Located in the northwest of Hunan Province, about 300 kilometers away from Changsha, the capital of Hunan, Zhangjiajie,
Since it was discovered in the 1980s, the tourism industry
It must be an exciting, joyful and unforgettable tour of Zhangjiajie.
2 . John “Charlie” Veron-widely known as “the Godfather of Coral Reef (珊瑚礁)”-is a celebrated expert who has personally discovered nearly a quarter of the world’s coral species and has spent the past 45 years diving Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. But now the 73-year-old is raising the alarm about its future. The Great Barrier Reef, one of the natural wonders, is 2, 300 kilometers long and is the only living organism that can be seen from space. It is considered a World Treasure Site due to its biodiversity (生物多样性)with 30 species of whales, dolphins and sharks. Within the reef itself, there are also a number of tiny organisms and fishes.
However, its health is threatened. After the recent mass bleaching (白化)events, Veron dived in many areas of the Great Barrier Reef to see the damage for himself. “I was seeing and feeling it and it was absolutely shocking, ” he says.
Veron says the mass bleaching events in the past few years-and the possibility of losing one of nature’s greatest treasures-were a wake-up call for the world in the wider battle against climate change, which, together with the rising sea temperature, is considered the greatest threats to the reef.
Fortunately, earlier this year, the Australian government announced nearly 400 million dollars in new funding towards scientific projects designed to help the reef.
There has been criticism in Australia about the slow process for the funding. “It won’t be wasted, though,”Veron says. “As scientists will be able to create a sort of seed bank to protect the species until the climate is good enough to rebuild the reef. What the scientists hope to do is to help nature along a bit after the big carbon dioxide increase is over and it starts to come down.”
1. Why is the Great Barrier Reef considered a treasure site?A.It is a natural wonder. |
B.It can be seen from space. |
C.It has a rich variety of species. |
D.It is home to a great many fishes. |
A.Climate change is threatening biodiversity. |
B.The Great Barrier Reef is in danger of extinction. |
C.Scientists have found major factors in the reef’s blenching. |
D.Veron has made great contributions to environmental protection. |
A.Uncaring. | B.Doubtful. | C.Uncertain. | D.Positive. |
A.A news report. | B.A travel guide. |
C.A research plan. | D.A journal entry. |
3 . Ho Khanh is a middle-aged farmer, living in a village on the edge of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam. What is special about him is that he has discovered Son Doong, the largest cave in the world.
"I first found the cave about thirty years ago, in 1991," he says. "I was out collecting firewood near the national park. My family were very poor, so I decided to go deeper into the forest to find some aloe, which is very valuable. Not many people went that far into the forest because they were afraid of the wild animals."
Soon Khanh lost his way. "I sat down with my back to a huge round rock," he says. "Then I heard the sound of a strong wind and running water coming from behind me." He found the entrance to a huge cave, with a wide river coming out of it. Khanh thought he was walking into a great cave. With no ropes or lights, he did not go further into it.
Khanh's story spread like wildfire, but not everyone believed him. "I wanted to prove that I was telling the truth, but I couldn't remember the way to the cave." Then one morning early in the winter of 2006, a group of cavers from Britain came to ask Khanh for help, as they had heard about his discovery fifteen years before.
Khanh agreed to help the team to find the cave, but after three days in the jungle, they lost their way. "I just couldn't remember where it was," he says. The team came back twice, but each time they were beaten by the thick jungle. Finally the cavers left.
In 2009, Khanh headed to the jungle one cold winter's morning. "I stopped by a big round rock," he says. "There was the same strong wind, the sound of water running—I knew I'd found the cave at long last. "Soon the British cavers returned and followed Khanh on a six-hour trip deep into the jungle. On April 14 they found Son Doong.
1. What is the text mainly about?A.How Son Doong was discovered. | B.How Son Doong got its name. |
C.A young farmer in Vietnam. | D.A national park in Vietnam. |
A.looking for aloe | B.collecting firewood |
C.catching some animals | D.cutting down trees in the forest |
A.They doubted it. | B.They believed it. |
C.They were uncertain of it. | D.They had little interest in it. |
A.One year. | B.Three years. | C.Fifteen years. | D.Eighteen years. |
Are you impressed by the mountains in Avatar? The real ones are in Zhangjiajie. For those who love nature, Zhangjiajie is a must. Zhangjiajie National Park is now
The park has thick forests, deep canyons, unusual peaks, caves, and pillar-like(像柱子似的)rock formations blanketed throughout the park. These pillar-like rock formations are what the park is famous for around the world. One of the fastest and most effortless ways
Many
Heritage is our legacy (遗产) from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable (无可取代的) sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Great Wall of China make up our world's heritage.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.
How does a place become a World Heritage Site? It takes a lot of people to decide.
1) If a country wants one of its places to be on the World Heritage List, it has to ask UNESCO. The place must be important and special. UNESCO put the Great Wall on the list in 1987 because, it said, it was a great part of Chinese culture and beautifully made to go with the land. When a country asks, it must also make a plan for taking care of the place.
2) The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO talks about different places and decides whether to put them on the list. The committee meets every June. Many experts help the committee to decide.
3) After a new place goes on the list, UNESCO gives money to help keep it looking good. If a place is in serious danger, it may be put on the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger. UNESCO gives special care and help to those places.
4) Countries have to give UNESCO regular reports about places on the list. If UNESCO thinks a country isn't taking good enough care of a place, the site will be taken off the list.
1. What is the main purpose of Paragraph 1?
A.To tell us what is heritage. |
B.To stress the importance of heritages. |
C.To explain the aims of protecting heritages. |
D.To introduce some places of interest in the world. |
A.identification | B.application |
C.protection | D.conservation |
A.can ask UNESCO for more money and help |
B.should continue to take special care of it |
C.won’t take trouble of caring for it |
D.will try to put it on the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger |
A.to attract more tourists from other countries |
B.to get more money and help from other countries |
C.to have it taken better care of |
D.to make it known to other countries |