Weather experts said this year could be one of the strongest EL Nino events in recorded history．El Nino means severe weather conditions in parts of the world．In eastern Africa，for example，Kenya and Uganda are preparing for possible flooding．Yet South Africa and Malawi are already dealing with extremely dry weather．

El Nino is Spanish for"the child"．It usually begins in December near the celebration of te birth of Jesus Christ．Infact the weather event was named in his honor．El Nino develops when winds off the west coast of South America weaken．This permits warm water in the western Pacific to expand toward the east and the Americas．At the sametime，clouds and rain over the warm water move east too．El Nio conditions normally appear only about twice every 10 years．Usually，El Nino conditions continue for about 12to 18months．They bring warm weather to some areas．

These areas become wetter than normal，while others become drier．

The United Nations Children's Fund warns that many people are at risk from hunger disease and water shortages Resulting from El Nino．In the east and southern Africa up to 11million children could be affected．East African countries usually experience heavy rainfall during the El Nino．Southern Africa usually has little rainfall which maylead to wildfires or drought（干旱）．

   Weather changes caused by El Nino depend on the strength of the condition．In the early 1980s strong El Nino was linked to dry weather in Australia and Asiarain and flooding in South America and high temperatures in many parts of the U．S．Ten years later smaller El Nino caused trouble in parts of the U．S．It caused severe floods in the Southeast and  the Middle West．Tom Di Leberto is a meteorologist（气象学家） at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Washington D．C．He said this year could be the third strongest El Nino onrecord．But we will not know for sure until all the weather records are examined．

C

When you are travelling in Thailand，which means of transport is the best choice?

You can rent a variety of motorbikes or bikes in Thailand. It seems to be very popular in most of the beaches and islands along the places in the north. The most popular bikes are the little 125cc Honda Dream which you can get for about 150 baht(铢) a day or as little as 3，000 baht per month，making it the cheapest way to tour Thailand for the people from other countries.

Sometimes you will have to go somewhere by taxi. When you are in cities in Thailand, especially in Bangkok，always remember to get a taxi that is going on the roads. Some drivers outside hotels refuse to use the milometer(计程表)．They will ask a price which is several times the price when they use the meter!

The quality of the roads in Thailand is generally pretty good，so renting cars is another way to get around. The big car rental companies may offer you slightly older cars at a very reasonable(合理的)price. It is a little surprising considering that the cost of buying a car in Thailand is more than that in the West. Petrol is also reasonably priced in Thailand，more expensive than American prices，but much cheaper than what is paid in Europe. In the past，Bangkok could be a difficult place to drive in—signs were generally in Thai only，making it a hard job to find exactly where you were by looking around. But now，the situation is improved. In a lot of places，even the farthest corners of the country, street signs are in both Thai and English.

 Before birth, babies can tell the difference between loud sounds and voices. They can even distinguish their mother’s voice from that of a female stranger. But when it comes to embryonic learning (胎教), birds could rule the roost. As recently reported in The Auk: Ornithological Advances, some mother birds may teach their young to sing even before they hatch (孵化). New-born chicks can then imitate their mom’s call within a few days of entering the world.

This educational method was first observed in 2012 by Sonia Kleindorfer, a biologist at Flinders University in South Australia, and her colleagues. Female Australian superb fairy wrens were found to repeat one sound over and over again while hatching their eggs. When the eggs were hatched, the baby birds made the similar chirp to their mothers—a sound that served as their regular “feed me!” call.

To find out if the special quality was more widespread in birds, the researchers sought the red-backed fairy wren, another species of Australian songbird. First they collected sound data from 67 nests in four sites in Queensland before and after hatching. Then they identified begging calls by analyzing the order and number of notes. A computer analysis blindly compared calls produced by mothers and chicks, ranking them by similarity.

It turns out that baby red-backed fairy wrens also emerge chirping like their moms. And the more frequently mothers had called to their eggs, the more similar were the babies’ begging calls. In addition, the team set up a separate experiment that suggested that the baby birds that most closely imitated their mom’s voice were rewarded with the most food.

