One might expect that the ever-growing demands of the tourist trade would bring nothing but good for the countries that receive the holiday makers. Indeed, a rosy picture is painted for the long-term future of the holiday industry. Every month sees the building of a new hotel somewhere. And every month another rock-bound Pacific island is advertised as the 'last paradise(天堂) on earth'.
However, the scale and speed of this growth seem set to destroy the very things tourists want to enjoy. In those countries where there was a rush to make quick money out of seaside holidays, over-crowded beaches and the concrete jungle of endless hotels have begun to lose their appeal.
Those countries with little experience of tourism can suffer most. In recent years, Nepal set out to attract foreign visitors to fund development of health and education. Its forests, full of wildlife and rare flowers, were offered to tourists as one more untouched paradise. In fact, the nature all too soon felt the effects of thousands of holidaymakers traveling through the forest land. Ancient tracks became major routes for the walkers, with the consequent exploitation of precious indigenous trees and plants.
Not only can the environment of a country suffer from the sudden growth of tourism, but the people rapidly feel its effects as well. Farmland makes way for hotels, roads and airports; the old way of life goes. The previous farmer is now the servant of some multinational organization; he is no longer his own master. Once it was his back that bore the pain; now it is his smile that is exploited. No doubt he wonders whether he wasn't happier in his village working his own land.
Thankfully, the tourist industry is waking up to the responsibilities it has towards those countries that receive their customers. The protection of wildlife and the creation of national parks go hand in hand with tourist development and in fact obtain financial support from tourist companies. At the same time, tourists are being encouraged to respect not only the countryside they visit but also its people.
The way tourism will be handled in the next ten years will decide its fate and that of the countries we all want to visit. Their needs and problems are more important than those of the tourist companies. Increased understanding in planning worldwide tourism can preserve the market for these companies. If not, in a few years' time the very things that attract tourists now may well have been destroyed.
The Ice Cream Machine is no ordinary tale. It's a flavorful（好味道的）book made up of six stories，all of which have the same title, but each has a different story centering on one subject, ice cream.
One ice-cream story focuses on a boy and his robot in the distant future. Another is about a father and daughter who invent an ice-cream machine. My favorite story in the book talks about two sisters, Pam and Penelope， who try to enter an ice-cream-eating contest. The six stories go with black-and-white illustrations（插图）from six different artists.
The Ice Cream Machine is inventive and fun. Its author, Adam Rubin, has a lot of experience when it comes to writing about food. His most famous children's book is Dragons LoveTacos. It was a No. 1 New York Times best-seller. "I like to write about food because it's universally beloved by people of all different cultures," Rubin says. "It's something we can all relate to. "
Rubin hopes The Ice Cream Machine inspires kids to write. Its jacket turns into an envelope in which readers can send him their stories. Rubin says writers should write about things they like. "If you're trying to write something that someone else likes, you might not get it right. Then no one's happy," he says. "But if you focus on writing about something that you like, then it's fun. When it makes you happy, your writing will bring joy. "
I recommend The Ice Cream Machine to anyone who likes creative storytelling. The book goes down just like ice cream; smooth, enjoyable, and with a pleasant aftertaste.
Rubin's favorite flavor of ice cream? "Chocolate chip," he says. Don't tell him, but the best flavor is actually birthday cake!
A new study has found that more than 30 percent of babies as young as 6 months old are using smartphones. The survey asked parents twenty questions about when their children were first exposed to mobile media devices. What makes everyone so alarmed is that the study has found that children are being exposed to mobile devices earlier than ever before.
But before we all jump on the judgment train, let's stop and think about how much more ubiquitous smartphones are now than they were even five years ago. It's not that parents have gotten lazier, which some reporters have suggested. It's that more parents have access to smartphones that they can use to show family pictures to entertain a baby or play music that a toddler can dance with.
What the study didn't address was how much time these babies are spending looking at smartphones. Nor did it assess what these babies are looking at. Is it 5 minutes of music in the grocery store while Mom or Dad gets the food into the cart? Or is it 30 minutes of watching videos while a parent sacks out on the couch? There is a big difference between the two scenarios (场景).
