新高一-+-外研版-+-必修一-+-U6-At-one-with-nature课文

Unit6AtonewithnatureU6SectionALongjiRiceTerracesImaginemountainswrappedinsilverwater,shininginthespringsun.Summerseesthemountainsturnbrightgreenwithgrowingrice.Duringautumn,thesesamemountainsaregold,andinwintertheyarecoveredinsheetsofwhitefrost.ThesearethecoloursoftheLongjiRiceTerraces.TheseterraceswerebuiltbythelocalZhuangandYaopeople,towhomGuangxiishome.StartinginthenYuanDynasty,workontheterracestookhundredsofyears,untilitscompletionintheearlyQingDynasty.Reachingasfarastheeyecansee,theseterracescovertallmountains,oftenfromthebottomtotheverytop.Sowhydidthesepeoplegotosomuchtroubletoturnentiremountainsintoterraces?Firstly,therearefewlarge,flatareasoflandintheregion.Buildingtheterracesthereforemeantthattheycouldincreasetheareasinwhichtheycouldgrowrice.Secondly,althoughtheregionhasplentyofrain,themountainsaresteepandthesoilisshallow.Theflatterracescatchtherainwaterandpreventthesoilfrombeingwashedaway.Butperhapswhatismostsignificantisthewayinwhichpeoplehaveworkedinharmonywithnaturetomaketheseterracesandgrowrice.Theterracesarecleverlydesigned,withhundredsofwaterwaysthatconnectwitheachother.Duringtherainyseason,itisalongthesewaterwaysthatrainwatermovesdownthemountainsandintotheterraces.Thesunheatsthewaterandturnsitintovapour.Thisformscloudsfromwhichrainfallsdownontothemountainterracesonceagain.Theseterracesalsoprovideaperfectenvironmentforbirdsandfish,someofwhichfeedoninsectsthatcanharmthericecrops.Althoughmoderntechnologycouldhelpproducemorecrops,theseterracesstillmeanalottothelocalpeopleforwhomtraditionsholdmuchvalue.Thisknowledgeispasseddownthroughfamilies,whichmeansthatnewgenerationscontinuetouseancientmethodsofagriculturetomaintaintheterraces.Today,theLongjiRiceTerracesattractthousandsofvisitorswhocometoadmirethisgreatwondercreatedbypeopleandnatureworkingtogether.U6SectionCALoveofGardening“Ifyoulooktherightway,youcanseethatthewholeworldisagarden.”ThesewordscomefromtheauthorofthebookTheSecretGarden,firstpublishedin1911.Atthattime,onlytheveryrichinBritainhadgardens.Verysoonafterthis,homeswithgardensbegantobebuilt.ThisiswhatstartedtheBritishloveofgardening!Today,millionsofBritsliketosaythattheyhave“greenfingers”,witharoundhalfthepopulationspendingtheirfreetimegardening.FormanypeopleintheUK,theirgardenistheirownprivateworld.Eachspring,childrenpantsunflowersandwaittoseewhichoneisthetallest.Expertgardenersknowjusttherightcornerforroses,andothersspendhourstryingtogrowperfectvegetablestoenterintocompetitions.AndwhilemanyBritslikenothingbetterthanspendingtheirSundaycuttingthegrass,somearehappyjusttositunderthebranchesofthetreesandenjoythebeautyoftheworldaroundthem.Butincities,limitedspacehasledtopeoplelookingfornewsolutions.Thosewithoutoutsidespacecanrentsmallpiecesoflandonwhichtogrowthings.Today,thereareover4,000peopleinLondonwaitingforsuchpiecesofland.Onerecentideahasbeentoturnrooftopsandwallsintoprivategardens.Thesegardenshavehelpedmakethecitiesgreenerandimproveairquality.Aswellasbeinggoodfortheenvironment,gardeningisalsogoodforthesoul.Whatotherfreetimeactivitiesallowsyoutobeatonewithnatureandcreatemorebeautifullivingthings?Andifyou’reinanydoubtaboutthis,takeamomenttoreflectonthislinefromTheSecretGarden:“Whereyoutendarose...Athistlecannotgrow.”