Something’s happening at the lowest point on our planet.
The Dead Sea, a salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east and Israel and Palestine to the west, is shrinking(缩小) at an alarming rate-----about 3.3 feet per year, according to the environmentalist group EcoPeace Middle East. And human actions are largely to blame.
“It’s not just like one country is punishing the Dead Sea; it’s more like the whole area,” said photographer Mortize Kustner, who visited the area in February to work on his series “The Dying Dead Sea”.
The Dead Sea needs water from the other natural sources surrounding it, such as the Jordan River basin. But around the 1960s, some of the water sources it relied on were diverted(使改道). Israel, for instance, built a pipeline during that time so it could supply water throughout the country.
Mineral extraction(开采) industries are another main reason the water levels are falling, experts say. The Dead Sea’s minerals have been used as medicine and can often be found in cosmetics(化妆品) and other consumer products.
And then, of course, there’s the Middle East’s hot, dry climate, which makes it difficult for the lake to replenish itself.
Last year, Israel and Jordan signed a $900 million deal in an effort to keep the Dead Sea’s water levels stable(稳定). It includes building a canal from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea which would be able to not only supply water to Israel and Jordan but also to pump water into the Dead Sea.
But for now, Kustner shows us that the Dead Sea remains very much a place of interest, with people from all over the world going there to swim in its salty waters.
The Dead Sea, known as the Salt Sea in the language of Hebrew, is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world. And because of what has been happening over the years, the salt is only getting saltier.
1. Which of the following is NOT a reason for the Dead Sea’s shrinking mentioned in the text?| A．Some of its water sources being diverted. |
| B．The extraction of the minerals in the sea. |
| C．Visitors from all over the world swimming in it. |
| D．The hot, dry climate in the Middle East. |
| A．They have practical value. |
| B．They are controlled by Israel. |
| C．They can be extracted very easily. |
| D．They are mainly used in heavy industries. |
| A．To clean something. | B．To improve something. |
| C．To fill something again. | D．To find something again. |
| A．What we should do to save the Dead Sea |
| B．More people travel to the Dead Sea |
| C．Why the Dead Sea is salty |
| D．The Dead Sea is drying out |
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【推荐1】Here are four beautiful lakes in the world, each of which can be your next destination.
Lake Bled, Slovenia
Few lakes in Europe come as postcard-ready as Slovenia’s Lake Bled. Located in the snow-capped Julian Alps about a 45-minute drive outside of the capital city of Ljubljana, it’s best known for the fairytale-like Church of the Assumption, which sits on a pocket-sized island in the lake and has been attracting visitors for centuries.
Lake Annecy, France
Thanks to strict environmental rules set in place in the 1960s, Lake Annecy is an undamaged body of water that’s often called the cleanest lake in Europe. As a home base, you can't beat Annecy, which has been called the Venice of the Alps for its series of canals, and the Imperial Palace, which has more than 100 years.
Lake Vattern, Sweden
During a Swedish summer, there are few better places to enjoy the endless summer nights than sitting by the nation’s lakes. Among the lakes, the most charming is this finger-shaped lake about a 3-hour drive southwest of Stockholm, surrounded by historic settlements like Hjo, a beautifully preserved town on the lake's western shore.
Qinghai Lake, China
Located in northwest China, Qinghai Lake enjoys a climate with low rainfalls. When looking into the distance from a high place, you can enjoy a photographic view of the revolving evergreen mountains, clear and glittering water, beautiful grassland and groups of sheep.
1. What can we learn about Lake Annecy?| A．It is under good protection. |
| B．It is located on an island. |
| C．It’s the cleanest globally. |
| D．It is known for an old church. |
| A．A circle. | B．A pocket. | C．A finger. | D．a foot. |
| A．Lake Bled. | B．Lake Annecy. |
| C．Lake Vättern. | D．Qinghai Lake. |
【推荐2】Deserts are dry ecosystems that receive less than 250 millimetres of rainfall a year on average. Here are the world’s several big deserts.
Antarctic Desert
Antarctica is, on average, the coldest, windiest and driest of all the world’s continents. With an average annual rainfall of just 166 millimetres along the coastal regions and even less farther inland, it meets the standard of a desert. The continent has only plants that can live in a region so cold and dry.
Australian Desert
The Australian desert consists of ten interlinked smaller deserts. Together, they cover 18 percent of the mainland and contribute to making Australia the world’s second driest continent. The deserts are far from deserted, populated by native animals like kangaroos.
Arabian Desert
The Arabian Desert covers the entire Arabian Peninsula and contains the Rub’al-Khali, one of the world’s largest continuous bodies of sand. Bedouins, the native people, have crossed these sands for centuries, driving sheep, cattle, camels and goats into the desert during the rainy winter season and moving back toward farmland during the dry summer months.
