①Have you ever been to the Dead Sea, one of the most famous natural wonders in the world? Have you ever considered why it is called Dead Sea? Does it hold life? Can people swim there? With all these questions in your mind, let's know something about it!
②The Dead Sea is actually a lake in the Middle East. At four hundred meters below sea level, it's the lowest point on Earth. It lies between the borders of Jordan, Israel, and the West Bank. It's about 80 kilometers long, 11 kilometers wide at its widest point, and377 meters deep at its deepest. The lake is surrounded by hot, dry desert on all sides.
③Since it's in a hot desert, water evaporates (蒸发) faster than the lake is refilled. And the area is lower than all the land around, the water can never flow back out, it can only evaporate. And that's what happens-water continually evaporates. In fact, so much water is evaporating from the Dead Sea, it often looks like there's a cloud of fog hanging over the lake. Anyway, as the water evaporates, it leaves behind the salt and minerals(矿物质). The water in the Dead Sea is almost six times saltier than ocean water!
④Because the Dead Sea is so salty, almost nothing can live there, except for bacteria and one type of algae. Any fish or freshwater animal that gets washed into the lake dies almost immediately. And the shores are covered in thick salt crystals(结晶), so animals can't even live near the lake either. That's why it's called Dead Sea.
⑤Since it's so salty, why do people go there to cover themselves from head to toe with its mud? Actually, those minerals are supposed to be really good for your skin. No wonder lots of spas and health resorts have been built in the area. Though the water in the Dead Sea is so salty, it is totally safe for people. You can even go swimming there if you want, although it's pretty hard to swim because all that salt makes it much easier to float! It's really unbelievable.
⑥Want to know more about it? Just explore it yourself!
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