3 . It was 1:20 a. m. I had just gone to bed, a bit _________ after celebrating my 31st birthday. Before dinner, I’d placed _________ outside my garden door and prepared the cell phone just _________. After all, it had been _________ that week, resulting in flood warnings.

I was awakened by the _________ of rushing water. When I swung my legs off the bed, I was shocked to feel cold water already up to my knees and _________ fast.

Shaking in darkness, I _________ my phone and turned on its flashlight. Then by the light I could _________ water was from the garden door. It must have breached (在……上) the sandbags. The river, usually such a quiet, slow moving river in my region, had _________ burst its banks. And now I had to __________!

I took __________ action. Any effects of the alcohol before sleep were gone;__________ sobers (使清醒) one up. After I went outside, I learned the river had flooded the neighbourhood. Therefore, if I had woken up just a few minutes later, I would have drowned.

In the end, I think the experience made me __________ and determined to live each day to its fullest. I came very close to drowning that day. But rather than dwell on (沉湎于)what happened, I prefer to __________ what my mother told me afterwards, “Don’t remember the day when you lost everything. Remember the day you __________. That day marked the beginning of a new chapter in your life.”

NOTICE

The Students’ Union

6 . Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.

Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses (球场) in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf causes serious water shortage in some local areas.

There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.

Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’s free.

8 . Are you attracted to faraway places? Do you prefer a vacation away from other tourists? Are you careful to take only memories and to leave only footprints? If you answered yes to more than one of these questions, you just might be an ecotourist (生态旅游者).

Ecotourists are people who want to experience the natural world without damage and leave it that way when they return home. This started in the 1990s and ecotourism is now growing three times faster than the tourism industry at large. The Ecuador’s remote Amazon Basin (盆地) is leading to that enlarging, and it gives tourists a snapshot of what ecotourism looks like.

At the Ecolodge, a small group of small houses sit Kapawi Ecolodge in the middle of the Achuar people’s reserve (保护区) and are only accessible by air. From here, visitors can explore parts of the Amazon rainforest seen by few outsiders. As they do, local Achuar guides explain how the forest is like their supermarket, where they find food, clothing, medicine and tools. As a result, tourists learn to enjoy the local culture as well as the natural environment.

The owners of Kapawi pay monthly rent to the Achuar people, but they also train the community to run and manage the lodge. They have agreed on a plan to turn the operation over to the Achuar completely by 2011. The owners are working to make ecotourism benefit and empower the local people.

You probably won’t start your own ecolodge (生态旅馆), but you can be an ecotourist if you follow these guidelines: Protect the environment; Support local businesses; Respect the local customs and traditions.

The world is full of fascinating places to visit. As an ecotourist, you can enjoy them yourself and make sure that they remain beautiful for future generations as well.

9 . When thinking about what you can do to help the planet, do you support regenerative (再生) agriculture? Do you even know what it means? While it sounds like something that is up to farmers, there are ways that the rest of us can support it; one way is to practice soil-friendly eating.     1    .

Eat a variety of foods

A group of different foods can be good for getting a variety of nutrients, and by eating different types of foods, you’ll help create demand for a wide variety of agricultural products, which is better for soil.     2    .

Embrace the pulses (豆类)

The pulses are cheap and great alternative to meat.     3    . Pulse crops are able to pull nitrogen from the atmosphere into the soil. This process is called nitrogen fixation and provides a natural fertilizer, which is available for subsequent crops.

Make sure meat is sustainably produced

    4    . However, if you do shop for meat, look for the meat which has been produced sustainably. For example, animals feeding on pasture (牧草) rather than grain are better because grain requires a lot of land, water and agrichemicals. Animals take a lot from the soil, so it’s important to support owners of pasture who work to keep their soil healthy.

Reduce food waste

Reducing food waste has been getting much attention recently. By some accounts, it is one of the most important things we can do to fight the climate.     5    .