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poster; former; profit; region; quote; ordinary; headstone; agriculture; occur to; determination; work through |
Amsterdam is a good city for cycling and people in Amsterdam have been enjoying the (benefit) of cycling for years. The idea began about 50 years ago, and was first known "white bikes". Some people even call Amsterdam "the City of Bicycles".
In the 1960s, a group of cycling fans came up with idea. The group painted hundreds of bicycles white and placed them in many areas around Amsterdam for people to use. Soon after, however, problems came up and the "white bikes" all disappeared — thieves (steal) them all in a matter of weeks!
In 1999, the "white bikes" returned to Amsterdam — this time with a computer tracking system to record their every move! To take a bicycle, you had to put in a special card. The new "white bikes" were not actually white but painted in bright colours. The bikes (park) at special parking places. Thanks to the ideas and efforts of many people, you can now enjoy clean air and easy transport in (centre) Amsterdam.
Nowadays, the idea of "white bikes" (pedal) its way around the world, including China more and more cities have their own "white bike" programmes. Both the locals and tourists like to use (share) bikes because bike-sharing is a cheap and easy way (save) energy, reduce air and noise pollution, and enjoy the benefits of exercise in cities.
World Environment Day is celebrated annually on June 5th and was created to inspire people around the globe to take an active part in environmental protection and learn more about ways we can help to guarantee the future of our planet is safe.
The very first World Environment Day took place in 1974, established by the United Nations General Assembly on the first day of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment that took place in 1972. Each year the United Nations picks a theme and a host city where anyone who is concerned about the environment can talk about environmental topics with others, followed by different kinds of exhibits to promote environmental awareness. Environmentalists, academics and scientists come together to bring new ideas on the table concerning the environment.
The 2018 World Environment Day was hosted by India, and the theme was "Beat Plastic Pollution". It urged people to explore and choose supportable alternatives like paper or cloth bags to reduce the production and use of disposable plastic, which made up 10% of all of the waste. Even though the United Nations picks a specific host city every year, people around the world still celebrate World Environment Day in their hometowns with parades(游行), concerts, cleaning up and tree planting and all kinds of green actions to work towards having a beautiful planet and battling pollution.
World Environment Day is not a public holiday, so you won't be getting the day off work or school, but if you want to celebrate, why not bring it to the attention of your parents, friends, colleagues or classmates? World Environment Day is all about working together to take action for the planet, so try to get everyone you know interested in helping do something. Things as small as making sure people have a way to recycle can make a difference. You could also try beautifying your neighborhood by planting gardens, learn about green foods, raise money for a local wildlife conservation group or simply learn about the effects of different products on the earth.
China is a land of bicycles. At least it was back in 1992 when I traveled the country. Back then everyone seemed to be riding a bicycle. Millions of them, all black. Cars were rare. Yet since my arrival in Beijing last year, I've found the opposite is true. There are millions of cars. However, people still use their bicycles to get around. For many, it's the easiest and cheapest way to travel today. Bicycles also come in different colors—silver, green, red, blue, yellow, whatever you want.
It's fun watching people biking. They rush quickly through crossroads, move skillfully through traffic, and ride even on sidewalks (人行道). Bicycles allow people the freedom to move about that cars just can't provide. Eager to be part of this aspect of Chinese culture, I decided to buy a bicycle. Great weather accompanied my great buy. I immediately jumped up on my bicycle seat and headed towards home.
My first ride home was orderly (守秩序的). To be safe, I stayed with a "pack" of bikers while cars on the streets came running swiftly out of nowhere at times. I didn't want to get hit. So I took the ride carefully.
Crossing the streets was the biggest problem. It was a lot like crossing a major highway back in the United States. The streets here were wide, so crossing took time, skill and a little bit of luck.
I finally made it home. The feeling on the bicycle was amazing. The air hitting my face and going through my hair was wonderful. I was sitting on top of the world as I passed by places and people. Biking made me feel alive.
Ecotourism is commonly regarded as low impact(影响) travel to undisturbed places. It is different from traditional tourism because it allows the traveler to become (educate) about the areas — both in terms of geographical conditions and cultural characteristics, and often provides money for conservation and benefits the (develop) of the local areas.
Ecotourism has (it) origin with the environmental movement of the 1970s. It was not widely accepted as a travel concept the late 1980s. During that time, increasing environmental awareness made it desirable.
Due to growing popularity of environmentally-related and adventure travel, various types trips are now being classified as ecotourism. Actually, a true eco-friendly trip must meet the following principles:
•Minimize the impact of (visit) the place.
•Build respect for and awareness of the environment and cultural practices.
•Provide (finance) aid and other benefits for local peoples.
•Make sure that the tourism provides positive experiences for both the visitors and the hosts.
Komodo National Park, officially recognized in 1980, is popular for ecotourism because of its unique biodiversity. (activity) there range from whale watching to hiking (远足) and accommodations aim (have) a low impact on the natural environment.
