1 . 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..
1. In PASS, students ________.| A．attend new lectures | B．decide their own schedules |
| C．prepare problem sets in groups | D．use their skills to solve problems |
| A．Fill in the attendance sheet. | B．Sign up for the waiting list. |
| C．Report their needs and feedback. | D．Email the office their numbers on the list. |
| A．they send emails in error | B．they fail to work interactively |
| C．they give their places to others | D．they miss two sessions in a row |
Helen was walking down the street late
Sam is an in-real-life streamer（播主），and he live streams himself just going about his day．While riding his bike home
4 . If you have no difficulty in understanding what native English speakers say in daily life, there is a whole new world of brilliant podcast (播客) series to explore. If you aren’t sure where to start, have a look at these:
 | The Joc Rogan Experience ★★★★★ The Joc Rogan Experience is a great learning device because of its interesting English conversations between Rogan and his guests. At the time of writing there have been over 1,660 episodes with subjects ranging from comedy and science to politics and sports. Rogan is also a famous stand-up comedian, so the show is full of cultural references and idioms. |
 | This American Life ★★★★★ This American Life is a great choice for English learners who want an insight into the culture of the USA. It is a mixture of journalism and storytelling, focusing on real-life tales from citizens of all regions of the country. The stories are new and varied. One episode was taped for 24 hours in an all-night restaurant; another interviewed workers on strike. |
 | The Writer's Voice ★★★★☆ The New Yorker is a famous American magazine, and every week it prints a new short story. In this podcast, the week's story is read aloud by its writer. The published work covers a wide range of life experiences across the United States and beyond. It's a great way to enjoy some of the best new fiction in the country. |
 | Overheard at National Geographic ★★★★★ National Geographic is a much-loved American magazine (and TV channel) famous for incredible stories and photography related to science and the environment. Overheard is about the discussions Nat Geo employees have had while taking breaks. Expect crazy stories from explorers, photographers, and scientists from around the world. |
| A．have interaction with hosts |
| B．have good English competence |
| C．be interested in being a podcaster |
| D．be familiar with American social life |
| A．The Writer's Voice. |
| B．This American Life. |
| C．The Joe Rogan Experience. |
| D．Overheard at National Geographic. |
| A．They enjoy great popularity. |
| B．Their stories are set in America. |
| C．They are attached to magazines. |
| D．Their works are updated weekly. |
5 . Every year, young, talented, and ambitious nature conservationists from all over the world shoot their shot for the Future For Nature (FFN) Award, an honorable international award.
The Future For Nature aims to:
·Reward and fund individuals for their outstanding efforts in the protection of species of wild animals and plants.
·Stimulate award winners to sustain their dedicated work.
·Help winners to raise their profile, extend their professional network and strengthen their funding basis.
Benefits
·The winners each receive 50,000 euros and may make their own decision to spend the money in the service of nature conservation.
·FFN offers the winners a platform and brings their stories to the attention of conservationists, financiers and a wide audience, allowing them to increase their impact and gain more access to funds.
·FFN is building a growing family of winners, dedicated people who form a community of people with the same interest. FFN offers them the opportunity to meet each other and continue to learn with each other in order to continue their fight for nature as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Qualifications
The candidate：
·Must be born on or after the 31st May 1988 and before the 31st May 2005.
·Is able to explain his/her conservation work in fluent English (written and spoken).
·Has achieved substantial and long-term benefits to the conservation status of one or more animal or plant species.
·Must be determined to continue his/her conservation work, as the award aims to stimulate the winner’s future work. It is not an “end of career” prize.
Additional Remarks
For the 2023 Future For Nature Award, we are again searching for natural leaders, who have proven that they can make a difference in species’ survival.
From all applications, 6 to 10 nominees (被提名者) will be selected. These applicants will be asked to provide additional information, which will be used to select the final awardees. Ultimately, three inspiring wildlife heroes are selected as the winners.
Application Process: Apply online through the Apply Now link.
Application Deadline: May 1st, 2023.
1. Which is one of the aims of the Future For Nature?| A．To aid more green groups. | B．To fund academic education. |
| C．To inspire conservation efforts. | D．To raise environmental awareness. |
| A．consult top specialists | B．meet like-minded people |
| C．benefit the local community | D．promote self-created platforms |
| A．meet the age requirement | B．apply via mail by the deadline |
| C．turn in the application in English | D．provide additional personal information |
| A．crisis | B．convention | C．stereotypes | D．substances |
The African penguin is expected to go extinct in the wild in just over a decade, given its current population decline. The main reason is a lack of food caused by disturbance to ocean conditions from global heating and
8 . In a study in the journal Science, researchers at Northwestern University in Illinois reported that they had developed an effective and inexpensive method for breaking down chemicals called poly fluoro alkyl substances (PFAS).
PFAS, first created in the 1930s, are chemical compounds (化合物). They are used to make a wide range of everyday products, including nonstick pans, carpeting, electronics, and fast-food wrappers. Once the chemicals are in the environment, they are almost impossible to eliminate because they are designed to avoid breaking down. Researchers have linked regular levels of exposure to these chemicals with several health problems, including liver damage, an increased risk of cancer, and reduced immunity.
Scientists had previously figured out how to remove PFAS from polluted water or soil but, until now, had no safe and effective way to destroy them once they were removed. The study reported that when the team boiled PFAS molecules (分子) with two common substances, the PFAS quickly broke down and became harmless.
In 2020, William Dichtel, a chemist and professor at Northwestern, read a study in which chemists at the University of Alberta, in Canada, found an easy way to break down chains of molecules. He asked a graduate student, Brittany Trang, to try the method on PFAS molecules.
Trang had spent months in the lab unsuccessfully attempting to pull apart PFAS, and at first she thought Dichtel’s idea was too simple to work. But she tried it, boiling PFAS with a common solvent (溶剂) called dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Trang was shocked when the process destroyed the PFAS. She later mixed DMSO with a chemical called sodiumhydroxide and broke down PFAS even more quickly.
The scientists will work on ways to destroy PFAS outside the lab so large amounts of forever chemicals can be broken down at once. “It’s a huge challenge, but it’s in our grasp,” Dichtel told The New York Times. Scientists are also calling for a decrease in the amount of PFAS being released into the natural world. In June, the US government announced new plans to monitor PFAS, decrease the amount released into the environment, and address the effects of PFAS on human health.
1. What does the underlined word “eliminate” probably mean in paragraph 2?| A．Identify. | B．Destroy. | C．Remove. | D．Release. |
| A．He got information from a study of others. |
| B．He conducted the experiments on his own. |
| C．His graduate student, Brittany Trang, told him. |
| D．Chemists at the University of Alberta told him. |
| A．She tried the method from Dichtel but didn’t succeed at first. |
| B．She pulled apart PFAS with her own idea at her first attempt. |
| C．She developed a more effective method to break down PFAS. |
| D．She thought Dichtel’s idea was too simple, so she didn’t try it. |
| A．Addressing the effects of PFAS on human health and environment. |
| B．Reducing the amount of PFAS being released into the environment. |
| C．Finding more effective ways to destroy PFAS in and outside the lab. |
| D．Stopping the use of PFAS in everyday life to avoid health problems. |
Not long ago, my daughter’s shoes
Crying is a natural response to emotions. Regardless of
