What's your dream vacation? Watching wildlife in Kenya? Boating down the Amazon? Sunbathing in Malaysia? New chances are opening up all the time to explore the world.So we visit travel agents, compare packages and prices, and pay our money.

    We know what our vacation costs us.But do we know what it might cost someone else?It's true that many poorer countries now depend on tourism for foreign income.Unfortunately,though.tourism often harms the local people more than it helps them

    It might cost their homes and lands.In Myanmar.5.200 people were forced to leave their homes among the pagodas(佛塔）in Bagan so that tourists could visit the pagodas.

    Tourism might also cost the local people their livelihood（生计）and dignity（尊严）.Local workers often find only jobs with slim salaries in the tourist industry.And most of the profits（利润）do not help the local economy. Instead,profits return to the tour operators in wealthier countries,When the Maasai people in Tanzania were driven（驱赶）from their lands,some moved to city slums.Others now make a little money selling souvenirs or posing(摆姿势）for photos.

    Problems like these were observed more than 20 years ago.But now some non-government organizations,tour operators and local governments are working together to begin correcting them.Tourists,too,are putting on the pressure.

    The result is responsible tourism,or ethical tourism.Ethical tourism has people at its heart.New international agreements and codes of conduct（行为准则）can help protect the people's lands homes,economies and cultures.The beginnings are small,though,and the problems are complex.

    But take heart. The good news is that everyone,including us,can play a part to help the local people in the places we visit Tour operators and companies can help by making sure that local people work in good conditions and earn reasonable wages.

    They can make it a point to use only locally owned hotel restaurants and guide services.They can share profits fairly to help the local economy And they can involve the local people in planning and managing tourism.

    What can tourists do? First, we can ask tour companies to provide information about the conditions of local citizens.We can then make our choices and tell them why. And while we're abroad, we can: Buy local foods and products, not imported ones.

    Pay a fair price for goods and services and not bargain for the cheapest price.

    Avoid flaunting wealth.

    Ask before talking photographs of people.They are not just part of the landscape!

    Let's enjoy our vacation and make sure others do,too.

    A company has just launched what it calls “the world's first free standardized English test” recently. Anyone can take the test for free. The new exam is called the EFSET, which is short for Education First Standardized English Test. The company, Education First, is known by the letters EF.

    It is estimated that there are two billion English language learners worldwide. Many of them are interested in attending an American college or university. To do so, foreign students need to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language—better known as TOEFL. However, many foreigners are not wealthy enough to take the TOEFL. In addition, test-takers often have to travel overnight to reach an official testing site. The World Bank says an average Cambodian worker earns only about $1,000 per year. Approximately the cost of taking the TOEFL is 17.5 percent of the average worker's yearly wage.

    It is not just individuals who find the test pricey. Some governments also find it prohibitive. What's more, not everyone needs official results from the TOEFL or IELTS—the International English Language Testing System. In the future, it's likely that the government may use the EFSET to test millions of employees and students.

    Experts believe that the EFSET meets the highest value in language testing. It uses special computer software that makes the questions easier or harder, depending on one's performance. The EFSET measures all the English learners' levels while the IELTS and TOEFL only measure learners' levels from intermediate to advanced. The EFSET is unique in the sense that it gives free online access to anyone interested in measuring their English level.

    There is a 50-minute and a two-hour version of the test, which its developers are calling the EFSET Plus. Both versions test only reading and listening skills. It's hopeful that speaking and writing skills will be tested in the future. The IELTS and the TOEFL still use humans to rate the speaking and writing sections. It's a huge deal for students who are in areas where they can't get to the TOEFL or the IELTS. However, it is too early to know whether the EFSET results are acceptable for colleges and universities in America.

    Great places where you can travel for the coming 2020 New Year's Eve you'll never forget:

    Sydney

    Sydney, Australia, is the first major international city to greet the New Year at midnight. The major fireworks display takes place at Sydney Harbour with the Opera House and Harbour Bridge providing a spectacular (壮观的) backdrop.

    Taipei, Taiwan

    New Year^'s Eve in Taipei, the capital city of the island of Taiwan, is a visual spectacle. The city's tallest building, Taipei 101, is the launching pad for an unforgettable fireworks show. Prime spots to take in the event include National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and the Xinyi Commercial District, which gets quite crowded.

    Cape Town

    Cape Town is one of the most beautifully situated cities in Africa and the world. New Year's Eve fireworks make it all the more spectacular. If you're looking for a place with delicious food and a view of the festivities, Baia Seafood Restaurant is a good choice. If you're in the mood for a party, Cape Point Vineyards is one of many places to consider.

