1 . The world is a vast and beautiful place, full of natural wonders and man-made marvels. From the ancient ruins of Rome to the Great Wall of China, there are countless places that make us proud of our ancestors.
Heritage is our legacy. It is what we pass down to our children and grandchildren. Heritage helps us to understand the past. It can teach us about our ancestors and their culture. Heritage can inspire us.
We can all do our part to help preserve these sites. Learn more about the sites that are on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Together, we can make a difference.
A.It can give us hope for the future. |
B.Choose sustainable lifestyles every day. |
C.Future generations can be more responsible. |
D.Unfortunately, many of them are under threat. |
E.Let’s work together to preserve these incredible sites. |
F.The more you know, the better you do in the preservation. |
G.But these places are not just important for our own enjoyment. |
2 . If you’d like to go sightseeing, the following World Heritage sites (世界遗产保护地) may be your best choices.
Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area
Jiuzhaigou Valley, which lies in the northern part of Sichuan Province, China, reaches a height of more than 4,800m, with a series of different forest ecosystems (生态系统). It’s particularly famous for its narrow landforms and excellent waterfalls. Some 140 kinds of birds also live in the valley, as well as a number of endangered plants and animals, including the giant panda. Jiuzhaigou Valley was recognized as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1992.
Khami Ruins National Monument
The city of Khami, which developed after the capital of Great Zimbabwe had been given up in the mid-16th century, is of great archaeological (考古的) interest. The discovery of objects from Europe and China shows that Khami was a major centre for trade over a long period of time. It joined the World Heritage List in 1986.
Henderson Island
Henderson Island, which lies in the eastern South Pacific, is one of the few atolls (环礁) in the world whose ecology (生态) has been untouched by humans. It is particularly famous for the 10 plants and 4 birds that can only be seen on the island. It was recorded in the World Heritage List in 1988.
Old City of Jerusalem
As a holy (神圣的) city for three different religions in the Middle East, Jerusalem has always been of great religious importance. It was given a World Heritage Status in 1981 and placed on the “World Heritage in Danger List” the following year.
1. Which of the following is TRUE about Jiuzhaigou Valley?A.Wonderful waterfalls can be seen there. |
B.It is famous for many ancient objects. |
C.It has been untouched by human beings. |
D.It lies in the southern part of Sichuan Province. |
A.was ruined in the mid-16th century |
B.was once business center for trade |
C.has over 140 kinds of birds living there |
D.is a holy city for three major religions |
A.Henderson Island. | B.Khami Ruins National Monument. |
C.Old City of Jerusalem. | D.Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area. |
3 . Just as we take care of our friends and families, our homes and Mother Earth take care of us. Our homes give us a place of shelter that
“Thank you, home, for allowing me to live
You can do so as often as you like and anytime you feel particularly thankful for the many gifts that you have
A.bend | B.handle | C.react | D.stand |
A.unselfish | B.skillful | C.cheerful | D.amazing |
A.animals | B.oceans | C.plants | D.waters |
A.promote | B.show | C.influence | D.satisfy |
A.sources | B.memories | C.power | D.strength |
A.Express | B.Accept | C.Ban | D.Deserve |
A.attacks | B.attracts | C.appreciates | D.provides |
A.fond | B.aware | C.informed | D.confident |
A.accused | B.robbed | C.warned | D.reminded |
A.road | B.word | C.way | D.place |
A.safe | B.dull | C.quiet | D.public |
A.though | B.because | C.unless | D.until |
A.beside | B.beyond | C.within | D.in |
A.admitting | B.supporting | C.challenging | D.surviving |
A.live | B.call | C.focus | D.feed |
A.examine | B.explain | C.experience | D.describe |
A.adventure | B.wisdom | C.loss | D.honor |
A.anger | B.worry | C.joy | D.desire |
A.brought | B.purchased | C.exchanged | D.received |
A.shocks | B.monitors | C.protects | D.follows |
4 . The National Parks Service has confirmed the discovery of an ancient crab (螃蟹) fossil (化石) found along the shores of Assateague Island National Seashore.
Sharon Conn, a visitor to the area, found the fossil in early October on the shore of Assateague Island. “It is very uncommon to find fossils of this nature. We have a very small number in our museum collection. That is what makes this discovery very exciting,” Liz Davis chief of Assateague Island National Seashore said.
The parks service identified the rare blue crab fossil with the help of the Department of Paleobiology. Matthew Mille, museum specialist at the National Museum of Natural History, tested the fossil to find out how it is. He concluded it was likely from the Pleistocene age, about 2 million years ago. “The extra rock around it is such a well tough ground that it can’t be easily eroded (腐蚀),” he said. “The claw did erode a bit though — which is why it isn’t immediately recognized as a claw. Gone are the tips and parts of the infilled area where the original flesh would have been through, making the whole fossil looks a bit strange.”
