Do you want to see majestic lions roaring, rare rhinos running and colorful birds flying? You'll find this incredible display of nature in the Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley.
First stop
Fly into Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. This great city is known for its fashion markets and beautiful art. And be sure to pick up some rich Kenyan coffee while you're there! Then head for the countryside.
Plan your trip
The largest of the three lakes in the system, Lake Nakuru, is less than 175 kilometers from Nairobi. But Lakes Bogoria and Elementaita are equally worth a visit. You can stay at one of several choices of luxurious cabins in the valley. And if you sign up for a trip, be sure to put flamingos, the white and pink birds, at the top of your list.
Paradise
The Kenya Lake System is shallow and alkaline (碱性的). That means it supports vegetation such as green algae, a food source for many waterfowl. Hundreds of species of birds flourish here, using this area as a major breeding and nesting ground. Water buffalo, leopards, monkeys and the endangered Rothschild giraffe also make this area their home.
Other sights
Wildlife isn't the only natural wonder in the Great Rift Valley. The valley marks a place where the earth is divided far below the surface. This rock separation below ground leads to noticeable features above ground. Walking around Lake Bogoria especially, you will see steam rising from hot springs.
Other activities include golfing, horseback riding and hiking. The fun doesn't stop when the sun goes down, either. The river valley is far from city lights, so many visitors gaze at the stars shining above.
If you are ready for a wildlife experience, don't hesitate!
On March 11, 2011, 16-year-old Yuzuru Hanyu was skating at a local rink when the ice beneath him began cracking. He was experiencing 2011's deadly Great East Japan Earthquake, which had a magnitude of 9.0 and killed at least 18,500 people. The event left him with a greater determination to make every day count.
He was introduced to the world of figure skating at the age of 4. As he watched his sister skate, her coach suggested that the energetic little boy give skating a try. He loved the sport and entered his first competition at age 10. By the time he was 19, Hanyu had won two Olympic gold medals. This achievement made him the first Asian skater in the men's singles category to be an Olympic champion.
What sets Hanyu apart from other competitive figure skaters? At 53 kilograms, he's thin. But Hanyu is very strong and able to perfectly perform jumps and moves on the ice that others can only attempt. Hanyu's performances feature long, smooth and high leg kicks. As he glides effortlessly across the ice, he sometimes looks more like a ballet dancer than a figure skater. When people watch Hanyu perform, it's clear how much he enjoys himself, and the audiences love him in return. After many performances, people in the crowd shower Hanyu with his loved Pooh Bears.
There's no denying Hanyu's star power on the ice, but he's admired off the ice as well. Since the deadly earthquake, Hanyu has helped raise funds for victims. Over the past 10 years, he has also personally given about US$300,000 to help rebuild the local ice rink in Sendai, Hanyu's hometown. The little boy who started out at his neighborhood rink is now adored by people from around the globe.
People who say they don't have time to exercise might have to rethink after scientists proved just three seconds a day lifting weights was enough to strengthen muscle. A new study by researchers in Australia and Japan found doing just one downward bicep curl (二头肌卷曲) a day using a heavy weight increases muscle strength by more than 11 percent. Whole body workouts could be over in just 30 seconds if the findings hold up in other muscle groups, the scientists added.
For the study, 39 healthy university students were told to complete one muscle contraction a day 'at maximum effort' for just three seconds, five days a week for four weeks. The students were split into groups who did three different types of bicep curl. One group used their biceps to lower a weight down towards the floor. Other participants lifted the weight up or held it parallel to the ground. Another group of 13 students did no exercise at all.
Students who did the downward bicep curl saw their muscle strength grow by 11.5 percent. Participants who performed other types of curl also grew stronger although their increase in muscle strength was smaller than for those who did a downward bicep curl. The group of volunteers who did no exercise at all did not see any increase in their muscle strength.
Professor Ken Nosaka who designed the study said, "Many people think you have to spend a lot of time exercising, but it's not the case. Short, good quality exercise can still be good for your body and every muscle contraction counts. The findings are exciting for promoting physical fitness and health. We haven't investigated other muscles yet, but if we find the three-second rule also applies to other muscles then you might be able to do a whole-body exercise in less than 30 seconds."
One group of researchers found that a 14-minute video of negative TV news can rapidly increase anxiety and sadness. What's particularly noteworthy is that beyond causing anxiety and sadness, participants of the study who saw negative news expressed greater anxiety related to their own personal issues. So depressing and fear-causing news can make people feel sadder and more anxious, which, in turn, can magnify their own problems.
How about "positive" news or stories? The few studies that exist suggest that inspiring, positive media sources have the opposite effects of negative media. These researchers found that viewing a short video of a young man who established a homeless shelter in Philadelphia was specifically able to induce gratitude and love. Another group of scientists showed some volunteers a video in which a musician pays tribute (高度赞扬) to his former music teacher for saving him from a life of violence. Seeing that video significantly increased the willingness of the participants to volunteer.
All of this research led me to inventing the phrase: "Just as you are what you eat, you are what you see." In fact, I only recently learned that the word "diet" does not just refer to what food we eat – it comes from the Greek meaning for "way of life" or how one lives his or her life. With that broadened definition, the word "diet" has a greater, more all-encompassing meaning in relation to the things that we absorb – food, stories, images, sounds (music) – and how they impact us.
This does not mean we have to ignore negative news. There are important things that we can learn which can help us understand what other people are going through and how we can help to fix their problems. This all just means that we need a balanced visual diet – one that nourishes the soul and yet motivates us to take action and make things better.
