1 . Must-See Destinations in 2024

Are you ready to explore the world in 2024? Whether you dream of sailing down famous European rivers or exploring unique places, our list of must-see destinations is here to inspire your travels.

Throw yourself into the rich culture and history of Spain. From the sunny beaches of Tenerife to the Moorish architecture (建筑物) of Andalucía, there’s so much to explore in this lively country. Discover the UNESCO World Heritage (遗产) city of La Laguna and become amazed at the beauty of Cordoba, Seville, and La Alhambra, or relax on a beach holiday to Majorca or Tenerife.

Despite its size, Montenegro has beautiful beaches, rich history, and a breathtaking channel. Experience the beauty of the Montenegrin coast — Dalmatia’s jewel (宝石) is the UNESCO World Heritage listed oasis of Dubrovnik, famously praised by Lord Bryon as The Pearl of the Adriatic.

Discover the beauty that is Dubrovnik. Explore the 16th-century city’s defensive walls and red-roofed buildings. Sail along Croatia’s Adriatic Coast, where attractive villages and beautiful towns like Pula, Rovinj, and Poreč are just waiting to be explored...

Explore the wonders of South Africa, from the Garden Route’s nature reserves to the thrill of a Safari drive in the Kariega Game Reserve. Discover the different plants and animals while searching for the “Big Five” on an unforgettable South Africa holiday.

With over 25 years of experience creating holidays for the curious, Travel Department ensures that your journey is in good hands. Plus as a trusted Reader’s Digest Travel partner, you can get special deals when you travel with them across lots of different 2024 holidays. If you want to know more information, please click here.

3 . Last year in early summer, I was walking to my house when I saw two large birds standing in my yard. They didn’t seem to _______ me until I was right in front of them and then they _______ disappeared into the nearby bushes. I was quite excited by the _______ of two special birds making a nest (巢) in my yard．

A few weeks later, the birds _______. I found them crouching (蹲伏) beside a tree. As I approached them, they _______ their heads and made a croaking (嘶哑地叫) sound. I didn’t know why they were croaking at me until a short time later I made an amazing _______: there were two small birds _______ around happily.

As I inched towards the birds, _______ not to make sudden movements, they started their croaking again, putting their necks forward so they seemed _______ and more threatening.

The mother put the baby birds under her wings and carefully crouched down over them so her babies were well ________.

I was watching them with respect when I suddenly ________ and fell to the ground. The mother took this as a/an ________ and the father raced towards me, ________ his wings to protect the mother and the baby birds.

I felt sorry to have disturbed them and left quickly. I am amazed by their ________ actions. Their parental love made them so courageous. It is hard not to show ________ for nature.

4 . Wildfire season has begun in many places around the world. The dangerous smoke wildfires produce can spread far and wide. It blocks sunlight, poisons the air and damages the health of people and other living things.

Some of those living things could be the plants in gardens, says gardening expert Jessica Damiano, who writes gardening stories for the Associated Press. Damiano lives in New York City and recently experienced several days of very smoky air. Wildfires in eastern Canada were the source.

Damiano, like other people, limited the time she spent outdoors when the air quality was poor. She also wore a face covering when she had to go outside.

But the plants in her garden had no such escape. They had to breathe the poisoned air through the extremely small holes in their leaves.

Pollutants in smoke landing on plants can block sunlight, which is essential for photosynthesis (光合作用). Reduced photosynthesis results in reduced energy. That means slower growth. Additionally, smoke can also affect a plant’s ability to take in nutrients(营养物质).

Brooke Edmunds, a plant scientist and community horticulturalist with Oregon State University Extension, said plants that are affected by smoke for a short amount of time will usually recover quickly. “It depends on how close they are,” she said. “There could also be a localized effect, where one garden is covered in ash(灰烬), and a half-mile away, there’s nothing because that’s the way the wind was moving things around.”

The best thing home gardeners can do is keep an eye on plants. Edmunds suggests giving plants some extra love and care. “Wash the plants gently to remove pollutants left by smoke. Then give them a long, slow drink of water. Most will pull through,” Edmunds said. However, people should not use leaf blower machines to remove ashes from plants because they will risk breathing in what is blowing around.

I've always loved the ocean. In the    1     (seven) grade,I started volunteering at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. I was upset to learn that many sea animals eat plastic garbage,     2     (think)it is food.

I decided to do something     3     (educate) people about this problem. I held presentations at schools to teach kids about plastic waste. I wanted to reach businesses too. I decided that if I learned of a company    4     used a lot of plastic, I'd send it an email urging it to cut back.

One day, I saw a commercial for a health-care company. People in the ad were using plastic straws （吸管）.   I found the contact information of the company    5     emailed its president. I told him how     6     (harm) plastic could be to the environment and asked him to consider using more eco-friendly options. I was so    7     (excite) when he wrote back to me.He said he would make sure that the company cut its use of plastic straws in half.

I kept going. Whenever I heard of businesses using plastic, I'd send an email. One of the biggest companies I wrote to     8     (be) Alaska Airlines Paris. A company     9     (represent) wrote back and told me the airline was switching over     10     plastic to paper cups on all of its 1,200 daily flights.

8 . Wildlife experts are reporting increasing numbers of Atlantic blue fin tuna(蓝鳍金枪鱼)in the Atlantic Ocean. Atlantic blue fins are highly prized by the fishing industry. The fish can weigh up to 454 kilograms. Its meat is often used in sushi products sold at Japanese restaurants.

But the Atlantic blue fin has been a concern for wildlife experts. The species was listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Improved law enforcement appears to be helping the Atlantic blue fin recover after years of overfishing. The popular fish all but disappeared from the Gulf of Maine about 10 years ago. This year, fishers set a record by catching 30 Atlantic blue fins. One of the fish weighed 363 kilograms.

International regulators have eased the catch limits for U. S. fishermen this year, increasing the quotas (限额)by more than 180,000 kilograms. But environmental groups warn increasing the new limits will undo years of wildlife protection efforts.

Scientists have been unable to determine whether or not the Atlantic blue fin population has recovered, so any decrease in the population now is bad for fishermen in the long term.

Blue fin has been at the center of a long battle between the fishing industry and environmentalists. Fishermen can make large amounts of money from a single fish. Environmentalists seek to protect the Atlantic blue fin. Yet many consumers are willing to pay high prices to eat them.

Walt Golet, a professor of marine biology at the University of Maine, says “Probably no other fish has been more politicized than the Atlantic blue fin tuna. From an environmental point of view it's always … Let's try to back off a little bit and make sure that we always have enough fish, and on the other side, we have individuals and organizations that they're making a living out of that fish and that's kind of where the assessment and management come into play. It's kind of balancing all of those opinions and viewpoints.”