By the numbers, the study found that among babies younger than 1 year old, 52 percent had watched television on mobile devices, 36 percent had been allowed to scroll the screen, 15 percent had used apps and 12 percent had played video games. Around 25 percent of kids had already called someone at this age.
The American Academy of Pediatrics frowns upon any screen time for children under the age of two. But I don't think we need to necessarily panic. I did not have a smartphone when my girls were this age but I can tell you right now that if I had owned one, there would have been many occasions when I would have gladly handed over my phone to play music or a video or even a video game if it would have calmed a screaming baby. They would have turned out just fine.
The relationship between humans and the Amazon Rainforest has not always been a harmonious one. However, recent research suggests that the native peoples of the Putumayo region helped to protect the rainforest, leaving it unchanged for 5,000 years. Perhaps humans' coexisting with nature is possible after all.
The study, published in PNAS, looked at soil samples in the Putumayo region of the Amazon in Peru to find how humans influenced the land. The researchers found that the trees still growing in the region today have been growing there for the last 5,000 years — evidence that the area has not been home to cities and farmland in that time. Traces of charcoal (木炭) found in the, soil, however, indicate that people did live there; they just did so in a way that had minimum influence on their environment.
To come to these conclusions, the team dug a 0.6-0.9 meter deep column into the ground, taking samples of soil from different heights along the column. Back in the lab, samples were carbon- dated to determine their age and then sorted under a microscope to look for microscopic mineral particles, known as phytoliths (植硅体). Phytoliths are essential evidence of plants — they remained in the soil thousands of years after the plant died. So researchers can use them to tell which plants have grown in an area in the past.
Over 5,000 years' worth of samples, no species loss was detected. These findings suggest that contrary to common belief, the Amazon is not untouched by humans, but rather has been protected by them for thousands of years. The management of the rainforest by native peoples appears to have been vital in preserving its biodiversity and will continue to be important in the fight to prevent it from a collapse.
As Nigel Pitman, a co-author on the paper, said: "Since this particular forest is still being protected by native peoples, I hope this study reminds us all how important it is to support their work. "
A new American weather satellite could save more lives by better predicting extreme weather conditions. The satellite was launched in the state of Florida on November 19, 2016. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, also known as NOAA, has been working with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on the project.
NOAA officials are calling the new satellite GOES-R. That is short for a much longer name the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R Series.
NOAA said GOES-R could improve the nation's ability to observe weather conditions and make weather predictions. It said the satellite's device would lead to more exact and timely weather forecasts, watches and warnings.
The government agency said the satellite will require testing of its six instruments and will be ready to work "within a year. " One of the six instruments on the satellite is designed to help scientists study lightning strikes and map them. This, NOAA says, will help the agency follow the movement of severe storms and provide more detailed warnings.
"The next generation of weather satellites is finally here," said NOAA Administrator Kathryn Sullivan. She described GOES-R as one of the most effective Earth-observing machines ever created. Sullivan said its instruments will be able to study Earth five times faster and with four times more details than any other NOAA satellite currently in operation. An NOAA statement said the greater detail will help improve the agency's study of ocean storms, as well as "the prediction and warnings of severe weather. " In addition, GOES-R will be able to provide improved rainfall estimates, which will lead to more timely and detailed flood warnings.
Craig Fugate, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA in short, says that the GOES-R satellite will improve the ability of people and organizations across America to prepare for, and react to, weather-related disasters.
Ranjan and Sumer were good friends. They went to the same school and were in the same class.
Ranjan was not strong. He could not play football or other games with boys of his age. All that he did was to watch Sumer and other boys play. He usually went with them to the playground. When they ran off to play, he would sit under a tree and read storybooks. Books became his best friends. Reading made him successful in all the exams. He always stood first in the class.
Sumer was tall and strong. He spent most of his time running, swimming or riding bicycles. He was an extremely good player in every game. He was a member of the school's football team and cricket team. The PE teacher thought he would make it big in the game when he grew up.
One day, the two friends went for a walk. Ranjan got tired soon.
"I have no strength. What is the use of all this knowledge if I am not healthy? I would give away all my knowledge if I could be half as healthy and strong as you," said Ranjan.
