研究发现空气污染降低学生考试成绩
近日，美国耶鲁大学的一项新研究发现，空气污染会对学生标准化考试成绩产生负面影响。
该研究还发现，少数族裔和女孩子的考试成绩受PM2.5水平的影响更为严重。
🤔️小作业：
1. What does Emma Zang suggest about the resources available to more privileged populations in relation to air pollution?
A) They are less aware of pollution's impact.
B) They have more means to mitigate its negative effects.
C) They are more likely to contribute to pollution.
D) They do not need additional support to cope with pollution.
A) The effectiveness of air purifiers in schools.
B) The applicability of findings to other regions and underlying reasons for disparities.
C) Long-term health impacts of air pollution on children.
D) Comparing academic performance across different countries.
无注释原文：
Yale study: Polluted air can negatively impact children’s test scores
From: Yale School of Public Health
A new study led by researchers at the Yale School of Public Health finds air pollution may negatively impact standardized test scores.
The cross-sectional study, employing a two-way fixed-effects model, appears in the open access peer-reviewed medical journal JAMA Network Open.
Using data from the North Carolina Education Research Data Center, the researchers tracked 2.8 million public school students in North Carolina from 2001 to 2018 and measured their exposure to PM2.5, also known as fine particulate matter, found in polluted air. While previous research has shown an association with adverse outcomes on academic performance in children, it has relied on relatively small or less representative samples and faced challenges in accounting for unobserved confounders.
“The biggest strength of this study is that we [tracked] every student in North Carolina in those years, for the whole time period that they were in the public schools,” said Emma Zang, co-author of the study and an assistant professor of sociology, biostatistics, and global affairs at Yale. “I think it is really incredible because it's actually the first study that uses this kind of population data, covering everybody. Air pollution has been shown to affect a lot of things, but the effect of air pollution on students' academic performance is still relatively new.”
The study also found that test scores of ethnic minorities and girls were disproportionately impacted by PM2.5 levels.
“Females and racial ethnic minorities face structural sexism and structural racism,” said Zang. “There are a lot of policies that are not friendly towards females and ethnic minorities. So, when they're exposed to the same level of air pollution, they don't have the resources to buffer the negative influences.”
More privileged populations, Zang said, may have more resources that allow them to live in a better environment, such as in houses with air purifiers. “I think this is another point which has been found in previous studies, but I'm not sure it is well-known to the general public,” Zang said.
Future research in this area, the researchers said, would involve looking at whether the findings are applicable to other regions, and also the reasons behind the racial and ethnic disparities and social and sexual differences.
“What we want to emphasize here is that despite the relatively low level of ambient PM2.5 pollution in the U.S. compared to other countries, there are still significant adverse health impacts,” said Kai Chen, senior author of the study and an assistant professor of epidemiology (environmental health) at the Yale School of Public Health.
“Students living in areas below the current air quality standard of annual PM2.5 concentration (12 micrograms per cubic meter) are still adversely impacted by air pollution when it comes to their test scores,” said Chen, who is also director of research at the Yale Center on Climate Change and Health. “We should aim to strengthen the annual PM2.5 standard to better protect our children.”
The study was supported by funding from the Institution for Social and Policy Studies at Yale.
- ◆ -
注：完整题目见本文开头；中文文本为机器翻译并非一一对应，仅供参考
含注释全文：
Yale study: Polluted air can negatively impact children’s test scores
From: Yale School of Public Health
A new study led by researchers at the Yale School of Public Health finds air pollution may negatively impact standardized test scores.
耶鲁大学公共卫生学院研究人员带领的一项新研究发现，空气污染可能会对标准化考试成绩产生负面影响。
standardize
standardize /ˈstæn.də.daɪz/ 表示“使标准化，使合乎标准”，英文解释为“to make things of the same type all have the same basic features”举个🌰：We standardize parts such as rear-view mirrors, so that one type will fit any model of car we make. 我们对后视镜之类的零部件进行标准化生产，这样只要一种型号便能匹配我们制造的所有款式的汽车了。
The cross-sectional study, employing a two-way fixed-effects model, appears in the open access peer-reviewed medical journal JAMA Network Open.
