2 . Peer ( 同伴 ) Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) is a peer-facilitated learning programme available to students enrolled ( 注册 ) in most core units of study in our business school.

PASS involves weekly sessions where you work in groups to tackle specially prepared problem sets, based around a unit of study you’re enrolled in.

PASS doesn’t re-teach or deliver new content. It’s an opportunity to deepen your understanding of the key points from lecture materials while you are applying your skills to solve problems.

You work interactively with your peers. As a peer group, you decide what is covered in each session. That way, PASS directly responds to your needs and feedback.

Registration in Term 2 will open at 9 am, 21 September 2022.

Waiting lists

If a session is full, you can register for the waiting list. We will email you if a place becomes available or if a new session is to be held.

When you are placed on a waiting list, we will email you a number which tells you where you are on the list. If you are close to the front of the list, you have a good chance of gaining a place in the programme in the near future.

Deregistering

If you miss two PASS sessions in a row, you will be deregistered and your place will be given to someone on the waiting list. Make sure you fill in the attendance sheet at each session to record your attendance.

You’ll be informed by email if you are being deregistered as a result of missing sessions. If you believe you have received the email in error, email the PASS office at   passoffice@umbs. edu..

Since people can’t always eat out or cook for     1     (they), they get takeout or order delivery. More takeout and more food delivery equal more waste, especially plastic waste. That includes cups, bottles, and bags, most of     2     are only good for one use. That’s a big problem and it is getting even     3     (bad). The use of those plastics     4     (increase) by 300% since 2019. The world won’t survive if this situation continues.

Why do humans prefer some smells over others? One theory, increasingly     1       (support) by experts, suggests that smell preferences are learned. It’s easy to explain how we determine     2     smells are dangerous or not: we learn. This has been adopted to ensure easier detection of gas leaks. Gas naturally     3     (have) no recognisable smell. However, a strong smell is added so that we can raise the alarm when we detect the smell associated with danger.

Helen was walking down the street late     1     the evening, her arms filled with grocery bags. Focused on balancing the bags, she didn’t notice her wallet falling out of her pocket. As Helen walked on, she heard a man charging towards her. Fearful that he might have an intention     2     (harm) her, Helen started to run. Eventually, the man     3     (catch) up with her, and he was only trying to return her wallet!

8 . With climate change continuing to worsen, our situation is beginning to feel increasingly serious.     1     Is it right? Maybe not.

Techno-optimism is one of the greatest misconceptions when it comes to solutions to ensure our future. It can be defined as a belief that future technologies will solve all of our current problems. This definition reinforces (强化) the idea that there’s no reason to panic or change our current energy-intensive lifestyle. All society needs to do is look to green technology to work its magic.     2    

One of the best examples of this optimistic misconception is the electric car. Despite being highly regarded as an eco-friendly way to get around, electric cars are not the end for the future of transport. Batteries in electric cars use chemical elements which we could be seeing a shortage of by the midcentury.     3     Techno-optimism has led many to believe that if everyone just switched to driving electric vehicles, we would be making incredible steps towards sustainability. However, the reality is that the amount of resources and energy needed to produce enough electric vehicles for everyone is not even remotely sustainable.

    4     Investing in public transportation and moving away from individually owned vehicles. Producing fewer cars. Improving recycling practices of old batteries. The solutions we seek should not be rooted in new technology, but be about changing the way our society functions.

Techno-optimism puts too much emphasis on technology and not enough on what we can do right this minute. Unfortunately, people seem to like the picture that techno-optimism paints.     5     It is important to understand that the problem begins when we see those technologies as a way to make our current lifestyles eco-friendly. Until we are ready to face the need for a less complex life, we cannot make true progress towards sustainability.

9 . Music has long been considered to be an enjoyable pastime for many people．     1     The mental health benefits from music can't be argued．Music could also be helping you with many other health problems behind the scenes．

    2    However，for the same reason，music can be very beneficial if one is in pain．By distracting （分心） the mind from the pain，music，people say，can lower stress and anxiety levels．This，of course，can lead to less pain．

Many people enjoy relaxing music in the evening prior to going to bed．    3    While the validity of the idea is still being assessed，the lowered stress can even be tied back to blood pressure．Similarly, according to researchers，listening to just 30 minutes of soft music every day may help with healthy blood sugar levels， through the lowering of stress and anxiety．

When it comes to heart health，there is speculation （推测） that it's not the style of music， but rather the tempo that makes it so good for your heart health．In one European study，participants listened to music as the researchers monitored their heart rates and blood pressure．    4     On the other hand，when the music slowed，the participants' stress and anxiety levels became lower and the effects on heart rates appeared to follow suit．

    5    But there is a whole range of other health issues that turning up the radio could be beneficial for，which is what makes music so valuable．