The Honghe Hani Rice Terraces(梯田), in southern Yunnan, China, cover a huge 16, 603-hectare area. The terraces,
In 2003, the terraced fields were
The landscape changes through the year. In April the terraces are all green as rice starts to grow; in later parts of the year it is yellowish brown as the rice ripens. In February, the terraces become bare earth, with the water reflecting(反射)the sky.
2 . Coral reefs are some of the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on Earth. Coral reefs support more species per unit area than any other marine (海洋的) environment, including about 4,000 species of fish, 800 species of hard corals and hundreds of other species. Scientists estimate that there may be millions of undiscovered species living in and around reefs. This biodiversity is considered the key to finding new medicines for the 21st century. Many drugs are now being developed from coral reef animals and plants as possible cures for cancer, viruses, and other diseases.
Healthy coral reefs support fisheries as well as jobs and businesses through tourism and recreation. About half of all managed fisheries depend on coral reefs and related habitats for a part of their life cycles. The National Marine Fisheries Service estimates the commercial value of U. S. fisheries from coral reefs is over $ 100 million, Local economies receive billions of dollars from visitors to reefs through diving tours, recreational fishing trips, hotels, restaurants, and other businesses based near reef ecosystems.
Coral reef structures also buffer (缓冲) shorelines against 97 percent of the energy from waves, storms, and floods, helping to prevent loss of life, and property damage. When reefs are damaged or destroyed, the absence of this natural barrier can increase the damage to coastal communities from normal wave action and violent storms. Several million people live in U. S. coastal areas near coral reefs. Some coastal development is required to provide necessary infrastructure (基础设施) for coastal residents and the growing coastal tourism industry.
Despite their great economic and recreational value, coral reefs are severely threatened by pollution, disease, and habitat destruction. Once coral reefs are damaged, they are less able to support the many creatures that live on them and the communities near them. When a coral reef supports fewer fish, plants, and animals, it also loses value as a tourist destination.
1. Why is biodiversity important to medicines?| A．It can reduce the prices of new medicines. | B．It can help make new medicines. |
| C．It can be used for medicines. | D．It can be used to cure diseases. |
| A．They protect people against sharks. | B．They completely avoid serious flooding. |
| C．They prevent people from being drowned. | D．They weaken most of the energy from waves. |
| A．Most fish will die out. | B．Coastal cities will attract fewer tourists. |
| C．There will be no large fish. | D．The sea will be polluted. |
| A．The Importance of Diverse Ecosystems | B．The Environments of Coral Reefs |
| C．The Importance of Coral Reefs | D．The Value of Biodiversity |
1变化（交通transportation,环境environment,……）；
2.原因；
3.欢迎他再来平谷。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Jim,
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Yours,
Li Hua
The Xi’an City Wall is the most complete city wall that has survived China’s long history. It
We accessed the wall through the South Gate. The wall is 12 meters high and from here you can see streams of people moving inside and outside the City Wall.
After
We
If you live in northeastern China, you expect long, cold winters. People
The festival includes several thousand ice sculptures. Some of these works are the recreations of castles, historic landmarks and famous people, lit up at night in bright colors. There
The city started
China's national observatory on Monday issued a yellow alert for sandstorms in the northern part of the country. “
Some regions in Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shaanxi and Shanxi were hit by strong sandstorms. The capital Beijing was enveloped in yellow dust
This wave of sandstorms is a result of the combined
7 . The Pharos, the great lighthouse of Alexandria, was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It stood on the island of Pharos, in the harbor of the city of Alexandria. In 290 B.C, Ptolemy I Soter, the ruler of Egypt, ordered the building of the lighthouse. Twenty years later, it was finished−the first lighthouse in the world and the tallest building on Earth except the Great Pyramid of Egypt.
The Pharos was designed by Sostrates, a Greek architect. Sostrates wanted to leave his name on the base of the lighthouse. But Ptolemy refused, ordering that only his own name appear on the building. But Sostrates found a way to do that. At the base of the Pharos, Sostrates left a message containing his own name. Then he covered it with plaster (建筑石膏) and left Ptolemy's name over it. After many years, the plaster disappeared and people knew the true architect of the lighthouse.
In 1302 and 1323, two strong earthquakes hit Alexandria, and the lighthouse was damaged. In 1326, it finally fell into the sea. Much of what we know about the lighthouse comes from the writings of Arabs who once visited the Pharos.
The Pharos was about 384 feet tall, the same height as a modern 40-storey building. At the top of the lighthouse stood a large statue of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. Under it was a beacon, the source of light for the lighthouse. The Pharos used two kinds of beacons. At night, a large fire created the light. During the day, a huge mirror made use of the sunlight to create the light.
It was said that the mirror was also used to set enemy ships on fire as they entered the harbor by directing the sun’s rays (sunlight) at them. Although it is clearly impossible, the idea is interesting.