Sumer was surprised and replied, "So you are not happy with yourself too? I always wished I could have done as well as you did in the studies. I even thought I could have given away my sporting skills for better grades in those exams. "
The two friends looked at each other and cried out at the same time. "The grass looks greener on the other side of the hill. "
It is quite clear to me, based on my research, that tropical(热带的) insects rather than polar bears could be among the first species to become extinct(灭绝的) as a result of global warming.
Insects in the tropics are already living at the limit of their temperature range and any further increase could quickly kill them off. This would be a major disaster for tropical habitats, which rely on insects for everything from pollination(授粉) to waste disposal(处理). We have found that a rise in average temperatures in the tropics of just 1℃ or 2℃ could be enough to bring about a significant and harmful effect on the survival of a wide variety of important insects. Fitness levels most likely decline quickly and there may not be much we can do about it.
Many tropical species can only accept a narrow range of temperatures because the climate they experience is pretty steady throughout the year. Now our study shows that they will be harmed by rising temperatures more than species in cold climates. Unfortunately, the tropics also hold the large majority of species on the planet.
We used daily and monthly global temperatures from the 50-year period between 1950 and 2000and compared them with data showing the "fitness levels" of different species. "Fitness" was determined by indicators such as population growth rates and physical performance for different creatures.
We found that even moving into the shade did not help the insects. The direct effects of climate change on the organisms(生物) we studied appear to depend a lot more on the organisms' flexibility than on the amount of warming in the area where they lived.
As well as the danger to insects, the research confirms that there will be other consequences of global warming that could also have a serious impact on tropical regions, particularly on food crops. Our research focused only on the impact of changes in temperature, but warming will also change rainfall patterns. These changes could be more important for many tropical organisms, such as plants, but they are harder to predict.
When it comes to the smartest species within the animal kingdom, elephants are definitely near the top of the list. Studies have shown that elephants have complex behaviors and survival skills. After all, an elephant's brain weighs almost 5 kilograms and has three times more neurons (神经元) than a typical human brain.
Elephants have impressive memories. We've all heard the old saying "an elephant never forgets" at some point. As it turns out, the saying is based on far more truth than you'd think. Elephants are capable of remembering food and water locations for amazingly long periods of time! Elephants also remember friends and even enemies for several years.
The most well-known method of measuring animal intelligence is the "mirror test". They may try to fight with their reflection immediately. But elephants are capable of recognizing themselves in a mirror.
When it comes to social intelligence, elephants are also amazingly outstanding! They care deeply for and protect one another within their family groups. Elephants commonly work together to access and share resources like food and water or to protect each other from enemies. In addition, elephants are expert at communication. They use all their senses—hearing, sight, smell, taste, and touch when interacting with each other. Their emotional range is also impressive. They will even get into deep sorrow when a close companion or family member dies.
It turns out that elephants are masters ot using tools like rocks and tree branches for very complex purposes! Their strong, flexible trunks are a huge help to them. Researchers have observed elephants using branches to knock fruits and leaves out of trees so they and their group members can eat them. The use of tools is a key determinant (决定因素) of animal intelligence, as it takes a highly intelligent animal to figure out and remember how to use them.
"Ding. . . ding. . . ," the bell rang. The English teacher came into the classroom with test papers in his hand. All the students shouted. The teacher 1 with a smile on his face, "I know there are too many tests for you these days, but the test today is very 2 . " After hearing the teacher's words, all the students sat up straight and 3 for the test to begin. The teacher started to give out the test papers to each student. 4 he finished handing out the test papers, he asked them to begin.
There was not a question but only a small black "X" in the middle of the paper. The students were very5 to see that. The teacher 6 the students' surprise. Then he said, "I would like you to 7 about what you see there. You must finish it all by 8 . "
All the students thought about it hard and then wrote down their answers quietly. At the end of the class, the teacher collected their papers and read the answers. 9 of them described the black "X". The next day, the teacher said, "Everybody only paid attention to the black ‘X', but nobody wrote about the white paper. " The whole class listened 10 , because they worried that they might fail the exam.
Then the teacher said, "Don't worry about the 11 of this test. I just want you to think about your life. " Everyone smiles. The teacher added, "The white paper is like our whole life and the black ‘X' in the middle of the paper is just like problems in our daily life. Do you have some more thoughts?"
