A famous ice festival in China is the __ (0) __ victim of rising global temperatures. Every winter� tens of thousands of tourists __ (1) __ to Harbin, in the far north east of China, to see the city's ice sculptures. But with higher temperatures, the sculptures __ (2) __ to melt. Harbin is one of China's __ (3) __ cities. In winter, temperatures __ (4) __ drop as low as minus 35 degrees centigrade. __ (5) __ this harsh climate, the city has turned itself into a popular winter tourist destination. Visitors arrive from across Asia to experience the cold - and __ (6) __ the city's ice sculptures. Animals, people, even famous buildings __ (7) __ into intricate sculptures that are lit up at night.
But, there's a problem - winters just aren't __ (8) __ they used to be. Last year, Harbin had __ (9) __ warmest year since records began. And that means the city's famous ice sculptures are melting earlier. The ice festival traditionally __ (10) __ until the end of February. But this year, there are fears the ice will have melted long before then. And this is not just a worry for environmentalists. Harbin's ice festival is the city's biggest source of income. If the ice goes, so do the tourists.
Michael Bristow, BBC News, Beijing
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Extreme Fitness
Complete the story with the correct tense of the verb in the brackets. When
there is no verb given, complete the gap using ONE appropriate word.
You are (0) probably used to skateboarders and BMX riders on the streets of your
town.
But (1) �you �(see) TV programmes showing boys and girls
running through the city, leaping across high buildings and jumping over the walls?
What they do is called free running and it�s one of the world�s newest and
(2) �exciting sports.
Free running (3) �(invent) in the 1980s by two boys
Sebastien Foucan and David Belle. They (4) �(play)
together when they thought of a new game which involved running, jumping and
climbing across their playground. They made the game more and
(5)� �difficult and this is how it developed into the sport.
Today, free running is well (6) �around the world. In 2003,
(7) �was a documentary on British TV which showed the
boys doing the �moves�. Since then, French director Luc Besson has made two
films about free running and the sport is now very popular in the US as well.
The main (8) �between free running and other sports is
that in free running there are no rules and you can only challenge yourself, instead
of trying to beat your opponents.
Now, (9) �who is fit enough can be a free runner because
you (10) �(not need) expensive equipment, as it is with
other sports. All you need is a good pair of trainers, comfortable clothes and the
ability to run and jump.
Match the headings with the information that would go under them. The first one hasbeen done for you.
Skills and Expert Advice
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