    Las Vegas

    Vegas is lit up year-round, but it goes all out for New Year's Eve. The street is closed off to vehicles, and pedestrians take over for an unforgettable festival. At midnight, various casinos (赌场) launch an impressive fireworks off the roofs of their buildings.

    For further information, you can click on here, the website https: //edition. cnn. com/travel/

Lebanese filmmaker Nadine Labaki has become the first female artist in the Arab world to be nominated (提名)for an Academy Award, or Oscar.

Labaki directed the film Capernaum, a film about a Syrian refugee (难民) boy and a Kenyan baby who live without parents on the streets of Beirut. It was nominated for best foreign language film.

Labaki wil1 be one of the few female directors to compete for an Oscar this year. She told the Associated press "I wish there were a lot more women filmmakers this year represented, nominated in the Oscars. But I am sure in a few years we won't be having this problem anymore."

Unlike in the West, women filmmakers are industry leaders in Lebanon.

Capernaum received a 15-minute standing ovation (热烈欢迎) at this year's Cannes Film Festival. It won the Jury Prize—the third-highest award given at Cannes.

The United Nations has publicly praised the film. Lebanon's Foreign Minister said.

Capernaum put a Lebanese touch on the international film industry.

The Oscar nomination of Capernaum is the second for Lebanon in two years in the film group. It demonstrates the country's rising star power.

Labaki called making the movie a life-changing experience. She said Capernaum helps humanize the real struggles of refugees only briefly talked about in the news.

We can't help but acknowledge that there is a fear of refugees in general around the world and there are these walls we are building, and this fear that keeps growing," Labaki said.

Capernaum will compete against four other films for the Oscar, including awards season favorite Roma. Directed by Mexico's Alfonso Cuaron, it earned 10 Oscar nominations, including for best picture.

Extreme athletes have been using wingsuits (翼装) to fly for many years. However, the pull of gravity makes it impossible to speed up or fly higher. To push past the limitations, Peter Salzmann teamed up with German car maker BMW. The result is an electrified wingsuit, which allows flyers to rise to higher altitudes at the speed of up to 186 miles per hour!

The 33-year-old professional wingsuit pilot first thought of creating the design in 2017, "At the time, I was developing suits for skydiving with a friend," he explains. "One evening after a day of testing, we threw out lots of ideas about how we could improve performance. One of them was a supporting motor-and it's an idea I just couldn't shake off. I found the idea of being able to jump from my local mountain wearing the wingsuit and land in my garden exciting."

To help with the process, Salzmann reached out to the experts at BMW's Designworks Studio. It took the team three years and multiple test jumps to perfect the design. The result is an updated version of wingsuit with two 5-inch propellers (螺旋桨), Powered by a battery, the propellers can be controlled using an on/off switch and even stopped mid-flight using the emergency button, if the flyer encounters an airplane or a flock of birds.

On November 6, 2020, Salzmann, wearing his hi-tech suit, leaped from a helicopter from an altitude of 10,000 feet to soar around the mountain peaks. The expert pilot fired up the electric motors and rocketed forward, gliding above four mountain peaks. The task completed, the pilot opened his parachute (降落伞) and gently landed.

It is unclear if Salzmann and BMW plan to make the electrified wingsuits available to the general public. But, one can always hope!

The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Duanwu Festival, is a traditional Chinese holiday celebrated nationwide {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (remember) Qu Yuan, one of the greatest poets of ancient China and the {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (early) known by name. When Qu Yuan jumped into a river out of love for his country in 278 BC, people {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (desperate) rowed out in boats to search for him. This inspired the Dragon Boat Festival, which takes place each year on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar, {#blank#}4{#/blank#} day when Qu Yuan died. Festivities vary in different parts of China, {#blank#}5{#/blank#} they share several traditions, dragon boat racing included. Rowers sit in large dragon-shaped boats and row them {#blank#}6{#/blank#} the beat of a drum (鼓), which is usually played by someone {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (seat) at the front of the boat. Another feature of the celebrations is a popular snack called zongzi or {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (stick) rice dumplings. It is believed that zongzi, which represent good luck, {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (throw) into the river to stop fish eating Qu Yuanˈs body. In some parts of China, mugwort (艾草) leaves can be seen {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (hang) on doors or windows during the Dragon Boat Festival to discourage insects from entering the house.