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A trip to the lower Mekong River

The first part dreams and plans

My name is Kun Wang. My sister Wang Wei and I have been dreaming of a great bike trip since high school. Two years ago, she bought an expensive mountain bike and persuaded me to buy one. Last year, she visited our cousins Dao Wei and Yuhang who were studying in Kunming. They are Dai people and grew up near the Lancang River in western Yunnan Province. This section of the Mekong River is called Lancang River in China and Mekong River in other countries (territories). Soon, Wang Wei made her cousins interested in cycling. After graduating from college, we finally had the opportunity to travel by bike. I asked my sister, "Where are we going?" It was my sister who first thought of riding along the Mekong River from the source to the end. Now she is making plans for our trip.

I like my sister very much, but she has a serious shortcoming. She can be really stubborn sometimes. Although she doesn't know the best route to some places, she insists on making her trip perfect. Then, I know that this perfect way will always be her way. I kept asking her, "When shall we start? When will you come back? " I also asked her if she had seen the map. Of course she hasn't seen it-my sister doesn't think about details. So, I told her that the source of the Mekong River is in Qinghai Province. She gave me a firm look-it showed that she wouldn't change her mind. She seemed very excited when I said that our trip would start from a plateau of more than 5000 meters. When I told her that the air was thin, it was difficult to breathe and the weather was cold, she said it would be an interesting experience. I know my sister very well. Once she has made up her mind, nothing can change her. Finally, I had to give in.

A few months before our trip, Wang Wei and I went to the library. We found a large atlas with some detailed geographical maps of the world. As we can see from the picture, the Mekong River originated from a glacier on a mountain in Tibet. At first, the river was small, clear and cold, and then it began to flow rapidly. When it passes through a deep valley, it becomes a torrent, flowing through western Yunnan. Sometimes, rivers form waterfalls and enter wide canyons. We are all surprised to find that half of the river is in China. When it flows out of China and the highlands, the Mekong River becomes wider and warmer, and the river turns yellow-brown. When it entered Southeast Asia, the flow rate slowed down, and the river meandered slowly through the valley to the plain where rice was planted. Finally, a tributary of the Mekong Delta flows into the South China Sea of China.

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Night view of Tibet

The second part of the night in the mountains

Although it is autumn, it has begun to snow in Tibet. Our legs are heavy and cold, and they feel like ice cubes. Have you ever seen a snowman ride a bike? We look like that. Along the way, some children in wool coats stopped to see us. In the late afternoon, we found that our kettle was frozen because of the cold weather. However, the lake shines like a mirror in the afterglow of the sunset, and the scenery is charming. As usual, Wang Wei is in front of me. She is very reliable. I know I don't need to make her happy. It is difficult to climb the mountain, but when we look around, the scenery surprises us. It seems that we can see hundreds of miles away. At some point, we found ourselves in a very high place, as if riding a bicycle through the clouds. Then we started to go downhill, which was very interesting, especially when the weather was getting warmer. In the valley, colorful butterflies are flying around us, and we also see yaks and sheep grazing. At this time, we should take off our hats, coats, gloves and trousers and put on T-shirts and shorts.

In the evening, we usually stop to camp, so we set up a tent first and then eat. After dinner, Wang Wei fell asleep with his head on the pillow, while I was awake. In the middle of the night, the sky becomes clear and the stars are brighter. It was very quiet (at night)-there was almost no wind, only the flames of the bonfire accompanied us. I lay under the stars, thinking about how far we have come.

We will arrive in Dali, Yunnan soon. There, our cousins Dao Wei and Yuhang will join us. We can't wait to see them!

Unit 4 Earthquake

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A sleepless night on earth

Some strange things are happening in the countryside in the northeast of Hebei province: in the past three days, the well water in the village has risen and fallen, rising and falling. The farmer noticed a deep crack in the shaft wall, and there was an unpleasant smell in the crack. Chickens and even pigs in the farmyard are too nervous to eat. The mouse ran out of the field and wanted to find a place to hide. Fish in fish tanks and ponds will jump out. 1976 at about 3 am on July 28, someone saw a light in the sky. Even if there is no plane in the sky, you can hear it outside Tangshan. In the city, the water pipes of some buildings burst. However, almost none of Tangshan's/kloc-0.0 million residents took these situations seriously and fell asleep as usual that night.

At 3: 42 in the morning, everything began to shake. The world seems to be coming to an end! The biggest earthquake in the 20th century occurred directly below Tangshan 1 1 km. 100 kilometers away, the earthquake was felt in Beijing, and in the whole country13. A huge crack 8 kilometers long and 30 meters wide spans houses, roads and channels. Steam comes out of some caves on the ground. The Stone Mountain turned into a muddy river, and in a terrible 15 second, a big city sank into ruins. The disasters suffered by people are extremely deep. Two thirds of people were killed or injured in the earthquake. Thousands of families have been killed and many children have become orphans. The number of injured reached more than 400,000.

How can the survivors believe that this is a natural phenomenon? Everywhere people went, almost everything was destroyed. All hospitals, 75% factories and buildings, and 90% houses in the city have disappeared. Residual bricks cover the earth like red leaves in autumn, but they can't be blown away. Two dams collapsed, and most of the bridges either collapsed or could not pass safely. The rails are now strips of scrap steel. Thousands of cows can no longer produce milk. Half a million pigs and millions of chickens were killed. This well is full of sand, not water. People were stunned. Then, in the late afternoon, another earthquake as strong as the first one hit Tangshan. Some doctors and rescuers were trapped under the rubble. More houses collapsed. Water, electricity and food are hard to get. People began to wonder how long the disaster would last.

Not all hopes have been dashed. Shortly after the earthquake, the army sent 1.5 thousand soldiers to Tangshan to assist rescuers, and hundreds of thousands of people were rescued. The troops formed teams to dig out the trapped people and bury them. In the north of Tangshan, there is a coal mine with 10,000 miners, most of whom were rescued. Rescuers built shelters for survivors whose homes were destroyed and transported water to the city by train, truck and plane. Slowly, slowly, the city began to show vitality again.

Reading and speaking

Tangshan municipal government office

Dear _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _:

Congratulations! We are pleased to tell you that you won the first prize in the speech contest for middle school students with the theme of New Tangshan. The five judges of the jury listened to your speech, and they all thought your speech was the best this year. Your parents and school will be proud of you!

A new park will be opened in our city next month to commemorate the people who died in that terrible disaster and pay tribute to those who helped the survivors. Our office would like you to give a speech to the visitors in the park on the morning of July 28th 1 1. You know, 30 years ago today, it was the day when an earthquake occurred in Tangshan.

On this special day, we invite you to bring your family and friends.

sincere

Zhang Sha