1. Why did Sostrates use plaster at the base of the Pharos?| A．To follow Ptolemy's orders. |
| B．To hide his name left on the base. |
| C．To protect the base from damage. |
| D．To make the lighthouse more beautiful. |
| A．For about 800 years. | B．For about 1,000 years. |
| C．For about 1,600 years. | D．For about 2,000 years. |
| A．The lighthouse. | B．The statue. |
| C．A large fire. | D．A huge mirror. |
| A．Sostrates and Ptolemy. |
| B．The function of an old lighthouse. |
| C．The Pharos, a wonder of the ancient world. |
| D．The architect of an old lighthouse. |
8 . Rainforests are home to a rich variety of medicinal plants, food, birds and animals. Can you believe that a single bush（灌木丛）in the Amazon may have more species of ants than the whole of Britain! About 480 varieties of trees may be found in just one hectare of rainforest.
Rainforests are the lungs of the planet-storing vast quantities of carbon dioxide and producing a significant amount of the world's oxygen. Rainforests have their own perfect system for ensuring their own survival; the tall trees make a canopy（树冠层）of branches and leaves which protect themselves, smaller plants, and the forest animals from heavy rain, intense dry heat from the sun and strong winds.
Amazingly, the trees grow in such a way that their leaves and branches, although close together, never actually touch those of another tree. Scientists think this is the plants' way to prevent the spread of any tree diseases and make life more difficult for leaf-eating insects like caterpillars. To survive in the forest, animals must climb, jump or fly across the gaps. The ground floor of the forest is not all tangled leaves and bushes, like in films, but is actually fairly clear. It is where dead leaves turn into food for the trees and other forest life.
They are not called rainforests for nothing! Rainforests can generate 75%of their own rain. At least 80 inches of rain a year is normal-and in some areas there may be as much as 430 inches of rain annually. This is real rain-your umbrella may protect you in a shower, but it won't keep you dry if there is a full rainstorm. In just two hours, streams can rise ten to twenty feet. The humidity（湿气）of large rainforests contributes to the formation of rainclouds that may travel to other countries in need of rain.
1. What can we learn about rainforests from the first paragraph?| A．They produce oxygen. | B．They cover a vast area. |
| C．They are well managed. | D．They are rich in wildlife. |
| A．Heavy rains | B．Big trees. |
| C．Small plants. | D．Forest animals. |
| A．For more sunlight. | B．For more growing space. |
| C．For self-protection. | D．For the detection of insects. |
| A．Life-Giving Rainforests | B．The Law of the Jungle |
| C．Animals in the Amazon | D．Weather in Rainforests |
9 . An international group of coffee experts has considered Ethiopia’s coffee as the best in the world.Coffee is a top export (出口物) of the country. But at home, it is seen as national pride. Ethiopians feel good about their coffee, and enjoying a drink with friends is a long tradition.
Some people say the climate produces quality beans. Morton Wennersgarrd is a coffee importer. He said, “Ethiopia has different ancient types of coffee. They are planted in places with perfect soil, perfect altitude (海拔), and climates that are really suitable for coffee processing.”
Finding the best quality beans is often an issue of taste. The process is known as cupping — tasting and comparing coffee from different roasted beans, grading and then pricing them. But before international experts come to taste, coffee beans are studied in small coffee laboratories. Helen Assefa, a lab technician, describes the process, “When the coffee comes to the lab, we assess (评价) its quality first by recording the details.Then we weigh the moisture (水分) level and we examine the beans for analysis. After that we grind (磨碎) the coffee beans and taste the samples. In the end, we check for defective (有瑕疵的) beans.” Mubarik Abaoli is a lab worker.He says that testing is a very difficult and long process. “We select out the defects by hand. And we select out the defect according to the defect types.”
Ethiopia has got a lot of money by exporting coffee to more than 120 countries. The country has an export revenue (税收) of more than 840 million a year. But not all the best coffee leaves Ethiopia. Forty percent of the coffee grown in the country stays there. It remains an important part of everyday life at work, at home and at ceremonies.
1. Ethiopians’ attitude towards coffee may best be described as .| A．proud | B．relaxed |
| C．brave | D．doubtful |
| A．the ways of making coffee |
| B．the process of assessing the coffee |
| C．the tips on planting the best coffee |
| D．the influence of the coffee |
| A．More than 120 countries export coffee to Ethiopia. |
| B．Coffee plays an important role in Ethiopians’ life. |
| C．40% of the coffee grown in Ethiopia is exported. |
| D．Ethiopians earn their living by exporting coffee. |
| A．To advertise the coffee in Ethiopia. |
| B．To comment on coffee experts’ work. |
| C．To introduce the best coffee in the world. |
| D．To recommend tourists activities in Ethiopia. |
China’s Liangzhu Archaeological Site
The site,
The World Heritage Committee added Liangzhu to the UNESCO list
