Microplastics are everywhere in our environment. It's hardly surprising that the tiny fragments have also been found in humans. A new study shows that Americans are consuming as many as 121,000 particles each year.
Measuring 50 to 500 microns in length, microplastics come from a variety of sources, including large plastics that break down into smaller and smaller pieces. Therefore, much remains unknown about the common existence of these materials within the human body, as well as their impact on human health.
Hoping to fill in some of these gaps, a research team led by Kieran Cox, a PhD candidate at the University of Victoria, looked at 26 papers assessing the amount of microplastics in commonly consumed food items, among which are seafood, sugars, salts, honey, alcohol and water. The team also evaluated the potential consumption of microplastics through inhalation （吸入）using previously reported data on microplastic concentrations in the air and the Environmental Protection Agency's reported respiration rates. Based on these data, the researchers calculated that our annual consumption of microplastics via food and drink ranges from 39,000 to 52,000 particles. When microplastics taken in through inhalation are taken into account, the range jumps to between 74,000 and 121,000 particles per year.
The authors of the study found that people who drink exclusively from plastic water bottles absorb an additional 90,000 microplastics each year, compared to 4,000 among those who only consume tap water. "This shows that small decisions, over the course of a year, really matter and have an impact." Cox says. The new study, according to its authors, was the first to investigate "the accumulative human exposure" to microplastics. But in all likelihood, the research tells only a small part of the entire story. Collectively, the food and drink that the researchers analyzed represent 15 percent of Americans' caloric intake. The team could not account for food groups like fruits, vegetables and grains because there simply is not enough data on their microplastic content.
For those worried about microplastic consumption, cutting down bottled water is a good place to start. But to the heart of the problem, we have to stop producing and using so much plastic.
1.What makes it difficult to know microplastics commonly exist in the human body?
A.The quality. B.The quantity.
C.The shape. D.The size.
2.How did Kieran Cox's team calculate the potential consumption of microplastics?
A.By studying papers. B.By comparing the impacts.
C.By analyzing the data. D.By conducting experiments.
3.Which of the following is true according to the text?
A.Drinking less plastic bottled water helps to take in fewer microplastics.
B.The study is among the earliest to investigate human exposure to microplastics.
C.Cox's team gained comprehensive information of microplastics taken in by humans.
D.People consume 74,000 to 121,000 particles of microplastics per year from food and drink.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.The Potential Problems of Microplastics
B.Microplastics Coming From Various Sources
C.Microplastics Found Within Human Bodies
D.The Impact of Microplastics on Human Health
Food experts say washing could spread the germs on your turkey in the kitchen sink or nearby food. But it's been a challenge trying to convince cooks to stop rinsing （冲洗）off raw poultry. Germs that can make people sick are common in the guts of healthy poultry and are legally allowed to be on raw turkey and chicken. The assumption is that nobody eats their poultry raw, and that thorough cooking will kill the bacteria.
The do — not — wash raw poultry advice from the USDA is relatively new and perhaps hasn't caught on because it goes against the common belief that washing makes things clean, said Chapman. Benjamin Chapman, a study author and food safety expert at North Carolina State University, said the instinct to wash raw poultry goes back at least decades when people relied more on visual clues to spot problems with poultry. Meanwhile, washing hands and surfaces are also important.
But food preparation is a complicated act, and germs from poultry can be spread even if it's not washed, especially when birds are removed from packaging.
The USDA-funded study stresses that point. Researchers sprayed raw chicken with a harmless strain of E. coli （大肠杆菌）and watched volunteer cooks at test kitchens. Among those who washed their raw chicken, about a quarter ended up spreading the bacteria to their lettuce. But even some of those who did not rinse the chicken got germs on the lettuce. And there are other opportunities for germs to survive on turkeys: melting and cooking.
To ensure a bird is thoroughly cooked, they say to use a thermometer to check that the deepest and thickest parts of it have reached 165 degrees. Even after the meal is cooked, you aren't out of the danger zone. To keep turkeys and other leftovers safe, experts say they should be refrigerated after two hours.
1.People don't accept USDA's advice because____.
A.the advice is relatively new
B.cleaning seems more trustworthy
C.cooks clean the turkey before cooking it
D.heat can kill most germs and no one eats raw food
2.What can be concluded from Paragraph 4?
A.Food packages carry germs.
B.Hands and surfaces are easy to get E. coli.
C.Germs from a turkey can be spread whether it is washed or not.
D.Multiple methods should be applied to food to get rid of germs.
3.Which way may help to cook a turkey safely?
A.Rinse off the turkey before it is heated.