这项采用双因素固定效应模型的横断面研究，发表在开放获取的同行评审医学期刊《JAMA Network Open》上。
cross-sectional
cross-section /ˈkrɒs.sek.ʃən/ 1）表示“横截面（图），横断面（图），剖面（图）”，英文解释为“something that has been cut in half so that you can see the inside, or a model or picture of this”如：a cross-section of the human heart 人体心脏剖面图；
2）表示“典型，代表”，英文解释为“a small group that represents all of the different types within the total group”
📍cross-sectional study，横断面研究/调查是通过对特定时点和特定范围内人群中的疾病或健康状况和有关因素的分布状况的资料收集、描述，从而为进一步的研究提供病因线索。
peer-review
表示“同行评审，同行评议”，英文解释为“the evaluation by fellow specialists of research that someone has done in order to assess its suitability for publication or further development”
Using data from the North Carolina Education Research Data Center, the researchers tracked 2.8 million public school students in North Carolina from 2001 to 2018 and measured their exposure to PM2.5, also known as fine particulate matter, found in polluted air. While previous research has shown an association with adverse outcomes on academic performance in children, it has relied on relatively small or less representative samples and faced challenges in accounting for unobserved confounders.
研究人员利用北卡罗来纳州教育研究数据中心的数据，追踪调查了2001年至2018年间北卡罗来纳州280万名公立学校学生，测量他们接触PM2.5的情况。PM2.5也被称为细颗粒物，这种颗粒物存在于受污染的空气中。以往的研究虽然已揭示空气污染对儿童学业表现有负面影响，但这些研究样本相对较少或不太具有代表性，且难以解释未观测到的混杂因素。
track
作名词，表示“（录制在CD、唱片或磁带上的）一首歌曲; 一首乐曲”，英文解释为“A track is one of the songs or pieces of music on a CD, record, or tape.”举个🌰：I only like two of the ten tracks on this CD. 我只喜欢这张CD上的10首歌曲中的2首。
📍周末多睡2小时抑郁风险降低48% 文中作动词，1）表示“跟踪，追踪”，英文解释为“to follow a person or animal by looking for proof that they have been somewhere, or by using electronic equipment”；
2）表示“追踪，记录…的进展”，英文解释为“to record the progress or development of something over a period”举个🌰：We continued tracking the plane on our radar. 我们继续用雷达追踪那架飞机。
🎬 电影《博物馆奇妙夜3》（Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb）中的台词提到：You're sort of set up to track my phone? You track my phone? 你装定位追踪我的手机？你竟然追踪我的手机？
particulate
particulate /pɑːˈtɪk.jə.lət/ 表示“（尤指汽车发动机排出的引起严重污染的）微粒，颗粒”，英文解释为“an extremely small piece of dirt, especially one produced by road vehicles, that causes pollution”
📍PM2.5的PM就是Particulate Matter的缩写，中文常称为“细颗粒物”或“微小颗粒物”。它指的是大气中直径小于或等于2.5微米的颗粒物。
adverse
表示“不利的；负面的；有害的”，英文解释为“having a negative or harmful effect on something”举个🌰：They received a lot of adverse publicity/criticism about the changes. 这些变化为他们招致种种负面报道/非难。
confounder
表示“干扰因子（统计学术语）；混杂因子”，英文解释为“A Confounder is an extraneous variable whose presence affects the variables being studied so that the results do not reflect the actual relationship between the variables under study.”
“The biggest strength of this study is that we [tracked] every student in North Carolina in those years, for the whole time period that they were in the public schools,” said Emma Zang, co-author of the study and an assistant professor of sociology, biostatistics, and global affairs at Yale. “I think it is really incredible because it's actually the first study that uses this kind of population data, covering everybody. Air pollution has been shown to affect a lot of things, but the effect of air pollution on students' academic performance is still relatively new.”
