There are many national parks in the United States. Yellowstone is the oldest and largest, __1__for its hot springs. Grand Canyon is most often visited__2__tourists, which is famous for its colorful, mile-deep valleys. Each year, millions of Americans__3__national parks on their vacations, admiring the beauties of nature.

　　Now, the United States has a new national park. It is Great Basin. It is the__4__national park in the western state of Nevada. The new park is in the eastern part of Nevada, near the__5__with the state of Utah. It is far from any__6__.

　　An American explorer__7__through the area in the early 1800's. He found the land __8__like a bowl. So he__9__it the Great Basin. It is a land of unusual beauty__10__sharp differences.

　　For example, you can climb a mountain covered with green forests, then__11__yourself in a field of snow as you arrive at the top. Here and there, sharp rocks__12__out through the snow. Among the rocks you might see__13__of the golden hawk, a bird that was once in__14__of dying out. There are also a__15__of large underground caves, which you can walk through for about a kilometer.

　　The state of Nevada had__16__a national park for more than sixty years. There have always been the__17__ideas from people who believed that a park would harm mining and agricultural__18__. The state government decides to set up the park and promises that mining will remain__19__, and that sheep and cows will__20__to feed on the mountainsides.

　　1. A. caringB. countingC. used D. known

　　2. A. byB. with C. from D. after

　　3. A. findB. spendC. buildD. crowd

　　4. A. firstB. best C. newestD. oldest

　　5. A. futureB. capitalC. borderD. end

　　6. A. companyB. farmlandC. city D. country

　　7. A. flewB. sailedC. exploitedD. traveled

　　8. A. shapedB. figuredC. sizedD. described

　　9. A. enjoyedB. discoveredC. consideredD. named

　　10. A. andB. orC. but D. from

　　11. A. helpB. admireC. lieD. cool

　　12. A. pullB. send C. stickD. give

　　13. A. homesB. tentsC. cavesD. shadows

　　14. A. need B. dangerC. sightD. case

　　15. A. team B. pile C. groupD. deal

　　16. A. builtB. repairedC. knownD. wanted

　　17. A. same B. similarC. wise D. opposite

　　18. A. interestsB. pollutionC. valuesD. workers

　　19. A. closeB. open C. poor D. rich

　　20. A. stopB. continueC. lead D. forbid

　　[答案与解析]

　　1. D。黄石公园是最老的、最大的国家公园,以温泉而闻名。known for相当于which is known for。 2. A。大峡谷经常有游客参观。此处是被动语态。 3. D。crowd在此处是动词,意为"群集;聚集"。 4. A 5. C 6. C。由下文可知,内华达州以前没有国家公园,这座新公园位于内华达州的东部,在犹他州边界附近,距任何一座城市都很远。 7. D。一位美国探险家于十九世纪早期穿过这个地区。 8. A。他发现这个地区的地形像一张弓。shape在此处是动词。 9. D。name在此处是动词,意为"命名为……"。 10. A。并列连词and连接unusual beauty和sharp differences两个名词短语。这个地区风景特别漂亮,而且差异明显。 11. D。你可以爬上覆盖着绿色森林的高山,爬到山顶后,在雪地里凉快一下。cool在此处是动词。 12. C。stick out意为"伸出"。 13. A。在岩石中你会看到金鹰的家。 14. B。in danger of…是固定词组,意为"处于……危险中"。 15. C。还有很多地下岩洞,深达一公里。 16. D 17. D 18. A。六十多年来,内华达州一直想有一个国家公园,但总是有反对意见。提出反对意见的人们认为建国家公园会损害矿业和农业。 19. B 20. B。州政府决定建公园,并许诺仍然可以采矿,羊和牛也可以在山坡上放牧。

　　(文/董君山；英语辅导报高三版2003-2004学年第49期；版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)