B.Keep the turkey away from the lettuce and refrigerator.
C.Wash hands and packages before taking out the turkey.
D.Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the turkey.
4.From which section of a magazine is the text probably taken?
A.Culture. B.Science.
C.Education. D.Medicine.
Kyle Cassidy and three other members of the Annenberg Running Group were stretching on the grounds of the University of Pennsylvania, waiting for a few latecomers. The Penn colleagues and other community members meet three days a week for a roughly 30-minute jog and an occasional lecture. That's right― during some runs, one of them delivers a talk. Topics range from the brain to Bitcoin.
But on this day last January, it would not be their normal run. The first clue that something was off was the man who sprinted past them. "Running at an amazing pace," Cassidy told Runner's World admiringly. Cassidy discovered why the sprinter was so fleet of foot when another man ran by, yelling, “Help! He took my phone and laptop!"
At that, the group did what running clubs do: They ran, trailing the suspect down the streets of Philadelphia until he ducked into a construction site. The runners split up. Cassidy ran around to the far side of the site to cut the thief off while the others wandered the neighborhood hoping he had dumped the loot （赃物）in a backyard.
No luck. So they decided to ask residents whether they'd seen the guy. When they knocked on the door of one row house, they were in for a surprise. Unknown to them, he had already emerged from the construction site—and was hiding behind a bush by that very house. As the owner opened the door, the suspect darted out from behind the bush ... and right into the arms of campus police, who'd joined the chase shortly behind the runners.
The members of this running group are not hard-core athletes. But they do understand the benefit of a little exercise. ''Running is typically a useless sport where you turn fat cells into heat," Cassidy told The Philadelphia Inquirer. "But occasionally it can be useful, and here was one of those opportunities."
1.Why do the group members gather together?
A.To do some stretching. B.To have a regular run.
C.To deliver a lecture. D.To cover some topics.
2.What does the underlined word "sprinted" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A.Dashed. B.Pushed.
C.Jumped. D.Escaped.
3.We can infer that the success of the chase is mainly due to____ .
A.the assistance of the runners B.the owner of the row house
C.the campus police on patrol D.the joint efforts of the people
4.Which of the following best describes Cassidy?
A.Athletic and generous. B.Courageous and ambitious.
C.Helpful and humorous. D.Thoughtful and demanding.
Occasions like anniversaries, weddings and reunions call for special event venues （场地）.The following places may have a way out. There's no need to spend money creating atmosphere at special event venues. It's built right in!
Hard Rock Cafe Anchorage
415 E. STREET, ANCHORAGE, ALASKA 99501
Events, like great music are born of inspiration. Featuring a 13,600-square-foot facility that will seat 275 guests with private event space, we pride ourselves on delivering an exceptional experience with a rock and roll twist for each of our guests.
Business Expo Center
1960 S. ANAHEIM WAY, ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA 92805
The Business Expo Center is Orange County's premier event venue in Anaheim, California. Our flexible 36,000-square-foot expo center is home to space for conferences, trade shows and celebrations. We pride ourselves on providing a memorable experience with excellent flexibility, services, and cost savings. We won't charge customers for on-site parking and provide high-speed Wi-Fi.
Automobile Driving Museum
610 LAIRPORT STREET, EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA 90245
Centrally located in the South Bay beach community of El Segundo, California, the ADM offers a wonderful venue for private parties and corporate events. Conveniently located 5 minutes south of LAX, right off the 405 and 105 Freeways, the 610 Lairport space has a vintage feel surrounded by our primary automobile collection. We offer several different venues inside and outside our facility for diverse events. To better our service, reservations are needed.
Yamashiro Hollywood
1999 N. SYCAMORE AVE., LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90068
Yamashiro Hollywood is a restaurant and therefore, all food and beverages must be handled in house. However, guests are allowed to bring in outside wine and champagne for a corkage fee.
1.What can you do in Business Expo Center?
A.Enjoy free parking.
B.Bring in outside wine.
C.Experience a rock and roll twist.
D.See some automobile collections.
2.Which venue do you need to book in advance?
A.Business Expo Center.
B.Yamashiro Hollywood.
C.Hard Rock Cafe Anchorage.
D.Automobile Driving Museum.
3.What do the four venues have in common?
A.They offer optional places.
B.They are open to special events.
C.They are located in the same state.
D.They enjoy convenient transportation.
Maybe it's because it was our first purchase as homeowners. The salesman must have spotted just how green we were, so he began persuading. And soon he led us to a classic leather chair. All these years later, I remember he used words like rich and handsome, the thing every living room needed.
We believed him. So we bought that chair — just less than $100, a great deal in the 1970s for a young couple!