Then the students discussed and expressed 12 opinions actively. Finally they understood the teacher and this special test.
Our life is a 13 given to us by God, with love and care. 14 , we just care about the problems like illness and hunger, and never see that these problems are much smaller than everything else we have in our life.
We should try to take our eye off problems and enjoy each moment life gives us. Only then can we start a nice 15 and find true happiness in our lives.
The Great Wall, (run) for more than 20,000 kilometers, is a historical landmark with worldwide fame, but climbing it is hard. Everyone may have some knowledge of it more or less, while only a few may have the skill to (physical) engage in its restoration (修复).
However, a WeChat mini-program, Great Wall E-tour, is allowing every enthusiast to be a hero in a virtual(虚拟的) world, in one can not only visit the Great Wall, but also protect it. The program (attract) considerable attention in recent weeks. Around 50,000 high definition(清晰度) pictures of the Xipanjiakou site of the Great Wall are used to offer users dramatic experience.
Liu Yuzhu, director of the China Foundation For Cultural Heritage Conservation, says an agreement with Tencent (reach) to make people more aware of the historical landmark years ago. "We made (documentary) and published animated books in the past. These are popular, but the Great Wall is a complex structure and deserves more attention. So we tried something new," Liu says. "A chain of programs like (we) have been launched in China, with a (combine) of public education and restoration of relics(遗迹) through digitization. " there are a lot of bottlenecks(障碍) that need to be removed, the future is bright. "There's no shortage of new ideas speaking of protecting relics," Liu adds.
As you sit down to breakfast, your cereal declares itself "added with vitamins and iron", your milk is "rich in calcium", and your orange juice is "packed with vitamin C". . Unchecked, these deficiencies(缺乏) can be dangerous.
. For example B vitamins help change nutrients into energy, while minerals help maintain blood pressure. Although vitamin D can be synthesized(合成) from sunlight, almost all our vitamins and minerals come only from what we eat. And that can be a problem.
As the early 1900s progressed and revealed the existence and role of vitamins and minerals, supplements(补品) quickly became a popular way to make up for a poor diet. The United States first issued nutrient intake recommendations to the public in 1941. . Today, we know that a balanced diet will usually provide all the vitamins and minerals we need.
. Because for many reasons, people across the developed and developing world are unable to access the right quantity, quality, and variety of food.
Most deficiencies can be treated simply by bringing our intake of vitamins and minerals up to their RDA. . As the global population grows and it becomes even harder to ensure that everyone has the foods they need, supplements could play an important role in maintaining world health. So long as supplements remain a supplement and not a substitute for the goal of a healthy, balanced diet, they can be a welcome addition to the breakfast table.
A. People got worse, not better
B. However, deficiencies continue
C. Vitamins and minerals play vital functions in our bodies
D. And one easy way to do this is through taking supplements
E. Almost all our vitamins and minerals come from what we eat
F. Later, the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) was introduced
G. Such labeling is the result of a century of worry that we are not getting the vitamins and minerals we need
East China's Shandong province, where the Yellow River flows into the sea, is promoting the deep integration of culture and tourism. So far, Shandong (launch) many cultural tourism projects, making great progress in digging into the culture and value of the Yellow River(boost) the high-quality development of the region.
One example is the Yellow River Tower in Binzhou's Puhu Lake Scenic Area, which was openthe public last year. It has become a cultural landmark of the Yellow River Basin visitors can view the river passing through the city and watch exhibitions showing (it) long history and diverse cultures. The tower offers various types of activities, such as research tours, and undertakes Yellow River-themed video competitions.
One of the most (influence) tourism brands in Yuncheng County is the Shuihu Film Studio. It integrates film shooting and performances. There are 36 courtyards and 108 scenic spots that (vivid) display the diverse cultures of the Chinese classic novel Shuihuzhuan.
Yellow River culture is a product of the material and spiritual advancement of the people living by the river throughout time. The local artistic (ereate) are playing important roles in the Yellow River culture. The most representative among them is Lyu Opera, unique kind of the Chinese art form (root) in Dongying, the opera has become extremely popular among tourists.
