user: Text: A Chinese town has been on lockdown since last week after a man died of the plague. Parts of the city of Yumen was sealed off by police after a 38-year-old man died in a hospital on July 16, according to state news agency Xinhua. He had contracted pneumonic plague. On the same day of the patient's death, a quarantine zone was set up, affecting at least 30,000 people living in Yumen city in China's northwestern Gansu province. The original quarantine period is set for nine days. The deceased had been in contact with a dead marmot, a small furry animal in the squirrel family, according to Xinhua. He had chopped up the dead animal to feed to his dog, reports the AFP. It is not known whether the dog became infected. The plague is a severe bacterial infection of the lung that affects rodents, some animals, and humans. Caused by the same bacteria that leads to the bubonic plague, the pneumonic type is considered more rare but more dangerous as it can be transmitted between humans through inhalation, without the involvement of animals. The China Daily said four quarantine sectors had been set up in Yumen and 151 people who had come into close contact with the deceased patient are under medical observation. None of them have reported any symptoms so far, according to Xinhua. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S. says when plague is left untreated, all forms of the disease will rapidly progress to death. Antibiotics that fight the plague bacteria should be given to a patient within 24 hours of the first symptoms. The plague occurs in many places in the world today, including Africa, North and South America and Asia.
Highlights: A middle-aged man died from pneumonic plague in China last week. 151 people who came into contact with the patient have been quarantined. Parts of Yumen, a city in northwestern China, have been sealed off.
Question: Pupils are worried about living expenses and not being able to earn while studying. Two-thirds of children are worried about the cost of going to university even though they think it will help them ‘get on in life’, a new survey has revealed. They are concerned about living expenses and not being able to earn while they study while those from middle-class backgrounds are most troubled by £9,000-a-year tuition fees. The Ipsos MORI poll for the Sutton Trust surveyed 2,595 11 to 16-year-olds. It classified them as being in families of high, medium or low affluence based on questions about their households. It found that students from the least affluent families (23 per cent) were more likely to cite cost as the biggest consideration when deciding whether to go onto higher education than their richer counterparts (14 per cent). However, middle-class youngsters - who miss out on means tested maintenance grants - are most affected by tuition fees (30 per cent) when worrying about all the costs. This compared to 28 per cent of rich students and 26 per cent of poorer ones who agreed that fees were the ‘biggest concern’. Overall, 65 per cent of students surveyed were worried about university finances - 28 per cent cited tuition fees; 19 per cent, the cost of living and 18 per cent, not earning while studying. Only seven per cent said they were not troubled by the cost of going to university. Thirty eight per cent of young people said they were ‘very likely’ to go to university and 43 per cent ‘fairly likely’. A higher proportion of black and minority ethnic students (49 per cent) said they were likely to go to university than white students (35 per cent). Of those who were unlikely to go into higher education, 57 per cent cited financial considerations and 49 per cent said they would prefer to do something more practical. However 86 per cent said going to university was important in ‘helping people do well and get on in life’, with 43 per cent rating it ‘very important’. Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the Sutton Trust and the Education Endowment Foundation, said: ‘It is clear from this poll that many young people remain worried about the cost of higher education. Two-thirds of children are worried about the cost of going to university even though they think it will help them 'get on in life' according to a new survey. ‘Graduates face debts of over £40,000 with the higher fees and many will be paying for their university studies into their fifties. ‘We are urging the Government to means test university fees, as used to be the case, so that those from low and middle income families pay less for tuition.’ Means-testing ended in 2006 when variable fees of up to £3,000-a-year were introduced. Those with household incomes below £42,611 can currently apply for means-tested maintenance grants. Michael MacNeil, head of higher education at the University and College Union (UCU), said: ‘We need our brightest young people aspiring to university and the courses best suited to their talents. Worryingly the biggest barrier is the increased cost of a degree. ‘Ministers need to move on from looking at how to squeeze more money out of students and look at the damage the increased cost of going to university is already having.’
What are the important parts of this article?
Important parts: The Ipsos MORI poll surveyed 2,595 11 to 16-year-olds. 65 per cent of students surveyed were worried about university finances.
in: Djakadam has booked his likely place in the Cheltenham Gold Cup field in March after impressively defying top weight in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park. The  success for the Ruby Walsh-ridden winner was also a record sixth win in the race for trainer Willie Mullins. Gold Cup sponsors Betfred reacted by slashed Djakadam’s Gold Cup odds to 14-1. Ruby Walsh riding Djakadam on their way to winning The Goffs Tyhestes Handicap Steeple Chase. Djakadam (centre) saw his odds for the Cheltenham Gold Cup slashed to 14-1 after victory at Gowran Park. The French-bred gelding will be hoping for better luck than on his previous sorties to Britain. He fell four out when still in with a chance in the JLT Novices’ Chase at last year’s Festival and faded into eighth being Many Clouds after being sent off a well-backed 5-1 favourite in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury in November. Mullins, who moved ahead of the previous Thyestes race record held by Jim Dreaper, said: ‘It’s fantastic to win the race six times. It took me long enough to win my first one. ‘On His Own won this off top weight and was only just beaten in a Gold Cup (last season) so we’ll have to think of going the same way with this horse. ‘We always thought he could be a Gold Cup horse. It was probably an unfair question to ask him in the Hennessy on his first run of the season but we felt he was nicely handicapped. Jockey Walsh beams after giving trainer Willie Mullins a record sixth win at the race. ‘That race will take a fair bit out of him so he wouldn’t run between now and Cheltenham. The way he travelled and jumped was great, and I don’t think Ruby had a moment’s worry.’ Djakadam raced on the heels of the leaders throughout the race before smoothly moving into contention. The Job Is Right was his only danger in the straight. He fell at the last but Walsh had still to ask for everything and looked comfortably in control.
out:

assistant: Djakadam won the the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park on Thursday. Bookmakers have slashed odds for Cheltenham Gold Cup to 14-1. Ruby Walsh gave trainer Willie Mullins a record sixth win at the race.