This observation hints that effective embryonic learning could signal neurological (神经系统的) strengths of children to parents. An evolutionary inference can then be drawn. “As a parent, do you invest in quality children, or do you invest in children that are in need?” Kleindorfer asks. “Our results suggest that they might be going for quality. ”

Americans like to travel on their yearly holiday. Today，more and more travellers in the United States are spending nights at small houses or inns(客栈) instead of hotels. They get a room for the night and the breakfast the next morning.

Rooms for the night in private homes with breakfast have been popular with travellers in Europe for many years. In the past five to ten years, these bed­and­breakfast places have become popular in the United States. Many of these Americaˈs bed­and­breakfast inns are old historic buildings. Some bed­and­breakfast inns have only a few rooms. Others are much larger. Some inns do not provide telephones or televisions in the rooms；others do.

Staying at a bed­and­breakfast inn is much different from staying at a hotel. Usually the cost is much less. Staying at an inn is almost like visiting someoneˈs home. The owners are glad to tell about the areas and the interesting places to visit. Many vacationists say they enjoy the chance to meet local families.

National Gallery of Canada

Position

National Gallery (美术馆) of Canada  

380 Sussex Drive (大道) 

P.O. Box 427, Station A  

Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1N 9N4

Telephone: 613-990-1985 or 1-800-319-ARTS

Fax: 613-993-4385

Directions

      From Highway 417, take the Metcalfe exit (出口). Follow Metcalfe Street around the Museum of Nature and continue to the north until you reach the end of the street at Wellington. You will see Parliament Hill. Turn right onto Wellington Street and continue in the left-

-hand road until you reach Sussex Drive. As you approach Sussex Drive, you will see the Chateau Laurier hotel on your left-hand side. Make a left turn onto Sussex Drive and continue until you see the Gallery on your left-hand side, at the corner of St. Patrick and Sussex. The Gallery is a large glass building with two towers. Just beyond the St. Patrick / Sussex crossroads you will see the entrance to the Gallery’s underground parking. 

Opening Hours 

◆ 1 May — 30 September

Open daily from 10 am to 5 pm, Thursdays to 8 pm.

◆ 1 October — 30 April

Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm; Thurs-days until 8 pm. Closed Mondays.

Closed Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and 2 January 2012 (Monday).

Tickets 

$9: Adults

$7: The elderly and full-time students (ID required)

$4: Youth (12-19)  

$18: Family (2 adults, 3 youths)

Free admission for children under 12 and members of the Gallery.

Free admission Thursdays after 5 pm. 

71. Which of the following is the closest to the Gallery? 

72. How many days will the Gallery be closed in January 2012?  

73. If a family of four (two adults and two children) visit the Gallery on Thursday at 6:00 pm, they need to pay ________.   

B

    This past summer I went on a journey to Canada's Arctic with Students On Ice．When I left Calgary I wondered what I would find，what I would learn and who I would meet．On the trip to Ottawa I was wrapped in a blanket of uncertainty and excitement．

    But when I first met the group of students，scientists and expedition leaders，I knew that I didn't have anything to worry about．The group was amazingly harmonious and I was soon part of a big family setting out on an amazing adventure—an adventure of a lifetime！

    When we reached the Arctic I was overwhelmed（震撼）with its vastness and beauty and my senses were repeatedly shocked and amazed．

    I stood on the deck of the Kapitan Khlebnikov and saw countless towering icebergs，twelve polar bears，a few rare ivory gulls（海鸥），and mountainous islands．I flew over large glaciers and stood on the frozen Arctic Ocean where polar bears walk in search of seal holes，

and patiently wait for a meal．

    I learned that polar bears are successful only one out of every twenty hunting attempts．I saw a vast land that appeared untouched and original．

    However，I learned that the Arctic and its inhabitants are being threatened by pollution and global warming．I learned that pollutants are carried by ocean and air and have a negative effect on all Arctic inhabitants．I learned that global warming has put polar bears at risk because a warmer climate means that they have a shorter time to hunt seals on the ice．

