|
From
the beginning rivers have played an important part in the life of man. Primitive man used rivers as a means of travel. In ancient times, man settled near rivers or on river banks and built up large empires and civilizations. Rome today still stands on both sides of the Tiber. The Menam runs through modern Bangkok, still serving as a great waterway for the transport of goods and people. Water
is Nature’s most precious gift to man. Man needs water to irrigate his crops, to cook and to wash. In nations far and wide rivers mean life and
wealth. The Yellow River, Irrawady, Nile, Ganges and a
host of others feed and clothe the nation around them. A shortage of water in
heavily populated agricultural areas will cause great hardship and starvation as crops fail. Water is also a source of energy and power. Man constructs huge dams across rivers to control the water for irrigating and obtain the energy needed to drive generators. The electrical power is then channeled to homes, cities, factories, television stations and the military. Man uses billions of liters of water each day. His main source of water comes from reservoirs which in turn obtain their water from the rivers. 在人类生命的一开始，河流就起着重要的作用。原始人把河流当成交通的一种方式。 在古代，人类在靠近河或河岸的地方定居并建立起了庞大的帝国和文明。罗马今天依然矗立在台伯河的两岸。湄南河流经现代曼谷，仍然是运输人和物的巨大水路交通系统。 水是大自然给人类最为宝贵的赠品。人们需要水来灌溉庄稼、做饭、洗涤。在任何国家中，无论远近大小，河流意味着生命和财富。黄河、伊洛瓦底江、尼罗河、恒河以及其他许多河流养育着它们周围的民族。当人口稠密的农业地区缺水、庄稼欠收时，就会造成极大的困难和饥饿。 水也是一种能源和电力资源。人们在河流上建立了大坝以控制水流，用于灌溉和发电。电能然后被运输到各家各户、城市、工厂、电视台和军队。人类每天要用数十亿升的水，主要水源是源自河流的水库。 6. irrigate 灌溉 10. a host of 许多；大量 |
|
|