The fossil was found on public land and is protected by law. Davis told the Daily Times it was currently at the National Parks Service Toms Cove Visitor Center in Virginia. “We hope to have a small collection of fossils on display at the NPS Assateague Island Vistior Center in Maryland later in 2022,” said Davis.
1. What does Liz Davis think of the ancient crab fossil?A.It is invaluable. | B.It is very old. | C.It is imperfect. | D.It is rare. |
A.Around 2 million years old. |
B.2 million years old. |
C.3 million years old. |
D.Less than 2 million years old. |
A.Sharon Conn. | B.The country. | C.Liz Davis. | D.The National Parks Service. |
A.A Lucky Visitor. | B.Assateague Island. |
C.An Ancient Blue Fossil. | D.An Important Discovery. |
On the north bank of Fuxian Lake in Chengjiang County, Yunnan Province sits a straw-hat-shaped mountain
Scientists have obtained a large number of research results on Chengjiang Fossil Site. The reason why Chengjiang fauna (动物群) is
Up to now, more than 20 phyla and more than 280 species
The UNESCO evaluation says the Chengjiang Fossil Site is one of the
6 . The Great Barrier Reef in Queensland has suffered several mass bleaching events due to the impacts of climate change. The Australian government turned down a proposal for a new open-cut coal mine near the Great Barrier Reef, considering environmental laws and the risk of “irreversible damage”. It was the first time the government had used its powers under environmental laws to reject a mine.
In turning down the project, Tanya Plibersek, the minister for the environment and water, cited significant potential environmental dangers to the reef, which is already heavily threatened by climate change.” The risk of pollution is real and the damage to the reef, once done, will never be repaired. “The project would have had unacceptable impacts on freshwater in the area and potentially on fragile seagrass meadows,” Plibersek said in a video posted on social media. She said that during the public consultation period, her department had received 9,000 public comments about the mine in just 10 business days.
The government has been under pressure from UNESCO to better protect the reef and in 2022, it pledged one billion Australian dollars for efforts to protect the fragile ecosystem, including climate adaptation measures and water quality programs. Last year, the Great Barrier Reef, which stretches for more than 2,300 kilometers, experienced its sixth mass bleaching event, due to warming waters caused by climate change.
The government, elected in 2022, came to power promising stronger action on the climate in a country still heavily depending on fossil fuels. But its climate policies are rated “insufficient” by Climate Action Tracker, which found Australia is not on course to meet targets to limit warming to 1. 5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The government has rejected calls from the country’s Green Party to turn down all new fossil fuel projects.
1. Which of the following can replace “irreversible” in paragraph 1?A.Permanent. | B.Gradual. | C.Severe. | D.Significant. |
A.The reef is in good condition now. |
B.9,000 people made good comments on the mining project. |
C.The mining project has drawn the attention of the public. |
D.The mining project has had bad effects on freshwater in the area. |
A.Fossil fuels are not in demand in Australia. |
B.The government has made effective climate policies. |
C.The government failed to carry out its previous promises. |
D.The Green Party reached an agreement with the government. |
A.The Great Barrier Reef is faced with mass bleaching events. |
B.Australia is on the way to protecting the Great Barrier Reef. |
C.The Great Barrier Reef calls for help due to climate change. |
D.Australia says “No” to a mine near the Great Barrier Reef. |
7 . Tom Brown’s orchard (果园), known as Heritage Apples, is home to 700 varieties of apples. They are among the 1,200 endangered varieties that Brown has recovered from six southern states. Many of these have not been sold for a century or so. In fact, he cloned some of the apples from the last remaining trees of their kinds.
Before Brown discovered lost apples, he was a chemical engineer who, along with his wife, Merrikay Brown, enjoyed visiting farmers’ markets. It was at one, in 1999, that he became fascinated by baskets full of heritage apples with unfamiliar names such as Kane, Lawver, Rusty Coat, and Rambo. These apples had shapes, colors, and tastes like no apples Brown had ever seen before. The seller Maurice Marshall told him other lost apples might still be found in the area. Interested, Brown went in search of them.
Brown advertised in area newspapers seeking information about old apple trees. The response was exciting, but few brought concrete information. Actually, most of the leads about the whereabouts of these old trees come from people in their 70s, 80s, and 90s, many of whom he met at local businesses and at festivals where he exhibited heritage apples. When Brown finds a tree, he cuts a branch off and returns during fruiting season to identify them. He compares leaves and apples to historical seed catalogs, and uses photos to correspond with experts for further confirmation.
