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1/6Unit1GreatexplorationsThevoyagesofZhengHeZhengHewasafamousChineseexplorer.In1405,hesetofffromChinaonthefirstofsevengreatvoyages.ThiswasnearlyacenturybeforeChristopherColumbusfirstsetsailonhisjourneyofdiscoverytoAmerica.Histravelsweresoimportantthattheyarestillstudiedtoday.ZhengHewasborninYunnanin1371.HerosetobecomeatrustedofficialoftheYongleEmperoroftheMingDynasty.TheemperororderedZhengHetovisitandexplorethelandsoutsideChina.Histaskwastodeveloprelationsandsetuptraderouteswithforeigncountries.Inafewyears,hebuiltagreatfleetofships,thebiggestintheworldatthattime.Theshipswereknownastreasureships.Theywerebigenoughtocarry25,000peopleaswellasverylargequantitiesofgoods.From1405to1433,ZhengHewentonseventripsandvisitedSouth-EastAsia,theMiddleEastandeventheeastcoastofAfrica.Itseemedthatnowherewastoofarforhimtovisit.ThesevoyagesallowedChinatotradevaluablegoodslikegold,silverandsilk.Attheendofeachvoyage,ZhengHereturnedwithmanythingsthatwereseeninChinaforthefirsttime,suchasagiraffefromAfrica.Besidesdevelopingtrade,thevoyagesalsoencouragedtheexchangeofculturesandtechnologies.Theyhelpedthedevelopmentofthosecountriesandregions.ZhengHediedin1433duringhislastvoyage.However,hisvoyagesweresuchahugeachievementthatpeoplestillrememberhimasapioneerinopeningupculturalcontactsbetweendifferentpeoplesaroundtheworld.郑和是一位著名的中国探险家。1405年，他从中国出发，开始了七次伟大航行中的第一次。这是在克里斯托弗.哥伦布第一次起航发现美洲之旅的近一个世纪以前。他的旅行如此重要以至于今天仍被人们研究。郑和1371年出生在云南。他升为明朝永乐皇帝一名值得信赖的官员。皇帝命令郑和访问并探索中国以外的土地。他的任务是加强与外国的关系，并与之建立贸易路线。在几年的时间里，他建立了一支巨大的船队---当时世界上最大的（船队）。那些船被称作宝船。它们足够大，能承载25000人以及大量的货物。从1405年到1433年，郑和七次旅行，访问了东南亚、中东地区，甚至非洲东海岸。似乎对他来说没有什么地方是遥不可及的。这些旅行允许中国交换一些贵重物品，如金、银和丝绸。每次航线结束，郑和带回了许多在中国第一次见到的东西，比如一只非洲长颈鹿。除了增强贸易之外，航行也促成了文化与科技的交流。它们帮助了那些国家和地区的发展。1433年，郑和在他最后一次航行中去世。然而，他的航行是一项如此巨大的成就，以至于人们仍将他作为开辟世界各地不同民族间文化联系的先驱而铭记。2/6Unit2CultureshockLivinginanothercountryMynameisBradLi.I’mheretodaytotellyouaboutmyexperienceanexchangestudentintheUnitedStateslastyear.ImustadmitthatatfirstAmericawasabigcultureshockforme.Manythingswerestrangetome:thelanguage,thefoodandeventheschool.Istayedwithahostfamilyinasmalltown.Myhostparents,MrandMrsHurst,wereverykind.TheyorganizedalotofactivitiesformeinmysparetimesothatIwouldn’tmisshomeorfeellonely.However,toacertaindegree,lifeintheUSwashardtogetusedto.Mymainproblemwaswiththelanguage.Ifailedtounderstandmuchinthefirstfewweeksbecauseeveryonespokesofast.ThoughIsoonmanagedtogetusedtoit,Istillhadproblemsbecausetheyusedalotofidioms.Forexample,theyoftensaytheyare“undertheweather”whentheyareill.TheireverydayEnglishisverydifferentfromwhatwelearninChina.Anotherdifferencewasthefood:Myhostfamilyalwayshadbread,potatoesandsaladformeals.Ireallymissedthedumplings,riceanddeliciousdishesfromhome.Schoolwasabigshocktoo.Theydonotrequirestudentstowearuniforms,sostudentscanwearalmostwhatevertheylike.Somestudentshavestrangehairstylesaswell.Somestudentsevenhavepinkorpurplehair!Anyway,Ihavemanygreatmemoriesofthatyear,especiallyplayinginthesnowinwinter,andplayingbaseball.AtHalloween,IwenttoapartydressedasHarryPotter.AtThanksgiving,wehadabigdinnerwithahugeturkey.Itwasanexcitingyear,anditwasavaluableeducationforme.NowIunderstandmoreaboutAmericanculture.MyAmericanfriendsaskedmemanyquestionsaboutlifeinChina,andthismademethinkaboutmyowncultureaswell.在另一个国家生活我的名字叫布拉德.李。今天我在这里讲述我去年在美国作为一名交换生的经历。我必须承认，起初美国（文化）对我来说是个很大的文化冲击。许多事物是陌生的：语言、食物甚至学校。我与小镇上的一个寄宿家庭生活在一起。我寄宿家庭的父母，赫斯特先生和夫人，非常善良。在我的空闲时间里，他们为我组织了许多活动，以便我不会想家，也不会感觉孤独。然而，在某种程度上，美国的生活很难适应。我的主要问题是语言。在最初的几周，我未能理解多少，因为大家说得很快。虽然我很快勉力适应了，但我仍然有麻烦，因为他们用了许多习语。例如，生病时，他们经常说“undertheweather”(undertheweather:略有不适)。他们的日常英语与我们在中国学的差别很大。另一个差别是食物。我寄宿的家庭吃饭总是吃面包、土豆和沙拉。我真的想念家乡的水饺、米饭和美味佳肴。学校也是一个大的冲击。他们不要求学生穿校服，因此学生几乎可以穿他们喜欢的一切。一些学生也留着奇怪的发型。一些学生甚至留着粉红色或紫色的头发！无论如何，那一年我有很多美好的回忆，尤其是冬天在雪地里玩和打棒球。在万圣节前夕，我打扮成哈利.波特去参加了一个聚会。在感恩节，我们吃了一顿有着一只硕大火鸡的大餐。那是令人激动的一年，而且它对我来说是一次宝贵的有教益的经历。现在我理解了更多的美国文化。我的美国朋友问了我许多关于中国生活的问题，这也使我思考了自己的文化。3/6Unit3TheenvironmentTheworldisindangerOurworldisindanger.Wemustdosomethingtoprotecttheenvironment.But,whatarethemainproblemsweface?ThegreenhouseeffectTheatmospherearoundtheEarthisnecessaryforalllivingthings.Itisliketheglassofagreenhouse,lettingsunlightinandkeepingheatfromgettingout.Withoutit,theEarthwouldbethesameastheMoon---coldandlifeless.Whenweburnfuelssuchaspetrolandcoal,weproduceagascalledcarbondioxide(CO2).Toomuchofthisgaspollutestheatmosphere,andcausesittokeepintoomuchheat.Asaresultofthegreenhouseeffect,theEarth’stemperatureisincreasing.Thiscausessealeveltorise,andinthefuturemaycausecitiestodisappear.CuttingdownforestsEveryyear,wedestroynaturebycuttingdownhugeareasofforests.ThismakesthegreenhouseeffectworsebecausetreestakeinCO2andproduceoxygen.Cuttingdowntreesalsodestroysthehomesoftheanimalsthatliveinourforests,andcausesthesurfaceofthesoiltobeeasilydestroyedbyrain.Thiscanresultinfloodsandevenmoredamagetotheenvironment.BadhabitsManyofourhabitscausepollution.Peopleoftenusethingsonceandthenthrowthemaway,orleavethemonthegroundaslitter.Thisincreasesmountainsofrubbishandpollutesourlandandseas.Inordertoprotecttheenvironment,weneedtotakeproperaction.