4 . In the first test of its kind in Europe, and only the second in the world, Belgian researchers tested 39 brands of straws (吸管) for the group of synthetic (合成的) chemicals known as poly-and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The straws are made from five materials — paper, bamboo, glass, stainless steel and plastic. PFAS were found in the majority of the straws tested and were most common in those made from paper and bamboo. They were not found only in steel straws tested.

PFAS are used to make everyday products, from outdoor clothing to non-stick pans, resistant (抵抗to water, heat and stains. They are, however, potentially harmful to people, wildlife and the environment. They have been related to a number of health problems, including lower response to vaccines (疫苗), lower birth weight, thyroid disease, liver damage, kidney cancer and testicular cancer. They break down very slowly over time and can last thousands of years in the environment, a property that has led to them being known as “forever chemicals”.

A growing number of countries, including the UK and Belgium, have sopped the sale of single-use plastic products, including drinking straws, and plant-based versions have become popular. The PFAS concentrations (浓缩物) were low in them and, bear in mind that most people tend to only use straws occasionally, bringing a limited risk to human health. However, PFAS can remain in the body for many years and concentrations can build up over time.

It isn’t known whether the PFAS were added to the straws by the producer for waterproofing or the PFAS were the result of contamination. Potential sources of contamination include the soil the plant-based materials were grown in and the water used in the production process. However, the presence of the chemicals in almost every brand of paper straws means it is likely that it was, in some cases, being used as a water-resistant coating, say the researchers.

Rescue efforts are ongoing after a massive earthquake and     1     (power) aftershocks strike southeastern Turkey and northern Syria. The quake is one of the     2     (deadly) worldwide in over ten years.

Thousands of people have been killed, and the numbers seem certain     3     (rise) as rescue teams are hunting for survivors. In hard-hit Turkey, over 6,000 buildings have been destroyed. Rescuers have been working overnight in cold, wet weather while also     4     (face) the threat of aftershocks since the 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked     5     region early Monday.

Amid the horror of the natural disaster have been reports of miraculous (奇迹般的) rescues.

Among the survivors, an entire family was rescued     6     the province of Idlib, western Syria on Tuesday. Footage of the rescue showed two girls and a boy pulled from a     7     (damage) building by the group’s volunteer to loud cheers from the large crowd gathered. The     8     (child) were rushed to a hospital. Two adults also appeared to be carried out from the building.

A more bittersweet rescue     9     (occur) in Jindires, Syria, on Tuesday. A baby girl     10     had been born amid the earthquake rubble (废墟) was rescued, though none of her family survived. The baby was transported to a hospital, where she was in an incubator (恒温箱) in good condition.

8 . Tugce Seren Gul’s aunt and grandmother were killed in Antakya in Turkey’s southeast. Every night, she waits until 4： 17 a. m. in the morning, the exact time that the disaster hit, to try to go to sleep. “I keep thinking another disaster will strike at that time and just wait for it to pass,” said the 28-year-old Gul.

Experts fear children will be hardest hit. The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) said many of the more than 5. 4 million children who live across the area affected by the earthquake were at risk of developing anxiety, depression and other disorders.

“We know how important learning and routine are for children and their recovery,UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia Afshan Khan said after a visit to Turkey. “They need to be able to resume their education, and they urgently need psychological support to help deal with the trauma they have experienced.

Psychologist and professor at MEF University, Ayse Bilge Selcuk, said, “As rising poverty and the COVID-19 pandemic have hurt the country, the stress is chronic, meaning that the tension continues over time.” “For this nation to get back on its feet, we need to find that strength within us and that starts with our psychologyshe added. Anxiety, helplessness and depression are likely to be common and young people could feel anger. ” Rebuilding efforts should include mental health,“ Selcuk said. She urged the government to provide money for training psychologists to be sent to the earthquake areas to stay there. “We shouldn’t withdraw our attention three months later, ”she said.

Scientists first discovered the two species in the Wolong National Nature Reserve in 2021. They later     1    (confirm) that they were new orchid and primrose species. And then, the tiny orchid, Gastrochilus heminii,     2    (list) as a data-deficient species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, meaning more information to assess its risk of     3    (extinct).

The primrose species, another data-deficient flora, grows on cliffs at an altitude of 3,400 meters. So far, scientists have only found one patch of this flower in the wild,     4    (make )it exceptionally rare.

China boasts some of the     5    (rich) biodiversity in the world and has a relatively fine flora protection system, according to a white paper on China’s biodiversity protection.

The reasons for the wealth of     6    (discovery) are new transportation infrastructure and technology enabling scientists to go deep into uncharted regions. The second reason is that as scientists’ understanding of taxonomy deepens, some flora species     7     were found in the past were later reclassified as new species. The third reason is that China’s massive ecological restoration programs have helped     8     number of some endangered species to reappear.

As of 2021, China had around 200 conservation botanical gardens, safeguarding more than 23,000 species of flora. Rare native plants hold research value and can also serve     9    the poster child for conservation efforts and get the public     10    (interest) in science and nature.