1 . Antarctic Tourism: Should We Just Say No?
More people are visiting Antarctic, the frozen continent than ever before.
The distance most visitors travel to reach Antarctica makes carbon emissions a serious problem.
There is clear agreement that something needs to change, but no agreement on what those changes should be.
A.The number of visitors hit 100,000 for the first time this tourist season, a 40% jump over the previous record. |
B.The Antarctic is at risk not just because of the breakability of its environment, but due to the lack of a single governing body. |
C.Should landings be made at a larger number of sites for instance, or should we aim to keep the human footprint as small as possible? |
D.If what you really want is to connect with snow and ice and you’re in the northern half, can you catch a train to the nearest snow region instead? |
E.The average per-person carbon emissions for an Antarctic tourist are 3.76 tonnes – about the total sum that an individual typically generates in an entire year. |
F.There is so little regulation now that almost anything that will protect the areas by an official legal source rather than self-regulated would be really positive. |
2 . An Aurora (极光) Adventure in Norway
Beyond the cottage windows the world is white and still. Snow-covered mountains stretch to the sea. It’s only 2 p.m., but already the light is fading, bathing the scene in a mysterious blue.
We rented a riverside house in the tiny fishing village of Oldervik.
Exciting activities, such as dog sledding and reindeer adventures, are easy to arrange.
At Oldervik, it’s possible to catch the aurora anytime from September to April. The best time is from mid-November to mid-January, when the sun never appears. With cloudy skies we have no luck so far but on our last night, at the first sign of clouds clearing, we got into the car and hadn’t driven far when, with great excitement, we spotted a strange glowing arc (弧形) crossing the road like a milky rainbow.
And then it begins: beams of greeny-white light dance as if from spotlights on the ground. To the naked eye (肉眼), the lights are not the bright greens and blues cameras capture on long exposures, but it’s fascinating none the less. The temperature during this time has fallen to –10℃ but we don’t feel it as we lie on the ground, gazing up and never wanting to leave.
A.Sleep is effortless in this quiet land. |
B.So are northern light excursions. |
C.There’s little light pollution here, but the night is cloudy and a little cold. |
D.When we hike south along the river, the moon hangs above the peaks in the sky. |
E.It’s the appeal of the Arctic winter that has brought me to the very north of Norway in January. |
F.The stars are against the blackest of skies, with white mountains on both sides glowing under a small piece of the moon. |
Life on a Ship
We three children were very excited when we walked up the gangway (舷梯) of the British flagship China Star and saw officers, crew and staff rushing around. A Chinese housekeeper led the way and helped Uncle Jean and Aunt Reine with our luggage. Victor, Claudine and I lagged behind. The housekeeper was tall and thin and towered over everyone.
Though I was still feeling nervous and tongue-tied because it had only been three days since Aunt Reine took me out of St. Joseph’s, I laughed out loud. That was the effect Victor had on people.
Victor stood there, wearing a bright-red and orange life-jacket. “Why are you wearing that?” Claudine protested. “Our ship hasn’t even sailed yet!” “In case the China Star starts going down. Then you’ll really be sorry you’re not wearing one yourself. Here! Let me show you something!”
Claudine became alarmed. “Mama, how often does a ship sink?” she asked. Before Aunt Reine had time to reply, Victor quipped with a straight face, “Only once!” Aunt Reine and I could not help laughing in spite of ourselves. But then Victor did something my brothers would never have done. He took off his life-jacket, slipped it on his sister and showed her how to adjust the straps.
A.Once Victor hid in a lifeboat for half an hour while we searched everywhere. |
B.His head was completely hairless, and he was obviously unsteady. |
C.He and Claudine made me feel at ease as soon as I met them. |
D.There were only two narrow twin beds in our cabin, each covered with dark blue sheets. |
E.He parted the curtain and looked out of the round window of the ship. |
F.He jumped out as we passed below him, scaring and delighting us at the same time. |
Venice Carnival
The annual Venice Carnival is in full swing, with thousands of revelers (狂欢者) gathering the city’s canals and squares in elaborate costumes and extraordinary masks
The Carnevale di Venezia is thought to date back to the 11th century, making it one of the world’s oldest. Carnivals are held in many Catholic countries: such as Spain and Brazil, where they serve as a last chance to cat, drink end be merry before the deprivations or Lent, the 40 days of fasting (斋戒) that precede Easter.
It is thought that the masks allowed Venetians to hide their identities, allowing the poor to mix with the wealthy, breaking strict social order, even if only for a brief and controlled period.
To prevent overcrowding, authorities have installed turnstiles at the entrances to the historic St. Marks’Square, closing it off to new visitors once 23,000 revelers have entered. Costumed revelers are also searched as they enter the square.
Venice is situated across a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The islands are located in the shallow Venetian Lagoon, an enclosed bay that lies between the mouths of the Po and the Piave Rivers
Although most visitors stick to the traditional Carnival costumes of baroque gowns and be jeweled masks for women and black capes and threatening masks for men, more and more people are opting for their own unique interpretations.
Some visitors use Carnival as an opportunity to show off a fantastic creation they’ve always reamed of wearing. It doesn’t have to be Venetian
A.This year’s Carnival festivities kicked off on February 16 and go on until March 5. |
B.During the 18 days of Carnival, the city fills with thousands of tourists from across Italy and around the world. |
C.Parts of Venice are well known for the beauty of their settings, their architectureand artwork. |
D.The Italian government decided to bring back the history and culture of Venice by seeking to use the traditional Carnival. |
E.It doesn’t have to be traditional. |
F.Carnival virtually disappeared when Napoleon’s troops brought an end to the Venetian Republic in 1797. |