“这项研究最大的优势在于我们追踪了北卡罗来纳州那些年里所有学生的全程数据，”耶鲁大学社会学、生物统计学和全球事务助理教授、该研究共同作者Emma Zang表示。“我认为这真的很不可思议，因为这实际上是第一个使用这种人口数据的研究，涵盖了所有人。虽然空气污染已被证实影响诸多方面，但其对学生学业表现的影响还相对较新。”
sociology
sociology /ˌsəʊ.siˈɒl.ə.dʒi/ 表示“社会学，社会关系研究”，英文解释为“the study of the relationships between people living in groups, especially in industrial societies”
biostatistics
表示“生物统计学”，英文解释为“Biostatistics is the application of statistical techniques to scientific research in health-related fields, including medicine, biology, and public health, and the development of new tools to study these areas.”
The study also found that test scores of ethnic minorities and girls were disproportionately impacted by PM2.5 levels.
该研究还发现，少数族裔和女孩的考试成绩受PM2.5水平的影响更为严重。
ethnic minority
ethnic minority /ˌeθ.nɪk maɪˈnɒr.ɪ.ti/ 表示“少数民族”，英文解释为“a group of people of a particular race or nationality living in a country or area where most people are from a different race or nationality”
disproportionately
disproportionately /ˌdɪs.prəˈpɔː.ʃən.ət.li/ 表示“不成比例地；不相称地；太大（或太小）地”，英文解释为“too large or too small when compared with sth else”举个🌰：The lower-paid spend a disproportionately large amount of their earnings on food. 低工资者将收入花在食物上的比例很大。
“Females and racial ethnic minorities face structural sexism and structural racism,” said Zang. “There are a lot of policies that are not friendly towards females and ethnic minorities. So, when they're exposed to the same level of air pollution, they don't have the resources to buffer the negative influences.”
“女性和少数族裔群体面临着结构性性别歧视和种族歧视，”Emma Zang表示。“有很多政策对女性和少数族裔并不友好。因此，当接触同样的空气污染时，他们没有足够的资源来缓解这些负面影响。”
sexism
sexism /ˈsek.sɪ.zəm/ 表示“性别主义；（尤指对女性的）性别歧视，性别偏见”，英文解释为“(actions based on) the belief that the members of one sex are less intelligent, able, skilful, etc. than the members of the other sex, especially that women are less able than men”
racism
racism /ˈreɪ.sɪ.zəm/ 表示“种族主义；种族歧视，种族迫害”，英文解释为“the belief that people's qualities are influenced by their race and that the members of other races are not as good as the members of your own, or the resulting unfair treatment of members of other races”
buffer
作名词，表示“缓冲物；起缓冲作用的人；减震器，缓冲器”，英文解释为“something or someone that helps protect from harm”。
作动词，buffer /ˈbʌf.ər/ 表示“提供保护，使不受伤害；减少，减缓（伤害）”，英文解释为“to provide protection against harm；to reduce the harmful effects of sth”如：to buffer the effects of stress on health 减少压力对健康的影响。
More privileged populations, Zang said, may have more resources that allow them to live in a better environment, such as in houses with air purifiers. “I think this is another point which has been found in previous studies, but I'm not sure it is well-known to the general public,” Zang said.
Emma Zang指出，拥有更多优势的群体可能有更多资源来改善生活环境，例如住在有空气净化器的房子。“这一点虽然在之前的研究中有所发现，但我不确定公众是否了解，”Emma Zang说。
privileged
privileged /ˈprɪv.əl.ɪdʒd/ 表示“享有特权的；特许的”，英文解释为“having a privilege”举个🌰：As an ambassador, she enjoys a very privileged status. 作为大使，她享有特权地位。
purifier
purifier /ˈpjʊə.rɪ.faɪ.ər/ 表示“净化器；净化剂”，英文解释为“a machine or a substance that removes harmful substances from something”如：a water purifier 净水器，an air purifier 空气净化器。
Future research in this area, the researchers said, would involve looking at whether the findings are applicable to other regions, and also the reasons behind the racial and ethnic disparities and social and sexual differences.
