Geography Makes a Silent Return

In many ways geography is the forgotten science. Even the word “geography” tends to make people think of students 【小题1】 (label) maps in social studies class. But that hasn’t always been true. Before the internet, the world was a mysterious place. In many cases, people didn’t really know 【小题2】 existed a few miles from home. Studying geography offered people a way to learn about the world.

Geography, 【小题3】 (define) as the study of Earth, has always had a focus on maps. But mapping hasn’t always been easy. In the days before satellites, mapmaking required years of dangerous and difficult work. But mapping also meant a chance at adventure and fame.

Geography became the subject of explorers. People were eager to hear about the new things and places 【小题4】 geographers had studied. National Geographic is a great example of this interest. For more than a hundred years, the magazine’s stories and pictures 【小题5】 (tell) people about our exciting world.

Technology has changed the way people think about geography. Travel is now easy. The internet makes information simple 【小题6】 (find). We trust our phones to take us 【小题7】 we want to go. Even National Geographic has expanded beyond traditional geography, but that doesn’t mean geography has become 【小题8】 (important).

While some apps are obvious examples of modern geography in action, geography remains important in more subtle (不易察觉的) ways, too. Geography, which helps house hunters, solves public health issues, and determines good locations for new businesses,【小题9】 (use) to plan communities as well.

Like traditional geographers, modern geographers study many different topics. That makes them well-suited for many different jobs and industries. Today, geographers often have titles like “urban planner” or “data analyst”. And the world is noticing 【小题10】 number of graduates with degrees in geography is also growing.

Maybe it’s time for you to discover the forgotten science again.

If you’ve never heard of an egg-laying mountain, you probably don’t know about Chan Da Ya,【小题1】 fantastic cliff (悬崖) that lays stone eggs every 30 years.

Located in China’s Guizhou Province, Chan Da Ya,【小题2】 means “egg laying cliff”, has been puzzling geologists for decades. The cliff has a rough surface spotted with dozens of round and oval-shaped stones of various sizes. As the elements (自然环境) continue to eat away at the cliff, the harder “eggs” become even more exposed and 【小题3】 (eventual) fall out.

The egg-laying phenomenon of Chan Da Ya 【小题4】 (consider) unique, so geologists who hope to come up with an 【小题5】 (explain) have had to travel to the remote mountainous region 【小题6】 (study) it first-hand.

The local people have known about the egg-laying cliff for generations, and many of 【小题7】 (they) frequently visit it to touch the “god eggs” for good luck. In recent years, Chan Da Ya 【小题8】 (become) so popular as a tourist destination that most of the eggs have been sold 【小题9】 profit. There are only about 70 eggs in Gulu today, and any new ones ready to fall off from the cliff are often stolen by treasure hunters.

【小题10】 Chan Da Ya is the largest egg-laying cliff on Mount Gandeng, it is certainly not the only one.

High on the Qinghai---Tibet Plateau(高原)【小题1】 (lie) China’s “water tower” Sanjiangyuan. 【小题2】 is home to the head-waters of China’s three rivers. However, human activities 【小题3】(put) this ecosystem 【小题4】 risk in recent years.

In 2016, the Chinese government set up Sanjiangyuan National Park in Qinghai province. With Sanjiangyuan 【小题5】 (take) the lead, other regions have been chosen 【小题6】 (carry) out projects that together would form a national park system. The idea 【小题7】 a national park system should be realized was approved by President Xi, who said, “Building an ecological civilization bears great 【小题8】 (significant) in the development and progress of human civilization.”

【小题9】 (hopeful), the success of Sanjiangyuan will mark the start of a 【小题10】 (green) future.