In 1905, there were more than 7,000 apple varieties in the United States. Then people moved to urban areas and grew less of their own food while large agribusinesses preferred selling fewer varieties, ones that were familiar and shipped easily. Saving the long-forgotten fruits is a race against time. Now, the 79-year-old has to drive over 30,000 miles a year and devotes around three days a week to apple-hunting. He hopes to recover another 100 varieties or more in his lifetime.
1. What do we learn about the apples in Brown’s orchard?A.They are rare species. | B.They are mostly clones. |
C.They sell well in the market. | D.They adapt to different climates. |
A.Help him promote fruits. | B.Recover the lost apples. |
C.Learn to plant fruit trees from him. | D.Taste the apples mentioned by him. |
A.By referring to documents. | B.By putting advertisements. |
C.By consulting the elderly. | D.By communicating with experts. |
A.His colorful retirement life. |
B.His work in protecting fruit trees. |
C.His love for popularizing gardening. |
D.His contributions to saving lost apple species. |
8 . The black cloud rising every day at sunset in the Chihuahuan Desert went largely ignored for thousands of years. Native Americans noticed it, but did not track its source. Cowboys thought the cloud was smoke pouring from the earth, and avoided it.
In June of 1901, however, a teenage cowboy named Jim White happened to see the large, black cloud. He was curious and went to investigate. Instead of finding a volcano, as he had imagined, he discovered something equally amazing. It was a big mass of bats. Two days later, he returned with a lantern to explore further. It took him so long that his lantern went out. He managed to refill it with just enough oil to find his way back to the entrance.
The next time Jim White went to the cave, he brought a friend and supplies. They explored for three days and returned with descriptions that were so fantastic that few people believed them. The cowboys on nearby farms and the people in the tiny town of Carlsbad treated Jim’s stories as tall tales and nothing more.
After years of exploring the caves and finding no one to believe his stories, Jim White decided to create his own tourist attraction. He established trails (路线) along the paths he had found. One day in 1915, two men asked Jim for a tour. After seeing the caves, the men returned with a professional photographer named Ray V. Davis. Local doubts were finally put to rest by the photographs of the hidden beauty that Jim had discovered. All 13 locals of Carlsbad finally took a tour of the caves, which came to be known as Carlsbad Caverns.
In 1923, the government sent an official named Robert Holly to tour the caves. Later that year, the caves were stated a national monument (古迹), and in 1930 they became a national park. Jim White lived to see the Carlsbad Caverns become world-famous. Today, tourists can hike to and tour some of the 100 known caves in this huge natural wonder, thanks to the cowboy from New Mexico.
1. What do we know about the black cloud?A.It was discovered in 1901. | B.It was noticed by accident. |
C.It was actually a mass of bats. | D.It was smoke from the earth. |
A.Jim’s friend. | B.A photographer. |
C.Robert Holly. | D.13 locals of Carlsbad. |
A.It made Jim White rich. | B.It was an easy process. |
C.It happened before 1915. | D.It came true thanks to the photos. |
A.A Brave Cowboy | B.A Hidden Wonder |
C.A Worthwhile Invention | D.A Nationwide Contribution |
9 . The following properties which the World Heritage Committee has decided to include on the List of World Heritage are in danger according to Article 11 (4) of the Convention (公约).
Virunga National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Virunga National Park, covering an area of 790,000 ha., includes an outstanding diversity of habitats, ranging from swamps and steppes (沼泽和平原) to the snowfields. Mountain gorillas are also found in the park.
Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley (Afghanistan)
The cultural landscape and archaeological remains of the Bamiyan Valley stand for the artistic and religious developments which from the 1st to the 13th centuries characterized ancient Bakhtria. The area contains a number of Buddhist monastic ensembles (佛教寺院), as well as strong buildings from the Islamic period.
Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
The Okapi Wildlife Reserve occupies about one-fifth of the Ituri forest in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The reserve contains threatened species of primates and birds surviving in the wild. It also has some amazing scenery, including waterfalls on the Ituri and Epulu rivers. The reserve is inhabited by traditional nomadic pygmy Mbuti and Efe hunters.
Historic Center of Vienna (Austria)
Vienna developed from early Celtic and Roman settlements into a Medieval and Baroque city, the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It played an important role as a leading European music center, from the great age of Viennese Classicism through the early part of the 20th century.
1. Which of the following world heritage sites is located in Afghanistan?A.Virunga National Park. | B.Historic Centre of Vienna. |
C.Okapi Wildlife Reserve. | D.Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley. |
A.It’s closely related to Buddhism. | B.It has some fascinating natural scenery. |
C.It has an outstanding variety of habitats. | D.It plays an important role as a leading music center. |
A.They are all in danger. | B.They are open to the public. |
C.They are inhabited by local people. | D.They are to be removed from the World Heritage List. |
10 . 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. |