for the Garbage Olympics! A Pittsburgh wide competition between neighborhoods to see who can get the most litter and garbage off our beloved city streets!
This year, we are competing against each other as well as the entire city! Teams A.B and C will race to see who can get the most garbage collected! Students of all ages are available.
We’ll have all the supplies ready, and will explain the rules to everyone before the event starts.
Time: September 17, 8:00 am-11:00 am.
●Tutoring assistant
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is actively seeking tutoring assistants for the 2023-2024 school year. As a tutoring assistant, you will offer a positive attitude and coaching to help children to stay on track during the in-person tutoring session. Additionally, you will help provide academic assistance in the form of reading, writing, grammar, pronunciation and math to school-aged children. Volunteers should be able to commit to eight weeks in the fall and may sign on for an additional eight weeks in the spring.
Time: September.28—November 16, Wednesday from 4: 30 pm—6: 30 pm
1. What do you need to make it easier to accomplish Food Pantry Distribution?| A．Competitive spirit | B．More time availability |
| C．Academic teaching skills | D．Cross-cultural interaction |
| A．Garbage Olympics | B．Tutoring assistant |
| C．Swissvale Farmers Market | D．Food Pantry Distribution |
| A．A social magazine | B．A travel brochure |
| C．An advertisement | D．An academic paper |
