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Scientists have been conducting plenty of research aiming at changing the deserts back to good land again. Via countless research and investigations, they are learning more and more about deserts, and have tried various methods to recover wasted deserts, including bringing water in so that people can live and grow food there. However, things don't seem to go well. The earth is becoming desert day by day, and some think that the scientists might not be able to change this severe situation in time.
So why is land becoming desert? Though it is partially related to natural changes, many scientists believe that it is human beings that should take the responsibility, Believe it or not, people make deserts. Some places on Earth don't get much rain, but they still don't become deserts. This is because some green plants are growing there. It is a pity that despite the countless efforts scientists have made to promote the importance of plants to stop land from becoming desert, many people still don't pay enough attention.
Small green plants and grass are very important to dry places, and prevent the sun from making the earth even drier. Plants don't let the wind blow the soil away, either. When a bit of rain falls, the plants hold the water. Without plants, the land can become desert more easily. If there were no green plants on Earth, the whole planet would eventually become desert.
When going on holiday, you normal\y expect nothing but to relax, enjoy yourselves and above all stay safe. Sometimes, you may sadly have to face certain unexpected problems that would end your sweet holidays without any warning, such as a typhoon or an earthquake. But holidaymakers at the Red Sea resort in Egypt are facing a different problem, which you may have never thought of before.
The resort is famous for its golden beaches, warm sea and nice weather, and it is an excellent place for scuba diving(带水肺潜水). But at the moment, no tourists are willing to take the risk of diving into the water due to the recent shark attacks. These attacks have caused one death and several injuries over the last few weeks.
According to some biologists, these sharks live in the open ocean, and are frequently seen in the ocean of this region. But as they have pointed out, it was not common for swimmers to run into them in shallow waters.
Experts are still not sure what has lured the sharks into these waters and to attack people. However, they all believe that shark attacks are extremely rare and they are definitely not man-eaters as shown in films like Jaws. One thought is that animal carcasses(尸体) were recently thrown into the sea from a ship close to the shore. Some experts believe that it could just be a case of people being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
A shark attack might make you think twice before stepping into the sea, but things may not be as severe as you've thought. According to recent research, there are about 70 to 100 attacks on humans per year, and only a small number of them are fatal.
Mark Williams runs a scuba diving company at the resort, and he is concerned about how the local authorities will deal with these sharks. "Tens of millions of sharks have been hunted and killed by humans every year!" Mark points out. "They are an essential part of the marine(海洋的) ecosystem."
Amphibians(两栖动物) are one of the animals that people most frequently fail to notice or value in the environment. Part of that may result from their secretive nature. Often it's quite hard to find a frog or others in their family if you look randomly. Staying hidden is an effective way to ensure their survival.
But there is no doubt about their importance to the environment as well as the health of the ecosystem. Living in both aquatic(水中的) environment and terrestrial(陆地的) habitats, they can therefore be a useful indicator showing whether certain water area is not pure, or there's something polluted in the environment.
There is a sad fact though, that is, the number of amphibians has been falling for decades around the world. Therefore, people are organizing various programs to prevent the situation from getting worse. Among them is one nationwide frog-watching program in the US In that program, people learn the breeding calls of the local toads and frogs. They then report their data back to a national data base.
If you don't know the excellent time to observe frogs, choose the early spring. It is the time for their annual renewal of life, and they are most active during night time. You don't need a large lake or river for your observation. With many species, a temporary small pond or shallow pool would be the best habitat, as there are not many big predators(捕食性动物) there. Species like green frogs and bullfrogs, however, need more permanent bodies of water, and with permanent bodies of water comes more predation.
The UK has been taking various kinds of measures to increase its use of renewable energy.
Recent statistics have shown that 2017 is the greenest year the UK has ever had for electricity production, with its first coal-free day since the 19th century. The UK's power system is now the fourth cleanest in Europe and the seventh in the world.
Currently, less than 7 per cent of the UK's electricity is produced via coal. The country is also trying to cut the use of gas to meet the target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. . It said," We have never been cleaner or greener, and we are on target for an even better year in 2018."
It added, But we are at last facing up to the challenge. We are turning our backs on using fossil fuels and embracing a new, clean future".
A. The UK has been trying to reduce the amount of gas it uses.
B. Climate change is endangering our nature and wildlife.
C. It is gradually changing from using fossil fuels to using cleaner and sustainable energy, such as wind power.
D. The situation of our nature and wildlife is becoming better and better.
E. In June, the electricity produced by wind, nuclear and solar power also exceeded that via gas and coal for the first time.
F. The conservation charity World Wildlife Fund said it was pleased to see the UK taking active measures for a greener nation.
G. Meanwhile, the UK has been trying to reduce the amount of coal it uses.
