内容正文:
新外研社高中英语
选择性必修一
Unit6 Nurturing nature
Understanding Ideas
Para.1
Sitting back in my seat, I can’t quite believe that I’m
about to travel along the railway that many foreign
experts claimed was “impossible”. The train has been
racing along steadily since it left Xining. All this time,
the song “Sky Railway” has been playing inside my
head. The words “railways like massive dragons are
winding among the mountains” seem particularly
vivid as I travel across the “roof of the world”.
Para.2
I was one of the people who came from all parts of China to work on this railway. Taking years to complete, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is a record of all of our efforts to overcome the most difficult engineering challenges. How to protect the delicate ecosystem was among the top concerns.
Para.3
The first landmark to catch my eye is the splendid Qingshuihe Bridge, the world’s longest bridge built over permafrost. Look! A group of Tibetan antelopes is moving under the bridge, with some stopping to eat grass at their leisure. Thirty-three passages have been built under the railway to allow the animals to move safely and freely in their natural habitat. Wild animals
such as these Tibetan antelopes have now been using these passages for years. They seem totally unaware that we are speeding past at over 100 kilometres an hour.
Para.4
To prevent damage to wetlands and grasslands, 675 bridges with a total length of about 160 kilometres were built between Golmud and Lhasa. We even moved 140,000 square metres of wetland to a new area in order to protect its distinct ecosystem.
Para.5
The journey has been flying by, and before I know it, we have reached Tanggula Station. Located at over 5,000 metres above sea level, this is the highest railway station in the world. In locations such as this, the thin air, changeable weather and high levels of UV radiation presented perhaps the greatest challenge for
railway workers. To make sure