It is a common sight to see a teacher standing in front of the white board, giving explanations. Occasionally, some topics do require such a teacher-centered lesson.
They can neither remember nor recall the teachings of the day. How can this boredom be beaten?
Cooperative learning is one effective classroom practice to make the lessons attractive and learners active. Interaction is key to any form of learning. Cooperative learning allows students to interact constructively in small groups to complete a structured task.
Cooperative learning is a learning style that promotes the four core skills: cooperation through team effort, communication through face-to-face interactions, critical thinking and creativity through reasoning and problem solving. Teachers are no longer the only source of information. The success of an assignment is dependent on combined efforts. Each member assigned a specific role or task must contribute to the completion of the team assignment to ensure equal distribution of labour.
However, cooperative learning is not always smooth sailing. One main struggle would be personality conflicts. If passive and shy students are paired with perfectionists, the latter may end up dominating to the point of ruling out their chicken teammates. The tendency to communicate just amongst themselves will lead to the shy students being left out, putting them at a disadvantage again. It shapes students to become active learners. Indeed, a constant cooperative learning environment equips young minds to become successful grown-ups in an increasingly diverse and interdependent world.
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A. Individual responsibility is equally important too. B. With teachers' help, students can understand them better. C. However, if it is a daily routine, pupils will soon get bored. D. Students in groups of three or four work together to do a task. E. Another obstacle occurs when certain members are well familiar. F. In this way, lively participation and a better mastery of the subject are achieved. G. Although cooperative learning has some problems, its long term benefits outweigh problems. |
Since I am a high school student, I already have a personal breath-taking experience – my1to the mountains. Before my trip, I used to be a homebody. I felt completely2about spending time in my hometown without going anywhere.
One day, David, my best friend3to persuade me to join him in his journey to the Rocky Mountains. This was my first time in the mountains, so I was turning my head in all directions4.the weather was foggy all the time, and the5we climbed onto the mountains, the worse the6was. In the first day we were making our way along the foothills; however, the next day we started to climb on one of the7.
When we finally got to the top, nothing had really8. The same fog was9everything around us, which made me 10because I counted on seeing the view from above and perhaps being able to take some11. But just when we decided to turn back, the sun suddenly12the clouds and the peaks became13instantly.
With all those mountain ridges, cliffs, and edges beneath me, I couldn't believe14my At that moment I realized that I won't be able to live a life without visiting the mountains at least twice a year. I would always15the feeling of being high above, with my head touching the skies and the clouds swimming below.
We are so used to many beautiful things that we may even take them for granted without realizing how much (inspire) they have given us. Here are three fascinating architecture designs.
Singapore's ArtScience Museum, (shape) to resemble a lotus flower, appears to float above the waterfront promenade (公共散步场所). Its roof collects rainwater and the water is recycled. Visitors are often amazed to find (they) in an urban building that so (true) captures the beauty of nature forms.
Harare's Eastgate Centre is a superb example of biomimicry. It was created by Mick Pearce who was inspired while watching a nature documentary termites (白蚁 ) were constructing their nests. Just like the mounds of termites, the Center is covered in holes to draw air into the building during the day and the heat absorbed by the wall warms the cool air at night, (create) a comfortable temperature inside.
The Algae House in Hamburg is excellent piece of work of making natural organisms part of a building. Its surface is covered in panels that contain algae. The panels capture heat from the sun and convert it into energy that powers the building. The algae grow faster in bright sunshine and provide shade. Besides, the algae can (harvest) and used to produce fuel. , the building uses less energy and reduces the damage to the environment by generating its own renewable energy.
Creating buildings such as these (enable) us to live in closer harmony with our environment.
Zaib grew up in a single-parent family. Her mother worked in an office as a receptionist but she admitted her only daughter to one of the best schools of the city.
Two days ago, Zaib refused to take her lunch.
"Zaib, Honey! Is everything alright? Why you didn't take your lunch? Didn't you feel any hunger?" Rohana, her mother asked.
"I didn't like it. A friend of mine was having dairy chocolate. I want these", Zaib said in an offended mood.
"No problem. We will get these next week, I promise", she tried to convince her.
"No, I need them today." she said in an angry manner and rushed towards the room.
Rohana wasn't having her salary for two months because her company had fallen into crises. Now, she was a bit tense about her daughter's demand and wondered what to do.
Next day, Zaib didn't eat anything and rushed to school. The girl with dairy chocolate was none other than her cousin, Saddaf. For the whole day, she was upset, thinking about her mother. She thought her mother didn't love her deep, and that was why she didn't meet her demand. When school bell rang, she decided to go to Saddaf's house.
In Saddaf's room, they did their homework, and then played. Her aunt Mrs. Saba prepared meal for both of them. "Aunt Saba is much better than Mummy", she thought. Mrs. Saba told her that her mother had to work till late at night, so she could stay with them that night. She gladly accepted this offer.
Next day, she thought aunt Saba would pack some dairy chocolate in her lunch box, but Mrs. Saba just asked her to take breakfast. Neither did she ask her to bring her lunch box nor did she fill her box with chocolates. Her home was nearby, so she asked aunt Saba to drop her at her home where she might meet her mummy and bring her lunch. Saba aunt ordered her driver to do so. She was astonished to see her mother's red eyes, and pale face due to heavy work till late at night.
注意：
1）续写词数应为150左右；
2）请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
She met her mother in a rude mood.
During lunch time, she opened the box unwillingly.