Kalahari Desert
Strictly speaking, the Kalahari doesn’t meet the standard of a desert as its wettest regions can receive more than 500 millimetres of rain in very wet years. However, it remains extremely dry. Rain filters(渗入)rapidly through the vast expanses of sand, leaving nothing on the surface. The evaporation (蒸发) rate is twice as great as the rainfall in the southwestern half of the Kalahari. The desert is home to several important national parks and reserves, providing shelters for various species.
1. Which desert is made up of smaller deserts?| A．Antarctic Desert. | B．Australian Desert. | C．Arabian Desert. | D．Kalahari Desert. |
| A．They are on the move. | B．They are good at growing plants. |
| C．They come from Australia. | D．They benefit from local tourism. |
| A．It has enough rainfalls. | B．It covers a big area | C．It is poorly protected. | D．It dries up quickly. |
【推荐3】Dublin has the benefit of being a home to unequaled beaches. They can be especially attractive during the summer season. Experience this scenery for yourself and see what these beaches have to offer you. Finding yourself at Dollymont makes you a fortunate tourist especially if you find beaches irresistible. Here you can swim away your worries through the Dollymont Blue Flag Beach，The beach provides a wonderful view which is perfect for some relaxing moments. Its shoreline is well recommended for a few quiet and unworried walks along the beach．
For some more beach adventure，you can drive your way down the M50 and M1 motorways to Donabate．This village in North County Dublin offers an attractive Blue Flag beach which is perfect for your swimming addictions．Lifeguards are on call during bathing period．The water is as overpowering as the surrounding．
For a double purpose beach，check out Killiney. This beach is a top off destination for a swimming adventure and it is equally grand for relaxing walks. The shoreline is covered with pebbles and rocks. This may seem averred with ordinary stony beach for some but for those who have strong interest in geological(地质的)processes, Killiney is a best spot to discover part of Dublin’s history and Killiney’s formation．
Another accessible Blue Flag Beach lies on Malahide in Fingal. You can enjoy the distinctive attraction of the water while still getting yourself amazed with the wonderful sights around；Malahide Beach is sandy and holds a harbor designed for pleasure boats at the Northern end．
For a bit of challenge and thrill, consider a swim at Sea point Beach in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown. You can have the pleasure of an exciting surf adventure here apart from the usual swimming activity. This is often visited by tourists due to its various appeals: swimming on the north part of the beach while surfing, boating and jet skiing at the south．
Need to: beat the heat off your summer vacation? There is nothing as satisfying as a visit to some of these outstanding beaches．
1. How many beaches are mentioned in this article?| A．Five | B．Four |
| C．Three | D．Two |
| A．Having a swimming adventure． |
| B．Having some relaxing walks． |
| C．Discovering some Dublin’s history． |
| D．Practising operating boats for pleasure． |
| A．Dollymont and Donabate | B．Donabate and Malahide |
| C．Dollymont and Killiney | D．Killinev and Malahide |
| A．get themselves interested in the sights around |
| B．enjoy several unusual and exciting activities‘ |
| C．have a wonderful surf on the south of the beach |
| D．call the lifeguards during bathing period |
| A．Where to go swimming in summer | B．Beating off the heat in Dublin |
| C．Benefits of staying at beaches | D．Geological researches in vacation |
【推荐1】When I was in school, the class I dreaded most was my eighth grade art class. The teacher put down my every attempt at completing an assignment. I simply couldn’t produce art the way she wanted it. Luckily, I’d already proven myself in other creative areas. Yet, that art teacher was successful in convincing me that I had no talent for painting, drawing, or anything related to them. Imagine my surprise when I published my nature photography and became a volunteer art teacher!
Unfortunately, my story is all too familiar to many people who come through my workshops and practice. Even more unfortunately, the vast majority of people were so discouraged in childhood that they cut off the creative impulse (冲动) in most areas of their lives. Their teachers, parents, or classmates convinced them they had no talent, so they gave up. The pain of failure was simply too great.
Why have we forgotten creativity is an experience, not a result? Let’s consider why we express creativity in first place. To be creative is to be human. Everything we’ve at our disposal (处理) is the result of someone’s creative expression and willingness to take a risk. Even so, for creativity to flower and feel free of encumbrance (累赘), it needs to be about the joyful moments spent creating, not just about what we’ve to show for those moments. Whatever pattern you need to break, try to make it about the pleasure and not about the outcome.
Therefore, I’d urge you to curb your perfectionism not enthusiasm! Perfectionism is the leading killer of artistic expression. Relax a little and bring back your childlike nature when you create. Children instinctively (本能地) know how to give over to the joy --- until someone teaches them otherwise! Let your creation be whatever it wants to be. See if it can lead you rather than the other way around. Let your unconsciousness come through, and let the expression of yourself be beautiful regardless of how it compares to anything else. After all, it’s yours, and no one but you could create it!