    The trip was a feast for the senses．I have learned more about our environment，and particularly how alive and interesting the Arctic is and why it is so important to take care of it．The Arctic deserves to be preserved．My trip with Students On Ice has made me more determined to try to ensure that I do not leave negative or harmful footprints．

Europe is surely among the most popular tourist destinations (目的地) around the world. However, one problem that anyone talks about is how to plan a trip with enough time to the various destinations in Europe. Johnson is one of the travelers extremely interested in Europe. Here he uses his experience to tell you about the various Europe tour packages (旅游套票)．

The Europe tour packages are designed to offer much more than a simple trip around Europe. Usually, a Europe tour package includes all kinds of things for tourists to enjoy their trips to Europe. First, the packages offer air tickets for the best flights from the best airlines to tourists and let them fly to Europe from anywhere. Different Europe tour packages also offer chances to stay in the best hotels. Besides, when it comes to sightseeing Europe packages provide a visit to some of the most popular tourist spots around Europe. For example, one day you will be at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and the very next day you will be in the Swiss Alps. These Europe packages are designed to pack all the beautiful destinations and put them in front of you for a wonderful holiday. This is the most important thing.

Now you must be thinking, how to get one of these Europe packages. The best way is to go on the Internet, and look for the right one for you. There are many Europe packages to choose from, and the key is to simply go for the ones that suit your budget (预算)．

Trip 1  Black Bear Count

There have been fires in this area in the last few years and the Office of the National Park is not sure how many black bears are still living. Some bears have been seen since the fires, and the Office has asked for young people to help count them. The entire trip will last three hours. Bookings necessary.

Cost: Free                                                    When: May 8

Trip 2  Garland Valley

Bring your drink and lunch for this walk in a beautiful area of the Blue Mountains. Garland Valley is close to the town of Garland but is part of the National Park. Many wild animals live in this area, including many rare birds. This is a great walk for bird-lovers. The trip lasts four hours. Bookings necessary.

Cost: $ 15                                                    When: May 8, May 15

Trip 3   Flashlight Adventure

Put on your warm clothes, bring a flashlight and a pair of glasses, and come for a night walk along the Dungog Valley. A guide will lead the tour. Many of the animals you will see on this trip can only be seen at night. The guide will tell you about the lives of the animals you see. Numbers are strictly limited on night trips, so be sure to book early. This walk lasts two and a half hours.

Cost: $ 12                                                  When: May 8, May 15, May22

Equipment to be needed:

•  Please bring enough water and food for all walks.

•  Wear good walking shoes—no high heels.

•  Wear a hat for day walks.

•  Dress warmly for night walks.

•  Children must be with an adult.

•  Make sure your flashlight works well and bring extra batteries for night walks.

•  Follow all instructions from guides during the walks. The mountains are a dangerous place.

Bookings:

•  Bookings for the above trips can be traded by telephone (893 — 4847) or on the Internet at www. Bluemountaintour. com

People who like travelling have their reasons. They believe that travelling can help them expand their field of view, especially in the geographical and historical sense. They also think that touring will give them more chances to enjoy different kinds of food and experience new things that would never be brought by other activities. But those who dislike travelling also have some reasons.

  Travelling, in my opinion, does more good than harm. Most importantly, it broadents(使扩大) our mind. We can get in touch with other civilizations(文明), cultures ,customs and ideas.

  Through history ,most people travelled because of necessity(必要性)-not for pleasure. People travelled just in order to remain alive. They searched for food to eat or places to live in. They sometimes away from enemies. This is not to say that no one ever travelled just for the fun of it. In ancient times, for example ,rich Romans travelled all the way to Greece to take part in the Olympic Games, and festivals. Of course ,some people decided to travel just out of curiosity (好奇心), They wanted to find out what it looked like beyond the horizon(地平线). Also business travel has been going on for centuries. Traders could not only make money but also learn to speak several languages and be introduced to different cultures.

  So, travelling does enrich our mind and draw new ideas to us. There is no doubt that we can get much from it.