【推荐1】Fresh green grass, hundreds of colorful wild flowers, water running into little pools, birds making their homes in boxes, the 9,500-square-meter Augustenborg Botanical Garden may look just like any other well-organized park, but there’s a difference. It lies on the roofs (屋顶) of industrial and office buildings in the city of Malmo in Sweden.

Green roofs are not a new invention. And now they are getting popular again. The common roofs of a modern city have endless black surfaces with no life or water. Perhaps that’s why a garden on a roof becomes such a perfect choice for more and more people.

Green roofs are not just pretty. They also help to moderate the city temperature. The high temperatures on common roofs in the summer can make top floor flats uncomfortably hot. What is more, they play a part in making the cities hotter than the countryside around them, causing the “urban heat-island effect”. On a green roof, however, with its plants and water, temperatures change only a little, as they do in a park. Rooftops covered with plants help keep buildings cool. Green roofs take in rain water and protect the city drainage (排水) system. They can reduce water runoff into streets and storm water systems. This can greatly cut the costs of heating and cooling in the building below.

Also, _______. Small animals and birds can make their homes on it. Thanks to this, the city may become part of nature, rather than something completely separate from it. Though they won’t directly replace ground environments, they’re perfect for attracting birds and other wildlife to create a eco-friendly habitat (栖息地).

A green roof helps to improve the overall air quality, too. According to a study, green roofs help reduce (减少) up to:

37% of sulfur dioxide

21% of nitrous acid

0.2kg of dust particles / square meter each year

While the cost of building such a roof can still be higher, it can be cheaper in the long term as a result of energy savings. And wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to walk out into a garden high above the city’s noise and traffic, whether you’re at school or in an office or just at home in a ten-floor block?

【推荐2】There are many deserts on the earth. And the following are some facts you may find interesting.

What are deserts like?

Deserts can be hot and dry places. Rain may not fall there for months or years. Some deserts are sandy and stony.     1     The wind can change the shape of the deserts. It moves sand around from place to place.

Temperatures in the desert can change a lot. During the daytime, the temperature may reach 40 degrees even in the shade（ 阴凉处）.     2     In winter there may even be a frost（霜冻）in the early morning.

Living in the desert

    3     It stores food in its hump （驼峰）and can go for days without water. It has large feet which help it not to fall into the soft sand. Its long eyelashes（睫毛）keep out the sand during sandstorms.

An oasis

An oasis（绿洲）is an area of the desert where water may be found.     4     People and animals visit an oasis for water and food. Plants grow at an oasis. Some farmers are able to grow crops here.

The Arabian Desert

The Arabian Desert lies between the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf. In some parts of the desert, it is too hot for people to live. Oil was discovered under parts of the desert and in the Arabian Gulf.     5     Much of the money has been spent building fine cities with lovely parks and lakes, and people live a comfortable life there.

【推荐1】It seems that Xiong'an has become a hot topic across China overnight. Almost everyone is talking about it this month. That's because on April 1，2017 ，China announced it would build Xiong'an New Area in Hebei Province.

The area is only an hour's drive from Beijing and surrounded by Shijiazhuang ，Tianjin and Beijing. It has a large space to develop and will grow to cover 2 000 square kilometers. It will be as important as Shenzhen Special Economic Zone(深圳经济特区) and the Pudong New Area, according to the State Council( 国务院).

It will help solve big city problems in Beijing, such as traffic jams and air pollution, reported Xinhua News Agency. For example, many companies, universities and scientific research centers will move from Beijing to the new area. Some companies have already made plans to relocate( 迁移) many of their factories there,

   The natural environment of the area is also nice for people to live and work in. It is home to Baiyangdian, one of the largest freshwater wetlands in North China. With more than 140 lakes, the wetland is known as the "pearl( 珍珠) of the North China Plain"

   International experts and media also think highly of the new area. Some say it will set an example for developing countries, according to Xinhua.

【推荐3】Welcome to London! Now let me tell you something about this wonderful city. London, the capital of the United Kingdom, is the biggest city in Western Europe with over 7 million people. It sits by the River Thames. London has a history of more than 2000 years.

People

The British Empire (帝国) used to rule around the world, so many people from around the world moved to London. They have brought with them their own languages and cultures. More than 300 different languages are spoken in London.

Culture

London is known for its museums. One important museum is British Museum. It is the oldest public museum in the world. There are two main art museums in London: the National Gallery and the Tate Gallery. Besides, London is also home to arts, such as theatre and music. The Globe Theatre, which was popular in the late 16th and 17th centuries, was opened for performances of William Shakespeare’s central London.

Tourist attractions

London has many wonderful places to visit. For example, the well-known Clock Tower, a 320-foot-high tower, was called the Big Ben. Another famous London building is Buckingham Palace. The members of royal (皇家的) family of England live there. Besides, Hyde Park is the largest open area in central London.