New York reported another round of statistics from the Omicron coronavirus wave on Thursday, as the statewide hospitalization count rose by 63% in a single week, and the daily case tally(记录) hit a record 74,207. More than one out of five COVID test results in the Empire State — 22% — came back positive. The daily positivity rate was below 5% at the start of December, when the hard-hitting delta variant remained dominant.

Now, the Omicron type is delivering an ominous ending to the year, leaving businesses short on healthy workers, freezing subway lines and testing sites, and pouring patients into medical centers.

Gov. Hochul has warned that the crisis will likely worsen in January given recent holiday travel. She has urged New Yorkers to ring in the 2022 outside if they choose to celebrate. “As the New Year approaches, it’s more important than ever that we take the necessary precautions to keep each other safe in the face of the COVID winter increase,” Hochul said in a statement on Thursday. “It’s up to all of us to make 2022 a safer, healthier year than 2021 was — get vaccinated, get boosted, mask up, and avoid large indoor public gatherings when possible.”

Some 7,400 infected New Yorkers were hospitalized across the state, according to government data. That figure remains below previous heights reached in April 2020 and January 2021, but the state may soon eclipse last winter’s peak.

Adams, who is due to become mayor on Saturday, signaled he will stick closely to health measures introduced by de Blasio, including a new vaccine mandate for private-sector employees. In the city, more than 6 million New Yorkers have been fully vaccinated, according to government data. “Our focus is vaccine and testing,” Adams said in the news conference with Chokshi. “We must say that over and over again. Someone needs to make a T-shirt and a cap that says: vaccine and testing.”

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1.What happened to New York?

A The number of daily cases increased greatly.

B Hard-hitting delta variant hit New York again.

C The daily total cases was not from the Omicron.

D This new round of statistics were not exact at all.

解析：选A。A 推理判断题。根据文章第一段第一句的“...as the statewide hospitalization count spiked by 63% in a single week, and the daily case tally hit a record 74,207”可以得知，纽约新冠病毒感染病例的数目激增。故选A。

2.The underlined word “ominous” in the second paragraph may mean _____.

A anxious

B enjoyable

C terrible

D cold

解析：选C。C 词义猜测题。根据文章第二段第一句后半部分的“...leaving businesses short on healthy workers, freezing subway lines and testing sites, and pouring patients into medical centers”可以得知，奥密克戎病毒带来的是工人短缺、瘫痪的交通线和测试点以及医院病人激增等不好的事情，由此推断ominous表示“糟糕的”。故选C。

3.Why does Gov. Hochul think the crisis would worsen?

A There’s a lack of doctors in the hospitals.

B Indoor public gatherings are prohibited.

C Necessary precautions won’t be taken.

D People will come out during holidays.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。根据文章第三段第一句“Gov. Hochul has warned that the crisis will likely worsen in January given recent holiday travel”可以得知，即将到来的假期出行会让疫情情况更加糟糕。故选D。

4.What will Adams focus on?

A Celebrations of the New Year.

B Preparation of t-shirts and caps.

C Full vaccination of New Yorkers.

D Giving up the health measures.

解析：选C。C 推理判断题。 根据文章最后一段第三句的“Our focus is vaccine and testing”可以得知，候任市长将来的重点是推进疫苗的注射。故选C。