Dubai is one of the world’s most influential business centers. In fact, each year most of the city’s annual earnings come from business, not oil. The city is also a global trading port.
Recently, Dubai has become a popular spot for tourists. People from abroad come to relax on its beaches, and every year, millions visit just to go shopping!
Dubai is also one of the world’s fastest growing cities. Construction is everywhere. Buildings (some of the tallest on earth) are built in months. The city also has a number of man-made islands. One of these, the Palm Jumeirah, is shaped like a palm tree and is particularly beautiful.
The city is still an amazing mix of people from different backgrounds. Individuals from 150 countries live and work in Dubai, and foreigners now outnumber Dubai natives eight to one!
Many people welcome the city’s growth. But an increasing number of Dubai natives have concerns about the speed of change. As Mohammad Al Abbar, a Dubai businessman, says, “We must always remember where we came from. Our kids must know we worked very, very hard to get where we are now, and there’s a lot more work to do.”
(Reading Explorer 1, Cengage Learning English)
1. Where most of Dubai's annual money come from?
A. selling oil B. education C. construction D. business
2. In paragraph 2, what does the word “spot” mean?
A. a small, colorful circle (noun) B. a place, or destination (noun)
C. a mark on the skin (noun) D. to see something (verb)
3. Which sentence about Dubai is NOT true?
A. Dubai gets many international visitors every year.
B. There are a lot of foreigners working in Dubai.
C. The number of foreigners living in Dubai is smaller than that of Dubai natives.
D. Dubai has created several man-made islands.
4. What are some Dubai natives nervous about?
A. the air pollution of the city B. the pace of growth of the city
C. the politics of the city D. the tradition of the city
5. Mohammad Al Abbar says, “We must always remember where we came from.” What does this mean?
A. We should always remember we are from different backgrounds.
B. We should only think about the future - what to do next.
C. We must always remember our past.
D. We should always visit Dubai, even if we no longer live there.