How we loved that chair! It always occupied a place of honor in our various living rooms, moving with us from our first tiny house to our beloved new house.
Somehow, conversations were better on that chair, and life was more fun around it. Three daughters spilled their secrets on it. Old friends seemed to be attracted by it on those wonderful occasions. Crazy as it sounds, that leather chair seemed to have — well, powers. All for good.
At first, we didn't really care that the leather was showing signs of wear or that it had lost its sheen (光泽). But in our most recent move, when the chair was moved in our new living room, it suddenly looked terribly lonely sitting close to newly painted walls and a couple of shiny new tables.
My husband and I tried but still we couldn't ignore the rough spots. Our chair had a skin disease. Even our adult kids raised eyebrows, urging us to at least remove the chair to some dark comer of the room. Neither of us could imagine such a retirement for it.
So we had an inspired idea. We'd call in an upholsterer (修理工) to give our old chair a whole new life. Our friend Joe studied the chair and then took out a simple leather conditioner. He explained that although it wouldn't work miracles, it would definitely get our weary chair looking younger again. It certainly doesn't look new, but its seat and back are shining, and some of its deeper wrinkles have lightened.
Best of all, it's back in the living room, looking like a wise old friend to the furniture around it. And, yes, there it will stay.
Because some things, like some people, just deserve a happy old age.
1.How did the salesman persuade the author into buying the chair?
A.By thinking highly of the author.
B.By saying that the author was green.
C.By describing how great the chair was.
D.By comparing the chair with others.
2.What is the fourth paragraph mainly about?
A.Sweet memories with the chair.
B.Various functions of the chair.
C.People's comments on the chair.
D.Family activities and parties of friends.
3.Why did the author finally decide to repair the chair?
A.Because he was persuaded by Joe.
B.Because he didn't have enough money.
C.Because it showed signs of hardness.
D.Because it couldn't match his new house.
4.What can we learn from the text?
A.East or west, home is best. B.From saving comes having.
C.It is never too late to mend. D.Old friends and wine are best.
A population of the world's most aggressive mosquito species was almost completely wiped out by an experiment on two islands in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, according to a study published.
The experiment successfully reduced the female Asian Tiger Mosquito population — the main source of bites and disease spread — by up to 94%, reducing the number of reported human bites by 97%.
One of the Chinese study's researchers, Xi Zhiyong, a professor at Michigan State University, has been a longtime pioneer in this field of study. Running a mosquito factory in southern China, he previously attempted to use sterilized male mosquitoes to mate with unaltered females which developed normally. In the new study, published by the International Journal of Science, Xi and his colleagues attempted to cut mosquito numbers even further by limiting both males and females' ability to reproduce. The results were so successful that they nearly killed the entire female mosquito population on the two islands.
It isn't the first attempt by researchers to reduce mosquito populations across the world. In 2018, scientists from the Imperial College of London used gene-editing tools to make female mosquitoes sterile, while males developed normally and continued spreading the genetic mutation (突变).Experts said the Asian Tiger Mosquitoes are particularly hard to kill using traditional population control methods, such as pesticides (杀虫剂) and removing stagnant (不流动的) water where the insects lay their eggs.
Mosquitoes create grave threats to human health beyond just bites. The World Health Organization (WHO) has described the insects as "one of the deadliest animals in the world," due to their ability to rapidly spread deadly diseases such as dengue fever and malaria. There is currently no effective vaccine or treatment for most mosquito-spread diseases, leaving controlling the insects' populations one of the most effective control methods, according to the International Journal of Science. “A new tool like what's being described in this paper is very much needed” said Stephen Dobson, a professor of medical insectology at University of Kentucky.
1.What does the underlined word "unaltered" in paragraph 3 refer to?
A.Unchanged. B.Undivided.
C.Unadopted. D.Unfinished.
2.Why do mosquito populations have to be controlled?
A.Mosquitoes cause genetic changes in humans.
B.Mosquitoes spread some deadliest diseases.
C.Mosquitoes limit people's ability to reproduce.
D.Mosquitoes make traditional vaccines ineffective.
3.What has been the most successful way of reducing mosquito numbers?
A.Editing genes in female mosquitoes.
B.Sterilizing male mosquitoes before mating.
C.Limiting both genders' reproduction ability.
D.Using pesticides and removing stagnant water.
4.What can we learn from Stephen Dobson's words?
A.The things described in this paper are not practical.
B.A better way of mosquito control is yet to be found.
C.Xi Zhiyong' s method has proven to be very effective.
D.A new tool is needed in order to improve Xi's research.
