The Nile

    The ancient Greek writer Herodotus once described Egypt-with some envy-as'the gift of the Nile'. The Egyptians depend on the river for food, for water and for life. The Ancient Egyptians were able to control and use the Nile, creating the earliest irrigation systems and developing a prosperous {#blank#}1{#/blank#}.

    Snaking through the deserts, the Nile would flood almost {#blank#}2{#/blank#} each year in June. Once the water subsided, a rich deposit of sand was left behind, making an excellent topaoil. Seeds were sown, yielding wheat, barley, beans, lentils and leeks. Drought could spell disaster for the Egyptians, so during the dry seasons, they dug basins and channels to deliver water to their land. They also devised simple channels to transfer water at the peak of the flood.

    An early system of {#blank#}3{#/blank#} a Nilometer, was used to de determine the size of the floods. Later, during the New Kingdom, a lifting system called a shaduf was used to raise water from the river--{#blank#}4{#/blank#} to the way in which a well is used today.

    The Egyptians took up some of the earliest trading missions. Without a(n) {#blank#}5{#/blank#} system they exchanged goods, bringing back timber, precious stones, pottery, spices and animals. Their efforts in medicine were also {#blank#}6{#/blank#} advanced: surgeons performed operations to remove cysts(囊肿). Mummification gave them great understanding of the human body-yet they also relied heavily on various medicines to prevent disease, and discoveries were often confused with superstition(迷信). And while a great deal of time was dedicated to {#blank#}7{#/blank#} the Egyptians thought the stars were gods.

    By the 16th century Egypt was under the Ottoman Empire until Britain seized control in 1882. What is now mostly Arabic Egypt only won {#blank#}8{#/blank#} from Britain after World War Ⅱ. The Suez Canal, opened in 1869, {#blank#}9{#/blank#}the country as a center for world transportation. But it, and the completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 {#blank#}10{#/blank#} the ecology of the Nile, which now struggles to satisfy the country's rapidly growing population, currently more than 76 million-the largest in the Arab world.

    When people talk about the future, we like to think that we will be able to drive out of our garages and take to the skies in our own personal flying car. The advantages are obvious. Some people predict this technology {#blank#}1{#/blank#} complete freedom of movement. We could fly at 480 kilometres per hour,{#blank#}2{#/blank#}traffic lights, busy roads and speeding tickets. However, some people point to the disadvantages of flying cars. They say that there are certain to be problems with traffic control. Another big problem is engine{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. What will happen if the car goes wrong? Also, if they become popular, there is {#blank#}4{#/blank#} to be another big problem: air traffic jam. So we may find flying cars {#blank#}5{#/blank#} with more than a few problems if they are to get off the ground!

    Thank you for choosing me as the best{#blank#}1{#/blank#}. In our school, I'm really happy to share with you how passionate I am about sports and what I do to{#blank#}2{#/blank#}. I'm a big{#blank#}3{#/blank#}of many sports, including basketball, football and gymnastics. I love to watch these events on TV at the weekend. I also{#blank#}4{#/blank#}regularly, too. In the morning. I often {#blank#}5{#/blank#}on the running{#blank#}6{#/blank#}for about half an hour. I don't run too fast or for too long so that I have enough{#blank#}7{#/blank#}for the day. In the afternoon, I usually play football or basketball. I'm on the school football team. The training is always {#blank#}8{#/blank#}, but we all do our best, since we all want to{#blank#}9{#/blank#}on the team when playing against other schools. Believe it or not, we also occasionally do yoga in the{#blank#}10{#/blank#}! It helps relax our muscles and focus our minds. If you want to become fit and healthy, my advice is to try different sports and activities to see which one you enjoy the most.