Forget the pyramids, Tahrir Square and the Nile. Egypt is ready to ditch Cairo and build a shiny new capital if the government has its way.
Fed up with pollution, traffic jams, a packed population with soaring rents, Egypt is teaming up with a developer in the United Arab Emirates to build a city in what could be one of the world’s most ambitious infrastructure programs.
The yet-to-be-named city will spread out over 150 square miles, or roughly the size of Denver, and could eventually be home to 7 million people, the developers and government announced Friday.
The current capital of Cairo, while full of history and vibrant charm, is home to more than 18 million people, and living in and getting around the city can be maddening and frustrating. The government says the idea is to reduce congestion in Cairo, which is projected to double in population in the coming decades.
An exact location was not announced, but the city is expected to be built east of Cairo. It will be closer to the Red Sea -- between two major highways -- the Suez and the Ain Sokhna roads.
The ambitions are big. In addition to the new embassies and government buildings, it plans to have an international airport bigger than Heathrow, solar energy farms, 40,000 hotel rooms, nearly 2,000 schools and 18 hospitals -- all linked together by over 6,000 miles of new roads.
But if the dream is big, the bill will be bigger.
The total cost is estimated at U.S. $45 billion, Minister of Housing Mostafa Madbouly announced at an economic development conference in Sharm el-Sheikh.
The revealing of the new capital was paired with a glamorous website showing a luxurious and technological urban view of glass towers and pools.
The plan is backed by a group that describes itself as “a private real estate investment fund by global investors focused on investment and development partnerships” led by Emirati developer Mohamed Alabbar.
Alabbar made his name as the founder of Dubai’s Emaar Properties, primarily known for developing the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.
Egypt is not the first country to plan on moving its capital from established big cities to rural greener pastures. Myanmar(缅甸) has only recently completed its move from Yangon to the new city of Naypyidaw. Nigeria moved to Abuja in the 1990’s, and Brazil carved its capital Brasilia out of the wilderness over 50 years ago.
And then there was another crazy idea of building a capital city on a square of swampland that seemed mainly to be a boondoggle for wealthy land speculators(商人) at the time.
That city? _________
1.Egypt is ready to join hands with some experienced developers to build a new capital mainly because of the following EXCEPT ________ in the old capital.
A. pollution and population
B. its location and higher rents
C. its long history and charm
D. traffic jams and crowdedness
2.The underlined sentence in the passage means that it is _______.
A. a new city with expensive infrastructure programs
B. a new city with beautiful glass towers and pools
C. an enterprising dream with abundant funds
D. a noble dream with rich cooperative teams
3.Which city was the outcome of a crazy idea at that time?
A. Abuja. B. Brasilia.
C. Naypyidaw. D. Washington, D.C.
The Appleton Club is the focal point of undergraduate ministry in The Memorial Church. The Appleton Club provides a safe, inclusive, and welcoming space for undergraduates to grow and develop as faithful Christians as they grow and develop as intellectuals and professionals. We focus on building community through worship, study, and service, as well as through social gatherings and outings. All are welcome!
For details on all the activities of The Appleton Club, or to be added to our e-mail list, contact Epps Fellow Nathaniel Katz at nathaniel_katz@harvard.edu or 617-496-1426. You can also visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/memorialchurch.
Our life together is centered around three weekly gatherings:
Sunday Night Student Service
9:00 p.m., Appleton Chapel
Every Sunday night we gather for a “come as you are” worship service that includes the celebration of Holy Communion. The service is designed to provide a peaceful and contemplative space to find peace and encounter the divine at the start of the week. Following the service, we gather downstairs in the Buttrick Room for food and some social time together.
Wednesday Night Discussion Group
9:00 p.m., Sparks House, 21 Kirkland Street, Cambridge
Throughout the academic year we will come together during the middle of the week to read and discuss the works of the late Reverend Professor Peter J. Gomes. This spring we will continue discussing his best-selling book The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart as an entry point to conversations about what scripture is, what it isn’t, and what it means for our lives as faithful contemporary Christians of the 21st century. Food will be provided.
Friday Afternoon Social Gatherings
4:00 p.m., Sparks House, 21 Kirkland Street, Cambridge
Every Friday afternoon we gather as a community to check in and wind down from the busy week. This is our time to plan special events, service trips, and retreats, as well as a safe place to ask those burning questions about faith, theology, and scripture that you’ve always wanted to know about but have been afraid to ask.
1.If you want to know some activities of The Appleton Club, there are at least _____ ways.
A. 4 B. 3 C. 2 D. 5
2.From three weekly gatherings, which activity is not included?
A. Every Sunday night we hold the celebration of Holy Communion.
B. On Wednesday night of this spring we will discuss The Good Book.
C. Every Friday afternoon you can ask what you have been afraid to ask.
D. You can enjoy delicious food after gathering each time.
Years ago, I had the opportunity to conduct a seminar. This was a motivational one basically designed to people in changing their lives, their personal barriers in life.
It was always to meet the seminar attendees. Some of them couldn’t wait to get started, others were about what they would get for their money, and others attended often being forced by pressure.
This last group was always the most to work with. They sit there with crossed, rarely participating in any of the specific exercises meant to help them build positive behaviors to old habits and thoughts.
In the end, I started to look through the evaluations paying particular attention to find the form submitted by one of the attendees who had seemingly less attentiveness. To my disappointment, in this , there was no form. I left that day thinking that I had this person.
As I my preparation for the next seminar afterwards, one day I received a phone call —it was the attendee who had not submitted the evaluation form! My immediate was to prepare for a request for a total refund(退款).
It was not the case, . He took his time to tell me how much the seminar had already helped him change his ways, and how much more comfortable he was with himself now that he knew how to overcome his own personal barriers success both personally and professionally. I was surprised and glad to be to him.
Actually we all have power to affect the of others, but this power can also be negative if you use it wrongly or improperly. Power — you all have it — use it because you never know what impact you have on other people even when you think .
1.A.rescueB.assistC.sponsorD.treat
2.A.breaking downB.working againstC.breaking throughD.working out
3.A.fascinatingB.frighteningC.incredibleD.mysterious
4.A.consciousB.explicitC.roundaboutD.skeptical
5.A.willinglyB.reluctantlyC.voluntarilyD.naturally
6.A.inspiringB.daringC.challengingD.shocking
7.A.handsB.wrinklesC.smilesD.arms
8.A.impress B.conquerC.twistD.spin
9.A.displayedB.paidC.clarifiedD.requested
10.A.courtB.caseC.guiltD.generation
11.A.succeededB.managedC.anticipatedD.failed
12.A.went aboutB.turned overC.put awayD.set off
13.A.arbitraryB.boredC.veryD.suspected
14.A.reactionB.feelingC.effortD.mind
15.A.butB.althoughC.thoughD.while
16.A.toB.beyondC.oppositeD.against
17.A.hopefulB.helpfulC.handyD.holy
18.A.gesturesB.functionsC.emotionsD.behaviors
19.A.wiselyB.foolishlyC.regularlyD.regularly
20.A.additionallyB.alikeC.otherwiseD.overall
—I’ll repeat the address: 758 Maple Street. Maple, M-a-p-l-e.
—_______. Thank you.
A. Got it B. I’d love to
C. Never do it again D. Of course
My best friend who saved the two drowning boys from the freezing river is a kind and brave person, _______ that is worth respecting for ever.
A. that B. one C. it D. what
You get a lot of criticism, but you just have to carry on _______.
A. nevertheless B. fairly
C. regardless D. sincerely
