Everyone likes talking about weather. When people meet, they usually say something like “Isn't it a nice day?” or “Do you think it will rain?”

Different people often want different weather. When a farmer needs water, he hopes it will rain. When people want to take a trip, they hope it will be sunny soon.

How will be the weather? Many people think they can tell it. But they often have different ideas. Some may say, “It's cloudy in the east. It will rain tomorrow.” But others may say, “No, it will be sunny tomorrow.” So people like the weather report. It sometimes makes mistakes Still, it can tell many things about the weather.

Have you ever taken a look at a few lovely chickens and desired to touch and kiss them? Apparently, for some people the urge is hard to resist. However, according to an updated warning by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) doing so could spread dangerous—maybe even life-treatening-Salmonella. So, no matter how irresistible those little feathered birds may seem, avoid giving them a kiss.

This isn’t the first time the CDC has warned against physically touching or kissing your poultry. Back in 2018 Halloween, they advised against dressing the birds up for fear of spreading Salmonella. Then again, in May this year, with 474 cases reported, another warning was issued. According to interviews with 271 of those affected, 77 percent had been in contact with poultry before getting sick.

“Backyard poultry, like chickens and ducks, can carry Salmonella bacteria even if they look healthy and clean,” writes the CDC. These bacteria can easily spread to anything in the areas where the poultry live. You can get sick from touching your poultry or anything in their environment and then touching your mouth or food, and swallowing Salmonella bacteria.

Most people who come into contact with the Salmonella bacteria will experience diarrhea (腹泻), fever, and stomach cramp. Children are particularly affected—one in three sick people are below the age of five, which is intelligible given their weaker immune systems and natural love for the birds.

The CDC recommends that parents shouldn't let little children touch chicks, ducks, or other backyard poultry and make sure that if they do, they should wash their hands thoroughly afterward. Likewise, adults are instructed to do the same after touching backyard poultry and their eggs should be cleaned, stored, and cooked correctly to avoid the infection of Salmonella.

This might be easier said than done—for many people, backyard chickens are beloved—but if you really love them, stop physical displays of affection in case you end up with Salmonella bacteria on your face. It turns out to be a bit of harm.

Why is it that we always seem to pick the slowest line in a supermarket or store? Basically, the reason is simple: the chances are against us. To explain, imagine that you are in a store where there are three lines. 【小题1】 If there are more lines, your chances of getting into the speediest queue are even less.

Interestingly, some people have come up with theories and formulas to calculate this kind of thing. 【小题2】 A pioneering queuing theorist was an engineer named Erlang. He wanted to figure out the best number of telephone operators to have at the telephone exchange in the early 1900s. Taking into consideration the average number of phone calls in an hour and the average call length, Erlang came up with formulas to determine the best number of operators that should be on duty at any given time. 【小题3】 On top of that, his work established the basis for queuing theory, which became a new branch of mathematics.

The theories first invented by Erlang are still used today in a variety of commercial settings, including call centers and traffic engineering. 【小题4】 While there are many options available regarding lining up, it appears that a snaking-line approach—where people stand in a single line and wait for the next available clerk—is the most efficient. 【小题5】 Research shows that this option is about three times faster than using separate lines, which is the approach that is most commonly used but not that efficient for anyone in a rush.