Death Valley, one of America’s great national parks, is a place of strange and silent beauty. As beautiful as this place is, its name provides evidence of very real danger. Death Valley is a land of beautiful yet dangerous extremes. There are mountains that reach more than 3,000 meters into the sky. There is a place called Badwater that is the lowest area of land in the Western Hemisphere. If there were water there, it would be 86 meters below the level of the ocean.
Death Valley can be dangerously cold during the winter months. Storms in the mountains can produce sudden flooding on the floor of the Valley. The air temperature during the summer has been as high as 57℃. The sun can heat the ground so that the temperature of the rocks and soil can be as high as 74℃. The extreme heat of Death Valley has killed people in the past. It will continue to kill those who do not honor this extreme climate. Death Valley does not forgive those who are not careful.
Death Valley is a good example of the violence of nature. It contains evidence of several ancient volcanoes that caused huge explosions. Evidence of one of these explosions is called Ubehebe Crater. The explosion left a huge hole in the ground almost a kilometer and a half wide.
In many areas of Death Valley it is easy to see where the ground has been pushed up violently by movement deep in the Earth. This movement has created unusual and beautiful rock formations. Some are red. Others are dark brown, gray, yellow or black. Other areas of rock look as if some huge creature violently broke and twisted the Earth to create unusual, sometimes frightening shapes.
In other parts of Death Valley there are lines in the rock that show clearly that this area was deep under an ocean for many thousands of years. Much of the Valley is flat and extremely dry. In fact, scientists believe it is the driest place in the United States.
Death Valley, part of the Great Mojave Desert, is a huge place. It extends more than 225 kilometers across the southern part of California, and across the border with Nevada.
【小题1】Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

It was not until I came here ____ I realized this place was famous, for not only its beauty but also its weather.

完形填空(共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分)
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从21~40各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项，并在答题纸上将该选项标号涂黑。
The books in David’s schoolbag felt like bricks as he ran down the street.What he wanted to do was to play basketball with Eric.   21   his mother told him he would have to return his sister’s books to the library first.
He had   22   set foot in a library and he wasn’t about to do so today.He would just  23  
the books in the outside return box.But there was a   24  ;it was locked.
He went into the building,only a few minutes   25   closing time.He put the books into the return box.And after a brief   26   in the toilet,he would be on his way to the playground to   27   Eric.
David stepped out of the toilet and stopped in   28  —the library lights were off.The place was   29  .The doors had been shut.They   30   be opened from the inside.He was trapped(被困)—in a library!
He tried to   31   a telephone call,but was unable to   32  .What’s worse,the pay phones were on the outside of the building.  33    the sun began to set,he searched for a light and found it.
   34   he could see.David wrote on a piece of paper:“    35   !I’m TRAPPED inside!”and stuck it to the glass door.   36  ,someone passing by would see it.
He was surprised to discover that this place was not so unpleasant,   37  .Rows and rows of shelves held books,videos and music.He saw a book about Michael Jordan and took it off the shelf.He settled into a chair and started to   38  .
He knew he had to   39  ,but now,that didn’t seem to be such a   40   thing.
21.A.but                       B.because                     C.or                             D.since
22.A.ever                            B.nearly                       C.never                        D.often
23.A.pass                            B.drop                         C.carry                        D.take
24.A.problem               B.mistake                     C.case                          D.question
25.A.during                  B.after                         C.over                          D.before
26.A.rest                      B.break                        C.walk                         D.stop
27.A.visit                            B.meet                         C.catch                         D.greet
28.A.delight                 B.anger                        C.surprise                     D.eagerness
29.A.lonely                  B.empty                       C.noisy                        D.crowded
30.A.wouldn’t                     B.shouldn’t                   C.couldn’t                    D.needn’t
31.A.make                    B.fix                            C.use                           D.pick
32.A.get on                  B.get up                       C.get through                D.get in
33.A.If                         B.As                            C.Though                     D.Until
34.A.On time                                                   B.Now and then
C.By the way                                                  D.At last
35.A.Come                   B.Help                         C.Hello                        D.Sorry
36.A.Surely                  B.Thankfully                C.Truly                        D.Gradually
37.A.at most                 B.after all                            C.in short                            D.as usual
38.A.watch                   B.play                          C.read                          D.write
39.A.wait                            B.stand                         C.sleep                         D.work
40.A.bad                     B.cool                          C.strange                      D.nice

Greece is one of the most beautiful countries of the world. Millions of tourists visit this place every year. In Greece the bus is the most convenient and preferred means of travelling. There are intercity(城市间的) buses operated by KTEL that interconnect(相互连接) various cities of Greece, and there are international buses operated by OSE that connect Greece to other European cities.
Every tourist must visit Greece at least once in life. This country is really a vacation heaven. It is the perfect blend of history and art with adventure and romance. You can dive into deep blue waters, climb up the mountains or enjoy ancient architecture and history.
Buses in Greece are cheap and very comfortable. All bus stations display schedules of buses on every route. Conductors and drivers are very polite and helpful. Travelers never face any trouble locating and boarding buses to their destinations. Tourists can always ask the conductor to inform them about their stop, so that they can get down at the right stop. Everyone here is more than happy to help tourists.
Athens, the capital of Greece, has three bus terminals. Buses to different part of Greece leave from different terminals.
Air-conditioned express buses(空调快车) also operated between major cities. They are faster and more comfortable than other buses. Tourists can choose guided Greece bus tour. These tours are the perfect way of exploring this great country.
Buses in Greece are also a great way of saving bucks on the journey. The long-distance bus system is very cheap. Buses save a lot of money to cover long distances, cheaper than taxis or cars. They are also the best means of interacting with local people. You can sit next to a native Greece and get some information about the place.
【小题1】The company KTEL offers bus services__________.
A.to different cities in Greece
B.B.from Greece to other countries
C.to tourist attractions in Greece
D.from Greece to its bordering(相邻的) countries
【小题2】It can be inferred from Paragraph 3 that the Greece are_________.

____in faraway northwest , this place has its beautiful fresh air .

       A．Being located B．Located    C．locating   D．To be located