研究人员表示，今后在这一领域的研究将涉及研究结果是否适用于其他地区，以及种族和民族差异、社会和性别差异背后的原因。
applicable
applicable /əˈplɪk.ə.bəl/ 表示“生效的；适合的，适用的”，英文解释为“affecting or relating to a person or thing”举个🌰：This part of the law is only applicable to companies employing more than five people. 该法律这一部分条款仅适用于有5名以上雇员的公司。
🎬电影《美丽心灵》（A Beautiful Mind）中的台词提到：To triumph, we need results. Publishable, applicable results. 为了争取胜利 我们需要结果 需要可以发表和适用的结果。
disparity
disparity /dɪˈspærɪtɪ/表示“（尤指不公正的）不同，差异”，英文解释为“a difference between two or more things, especially an unfair one”，如：a disparity between the rates of pay for men and women 男性与女性在工资水平上的差异。
相反的：
📍parity表示“（尤指薪金、权利或权力的）相同，相等，同等”，英文解释为“the state of being equal, especially having equal pay, rights, or power”举个🌰：Women workers are demanding parity with their male colleagues. 女职工在要求与男同事享有同等的待遇。还可以指两个不同国家的货币单位的“平价，等价”(equality between the units of money from two diffe-rent countries）；
📍2019年「妇女节」联合国秘书长发表讲话时，就提到：We now have gender parity among those who lead our teams around the world, and the highest-ever numbers of women in senior management. 目前在世界各地，我们已在许多团队的领导层中实现性别均等，高级管理层中的妇女人数比以往任何时候都多。
📍在2018年政府工作报告Part 5中，居民收入增长和经济增长基本同步；就处理为：Basic parity in personal income growth and economic growth.
“What we want to emphasize here is that despite the relatively low level of ambient PM2.5 pollution in the U.S. compared to other countries, there are still significant adverse health impacts,” said Kai Chen, senior author of the study and an assistant professor of epidemiology (environmental health) at the Yale School of Public Health.
“我们想强调的是，尽管与其他国家相比，美国的环境PM2.5污染水平相对较低，但它仍然对健康产生显著不良影响，”耶鲁大学公共卫生学院环境健康流行病学助理教授、该研究的资深作者陈凯（Kai Chen，音译）说。
ambient
ambient /ˈæm.bi.ənt/ 表示“周围环境的；周围的”，英文解释为“relating to the surrounding area; on all sides”，如：ambient temperature/light/conditions 周围的温度/光线/环境。
epidemiology
📍epidemiological /ˌepɪˌdiːmiəˈlɑːdʒɪkl/ 形容词，表示“流行病学的”，如：epidemiological research 流行病学研究。
📍epidemiology 名词，英文解释为“the scientific study of the spread and control of diseases”。
“Students living in areas below the current air quality standard of annual PM2.5 concentration (12 micrograms per cubic meter) are still adversely impacted by air pollution when it comes to their test scores,” said Chen, who is also director of research at the Yale Center on Climate Change and Health. “We should aim to strengthen the annual PM2.5 standard to better protect our children.”
“生活在当前空气质量标准PM2.5年平均浓度（12微克/立方米）以下地区的学生，他们的考试成绩仍然会受到空气污染的负面影响，”陈凯指出，他也是耶鲁气候变化与健康中心研究主任。“我们应该致力于严控PM2.5年平均浓度标准，以更好地保护我们的孩子。”
concentration
concentration除了表示我们平常熟悉的“专注、专心；关注、重视；集中、聚集”等，还可以表示“浓度”，英文解释为“the exact amount of one particular substance that is found in another substance”举个🌰：High concentrations of toxic elements were found in the polluted areas. 在被污染地区发现了高浓度的有毒元素。
cubic
cubic /ˈkjuː.bɪk/ 表示“（体积单位）立方的”，英文解释为“used in units of volume to show when the length of something has been multiplied by its width and height”
The study was supported by funding from the Institution for Social and Policy Studies at Yale.
该研究得到了耶鲁大学社会与政策研究所的资助。
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