The Ebro River Delta， located along the eastern coast of (Spain)， is one of the largest wetland areas (320 km2) in the western Mediterranean region. The Ebro delta has grown rapidly - the historical rate of growth of the delta is demonstrated by the city of Amposta. This city was a seaport in the 4th Century， and is now located well inlandinland adj.内陆的， 国内的 adv.在内地， 向内地 n.内地 from the current Ebro river mouth. The rounded form of the delta attests to the balance between sediment deposition by the Ebro River and removal of this material by wave erosion.
The modern delta is in intensive agricultural use for rice， fruit， and vegetables. White polygonalpolygonal adj.多角形的， 多边形的 areas to the north and south of the Ebro River are paddy fields. The Ebro delta also hosts numerous beaches， marshes， and salt pans that provide habitat for over 300 species of birds. A large part of the delta was designated as Parc Natural del Delta de l，Ebre (Ebre Delta National Park) in 1983. A network of canals and irrigation ditches constructed by both agricultural and conservationconservation n.保存， 保持， 守恒 groups are helping to maintain the ecologic and economic resources of the Ebro Delta.
This astronautastronaut n.太空人， 宇航员 photograph， taken in partial sunglint， also shows the Ebro，s fresh water lens - the water density boundary between the upper layer of fresh water issuing from the Ebro River mouth and the saltier， denser Mediterranean Sea water. Diversion and impoundment of the Ebro River upstream has led to a decrease in water and sediment delivery to the delta. This decrease has led to increased erosion in some areas to the northeast of El Fangar Bay and along the southwestern shoreline of the delta.
The Parque del Buen Retiro
布恩雷蒂罗公园
布恩雷蒂罗公园位于马德里市南阿方索十二世大街的东侧，是马德里规模最大的公园。“布恩雷蒂罗”的西班牙语的意思是“快乐的隐退”，为西班牙历代国王隐居和静养的地方。公园始建于15世纪，1931年推翻王室建立共和国后对公众开放。
公园占地140多公顷，如果步行绕公园一周，要用上半天的时间。与众不同的是公园内有许多条用拉美各国的国名来命名的“街道”，纵横交错，将巨大的公园分割成数十个色彩各异的园中园，如玫瑰园、塞西略·罗德里格斯植物园等。园内林水面积130公顷，有树木30万株，有参天的古榕树，有色彩鲜艳的红枫，有四季常青的松柏，绿阴遮此景色幽雅，整个公园犹如一座绿色的岛屿。坚固美丽的铁栅环绕公园，公园四周有12个大门与外界相通，园内设置清一色的石桌、石凳，马德里市民常来这里散步和游玩。
使游客们难忘的是公园内有大小雕塑群数百座，它们神态各异，栩栩如生，规模最大的是西班牙历代国王和王后的白色石雕像，多姿多彩，掩映在绿色幽深的林木之中。园中的人工湖畔，耸立着国王阿方索十二世的纪念碑，碑顶是阿方索十二世骑马铜像，碑前直通水面的大石阶上有4只石雕雄师，石狮下方为4组海豚和美人鱼铜雕。洁白的纪念碑倒映在湖中，如水中明月，静影沉碧。
公园里有一座的美丽的玻璃宫，是以铁和玻璃建造的，屋前的喷水池中还有天鹅悠游其中；另外还有一座委拉斯盖兹宫，这两个宫殿均建于19世纪末，目前都已经成为展览馆。
The Parque del Buen Retiro is the most popular park in Madrid. It can get crowded during weekends when many Madrilenian families go for a strollstroll n.漫步， 闲逛， 四处流浪 v.闲逛， 漫步， 跋涉于 in the park and street musicians， sidewalk painters， fortune tellers， jugglersjuggler n.变戏法者， 行骗者 and street performers animate the crowd.
The Retiro Park was a royal park， but was openend to the public in 1868. It belonged to the Real Sitio del Buen Retiro palace. In 1632， the palace was built by King Philips IV as a retreatretreat vi.撤退， 退却 n.撤退， 退却 for the Royal family. At the time the park was well outside the city walls， but now Madrid has completely enclosed the Retiro park. It is partially laid out in a formal French style， while other parts are more natural.
Of the original palace， only two buildings survived， the rest was destroyed during the Napoleonic wars. One of the remaining buildings houses the Museo del Ejército， a museum that covers Spain，s military history. The other survivingsurviving 继续存在的 未死的 依然健在的 building is the Casón del Buen Retiro， a museum with a collection of 19th and 20th century paintings. Close to the northern entrance of the Parque del Retiro is a large artificialartificial adj.人造的， 假的， 非原产地的 lake， the Estanque del Retiro. More to the south is another， much smaller lake. At the edge of the lake is a beautiful glass building， the Palacio de Cristal. It was initially used to house exoticexotic adj.异国情调的， 外来的， 奇异的 plants brought over from the Philippines. It is now mainly used for temporary exhibitions.
Another feature of the park is the Rose Garden， the Rosaleda. The Retiro Park is located east of the city center， not far from the Prado Museum. Its main entrance is near the Alcala Gate， at the Plaza de la Independence.
Have fun as a child. Gymnasts， musicians， magiciansmagician n.善于变戏法的人， 魔术师， 术士 and all types of performers lined the walkways， each showing off their craft while kiosks with cheesy toys and balloon characters could be found on every corner. And， of course， there was the daily highlight of having your picture taken with various cartoon characters at the park.
Retiro Park in the heart of Madrid embodiesembody
vt.具体表达， 使具体化， 包含， 收录 all of those basic theme park qualities， with people looking to score a few extra euros. With miles of walking trails and a lakesidelakeside n.湖边 promenade， anyone and everyone can find something to enjoy here. Numerous performers set up shop along the sides of the promenade， creating a supermarket of entertainment. Puppet shows are performed to capturecapture n.捕获， 战利品 vt.俘获， 捕获， 夺取 attention spans of little kids， while adults have their choice of street musicians and acrobatsacrobat n.(走钢丝的)杂技演员， 随机应变者， 翻云覆雨者. While each musician is full of talent， hearing all of them on one halfmile walkway is kind of an overload. There are two things that coulclbe recommend bringing to the park during a visit. The first is a pair of earplugs to soothesoothe vt.使(某人，其神经，其情绪)平静， 安慰， 使(痛苦，疼痛)缓和或减轻 tired ears and block out all unwelcome noise. The second are some coins in small denominations since every performer you stop at is looking for some compensation.
If shopping is more appealing， street vendors display their variety of products， some with plastic pinwheelspinwheel n.轮转焰火， 纸风车 and Nyla balloons with Disney characters like those from “Finding Nemo.” Other vendors sell supposed handmade earrings， necklaces and braceletsbracelet n.手镯 displayed on towels - but most likely the jewelry was mass ordered from the Spanish version of the Kip catalog. Then there are the American pop culture cartoon characters all looking for their share of your spare change. Locals dressed up in character suits wander around the park， saying hello and waving to the kids.