1. What made the author give up his dream of art? (no more than 15 words)2. What does the third paragraph mainly tell us? (no more than 10 words)
3. Please explain the underlined word “curb” in English. (no more than 5 words)
4. According to the passage, what is necessary for a creative person? (no more than 10 words)
5. Do you think you are more creative as a student? Please give an example. (no more than 25 words)
【推荐2】The morning commute(通勤)is never fun, but if you pass through Stevenage on your way to work, your morning might be a little brighter thanks to Nala the cat.
Dragging yourself out of bed in the morning and off to work is hard, especially on dark winter mornings. You might be a little more inclined to head out of the house with a spring in your step if your commute started at Stevenage Station, where you’d be greeted by a ginger cat called Nala.
Usually found sitting on a ticket gate, four-year-old Nala lives close to the station with her owner Natasha Ambler, and often heads to station at rush hour to enjoy attention from commuters. Ambler created a social media page called The Adventures of Nala where hundreds of people have shared photos of the adventurous cat.
Recent photos include Nala waiting in line for her “cat-purr-ccino” at Costa, snoozing(打盹)on newspaper stands and posing with commuters at the station barriers.
Nala wears a GPS tracking device so that her travels can be traced, and is usually found at the railway station or the next door leisure park. As well as the usual collar with her name and owner’s contact information, Nala wears a tag to let people know that she’s not lost.
Ambler reported that she’s not worried about Nala in the slightest: She’s obviously well-loved and she’s very happy doing what she does—I just hope one day she doesn’t actually try to get on a train.
Nala brings a ray of joy to Stevenage commuters with her playful antics. Her presence not only brightens mornings but also fosters a sense of community, as evidenced by the shared photos and interactions on social media. Her owner’s care and Nala’s adventurous spirit ensure that she’s a beloved and safe addition to the station environment.
1. What is morning commute usually like?| A．Anything but fun. | B．A little bit common. |
| C．Kind of pleasant. | D．Somewhat interesting. |
| A．Her owner’s love for her. |
| B．Her desire to entertain commuters. |
| C．The short distance from the station. |
| D．Her preference for the ticket gate. |
| A．By following Nala all the way. |
| B．By using a positioning device. |
| C．By attaching a tag to Nala’s neck. |
| D．By posting her contact information on line. |
| A．Concerned. | B．Contradictory. |
| C．Opposed. | D．Relieved. |
【推荐3】It may come as a shock to owners, but dogs hate being hugged, a study has shown.Ani-mal psychologists say dogs feel stressed and unhappy when they are hugged by their owners, because it stops them to run away.
In a study which analyzed (分析) 250 pictures of dogs as they were being hugged, eight out of 10 animals looked clearly uncomfortable.Experts at The Kennel Club, and Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, also agreed that owners should not treat their dogs like children, because most pets did not like to be hugged.
The new study was carried out by Dr Stanley Coren, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia.He analyzed images of dogs being hugged by adults and children he found on the Internet, looking for signs of stress.At an extreme end, when a dog is especially anxious, it shows its teeth or may bite, but Dr Coren said there are small signs that it may be uncomfortable.Signs of stress include the dog folding its ears down, half-moon eyes or turning its head away to stop eye contact.If the dog has its eyes closed it could also be a sign of anxiety.Opening its mouth or raising one paw (爪子) is another warning sign.
"It is clearly better from the dog's point of view if you express your fondness for your pet with a pat, a kind word, and maybe a treat."
"Some people think that giving their dog a hug is a nice thing to do, but the reality is that a family pet will often stand a hug but doesn't like it."
"On the whole dogs are sociable animals and love interacting with people, but any action that restricts a dog's movement could make it uncomfortable and it is important for an owner to recognize the signs of stress or anxiety."
1. What is a common misunderstanding about dogs?| A．Dogs can be stressed when hugged. |
| B．Dogs feel unhappy when they are hugged. |
| C．Dogs like to be hugged by their owners. |
| D．Hugging dogs stops them to run away. |
| A．Owners should not treat their dogs like children. |
| B．All the dogs don't like to he hugged. |
| C．Dogs may bite you if they are anxious. |
| D．Dogs are stressed if they close their eyes. |
| A．To advise readers to hug dogs as often as possible. |
| B．To call on readers to keep dogs as their pets. |
| C．To persuade readers not to hug dogs. |
| D．To warn readers to stay away from dogs. |
| A．Dog doctors. | B．Dog experts. | C．Dog owners. | D．Dog trainers. |
