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, 800 m, 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.
One night, Pilar was in a deep sleep when she was woken by her cat Inti. Inti was meowing wildly outside Pilar's bedroom and throwing himself against the closed bedroom door. When Pilar opened her eyes, she saw that her bedroom was filled with smoke. As she escaped her house with Inti in her arms, she saw that a fire was burning in her kitchen. Pilar could easily have lost her life, but Inti would not let that happen. Even though Inti could have escaped the house through a cat door, he wouldn't leave Pilar.
As amazing as this story is, it is not as uncommon as you may think. Take the example of Charlotte Lee and her horse, Thunder. One summer night, the whole family was asleep with the windows open. It was normally very quiet where they lived. Suddenly, there was a loud noise. Charlotte woke up from her sweet dream, and the noise continued. Then she heard a horse running fast towards the house. The next thing she saw was Thunder standing outside her window, neighing（嘶叫）and shaking his head. She knew something was wrong. Charlotte quickly got everyone out of the house before the earthquake hit. Thunder has saved her life.
There are also stories of wild animals coming to the rescue of humans. One animal known to be a friend of humans is the dolphin. Once, Todd Endris was surfing with his friends when he was attacked by a 13 foot (4 meter) shark. In the middle of the attack, a group of dolphins came to his rescue by forming a protective ring around Endris until he could get safely to shore. Without the help of the dolphins, there is little chance that Todd could have escaped.
No one is sure why animals have so often come to our rescue. However, it is clear that humans and animals enjoy a close relationship. It is important that we care for them as much as we can.
If English means endless new words, difficult grammar and sometimes strange pronunciation, you are wrong. Haven't you noticed that you have become smarter since you started to learn a language?
According to a new study by a British university, learning a second language can lead to an increase in your brain power. Researchers found that learning other languages changes grey matter. This is the area of the brain which processes information. It is similar to the way that exercise builds muscles.
The study also found the effect is greater, the younger people learn a second language.
A team led by Dr Andrea Mechelli, from University College London, took a group of Britons who only spoke English. They were compared with a group of "early bilinguals" who had learnt a second language before the age of five, as well as a number of later learners.
Scans showed that grey matter density (密度) in the brain was greater in bilinguals than in people without a second language. But the longer a person waited before mastering a new language, the smaller the difference.
"Our findings suggest that the structure of the brain is changed by the experience of learning a second language," said the scientists.
It means that the change itself increases the ability to learn.
Professor Dylan Vaughan Jones of the University of Wales, has researched the link between bilingualism and maths skills. "Having two languages gives you two windows on the world and makes the brain more flexible (灵活的), " he said. "You are actually going beyond language and have a better understanding of different ideas."
The findings were matched in a study of native Italian speakers who had learned English as a second language between the ages of two and 34. Reading, writing, and comprehension were all tested. The results showed that the younger they started to learn, the better. "Studying a language means you get an entrance to another world," explained the scientists.
Over the last two days in December last year, nearly 30 tornadoes caused great damage across six states—from Arkansas in the south to Illinois in the midwest. More than 100 tornado warnings were is sued—the most ever for a day. The tornado in Kentucky caused at least 50 people's deaths, which was described as the worst in this state's history.
As one of the largest countries in the world, the United States is also one of the most geographically various countries—from deserts to forests to miles of coast line. While this comes with many advantages, it unfortunately leaves the country easily damaged by all kinds of natural disasters.
Different parts of the United States face different types of natural disasters. The west coast is at risk of wildfires, earthquakes, and even volcanic eruptions. The southern part of the country is frequently hit by tornadoes, and the east coast faces the threat of serious hurricanes every year. Midwestern areas near rivers are often flooded by huge floods, and these are the worst floods in American history.
The governments reviewed the weather event in each state's history that caused the highest number of deaths to determine the worst natural disaster in every state. Thanks to their location and geographic research. some states made preparations ahead of time to avoid mass-casualty (重大伤亡的) weather events.
However, many other parts of the country have been less fortunate, experiencing massive storms and floods. Many such events, like the 1900 hurricane that hit Galveston of Texas, killed so many people that it was impossible to get an exact number of final deaths, especially, during that time.
American weather continues to become more changeable. In 2018, there were 14 weather events that caused over ﹩1 billion in damage. And in many parts of the country, these weather events could become even more destructive (毁灭性的) because of global warming.
Simple ways to improve your written English Many people think it is really difficult to improve (提高) their writing in English. Don't worry, though. Here are some simple steps that you can take to improve your written English.
• Increase your vocabulary.
To express yourself clearly, you need a good active vocabulary. That's not just being able to know lots of words — it means actually being able to use them correctly.
Tip：When you learn a new word, try to learn all the forms of that word.
•
People often say that we learn to write best by reading. Reading in English is useful in many ways. It is a great way to get an idea of the different styles of writing and see how to use words properly.
Tip: Learning shouldn't be boring. Read each text several times to make sure you understand how to use new words and expressions in the text.
• Improve your grammar.
Grammar is very important because it improves the quality (质量) of your writing.
Tip: The first time, look for general mistakes and the second time look for mistakes with the grammar point you are studying at the moment.
• Just do it!
The best way to improve your writing is to get a pen and paper and write. Be prepared to write several versions (版本) of each text.
A. Know your readers.
B. Read widely and often.
C. Always check your writing twice.
D. Remember, practice makes perfect!
E. Choose books or articles that interest you.
F. Use simpler language and shorter sentences to show your ideas.
G. Do this by learning new words with example sentences, not just word lists.
It was a bitter winter morning in Kennewick, Washington. John Lunceford saw a crying child along his bus1to school. Tears rolled down the young boy's cheeks as his bare (裸露) hands and ears were2red because of the bitter cold. Lunceford took his3off, which he gave to the child, and said," It'll be OK. ""I'm a grandfather. No one wants a kid to4like that," Lunceford said. His heart5because of the poor child, knowing the6winter was still lying ahead.
After7the kids off at school, the three-year bus driver and former (昔日的) US Army soldier went to the8to buy ten sets of gloves and hats. He returned to the9and determined to find the boy. A school worker10Lunceford to the library, where the boy was studying with his class. There Lunceford was surprised to11the boy with a new pair of gloves and a hat.
But the little boy was just the12. Many other students would receive the13of their familiar bus driver. He announced to the students in the library that any child found without a hat or gloves along his bus route would be given a set.
One little girl14said she didn't have a hat. As Lunceford15her a comfortable hat, he smiled and said, "I'll take care of you, sweetie."
The Small Friends Pet Shelter was started by a group of high school students and (them) parents when they started to see many pets that were left behind after their families (move) away. Today, there are about 70 cats, 50 dogs, three rabbits, and a few turtles (live) at the shelter. The young people run the shelter work hard (keep) the place clean, take care of the animals, and advertise the animals so that they can be adopted.
They have already helped to find (home) for nearly 200 animals. It is hard work, butyoung people working at the shelter think it is worth it.
So if you find a pet that lose), call the young people Small Friends Pet Shelter! And if you want to help out, go and volunteer your time and love. That is what the animals (real) need most.
